In the early 80s, thanks to the absence of satellite TV and private radio stations (India had only the government owned channels, Doordarshan Television and All India Radio that did not recognise rock music as a valid art form and certainly not in keeping with Indian culture!), the only way for a band to get any kind of exposure was to pick up its instruments, back pack through the country and play its music to willing (and often unwilling) listeners. After four hard years of traversing harsh terrain (have you ever ridden in a State Transport bus on the Indian highways ?!), getting booted off trains for travelling with unauthorised baggage (Mark's pet terrier), playing concerts on PAs that would make your low budget boom box sound like a Pink Floyd sound system in comparison, and performing innumerable free gigs because the promoter decided to leave for his annual vacation before the show was over, Indus Creed (known as Rock Machine at the time) was offered its first record deal by CBS Records. The band's debut album, 'Rock 'n' Roll Renegade' was released in 1988 and went on to be the largest selling rock album in India at the time and, in fact was pirated all over South East Asia and the Middle East - a mark of an album's success even though the pirates were the only ones to enjoy the caviar.
The end of 1990 saw the release of the band's (still Rock Machine) much awaited follow up album, 'The Second Coming'. This album saw a change in record labels and the fast growing Indian company, Magnasound put out the record which did expectedly well - the pirates were there to reap the benefits of others' efforts once again. 'The Second Coming', recorded in India and produced again by the band - now much more studio savvy - saw a much slicker approach to the band's sound.
1993 saw some major changes in the band. They renamed themselves - they now adopted the name Indus Creed - they got a new drummer and they decided to radically alter their sound by incorporating Indian instruments into their music. New songs written, it was time to record the next album. Not content with the recording facilities in India Indus Creed, now out of their contract with their last label, decided that they were going to record the album in a world class studio. With local record companies unwilling to bear the not so unreasonable expenses the band decided to do it on their own. "Go West!", she cried and off to LA it was. Teaming up with Los Angeles-based, Seattle-born producer John Bogosian, Indus Creed recorded their third album in 1994 on a steady diet of Carl's Jr. burgers, Pizzaman thin crust specials (some extra crushed red chillies would be nice, thank you) and some generic cola at the Weir Brothers Studios, North Hollywood. Returning to India with their brand new baby and a case of severe indigestion, the band was immediately signed up by BMG-Crescendo who released the self titled album, 'Indus Creed' in 1995 all over Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The boys from Mumbai (formerly Bombay), and with them Indian rock, had finally come of age.
The boys are currently trying to figure out what to do with all those strange ethnic Indian drums they just bought, so the moment the next album's ready you will be informed.
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Last updated on 14 June, 1997