The Old Days. Better Days

"So here it is finally - (after much laziness on my part) the most pirated album in the history of India Rock is now out on CD.

I can still remember meeting Samir Chadha (then A&R manager at CBS) at Rang Bhavan, in 1988, where he offered us a recording contract for our first album. The budget for the entire recording was the staggeringly enormous figure of Rs. 30,000.

One month of recording (and hagging after which Samir grudgingly agreed that CBS would pay for our lunch during the sessions), we released Rock 'n' Roll Renegade and for the first time audiences in India started accepting an Indian band playing it's own material.

"Top of the Rock" & the title song "Rock 'n' Roll Renegade" became anthems of rebellious rockers all over India. By the time we finished, we would spend 16 YEARS together - recording (drinking), performing (more drinking) and more drinking (still more drinking) 40 cities in India and concerts in the USSR, UK, USA and the Middle East.

In the making of this CD, I had to transfer the old masters from analog 1/4" to DAT and then to computer. At first I thought I would remaster it but when I heard it, the recording sounded so fresh and yet so nostalgic that I decided to leave it exactly as it was. Actually, designing and printing the packaging at home took almost as long as getting the audio part together. It's been a fun project and a labour of love. I hope it's worth the wait!"

Zubin Balaporia (Keyboards - Rock Machine/Indus Creed)

Thank you!