Band for a cause

They have united for a common cause and it is through their music that they wanted to make the difference. The British pop band, Ocean Colour Scene, who had rocked the 90s with their music and James Walsh singer and frontman of the band Starsailor performed at the Hard Rock Café as part of their India tour.

In partnership with Bombay Teen Challenge, an organisation that helps women and children used in prostitution, the band organised the Freedom Tour to raise money and provide a shelter for the victims of sexual slavery and take a proactive role in stopping the business of human trafficking.

Steve Craddock, the acoustic guitarist of the band Ocean Colour Scene (OCS) shares his and his band’s experience, “Mumbai is a strange city with its huge population yet we had an extraordinary experience. We met girls who were kept in cages before they were rescued from prostitution. We also met children with HIV/ AIDS. We had gone to a village where the children had put up a musical show for us,” says Steve.

The band along with James Walsh had performed in Delhi and Mumbai, before performing in Hyderabad recently. His only complaint is summer. “It is hot, we are not used to the heat.” While James Walsh, who is a singer, writer, guitarist and pianist and a big fan of Bruce Springsteen, feels, “It feels great to be part of the cause. We got to see the homes of the children.” The OCS, who had stormed the UK albums chart with their album Mosely Shoals started their musical journey from Birmingham, “We were drinking buddies first and then we formed the band and have been playing for the last 21 years. You get less for murder I guess,” jokes Steve about his long association with the band.

Talking about their musical journey, Steve says, “Birmingham music scene is small, where everybody knows everyone and after the release of our album in 1996, suddenly we were the pop-stars. Our music is folk rock and has a strong influence of the English folk music,” explains Steve whose inspiration has been Bob Dylan and Neil Young. Steve, who is familiar with Pt Ravi Shankar and other Indian classical artistes, says, “Indian music has been a part of the 60s rock landscape. We have grown up listening to Indian classical music.” The band is who is busy with their world tour and latest album is looking forward to a well-deserved holiday.