We make our own music: Rahul Ram

Rahul Ram of Indian Ocean tells TOI why the band loves to perform in Odisha.
How did Indian Ocean, as it is now called, come into existence?
As a 28-year-old adult, and without any creative barricades from family, my friends and I thought why not give a name to our backdoor jam sessions. And thus, our band was formed.
What is the driving force behind the sound of Indian Ocean?
We have always been exposed to various kinds of audiences and cultures.We have looked at each of them from an artist’s point of view and accordingly built out sounds. We have no inspiration from any single source but a variety of sources.
We see an epidemic of college bands these days with every other youngster wanting to be part of one. How do you see this?
College is the place where you learn and have fun at the same time. It is a platform which builds a framework of your future. College life has many uncertain phases. And during this phase forming a music group isn’t the most ideal situation. The pressure of getting a job immediately after college leads to many untoward circumstances which can be devastating for a band. Being part of a musical group requires a lot of dedication as well as mature understanding of the subject. Hence, a more mature inception would have a stronger foundation.
You admitted recently on a TV reality show that you are now an avid ghazal listener…
As a youngster, I used to hear ghazals only in certain restaurants. The whole experience at that point in time seemed drab. But after being a judge on a musical talent hunt show of a national stature, I tasted the real flavour of ghazals. The show served as an eye-opener for me.
What do you enjoy most — a live event or a studio recording session?
A live event usually makes a larger-than-life impact with a large audience and greater energy. It is a large outburst of emotions of various individuals which we capture and turn into sounds. A live event is a synthesis of life and music told in the language of sounds. And that’s an unthinkable, uncontrollable and unforgettable experience.
Buzz is that Indian Ocean isn’t a part of Bollywood. How far is it true?
Indian Ocean loves doing music. We have also created renditions for Bollywood, like Bandeh, for the movie Black Friday and Des mera for Peepli Live. But being the kind of group we are, we find it very difficult to restrain ourselves to a script or a track list. Hence, we have a greater affinity for doing our own thing and making our own set of music.
Do you think the musical understanding of the older generation and today’s youth is any different?
Now we see a bigger scope of learning vis-a-vis the Internet. Now one can showcase one’s talent by putting up a video on different websites. Unlike us, youngsters these days are more connected and exposed to various types of music. We were dependent more on physical mediums like records or cassettes. This new springboard of the internet is so vast that one needs to focus on what he wants rather than getting influenced by whatever comes his way.
Indian Ocean in Orissa — how does it feel?
This is our sixth tour to Orissa. After having performed twice in Bhubaneshwar, and once each in Rourkela, Berhampur and Cuttack, coming back to Orissa feels great. We feel belonged here. Besides, the Odia cuisine always keeps us asking for more.