He doesn’t need no introduction, RJ Ashish Ddavidd or well known as Chuddy Buddy Ashish is one of the few people who has been promoting ‘Indian Underground Music selflessly ‘ through his Podcast show ‘Indian Underground Podcast‘. It’s a great priviledge to speak to one of the iconic figures in the Indian underground scene today. So without further delay lets here from RJ Chuddy Buddy Ashish
Hey Ashish , thanks for the Interview, please Tell our readers more about yourself and what you do.
My name is Ashish Ddavidd. Nick named Chuddy Buddy Ashish for known and intentionally hidden reasons. I work as professional Voice-Over Artiste – which is basically someone who provides a voice to documentaries, radio spots, jingles, corporate presentations, animations, advertisements, e-learning assignments etc.

Besides that I moonlight on ‘AIR Fm Rainbow India’, heard and multi-casted in over 32 National Stations around India, and neighboring areas and currently the biggest spread of a single FM radio frequency broadcasted from Delhi, not to be not be confused with the local FM Rainbow frequencies that are heard locally in many of the Metros like Mumbai, Chennai etc. I was with Delhi’s Radio City 91.1, at one time as a National Station Voice and Breakfast Jock.

I’ve sung for many bands. I was Them Clones founder member and first lead vocalist, have sung with Delhi’s premier Acapella vocal choir ‘Artistes Unlimited‘, have worked and learned under the late ‘Joe Santana’ and ‘Babush Santana’ vocally since the age of 15. ‘Out of the Blue‘ happened and hit Great Indian Rock in 2007. And now Im in a set up called Food, which is still in its very initial stages and jammings and rehearsals.
Have sung and toured with Palash Sen’s Euphoria too…was asked to do vocal sessions on their last and latest studio release ‘Muhfuz‘ post which they asked me to join them on tour as a back up vocalist for about some 9 random months. Those 9 months were mad ass. I was home one or two days in the week. Rest of the times I was somewhere on a stage, somewhere in India or on a plane or in a hotel room.

Have been part of about 10 musical theatrical productions in Delhi with groups like Lushin Dubey’s ‘Theater World‘ and George Pulinkala’s ‘Delhi Music Theater‘, and have acted in sung in plays like ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, ‘Les Misrables’ and ‘Fame’ to name a few well known ones. Did my post grad in Film and TV production and was the Creative Head of a production house in Delhi where the work bored me to death – Delhi being the political capital of India.

Besides that another thing that I of late have been given a lot of name and recognition for, has been for creating, producing and hosting the internet online radio show / podcast about “Indian Underground Music” called the “Indian Underground Podcast“. That I guess would sum up the story of my 29 years of hanging around.

Could you tell us why are there 4 Ds in your name ?
Coz I’m obsessed with the thump of the Royal Enfield. Coz my name has David and that is sorta like half of Davidson. Coz I like large Double D sized things. Coz I Live in D for Delhi. Coz Id D for Die if I didnt do all the things I do. Coz the D for Devil has red horns and I like red chillie powder in most of what i eat. Who knows? Some think it might have something to do with the fact that I always wanted to be a drummer and ended up doing Mouth Percussions and the Ds are just double bass drum sounds. No one knows why there are 4 Ds in my surname. It’s just like the rest of the unreasonable things that surround us in our everyday lives I guess. Harassing Cops. Terrorism. Traffic. Extremely hot women who choose to be attracted to the same sex. Bad Weather. Power Cuts. No one knows why these things happen. But they just do and like helpless fools we learn to accept these things instead of fight them, and so i have accepted this reality about my name, without giving it too much thought.

Tell us about your musical journey so far?
When I was a kid my parents used to listen to gay shit like Carpenters, Abba and Jim Reeves. And like a gay tard even i used to dig the same stuff till I was a lill older. But even after that I grew up in the 80s and was still into gay stuff like Michael Jackson, Madonna, Duran Duran, Prince, Phil Collins and Whitney Houston. But that’s the thing about everyone’s past; it’s always gay and retarded – both at the same time, no matter how differently you might look at things now.
Later I started singing for the school band at St. Columba’s School. College happened and me with folks from college were trying to do something musically. I was sort of trying to manage a set up called ‘Krome’ which wasn’t working out. Changes were made; I took on lead vocals, and after many jams was renamed as ‘Them Clones’. The first gig got me best lead vocalist in Kanpur, us the second best band, best bassist and the best self comp for this song i sung, wrote and recorded with them called ‘Black White and Grey‘. Musically I was moving in a very separate path from the alternative/grunge movement they wanted to take forward. I was doing way too many things – Musicals, Plays, Studio Sessions, Voice Work & random singing jobs all over the place, so I think post that first year I quit and focused more on experimenting and trying out the other non-band-like things that were opening up to me and were stimulating me more than the band was.

Then there was Artistes Unlimited – the vocal group from Delhi which has WAY to many hot women with beautiful voices from all walks of life in Delhi. Yes, to be honest, initially that’s the ONLY reason why I joined. But later on discovered what a wealth of learning I did there singing and meeting amazing ass people like Andrew Hoffland aka Uncle Andy (Discovery Travel and Living), Annette Phillip (Berklee) and a gazillion other talented people like Nikhil Mawkin (Berklee) and musicians like Josh, Anindo(Advaita), Aditya Bilani (Berklee) and Sohail (Advaita). Recorded ‘En Route‘ with them at ‘Yash Raj Studios’ and have also written the lyrics to the song ‘Blank Paper’ for them.
Then happened ‘Out of the Blue‘ which REALLY DID happen out of the Blue – one thing led to the other and in 3 months we made a GIR selected song and band!! It came at the speed of light and at that very speed GOT OUT after the one hit – ‘Get Out Trip’!!

Euphoria made me see what it was like to be a part of one of India’s most hard working and productive bands EVER. I don’t care what people say about Dr.Palash Sen or about the music of Euphoria – for me they will always be a band I toured half the country with and ate loads of fried fish with and the band that changed the idea of 7 men entertaining masses with ONLY music rather than some random item number half clad woman dancing. PERIOD.

Right now Im with Food – which is way too into the initial stages for me to be making any comments on. So Im keeping my fingers crossed and will hopefully have good news for IndianRockMP3.com soon about the band’s updates!!

Tell us more about the Indian Underground Podcast and Your obsession with taking Indian Underground Music global.
I’m a nationalist. Not to mention that I’m also an individualist and also a musicist – for whatever that’s supposed to mean. All these years of working with the music industry, with radio, with theater with bands & with folks who want to do nothing but just make good honest music, has made me feel for the entire community. It’s my love for this culture, for radio & for broadcasting that made me come up with ‘Indian Underground Podcast’ – a year and a half back. ‘The Sound of the Indian Underground Podcast’ is what it was intended to be called, but it was way too much of a tongue twister with people mistaking it for ‘Sound of the Indian Underground Pornstar’ and what not.

‘Indian Underground Podcast’ is an internet audio show that is episoded, uploaded and stored for people to download and stream and listen to – as and when they want – globally. The show provides a global platform to local bands and musicians making quality songs. The show is about Indian underground music – Underground / Independent or Indie / Unsigned – although strangely enough a lot of labels have tie ups with us – Counter Culture Records and Rock Street Journal Records have always wholehearted supported the Podcast from day one by supplying us with some of the most kick ass tracks of their artistes. Every month or sometimes 2 we release an episode which has some of the best new music being made, not just in India by such bands and artistes, but made by Indian musicians around the World.

I decided to do the show coz I was sick of people equating ‘Indian Music’ with Bollywood. Because I believe musicians in India are capable of as much good music as anyone anywhere. And I’m not willing to wait for change to happen on its own. I need to see bigger things happen, and I’m not too sure if anyone else will be willing to push things the way I’m doing right now. So – I’m doing it. I believe in saying it like I see it. I speak straight and I love having people who like speaking straight from the gut, heart – so we also have interviews of REAL people speaking FOR REAL about the REAL India and how it is for the rest of us, who are on the other side of the India known to the world and who are NOT into farming and other rural activities.

The show is now some 11 episodes old and has seen amazing response from our listeners all over the West Coast and East Coast of United States of America, UK – all over, India – all over, Australia, Canada, Pakistan, Nepal and many places in Europe as well.

Is it true that a lot of people get offended when you interview them in your notorious ‘in your face’ style, on your shows?
Hmm. That’s how it is man. The truth is never taught. Its Caught!! and ONLY if your timing in life is right. Nothing told or taught to us has ever really been a one hundred percent true. History, Politics, Religion, Morals and Social norms and all laced with LIES and until and unless you don’t scratch the surface and question authorities you will never come close to knowing how the shit really comes down. I’ve been a lill rebellious so yeah I guess my interviews might come across as a lill aggressive and in your face, but that’s just the way I like it I cant have people talk bullshit and listen to it silently. A lot of times people do that when they don’t want to say what’s really on their minds.

And that’s what the podcast is all about getting real – and breaking fake images and pseudoness. People will either talk REAL on the show or Ill take your case. And that’s the same policy that’s applied to the music that’s played on the ‘Indian Underground Podcast‘ as well. It needs to be real – else it doesn’t get on the show – no matter how technically sound it might be.

You were on FM Rainbow India and also on Radio City 91.1FM. How was your experience and do you miss it now?

Radio City was good fun while it lasted. But frankly, Ive never been passionate about mainstream B’wood music, with very few expceptions, that are few and far apart. Plus anything thats commercial, at one point or the other, aims at pleasing masses. Which is very frankly one of my last concerns. I work to please myself. My policy being, if i cant please myself, how the hell will I ever do a good job of pleasing anyone else! As of now, I dont see any radio station willing to give me the freedom for the kind of work that Im capable of, besides ‘Rainbow India’, who have wholeheartedly accepted my ass right back on the RJ’s seat, and Id like to use IndianROckMP3 to accounce that I have now finally returned to ‘Rainbow India’ and will ONLY be playing ‘Indian Underground Music’ on the airwaves across INDIA. For those interested in checking out the show timings – join ‘RJ Chuddy Buddy Ashish’ groups on Facebook and Orkut.

Whats it like being a Voice Over Artiste? Any stories?

Well, there was a time when I used to never answer my phone in my ‘own’ voice and would always sound like someone else. People used to not like it too much as I would always take their trip. Its something I still do when I dial people’s numbers from random land lines. Its good fun. If i had a dime for every crank call i made, id be a billionare. Having said that its not the easiest profession to be in. There are all kinds of whack ass losers stealing and eating your money all the time, which is why you need to be very very careful WHO you work with. Also work and opportunities are not that many as the recession has it pretty much every aspect of media, as it has other industries. I guess the recession has made a lot of studios owners lose their sense of self dignity and work ethics, at least thats a very REAL and PRESENT scene in Delhi. I hear better things about Mumbai. But I guess there is good and bad everywhere.

11 Episodes seems like a lot of work. How do you select music for the Indian Underground Podcast and how can bands reach you?

Nothing was planned. I have no clue how so many of these goddamed episodes turned up. With each passing episode, listeners just kept increasing and increasing and increasing….the scene has become so bad that I have now started bumping into random listeners and fans in department stores, malls and public places at the weirdest of times. I have people walk up to me and tell me that they are fans of the show and love the work Im doing. Its all very humbling and freaks my out by surprise each and every time.

The songs that get featured need to be well composed, well recorded and should not merely be about musicians showing off their skills. Good songs make it to my show. And I pick nothing less than the best. If I dont get stuff that doesnt interest me. I shut up and wait. But since the first episode I havent waited yet. So thats a great sign that there is a LOT of good music happening. The sound of the songs needs to be appealing. Irrespective of genre. Death Metal, by a rule of thumb has almost never been played on my show, coz i think its way too harsh and unpleasing to the ears, and the angst is something neither me nor most of my listeners relate to anymore. So ya the sounds need to be pleasing, genre is never an issue, recordings need to be done in a proper studio and need to match up to the quality and level of productions that have been featured consistently on the show.

People usually email me their music at tubelighton@gmail.com and thats how I get the music that gets featured on the show. You dont have to be a big band to get on the show, you just have to have a good original recorded song. Loads of big bands dont get their music featured coz a lot of it doesnt appeal to me. And then there are times when some unknown small band from interior India will come up with this amazing single that is just so killer and ras malai that it needs to get heard. So thats what im talking about.

Where do you see the Indian Underground Scene as of now. Where do you see it going in the future?

The entire world seems to be obsessed with the ‘concept’ of Indian Rock. The ‘idea’ of Indian bands is being glorified more than required or necessary. The music is what should be doing the talking and not big ass articles that spend so much effort using big words to achieve the mammoth task of pin point describing genres of this-&-that band. Just coz its original, just coz it involves 5 musicians and band set up, just cause it’s Indian, doesn’t mean its necessarily good or even worth a mention. Whats most important is that good music be made and good music be made heard. That’s been the idea behind the podcast since the very inception. Quality of content has always been given a precedence over anything else.

Music is a lot like porn. Id rather experience it than read about it.

I dont know what the future holds. I hope more people make good music. I hope less people get into Music and Rock for the wrong reasons. I hope the monopoly of people calling the shots and taking the scene’s ass royally, changes. I hope there is more professionalism in Musicians and amongst Organizers. If things keep on going in the direction they are going in, many good things will inevitably happen. And they already are. John Lekki came didnt he? 4 bands visited UK didnt they? Indian Underground Podcast is still around aint it?

The Podcast could not have possibly been a solo task. Are there any behind the scenes folk, youd like to take a moment to thank and show gratitude to?

Prashant Pillai – Programing Director SFM Pune – For empowering me with technical knowledge and support. Shriram Sampat – Breakfast Producer, Fever 104 Mumbai – for putting planting a seed in my head. Radio City -  for giving me the time, the place (Pune) and the money to have made it all happen. Listreners – who listen download and spread the word about the show. Bands -  who keep sending their music. My wife for puttinng up with me for so long and for constantly believing in all my dreams. And how can I not mention Indian Rock MP3 for the support and belief in what we do. I can assure you that we share a mutual admiration society!! Id also like to thank Facebook and Orkut and of course the Internet, without which the Podcast, would never have taken off.

Whats special about the next episode and when can we expect it out.

The next episode will be the best of all the 11 episodes. Thats whats up next. Am gonna be sitting on that in a few days.

Any final message for the readers of Indian Rock MP3?

Any effort is only as successful as the response it gets from the people who believe in it and the support it manages to collect. And this is the one thing that separates fans of the Indian Underground listener community. There is a whole lot more participation and involvement. And that’s something that’s very important for people like me and Santosh who are constantly doing stuff we are passionate about. Many Many thanks to all the listeners of the Podcast. Many Many thanks to all the readers

and visitors of Indian Rock Mp3.com. Please keep your support on and we will try our best to never disappoint the fans.

Id also like to take a moment and talk about Santosh Lobo who too is another example of a man’s passion forcing him to create something that becomes a hit. I have been surprised at the speed and accuracy with which Indian Rock happenings are covered on this website. Its just so amazing. I have no idea how this guy keeps up with so many things at the same time. I highy recommend this site to everyone. I think you guys need to post the URL to all your friends on your profiles on facebook and talk about the website…coz its OBVIOUSLY doing a BRILLIANT job of preserving, promoting and taking the job of documenting whats happening in the underground rock scene to ANOTHER LEVEL. No wonder this guy gets 700 fucking global hits everyday which is KILLER ASS SHIT. The Indian Underground Podcast salutes Santosh Lobo.

Ashish Ddavidd aka Chuddy Buddy Ashish

[Host, Indian Underground Podcast, Singer, VO, RJ]

http://iup.mypodcast.com &  http://ashishddavidd.blogspot.com