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Pune band The Strangers, set to rock stage again
In their early 50s, these members of music band The Strangers have come a long way and it is Classic rock that has united them since they started in 1984
Music never dies, it matures. At least that is what one could note when Anil Purohit, Nico Francis, Vijay Joshi, Ritesh Ohol, Sheron Herbert and Leo Mathews will perform at High Spirits in Koregaon Park at 8.30 pm on July 21.
In their early 50s, these members of music band The Strangers have come a long way and it is Classic rock that has united them since they started in 1984.
The base and bass
Purohit (bass guitar), Francis (drums) and Milind Mulick (lead guitar and vocals), students of Fergusson College, loved to gather, sing and play. Their friends and staff encouraged them to represent the college in the inter-collegiate rock music contest Livewire organised at Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT-B) in Mumbai. They entered the final, and the surprised and elated youngsters needed to brand the band. And The Strangers was born, as the students found themselves as ‘strangers’ before their pro-competitors.
The Strangers went on to win the Livewire contest, and also winning individual prizes. Later, vocalist Vijay Joshi joined the band and the group started performing not only in Pune, but at college shows and corporate events across the country. They were also invited to perform as guest band at various rock events, including Independence Rock, one of the country’s biggest rock concerts, held at Rang Bhavan, Mumbai. They performed with some of the popular bands and artists like Rock Machine, Remo Fernandes, Pentagram, Hammersmith, Exodus, Brahma, Jasmine Bharucha and Nemesis Avenue. The band came to be known as the pioneer and trendsetters of rock music in Pune.
“There is this one concert that Puneites still remember. This was a rock show at the Loyola school grounds held in 1986 organised by Ex-Loyola Students Association (Elsa). That night The Strangers rocked a crowd of 8,000 plus music lovers with thumping sound by Roger Drego, the popular sound engineer who brought massive wall speakers for a Pune show from Mumbai,” said Francis.
Over the years with performing all over and strumming 800 plus shows, with work and priorities coming up, the band decided to take a break. Their last performance was in 2008.
The rebound of band
Having settled in life, the desire to come back for a reunion show and rock audience was ignited in senior band members. Thanks to friends and well-wishers’ coaxing.
The Strangers organised their first ‘revival’ show at Effingut, Baner in July 26, 2018. The music lovers enjoyed the 1980s renditions by The Doors, Beatles, Scorpions, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. The response powered another reunion show at the same pub, packed with music lovers, musicians and dear friends both from yesteryears to the present.
The artists are same with Purohit on bass, Francis on drums and Joshi on vocals. The new faces are Ritesh Ohol (lead guitar), Sheron Herbert (rhythm guitar) and Leo Mathews (keyboards).
Event
What: Performance by The Strangers
When: 8.30 pm, July 21
Where: High Spirits, Koregaon Park