The music rush

Indian Ocean bass guitarist and vocalist Rahul Ram and drummer Amit Kilam share their love for live music, on the sidelines of celebrating the "Namaste Orchha" festival. The event is an initiative of the Madhya Pradesh government with a vision to preserve the heritage culture of the region.

Excerpts

Do you prefer live music or playback?

Rahul: Live any day!

Amit: If I had to choose one, yes, not that one is better than the other but I'm interested more in live music. It seems to breathe a lot more for me.

How has the business of music scene evolved over the years?

Rahul: It has become way better than when we started playing. There are a lot more platforms, festivals, clubs than it used to be. Releasing music has become easier because we don't have to depend on music companies. We didn't have computers and instrument easily available to us. Now it has become much better and easier for musicians to put their music out with know-how of technology.

Amit: There are a lot more people listening to Live music now than ever before. Younger people now outnumber the slightly older people since they are more open to new things. The spending patterns in the country have changed and people like to go out and spend on experiences rather than just only on themselves. So, the younger Indian who has a job, forms a formidable part of the audience.

I would really like to go out and listen. Like for example, there are so many live music venues where you can sit and hang out drink. This is a generation that is now growing up on listening to live music that really changes the way it goes.

What is your take on Pop music entering in Indian market?

Rahul: I think the audience has become more used to diverse types of music, which is always good because there are diverse types of music happening now.

Amit: The younger people are happy listening to new sounds and formats.

How has your association with "Namaste Orchha" panned out?

Amit: Everytime we play live it helps us because we get to know a little bit of ourselves more. But more and more people will always get to know you as you keep playing live.

It's not only about selling more records or reaching more people in that format. We also enjoy putting out a music while we play it live and there is whole lot of people who come visiting the festival. I hope that there will be a few people who do not know about us who will go back knowing about us and whichever way then the word spreads.

I'd really like to play in other smaller towns and cities of the country. In cities and big towns there are chances the audience would have heard about us or heard the songs. In smaller towns there are chances only few people will know more about independent music. The only music that really works here is Bollywood music and folk music to an extent. So to be able to play to an audience that sometimes is very new is a great challenge, but to me it's very satisfying.

Also, in a personal capacity I am curating the music of this "Namaste Orchha" festival.

What's your favourite piece of work with the band?

Rahul: Oh boy! It's impossible to say. Our previous album 'Tandanu' is one I love because we collaborated with seven fantastic musicians; there was so much learning in that process and so much joy that happened.

Amit: We only put out music that we like and it becomes good. Tough to say but if I have to choose one it will be "Bhor Bhor" It's a song about a bird.

Your musical philosophy?

Rahul: Music is within all of us. Some of us are lucky enough to make it into a profession.

Amit: I just know that I want to be able to make songs and music for as long as I can and whenever I can and if I don't feel like it and I shouldn't be able to do not make music at that time and not force myself, but folk music really inspires me.