Infivictims :: Jayashree Singh - SKINNY ALLEY

By Ritesh

Skinny Alley have been making waves with their live performances, after the release of their commendable debut album, ‘Escape the Roar’. Infinity Music correspondent Ritesh caught up with Jayashree Singh, frontwoman of the veteran Indian Rock act, for a brief e-mail interview.

Skinny Alley was formed when most of us weren’t even born! You guys are still going strong… what’s the ‘secret’?

Good, clean living!

Skinny Alley’s music is a beautiful mixture of various styles of music such as jazz, funk, etc…

I guess it’s come out of so many years of playing all kinds of music and listening to even more kinds of music! Funk and jazz are actually the two genres of music that we listen to most. So the influences are strong maybe.

Your music has got a tremendous response from today’s generation… how does it feel to gain the kind of acceptance that you have?

It’s absolutely wonderful. To be working in music today with musicians who are only slightly older than my son, that is a great feeling. And also having the music appeal to listeners of that generation—nothing could be more thrilling! This is true crossover.

Tell us about your debut album ‘Escape the Roar’, released through Virgin / EMI…

The songs were written over a two year period and actually these are the songs we wrote when we first started the whole business of songwriting. I like to think of the songs as short stories set to music as they are mostly little vignettes of human life. Not many “love songs” in there!

You’ve mentioned that your songs are poetry set to music.

Not so much poetry as prose, I think…

Do you feel that if the internet was easily accessible when Skinny Alley started out, things would have been different and easier for you?

Different, yes, but easy? I don’t know. As far as I can see, nothing ever comes easy.

What are your honest views on the current Indian Rock scene? Also would you allow your songs to be remixed for increased commercial success?

There are a lot of bands working right now, but how many are seriously committed to the music they are playing, I really don’t know. The good thing is that more and more bands are at least trying to get into original music. They are starting much earlier that we did, that’s for sure! As for remix, I would like to see what DJ whoever would do with a song like “Clumsy”, say!!

What do you think the future holds in store for Indian Rock music?

This is a tough one always. I wish I could say there is a great future for Indian rock (Skinny Alley would get to reap the benefits too!), but it’s such an uphill journey for rock musicians. Yes, the movement is growing but it can only be sustained if there is quality original music being written and performed. You can’t have an industry of cover bands.

Any final comments?

If the music is in your heart, go for it. Nothing will give you greater pleasure. But don’t disrespect it. It’s such a precious thing.

Skinny Alley photograph(s) edited from SkinnyAlley.com