Rahul Borkar Interview from 2004

I thought Rahul could give some us some answers about the infamous Breckinridge contract rider, plus give us a little information about where his family is from.

1. Where is your family from, where did you grow up, and where did you go to high school ?

My parents are both from India, but my sister and I were both born here in Louisville. My dad is a doctor. He started a practice in Louisville, but we ended up moving a few times when I was really young. We moved back to Louisville when I was 6 and never moved again. I went to high school at St. Xavier. I loved and hated it while I was there, but now that I’m out, I miss it. It’s funny because Teague and Chuck both went there, but I wasn’t really friends with them then. Teague, Chuck, and I hooked up in college.

2. How long have you been in Breckinridge and how did you joining come about ? Also, the spelling is Breckinridge, not Breckenridge, right ? Will people ever learn the correct spelling ?

I think it’s been about three years since I’ve been in Breckinridge. I had started a project where I was singing and playing guitar. I wanted to record, so I hooked up with Teague’s studio. We didn’t have a bassist at the time, and Teague liked our stuff, so he started playing bass with us. It was pretty cool because we started practicing over there. He was just filling in because he was serious about his band, “Element H”. One day Teague called and was like, “Hey, Chuck and I are over here, you wanna jam?” I kind of knew from the phone call that they wanted me to come over and see how I liked playing with them. Well, we started jamming, and it was awesome. The band I had been playing with at the time was just so disorganized, and these guys had there shit together. So from that night on, I was in. But yeah, it is spelled Breckinridge. Who knows how long it will take for people to realize that. It’s our fault though, we picked a name with two different spellings in Louisville.


3. What bands were you in before Breckenridge ?

I started off playing drums in “Valence” then guitar in a band called “The Dying Race”. Then I played drums with my boy John Ising (Sara Tonen) in a band called “The Tribe”. I got kind of tired of being behind the drum set, so I started a solo project. I recorded 5 songs, and did all the tracks. I got together with some friends and formed the band Seven Ten Split. It was a hardcore band and I was singing. This was during the Spark’s days back in ’97. So yeah, now I’m in Breckinridge….

4. What inspired you to play guitar and who are your influences ?

I actually started off wanting to buy a drum set but my parents weren’t quite ready for that yet. So they got me a guitar. My biggest influences were probably my friends, because they are the one’s who really told me how to play. As far as bands goes, Nirvana and Pearl Jam were big influences when I started to play.



5. Are you into collecting guitars. How many do you own and what are they ? Also, give us a run-down of your live set-up, amps and effects, etc.

Wow, I wish I could afford to collect guitars. I actually only have two guitars that I own. I have a Fernandez that I don’t play, but won’t sell. I also have an Gibson SG standard that I play. My other main guitar belongs to Teague. It’s a Les Paul. He is soooo extremely nice to let me play it, because I have done some serious damage to it. I was doing my guitar spin one show, and the strap came off. The guitar almost went through Scott’s drums. So yeah, props to Teague. I also don’t own my own amp. My best friend (Brad Compton from Sex Tractor) gave me his Mesa head and cabinet before he moved to Berkley to be a scientist. I don’t like to have pedals. I have enough problems with a footswitch to be worrying about chords and pedals and shit.


6. There are lots of rumors that you have pro representation now, and are on the verge of signing a deal with a major label. What do you guys in Breckinridge have going on ?

Yeah, rumors are fun. It’s always fun to read something about what is going on with your band on a message board. But yeah, we don’t have a record deal right now, but we are kind of close. That is a broad statement though, cause anyone that has done this, knows it takes an extremely long time no matter how close you think you are. If you think you are two weeks away from something huge, you can pretty much say you are two months away. As far as representation goes, we have kind of played our cards differently then others usually do. We started off with a producer (Malcolm Springer), and he took us under his wing. We went to a real deal studio, and cut a good demo. Then instead of going to labels, we got our lawyer (Jim Zumwalt). This guy is a badass, plus he handles Kurt Cobain’s estate, as well as Creed, Sevendust, and a bunch of others. So he is the one basically doing the label stuff for us, not a manager. We have a pretty big showcase coming up on November 20th. So for now, we are just keeping our fingers crossed.

7. Someone posted something that was suppose to be Breckinridge's "contract tour rider" on the Factor 9 board. Is that a contract that you have ever used and if so, how much of it was fulfilled ?

Well, the specific content of that rider is something that was made for future shows where we could actually demand silly stuff. A lot of stuff in there was kind of a joke. The point of the rider was to avoid any confusion with a venue during and after the show. Everyone that has done a show knows that shit can get out of hand, and the purpose of the rider was to avoid a lot of it. But yeah, if we get some beers, enough money to pay for production and sound guy, and play at the time we were told we would play, then we are happy. That’s really all that it is for. We don’t demand any of the other stuff.



8. Word Association, I will list some people and you say what first comes to mind.

1.) Scott Mckenzie – a guy that is as short as me

2.) Frank Green – someone that bit me twice on the forehead at the Saliva show.

3.) Bryan Fox – good songwriter

4.) Teague Ridge – great heart

5.) Jessica (from Tornacade) – times we could get pissed off at Teague

6.) Susan Weber – great lady with a great heart

7.) Chuck Willis – someone who has come a long way

8.) Fred Durst – haven’t figured this guy out yet

9.) Travis Meeks - young

10.) Kevin McCreery – motherfucking bad ass

11.) Chris Stahl – great talent

12.) Bukshot – a guy that surprised the fuck out of me when I first met him. Very polite.

9. Who has had the biggest influence on you as a person ?

My parents and the musicians I grew up with.

10. What are your favorites ?

1.) Favorite food – Jalapeño Poppers (cheddar, not cream cheese)

2.) Favorite movie – Every Superman, every Rocky, and Notting Hill. When I get drunk and crash at Chuck’s, I always watch Notting Hill. I’m a dork.

3.) Favorite book – The Catcher and the Rye

4.) Favorite guitar – Gibson Les Paul Custom

5.) Favorite actor – don’t really have one

6.) Favorite band – Um, wow. That’s tough. I don’t really have one. Growing up I was a huge Snapcase and Refused fan. A lot of old Louisville bands are stuff I still listen to like Falling Forward and Endpoint. As far as new stuff goes, I’m a pretty big fan of Thursday. Radiohead will always be up there also.

7.) Favorite cd – Refused’s first album. I think it’s called rather be dead.

8.) Favorite local band – Right now I am going to have to say that East 146 are pretty kick ass.

11. Besides Breckinridge, what local band or person deserves the most success and why ?

Kevin from Outspoken. It’s ridiculous how talented he is. Definitely Kevin from Outspoken. He is an amazing person with amazing talent. He is one of the best guitarists I've ever seen. Bukshot is another. He works his ass off.



12. You are chosen to be on a new reality show. You will spend 60 days at a ski resort in the Colorado mountains. I will list some people that want to go. The pay is 2 grand a week, you get a 10 grand bonus if you stay the full 60 days. Pick who can go with you.

1.) Teague Ridge - Definitely. He's really a hard worker.

2.) Scott McKenzie - Would love some Scott. He's a lot of fun when he doesn't have to drive, so we would party a lot.

3.) Bukshot - Buk would be my bodyguard. He's a big fella. Does he have to ski????

4.) Kris 502 - Um, you said sixty days???? Is she turning 18 anytime during that period?

5.) Frank Green - Nope, he would bite me on the forehead all the time.

6.) Jessica (from Tornacade) - No, cause she wouldn't leave Teague alone. LOL

7.) Vanilla Ice - He could sing me to sleep at night.

8.) Rachel Enriquez -???

9.) Chris Stahl - We would play guitar a lot

10.) Michael J. Jingalo - ????

12. In the last year has Rahul Borkar...

1.) Bought a guitar - Yup, a Gibson SG

2.) Tried to get an endorsement - Got the Budweiser sponsorship

3.) Looked at Teague Ridge's girlfriend's ass for more than 5 seconds without stopping - Indeed I have

4.) Taken flying lessons and told the instructor to "not worry so much about the landing part" - That's funny as shit, but no.

5.) Bought a rap cd - got me some eminem

13. Last of Rahul Borkar...

1.) Last CD you bought - wow, I haven't bought a CD in a really long time. I think the last CD I paid for was Outspoken. Damn, I feel badly now. I gotta go buy some more shit. My boys in Christiansen just came out with a CD, so i'm gonna pick that up this week.

2.) Last really good movie you have seen - Um, I saw that movie with Jamie Kennedy in it where he is a rapper from Cali. That movie was funny as shit. Oh, it's Malibu's Most Wanted I think. Good times.

3.) Last good book you have read - Damn, I need to start reading books more often. I think I'm going to read The House of Dies Drear again.

4.) Last girl you wanted to ask out but haven't - wow, every girl in a bar when I'm wasted.

5.) Last good concert you have seen - The Thursday show at Tekworld was fun. We just played a show with Peter Searcy, Common Ground, Danny Flanigan (sp?) and a bunch of others. That was a lot of fun.

14. Did you hear the rumor that Susan Weber told the guys in the band "End of Me" that she would manage them if Bryan Fox would get plastic surgery on his face, and if so, is it true ?

Bryan is a sexy man. Didn't you see him singing for Three Doors Down??? lol

15. What national act would you like to go on tour with ?

Deftones would be fun. Sevendust would be a great tour also. I just wanna go on a national tour. Playing with a good band is just a bonus.

16. What good advice can you give to younger guys who are just getting a start in the music business ?

Wow. I guess just just always remember why you started playing. Everyone starts off for fun, and sometimes it gets serious. Just don't let the business side of it take control over why you play. Stuff can get pretty stressful, so you just gotta have fun. The most important thing is to ignore the haters. The bigger you get, the more fans you get. But with more fans you also get more haters. It's hard to look the other way sometimes, but that's what you gotta do.

17. Who has had the biggest influence on you as a person ?

My parents for sure. they are really good to me. Everyone who I have ever played in a band with has had an amazing impact on who I am.

18. Who would you most like to spend an entire day with and what would you do ?

I think as far as a modern person goes, it would be Eminem. I really think he's awesome. I think we would be in the studio and just write. Oh nevermind, I think it would be Brittany Spears. I think you know what we would be doing all day. Good times....


19. Who is the weirdest person that you have met in the 502 scene ?

Um, I haven't met anyone who I thought was weird. BJ is a character for sure though. He was pretty awesome on stage. He wore a skirt when I played with him one time.

20. Well, we are about done, anyone you want to give a shout-out to ?

Just want to say thanks to everyone that has supported us the past couple of years. It really means a lot. Oh, and maybe a big Fuck You to all the haters in the scene that love to talk shit about us.





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Let's recap...

Rahul was born in Louisville. His parents are from India.

He has been bitten on the forehead one too many times by Frank Green.

Said that BJ Abner wore a skirt one time when he played with him.


Thanks Rahul !

I give Rahul 5 out of 5 stars for his 20 Question interview. êêêêê