By the time my friends and I were old enough to go to concerts, Cobweb was on stage along with others like Zenith and Mukti and Revival. In 1997 came a band that took local rock by storm: Looza: who were soon joined by Robin to form Robin N Looza:. Bringing a variation to the music scene back in the day were Cadenza, then a funk band, not jazz.
We didn't know it then, but the youth of KTM was making history in 1999. This month we publish a written form of this movement and culture, updated till as recent as last month. The Uprisings, this month's cover story, takes a look at the starkly different concert and live band cultures that have been seen in KTM during the last five years. Being in a band, organizing concerts, working on the radio and for WAVE allowed me to work with most of rock outfits that emerged during the 1998/9 era. Vishal, who has co-written this article, was a member of the 5th Grade Dropouts, and is now with the band Inside Two Stoopid Traingles. These two bands have been integral in the underground movement that has prevailed during the past few years. It is because of Vishal and my direct involvement with the live music circuit of the last seven years combined with some fresh research, that we are able to write for you an in-depth article about the scene that was once explosive and now feels somewhat diffused and scattered.
We also present another part of the music culture — Mukti and Revival. Mukti's work and life spans over two decades of Nepal's pop and rock culture. Revival is one whose history goes as far back as the late 1980s and early 90s with bands like Wrathchild and Newaz.
But this month's issue isn't all about music. We also look at the rapidly growing phenomenon of Nepali students studying abroad. Srijana writes about making An Informed Choice and WAVE presents a basic guide for students across the country. We wish Srijana all the best for her future as she bids farewell to WAVE so that she may herself focus on further education in the US herself.
The Gorkhaland movement is one of the most important and biggest socio-political struggles of the last 20 years in the South Asian region. This month, WAVE starts a two part series in our Darjeeling and North East section about this movement. Darjeeling is also Nepal's Mecca for pop- rock culture [Gopal Yonzan to Prism and Cadenza] that exists today.
This is our tribute to the musicians and music lovers of the last 25 years. For those about to rock, we salute you.
