It was a yet another Friday evening, when everyone is busy partying, attending gigs, hanging out with friends or family, all in all having fun somewhere around ktm city. Well for me, I was all set to meet one of the best guitarists the Nepalese underground has ever produced, Sunny Tuladhar. From his busy schedule, he managed to be available for some time to have a little chit chat. Even though I’d met him before, heard a lot about him, I personally wanted to meet him, and take his interview as in know more about him, so that was it. We met at a pub in Thamel and it all began.

Sunny Tuladhar has never known life without music. He’s been living for music for 10 years. ‘Music is my life’ is what he says. Hopping onto different bands and projects and even after carrying his solo career, he says he’s improved through these years, even though he has slight insecurities and let aside the social boundaries. Currently associated with ‘Jindabaad’ and even a full time music assistant in British school, Tuladhar is a very down to earth person. For him he says the most important things in life are music, love, hmm which gives us a hint that he is in a relationship, wink wink and he agrees to that. I’m sure a lot of hearts are going to be broken. Well keeping the humor aside, he also adds friends and family which he says are a must and in the end hesitatingly plus he adds booze. Totally dedicated into music, here I have what he has to say about his journey all through these years.

So, if you’re interested in our lil’ chit chat, you’re most welcome! Here it is……

NN: First I must ask, who were you biggest music influence?

Sunny Tuladhar: Going back in time when I started out young, my influences were the common ones at that time, which everyone listened to like  Metallica, Megadeth, Nirvana, ACDC. Yes, they were my first inspiration. After that with time I started listening to instrumental and Fusion. And now, I’m basically inspired by progressive rock.

NN: How long have you playing guitar?

Sunny Tuladhar: amm….1999. Yes that’s the year when I first started playing the guitar.

 

NN: Have you had an apprenticeship or mentor?

Sunny Tuladhar: Nope, I learnt it all by myself. Going back in time, I used to play with my brothers, later I started out with friends. I learned it by my own effort, I didn’t take any official guitar lessons.

 

NN: What bands have you been associated with?

Sunny Tuladhar: The first band I played with, that was after SLC, which was an “official band” was Elysium. I was associated with it for about three years. It was basically formed by my brother’s friends. After that, I played with Atomic Bush for about a year and later with baking space cake. They are an original band but when I joined, then we used to do covers. They even have originals recorded but I wasn't involved in it. After that I joined shadows,
where I and Rohit were working on a new album which never worked out. Then came my solo career. I was even associated with JCS trio, well I still am, which consists of Abhishek Bhadra, Kiran Shahi, Jigmy Sherpa who was the guitarist of Cadenza back then and me Sunny Tuladhar (laughs). And now I’m associated with Jindabaad formed by 5 of us, Rajan dai, Abhishek, Rohit, Kiran and me again. Well we’d known each other for years, but never had the chance of performing together. We had an idea set from the beginning, but hadn’t applied it yet. So we decided to form an official band ‘Jindabaad’. This was basically for the final Global War of The bands. Every band I was associated with played their originals, well except for baking space cake which did a few covers but only in live gigs. All in all I’ve always been playing originals.
 

NN: What genre of music do you consider your work to be?

Sunny Tuladhar: I don’t think I’ve reached that level to define a genre. I’m still searching for it. I don’t play music according to genre. Well it’s what you enjoy doing, any music that feels good. Seriously, I still haven’t reached that level yet. (smiles)
 

NN: How do you think your guitar playing style has developed down the years?

Sunny Tuladhar: Well I’ve had an overall development in guitar playing (laughs).But I can’t judge my own development, in fact no one can. I’ve been doing the same thing I’d been doing three years back, so when I look back I feel like I haven’t improved but as I’ve been involved in various projects, new ones, I think I’ve improved. (smiles). That’s it, well others will obviously come and say I’ve improved, and when they do that I feel happy.
 

NN: You are a luthier….now how did it come about? As in how were you inspired?

Sunny Tuladhar: Well…..I had a guitar which gave me a lot of problems, I used to repair it time and again all by myself. So that’s how it started, I started mending my own guitar which lead to study, experiments and then experience. I did some serious mending, repairing…..then I was interested in making guitars. In the beginning, I had no basic idea, I did some research, read books, surfed the internet and then started working on my own guitar. I made one for my personal use, but it didn’t turn out that good. Well, that was my first attempt, No proper idea….so no proper guitar…. (laughs)
 

NN: Would you like to share some techniques or the process of guitar making/lutherie?

Sunny Tuladhar: Well in the process of guitar making, what you basically need is the raw materials. They include, wood which is found in Nepal itself. Well the kind of wood that I use is toned wood… I basically use all genuine wood what every other guitar factory uses. Listing some names, they are Alder, Ash, Mahogany, Maple, Rosewood and Walnut. I get them from Nepal itself, but those which are not found here, I order it from other countries. After wood, the other materials are the hardware, which is locally available in music stores, so people bring it themselves.
 

NN: So, like do you do it all by yourself, as in the whole guitar making process?

Sunny Tuladhar: Yes indeed, I do it all by myself. That’s why it’s difficult to manage time.
Homework is needed to be done. Practice is the basic thing, later in the mere future, I shall expand it and maybe bring other people as well.
 

NN: What had been your biggest challenge as a guitarist, luthier?

Sunny Tuladhar: Well first and foremost, I’d say social boundaries. I have a lot of insecurities, because people create the social boundaries. My family supports me but at times there’s pressure, like I’m just a high school graduate, I didn’t continue my studies so they’re like what are you going to do without studying? But I’m kinda stable now. I think I can live on music, because I have been living on it for the past 3-4 yrs so I think I can in the future as well. I’m confident that I can live on music for the rest of my life.
 

NN: What’s your motto or the advice you live by?

Sunny Tuladhar: “Do whatever you like”. No one can force you to do anything. There should be no boundaries; you know the social boundaries and stuff. Well if there’s a will, there’s a way. Listen to music but don’t define genre. If you’re seriously into music, it’s not an easy thing, it needs a lot of patience, well you got to practice a lot…..as in a lot!!

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