Love Runs Blind (LRB) is a Bangladeshi hard rock band, which was started in 1991 by guitarist Ayub Bachchu. LRB originally stood for Little River Band, but this name was taken by an Australian band and the band name was changed to Love Runs Blind."
History
Bachchu was born in Chittagong, Bangladesh. He started his music career with a band called Feelings. Then Bachu spent fifteen years with a band called Souls, which was one of the first Bangladeshi rock bands. At Souls, Bachchu played a key role in writing songs and having them performed. Souls originally was based in Chittagong but later moved to Dhaka, which is the capital of Bangladesh. Souls was started in 1972 and its first gigs where performed in hotels where they did reproductions of American pop music. Bachchu joined the Souls band as lead guitarist in 1976 and left the band in 1991 to start LRB. During this time period, Souls produced five albums and performed in about 4,000 concerts, mostly in Bangladesh. Souls is noted for Super Souls, which was the first rock album released in Bangladesh. A song from this album, “Mon Shudhu Mon Chuyecge”, remains popular in Bangladesh. Although Souls still exists as a musical group, the founders have all started their own musical groups
Band Group
The original band members of LRB were Ayub Bachchu (Vocals and Lead Guitar), Shahidul Islam Tutul (Keyboard and backup vocals), Joy (Drums), and Shawpan (Bass Guitar). The band members changed several times. The current line-up since 2003 retains Ayub Bachchu (vocals and lead guitar) in the lead role and now includes Masud (Guitar), Swapon (Bass), and Romel (Drums). Shamim Ahamed currently is the band manager. Ayub Bachchu’s western musical idols are Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Joe Satriani, Richie Blackmore and Brian May. Bachchu also played with Departo in the United Kingdom. Bachchu owns his own music studio and has a reputation for wearing a headdress at concerts."
Music and Tours
LRB released their first album in 1992 and has released 10 albums through year-end 2007 with an eleventh album expected shortly. Also, Ayub Bachchu has recorded six solo albums. These albums include Amader, Bishwe, Ferari Mon (unplugged), Ghumonto Shohore, Hokaar, Iochena Jibone, Mone Achhe Naki Nai, Shopno, Shukh, Tobuo, Swapna, and Collection of LRB: Music and Lyrics. LRB’s top hits in Bangladesh are "Cholo Bodle Jai","Ghumonto Shohore",“Rupali Guitar”, “Ghum Bhanga Shohore”, “Hokar”, “Mahdhobi”, “Ekhon Onek Raat”, "Hashte Dekho","Raater Tara","Chand Mama" and “Ghor Chara Ek Shukhi Chele”, "Mon Chaile mon Pabe", "Ashar Srabon". LRB prefers to sing about problems in the world such as love, being lost, and life problems in general. LRB prefers not to focus on one issue because they want to relate to a wide audience, from the older generation to teenagers. Recently, LRB composed two songs in English that will be released soon on an English speaking album and music video; the two English songs are “Hold On” and “Look at Me”."
LRB has performed over 1,000 gigs that have included extensive performances in Bangladesh as well as tours in Asia, Europe, and the United States. Their first show outside country was held in India in 1997 at Jadavpur University, where Ayub Bachchu was invited as a judge at the rock fest held in M. Joka. In 1998, LRB went for their first international tour in United States, where they played in seven states. In 1998, the group also played in Qatar, Abudhabi, Japan, Germany, Austria (Vienna), and Italy. The group played a second tour in the United States in 2000. The group had a European tour in 2002, which included Austria, United Kingdom, and Australia."[2]
From 2003 through 2006, LRB performed twice in Italy (Rome) and Belgium. They also performed in many sites in India as well as Germany (Frankfurt), Singapore, Hong Kong, and Wembley Arena in London. At Singapore they performed at Fort Canyon Park stage. In 2005 and 2006, LRB performed in Salt Lake Stadium (Rock Jugalbandi Part 1 & 2), Science City Theater, Alpha Bangla, ETV Bangla, Najrul Manch, Rabindra Shorobor, Guru Nanak University (Jodhpur), Haldia Utshab,Durgapur University and recently at Kalyani,Govt Engg. College in their college fest. LRB has performed in Wimbleton Stadium in London, Madison Square Garden in New York City twice, and Ellin Garden in the United Kingdom."[2]
LRB also has used its music to support social causes in conjunction with other Bengali rock groups. Recently, LRB performed in support of children endangered by the recent tsunami & Sidr. Also, LRB has performed in support of campaigns to Say No to Drugs, Save Motherhood Project (Organized by Northern Light), and Victims Against Non-violence.
Musical Approach
The influence of the western pop music carried over to LRB. LRB uses all of the traditional pop music techniques:
• Instrumentation: Similar to many western pop bands, the band uses guitars, bass and drums. The band does not use traditional Bengali musical instruments such as the sitar, sarod, sarangi, or tabla. This instrument choice provides a western music sound rather than musical motifs of traditional Indian or Bangladeshi music. However, the band does not use an electric keyboard.
• Lyric writing style: As with most pop music, LRB lyrics for a specific song focus on a simple theme. Also, LRB tends to use a strophic or chorus form, where a section the music is repeated, similar to repeated stanzas in poetry. LRB frequently uses a verse-chorus structure, where the chorus serves as a contrast to the verse especially with regards to greater use of instrumentality, and uses a refrain or chorus to repeat a central theme of the song.
• Pop and rock music techniques: LRB uses many of the musical techniques pioneered by earlier western bands. For example, LRB uses phasing and polyrhythms where the same part is played by more than one instrument, either out of or in phase, in order to provide greater musical variety. Bachu is an expert guitarist and has used many rock and roll techniques with his guitar such as Legato, two-handed tapping, sweep-picking, volume swells, harmonics, and extreme whammy effects.
LRB uses theses pop and rock musical techniques to express musical themes of importance to the Bengali populace. Similar to pop groups in other countries, this technique coupled with the guitar skills of Ayub Bachchu led successfully the building of a strong fan base. LRB then attempted to export their interpretation of pop music to Europe and the United States through their international tours.
Full Discography
• Studio Albums:
L.R.B (1992)
Shukh (1993)
Tobuo (1994)
Ghumanto Shahare (1995)
Shwapno (1996)
Amader? Bishmoy! (1998)
Mon Chaile Mon Pabe (2001)
Achena Jibon (2003)
Mone Achhe Naki Nai (2005)
Sparsho (2007)
• Live Album:
Ferari Mon... Unplugged Live (1996)
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