Hanging with the Aristocrats

The band consists of guitarist Guthrie Govan, bassist Bryan Beller and drummer Marco Minnemann. Photo Courtesy: The Aristocrats

Since their formation in 2011, The Aristocrats have gathered a passionate following of music lovers that are drawn to their mix of genre defying blend of jazz and rock. The band - consisting of guitarist Guthrie Govan, bassist Bryan Beller and drummer Marco Minnemann - takes its name from the eponymous dirty joke. Humour, as the band's signature goes, is a key to their style.

The Oddball Festival, held today at Phoenix Marketcity in Kurla, will see the band join some talented names in the MamoGi trio (Mark Hartsuch, Mohini Dey and Gino Banks), Parvaaz, Delhi-based Kraken and KOIAI on the stage.

Govan spoke with us about their latest trip and what they expect.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

Welcome back to India, it has been a while since Tres Caballeros. How has it been since the last trip? What were the memories that you took back from the trip?
Guthrie Govan: The incredibly enthusiastic fans, of course! They are some of the loudest, most amazing crowds in the world. It's such a thrill performing into that energy.

Was the last trip encouraging? Did you discover a new audience for your music?
GG: There is no place in the world like India, and it's always amazing to us that we can play our strange music for people who live so far from our homelands. It's really a kind of magic - The universal language of music.

So what have you been up to over these catalytic years?
GG: Actually, we were working on a new album right before this tour. But this is also a tour for our last studio album, "You Know What…?" from 2019, because we never got to come to Asia on that world tour. So it has been nice to dig deep into that material again.

The last album of live recordings with the Primuz Chamber Orchestra was a revelation. Did its reception surprise you?
GG: We love the work we did together with the Primuz Chamber Orchestra, and we're grateful so many people enjoyed that unique collaboration. Right now we're focused on just getting back on tour, like so many other bands, and there are some additional logistical issues that didn't exist in the past, so we'll see as we get going. We're certainly not ruling anything out.

What has made the journey on the Aristocrats so fun? Talk to us about what makes working together as a trio interesting?
GG: I think that whatever language we are fortunate enough to share is somewhat timeless. After all, we didn't even know we shared it when we first met, and there it was waiting for us. It survived the first 40 years of our lives when we weren't even a band. I trust it will survive this short break from live shows, which is now over.

Do your different musical journeys help in the creative process? Could you explain how these influences played into a composition?
GG: We are a true band of three like-minded people who just happen to have played with a lot of other people. That's why from the very beginning we did not call the band "Govan/Beller/Minnemann". The choice to be "The Aristocrats" came from a desire to be more than just three "name" players doing a project, and we hope our work reflects that shared intention.

What's next on the list for Aristocrats? A new album by the end of the year?
GG: We're working on a new studio album, and we have tours coming up all over the UK and Europe.