This Sri Lankan band first visited India in 2007 to watch Iron Maiden play live in Bangalore. Two years later, the group, Paranoid Earthling, is back to perform some of their own compositions for the Indian audience. Mirshad Buckman, singer-guitarist of the band says, “We’re so excited about returning to India as we will not only play to a completely new audience but also meet and explore the Indian rock circuit.” Buckman is a big fan of two Indian bands— Orange Street and Parikrama.

Formed in 2001, Paranoid Earthling is a four-member ensemble, which roots its sound in grunge but often experiments with other styles of music too like punk and psychedelic. “Our songs are about issues concerning the whole world,” says Buckman also the songwriter of the band, who has written tracks like Deaf, blind, dumb

about censorship and In black and white, a song

about propaganda.

And like their Indian counterparts, the independent rock bands in Sri Lanka also have a tough time surviving. “In Sri Lanka Hip-Hop is the most commercially successful and popular. And while there were only a handful of rock bands, when we started eight years ago, things are looking up now,” says Buckman, adding that not only are the bands singing in English but also in Sinhala their official language.

Although the band is working towards recording their first full-length album, its an agonising process because of lack of funds. They plan for an ambitious 12-13 tracks. The group will perform most of these songs at their show in Delhi’s Hard Rock Café on September 17, followed by a performance in Bangalore.

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