Blakc is about two things – the music and the people

Starting out as Shawn’s vehicle to being a artist and a Rockstar following idols like Steven Tyler, Eddie Vedder he simmered a singe minded vision to create art that moved people. He met Anish who wanted to be a corporate suit, make money and live the high life – playing in a band was one of many experiences he thought would be fun to try. He sure knew how to play guitar, and Shawn saw an able recruit. Within days of meeting, they found band-members, a jam-pad and entered their first college competition. Armed with 3 cover songs, Shawn went to register the band, only to realize one small detail, they had no name. The organizer saw the first song they had chosen – a track by Pearl Jam, and said OK, you guys be Black!

Blakc didn’t win that competition, but there was a spark, a connect with the audience who after the show thronged the newly formed band because of their explosive live performance. By 2008 the band was pulling in regular gigs in the form of opening performances for bigger bands, club shows and the occasional headlining show including Independence Rock, Campus Rock Idols & a tour of the North East.

In 2009. Blakc had a bunch of originals they were playing around at shows and decided to put out its first album, entitled ‘Choking On A Dream‘. The album spoke of the bands youth, hopes, dreams and the difficulty of being an indie band in India. In particular, Blakc (changed from Black) had signed with a label, which didn’t work out. The band bought their music back, and at an average age of 20, this meant getting jobs. The band sold 500 copies of the album, but gained enough street cred to start getting more offers for better paying gigs. The juggernaut had begun…..

By 2012 Blakc racked up over 100 gigs playing colleges, clubs and music festivals across India. An almost milestone was Blakc opening for Metallica, but the show got canned rather dramatically. This could be seen as a sign, nothing was ever going to come easy to this band. In 2012, the band released their 2nd full length album, ‘Motheredland’. This album exposed the anti-establishment leanings of the band, while also taking the sound into a more progressive space. Recorded in Yashraj Studios, and mastered in New York by Mr. Chris Athens who worked with AC/DC and Pearl jam Nickleback, the album had very high expectations. It also had Blakc’s first music video which went straight onto VH1

2013 saw the introduction of Varun Sood. A Delhi based drummer, a Financial Analyst from IIT Roorkee and IIM Bangalore, Varun had played with over 10 metal bands and could not have been more different from the band. But just days into jamming and the pieces started to fit. Varun was the quintessential, hard-hitting rock drummer; the band was writing new music and Rein found a partner in Varun to craft the new sound of the band

The next two years saw the band wandering the wilderness playing shows and promoting our single “Choices” with a music video. Blakc stuck its neck out along side bands like Zygnema, Coshish, Daira to organize and inspire the now-legendary Party LaLaLa PARTY LALALA (2016) – Official After Movie, a series of DIY gigs that were done by the bands for the fans.

In 2017, Roop became the 2nd member to leave Blakc, and pursue a successful career as a professional musician.

Enter Sourya Mukherjee, another IIT product was working a Consulting job and playing in a jazz band with drummer Varun on the side. The band thought about him and things clicked. Again, just days into jamming and the pieces started to fit. The album had been recorded at Yashraj in 2017 but with Sourya coming on board, it got rerecorded. Vocals quickly got recorded and the band took its next big decision. Reinhardt had been working on producing music and the band entrusted him with the responsibility to mix and master the album. The DIY ethos was now present in the most core way.

The band released its third full-length studio album in 2018, titled ‘The Consequence Of Feeling‘. With over a decade, of experiences, a lot of feelings, and a ton of consequences. The whole band had changed, some literally and some personally.

The Band recorded & released an ep in the middle of the Pandemic called What Is Time with a music video for the song BLAKC – The Cypher (Official Music Video)

Our final change coming off the pandemic was the departure of Shourya to the US to pursue his further studies and the mighty shoes of being the bass player in Blakc were filled by Shawn Phulpagar as we are set to release album 4 in 2023.

The band has been taken and taken itself on a whirlwind journey which few individuals in this country have been on. All these musicians will speak of the wonderful experiences they have had, and the trials they had had to endure. Blakc’s music reflects the emotions felt by all band members in this journey to make and share their art with the fans

Blakc has one common ground for the band members, and their fans. A dislike for settling, a virulent dissatisfaction which is a daily itch but a long term gift. This feeling has driven the band through our music . Through lakhs of debt, addiction, depression and blame

This feeling is a a burning desire
A hedonistic desire
To be more, know more, experience more

The desire to Live……..Alive