Greg anderson of SunO))) in an interview
> Which begs the question – what kind of Indian classical artists and songs have affected him most, and which ones would he recommend for those wanting to learn more about that style of music? As it turns out, jazz-rock/fusion legend John McLaughlin had a big part to play in the Sunn O))) guitarist’s deep-dive into the mystical sounds of the East.
> “I was listening to an artist called Shivkumar Sharma a lot,” answers Anderson. “I’ve been a fan of his for a long time. He’s a master of the santoor, which is similar to a hammered dulcimer instrument. His playing and whole body of work has been really inspiring to me.
> “I’ve had the chance to see him perform live a few times with John McLaughlin, who I’m also a huge fan of. I love Mahavishnu Orchestra and his group Shakti, which he formed with Indian musicians including Shivkumar Sharma.
> “There’s another artist Stephen O'Malley turned me onto called Ustad Zia Mohiuddin Dagar and he’s part of a family of musicians who have had a long history and legacy in Indian music. Dhrupad is the style of music that they play. Over the last couple of years, especially while trying to make sense of everything that was going on in the world, that kind of music ended up being really important to me.
> “It was my way of trying to find some happiness and some peace. What I was hoping to do with the music I wrote was create something similar, that felt like a shelter or form of solace during these confusing and troubled times…”