Ashram

Bio:

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. ENGLISH

Ashram is an Indian - Austrian „Rock- fusion- band“. The band Ashram was founded in 2004 on a longer trip through India. Six years before, in 1998 Manuel Seidl (vox), Judy Sepan (guitar) and German Schwarz (drums/ bass) had been playing together in the rockband „Fur Balloon“. After 6 years „rock´n´roll“ with Fur Balloon and the inspirations of the Indian travel in 2004, the band was motivated to create an overcontinental musicgroup and a new orientalrock musicstyle. In 2005 Ashram had played their first concert tour in jails , this project was called „Prisontour“. On that tour the band still played in a standardrockformation (vox: Manuel Seidl/ guitar: Judy Sepan/ bass: Sebastian Obermaier/ drums: German Schwarz) without their Indian friends (thagil: Ajaya Gopi/ tabla: Hari Kumar/ vox: Saju Nivas). In 2006 Ashram got together again in Kerala, for recording their first album in Thiruvananthapuram. After those visits in India the band realized the vision to bring all musicians on one stage in 2007. In August and September 2007 the realization of this difficult bandproject took place and they presented their first Ashram album (Titel: Ashram/ Year: 2007) and played more than 30 gigs across Germany and Austria. On that first tour, the band played with Adrian Müller (alternate bassist for Sebastian Obermaier) and Jayprakasch (alternate singer for Saju Nivas). Like before most of the concerts were played in prisons. After a six weeks long and tough, private organized musictour, our band disjoined again. So the Indians Ajaya Gopi, Hari Kumar and Jayprakasch went home to Southindia. Adrian Müller and German Schwarz moved for nearly one year from Linz (Austria) to Berlin (Germany) to play for the band „Saint Lu“. After a few month German Schwarz and Adrian Müller were leaving Berlin and came back to Austria. At the same time Judy Sepan was triping through Los Angeles (U.S) where he was searching for a prfessional Ashram musicproducer. In September 2008 Ashram performed their third „Prisontour“ again in a standard rock- band- formation without the indian bandmembers. The tour took place in Austria and Germany, they played also some illegal concerts on pulblic places: in Amsterdam (Netherlands), Paris (France) and Brüssel (Belgium / you can watch the Brüssel concert on youtube.) After this crazy and funny tour in 2008 the band was disposed to organize a second tour with their Indian musicians. In May 2009 the band started with their second concerttour, two years later again in their „real“ bandformation. Ashram had again some rough intern troubles and the Indian vocalist Anu Praveen came for Saju Nivas into the band. In this time (May 09) the musicians of Ashram were also recording their second Ashram album „One“ in a little village in the highlands of Upperaustria. In June 2009 the Indian musicians went home to Kerala and in September the band went on their fourth „prisontour“ with Bernhard Schopper on drums (alternate tour drummer for German Schwarz). The band performed again the concerts without the Indian bandmembers, because of some badly expiriences of our jailtour in 2007. Altogether Ashram rocked in more than 60 jails. Since 2009 the band is working on their second Ashram album named "One". Fortunately they got an illustrious producer from L.A - Thom Russo. He worked for example with bands like: System of a Down, Audioslave, Johnny Cash, Michael Jackson ...and so on. Ashram is sure that this new album "One" will live up the expectations. The album presentation is scheduled for February 2011 with a concert tour through South India. www.ashram.at

Member Since:

Juni 29, 2007

Members:

Anu Praveen (Indian Voice)
Ajayan Gopi (Takil, Percussions)
Hari Kumar L.K. (Tabla, Mridangam)
Judy Sepan (Guitar, Sitar)
Manuel Seidl (Vocals)
Adrian Müller (Bass)
German Schwarz (Drums)

Influences:

indian and western music

Record Label:

Unsigned