The way we create music is still the same workshop style: Rahul Ram

Earthy yet gritty, rock fusion band Indian Ocean is arguably the most important indie band in the country, and refuses to slow down even after 27 odd years. Currently on a six-city MusiCom tour, along with satire outfit Aisi Taisi Democracy that bassist and vocalist Rahul Ram is also a part of, the band talks about why their popularity hasn’t taken a beating and their take on the current independent music scene.

Tell us more about the MusiCom tour...

MusiCom brings together Music and Comedy to the same stage in one packaged show on a big scale, and we are excited to be a part of the first ever edition. Aisi Taisi Democracy’s banter, jokes and parody songs are hilarious and thought-provoking. Indian Ocean setlist will be a happy mix of new unreleased songs, perennial favorites and some rarely played oldies.

Your debut album Indian Ocean (1993) sold 40,000 copies within a year, while bands today boast of millions of views on social media. How do you perceive this change?

Selling 40,000 albums in this day and age for an independent band in India is probably a pipe dream. This is because of the change in how people discover and consume music. Nobody buys and listens to albums. It’s mostly buying individual songs or streaming online or YouTube videos. It is the name of the game right now.

How has the band managed to retain its popularity in spite of big-time changes in its lineup?

We only have our fans to thank for this. Though the new members have brought their own sound and influences into the band, the way we create music is still the same workshop style of playing out ideas and adding and removing parts to it to make it complete. We practice five times a week when we aren’t travelling, which helps us sound like a cohesive unit.

Is adapting to changes difficult with members coming with their own styles or interpretation of existing material?

When Himanshu (Joshi) and Tuheen (Chakravorty) replaced Asheem (Chakravarty), there was an urgency to come upto speed in terms of learning the songs, so the deviations from the set format were few. When Nikhil (Rao) replaced Susmit (Sen), it was in the summers and we had relatively more time to revisit and reimagine the songs in parts if not whole. The long hours of practice helped solidify our collective sound. Over time, the changes and influences of each member have become more pronounced and in some cases a complete departure from what previous members did.

After Masaan (2015), any films projects coming up?

Yes, we are working on a film with a first time director and also first time producers with a relatively unknown cast. It’s a great sweet story that we love and are having a lot of fun working on it. More details soon!

What do you think of the independent music scene right now?

It’s great to have an alive and thriving scene where more and more bands are claiming their place under the sun with amazing hard work and a unique fearless voice. We love any band that has found its voice and are nailing each show and song that they put out, like Thaikkudam Bridge, Agam, Swarathma, Skrat, Neeraj Arya’s Kabir Café, Meghdhanush, and a host of others.

Indian Ocean perform today at Rangsharda Auditorium, Bandra West, 6 pm.