THE DIARY OF Z

On the weekend past, I found myself dancing like a fool amongst a group of men dressed and painted from head to toe as Tigers, while a manic drummer bashed away on his skins beside me faster than a humming bird flaps its wings. I was at the Fireflies Music Festival set amongst the Fireflies Ashram about 30 km out of Bangalore. I’ve not been to an Indian music event before, but this, featuring a fusion of new styles and traditional, was fantastic! Let me describe the scene…

Situated at the bottom of a small but steep hill, and in front of a docile lake is a towering Banyan tree whose wide trunk stands as the centerpiece of a large stage that faces an amphitheatre built into the hill. It was here amongst a small forest of trees, and far enough from Bangalore to avoid the night time curfew, that a few thousand young music fans arrived to dance, sing, and party the night away from sundown to sunset. Once the sun was well below the horizon, green and blue lights illuminating the trees through the dust created a mystical scene and an inspiring atmosphere.

A resounding theme for the night is one of peace and environmental awareness, and after a few stirring speeches on the importance of community and sustainability, the real fun began. An hour later the whole place was completely alive with singing, dancing and drumming that at times felt almost tribal. What struck me most, as an outsider, was the mostly young crowd’s enthusiasm for the traditional music from a Qawali band and a South Kerala folk band, which I must say, outplayed and outcrazed the more modern bands, and had the crowd in a frenzy! Despite the apparent ‘westernisation’ of Bangalore, this is evidence to me that India’s pride in its own culture will remain strong in the future. 

At about three in the morning I allowed myself a 20 minute snooze on a blanket while a band with Prog-Rock stylings thrilled the dozens of people walking around in Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin shirts. When I woke up, I found that many of the rowdy revelers had themselves succumbed to their booze and many sleeping bodies were now scattered amongst the trees. Amongst the final acts of the night was a Bangalore hip hop group called Low Riders, who re- injected some energy into the night and carried a hopeful message of peace in India and the world. Not long after, the inevitable rising of the new day prompted the masses to dreamily shuffle out and drive home for a big long Sunday sleep.

Contributed by Jeremy Veitch

This girl, Cleopatra Stratan, is pretty amazing. She became famous when she was three years old (now, she’s five). Already, she has a full-length, double platinum album, music videos, and has sung live concerts. This song, “Ghita” (ghee-tuh) is about a girl asking questions of a friend that has left her in search of opportunity (presumably in the city, or a new land).

It is not difficult to see why this particular song is so popular, especially in Romania. Besides being amazingly cute, the fact that a little girl is singing the song makes us remember those who are ‘left behind’- and those who are left behind empathize greatly with the girl’s situation. In the words of my mother, “our relatives in Romania cannot get closer to the Otopeni airport than this little girl”. Their loved ones have left the country, and the ones left behind are not always able to follow them. Considering the decades of closed borders and communist regimes, low incomes, and the thought of going into a world of unknown languages, technologies, and mentalities, it seems as impossible for any adult to leave the ‘old country’ as it would be for this three-year-old girl. And yet, she misses her love, and is sad and helpless.

LYRICS OF GHITA:

The coat is inside out,
There is no sun above
Nothing is going good
Since I think of Ghita.
But Ghita’s not in town
I asked why he’s not around
It seems to me he’s gone
He’s gone abroad
Hard, I think it’s very hard

Want, don’t know what I want
I know that you like me too
Ghita, what is up with you?
Young, come on in or go

Young, tell me yes or no
Ghita, please don´t anger me
Tell me how your life will be
Ghita, tonight I’m waiting at the wicket
Me at the station I bought a ticket
Come to, but don’t come as you did before
As usually with empty hands…
Who else will and sing for you as I do
Entire evening just getting there
Ghita, show me a girl who’s fond of you
That loves you more as much as I do…

Here is the video. Happy viewing!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teBZmeK9GHI&hl=en]

Although this interview with the ‘Blue’ band took place more than three years ago, it’s one of my favourites because of the way the band members responded to some of my pesky questions. Here’s an excerpt from it… happy reading!

But first things first, they are four boys who are young, clean-cut, good-looking, well-dressed and somewhat acerbic if truth be told but who can, surprise, surprise, sing. What’s even more interesting than their excellent dance synchronization is the fact that they come out with hit singles often enough to keep them in the public eye. They learned that “Sorry seems to be the hardest word” along with idol Elton John and that “One Love” is all any of us need. Couldn’t get enough of their creed, or their music videos? Here’s a chance to get up close and personal before you catch them Live in your city. Cooler than Pink, the modern version of the stylistic Moody Blues, as rhythmic if not as iconoclastic as Black Sabbath and with more staying power than the hugely-talented Simply Red, say hello to Blue.

The boys are Duncan (Dunc), Simon (Si), Anthony (Ant) and Lee. Simon is spokesperson for the band, and his mood jumps from cheery to bored to antsy and well, we guess he’s bored with the Press. He certainly doesn’t lack attitude, so here it all is, from what Blue thinks of bubblegum pop and pigtailed schoolgirls to a well-articulated, we must admit, diatribe against one too many personal questions on the love angle. Hey, we thought that was what made Blue so successful? Ah, well, live and learn. Now read all about it…

If the members of Blue weren’t in Blue, what would they have been doing?

Bricklaying (Dunc). Laying, er, make that carpet-laying (Si). Cleaning out the elephants’ enclosure at the zoo (Ant). Running an antique bookstore (Lee).

Does music mean more business than art?

Man, I try not to bend my head around that stuff. I mean, money is important, but music is my life. I could live without much money, but life without music… forget it.

At which concert has Blue had the best response and what was the euphoria like?

God, I’d have to say Wembley Arena earlier this year: the crowd was amazing, they knew all the words and sang along. Then they went mental on All Rise and kept waving their Blue flags. It was special: I’ll always carry that memory inside me. Like when I’m all old and doddery, I’ll go… check that out.

What do you make of the fact that bubblegum pop music is more about image than about the music?

Bubblegum pop, Whoa! Look, the whole world as we know it today is about packaging. You got the best product in the world, put it in a shitty wrapper and what you gonna sell? I’d like to think our image is an extension of our music: we stay in shape, work hard at what we do. We didn’t get where we are by accident.

Does it ever bother Blue that the majority of its audience comprises flailing, pre-pubescent, pigtailed schoolgirls - hardly what one can call a mature audience?

Why should it? We don’t do Rotary Club gigs…

Have any of the members been to Bangalore before? Why choose to come here?

No. Because we hear so much about it: Techie hub, Silicon Valley, da-da-da-da-dah. The people here are evolved, warm, and knowledgeable about music. Hey, maybe some of those girls you were talking about would pull some what-was that? mature audiences along and they could decide for themselves what our music’s all about.

Why is Blue Guilty?

It would take too long to list. We got roped into this because we heard it was going to be a short interview… But if you check out the lyrics to Guilty, you’ll find it’s a fairly innovative use of the word.

How important is love in your work?

Lemme count the ways: Hoo baby, too many! Let’s say love is what makes everything else (the crappy bits of life) worthwhile. It’s what?… the oxygen in my bloodstream, gives me fire in my belly, my muse…

What’s the worst experience you’ve ever had in a relationship?

Oh man, do I have to do this? Ok, very quickly then, and I guess it’s not an unfamiliar experience for guys in my line of work: Being used for who I am, as opposed to what sort of human being or kind of person I am.

And what lessons have you learnt from it?

Step back, check it out, not rush into things…

Who, in your view, is an ideal woman?

Someone who is sensitive to moods, has a strong sense of identity, knows who she is and is comfortable with herself, a woman who is deeply feminine, caring, intelligent, thoughtful. Oh, and sexy, definitely sexy.

Do you think there is such a thing as love? And will you define it for us?

The name’s Simon, not Einstein. I’m not really into defining stuff that’s so much a part of me, it doesn’t really have a separate identity. Oh ok, it’s a state of mind that makes the world go round.

Apart from relationships, what are the other subjects crucial to your music?

Dreams, people and their quirks, images.

What was it like to work with Elton John (they did a duet with him on a poignant cover of his 1976 hit ‘Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word’ released in December 2002)?

Brilliant, he is a true perfectionist: It was a great experience.

And any lessons learnt?

Punctuality and what talent is all about.

Have you ever dated women who were your fans?

No comments.

In your experience as a pop boy band, has your respect for women gone up or down?

People are different and I’m not going to judge women or slot them into neat little categories. It’s pointless and I have too much respect for women to do that.

Have you guys ever done any wild, extravagant things to woo a woman?

Oh yes, I once had this gorgeous bird over to dinner. I had my chef carve a swan out of a block of ice, had it filled with caviar which I fed her with a silver spoon that Catherine the Great left me in her will. Sipped Krug 1959 from her glass slipper, stuck ‘Signed, Sealed Delivered’ on the stereo, pumped some iron and then bonked her brains out. Is that wild enough for you? Or should I tell you about the time I went ballooning over Masai Mara and fed her antelope steak, medium-rare, carved with an antique sword my ancestor used during the reign of Alfred the Great? She couldn’t keep her hands off me; the steak felt quite neglected.

Gee, Simon, sorry we asked. Bye, bye now.

“Dear sir, dear mam,

this Sunday, we’re having a jam

no bread no butter

just jam just jam

maybe marmalade

maybe metal

rather raaga

rather rock

sometimes salsa

sometimes soul

p’haps pictures

p’haps poems

l’il fizz l’il jazz

lotsa fun lotsa juice

dear sir dear mam

just jam just jam.”

This poem by a Freedom Jam regular sums up the live entertainment scene in Bangalore that’s increasingly getting better by the day. And there’s nothing quite like live music to set the mood. Here is where Bangalore scores. It has always been the rock capital of the country and continues to be so. What cemented its position was the superlative success of the annual Freedom Jam event. “Freedom Jam is the longest running live music tradition in Bangalore and also in the country,” says VG Jaideep, former editor of Rave magazine. “I think the live music scene is definitely improving in Bangalore as it has become more institutionalised.”

However, music lovers also feel that the live music scene is right now confined to a few isolated pockets like Koramangala and Brigade Road and Sankey Road. “If you look at north Bangalore where you have an audience, there isn’t any platform for people to perform,” said live music buff Chaitra. “Thankfully, the scope for bands to perform is much more now as they have access to technology and a good disposable income (most band members have full-time jobs).”

The 11-year-old annual Freedom Jam has become Bangalore’s own Woodstock with its signature 12-hour non-stop pulsating rock and contemporary music by over 40 bands of various hues vying to play over multiple stages. Performances have included Bangalore’s legends like Konarak Reddy, K.C.P., and an eclectic contemporary mix of music from the likes of Lucky Ali, David Rothenberg (New York), Sarjapur Blues Band, Baja, Steve Tallis (Australia), Vasundhara Das, Esperanto, Threnody, Kryptos, Bhumi, TAAQ and so on. On similar lines, the Sunday Jam is a live interactive event regularly held on the first Sunday of every month to promote art and other cultural activity. These days it is held at various places in the city. Anything from metal to ragas to folk and film songs to poetry readings, and art exhibitions can be expected.

And then there is the ‘Moonplugged series’ of concerts happening for about a year now at the creekside Guruskool outside Bangalore and the Chitra Kala Parishad amphitheatre. The previous Moonplugged at Parishad’s open air theatre that featured the Finnish band Piirpauke, Konarak Reddy and others was described as “magical and thoroughly enchanting” by avid music lovers.

Only a few years ago, the Bangalore Police clamped down on Live music by concluding that the live music in pubs is nothing different from the cabarets that happen at seedy bars. All of this now is slowly receding with the political top brass in favour of late-night entertainment. What has also come as a boon is the corporate backing to musical events. The pioneers were Opus, the Goan restaurant and lounge bar. The theme nights they started a few years ago today have corporate sponsors. From singing classes to karaoke sessions and live performances by semi professionals, Opus is the front-runner of live music in Bangalore today. Adding more impetus is Bangalore-based Venkat Vardhan of DNA Networks that has brought the biggest rock acts to Bangalore and other cities of India. He launched Campus Rock Idols, an annual nationwide hunt for the best college band. This year’s finale was in Delhi on December 2. He hasn’t stopped at that. In 2007, he also launched Rockillusion to get both professional and semi professional bands to compete against each other on a national level.

Some of the leading bands in Bangalore enjoying cult status include Galeej Gurus and Myndsnare. The other promising ones include Lounge Piranha and Thermal and a Quarter. Aside from the old faithful like Legends of Rock, Javacity, Pinch of Jazz, Pecos and Mojos , there are newer venues coming up every now and then. Casa Del Sol doubles into a social destination in the evenings - they have salsa nites, live music, pottery artists and lots of other fun events. The Park hotel hosts the occasional live music on Fridays and Saturdays where bands like Thermal and Quarter play a feast of original songs and ‘thermalized’ covers of Sting, Dire Straits, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Pearl Jam, and a lot more. The latest is Le Rock, a beer café on Residency Road opposite Pecos.

Things will only brighten up with the soon-to-be-opened The Hard Rock Café on St Mark’s Road. What is also adding to the nice mix of venues is the addition of corporate spaces. Take the RMZ Group. They have built Eco Space, an IT Park on Outer Ring Road that is home to a dedicated live music space for popular acts like Kailash Kher and Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy.

Bangalore’s music scene is definitely appreciative of other genres of music, but not on a scale as large as metal. If Central Park and Javacity play jazz, everywhere else it’s rock that rules. This is evident when we see the audience for unplugged shows and live performances like the Freedom Jam or campus rock shows. The audience is mostly college goers and the young working crowd from BPOs and software firms.

George Muthalaly, who works with British Airways, is a hardcore lover of rock music. He feels Bangalore is all for rock because of its culture. “You can do what you want, and break away from all the normal rules and regulations in music, and this helps the growth of rock,” he says. A big fan of Linkin Park, Creed and Bob Dylan, he says the music can always get better. “There are only a few quality bands. The city could do with a lot more of them.”

Documentary filmmaker Adarsh NC goes for all things retro, particularly to jazz and rock of the 70s. A regular listener to Grateful Dead, The Band and Bob Dylan, he says the music scene in Bangalore has always been good. “Rock has always ruled the roost here,” he says. “There were lots of college bands even in the 80s and 90s. The city’s culture itself had a lot of music embedded in it. It’s always been a musically oriented city. To top it, the number of international bands coming into town is only increasing.”

Given to blues and jazz music, Usha, a project manager with a tech firm, believes that music is all about class. “People have a lot more class out here, so they end up listening to blues and jazz after their initiation into hardcore rock,” she says. “Take me. I started off with rock and am now more cued to blues and jazz masters like Dave Brubeck, Global Unity and our very own local band, Barracuda Blues. Maybe it’s also because of the pub culture… people are more exposed to different kinds of music.”

Play on…