John Fishell Redefines Genre Boundaries with New EP ‘Notorious Partners in Crime’ and UK Tour

John Fishell's upcoming EP, ‘Notorious Partners in Crime’, is a bold step into new territory, teaming up with master Indian flautist Deepak Ram.

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, UNITED STATES, March 26, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Music has never been about boundaries for John Fishell—it’s about breaking them. His upcoming EP, ‘Notorious Partners in Crime’, is a bold step into new territory, teaming up with master Indian flautist Deepak Ram to merge Western rock with the intricate beauty of Indian classical music. The result? A genre-defying collaboration that feels as natural as it is unexpected.

“Deepak and I have been friends for a long time, and we’ve worked together a number of times, but we’ve never really played together until about two years ago,” Fishell said in a recent interview with Music News. “I knew it was special after the first two seconds of our rehearsal.” The sound of Ram’s bansuri flute intertwining with Fishell’s steel-string guitar—and his raw, unpolished vocals—creates a musical chemistry that is as surprising as it is seamless. “We’re like a musical ‘odd couple’—or something like Johnny and June Carter Cash. Now I’m going to start calling Deepak ‘June’,” he jokes.

One of the standout tracks on the EP, ‘Valentine’, carries echoes of songs that first brought Eastern sounds into mainstream Western music. But Fishell reveals another, more unexpected influence. “I wrote that song a while ago, and I may have been trying to conjure up a nod to Summertime by Gershwin.” he says. “The ‘Indian-ness’ of Norwegian Wood always excited me—I’ve always loved that vocal/guitar line unison thing they do. ‘Paint It Black’ is just a classic ‘Western’ take on an ‘Eastern’ sound with the use of the good old harmonic minor scale—you don’t hear that move so much in popular music anymore.”

Working alongside Deepak Ram has given Fishell a deep appreciation for Indian classical music’s rich history—one that stretches back over 4,000 years. “I’m finally starting to wrap my head around a raga,” he admits.

Beyond his cross-cultural explorations, Fishell has another passion project—bringing British rock band The Outfield back into the conversation. Their 1985 hit Your Love was a defining moment in his musical upbringing, a song he first heard on late-night radio, listening under the covers. Despite their U.S. success, The Outfield never quite got their due in the UK. “Maybe the UK wanted something a bit darker from their pop artists and bands at that time.” Fishell muses. “I don’t know, maybe it was marketing/advertising/promotion… I hear this a lot from music business people—‘We just don’t know what to DO with this.’” His cover of ‘Your Love’ is a mission to keep their music alive.

As he prepares to tour the UK, Fishell sees it as a full-circle moment. “I love being in the UK, and I seem to magically get along with everyone.” he says. “I swore to myself I wasn’t going to be a ‘numpty’ and walk the [Abbey Road] crosswalk … but I accidentally walked across without realising it. I’m going to get a peek at Freddie Mercury’s wall, too.”

With Notorious Partners in Crime set for release and a UK tour on the horizon, Fishell continues to prove that music is the ultimate bridge between worlds. Whether he’s blending rock with raga or shining a light on forgotten legends, one thing is clear—John Fishell is here to make some noise.

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Patrick Welsh
Rising Notes
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