Said Mitch Miller about rock and roll.

Perhaps what he could have added here is that music is contagious too. With Silver, Pune's very own rock band performing at the Asian Beat 2008 an international music platform to be held in Taiwan in March this year, the fever is catching on.

This is India's maiden run for the competition that started in 1998, and will see bands from Singapore, Japan, China, and others.

Panning to Silver, that includes band members Rishi Rai, Amit Godse, Savio Sebastian and Mahesh Niroula is some four months old. "We are basically an experimental band. Our music is a concoction of rock, jazz, funk, blues, and reggae. We don't want to constrain ourselves to a genre," says Rai the bassist and the band's draftsman

Commenting upon people's preferences, he cites his muse, Victor Wooten, the legendary bassist. "I have got a message for people. Whatever the style of music, there are still millions of people who like it. Believe me, that beauty is always there."

Inspired by bands like Weather Report, King Crimson, Extreme, Rush, and Tool, they have an upbeat take on emerging bands in Pune. Godse, the drummer, currently taking his MBA entrance exams, says, "Pune has got a lot of talent and an immense potential. All they need to do is realize what they are good at. I am sure they will soon hit the international circuit", concedes Rai.

Are they apprehensive about their face-off with ace bands from all over Asia?

"Yes", smirks Rai, "Very much. There are a lot of responsibilities piling up on our shoulders. Everyone tells us to do them proud as we represent Pune and now it is the country."

All he says about his chances at the lump sum of fifty grand (US $) is, "Well, I think our trump card would be our signature tune Feel the heat . It is so original. The moment you hear it you start humming it."

Godse, the debonair collegian, who has a penchant for photography too finds hanging out for jamming sessions good fun. "It is actually very interesting. We live far off from one another and it is quite an ordeal to get together. We take the local train, with instruments slung across our shoulders, but once we start playing, we have this broad smile on our face and the sheer happiness of it is amazing. Of course, giving people what they want and listening to them cheer for you is a reward in itself, but it is the love for music in the end", beams Godse and thanks Jimmy (yogiraja) and Gururani Maa (yogini) for their blessings, and also expresses his gratitude to his teacher.