Uday Benegal Makes Solo Debut With ‘Human Be’ After Indus Creed: ‘We Are Inherently And Intrinsically Good’

Uday Benegal, the iconic frontman of Indus Creed, (previously known as Rock Machine), recently released his debut solo album, a 5-track EP titled ‘Human Be’ in May 2026. With this release, Benegal moves away from his stadium rock sound to explore a more stripped-down, introspective approach. The EP features collaborations with independent musicians and includes an acoustic version of Indus Creed’s classic Fireflies.

‘Human Be’ reveals a more intimate and reflective side of Benegal's songwriting, exploring themes of love, empathy, and self-discovery. His performance at G5A in Lower Parel at the album launch, the EP's first live presentation, offered audiences a glimpse into this new and deeply personal chapter of Benegal's artistic journey.

In an interview with The Free Press Journal, the legendary rocker talks about the EP ‘Human Be’, playing with his band Indus Creed, and the relationship he shares with his bandmates.

Excerpts from the interview:

After decades of performing and recording with various projects, why did ‘Human Be’ emerge now and not 10 years ago?

I think now is the right time for those songs. They couldn’t have emerged 10 years ago as I needed to have the experiences I did for these songs to take form.

Many artists spend years searching for their authentic voice. Did recording this EP feel like discovering something new or returning to something you always knew?

Every new song or collection of songs that I create and perform, teaches me new things about myself. But the context of the past always lies in contrast to what’s currently being expressed. So it’s both new and familiar.

What is the crux of ‘Human Be’ and what do you bring out in the definition of ‘Human Be’

The crux of “Human Be’ is the claim to authenticity of the self. I believe that we are inherently and intrinsically good. And kind, empathetic, understanding and compassionate. The song ‘Human Be’ is a call to return to the heart, to our true selves. To stop being misled by forces that seek to manipulate us into conflict and cruelty towards one another.

When you invite collaborators into your music on this EP where you have Aria Nanji, musicians like Sharad Rao, Zion Mathew, Yohann Coutinho, and Mitchell Murray, are you looking for people who think like you or people who challenge you?

I first look for people who will complement my energy. In this case, it’s musicians who not only excel at their craft, but fundamentally align with the sound, vibe and message of the songs I am bringing into form with them. I always seek to learn from the people I work with, so collaborators who challenge my ways and habits is something I really value. But there’s got to be some synergy of feeling too, so we need to be on the same page too.

Which song on the EP would survive best if all the instruments disappeared and it had to exist only as a voice and a story?

That’s a tough one to answer. It’s not easy for me to judge my songs in that way. I think they would all stand on their own absolutely naked and free of instrumentation. I’ll leave the ‘most likely to survive’ judgment to the listeners.

Even though Indus Creed came to an end in terms of making new music, what was the most difficult adjustment for you as an artist? Are there lessons from those years that continue to influence how you approach music today?

Indus Creed hasn’t come to an end when it comes to making new music. We’re just very slow at it. Over the years we’ve each been drawn to and distracted by other projects, but we always gravitate back to each other to create more stuff. That said, the lessons of past experiences will always inform what and how I do what I do in the present. My bringing on Aria Nanji to produce the EP was very much in order to challenge and break past methods and habits. But it was also to complement the vision and intentions that have shaped over the years.

Looking back now, do you think the band achieved what it set out to do, or do you feel there was still more music left to be made together?

We’re still doing it.

After four highly successful albums, when you hear old recordings today, do you listen as a musician analyzing the work, or as someone revisiting a chapter of their life?

I don’t listen to my older stuff. But when someone around me plays some of the earlier music I listen with wry nostalgia and draw on the memory with enjoyment.

After a lifetime in music from Rock Machine, Alms for Shanti, Indus Creed, what still gives you the same thrill you felt when you first picked up the guitar?

Getting up on stage with musicians I enjoy working with and playing for an audience that has come to listen.

On a personal note, what was something unique about your relationship with your bandmates that outsiders never got to see?

The amount we fought during the day (in the early days), and how easily the fights were forgotten by the time it was evening the quarter-bars were ready for business.

When you think of your former bandmates today, what comes to mind first—the music, the friendship, or the shared journey? Are you in touch with all of them and would there be a reunion sometime?

Zubin Balaporia and Mahesh Tinaikar, who have comprised Indus Creed with me ever since we regrouped in 2010, are still my bandmates. My former bandmates would be Mark Selwyn, Jayesh Gandhi and Mark Menezes, who made up the original band lineup with Zubin, Mahesh and me. The friendship coupled with the unwavering shared resolve to get on stage and crank out some heavy rock is what pops up first. All those experiences make up the shared journey. A reunion is not likely anytime soon.

What's the most "un-rock star" habit you have that would surprise your fans?

You’d be surprised how many there are. I’d be surprised to find even one rockstar habit in me…apart from the belief in the absolute sovereignty and freedom of every individual.

Has technology made musicians more creative, or has it made creativity too convenient?

It is both. Technology is just a tool. It’s what you do with it that determines where it goes and where you go.