Many people, especially young people, have started listening to sitar since George Harrison, one of the Beatles, became my disciple.
'Maruvarthai' was an exciting song for me because it showcased my Carnatic roots.
I trained in Hindustani, and then I went to music school.
I had been interested in Indian music and I actually started studying Tableaus before I met him.
The origins of Indian classical music, not unlike their western counterparts, lie in the Vedas, the ancient Hindu scriptures of 2,000 years ago.
Bollywood music is definitely a big part of Indian music and can be a great way to introduce people to the sound. But I hope to continue to incorporate other types of Indian music into my work.
I'd love to perform in India, but I don't book the gigs. It's one of the few places I haven't played. One of the Indian instruments that I love is the sitar. I played it on some of my songs, including 'Pyramid of Cheops' and 'Crucify.'
Though music transcends language, culture and time, and though notes are the same, Indian music is unique because it is evolved, sophisticated and melodies are defined.
There are certainly talented instrumentalists coming from India. I see them performing all over the world.
I love all kinds of Indian music, and Indian food as well. If the chance arises for me to play in India, I'm there.
'My Country, My Music' is about bringing music in languages like Tamil, Telegu, Kannada, Malyalam, and Marathi together. It's about bringing musical genres together, different scenarios in which music is displayed in our country in one show.
