Ministry of Blues (MoB) is a Blues-Rock band. We play a genre of music that originated in the 1900s, but combine it with a distinctly 21st-century flair. Our intention is to:

    Create a musical experience that blends music with deep emotional roots with the sounds and skills that typify modern Rock

    Play this music in a manner that is enjoyable to both the discerning Blues aficionado as well as the lover of today’s Rock music

    Reintroduce the listener to the sheer excitement of intense and high-energy live music

    The band consists of:

    David Boon– Drums

    Philipe Haydon – Guitar & Vocals

    Rauf – Keyboard & Vocals

    Ashley Joseph – Bass

 Philipe been playing guitar for over 30 years. He started almost by chance when his dad presented him with a guitar he bought off a hippie, with some sound words of advice,” why don’t you do something with it!” As luck would have it, this instrument turned out to be a serious German made classical guitar. While Philipe initially started learning with a local music teacher, he soon quit to learn under his brother Mark who was then pursuing a distance learning program under the tutelage of Arlen Roth, a popular guitar instructor in the U.S.

From there on it was a long journey of 10 hour-day practice sessions, which finally culminated in their first band, “Hammersmith”, four years later.

The band played all over the country alongside other well-known acts such as with Rock Machine, Remo, Louis Banks, etc. Hammersmith had 2 of their compositions on MTV in '92 and was the only Asian act to be selected by New York based record company, Rodell Records for compilation of underground talent on a CD named "Soundz from the Underground". Philipe moved to Bangalore in '93, and has been playing with Deepak and Vinoo ever since.

EQUIPMENT USED

GUITARS:

1. Les Paul Gold Top

2. Fender 60th anniversary American Stratocaster

3. Fender Heartfield

4. Ibanez 1974 Les Paul copy hot rodded with Seymour Duncans

5. Ibanez Joe Satriani signature series JS 1200

6. Ibanez JEM Steve Vai signature series

7. Parker Fly – P44

8. ESP-LTD Jeff Hanneman signature series

9. Greg Bennet AV-6 hot rodded with Seymour Duncans

10. Yamaha Pacifica 821-D {DiMarzio loaded}

11. Takamine acoustic

AMPLIFIERS:

Marshall DFX- 100

Laney MXD-120

Line 6 Spider III- 75 watts

EFFECTS:

Boss GT 10

Boss GT 8

CABLES:

Only Monster and Whirlwind...the difference great cables make to the overall sound is unbelievable. Also swear by Fast Fret, Jim Dunlop “Big Stubby” picks,.... never hit the road without a string winder and clipper!!!!

KEY INFLUENCES :

Jimi Hendrix, Gary Moore, Steve Morse, Yngwie Malmsteen, Robben Ford, Mark Haydon, Mahesh Tinaikar.

 . 

 Started learning the ‘CASIO’ at the age of 10, belting out Billy Joel numbers and becoming an instant hit with the girls! Whether it was the love for music or simply the attention from the opposite sex that led him to his first band, Aatma, still remains a mystery! What can be said with certainty however is that Rauf works wonders with the keyboard and has covered all-time greats like Deep Purple, The Doors, & Led Zeppelin on his tours with Aatma.

Rumour has it that a death metal band wanted him to give them gothic sounds and satanic effects. He refused. Said he wasn't into S & M!! Later on, he joined "Rock Water Revival" and dwelled more into Classic Rock, covering bands like Golden Earring, Jethro Tull, Steely Dan, Uriah Heep and bands before his time. His playing style was defined. He landed in Bangalore in 2005, met Deepak & Philipe; they jammed, formed the band, and the rest is history.

EQUIPMENT

KORG N 364 workstation

AMP: PEAVEY KB 4

KEY INFLUENCES:

Ray Manzarek (The Doors), John Lord (Deep Purple), Tom Canning (Bluesbreakers)

David boon’s love for music began from his childhood days, seeing and backing musicians in church really struck a groove within him.

At 18, David stopped his studies to pursue his original passion, drumming. His hard work and consistency pushing the boundaries of creative drumming is making his drum career to a whole new level.

In jan 2014, David joined Ministry of Blues. His persistence in studying powerful techniques and unique groove style is what gives his performance a very special flavor and edge.

Now he is also doing drum duties for few other bands such as AGHOR ,Project maya, Turn back and works as a drum instructor at one of the leading academy in India.

 While Deepak been playing percussion on table tops and buckets for as long as he can remember, he sat behind a drum kit for the first time only at the age of 17! But all those years of practising on table tops came in handy and he soon went on to win the best drummer prize at JNC and BMC college festivals. Deepak formed his first rock band, Castle Rock in 1990 and performed gigs at Bangalore, Cochin, Hyderabad & Mysore. This experience helped develop his style of drumming, which is essentially powerful yet controlled.

When he joined the hard rock band Aftermath in 1992, his goal was to achieve the levels of Terry Bozio, Neal Peart, and Billy Cobham. Deepak felt that once he got there, everything else would fall into place. He never got there, so he went around it and created his own style.

He formed MoB with a handpicked crew that takes blues improvisation to new heights. Says Deepak,”I strongly believe in innovating and opening up the music for anything to happen, at the same time I strive to create a "band sound”, a oneness amongst the players that at once challenges and complements each musician. I know for sure that when the band is in that deep pocket, the audience can’t help feeling it”.

EQUIPMENT USED

ACOUSTIC DRUMKIT : PEARL 5 Piece with "Everplay" HEADS

CYMBALS : PAISTE, ZILDJIAN

HARDWARE : GIBRALTAR DOUBLE BASS PEDALS,

PEARL THRONE, PEARL CYMBAL STANDS

ELECTRONIC DRUMKIT : ROLAND V DRUMS

MODULE :TD 8

RACK : ROLAND

AMP HEAD : STUDIOMASTER PRO 600 E

MIXER : BEHRINGER 8 TRACK STEREO

SPEAKERS : WHARFEDALE PRO

HARDWARE : GIBRALTAR PEDALS, PEARL THRONE

KEY INFLUENCE:

Ministry of Blues