Rock Veda: Let the fusion play!

That music knows no boundaries has been amply proved by fusion band Rock Veda, which has used instruments like the sitar, the guitar, the tabla and keyboards while fusing hard rock with Sufi strains to create perfect blends like "Naina", "Jania hania" and "Dama dum".

Rock Veda comprises seven Delhi-based musicians - Kabul (lead vocals), Fateh Ali Khan (sitar), Amaan Ali Khan (vocals), Vishal (vocals), Shubhanshu (guitar), Kamal (keyboards) and Jayant Manchanda (bass).

Kabul, who has been trained under Ustad Ghulam Sabir Khan, spoke to IANS about their genre, music idols and their dream to create music for Bollywood.

* When we met: We met in 2011. We wanted to create fresh music, contribute immensely to the industry and create awareness about the particular genre. For a Band, it's important to have like-minded individuals who are creative, passionate and share a dream. With the same thought we all met through one another and formed the band.

* Music idols: There are so many names. Mohammed Rafi, Shankar Mahadevan, Sonu Nigam, Shafqat Amanat Ali and Javed Bashi, to name a few. All of them have been creatively original and versatile. If I do aspire to be like them, so does the band and we would want to take our music to their level.

* Music as a career option: For some music is passion and they just pursue it to bring out their creativity, whereas for some the passion turns into profession. It totally depends on the dreams individuals share pertaining to music.

One basic reason why youngsters are heading towards the profession is the growing gig culture unlike yesteryears when recordings or jingles were the only options. Also, the mushrooming of talent shows for every age group, giving youngsters an opportunity to pursue their dream and showcase their talent on a national platform, has made music a viable career option. I personally feel music is indeed a great career option.

* YouTube bonanza: Social Networking is the most cost effective, less time-consuming and potent tool of marketing and YouTube has a viral effect as it helps us reach millions in seconds. It's unbeatable. After every show we share our videos on YouTube and it phenomenally helps us promote our music across the globe.

* Bollywood dreams: That's my aim. Bollywood has an unparallel and tremendous reach. It would be an honour for me to work with the industry and take my music to next level.

* Studio recordings versus live performances: When we record a composition in a studio, it's a different feeling. We get a lot of space to experiment with different, unheard, interesting sounds, effects and arrangements that work wonders in producing the final outcome.

Performing Live in front of thousands is every artist's dream and what adds to it is sharing the stage with maestros and legends. It gives you an adrenaline pump. Having shared the stage with Shafqat Amanat Ali, performing in the presence of Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi, and Prasoon Joshi and witnessing audiences humming along takes you and your music to the next level.

* Forthcoming albums: We are working on recording a few compositions. It's a preliminary stage as of now.

* Recognition: We have been bagging rave reviews for "Naina" and recently we got nominated in top five in the Artist Aloud.Com Awards in Best Group Category for "Naina".

(Ritika Arora can be contacted at ritika.a@ians.in)