Oh Boy! ABOB Is Back With a Bang!

Just when you've finally gotten their mega hit "Meri Neend" out of your head, A Band of Boys is back with more catchy tunes you'll become addicted to! Older and wiser since their debut album, Yeh Bhi Woh Bhi, was released in 2002, "India's first boy band" sounds better than ever on their new album, Gaane Bhi Do Yaaron. After Chin2 described the new album in a recent interview with The Record as "music that is listenable, that you can dance to, sing to, hum along and patao your girlfriend to", this hot new release is sure to have everyone wanting a copy. That's why we're giving away five copies of Gaane Bhi Do Yaaron. Just fill out the form below by 31 October. (Sorry – this contest is for Indian residents only. If you're outside India, head over to www.peta2.com for your chance to win other great prizes.)

While you're waiting to see if you're one of the "chosen ones" who scores this awesome album, read on to see what Karan Oberoi, Sherrin Varghese, Chin2 Bhosle and Siddharth Haldipur had to say about their music, their lives and animal rights when we caught up with them recently.

Tell us about your new album and the cool things you've been up to lately.
Sherrin: The album is rocking as ever! Leslie Lewis has composed the songs, and we have sung them. Universal Music has released it, and it costs 150 rupees. The album is called Gaane Bhi Do Yaaron, and the first song that we have cut is "Nain Katari". My personal favourite would be "Jhoomengi Baharein".

Why do you think it's important to support animal protection?
Sherrin: I strongly support any PETA cause. Let me tell you an incident where a child is sitting at a breakfast table with his mother:

Boy: Mum, where did the meat come from?
Mum: It came from the grocery store.
Boy: Where did the grocery store get it from?
Mum: From the butcher.
Boy: And where did the butcher get it from?
Mum: The butcher got it from the cow.

So, you see, the problem is that there is no slaughter in front of our sight because it is a very disgusting sight. That's the reason why we don't go directly to the butcher and buy from him, because it is a very disgusting and gory sight, and I'm sure putting a broken hen's neck on the dinner table is not as appealing as butter chicken. My wife is a staunch vegetarian, and she often takes me to Swami Mahajan Dadar Mandir, where they are always saying not to eat animals because these poor animals are cursing you when they are being killed. And that eventually comes to you.

Back to music: You've been together now for a number of years. How has the journey been?
Chin2: It has been a very different journey. It's not a corporate world, where you can draw a career graph. Every month it is something new – it could be a high or a low. It's a total wild ride as there is no stability. I have completed my MBA and worked for a year, and then it just hit me that there is much more to life – like, there is rock 'n' roll – somewhere. And as a band, that's what we have been doing. There are bad times and there are good times, and the journey has been definitely good so far.

Music is about expression. What do you have to say about animals who are imprisoned in cages and cannot even engage in their most natural activities?
Chin2: I hate going to the zoo, and I also feel strongly against birds' being caged up. I always imagine myself, like, being caged up in a room and saying, 'Now what? Where do I go? What do I do? Is this what life is all about – eat, crap, turn around?' Even for me – when I am in the recording studio, where we are for hours and hours, cut off from the world, cut off from the light, cut off from everything – I need to get out of the room every two hours, run out and see the sky and say, 'The world is still yours as well'. But unfortunately, animals cannot speak. … I have also taken cats from the street and adopted them.

What would be your message to youngsters about protecting animals?
Chin2: Just love, yeah – every bible and every religion gives this message. Love all living things; after all, they are all god's creatures. So my only message would be to love.

What do you have to say about animals who are forced to perform out of fear of being whipped or beaten, such as animals in circuses?
Siddharth: It is very unfair. You feel very, very bad. I'm sure people are caring more now – and with organisations like yours around, I'm sure people will be aware as to what to do when they see cruelty, and help will now be just round the corner.

What are your future plans?
Siddharth: I want to get married and have loads of babies. I am just kidding - I am very happily enjoying my bachelorhood! When I close my eyes and think of my own house, I see dogs there who will happily greet me when I come home. So that's my ideal future.

What's the theme of the new album?
Karan: Generally, I'm Mr Romantic of the band, and my favourite track would also be the most romantic number on the album, "Jhoomengi Baharein". It has a very Western boy-band look to it, but it has an Indian melody. It has the most amazing lyrics … very close to my heart.

These days, tigers are endangered because they have been killed for their skins. Elephants are killed for their tusks for ivory. What do you have to say about the illegal trade in wild animal products?
Karan: I'm surprised that in a country like ours, which is so vast and has so much abundance, we treat animals in the worst way. In America, most of the celebs are advocating and endorsing the fact that we should go veg and stop cruelty to animals. And I've read about the cat and dog fur in China. I was shocked! How can they do that? I think we are letting people get away with murder for poaching! I am a die-hard animal lover!

Do you think it is important to preserve wild animals' natural habitats? Why?
Karan: Zoos, I think, are the most redundant and stupid idea. I firmly believe that if you want to prevent people from making zoos, then we have to stop people from going to zoos. If these people don't have people paying them money to watch animals, then they would not do business and, hopefully, the animals would be free. In fact, zoos should be banned.

What would be your message to youngsters about protecting animals?
Karan: I think we are becoming very materialistic and we should try to sensitise people. We should teach kids from a very young age. We should get people in the limelight and in the media – we should be the ones to take this forward and make people aware about the importance of these issues.

Hey, you – don't forget about the contest! The clock is ticking, so hurry up and fill out this form before 31 October.