Previously I’ve written about Simla Beat in regards to the 1970 and 1971 contests and the records released at that time. Shyam Sunder Damoda of the Frustrations Amalgamated wrote to me about the group’s participation in the 1972 Simla Beat Contest, and sent the photos seen here.
I was the lead singer from the Frustrations Amalgamated from Madras, which won the All India Simla Beat Contest Award in 1972 at Shanmukhananda Hall, Bombay. We won the Best Group Award, the Best Singer Award and the Best Own Composition Award that year! Jaya Bhaduri gave the awards to us. On winning the Simla Beat Contest we did do a recording at the Royal Gems studio, but nothing came out of it.
Manu (Manohar Roberts, our lead guitarist) is in Chennai and still plays a mean lead guitar and is still in music. Ramji, our drummer was with the Abhaswaram and is in Chennai, still very much into music. Dumbu, our bass guitarist is in the U.S.A. and we are trying to get into contact again. Lawrence, our rhythm guitarist, is in Singapore and I believe, still in music.
I am presently in Bangalore and very much in music. I had a group called the West Wind here but am presently singing with my keyboard accompaniments and MIDIs, along with a good guitarist Dominic.
Shyam Sunder
The Purple Flower from Ahmedabad and the Crimson Fire of Bombay were sensational.
The Purple Flower’s drummer Vispi (sp?) was judged best drummer, and Clifford from Crimson Fire voted best lead guitarist.
Other groups included the Rolling Beat from Goa, the Guals (sp?) from Delhi, and the Living Dead from Gauhati.
hi,
its a great site,and a good start to my project that am working on a video documentry on Evolution of Rock Music in India.People who were part of band or who have witnessed the era from late 1950’s to early 1990’s please contact me. Even a bit of info will be of great use to come out with good documenty. pls help.
conact me at santosmedia@yahoo.co.in / 09740280120
Hi,
The Living Dead is from Gauhati (also spelled Guwahati). It is the capital of Assam, one of the easternmost states in India.
I was in Chennai in February 2013 and met Manohar Roberts, lead guitarist of Frustrations Amalgamated. He was playing in a duo with a female singer at the Ambassador Pallava in Montieth Road in Egmore. He was gratified to learn that I knew of Frustrations Amalgamated.
is that mr. ajitabh bachchan with jaya ji . ?
I am Dumbu’s sister and I took sone pictures of 4 members of Fristrations Analgamated in 2014. If you need any information about them please email me
Hi Seetha,
I am a US-based guitarist who also does podcasts and blogs. I putting together some podcasts and blogs about composers/arrangers/bands of my time (I’m 65!). I heard of Frustrations Amalgamated, the Simla beat contest winners. It would be great if you could send me some material about the band and Dumbu. Thank you
Thanks for writing about the Frustrations Amalgamated. They were an amazing group
Hi,
I have the original photos of Frustrations Amalgamated when they won the Simla Beat Contest.
Would it be useful for your archives? I also could give you Dumbu’s contact information. I am very certain he would agree to an interview.
The group reunited informally in 2015. There are photos that Dumbu has from that reunion. Email me if any of this is needed.
Thank you for highlighting a significant band in the history of rock.
Beat regards,
Kalyani Giri