Interview | Singer James Thakara on his band’s latest release, ‘Loop’ and future plans

James Thakara performing
| Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Founder and lead singer of the Kochi-based band, Thakara, James Thakara, describes the music of his band as “common man’s chronicles”. Released at the Indiegaga Trivandrum 2024 concert on Wednesday, their latest song ‘Loop’ stays true to this description exploring the dichotomy of good and bad being within people and how they perceive things. Since their first song ‘Podi penne’, released in 2012, Thakara’s songs have been known for their themes being relatable to middle-class youth, ranging from heartbreak to lack of work-life balance among others.

“We are trying to communicate what we see in our circles through songs,” says James over the phone from his house in Kochi. “It is what I observed while talking to people.”

Thakara is currently a six-member band with James leading the vocals. Sarath PS aka Cisko Disco on synthesiser, Bevan Coreya on guitar, John Shibin handles the bass and Ritwick Wilfy Baveria is on the drums. Abru Manoj as lyricist and creative manager completes the ensemble. The band has created 16 songs until now.

(From left) Drummer Ritwick Wilfy Baveria, guitarist Bevan Coreya, James Thakara, bassist John Shibin and synth player Sarath PS
| Photo Credit:
SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

Regarding ‘Loop’, James says, “The idea is that we have both good and bad within us. There is no heaven after death nor is hell underground, everything is here.”  

This song emerged from a jamming session between James and Sarath. “Last September, we had a line-up change and were not in a good space mentally. I had gone to Bengaluru to meet Sarath, with whom I had collaborated earlier on a song called ‘Pavanai pattu’. Even he was in a difficult spot having been laid off. We started jamming and one of the songs we created was ‘Loop’,” he says.

Early this month, the band released the track ‘Rain Song’, which also came from the same jamming sessions between the duo. James describes this song as, “a tribute to rain”.

The band’s creative process differs from one song to another. While some numbers were created with a tune first and lyrics added later, others started with lyrics which were then set to music. The band has also created tracks in which the melody and lyrics were created simultaneously.

One of their most popular songs, ‘Puttu paattu’ (2012) was born when its lyricist Joseph Vijeesh was asked to leave a music composer’s studio for pitching the opening lyrics of the song, ‘Panavum prathapavaum namukkenthina puttundallo puttinu podi undallo.’ James says, “When we heard the song, there was an instant connection. Each of my eight roommates back then contributed at least a word or line to that song. It was a ‘democratic’ song. It took us four to five months to execute it.” 

During their 12-year-long journey, Thakara has not refrained from using their music to make a statement. ‘Koran’s Anthem’, their third original song, was released prior to 2014 general elections, appealing to the listeners to choose their leaders wisely. In 2019, they released ‘Paadilla’ before the general elections demanding the same.

James says, “We don’t know how much we have managed to meet the expectations of the people. They listen more to the songs we created 12 years ago. We are happy that those songs are still relevant. We have been trying to match those songs or go beyond them.” 

The band has also scored for movies such as Saturday Night (2024), Oruthee (2022) and Koothara (2014).

Thakara will be releasing four songs in the coming months. This includes an English song ‘Sun dried humans’ which will be released on March 24, on the fifth anniversary of the first COVID-19 lockdown. The song deals with the migrant labourer crisis during the pandemic and how they travelled on foot to their home states, says James. 

The singer has expressed the desire to tour different parts of the country in 2025. Since 2016, the band has done over 70 live shows. James says their shows have mostly been restricted to some cities in Kerala, Chennai and Bengaluru and that they would like to branch out to cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and Pune.  

Thakara is set to perform at Lulu Mall, Kochi on December 29. They will also perform at the Grand New Year Bash at Hotel Tiara by MPS, Kozhikode on December 31