Contrary to general per­ception, the name Tum­bleweed has got noth­ing to do with “weed,” the band members joke. Tumble­weed Inc. came into being in 2012, detaching from its roots and tumbling down, like its name suggests. Inspired by international acts like RATM, Snot, Primus and RHCP, the rap-rock-funk band has given the Nepali music scene a taste of hip-hop lyrics backed by a groovy rhythm, all blended into catchy music for their albums Parichaya and Anyol. Sarad Shrestha on gui­tars, Suwas aka Ktm Souljah on vocals, Prashant Maharjan on bass and Roben Neupane on drums make up Tumble­weed Inc. Sarad, 43, leads the pack of young musicians in their mid-20s to make music that is one of its kind, at least in the Nepali music industry. “The difference in age between us is actually a benefit,” Sarad says, “It adds to the mixture of my old school choices to the new musical tastes the guys have. In music, age isn’t a problem, it rather enhances learning.”

 

Sarad, previously playing with The Axe, a popular pop-rock band, was in search of a new team to experiment the music of his liking and in due course met the band members of Tumbleweed, each coming from a different genre. “With Suwas’s rap and free style singing, we came up with a song on the very first day we rehearsed together,” Sarad recalls. “Such was the chem­istry between us.”

 

The band then released their debut album Parichaya, which gave hits like Geda, Bad­lido Samaj, Local Thito and Mr President—the crowd favor­ites anywhere they perform. Following their success with Parichaya, the band recently released Anyol, which was accepted by the Nepali audi­ence immediately with the title track of the same name becoming an instant hit.

 

In the early days, criticism kept coming their way. With hardcore metal music in vogue, their rap music with a blend of metal and funk left the audience questioning their musical existence. Such music negatively impacted the audi­ence’s minds, which made people perceive us in a wrong way, say the band members.

 

“There was a time when the crowd booed us—flipping the bird on our faces. But we took it positively, and gradual changes began happening. Now, they cover our songs and sing with us.”

 

Interestingly, most songs of Tumbleweed, which now has released two albums, were made on the spot while jam­ming. “The lyrics are based on the struggles and experiences of a common man,” says Ktm Souljah, the band’s lyricist. Earlier, the band wrote lyrics that had 50 percent English words; now it’s down to 10 percent. The band has trained its focus on the Nepali audi­ence. Moreover, it moved from performing underground to performing mainstream. Tum­bleweed Inc. has evolved.

 

The frequency of big events has gradually declined, says the band. The original music creators have lost their space in the growing market for live singers. “As an inde­pendent artist, it is difficult for us to get a big platform, even though we deserve it,” says Sarad. “We barely get spon­sorship deals.”

 

After the release of their sec­ond album Anyol, the band toured 10 cities in the coun­try without any sponsors. Yet they have no complaints. “We managed to perform well and had a great experience,” says Sarad. “We know the situation will only improve, since it is pretty good now.”

 

The band, which usually performs in Kathmandu and has also toured eastern towns like Dharan, as well as to India, Australia, the UAE etc., says music alone is not a sufficient source of income. They give the example of doctors in pub­lic hospitals who also work in private clinics to supplement earnings. “Income from music has declined in general, but at the same time, live singers are doing pretty well performing in bars and restaurants,” says Sarad. “It also depends on one’s standard of living.”

 

Tumbleweed, in the near future, plans to tour India and the US, while also focusing on regular jam sessions and continuing with its music creation.

 

“We hope music lovers remember us as good musi­cians and give us construc­tive feedback,” says the band in unison. “Also, we request our listeners to be physi­cally present at our concerts and encourage independent artists like us”.