Episode 223

From Bagpipes to Bollywood: Archy J's Musical Journey

Archy J, known as "The Snake Charmer," takes us on a fascinating journey through her unique musical path as a professional bagpiper blending Indian music with traditional Scottish pipes. After a transformative encounter with a folk metal band that featured bagpipes, Archy found herself captivated by the instrument, leading to an obsession that transformed her life. He shares insights into her upbringing in New Delhi, her early singing experiences, and how her parents supported her unconventional musical pursuits despite their initial confusion about her passion for bagpipes. Archy describes the process of merging the rhythms of Scottish and Indian music, revealing unexpected similarities that inspire her innovative compositions. Listeners will also learn about her collaborative projects, including "Goddesses of Bagpipes," and her plans to incorporate more vocal elements into her future works.

Takeaways:

  • Archy J, known as the Snake Charmer, uniquely blends Indian music with traditional Scottish bagpipes.
  • Her journey into music began with a fascination for doing something different from others.
  • The transition from being a singer to a bagpiper was driven by a personal obsession.
  • Archy emphasizes the importance of following one's passion despite potential cultural misunderstandings.
  • Her parents were supportive of his musical choices, despite the traditional expectations in India.
  • The collaboration with other female bagpipers showcases the diversity and potential of bagpipe music.

Links referenced in this episode:

Transcript
Anthony:

From classics to curiosity and where melodies meet music.

Anthony:

Welcome.

Anthony:

Hey, guys.

Anthony:

Hey, everybody.

Anthony:

I should say welcome back to another episode of the Music Explored podcast.

Anthony:

I'm Anthony, if you don't know.

Anthony:

One of your hosts, Jericho, our other host, if you're familiar with the show, is missing in action today, but he'll be back on the next episode.

Anthony:

So I will be solo.

Anthony:

Not really solo.

Anthony:

I have an amazing guest with me here who I'm interested to share with you all and learn about as we go through this chat.

Anthony:

So welcome Archie J.

Anthony:

The snake charmer.

Anthony:

Welcome to the show.

Anthony:

So, so excited to talk to you today.

Anthony:

I'm gonna.

Archie J:

Thank you for having me.

Anthony:

This little intro that I have here has some words, I think, that I've never said together all in one sentence.

Anthony:

So I'm gonna have some fun with this one.

Anthony:

Okay, so.

Anthony:

Okay, as I mentioned before, Archie J.

Anthony:

The snake charmer.

Anthony:

So the snake charmer, Archie J.

Anthony:

Is a professional bagpiper known for blending Indian music with traditional Scottish pipes.

Anthony:

That's a handful to me.

Anthony:

There's a whole bunch of things that have, like, intertwined and been mixed.

Anthony:

So I'm so curious.

Anthony:

I'm so curious about all of it, I guess.

Anthony:

Where to begin?

Anthony:

Bagpipes.

Anthony:

Of the interest words in that statement, I think that's the one that jumps out to me first.

Archie J:

Right.

Anthony:

I'm not very familiar outside of what most people have probably seen of bagpipes, so.

Anthony:

And I've never.

Anthony:

Anyways, we'll get into that.

Anthony:

So I want to ask you this.

Anthony:

What drew you to the bagpipes?

Archie J:

Well, so speaking of what drew me to bagpipes, I actually have always been a person, since I was a kid, who's always been drawn to doing something different.

Archie J:

You know, even as a kid, it was not something I consciously attempted to do.

Archie J:

It was just what I was drawn to, was always something that's, you know, very hard to do, hard to achieve, or something that all the other kids are into.

Archie J:

Whether that was an ice cream I liked, which is almost always all out of stock, or my interests.

Archie J:

And so I think that's just giving you a backstory of how, like, my personality since I was a kid was.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

And I've always been a musician, so I was a singer before, long before I was even a bagpiper.

Archie J:

So that's my first, you know, strength, I would say.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

And backpipes so happened when I was scrolling through YouTube once, and I was.

Archie J:

I was in a band at that time.

Archie J:

And the bagpipes, like, I saw back, I saw A band, basically a folk metal band.

Archie J:

And they had bagpipes in them.

Archie J:

Their name is lyt.

Archie J:

And they mean a lot because that band really got me into bagpipes and the potential.

Archie J:

And that was actually the first time I ever saw bagpipes being played in a rock and metal outfit, you know, so non traditional.

Archie J:

So the moment I saw that, that unique and that, like, taking the off road, kind of me caught up with that.

Archie J:

I was like, wow, this is so cool.

Archie J:

Like, I want to do this.

Archie J:

And up until that point, I'd never really professionally learned an instrument.

Archie J:

Instrument, really?

Archie J:

You know?

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

So, I mean, I learned the back.

Archie J:

I've learned the piano, the guitar for a short while of time, but never really got into.

Archie J:

So my main instrument or talent was always singing.

Archie J:

And when backpacks happen, it just was like a love bombing episode for me because I was so obsessed with it.

Archie J:

And I spent the next entire month being completely obsessed and trying to learn as much as I could about what the hell is this instrument even about?

Archie J:

Because that's so funny.

Anthony:

Yeah, yeah.

Archie J:

Because I come from India, right.

Archie J:

And yes, bagpipes are not even in the top 20 most common played instrument.

Archie J:

Forget about that.

Archie J:

Them being mainstream at all.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

So for me to just understand how that instrument even works was like a work of art.

Archie J:

And, yeah, that's how it started.

Archie J:

That's how I got interested in backpipes.

Anthony:

This is funny.

Anthony:

This is a great story.

Anthony:

This is a great backstory, and it's.

Anthony:

I understand you're outside of the box.

Anthony:

That's how you've always thought.

Anthony:

I was listening to Simon Sinek, like yesterday, actually.

Anthony:

And he was just talking in this interview about how he was always, like, trying to do something outside of the box.

Anthony:

If all the kids were wearing, like, you know, white sneakers with black socks, he would flip it.

Anthony:

And that was always, like, just his thing.

Anthony:

Were you like that as well?

Anthony:

Like, it sounds like that was just your thing.

Anthony:

Thing growing up.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Anthony:

But here's what's.

Anthony:

Oh, go ahead, go ahead, please.

Archie J:

No, no.

Archie J:

I mean, my dad used to always tease me, you know, even when I grew up.

Archie J:

He's like, you always wanted that one ice cream, which was almost all the time out of stock in stores, you know, And I used to be like, no, no, no, let's go try to that gas station.

Archie J:

I was always into.

Archie J:

Yeah, things like that.

Anthony:

Okay.

Anthony:

Got you so very specific about your tastes.

Anthony:

You knew what you wanted and you weren't afraid to be you.

Anthony:

So it's funny because you mentioned you saw the bagpipe in this metal band fair.

Anthony:

And you thought it was like, oh, that's really neat.

Anthony:

This stands out to me.

Anthony:

And I guess most people who come across something like that outside of the box idea would understand that part of the equation.

Anthony:

Like, oh, this is really cool.

Anthony:

Might fixate on it a little while.

Anthony:

Myself, personally, I've been dealing.

Anthony:

I've been in music for a long time.

Anthony:

I've acquired knowledge on where to find a lot of different gear in these years.

Anthony:

I can't think if I was like, you know what?

Anthony:

I want to pick up the bagpipes today.

Anthony:

I don't even know where I would go, to be honest.

Anthony:

I guess Google.

Anthony:

So how do you transition from.

Anthony:

Or you now.

Anthony:

Yes.

Anthony:

Anyone looking for.

Anthony:

If you're now interested in bagpipes.

Anthony:

Bagpipes.

Anthony:

You know where to go.

Anthony:

How do you transition from a general interest to what became like an obsession over that month to obtaining bagpipes to.

Archie J:

That's actually a really.

Anthony:

Mastering bagpipes.

Anthony:

Yes.

Anthony:

The whole journey.

Archie J:

Yeah, no, that's actually a really good question because I never really put together, like, how did I transition, per se.

Archie J:

You know, like I said, I was.

Archie J:

You know, since I was probably four or five, I started to sing.

Archie J:

My mom got me into singing and all of that.

Archie J:

But when I found out, found out about the bagpipes, I had quite freshly broken up with my band.

Archie J:

Okay.

Archie J:

So, like, almost every band sees that fate of breaking up eventually, right?

Archie J:

So I was freshly heartbroken from, like, a project that I really liked, and I was the lead singer for it.

Archie J:

So.

Archie J:

And at that time, when that failed, I was like, now whatever next I'm going to do, I'm going to do it as a solo project.

Archie J:

And it's not.

Archie J:

The pace of the project is not going to bank upon everybody, and I'm going to lead it.

Archie J:

So I was very clear on doing that.

Archie J:

Now, about the same time did the bagpipes obsession start and I forgot about the whole band and my pursuit of singing at that point, and my entire attention went on to acquiring this new.

Archie J:

This new obsession that I had and really learn it.

Archie J:

And honestly, Anthony, I don't know.

Archie J:

Like, it was.

Archie J:

I sometimes.

Archie J:

Sometimes feel it was more like a spiritual calling.

Archie J:

And there was some inexplicable kind of an external push that I got probably from the universe because I was literally that obsessed with it.

Archie J:

Like, even now there are many things I'm interested in and I do it for a while and I drop it.

Archie J:

You know, it happens with all of us, right?

Anthony:

Yes, that's true.

Archie J:

But for me, to be that crazily obsessed about, like, no, I want to find out.

Archie J:

I had zero teachers, zero stores.

Archie J:

You know, that's what I was thinking.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

And even, like, the Internet was.

Archie J:

This is.

Archie J:

I'm talking:

Archie J:

So the Internet was not at the same potential that it is right now.

Archie J:

You know, there are thousands of tutorials.

Archie J:

So many people.

Archie J:

Everybody's just, like, a call away.

Archie J:

So that Skype call was, like, the thing.

Archie J:

That was the thing, you know, so it was not even so common.

Archie J:

So I did make that transition.

Archie J:

Let's say that happened purely out of my entire time and attention being dedicated to learning about this instrument.

Archie J:

Okay.

Archie J:

And as.

Archie J:

And when I started to learn.

Archie J:

So this is what happened, actually, when I wanted to learn about this instrument, the websites really confused the shit out of me because there were, like, so many websites and all.

Archie J:

So imagine, bagpipes is, you know, usually are a domain of these seniors, veteran pipers from different parts of the world.

Archie J:

Technology is new to them, too.

Archie J:

So you can understand what their websites look like.

Archie J:

Very, very.

Anthony:

Back then, too.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

On top of that.

Archie J:

Yeah, yeah.

Archie J:

It's a very, very basic.

Archie J:

So I happen to email about, I don't know, 40 to 50 different bagpipers.

Anthony:

Wow.

Archie J:

All across the world, like, just sending an introduction email.

Archie J:

Hi, I'm Archie J.

Archie J:

I'm from New Delhi, and I want to learn the bagpipe so much as yourself.

Anthony:

Wow.

Archie J:

To put those words together in a sentence sounds fishy or scammy.

Archie J:

I don't know what.

Anthony:

Yeah, yeah.

Archie J:

So I didn't get a response from anybody.

Archie J:

Maybe one or two people responded back to me.

Archie J:

That's it.

Archie J:

And nobody really, you know, did, except for one person, Mrs.

Archie J:

Sean Paulson.

Archie J:

So he then later on became my backpipe mentor, and he and I used to exchange these long emails on, like, you know, on email.

Archie J:

And he would explain to me about bagpipes and what it is and how to go about it, and so he really helped me get a breakthrough.

Anthony:

Amazing.

Anthony:

This is a cool story.

Anthony:

I'm having so much fun.

Anthony:

We haven't even got very far into this journey, but I'm.

Anthony:

I'm having a blast.

Anthony:

I can't lie.

Archie J:

I'm trying my best to.

Archie J:

If I get into it, it's a lot.

Anthony:

It's a lot.

Anthony:

Yeah, yeah.

Archie J:

Leave the questions to you.

Anthony:

Fair enough.

Anthony:

And I'll do my best to try and take you somewhere.

Anthony:

And I'll.

Anthony:

I'll try and think beyond my.

Anthony:

Just a fascination with you and this instrument right now.

Anthony:

That's really cool.

Anthony:

I want to backtrack A little bit.

Anthony:

Okay, so you grew up singing and it was New Delhi, right?

Anthony:

That's.

Anthony:

That's where you born.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

Yes.

Anthony:

Your mom got you into singing.

Anthony:

Was your mom musical or was she a singer as well?

Archie J:

No, she.

Archie J:

She never really had a formal training, unfortunately.

Archie J:

But she was an example.

Archie J:

Excellent singer by itself.

Archie J:

My dad really encouraged her to go perform at these.

Archie J:

You know, my dad is in military, so they used to have a lot of these parties, and my dad would push my mom go sing.

Anthony:

Wow.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

So she somehow saw that ability in me and she really honed it and got me into singing.

Archie J:

So she would teach me songs and push me to my school competitions and things like that.

Anthony:

She passed it on to you?

Archie J:

Absolutely.

Anthony:

Was this, like, traditional Indian or what were you singing?

Anthony:

A mix of music.

Anthony:

What.

Anthony:

What did you start off doing?

Archie J:

As long as I became my own person, I was just mirroring whatever my mom wanted me to sing.

Archie J:

So it was basically her choice of song.

Archie J:

Like the more older songs and things like that.

Archie J:

Classical.

Anthony:

Classical, right.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

Okay.

Archie J:

I did even learn some Indian classical music for a few years.

Archie J:

Okay.

Archie J:

And.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

And then I used to appear in music competitions in my schools.

Anthony:

Fair.

Anthony:

All we do is win.

Archie J:

Yeah, all we do is win.

Archie J:

I used to do that.

Archie J:

And then I started to perform in front of these.

Archie J:

Because, I mean, we used to have a lot of.

Archie J:

A lot of kids in our school, you know, and at this one school that I had, I remember very well, I was singing in front of, I think, 4,000 kids.

Archie J:

The senior school.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

And no, no, it was.

Archie J:

I was, like, tiny.

Archie J:

So, yeah, that's how my singing years started.

Archie J:

Really.

Archie J:

And when I, you know, obviously when I transitioned to becoming a teenager, like, I used to be VH1 and all of these things started in India and MTV.

Archie J:

So that's when I got introduced to more of, you know, pop and JLO and all of that mainstream.

Anthony:

Okay, nice.

Anthony:

So you start to mix all that.

Anthony:

So I'm realizing now because a lot of.

Anthony:

I mean, a lot of our listeners, myself, you've mentioned, like, two worlds that at least over here in Canada, North America, we're not very familiar with.

Anthony:

Like, there's two foreign worlds that you've mentioned that have.

Anthony:

I want to find out how this collided, because when you mention, like, classical Indian, that blows our minds.

Anthony:

Like the scales, the rags, like that.

Anthony:

I hope I said that right.

Anthony:

But they're all just so different.

Anthony:

Right.

Archie J:

Impressive.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Anthony:

That's mind blowing on its own.

Anthony:

The Scottish bagpipe.

Anthony:

I have no idea.

Anthony:

I've heard it.

Anthony:

I couldn't I couldn't track it.

Anthony:

I couldn't, you know, I couldn't mimic it in any way.

Anthony:

They just seem so foreign, actually, before I get to that fusion, because I think that we're probably all waiting to hear that.

Anthony:

So I'm jumping back again.

Anthony:

So your mom, your parents, pushed you into the.

Anthony:

Into the singing.

Anthony:

You're very accomplished as a singer, winning competitions.

Anthony:

How did your family react to this new love of the bagpipe?

Anthony:

Did they understand it?

Anthony:

Did it take a lot of explaining?

Anthony:

Did you have to play for them to show how much potential you had?

Anthony:

Like, how did this work?

Archie J:

Well, you know, the stereotype about India and Indian parents is very true about how they want their kids to do something serious in life.

Anthony:

Okay.

Anthony:

Yes.

Anthony:

Yes.

Archie J:

You better be a doctor, an engineer or lawyer, or like making the big bucks and using that Indian brain you have.

Anthony:

Yes.

Archie J:

So.

Archie J:

And my.

Archie J:

My dad is like a straight A student and extremely, extremely, very good with academics and very disciplined military man, you know, so that's my background.

Archie J:

My mom's more like, you know.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

Not laid back.

Archie J:

She's also very good at discipline.

Anthony:

Okay, got you.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

But when it came to Korea, let me tell you, I think I feel very, very blessed to have the most amazing parents who actually only ever encouraged me and supported me throughout my craziness.

Archie J:

But I would say this, they were, you know, they knew and they could see the potential of how a singing career could proud up and like, you know, like what it could transition to and that, you know.

Archie J:

But when I started to do backpipes, of course my parents were very confused.

Archie J:

So, like, what.

Archie J:

What is this?

Archie J:

You know, and here's what happened.

Archie J:

I remember this conversation very well.

Archie J:

My dad came into my room because this was the time I.

Archie J:

I had brought my whole set of bagpipes and I was sitting there and not really doing very well with it.

Archie J:

So.

Archie J:

Sorry.

Archie J:

So there are lots of layers.

Archie J:

Let's push back a little.

Anthony:

So, yeah, tell the story.

Archie J:

To play bagpipes, you don't really start with the whole set of bagpipes.

Archie J:

You first.

Archie J:

You first learn on a chanter for at least about six months to about a year.

Archie J:

Okay.

Archie J:

Which is what I did.

Anthony:

Sorry, what's the chanter?

Archie J:

So the chanter looks like a flute.

Archie J:

It looks like a flute, basically.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

So you, you.

Archie J:

You basically practice on that.

Archie J:

It has no bags, no drones, no nothing.

Archie J:

It's just.

Archie J:

It's just a stick that you blow and practice on.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

So I did that.

Archie J:

And after that is when I brought, like, bought myself the Whole set of bagpipes.

Archie J:

So now when I bought the set of bag types, I didn't really do too well with it because then you have to blow the air into the bag and there's much more dynamics and techniques involved.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

And I, as I said, I never had a teacher to go to, so I had only myself to figure it all out.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

So the first.

Archie J:

First week, I didn't.

Archie J:

I didn't really get far with it.

Archie J:

So my dad came into my room and my dad was like, listen, you know, I.

Archie J:

I know you want to do this and all, that's fine, but give yourself one year.

Archie J:

Like, because I'd quit my job also at that time, and I was doing really, really well.

Archie J:

Yeah, I was doing really, really well in my job.

Archie J:

So I quit my job and my dad was like, I give you, like, one year.

Archie J:

Take one year and see if this goes somewhere.

Archie J:

If it doesn't, I would highly recommend that you, you know, do your thing or, like, get the job or something like that.

Archie J:

But that was the only time my dad ever had that conversation with me.

Archie J:

The one.

Archie J:

The one year between two years until I really started doing something on YouTube, you know, and he never said anything or haunted me or anything.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Well, that's good support.

Anthony:

Is that how it started?

Anthony:

Like, the, like really getting out there?

Anthony:

Was that YouTube first for you?

Archie J:

Absolutely.

Archie J:

YouTube was the breakthrough for me.

Archie J:

And I never started YouTube because I wanted to become a YouTuber.

Archie J:

It was because in my circle of friends in.

Archie J:

In Delhi that I was in, you know, that Delhi music scene.

Archie J:

Yes, we all knew each other, and people knew me as a singer.

Archie J:

I knew them, etc.

Archie J:

So I never told anybody that I'm learning backpipes or I'm going to do something with the backpipes, Understand?

Archie J:

That way I'm very secret, secretive until something's really final.

Archie J:

I really don't like to put things out there.

Anthony:

Understand?

Archie J:

So I never told for.

Archie J:

Told for about two years to any of my, you know, known people there.

Archie J:

So my intention to put a video on YouTube was just to show how.

Archie J:

Because backlash are a very visual instruments.

Archie J:

Like, it has a bag and the drones and everything.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

So my entire agenda was to show people that, hey, I don't just sing anymore.

Archie J:

I also played this instrument.

Archie J:

Check it out.

Archie J:

This is how it looks.

Archie J:

That was just the innocent idea of putting a YouTube video, not.

Archie J:

Not anything else.

Archie J:

But that video did well.

Archie J:

It got a few shares, and then someone told me, hey, Game of Thrones is really trending.

Archie J:

You should really make the soundtrack of Game of Thrones and Backlash.

Archie J:

I did that.

Archie J:

And that was the first video that got outstanding side of my circle and started getting views from the U.S.

Archie J:

yeah.

Archie J:

And stuff like that.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Anthony:

So, wow.

Anthony:

Okay, here it is.

Anthony:

That's.

Anthony:

That's.

Anthony:

That's incredible.

Anthony:

I mean, you telling the story of, like, all the layers, how it came together, the band breakup, leaving your job, the talk with your father where he gave you some time, which is very kind of him, the support that he had.

Anthony:

And I'm sure you appreciate that, that we all do, because of where you are now and what we're able to see you doing.

Archie J:

Thanks, parents.

Anthony:

Yes, thanks, parents.

Anthony:

So here's the question.

Anthony:

How did you bridge your background of classical Indian music or just that tradition with the Scottish tradition?

Anthony:

How do they come together?

Archie J:

So, first off, I don't play the Scottish backpacks.

Archie J:

There are actually.

Anthony:

I know different types of bagpipes.

Archie J:

Oh, there.

Anthony:

Oh, how ignorant I am.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

There are about 50 or 70 different types of bag.

Anthony:

Like five.

Anthony:

Zero.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Wow.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

In the whole world, you have bagpipes from Iran, you have bagpipes from Tunisia, you have bagpipes from the Arab side, Egyptian bagpipes.

Archie J:

Bagpipes.

Archie J:

You have Spanish bagpipes.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

There were a couple of Indian bagpipes also before the English invaded us.

Archie J:

So there are like many different kinds of bagpipes, but most popular ones that we see are the Scottish highlights.

Anthony:

Right.

Anthony:

So that's what it's known in the masses.

Archie J:

Yes.

Archie J:

So I play the semi electronic bagpipe, wherein there are more scales, more keys that I could, you know, play around with.

Archie J:

It's more friendly for concert.

Archie J:

It has a few lessons problems that like traditional Scottish Highland has now.

Archie J:

And also the fact that I never intended to be a traditional piper.

Archie J:

I was very clear since the beginning that I wanted to do more of experimentation music with backlights.

Anthony:

Makes sense.

Archie J:

Now, to go back to your question.

Archie J:

When I started to play bagpipes, I started to play more with Celtic music and things.

Archie J:

But I was very waste sure that sooner or later I want to bring in Indian sounds and kind of mash that up and see how it goes, you know?

Archie J:

Because now since you're saying you've been a music director and you've also been in music, I think with us musicians, we're kind of gifted to kind of visualize and hear things in our brain before we actually sit to do it.

Anthony:

Right, right.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Yes, for sure.

Archie J:

Here's what I thought.

Archie J:

I felt I found there was a lot of similarity in Scottish and Indian Punjabi music when it came to beats and when it came to the rhythm.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

And you know, just the culture.

Archie J:

I think Scottish people are really loud, fun, proud out there, you know, so are a lot of Indian people as well.

Archie J:

You see the Punjabi culture, it's like very loud crowd out there.

Archie J:

The mentality and even their music, like bagpipes are known to be an outlaw, outlaw instrument.

Archie J:

You know, it was not a very, you know, respectable kind of instrument in the early century.

Archie J:

It was more like for the outlaws and the cool kids.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

So yeah, hearing a lot of.

Archie J:

And learning a lot of traditional bagpipe music.

Archie J:

And when I used to hear some of my Indian music, I'd be like, wow, this just might work.

Archie J:

Why don't I try it?

Archie J:

And then I did.

Archie J:

And then it worked.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Holy smokes.

Anthony:

A little bit.

Anthony:

Mind blown.

Anthony:

Okay.

Anthony:

Okay, so that makes sense.

Anthony:

So that's.

Anthony:

I guess that's something.

Anthony:

I hope I'm not the only one hearing your words right now that just learned about how many bag.

Anthony:

Different types of bag types.

Anthony:

Bagpipes.

Archie J:

There are bag types, bike type.

Anthony:

Yeah, that's, that's when you put it together, there's bag types.

Anthony:

That's just the different types of bagpipes.

Anthony:

Cool kids like me know that.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

So that's, that's, that's interesting as a fact and it makes sense because when I think bagpipes, I'm thinking.

Anthony:

So did you said yours are like semi electrical or electronic?

Archie J:

Yeah, yeah.

Anthony:

Okay, so it's amplified, volume is controllable.

Anthony:

Things like that then?

Archie J:

Yeah, sort of.

Anthony:

Somewhat.

Anthony:

Any like effects I guess built into.

Archie J:

That or possibilities built in effect.

Archie J:

But I can plug it to a processor.

Anthony:

Okay.

Anthony:

So you can add.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

And affect the out of it.

Anthony:

So I'm sure you've had some fun with things like that too.

Archie J:

Yeah, I did, but I honestly, I don't like adding distortion and stuff.

Archie J:

Like I usually use it, use it just to amplify the backpack sound even more.

Archie J:

Like just a little more delay.

Anthony:

Yeah, it makes sense.

Anthony:

Okay, okay, okay, that makes sense.

Anthony:

So now is where I want to find out because you've explained the process of, you know, how you got to here and how you started off, you know, learning some Celtic music as a entry point before you sort of branched out to your own crazy ideas and implementing some of your, I guess, likes and things that you're familiar with.

Anthony:

What's your process when you sit down now, like arrangement wise, you have a certain arranging process or how do you come up with the arrangements and the pieces that you do.

Archie J:

When, When I sit down to Arrange.

Archie J:

It's hard to explain, but it's usually really.

Archie J:

It usually really starts with, like, a very excited idea that's in my mind, you know?

Archie J:

And so I sit down with, you know, the different producers that I work with.

Archie J:

One of the producers that I work with is Paris, who's a very dear friend of mine and who's from India.

Archie J:

So we usually have these video calls, and we sit together and we just start our arrangements with, like, different ideas and experimenting with different beats.

Archie J:

And I don't really have a said process.

Archie J:

I understand that.

Archie J:

Okay.

Archie J:

It just flows and.

Archie J:

Yeah, it just comes to me.

Anthony:

Yeah, yeah, no, I understand that.

Anthony:

Okay.

Anthony:

Some people, I find, have, like, a formula to how they.

Anthony:

Whether it's writing lyrics or producing.

Anthony:

And there's others who just.

Anthony:

Ideas come.

Anthony:

Sometimes they come.

Anthony:

Sometimes ideas come to me when I'm doing the most random things, and it's just like.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Sometimes I run over and I'm like, you.

Anthony:

You voice note something or you write it down.

Anthony:

Anything to just help you to remember when it's time.

Anthony:

Or I just drop what I'm doing.

Anthony:

Get to it.

Anthony:

Yeah, go ahead.

Archie J:

No, I was like.

Archie J:

Some of the coolest compositions that have come to my mind has been like, getting into.

Archie J:

While I'm getting, like, into an elevator or something.

Anthony:

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Anthony:

It just hits you, right?

Archie J:

Whoa.

Anthony:

There you go.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

To record your voice note.

Archie J:

No, but I'd say this.

Archie J:

Of course, I do have strategy as well.

Anthony:

Right.

Anthony:

Yes.

Archie J:

Creativity just flows.

Anthony:

It flows.

Archie J:

But, like, now, how best to put it?

Archie J:

Of course you need a strategy, and you look back to what's worked for you, what's trending on the Internet.

Archie J:

Right.

Archie J:

Like, for now, I've.

Archie J:

I've seen the trends have changed so much in the past eight, nine years.

Archie J:

You can't have long intros and expect that to be consumed on a platform like Instagram, you know, to get to the point very soon.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

So, you know, there are certain strategies that I obviously implement when I'm composing music.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

On how soon I want to get to the point and how strong the intro is going to be.

Archie J:

Like, how the hook has to be, how soon the hook's got to be, and all of those things as well.

Anthony:

Nice.

Archie J:

Cool.

Anthony:

I actually forgot we talked about something before we jumped in, so I want to mention it here so I don't forget and feel bad afterwards because we have a mutual friend and colleague who's.

Anthony:

Who's Bridget.

Anthony:

Who's also made another instrument that's more of a classical instrument.

Anthony:

Very cool.

Anthony:

Electric violinist.

Anthony:

Oh, yeah.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

So that's someone that you work closely with now for your live shows, right?

Archie J:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Archie J:

Oh, we have a lot of fun.

Anthony:

I can only imagine.

Anthony:

Yeah, she's fun.

Archie J:

So I could only imagine for sure.

Archie J:

And so Bridget and I got in touch when I moved to Toronto and she got in touch with me and we met at a coffee shop and the rest is history.

Archie J:

And I never really spoke.

Archie J:

Spoke to any other violinists after I met her.

Archie J:

No need because.

Archie J:

Because we were.

Archie J:

Because I had a few shows coming up and I was looking for, you know, to get a band together and I knew nobody because I just moved to Canada.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

Even now, like, you know, this, all these things are kind of difficult, you know, to create a network to build.

Anthony:

Of course.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

All of that from scratch.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

I knew people back home in India.

Archie J:

Of course I know who to go to, who, who the best or who is.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

But here, like for everything, it's like starting from the scratch, networking from the scratch.

Archie J:

So, yeah, Bridget was one of the first, first musicians that I really met and we really connected and she's, I think, very easy to work with, as I'm sure, you know.

Anthony:

Very.

Archie J:

And we've done plenty of shows together so far and each time is just been so much fun and vibe, both on stage and off stage.

Anthony:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Anthony:

She's amazing and you are as well.

Anthony:

So I can't wait to come check out one of your live shows with you and Bridget together.

Archie J:

You should totally.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

So we have a four piece act live which consists of myself, Bridget, a DHOL player.

Archie J:

Sometimes they have two DHOL players, percussions, and then a drummer.

Archie J:

So we are about a four beat that primarily.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Nice.

Anthony:

Okay, I didn't ask you something that I probably, obviously should have right off the top.

Anthony:

Can you tell the story of your.

Archie J:

Your name, the snake drama?

Anthony:

Yes.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

Okay.

Archie J:

So obviously it shouts Indian.

Archie J:

The name itself, it's very Indian.

Archie J:

It's very mystic geek.

Archie J:

Something like my personality now when I wanted to put the.

Archie J:

The name, like come up with a name I had seen, like when I was becoming like a piper and tried to put my videos online.

Archie J:

Every backpiper that I knew based in the US or Scotland etc, they all had like a name to them, you know, something Piper this, Piper that, Piper, you know.

Archie J:

So they all had like a fancy name, like, okay, I can't really go by the name Archie J.

Archie J:

What name do I give myself?

Archie J:

And I was like, okay, I want to carry my Indian, Indian nest.

Archie J:

Like my Indian origin.

Archie J:

Because that was very important that I, you know, that I depict where I come from in my name and.

Archie J:

But I also wanted to.

Archie J:

Wanted it to be a little feminine, you know, a little mystical and a little feminine.

Archie J:

So I came up with the snake chopper because there's this stereotype in the world about India being a land of snakes and snake charmers, you know, that like, as if depicting that, that's all we're about.

Archie J:

And it came from a very, very British, racist, kind of funny origin.

Anthony:

But.

Archie J:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Archie J:

I mean, it came from that.

Archie J:

So I kind of wanted to hit like a pun, like get back on it, like, as a pun to that and show that here's what a modern snake charmer could also look like.

Archie J:

So.

Archie J:

And sound like.

Archie J:

Because snake charmers have a wind instrument and mine is also a wind instrument.

Archie J:

So it kind of all made sense.

Anthony:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Archie J:

And the coming together.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

And the coming together of something Indian with what I'm gonna do anyway, so it just all kind of added up.

Anthony:

Yeah, that's amazing.

Anthony:

You're full of great stories.

Anthony:

Like, it's all put together so well.

Anthony:

I'm still going back to hearing this metal band with the bagpipe and basically changing the direction of your life and your music.

Anthony:

It's really fascinating and it's really neat that you were, I want to say obedient because you were so obedient.

Anthony:

To like, the push from within you to do this.

Anthony:

A lot of people, a lot of us have ideas that sound crazy and they end right there because it's like, it takes a lot of courage.

Anthony:

It takes a lot of time, it takes a lot of work to develop a brand new skill set, to learn an instrument that you've never been familiar with before.

Anthony:

So it takes a lot.

Archie J:

But what it doesn't take, what's that?

Archie J:

Zero fucks.

Anthony:

Oh, you just gotta do it.

Archie J:

You really have zero flux in you.

Archie J:

Not really care about what people are thinking.

Archie J:

And I think I was at that, really at the bright.

Anthony:

I could imagine that.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

I was just like, completely.

Anthony:

I'm just gonna do what I want to do.

Archie J:

Immovable with what I want, and I just go for it.

Archie J:

And I was very, very brave and courageous.

Archie J:

I asked myself this question too.

Archie J:

I feel that if that time was to happen now, maybe maybe I wouldn't push as hard.

Archie J:

Maybe I wouldn't go through with, you know, achieving what I wanted to achieve.

Archie J:

I didn't think I would do now, but I'm glad I did it.

Anthony:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Anthony:

I mean, we all, we all are too.

Anthony:

Very glad.

Anthony:

Very cool.

Anthony:

I thank you so much for sharing this.

Anthony:

This journey.

Anthony:

And you know what?

Anthony:

You've opened up some minds, including my own, on just the realms of what's possible beyond what you know and what you're comfortable with.

Anthony:

There's, I think, a lot of big lessons in that.

Anthony:

So, yeah, thank you for that.

Anthony:

I have a question.

Anthony:

I've had a lot of questions.

Anthony:

I don't know why I phrased it that way, but I have another question, by the way.

Archie J:

I can still push for 10 minutes if you want.

Anthony:

Okay.

Anthony:

Yeah, I'll just get a few more in and I'll let people know where to find you and how to follow your journey.

Anthony:

So you grew up singing.

Anthony:

You started singing.

Anthony:

Do you still sing?

Archie J:

Absolutely.

Archie J:

Okay.

Archie J:

In fact, there are a few songs in which I do have vocals in it, and those are my vocals.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

And there are some originals that I'm planning to write.

Archie J:

And now I kind of want to bring the.

Archie J:

The singing also to the front because I've kind of pushed it to the back too much.

Anthony:

Right.

Archie J:

A lot of people who listen to me don't even know that I actually sing.

Archie J:

Probably.

Archie J:

I have been saying imagine.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

So I'm gonna bring that into my compositions now.

Anthony:

Nice, nice.

Anthony:

So I guess then that's gonna include writing lyrics in addition to.

Archie J:

Yeah, yes, yes.

Anthony:

Is that something that you used to do before as well?

Archie J:

I used to.

Archie J:

Yeah, yeah.

Archie J:

With my band that I told you.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

I used to.

Archie J:

I used to write lyrics.

Archie J:

I used to sing, I used to compose.

Archie J:

Compose the vocal parts.

Archie J:

Etc.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

And so the last song that I came out with, Scotland the Brave, India, the Bold.

Archie J:

There are lyrics in the song, and there are.

Archie J:

Some of the lyrics are what I had actually written.

Archie J:

So they are not in, like, the original song.

Archie J:

It's just something that I did out of the fusion interest of the song.

Anthony:

Oh, okay, cool.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

And there's another song of mine called Asan Marcy, which is something that I did a few years back.

Archie J:

It has, like an entire verse and chorus of vocals.

Anthony:

Nice.

Anthony:

So we could expect to see and hear more of that in the coming future.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Nice.

Archie J:

Yeah, for sure.

Anthony:

Okay, Well, I guess I should ask you, too.

Anthony:

What other projects or what projects are you pushing right now or do you have on the go that people should know about?

Archie J:

Okay.

Archie J:

So I have another project called Goddesses of Backpipes, wherein it's two more female bagpipers.

Archie J:

We had total three female bagpipers from three different continents.

Archie J:

Actually, it was three different continents when I used to live in India, but now Chelsea, who's my other bagpiper, she's from the U.S.

Archie J:

jane, who's from Scotland.

Archie J:

We have done a few viral hits in the past.

Archie J:

I don't know if you ever came across this, but there was a video that got really viral back in the day called Shipping up to Boston, and we did a bagpipe version of that, which was very well received.

Archie J:

So we have a project called Goddesses of Bagpipes and.

Anthony:

Nice.

Archie J:

My next video is going to be with them, actually.

Anthony:

Oh, nice.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

Collab video.

Anthony:

Nice.

Anthony:

Very cool.

Archie J:

And then I have my own Celtic Punjabi song also.

Archie J:

Coming up.

Anthony:

Coming up.

Anthony:

Okay.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

By the first week of March or end of February.

Archie J:

That's where what we're aiming for.

Archie J:

And, yeah, it's going to be a mashup again of the whole Scottish and Indian music.

Anthony:

Yeah, Very cool.

Anthony:

Very cool.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Like I said, I've learned so much about these instruments in these worlds today.

Anthony:

So, yeah, thank you so much for your time.

Anthony:

I want to let people know.

Anthony:

Yeah, I know.

Anthony:

Thanks so much.

Anthony:

Let people know just where to find you online, how to follow your journey and get in touch with you.

Archie J:

Yeah.

Archie J:

So if you want to listen to my music, you could go to my Spotify the snake charmer.

Archie J:

My YouTube has all my music videos and my music, some of my personal journey as well.

Archie J:

And my YouTube handle is the Snake Charmer.

Archie J:

And if you want to follow me on Instagram for a little more up close and personal, it's the Snake Charmer Backpipe.

Archie J:

That's my Instagram handle.

Archie J:

And the same for my Facebook as well.

Archie J:

I'm on Facebook, all of these platforms.

Archie J:

It's either the Snake Charmer or the Snake Charmer Backpiper.

Anthony:

Very cool.

Anthony:

Yeah, very cool.

Anthony:

Wow.

Anthony:

Like, yeah, my mind has been blown today.

Anthony:

I'm so glad that we had the opportunity to chat.

Anthony:

And I'll call this our initial introduction.

Archie J:

Your mind should be blown when you come to our show.

Anthony:

And actually, that's what I was gonna.

Anthony:

Yeah, you.

Anthony:

You read my mind, I was gonna say, because this is our initial introduction, so I can't wait to see it live.

Archie J:

Platonic.

Anthony:

This is.

Anthony:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Anthony:

This is.

Archie J:

Just get ready to get your mind blown if you actually watch it in action.

Anthony:

Oh, yeah, I'll be there.

Anthony:

So, yeah, keep us posted.

Anthony:

We'll follow your social and all that for updates on live shows.

Anthony:

And I will be in the audience, guaranteed.

Anthony:

I can't wait.

Anthony:

I'm very excited about this.

Archie J:

Now you have two people in the mix that you know.

Anthony:

Exactly.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Two of my favorites on each instrument.

Anthony:

There, I said it.

Anthony:

Very cool.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

So, yeah.

Anthony:

Thank you so much again.

Anthony:

Yeah.

Anthony:

Thanks for listening, everybody.

Anthony:

I'm sure you've learned some things that you had no idea of before.

Anthony:

And for anyone who has now become fascinated with the bagpipes, or at least interested in checking it out, you know who to go to for information.

Anthony:

For.

Archie J:

Do you have any tutorials for bagpipes?

Anthony:

Yeah.

Archie J:

No, I'm not into teaching, but I plan to do some basic tutorials just to educate people about what the instrument is about.

Anthony:

Okay.

Anthony:

Okay, Fair.

Anthony:

So anything you need to know about the bagpipes, you know who to go to.

Anthony:

Our girl, Archie J.

Anthony:

All right.

Anthony:

Thanks so much.

Anthony:

Take care, everybody.

Archie J:

Thank you.

Archie J:

Thanks for joining.

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Music Explored Podcast
Explore the stories, challenges, and strategies behind success in the music industry.

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