1. 20 years. 2500+ concerts. What is the feeling like?
Just like when we started out 21 years ago. Same fun, same hard work, and same beer!
2. Explain your process when making a new song. Who does what?
The main tune is normally made by Nitin, who also writes the lyrics. He then calls in Sonam and these two make a basic structure of the song and email it to all of us. We all then make our parts, add/subtract parts, arrange it and go out live.
3. You have been here for more than 20 years now. How has the Indian music scene changed, during this time? Has it gotten any better? Or worse?
Man, it surely got loads better, I mean the number of brilliant bands that have come up in the last 10 years, I have not seen all my life. Though the physical sale of music is over, the smallest of bands today have the opportunity to show the world their talent, through the internet, and that’s brilliant.
4. You have said earlier that the reason you don’t record music is because you hate the studio. You like to perform to a live audience instead. Can the fans expect a compilation album of your live performances, then?
All of our songs are already available on our Facebook page and at Reverbnation. Most of them are live tracks, just download and make your own album, the way you want it. There are still loads of tracks that we have still not got good live recordings of – like “Tears of the Wizard”, “Le Chaim”, “Gonna get it”, “As the Rains May Fall”, “Screaming Town”, “Mayhem in g m”, et cetera.
5. What is your take on copyrighting music?
Copyrighting is not a bad idea, for the artiste as such, if they are interested in it. It’s an individual choice.
6. What new Indian bands should we look out for?
There are many. Circus, Advaita, et cetera.
7. In a country where mainstream music is synonymous with Bollywood, how difficult it is for an independent artist to become big.
See, we will never ever be able to compete with Bollywood, but in today’s India, you have space for all kinds of music. They (independent musicians and Bollywood) can co-exist.
8. Who would you like to collaborate/perform with? Name an Indian as well as an international artist(s).
Oh, we love collaborations. We have probably done the max that any band has ever done. There are so many actually – David Gilmour, Angus Young, Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, Ranjit Barot, John Lord et cetera. The list is endless.
9. Apart from India, what other countries have you performed in? Where was your best experience at?
Well, we have performed in many places – USA / UK / Canada / Indonesia / Singapore / Dubai / Laos / Cambodia / Vietnam / Nepal / Bhutan / Muscat et cetera.
10. What can we expect from you in the future?
Loads of rock ‘n’ roll and gallons of beer!
11. Any advice for the many upcoming Indian bands?
Keep that ego out of that practise pad and stay off fucking drugs. They will finally kill you and your band, no substitute for hard work. Know your audience and relate. Get a good manager.
Cheers and all the best!
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Photography by – Akshayraj Uchil
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This interview was conducted over email and the responses were left largely untouched apart from some minor errors that were fixed.