Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy: Won't compromise on quality

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy on 'Rock On!! 2' and the current situation with indie music in India

Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy

They are celebrated music composers in Bollywood, but Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy (SEL) have an identity beyond Hindi film music. They are solo musicians, who also support the country's non-film music scene. Shankar Mahadevan runs an online music academy while Ehsaan Noorani performs with ensemble bands like Fender & Friends and String Society. Loy Mendonsa is a familiar face in live jazz sets and has reformed his electronica group Instant Karma with Ehsaan.

In a bid to promote indie music, the trio has come on board as content co-curators for an initiative by Hungama and Tata Sky. Titled Music+, the service will feature music videos across genres. "The fact that they focus a lot on indie music was exciting. In a way, we have a responsibility to bring good music to the listeners," says Ehsaan. Excerpts from an interview with the guys behind the soundtrack of Rock On!! 2.

All three of you started out as indie artistes. What's your take on the current indie scene?
Shankar: The Internet has given a major boost to it. People don't need a record company to put their music out there. Of course, there's a dearth of indie labels in India. Some years ago, record companies here released works by artistes like Alisha Chinai and Lucky Ali, but that, unfortunately, has fizzled out.

Rock On!! 2

The number of film soundtracks from SEL has reduced over the years. Is this a conscious decision?
Ehsaan: There is just so much we can do. We tour, record for films and commercials, for corporate gigs. We also have individual commitments that make our musical existence more wholesome. We are doing the same amount of work. It's just that new music releases every week, so the impression is that we are not working much. We've always stood
for quality songwriting, and there's no way we will compromise.

SEL is nearly two decades old. Have you thought of dissolving the group and going independent?
Loy: We are doing independent things too, while keeping the integrity of SEL intact. It has given us so much; why would we want to let go?

Since Rock On!! (2008) was a landmark album, was the soundtrack of its sequel more challenging?
Shankar: It's a completely different soundtrack, and the challenging part was letting go of the basic 'three-chord garage band' sound we achieved with Rock On!! It's coming eight years later. All the members of the band (in the movie) have grown intellectually and musically. The songs are a lot more varied now.

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