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Thursday, September 29, 2005
Long Live Rock Home
Posted at 9:25 AM by Aditya

There used to be a way to stick it to The Man. It was called rock 'n' roll. But guess what. Oh, no. The Man ruined that too with a little thing called MTV! So don't waste your time trying to make anything cool or pure or awesome, because The Man's just going to call you a fat, washed up loser and crush your soul. So do yourselves a favor and just give up!


My love for music is not something hidden from the world. Music flows in my veins, and dominates my thoughts 24x7 (except a special someone). And my idea of music? Rock. Rock, all the way. If you can't rock, you can't enjoy music. If you cannot rock, you don't know what music is. I remember that entire dialogue from School Of Rock, and I am proud that even though its a comedy not to be taken seriously, someone has been honest enough to say it (even if its a loony like Jack Black). Rock can say anything, and the instruments throw in the meaning behind it. There isn't another genre of music that can portray such a variety of emotions, or is as big as rock 'n' role. Did I hear someone say pop? Well, think about the Backstreet Boys (voted the greatest pop band today) showing you anger. Will you feel it, when Nick Carter goes full pitch in that whiny voice of is, talking about how he hates the world? Now, you want an example of hate? Hear Chester Bennington [LP], Jonathan 'HIV' Davis [Korn]. They symbolise hate! You want love? Listen to Alex Band [The Calling], or even Phil Collins for that matter. Rock is diverse, rock is music, rock... is life!

But we as Indians, don't know what real music is. We, bound by culture, a self-obsession for the 'great nation', can't seem to forget the washed up music scene of our own country, to accept something new. That's why its bands like 'Band of Boys', and 'Bombay Rockers' that take over the music scene in a second. Now, I'm not saying they are bad... no! I am saying they are HORRIBLE. Make sense out of 'Rock The Party', and I'll pay you a buck... that's how much I think of that song. Trance is something that's slowly catching up with the scene, but rock, rock is larger than life. Rock defines its own generation of musicians. Everything around rock changed, but rock remained true to its roots, and so have the musicians.

The biggest problem plaguing the market is the notion of rock that the people hold. Those who have had the privelage of listening to rock when they were kids, and throughout their high school and college years, will know that rock is not all blazing guitars, loud vocals, pummeling drums. Think Pink Floyd, who are the most soothing act I've every seen and yet are true to the roots of rock. Rock is not the lyrics, nor the melody. Rock is the feeling. Not everyone can rock, but then again, rock doesn't choose everyone. The souls of rocker's are moulded that way over the years. You can't love rock overnight if you don't have it in you.

Palash Sen, of Euphora, says:
See, it is very difficult for a rock band in this country to make it big. The average person does not know or understand rock music. We started to sing in Hindi and have reached more people than we could only have dreamt of, if we had been singing in English. The masses will never be rock followers. All over the world rock is dying, and that is because rock was the only format of music where people didn't change or adapt. They kept doing the same thing over and over. That is why all this boyband stuff is happening, people want change every day.


And he has definitely said something of substance. We (Indians) need to wake up! We need to know what music is. Junoon is not mainstream rock. Jal, is NOT mainstream rock. Euphoria, is not one either. Now, I know that patriotism will be the deciding factor here, but just think outside of India for once, and you'll see genius. Music, is not restricted by language, color or any earthy restrictions that we put on ourselves. I like Maaeri by Euphoria, and I also like Back In Black by AC/DC. Diversity is the name of the game. People, you want diversity in your music? Rock music has so many sub-genres, your head will spin if you see them all. This world, this time, and this audience, is not enough for rock. Rock 'n' roll is like the insatiable blob, that'll consume everything in its way, and still want more. Rock will make you rebel, rock will make you think, rock will make you cry, rock will make you lose yourself. Its like a drug for the people who can feel it. Maybe, just maybe, you are one of the lucky ones...

[to be continued]

3 Comments:

Hmm, all your observations cannot be free from the effects of your 'sample space'. It's like asking a fish what is 'water'?

Which average person? I ask Paully. Where have you sampled his/her tastes from? None of us escape parochialism. If I were to ask, what have rock musicians done for rock in india besides play the umpteenth cover of some old chestnut or some song that is the current rage.

Fact of the matter, I say this to ALL (!!!!!!!!!!) is that the rockers are steadfastedly loyal. The popsters are fickle an populists who look for ringtones, not 'blue notes'. Unfortunately the pop audience has a richer and bigger chunk of the audience segment and therefore, don't blame corporates for sponsoring the same.
All in all try and be original, true and don't ignore your role in the scene. Your kids will wanna know what you did for rock. You are here.

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:52 PM, February 02, 2006  

By the way, does anyone know White rock is dead and Africa is a hot bed of music. (Frag your psuedo-sufism.)

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:53 PM, February 02, 2006  

By the way, does anyone know White rock is dead and Africa is a hot bed of music. (Frag your psuedo-sufism.)

By Anonymous Anonymous, at 4:53 PM, February 02, 2006  

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