I was about 12 years old when I first realized my love for music, when I saw Fr. Walter (A Vice Principal at St. Xavier’s, Mirzapur back in 90’s) playing Acoustic Guitar At School Church. It magically hit me and it became my obsession to even touch a guitar in real life. Being a shy, little, introvert kid I could not talk to anyone and Music was literally talking to me.
So, the first Friday would be my day of joy since I’ll get to see Father play those awesome Guitar Chords and Tunes. I used to sit on one of the closest benches to Choir of church so I can see how Guitar is being played.
I used to go to school everyday just to get beaten up and bullied by other students that considered me a laughing stock or a plain joke. But there was an English Teacher who helped me. She appointed Parth as my bodyguard who used to be the top ranker of class every year but also one of the first Alpha males I ever met, who would swear a lot and not tolerate bu****it from anyone may it be senior students, teachers or even principal.
Being an introvert kid, I was most of the times alone and sitting on that left side pillar of the school entrance. The inner unhappiness, sufferings, pain and sorrow altogether brought me closer and closer to music.
I was not suitable for any sports either, neither I knew music nor was I good at studies. I felt like a complete baggage to my parents. But confused and aimless, feared and mindless, my childhood actually made way for a Tight Musician that I was about to become in future.
I used to go to St. Joseph’s Church (My Home Church on Sundays) to not pray but to see Mr. Victor Pereira who used to play Guitar.
So, whenever there will be Christmas or New Year Celebrations, I would go to church early to hear him play since that day he’ll play Electric Guitar.
When I turned 15 my dad gifted me with my first Guitar. When I first got it, I couldn’t leave it. I used to keep it beside me night and day.
Shortly soon after that in 2003 summer, my dad and uncle took me to Guitar class called Music Centre to meet Mr. Lenny Kisku and I had no idea what this teacher would turn me into...
Mr. Lenny plays terrific Guitar and I had heard about him from a lot of people. I heard “He can play guitar in such way that Guitar sings Hi My name is Lenny.” I actually believed that when a friend of mine said it.
He was always encouraging and motivating me to become a better musician. He introduced me to Metal and Rock. He supported me in all my queries and I thought finally after 12 years of studies in school I found my actual teacher here.
There was a friend called Satyam Parikh that showed me my first concert ever. We went to Rock Idols and I went crazy. Later on, I met some really cool kid from Music Centre, named Ajay Badheka (Andy) and we formed a band called Morbid genesis. A metal band. This is the time I started coming out as a musician. I was living in a dream. Everything was just perfect. I met some more cool kids who had another band called Niflheim and they took Andy with them.
These guys were terrific musician and I also played and Jammed with them in past for few months.
And then I met Mrugank Shah, who would introduce me to even heavier genre of Music.
As I took admission in HLCC (city’s one of the best colleges) I met music club members and since I used to practice almost all day long, may it be college or home, I became a tight musician. We started winning college competitions every year.
When Falgun Pandit, a drummer joined in first year I never thought we will become great friends and form one of the most famous Metal Projects from Gujarat, Decayed Souls.
Decayed Souls was formed when Falgun and I met Rishi Dave from another college who also listened to Heavy Metal like us.
I introduced them to Kenny (Vocalist) and Rishi introduced us to Vishal Dave (Vocalist) and Siddharth Nair (Guitarist). After Kenny left the band Vishal became the lead singer and we went on to become nationally famous band that won competitions and did semi professional shows.
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Music Days used to be awesome like in this picture. Photo-shoots in the morning and shows in the nights
With Brotherhood and hard work we won competitions and became famous in state and then in states like Mumbai, Delhi, Pune
I dint have my own Electric Guitar till 2007. I got this black baby of mine called Alexi 200 LTD when again my Dad got convinced and gave me a DD of 35k, I used to borrow processors and amplifiers of other musicians.
In Concerts my throat will go all dry. Head spinning out of nervousness, stomach ache, legs shivering but when I start playing everything would disappear.
Spikedhead was formed in 2013 when all members of Decayed Souls either lost interest in music or became too busy with their lifestyle. In Spikedhead I took two members of Decayed Souls and Harsh Patel (City’s fastest, machine tight drummer)
I became a vocalist as well as lead guitarist. And it was so much fun.. I was drastically discovering my own potential and incresing my boundaries
Long hair, black t-shirts, using f**k word tons of times, beers, biryani, games, concerts, recordings became our life.
Recording was always my best part. I used to be myself and lost in those beautiful heavenly tunes of my own compositions.
It Took 18 Jobs and 3 failed businesses to Reach My Dream Life. I started teaching guitar from home on 1st April 2009. I used to go to job, band practice, live shows, recordings and come home give guitar lessons.
Trauma, Depression, Suicidal tendencies and Heartbreak
After both my bands falling apart and I being left alone having no career decided to start business. I failed and had a great financial loss in 3 businesses over a period of 5 years. My childhood friends cheated on me in business. My band mates got settles in their personal and professional lives and I had my biggest Heart break. My girl got married to someone else in another country.
I felt cursed and dint want to live anymore. I was going through darkest thoughts and the pain was unbearable. It took some more 5 years to get over it and during those years I turned into a strongest, humble and kindest beast.
My elder brother who’s a District Judge now, trained me in confidence and told me to step up, save up and invest again and start my own Music Academy. Scared but being faithful I hired a store and opened Music Maniac Academy on 21st April 2014.
I received overwhelming response and gathered a strong team. I started to get invitations from the same bigass colleges that I used to perform at. IIMA, IITG, GNLU, DAIIACT, EDI, Nirma University, PDPU and so many more.. Funniest thing was many a times I was judging the bands of my friends or my ex band mates and I felt this weird feeling of how life works and how it wants to give you everything big but how we are not ready to receive it.
I started to see from a new perspective how I became this and got respect and love from everyone.
I was a rockstar, entrepreneur, teacher and a judge. Felt overwhelmed.
I was a young kid when I first met Rambhai at IIMA Road where we used to sit by the road on ground and eat Omelette and Chai from Rambhai. Rambhai’s life story is also shared as case study in IIMA for their students to learn from it. He’s one of my good friends now. He recognized me in the below pic even after so many years and short hair.
Now, since you know who’s the founder and what’s the journey, music maniac is a child of Joel Mogera. He not only being a musician but also being an experienced struggling artist reached upto this point. He is not only a Musician, Teacher, Entrepreneur, Judge, Music Producer but also a Life Coach now. He provides free seminars to School and College kids. Teaches the poor kids for free.
Music Maniac is different because it not a money based business. It is a brand that connects to heart of many youngsters that are lost and it aims to bring them back on their path.
We differ in a way that the students get exactly what they want. If a student tells the teacher that he wants to learn some latest song, we crack it and teach it to them right away unlike other businesses that are only focused on teaching what they have in their syllabus.
We provide payment plans for paying fees which are already very nominal.
We provide the students all help throughout their career providing them with paid shows, giving them business by making them our certified trainers, helping them create their own music videos. And this all are perks of being in Music Maniac Family
We also teach them interpersonal skills absolutely free.
You learn the best techniques to play Piano and practice your vocal skills at the same time. Just bring a book.
Violin is taught in western notation that is also called staff notation. Violin and book both are provided from Music Maniac
Electric Guitar Lessons Personally from Joel Mogera. When you learn from the best you have no choice but to become the best.
We teach the students whose age ranges from 8 years to 70 years. And we help them build a vision of their best self in their schools, colleges, workplace, family etc. We all are humans with families, when they learn and play at family functions, school/college functions or at work place gatherings, they get appreciated and they come out as unique personality which helps them build confidence.
Music Helps you heal your heart. It helps you relieve from stress, anger, anxiety and even helps you have healthy relationships. If you are sad, play music and sadness converts into pure bliss. Music Maniac is a Trademark Registered company that has different ventures inside one big name e.g. Music Maniac Store, Music Maniac Website, Music Maniac Academy, Music Maniac Event Management etc
Music Maniac started as Music Coaching institute named Metal maniac music centre on 1st April, 2009 by Joel Mogera with vision to teach rock music. Over the years, it became famous among young musicians and music teachers of Ahmedabad.
The name was then changed to Music Maniac Academy. Music Maniac hired an office on 21st April, 2014; where it became a full time coaching centre as well as Music Store. Coaching over 3000 students in Piano, Drums, Violin and Vocals.
Music Maniac is also involved in trading, supplying and selling supreme assortment of Guitar, Piano, Musical Keyboard and Drums in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Working with other dealers like Sargam Musicals, Suril Musicals, Sharma musicals has improved the quality of instruments over time.
At Music Maniac Academy, we not only teach you to how to play musical instruments but also how to compose your OWN MUSIC and how to BE AN ENTERTAINER. We also believe in giving more value and free gifts to clients.
We bring out the musician in you so that you not just survive but be ALIVE !
Welcome Aboard!
