Guitar Hero Guide Like so many other restless minds, Anand Bhatt felt compelled to challenge himself to do more and to be more. He is rockn- roll’s Renaissance man: musician, actor, writer and philanthropist. He has mastered the guitar to the point of being sought out for collaborations by acclaimed musicians such as Faith No More’s Jim Martin, as well as performing with and leading his own band, Anand Clique. He’s the first Indian American to be inducted into the Latin Grammy Awards and is a voting member. His recorded work spans heavy metal to jazz. He has turned his attention

1. Guitar Heroes 2011: Anand Bhatt
Rock-N-Roll
Renassiance Man
The Anand Bhatt
Interview
by Thrust Magazine Contributing Writer M. Alberto Rivera
www.thrustmagazine.org Thrust™ Magazine May 2011 Page 8

2. Guitar Heroes 2011: Anand Bhatt
L
“
ike so many other restless I doubt it will get old.
No matter what minds, Anand Bhatt felt com-
THRUST: How did you get in-
volved in so many diverse projects: THRUST: Who or what inspired
pelled to challenge himself to
you work on, do more and to be more. He is rock-
writing, performing, acting, playing
music?
you to play guitar?
n-roll’s Renaissance man: musician, BHATT: Girls inspired me to play
eventually you actor, writer and philanthropist.
BHATT: My friends joke with me
that working isn’t something I do like
the guitar, of course! When I was a
kid, I used to listen to my older sister
get to a point in He has mastered the guitar to the
point of being sought out for collabo-
a normal person; working is more of
an obsessive-compulsive disorder
and her friends talk endlessly about
how hot Sebastian Bach [Skid Row]
a project where rations by acclaimed musicians such
as Faith No More’s Jim Martin, as
with me. So when opportunity strikes,
I strike, too.
and Jon Bon Jovi were and I thought
to myself, “I need to become one of
you feel over- well as performing with and leading
his own band, Anand Clique.
THRUST: Of all the different proj- these guys.” My father had an old
acoustic guitar lying around from
worked and ex- He’s the first Indian American to
ects you’re involved with, do you find
yourself enjoying one more than the when he was in college (he took les-
be inducted into the Latin Grammy sons for a week but kept the guitar
hausted and Awards and is a voting member.
others? If so, why?
BHATT: The enjoyment I get out of
luckily) and I picked it up and started
His recorded work spans heavy noodling on it like a nervous habit.
that’s where the metal to jazz.
each project comes in cycles. No
matter what you work on, eventually THRUST: What was the music
next project He has turned his attention to act-
ing and performing in movies and on
you get to a point in a project where
you feel overworked and exhausted
you grew up with?
BHATT: I was raised on the Beatles
seems fresh, television, on talk shows and the red
carpet. Whether appearing as an
and that’s where the next project
seems fresh, new and exciting. Right
and Elvis alongside my Sesame
Street tunes (although embarrassingly
new and excit- actor or host, Anand always delivers
a memorable performance.
now I’m having a lot of fun doing in-
terviews and appearances. I just got
I find the Beatles unlistenable now —
I know it’s sacrilege to say you hate
ing. Right now Still not satisfied with this full sched- a gig from a software company to be
their “rock star spokesman” for five
the Beatles). The first rock bands I
ule, Anand fully believes a man can ever heard were Van Halen, KISS,
I’m having a lot do all things if he wills it, leading him minutes at a convention. Being paid
heftily to show and be yourself for
and Ozzy. I think I had a KISS lunch-
to embrace knowledge and develop box in first grade. As I got older I
of fun doing in- his capacities as fully as possible. He five minutes is quite the dream job — was a cock-rocker and thrash guy all
wrote Rock Star Recipes and devel-
terviews and ap- oped his own line of hot sauces. His
energy and optimism always seem
pearances. I just boundless. His audience never has to
wait too long to see where his curios-
got a gig from a ity will lead him, as he is always
quick to share his new projects.
software com- Anand takes a few moments with
pany to be their Thrust™ Magazine to discuss spicy
food, hot women and his distinct
“rock star world view.
THRUST MAGAZINE: How did
spokesman” for someone who grew up in Chicago
develop such a broad and unique
five minutes at a worldview?
convention. Be- ANAND BHATT: I’m not sure how
broad it actually is, but I know it
ing paid heftily helped to grow up in an Indian-Amer-
ican family. My parents were also
to show and be very big on traveling when we were
little. They figured if they got it out of
yourself for five our systems early on we’d focus on
school and career in our twenties.
minutes is quite THRUST: You always seem to be
traveling. Is there one place where
the dream job— you most enjoy spending time?
I doubt it BHATT: It depends on my mood. I
am partial to the warm places with
will get old.— hot girls — so Saigon, Bangkok,
Santo Domingo — but here in the
Anand Bhatt States, the people of Austin and Los
Angeles do a great job making me
feel at home. Anand poses with a South Korean fan in Seoul (January 2011).
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3. Guitar Heroes 2011: Anand Bhatt
“
the way! I did listen to a lot of Faith strangers on the street who have read BHATT: I have no idea where this
I initially wrote No More; it was a dream come true the book and benefited from it. One energy comes from. Believe it or
the Rock Star when I first got to hang with Mike Pat-
ton and when Jim Martin wanted to
guy told me he lost 40 pounds in four
weeks because of tRock Star Recipes.
not, I’ve calmed down since I was a
kid — I drove my parents insane! I’m
Recipes book to do an album with me.
THRUST: On some of your record-
It makes my day every time I hear
something like that.
glad they didn’t medicate me. I do
take a lot of downtime though. I prob-
get friends and ings, you seem to have some unusual
and unexpected musical choices,
THRUST: You’ve talked about
how important it is for you to eat
ably spend a good two to three hours
every morning just sitting there think-
family to stop such as using very Asian/Third- healthy. Is this ever challenging when
ing about stuff or reading. Perhaps
it’s like letting a puppy loose from its
World percussion on a metal sound- you’re traveling constantly?
asking me ques- ing track. Is this a conscious decision
BHATT: It used to be, but as I men-
leash when I do finally get started
with my day.
or is it something that develops more
tions about my organically?
tion in the Rock Star Recipes book,
I’ve developed all sorts of ways
THRUST: What’s the one thing
you’d most like people to know about
eating habits BHATT: Definitely organically. My
process is about getting into the
where I can eat healthy and tastily no
matter where I am. The hardest place
you?
[laugh]. ... Also, zone. I slow down my breathing and
let the music flow — which is why I
was in Vietnam though. Not that Viet-
namese food is unhealthy — in fact
BHATT: I’m friendly, so say hi to
me when you see me on the street!
my health-con- think my older material may be an
acquired taste. I listen to some of it
it is all pretty good for you — but I’m
normally a pescatarian/vegetarian,
For more information on Anand
Bhatt, visiit his official website at
scious friends now and think, “Woah, I have days
where I’m out there, don’t I?”
and good luck avoiding pig parts in
Southeast Asia. I had to make a com-
www.??
wanted some of THRUST: What was the motiva-
promise.
tion/inspiration for Rock Star THRUST: How did you get in-
the recipes be- Recipes? volved in the different charities you
work with?
cause they actu- BHATT: I initially wrote the Rock
Star Recipes book to get friends and BHATT: One of my mentors is the
ally taste good family to stop asking me questions
about my eating habits [laugh]. They
lighting director for Sting, Paul
Simon, Bob Dylan, etcetera, and he
— my recipes watch me eat like I’m in a zoo and
seem to be constantly worrying
clued me in on the importance of giv-
ing to others at a young age. It
are deceptively about what I’m going to eat at every
meal. “What is Anand eating
sounds counterintuitive, but the more
my thoughts are on compassion to-
healthy because today?” Also, my health-conscious
friends wanted some of the recipes
wards others, the more I personally
benefit.
I’m a really picky because they actually taste good —
my recipes are deceptively healthy
THRUST: You seem to throw your-
eater. because I’m a really picky eater.
self completely into each and every
project. Where do you find the en-
It’s really cool be- It’s really cool because now I meet ergy to be so enthusiastic?
cause now I meet
strangers on the
street who have
read the book
and benefited
from it. One guy
told me he lost
40 pounds in
four weeks be-
cause of the Rock
Star Recipes.—
Anand Bhatt Back at his Chicago studio, Anand lays down guitar tracks for ??? DATE??
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