Unholy Maunder: Greetings Rudy, it's an immense pleasure to talk to our very own Guitar god! The jewel of North-East India!
Rudy Wallang: Hahaha...'Guitar God'! I am humbled and amused Sankalp :) I just try and play the blues to the best of my ability :)
UM: Most of us as kids wish to learn this amazing instrument. We grow up listening to the greats. Who or what inspired you to make love with your guitar?
Rudy: I grew up listening to my dad and his band when i was still a kid then as i grew older i listened to what was happening on the radio... But it was after i heard the late GREAT Mr.Roy Buchanan that i learned how to 'make love to and with my guitar' ;)
UM: Soulmate is the best blues band of NE. Probably the best in India! How did it all begin?
Rudy: You know Sankalp, with out meaning to be rude, i dont like tags like 'Best Blues Band'etc etc... the way i see it is that, Soulmate plays the Blues in our own unique way.God has blessed us with the best gift a human being can receive....The gift of music...We make our music and play it to our friends and fans in the most honest way ....without any pretense.... Like i said before...when we play a gig...for us its like the last time we are ever going to play those songs...because when we play the same songs again,another time....they will never sound the same...thats because what we feel today we will not feel tomorrow! :)
When we first started out...our aim was to Play The Blues and promote this genre as much as we could....and the songs that we have written and covered have all meant something to Tips and me.We can't simply go and play a song just because it sounds good and or its popular with the people...it has to identify with us as human beings!
UM: So what's new in Soulmate's kitty? What do we expect from the 'awesome duo'?
Rudy: Well,we have been writing songs and we will play these new tunes once we get back on the road.At the moment...we are back in the studio practicing :) and if all goes well,we will have another album out this year end as well....so..there you go!
UM: Share with us your most memorable experiences throughout your music life!
Rudy: Oh! Quite a few actually... As you know,we were really busy till March this year. Then we took a break!
-One memorable experience was our first trip to Memphis in 2007...playing on Beale street and doing a pretty good job of it:)
-Then,playing in Jakarta last October....that was a really great experience! We're looking forward to good times there, again this year.
-Playing at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC where tickets for both the Soulmate gigs were sold out!!
-Playing at the Mahindra Blues Festival in Feb this year!
But one very memorable experience,as a guitar player,which stands out in my mind is when i messed up on stage at the first 'Hand-shake Concert' in Mumbai. We were to close the show...we got on stage..setting up our effects etc...something was wrong with my wah pedal and there was no sound coming out of it...so i decided not to use it. This all took a little more time than we expected...with the audience waiting patiently for us to start. Finally....we began with 'Shillong'...Sam beginning with the drums :) then when we all came in on the song.....something sounded terribly wrong!! I looked around and everyone was looking at me :) I started on the wrong chord!!!! Would you believe it :) Man! I wish i could have been Chris Angel at that point and done the disappearing trick :) LOL!! We had to stop and start again....... Phew! That will never happen again!...i hope ;)
UM: Well with whom would you like to share the stage with, which would be a 'dream come true' for you?
Rudy: It almost came true at the Mahindra Blues Fest ...wanted to play with Buddy Guy.
I would like to play alongside Derek Trucks and Susan Tedeschi too...they have a great band... a big band :)
UM: Tell us about your equipment, your arsenal-divine!
Rudy: Ok! I have been blessed with my guitars :)
1.My main guitar is my Custom Built Greg Bennett MB30.
2.I also play a Greg Bennett RL3..which is a beautiful guitar.
3.I have an Be3 18 watt(All Tube) Head and a 1 x 12 Celestion Greenback speaker/cabinet built for me by Mohammed Ansar who is based in Navi Mumbai.Great sounding amp!
4.My effects consist of:
1. BOSS DD3 Delay - Tremolo Tremster pedal by TRex - Ibanez TS9 Mod Plus by Robert Keeley - Dunlop Fasel Crybaby - Boss Tu2 Guitar Tuner.
I also place a Holy Grail Plus Reverb Pedal in the effects loop.
5.Cables: Vox,Planet Waves, Analysis Plus.
6.I use a brass slide(spare part for a willy's jeep) :)
7. Dunlop Tortex 1mm picks.
In the studio i am allowed to play my other guitars so i'll mention them here :) :
1. Fender Squire( Silver Series) Telecaster(Japanese)
2. Fender Tex-Mex Stratocaster with Tex Mex Trio Pickups.(They don't make these anymore ) Its a beautiful Guitar.
3. A Gibson 2008 Standard Les Paul( Which i won as best guitar player for the 2009 Jack Daniels Awards)
4. An Ehsaan Noorani Signature Squire Stratocaster which he presented to me :))
5. A Samick Acoustic Guitar.
UM: What would you like to say about today's music scenario and that of in Shillong?
Rudy: What i have always said...there is a lot of talent in Shillong. If only this talent could be tapped...or if there were places to play..musicians here would not have to do other things to live...
As far as the rest of India is concerned,i feel that the 'Live' scene has really picked up..especially in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad. This is what a working musician needs....a place to play and to earn a living from...no matter how small...Its about respect..self-respect!
UM: A word for the aspiring artists, and fans! Please do share some tips for beginners as guitarists!
Rudy: For guitar-players
1. Practice hard
2. Listen to different kinds of music.
3. Start on acoustic then move on to electric guitars.
4. Do not use any effects when first playing an electric guitar.Get to know your instrument first...the different tones and settings etc. Most young guys want to sound or be like someone else even before they know who they are. Know yourself and your abilities first :)
5. If possible,when starting a band, learn to play with a metronome.It helps a lot!
6. Listen to other people in the band...not only to yourself!
7. This one might be tough..but with practice,you will get it right... Be humble ;)
For our fans...Thank you all from the bottom of our Hearts. Without your support..we would be nothing!
UM: Lastly, your motto for your music!
Rudy: 'PLAY WHAT YOU FEEL AND FEEL WHAT YOU PLAY'
Hello, my name is Jack Sparrow. I'm a 50 year old self-employed Pirate from the Caribbean.