Jamshedpur, Jan. 30: At a time when many Indian bands are heavily drawing from western music, Indian Ocean is happy to be different

The band was here to perform at Wheels 2008, the festival organised by Graduate Engineers Training Club of Tata Motors.

Indian Ocean was here with its entire set up, which includes Ram, Susmit Sen, Asheem Chakravarty, other percussionists and Amit Kalim at the drums and dabgubi.

The band which has been part of Bollywood films, including Black Friday, believes that for inspiration one need not look to the west or elsewhere.

And going by the way it left the audience craving for more, it was clear the band had indeed done well to draw from Indian culture and tradition.

The band members pointed out that there is a lot to learn from our own musical tradition.

“Being such a big country, one can derive inspiration from everything and that is exactly what we have been doing. There are so many shades of our own music which should be promoted,” said Rahul Ram, the bass guitarist and vocalist.

He gave an example of an Indian band that got a chance to perform English songs in a western country.

When they performed, members asked them what was their own, Ram recalled.

For bands hoping to make it big in the national music circuit, Ram’s advice was they should focus on hard work and on being unique.

“One has to be different from others in terms of sound. After that, there is no looking back,” said Ram.

Apart from working on their own songs, Indian Ocean has Bollywood projects lined up, too.

Starting with big budget films, including Halla being directed by Jaideep Verma and Bhoomi by Avik Mukhopadhay, the band is also working on two documentary films Leaving Home and Beware Dogs.

With their live DVD near completion, things look bright for Indian Ocean.

“Going by the kind of music we do, few mainstream filmmakers approach us. We love to do offbeat projects,” said Ram. The band, which seems to be going places, admits Bollywood happened by chance. “Now that it has happened, we are enjoying it,” said Ram.