Quitter John bassist Ashwin Alexander just graduated from Duke last May, leaving the place where the band first met and played for the past two years. Fellow bandmembers Kyle Evans and Adam Gray (Trinity '05) are already thinking about replacements, faced with the difficulty of having a non-local band member. But once the entire group graduates, "John" may call it quits.
"I'd like to try to keep in touch and play every once and again," drummer Tushar Kirtane (Pratt '05) says. "But I'm realistic in terms of that happening." That realistic attitude combined with a focus on playing versus professional success illustrates Quitter John's simple, yet dedicated, approach to making music.
The band began two years ago when Kirtane was introduced through a mutual friend to Evans and Gray, who had been playing together since they lived in the same dorm freshman year. With the addition of Alexander shortly thereafter, the band itself was complete, and its main writing partnership was also in place.
Evans and Alexander write most of the group's material, but the actual creation of each song is a much more collaborative process. "Typically both will come up with lyrics or a guitar riff or two," Kirtane explains. "Then we'll come together as a band and mesh through changes and decide what sounds good and how that compares to what they originally thought."
But with Alexander gone and the rest of the group scattered throughout the country working various summer jobs, Gray has been working on new material by himself in Texas. Kirtane says that the possibility of the group playing shows over the summer is unlikely. "I think it's pretty much out of our realm to get together and play a show over the summer," Kirtane concludes. He looks forward to next year, though, when the band can resume playing at Duke and working on songs.
This past year, Quitter John performed at the Armadillo Grill and on the Last Day of Classes, among other campus shows. They also recorded a demo in a dorm room using Evans' eight-track recorder, which they plan to send out to a number of places including the Cat's Cradle--in hopes of getting a gig at the popular venue.
Although many other bands have proclaimed their diehard desire to become rock stars, Kirtane has more limited, but realistic, hopes for Quitter John's post-Duke career. "I think the chances of us being signed are slim," Kirtane admits. "But if it happened, I would at least consider it strongly." If things remain the same, Kirtane will most likely pursue something in engineering, and Gray plans to go to law school.
Kirtane says his primary motivation for continuing to play would be his love of music and the experience of being in a band. "I want to keep music a part of my life," he muses. "I think there's something that happens when you get together with others and learn from their experiences."
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