Meet Sutanu Chatterjee, by most folks, known as Ronnie or just Ronn.
He has specialized himself in sound recording and design and professionally involved with music group/band The Radical Array Project (T.R.A.P) and does regular shows all over the country and are presently involved in recording their second studio album.
Covering a lot of TV Series background scores and having a number of experimental compositions, this is one of the live bands of the country, covering a lot of bollywood numbers in the same experimental fashion. They have toured not only across the country, but also across the borders primarily at Thimpu and Bhutan, thus reaching out to the millions. He has done over 150 shows with his band all throughout the nation and takes this as a huge success. However, “a lot more is yet to be achieved”, he added.. Let’s have Ronn in talks with us.
In Conversation with Ronn :
Tell us about your educational background?
I have been a student of Don Bosco School, Siliguri, after which I have completed my graduation in B.tech in Electronics and Communication Engineering. Presently I am pursuing a post-graduate course in Cinematic Studies from the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute with a specialization in Sound Recording and Design.
How and why did you first pick up the guitar?
It was back in those days when I was in class 5. A teacher of mine had gifted me my first acoustic. It was a dream.
I wanted to play the guitar because I have seen my uncle Sukanta Chatterjee doing it and he and his band were my primary influence back then and I too wanted to play like him. His band used to rehearse classic English and Bengali numbers at our house and I used to be awestruck.
How has you musical venture been through all these years? Do you feel you’ve reached your goals?
When I was in Pune for a very short period of time after graduating from high school, it was my first break professionally as a musician as I got the opportunity to play with “Ashwamedh”, which was a very popular band there. When I shifted to Calcutta, I started my own band here with an old friend of mine and his friends and it was called “Ashencore”. We recorded two singles and did my debut show at Someplace Else, Calcutta.
Then I met Suanjito Dutta, the most terrific drummer in college (GNIT), who introduced me to “The Radical Array Project” and I have been there ever since, handling guitars, and production. We have done about 150 shows till date and I’d say things are a boomin’ !
As for goals, I’d quote that writing on the wall in Don Bosco School: “Climb high, climb far, your goal the skies, your aim the stars.” Still working on that.
Which band have you been with? Could you introduce your band to us?
The Radical Array Project – T.R.A.P
An experimental band from Kolkata/Calcutta, India (we like the name ‘Calcutta’ better), we compose, cover and play instrumental music in our experimental way.
We cover film and TV series’ background scores live(GOT theme, Sherlock BBC theme, Harry Potter ‘Hedwig’s Theme” to name a few), and we have many experimental original compositions.
We cover timeless Bollywood numbers in our own experimental fashion, adding elements from Progressive Metal, Post-Rock, Djent, Metalcore and sometimes even Punk Rock, into our stage crushing Bollywood medleys. We are primarily a live band, and we tour a lot all over India. We’ve played outside the border at Thimphu, Bhutan and have more such shows scheduled in this year and the next.
Following are the band members:
Bhaswar Sen – Violin, Viola, Electric Violin, Arrangements and Composition.
Ronnie “Ronn” Chatterjee – Guitar, Vocals, Sound Designing and Programming, Arrangements, Composition and Production.
Suanjito “Bindo” Dutta – Drums and Percussion.
Anupam Pyne – Keyboards and Vocals.
Swaphabha “Popeye” Roy: Bass Guitars.
Feat. Guitarist – Gaurub Ray
Band Management/Bookings: Soumadip Das
FOH Audio Engineer: Subhadeep Pan
Live Photographers: Shakhya Roy Choudhury and Sounak Sarkar
Crew: Pavel Roy, Debashis Chakraborty, Tanmoy Das, Prithish Biswas
So, you have been performing with the band all over the country. You remain in limelight for your shows and concerts. How this thing helps in keeping you motivated?
Yes, we have been doing a lot of shows and a lot more are lined up. It motivates me to see that I am able to bring joy to people present there at the shows that we do. That’s the most motivating thing ever.
The limelight burns my face sometimes haha (laughs).
What are your upcoming projects?
We’re working with Studio 69 for a music reality show for Colors Bangla. It’s quite interesting and will be out soon.
We’re also due to launch our latest single very soon, and are also working on our second studio album.
Could you share with us a few achievements of yours?
- Went till National Level Autonomous Robotics Competition organised by Technophilia and IIT Bombay. (GNIT)
- Received an honorary certificate of achievement in the final year from my college (GNIT) for innovations in the field of audio processing software.
- 150+ shows with my band – “The Radical Array Project” (T.R.A.P)
- Got selected amongst 12 folks all over India to pursue Cinematic studies at SRFTI (an Institute of National Importance)
Did you face any struggles for reaching on this platform where you are today? How did you cope up and overcome those struggles?
Struggles, oh yeah. There were struggles and personal issues but ultimately I decided that I’m going to stick on with this thing that I am doing and I think I am good at. Music and Music Production. (also Audio electronics and programming).
Also read “Yes It’s Proved! Those Who Wish To Sing Always Finds A Song | Singer & A Basketball Player, Kunal Babbar”
Any tips you want to share with aspiring musicians or artists out there.
Stay there. It may be difficult but stay there and carry on. Respect people and listen to their advice. Being a rebel doesn’t always help. Above all, stay there and do what you think you’re good at. Someday you’ll find that you don’t think you’re good at it anymore. Don’t break down. Make yourself better, and carry on.
Be persistent.
