The50 • Rolling Stone, November 2011 Second Coming legends Indus Creed return with a new sound and a new outlook By Matt Ross Photographs by Martin Beck

The Second Coming Rolling Stone, November 2011 • 51 INDUS CREED n true rock band fashion, the bar in which i tion,” Benegal says. “For that first year I was just too busy with the film proj- meet Indus Creed is already filled with tendrils of cig- ect, and I think Zubin was busy in the arette smoke and the faint smell of Guinness. It’s just studio doing his thing. But then a year later, we started to talk about it again.” turned midday, which Rushad Mistry and Jai Row Kavi Balaporia recalls mulling the idea over. – two-fifths of the band and the newest additions to “When he first brought it up, I wasn’t really sure I would be able to do it be- the recently re-formed group – seem to believe is a per- cause I had other commitments, and it fectly acceptable time to start drinking. The remain- had been 10 years since we’d stopped.” However, the keyboardist found himself ing trio – original members Uday Benegal, Mahesh Tinaikar agreeing to play one show, then another, I and then another. and Zubin Balaporia – are not quite so sure. For the first hour Benegal had already been writing new at least, they leave the drinking to “the lads,” as they affec- material in 2009, some of which had found its way into the setlist of Whirling tionately call the two younger musicians, who joined Indus Kalapas, a project he had started with Creed as part of a reunion that set India’s music press ablaze. Tinaikar. “Mahesh and I had formed a little acoustic band. It was a side project, Indus Creed are one of the biggest know, 15, 16 years is a long time, and I even though we didn’t have a main proj- names in Indian rock music. Formed think it was time to stop while the going ect.” The neo-folk, alt-country Whirl- in 1984, the group – then a covers band was good.” While Balaporia and Tinaikar ing Kalapas shows featured a mixture of known as Rock Machine – enjoyed more both concentrated on studio work, and re-imagined Indus Creed numbers and than a decade of success after taking other members pursued their own in- new songs. Along the way, Benegal and the (then) unusual step of playing their terests, Benegal and Gandhi headed for Tinaikar had recruited Jai Row Kavi, own material. They are held up as one of the U.S., where they started fusion band and as plans to reform Indus Creed gath- the pioneers of original rock in a coun- Alms for Shanti. ered momentum, they offered the young try which, prior to the introduction of Thanks to the lack of any earth-shatter- drummer a place in the new line-up. Kavi MTV in 1992, had little time for any- ing rifts or explosive tour-halting feuds, had played in a lot of bands during his ca- thing other than Bollywood music. In the former bandmates stayed in contact. reer, and was quick to recommend Mis- 1993, the group – which, after a few Indus Creed became something that they try, a bassist that he’d played with in a line-up changes, then comprised vocal- used to do together. “Everyone went their group called Distil Soul. Benegal put a ist Benegal, keyboardist Balaporia, lead own way, did their own thing, and kept lot of stock in Kavi’s opinion, and in other guitarist Tinaikar, bass player Mark Sel- in touch when they came back,” Balapo- reports that Mistry was a serious talent. wyn, guitarist Jayesh Gandhi and drum- ria recalls. “We hung out, finished off a In what he insists is an out-of-character mer Bobby Duggal – changed their name few bottles of whisky, had a meal, chatted move, Benegal called Mistry out of the to Indus Creed. With the increased vis- about the old times and pulled each oth- blue and offered him the job before he’d ibility that MTV gave both the band er’s legs all over again.” even heard him play, an opportunity that and their innovative music videos, their But at the end of 2008, Benegal the bassist describes as a little scary, but popularity began to rise astronomical- moved back to India after nine years mostly “cool.” Whirling Kalapas was ab- ly. Before their split in the late Nine- of living in New York. Kept busy with a sorbed – to date, the acoustic band hasn’t ties, Indus Creed could boast three stu- film project, it wasn’t until the follow- played together since the Indus Creed re- dio albums, shows with and Bon ing year when, during one of the whis- union was announced – into a new, five- Jovi, an appearance at WOMAD, and ky-fuelled catch-ups, the idea of restart- piece group. international gigs that took them across ing Indus Creed was seriously put on the Asia, the U.K., the Middle East and even table. “When I moved back to Bombay, I t would have been very easy to into Russia. After an entirely amica- was hanging out with these guys, and I merely dust off the old Indus Creed ble break-up – Balaporia describes it as think it vaguely popped into conversa- material. Tunes like “Rock n’ Roll “one of the best decisions we ever made” Renegade” and “Top of the Rock” – the band members went their sepa- have become anthems of the Indi- rate ways. “There was no animosity,” Ian music scene – calling cards for their Balaporia continues. “We realized that unique brand of late-Eighties-style rock. the sound, and our individual tastes in “We’re very much Indeed, on the night of our meeting, music, were changing. You don’t listen when the band play to a packed venue in to the same things over 16 years. Uday about writing Dubai, the spaces between every number and Jayesh were thinking along certain are dominated by (mostly) good-natured lines, and I know that Mahesh and Mark new material, screams for songs like “Pretty Child” – were very convinced in what they wanted to the point where, before playing a new to do, and I was somewhere in the mid- track, Benegal has to give his word to dle.” Though they remained extraordi- and when you do the audience that they’ll play the songs narily popular, the band had also begun they want to hear. But putting the band to notice a shift in the national music that, it’s got to be back together was about more than just scene away from the original rock music wheeling out the classics to sell a few that they had helped blaze a trail for. De- tickets, or repackaging old records with spite the great strides made by MTV, the a here-and-now a couple of extra tracks. By January, appetites of audiences remained fick- the band hopes to release a new album, le. “The scene was changing drastically,” kind of sound which will not only boast new mate- says Balaporia. “It was becoming very, rial, but a new sound as well. Adding very Bollywood and shows were getting and feel.” younger players – Kavi and Mistry are hard. But we’d really had a long run. You 25 and 30, whereas Benegal, Balaporia

52 • Rolling Stone, November 2011 rock & roll renegades (Above) The band began life as Rock Machine, before changing their name to Indus Creed in 1993. From left: Mahesh Tinaikar, Zubin Balaporia, Mark Selwyn, Uday Benegal, Bobby Duggal and Jayesh Gandhi. (Right) Indus Creed play an unplugged set at Rangbhavan, Mumbai in 1996.

and Tinaikar clock in at 44, 45 and 47 anthemic, stadi- respectively – has introduced the origi- um-friendly edge. nal members to a host of new influences. Traces of the past “Personally, I would hate for this album remain, with soar- to sound like one of the old albums,” Bal- ing synths and spi- aporia says. “It’s got to have its own en- raling guitar riffs ergy, it’s got to have a more contempo- that hearken back rary sound. I think it’s inevitable that, to Rock Machine with three original members, something albums Rock n’ Roll Renegade and The cord], we thought there was no way we of the past will be there, but with two Second Coming, but there’s a distinct could record it in Bombay,” says Bala- guys coming from a new generation, the maturity to the soundscape, and a heavi- poria. “The drums have always been an kinds of bands they’ve been hearing are er edge that undoubtedly owes a lot to issue. But there’s this drummer that we different. I’ve heard so much more music the new rhythm section. know who’s set up his own studio, and he now after hanging out with them, and I Recording more than 20 years after called me over one day to hear his album. think that’s fantastic: to bring in a whole the first Rock Machine album also en- For the first time I actually heard some- new kind of sound, without losing any of ables the band to take advantage of the thing done in India that was at an inter- the old part.” Besides, given the amount improved rock infrastructure in India. national level. So we don’t have to go to of time that has passed since they last In the late Eighties, recording an album New York or Los Angeles or whatever.” put out new material, it’s inevitable (and in that part of the world was an enter- Impressed with how much the technol- perhaps necessary) that the core trio prise riddled with compromise. The fa- ogy had progressed, the band decided to have changed as both performers and cilities and expertise needed to record stay at home, finally able to record to the songwriters. “For the three of us indi- an international-quality album simply standard they had always been looking vidually, with so much time having gone didn’t exist – the first two Rock Machine for. After laying down the drum and bass by, you experience life differently,” says LPs feature programmed drum tracks tracks, the rest of the band set up in Bal- Benegal. “You listen to new stuff, and because there was no studio set up to lay aporia’s personal studio. They recruited you absorb new ideas. So we were look- down the real thing. For 1995’s Indus a consultant from New Zealand to work ing to move forward anyway, and Rush- Creed, the first album after the name on the guitar sound, are in negotiations ad and Jai were the perfect guys to move change, the band traveled to L.A. to fi- with a mixing engineer from Texas, and forward with.” The result, as showcased nally achieve the level of professionalism intend to master the final copy in New in Dubai, is an Indus Creed sound that that they felt their material deserved. York. It’s the kind of international pro-

all images courtesy of indus creed is undoubtedly classic rock, but with an “When we were discussing [the new re- duction that would, for an original Indi-

Rolling Stone, November 2011 • 53 INDUS CREED an rock band, have been unfeasible a de- same time. And it can really get to you. cade ago. We all have very busy schedules, and we This technological liberation also al- get buttressed by all this stuff. It’s just lows for a more piecemeal approach to that much harder for us to keep our eye recording the new album. Work on the on the ball and say we want to make this record can fit around the other commit- happen. But we are making it work.” ments – musical or otherwise – that the Time away from the studio is also far band members have. The show in Dubai from wasted. As a group, Indus Creed is a perfect example. There are six tracks have always believed in trying new ma- on the new album that are close to com- terial on their audience. “The minute pletion, with two more still to be worked we have a tune that we think is ready on. But because they’re not ensconced and playable, we throw it into the set in the studio, jetting off to play a gig can and see how it goes down,” Balapo- be simply slotted into the schedule. “I ria explains. “We really test it,” Mistry don’t think we’re taking time off the re- says. “We change things around, we test cord as such,” Kavi says. “But we’re doing things live, see how it feels. [Even when it in bits maybe; we’ll go off to do a gig, on tour] if it needs to be changed, it gets and then pick it up again.” In 1995, when changed.” Indus Creed flew to the U.S. to record, But playing new material also has the they locked themselves away to focus on potential to put the band in a precari- the music, and nothing else. It’s a process ous position. They want to appease the that still has an appeal. “I kind of miss loyal fans that have stuck with them, but that actually,” says Benegal. “I personal- the sonic direction in which the band ly like that way of doing it. When we re- is now heading is irrefutably different. corded in L.A., you had to leave every- “We’re very much about writing new ma- thing behind; there were no distractions. terial, and when you write new materi- There was no question of a gig coming up, al, it’s got to be a here-and-now kind of or an interview, or kids going to school sound and feel, which is what we want or whatever. You were there, you hun- anyway,” Benegal says. “We can’t throw kered down and that’s all you did, morn- out the old songs – not that we want to, ing to night.” Balaporia recalls that time but there are some tunes that you real- with similar fondness. “You woke up in ly get bored playing. And we are pretty the morning, you drove to the studio bored playing them. But that’s what peo- and you sat the whole day and worked on ple want to hear, that’s what the older your album. And because you were total- fans want. So we try and strike that bal- ly broke, there was no money to go out ance between playing what the old fans at night and party. So you just went and want, and saying, ‘Here’s what we’re grabbed a meal, had a drink and went doing now.’ Because there is a new au- to sleep. And then the next day was the dience out there too. We don’t want to same. You were really very focused on lose sight of either.” Perhaps as an indi- what you were doing.” rect result of Whirling Kalapas, some of A consequence of starting the band the older tracks have also been given the album like it was in 1990 or whatever.” up again, however, is that distractions once over. “We’ve reworked a lot of the Kavi, who was at school when some of now exist. “When you’re [recording] the older material to make it sound more in- the older Indus Creed numbers were re- way we’re doing it now, you can’t real- teresting for ourselves,” Balaporia adds. leased, relished the opportunity to put ly take off and do that,” Balaporia con- “That enables us to perform those songs a new spin on those songs. “We were tinues. “Of course you’re distracted by in a newer way, or in a more exciting playing a couple of Indus Creed tunes other things. If somebody falls ill, or if way. It doesn’t really have to be off the [with Whirling Kalapas], but in a dif- you have to go somewhere, that’s a dis- ferent way, completely stripped down. traction. If you have a session, that’s a It was pretty cool for me to play those distraction…” “If you’ve got a PTA meet- tunes then, and [I remember think- ing to attend…” Benegal chimes in. “Ex- ing] ‘I would love to rock them out in a actly,” Balaporia agrees. “But this is the “the scene in india big way.’” way it is now, you can’t change that. I see what Uday is saying though.” The was changing t’s inevitable that a band that rest of the band agree that, in a per- enjoyed such success during the fect world, they would set aside time to drastically. it Eighties and Nineties is going to work on new material. But there’s no struggle to immediately throw off feeling of resentment about the situa- such nostalgia. “Some members of tion they are now in, or any concern that was getting very, Ithe press also grew up on our music,” it’s to their detriment. “We’re making it Benegal admits. “So they like to talk work,” Benegal says. “This is not going very bollywood. about the good old days. Some are just to affect or compromise the sound of the new, young journalists, who also want album. In fact, because we’re so mindful to go back to that because, for them, it’s of that, we work extra hard to make this it was time to some kind of lore. And they’ll say, ‘Tell work. But I’m just saying that, for me, me how it was when you guys first start- that would be the ideal scenario. Bom- stop while the ed out,’ and I’ll think, ‘F***… do we have bay is a very distracting place, there’s to go through this again?’” Examining a lot of shit happening at once. Every- going was good.” the minutiae of the band’s creation, rise thing in the world is happening at the to prominence and their later decision to

54 • Rolling Stone, November 2011 FRIENDS REUNITED Indus Creed soundcheck at the Music Room in Dubai, Oct 21, 2011. From left: Zubin Balaporia, Uday Benegal, Mahesh Tinaikar, Jai Row Kavi and Rushad Mistry split makes up the majority of the arti- sician he used to know who was so far ly embraced the idea that making origi- cles written about Indus Creed since the gone he obliviously crapped his pants, nal music can constitute an actual pro- reformation was announced. And the and the reason why they dosed former fession, and the stories they have to tell as tendency to look backwards rather than bass player Mark Selwyn’s dog with va- a result, are an integral part of who they forwards has not escaped the original lium (so that it could be smuggled onto are. To deny the differences between the members of the band. “It can be a little a train carriage). Throughout, Kavi and early days of Rock Machine, and the band tedious,” says Benegal. “But I’ve learned Mistry listen with rapt enthusiasm. All as it is now, is impossible. The core mem- to be patient. I gently let them know parties are happily resigned to the fact bers remain the same, but the change in that Wikipedia has a fair amount of info that the band’s past will always be on ev- line-up, the more contemporary sound, about the old stuff.” The three original eryone’s agenda. For Benegal, Balaporia and even the advances in technology that members trade knowing smirks when and Tinaikar, it’s a necessary evil, and have been folded into the group’s record- conversation turns to the media’s fond- after joking about the tedium of nitpick- ing process mark a fundamental shift. ness for harping on about the past. For ing the times and dates of Indus Creed’s But it’s not a case of the old versus the Kavi and Mistry, however, it’s a source history, they all insist that they are, hon- new. “I would look at it as more of an evo- of both amusement and envy. “I’m ac- estly, happy to talk about the early days. lution than a divide,” Tinaikar says. “You tually a little jealous sometimes,” Kavi The newer members, far from seeming can’t cut off that history, you can’t for- admits. “Especially when I hear all the like kids at the grown-ups’ table, appear get it, because it’s part of what you are.” stories about all the fun they had when happy to be a part of a band that has Benegal agrees. “We were a six-piece out- I was still learning to read and write.” both an illustrious history and a prom- fit, and five of us were together since al- Later, as the band wait for the sound- ising future. most the very beginning. It’s only real- check to begin, Balaporia – who is re- The distinction is this: the dates and ly the drummer’s chair that saw a few garded as Indus Creed’s chief storyteller places of what Indus Creed have done, changes. So Mark and Jayesh, they’re – comes out of ‘interview mode’ and re- and where they’ve been are pretty much still very much a part of it. Those guys counts a few of the more colorful tales public record, and while those details are were an integral part of our lives, and from the Rock Machine days. Highlights important to some, to focus on them too they’re not here now. So we’ve got these include a fan from a remote Indian town intently detracts from the fact that, as a new guys, but at the same time we’ve who wrote to the band asking them to band, they continue to musically evolve. evolved into a whole new thing, while re- bring a pair of size six boots should they But the ride they’ve been on, forging a taining everything that we’ve built over ever visit, the story of a drug-addled mu- career in a country that has only recent- the years.”

Rolling Stone, November 2011 • 55