Q:As a fusion band, how hard was it for Indian Ocean to break into mainstream Indian music?
Rahul: It took a really long time!

Q:What is the inspiration behind your music? What were your influences?
Rahul: As a child I would listen to everything my parents listened to. From the music of old Hindi films to Hindustani to carnatic music, etc. As I grew into a teenager, I developed my own sense of music and loved all the classic, legendary bands such as Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple and so on.

Q:In India, Bollywood dominates the music scene. How did you manage to carve a niche for yourself in this scenario?
Rahul: Sheer persistence! That’s all I can say!

Q:"Desert Rain" was a landmark album since it was the first live album released by an Indian band. What’s the journey been like since then?
Rahul: Everything moves together. "Desert Rain" was released in 1997, and by then there was TV and other forms of communication that helped as well. Before that all these modes were not available. Everything moved little by little. During 1996-1997 was when there were a lot more shows we were doing.