Home Institution

Washington and Lee University

Publication Date

Spring 2023

Program Name

Nepal: Tibetan and Himalayan Peoples

Abstract

The goal of this research endeavor was to generate findings which unveil information about the culture, the bands, and the lives of the musicians and fans who make up the Nepali rock and metal scene. The community is rather esoteric and information regarding certain bands and their musicians’ background is limited to broad, outdated articles published online. Thus, most of the information regarding the scene can only be obtained if one truly immerses themselves within it. I was fortunate enough to make friends which granted me a firsthand look into the Nepali rock and metal scene. The general questions which guided my research revolved around what are the popular rock and metal bands within Nepal, and what is the lifestyle of the musicians within these bands? How do musicians’ life philosophies differ based on the different stages they are in within their respective careers? And how does the Nepali rock and metal scene differ to the one within the United States. Starting with these open-ended questions, I was able to learn about the various lifestyles of musicians along with their life stories. Via interviews and observations, I was, thus, able to gather the data presented in this paper. By starting with these simple questions, I was led on a journey which was utterly inspiring. I traveled all over Kathmandu attending concerts and interviewing various musicians, and as a result, I learned a whole lot about music and life in general.

Disciplines

Asian Studies | Community-Based Research | Ethnomusicology | Music Performance | Social and Cultural Anthropology | Sociology of Culture

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