
Thermal And A Quarter
Thermal And A Quarter (TAAQ) is a pioneering Indian fusion-rock band. From its birth in 1996, TAAQ has consistently evolved, set new standards and defied categorization. Encompassing styles from Carnatic to Jazz-funk, TAAQ has three albums and hundreds of live gigs under its collective belt.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
Thermal And A Quarter (TAAQ -- that's just an abbreviation, not our NASDAQ listing) is a groundbreaking band of musicians based in Bangalore, India. Conceived in a bedroom, (not a garage), TAAQ has been around from 1996. That's ten years older than some of your children and way older than most of your goldfish.
In that time, TAAQ has been variously labelled 'Indian rock', 'Curry' rock, 'fusion' rock and more. Neatly sidestepping the confines of genre, TAAQ has best been described as a pioneer, making music that resonates with the rhythms of contemporary India. Our influences range from South Indian classical and folk to progressive rock and jazz. Bands that turn us on include Steely Dan, Sting, Dave Matthews, Shakti, Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles.
Thermal And A Quarter has three albums and hundreds of live gigs under its collective belt. Highlights include:
Winner, 'Battle of the Bands' competitions across India, 1996 - 1998
Self-titled debut album released 1999
Opening act for Deep Purple, 2001
2nd album Jupiter Café released, 2002
Prime-time FM airplay, Dubai, 2002
Heart Cave: Sphurana VCD released, 2003
Voted '2nd biggest band in India' by a nation-wide reader's poll conducted by RSJ magazine
Featured on National Public Radio (www.npr.org) in the USA, on All Things Considered, 2005 the first Indian band to receive this acclaim
Opening act for Jethro Tull, 2006
3rd studio record Plan B released, 2006
Voted among "India's Best Bands" by the Hindustan Times, New Delhi, 2006
UK tour, with performances across London and Glasgow, 2006
Winner - WorldSpace Award for Outstanding Contribution to Indian Rock; other honorees include The Who, Johnny Cash, Baaba Maal, Jay-Z, Lionel Ritchie and more: 2007