DADS IN THE PARK: Musicians from out of Box

July 30, 2022

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The existence of dominance in the music industry makes it extremely difficult for newcomers to get their share of the spotlight. However, thanks to the internet, music is now more accessible than ever.

During a candid conversation with Tinds, Tajwar Ul Islam, one of the members of the band Dads In The Park, shares their fascinating story of coming this far from their moment of inception.

How it started

With the entire population obsessed with mainstream musicians, often many artists go unnoticed. Unlike many bands, Dads In The Park stands out even because of the number of members.

The band consists of only two people, Tajwar Ul Islam & Ishmam Salim Chowdhury. Both are engineers by education and graduated in electronic engineering from Brac University, where they first met and got in touch with each other in 2014.

Being involved with music from earlier is often seen among musicians inviting each other to practice sessions or, as they refer to it, jamming. The initial interaction between our band members was not any different.

They started playing together around 2016 and figured that their chemistry was amazing. The bond and friendship gradually grew, and they did their first performance together in 2017 during a University Model United Nations (MUN) Club event.

The response was extraordinary, and both knew right away that the quality of music they could produce was to be taken seriously. It is then that they decided to be a team and go ahead with this.

The Journey

Dads In The Park, the band, was officially formed in 2017. The following year, in 2018, they did several shows in Bangladesh, including Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, and Rajshahi, and were also able to perform beyond borders in Kolkata, India.

The appreciation and admiration that the duo received from the audience were overwhelming. They were also working on their music and were able to release their first track, ‘Lullaby,’ in 2019. They boast a unique sound and are refreshingly different in a sea of good generic music.

Being a band of two members only, the duo often collaborates with other artists and features them for or during performances. The band has had the opportunity to work with several well-known artists in the industry.

They also have friends who help them perform during shows by playing different instruments. Dads In The Park has so far released five tracks of their own, and each song stands out better than the other.

The Inspiration

Tajwar & Ishmam, both belonging from an entirely different field of expertise, came together to be a band only due to their shared interest in music. Music is a passion, and the uncertainty of reaching the audience has never stopped anyone from sharing their piece of art with the world.

During the conversation, Tajwar quotes, ‘It is clear as day, engineering is not for me.’ However, the talented artist understands the importance of education and mentions his determination to keep up while finishing his graduation. It was a rather hectic journey, but he is glad to be able to finish it.

Tajwar, apart from being a very talented musician, is also interested in the business aspect of it. He mentioned doing a course on the music business while he was home during COVID and seemed very eager to introduce Dads In The Park as a brand, not just a band.

He mentions the trendy metal band ‘Slipknot’ who have successfully become a brand well-known worldwide among their fans not only for their music but also for their merchandise like clothes, musical instruments, etc.

Apart from making good quality music, Tajwar also spends a lot of time looking for sponsors, networking, making contacts, and speaking to publishers. He wishes to commercialize the band’s position and has also worked and advanced a great deal in this sector.

The band successfully launched their t-shirts and is planning to launch other apparel. They have partnered up with a company called ‘Sock n Roll’ to introduce their very own designs of socks as well.

The Struggle

Musicians need to deal with a range of challenges during their performance career, and managing finances has to be on top of the list. The music industry has radically changed in the last couple of decades.

The Internet revolution has transformed the way we create and consume music. Musicians often have to take on a lot of business-related work and must balance many other responsibilities. They need to embrace the entrepreneurial side of themselves to stand out in the crowd.

Another vital agenda that Tajwar mentioned during the conversation was the return on investment for people in the music industry. He stated that the amount of effort, time, and dedication that people put into making music or a particular track does not bring in the same amount of return, so it often turns discouraging for many artists.

Advice to younger self

Talent comes in all sorts of forms and packages; during the conversation, Tajwar mentions how important it is for someone not to lose faith in themselves during their journey. It is almost a given that success or fame in the music industry does not come easy; the struggle, however, is inevitable.

Everyone willing to make music should do it solely for their love for the art rather than being more prone to getting famous or attaining media exposure.

The Future

Aside from generating outstanding music, being a member of a band entails a variety of obligations. A lot of thought and planning needs to be put into a single track of a few minutes, and we, the listeners, cannot fathom the details that need to be taken care of.

As previously said, Tajwar and Ishmam both aim to commercialize their love of music by turning their band into a brand that people would remember. Music being their main priority, Dads In The Park is moving ahead to make more of their own music, collaborating with several artists and also launching their merchandise very soon.

We at Tinds look forward to seeing them flourish in the industry and obtain a position that the young talents deserve.

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