Part 1 - Interview In Run Up To NH7 Weekender: Bobby Friction

This coming weekend, Laxmi Lawns, Magarpatta City in Pune will play host to one of India's premier music festivals, The Bacardi NH7 Weekender. Spread across multiple stages, it will no doubt be a hotpot of multi-genre and multi-talent, showcasing the best acts Indian independent music and the world has to offer.

Over the course of the next few days we'll be introducing 3 of the international artists playing at the festival in a 3 part introduction series, finding out a bit more about what they're looking forward to doing both on and off the festival site.

Part 1:

First on this list, representing the UK with an impressive CV dedicated to music, is a man who I can only describe as an ambassador of British and South Asian music.

Bobby Friction has made a career out of representing British Asian sounds, spinning the wheels of steel and on-air. He emerged in the late 90s as a highly sought after DJ beginning his career at revolutionary club nights like London's Swaraj at the legendary Blue Note and the prominent SHAANTI in Birmingham. Bobbi's infamous specialism in music has him presenting a weeknightly show on the BBC Asian Network which is a testament to his dedication to the scene. Championing artists from all genres and providing them with a platform to reach new heights, his Friction Show won Best Radio Program at the UK Asian Music Awards earlier this year.

The three-time Sony Gold award winner is no stranger to festivals. Over the years Bobby has represented the Asian sounds all over the world. Since becoming a DJ of global repute he has performed at events such as WOMAD, The World Music Festival in Chicago, The Burning Man Festival and year on year at Glastonbury.

This year, Bobby Friction will be gracing the stage and DJing at the Eristoff Wolves Den, an area that will feature music and performances by some of the most cutting-edge electronica driven artists from India and around the world. Be prepared to hear dubstep and drum and bass mashed up with Middle Eastern, Asiatic, Sufi and dub along with a generous helping of hypnotic sounds for bass-line rumination.

In the run up to his performance and forthcoming Wild City Mix we threw him a couple of questions:

What are you looking forward to doing in India?

I'm looking forward to connecting with the multitude of artists from India that I play on my show and get a sense from them of where India (outside of Bollywood) is going musically. I also have close relationships with many of them via the global alternative South Asian musical family so can't wait to drink till we drop, party till dawn and exchange ideas like intellectuals. I also intend to plant a seed from my unique music collection that will grow into a jungle across India over the next couple of years.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at the festival and why?

Shaair & Func, Midval Punditz, B.R.E.E.D, Riz MC & The Raghu Dixit Project are all artists who got their 1st radio plays in the UK and the west via my Friction show. I can't wait to see them all live at the same festival and see a vision I've had in my head for years now... but in the flesh!

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Words: Sanjay Kundalia