Sim Bansal, the bandleader of 4-piece Action Forever, grew up in Brantford, Ontario. His obsession with music began at age 5 and, for the next two decades, his natural talents were fostered by a musical family upbringing and constant exposure to a unique and eclectic mix of influences ranging from ’80s pop, to progressive rock, to jazz, and indie.
The music of Action Forever, while lively, electric, melodic and danceable, explores darker themes such as loneliness in a digital age, abusive relationships, loss of identity, and mental health. New single, “Stay With You,” loosely tells the story of the troubled relationship of two lovers from the point of view of the abused.
“Immediately, I feel a sense of tragedy when I hear this song. It’s meant to broadly acknowledge any kind of abusive relationship one might have – could be with a person, a thing, or, as I’m seeing more clearly these days, a society,” Sim explains. “I aimed to capture the spectrum of emotions one feels in this situation and have the listener experience the full weight of it – the naive delusional love, the frustration, the isolation and the denial.”
There’s a chasm deep down inside
And at the bottom is where you and I reside
Sim had studied business as well as applied music, while gigging as a lead singer and guitarist in many bands including a Police cover band (Blue Turtle) and a progressive-rock tribute act (Bypass Off). Sim won Hamilton’s Brian Lee Griffith Guitar contest for an original composition and a live performance.
With guitar and voice as his primary instruments, he learned drums and bass as well and now plays most of the instruments on his own original work.