GENRE ::Blues/Rock
BAND MEMBERS ::
Rudy Wallang : Vocals/Guitars
Tipriti Kharbangar : Guitars/Vocals
BIOGRAPHY ::
Soulmate was formed about five years ago. The band consists of blues-guitar player, songwriter and singer, Rudy Wallang and Vocalist Tipriti ‘TIPS’ Kharbangar who also plays rhythm guitar,Ferdy Dkhar on Bass Guitar and Sam Shullai on Drums. They all come from Shillong, Meghalaya which is one of the North-Eastern hill states of India.Soulmate have released their debut album entitled “SHILLONG” which was recently (2005) voted as the #1 Indian Original Album in the Blues/Rock category. The album is a tribute to love in its different forms as well as being a tip of the hat to their hometown. They have also released a music video for the song “I AM” which is currently being played on channel VH1 (..Maybe the only Blues video playing in India at the moment).Their music features regularly on World Space Radio. The Band takes their name from one of the songs on the album called “Blues is my soulmate”.The band has performed almost all over India playing numerous gigs in Delhi, Ahmedabad, Goa, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Darjeeling, Sikkim, Kalimpong, Mizoram,Nagaland,Assam and here in Shillong,as well as at the International Jazzmandu Festival in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2004 and 2005. They are regular performers at The HAZE Blues Bar in Delhi and are also members of the Blues Club of India. Who would have ever imagined that the Blues would or could be played in India…of all places!!Soulmate has been selected by The Blues Club of India to participate in the 23rd.International Blues Challenge, to be held in Memphis, Tennessee from the 1st. - 3rd Feb, 2007.The sound of the band is based on the Blues.The influences range from Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, Albert King, B.B King, Willie Dixon, Roy Buchanan, Peter Green, Koko Taylor, Ella Fitzgerald to Van Morrison, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin, Nina Simone, Etta James and Johnny ‘GUITAR’ Watson, to name a few!!Rudy and Tips have been asked numerous times why they chose to sing and play the Blues and their answer has been……. “We did not choose the blues…… the Blues chose us! ….”.The band has gone through quite a few personnel changes since its inception in ’02 with Keith Wallang (ex-Mojo, The Great Society) playing bass guitar, Valte Chhongtu (ex-The Honey Drippers and The Next Band) rhythm guitar, Momo Laishram- (ex-Cannibals)-Drums, Arwell Warjri-Bass, Shawn Nongrum-Drums and last but not the least,Manas Chowdhary (Euphonic Trance)-Bass. The band, through the years has gone from strength to strength and has made quite a name for itself in the club circuits especially in Delhi, Mumbai and Goa.At present the members of SOULMATE are Rudy Wallang (Guitar and Vocals) and Tipriti Kharbangar (Vocals and guitar) complemented by session players Sam Shullai on drums and Ferdy Dkhar on Bass Guitar.
DISCOGRAPHY ::SHILLONG(2005)Track Listing ::
1. Love You
2. The Price
3. If You Were My Guitar
4. I Am
5. My Baby
6. Do You
7. St. Valentine’s Day Blues
8. Shillong (Sier Lapalang)
9. If You See My Baby
10. Blues In My Soulmate
1. Love You
2. The Price
3. If You Were My Guitar
4. I Am
5. My Baby
6. Do You
7. St. Valentine’s Day Blues
8. Shillong (Sier Lapalang)
9. If You See My Baby
10. Blues In My Soulmate
LINKS ::
Official website ::
Official website ::
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