declaration day!

The vent-list

2012-01-15T10:58:00.000-08:00

Whether I'm angry, hurt, upset, or feeling anything negative... I never go to someone for help. I approach music, and not to calm myself down. Instead, I use the music to let my blood boil, and I grit my teeth till I'm grinding it to an enamel crush! Human consolation is but temporary. A shoulder to cry on won't always be by your side, and you never know when that same shoulder is going to strike back at you for something you wailed out in angst. Hence, the music.

And here are my top 5 songs that serve as my vent to throw out all my negativity and get back to normal again.

5. OTEP- Buried alive

Quite an "emo" choice, one might say. But helps, nevertheless. We all go through the phases where we say to ourselves- "I hate my life". Well... next time you feel that way, say that, but along with the vocalist in the song. Feel the blood boil and you will realize how wonderfully cathartic anger can be.

4. PANTERA- Domination

It's Pantera. That alone says it all. Just the power and the frenzy of the song makes you want to break stuff. And it's all gooood!

(Don't miss the "Fart stinks like a mother-fucker" at the beginning! That should get you laughing right away!)

3. KREATOR- Mind on fire

Thanks to my pal Adarsh, who knows sometimes just how angry I get, I was introduced to this particular track of Kreator. It's a headbanging riot. I can't help but feel like I need to step into the pit and beat the shit out of everyone who comes within an arm's distance of me!

2. LAMB OF GOD- Nippon

I cannot skip LoG from any of my music lists! This band has given me an outlet for so many years, and no matter how they've become now, they have been my source of solace (in a very out-with-your-frustration sort of way). This is one of their many songs which gives me SUCH an adrenalin rush that I can kill. Seriously!

1. DEICIDE- How can you call yourself a God

Quite a surprise #1, even if I say so myself! But I listen to Deicide only when I'm angry. And of their discography, I prefer the newer stuff. This album, and track in particular, works great. It's heavy as shit, so you can bring out all the fury. It also has great melodic bits in-between that give you the breaks to think, and dedicate those few seconds to thinking how awesome the adrenaline feels, and the you can resume with the headbanging. It's awesome.

So there it goes. This is my personal prescription for pent-up fury. Try it and see how it works. If you do notice the difference, I'll be glad to provide you some more of this priceless medication!

Leaving you with the "just-miss" track from the collection. Happy venting!

2011-09-19T11:39:00.000-07:00

Of late, I've been discovering little notes I've made... little pieces of "literature" (if I may call them that) that I've penned down in buses, trains, waiting rooms and so on. Many of them have been inspired by people around me, and situations I've seen, or people whose situations I may have conjured up in my over-imaginative head. Most of them are morbid, so I beg you not to judge me. But as most of my fellow writers may know, sadness is an emotion that is most easy to write about. I may come off as a depressed soul when you read these, but again... they were written at different periods in the last two years and are not autobiographical. I pray for the few people who I've written about, and hope that they've moved on to better times.

---

It trickles down her cheek and lands on the pillow
that absorbs her proof of sadness every night.
Little does she know that the pillow's job is done.
That the morning will not allow her to go into the day
with puffy eyes encircled with black
with a heart that bleeds from the stab wounds of love
that was never returned
and of expectation that remained unfulfilled.
Little does she know that life was saving her
from the clutches of further misery.
Little does she know how little she'll be missed.

Cinderella dreams

2011-09-19T11:36:00.000-07:00

A lingering curiosity made me hunt for her…Through multiple connections and mutual friends, finding ways to get past the security line.

Finally, I landed on a single photograph.

She was dressed in a saree, and her hair was let loose. Her light coloured eyes had a translucent shimmer that matched the glint from her jewellery. She was beautiful, and traditional.

And I was the fugly tomboy. The result of the compromise. The settlement.

Would things be this hard if I was her?

My 2010

2011-01-13T22:05:00.000-08:00

We're already halfway through the first month of the year, but I've been wanting to go through my best and worst in 2010 for a while now. Finally, thanks to Sankranti, I managed to grab some time to pen it all down. Here's what I think make it to me love and hate lists in the "frivolities" that I am passionate about- movies, music and all else that brings life to routine.

In film:

There have been quite a few brilliant movies that have released over the last year- 'Due Date', 'Iron Man 2', 'Inception', 'Alice in Wonderland', 'Toy Story 3' and 'How to Train Your Dragon', being some of the notable ones. But what scores highest in my list is without doubt 'Despicable Me'. The film is pure awesomeness from start to finish. The animation is mind-blowing, staying realistic and cartoon-like at the same time. I am no big fan of life-like animation because, in my opinion, cartoons must not cross the thin line drawn in between fiction and reality, especially with regard to the visual element. 'Despicable Me' has characters that are like caricatures, humor that shifts from being sarcastic to pure slapstick. The minions are adorable, and so are the three little kids. The girl in me lets out a loud "awww" every time Agnes is on screen! And mind you, I didn't fall for Puss in Boots in Shrek- that was too conventionally cute for my liking! If you haven't seen 'Despicable Me' as yet, please, please, please do!

In non-metal music:

2009's 'Battle Studies' still finds its way to my playlist quite often, and no non-metal release in 2010 has had as great an impact on me as Mr. Mayer's work of art. There may have been a couple of good singles, but as complete albums, I think 2010 was pretty sad. And this is no surprise, considering it was the year of Bieber, Taylor Swift and other lame artists like that. Crass hip-hop still plagues radio airwaves (which is why you should listen to www.myopusradio.com :P) and frankly, I think popular music is at its worst stage ever. 2011 could very well prove me wrong here!

In International metal:

2010 has personally been quite a fruitful year in metal for me. I've discovered newer bands like Angelus Apatrida and Cloudkicker, and explored older stuff from Tool, Nevermore and some other random bands whose names don't strike me now! My most favourite band of all time, Iron Maiden, released 'The Final Frontier' this last year too, and though I expected that to make it to #1 by default, Soilwork's 'The Panic Broadcast' beat them to it. And how! 'The Panic Broadcast' is an amalgamation of melody and heavy, bringing killer guitar solos, superb riffs and harmony all under the same banner. They've always been a great band, and though 'Chainheart Machine' and 'Figure Number Five' were good albums too, 'The Panic Broadcast' is by far their classiest piece of work. Full marks, and I declare myself a Soilwork fanboi (or girl, however you'd put it).

In Indian metal:

The year was nothing great for scene. We saw a number of complete washout gigs (Summer Storm pre-party, IMC, to name a few) and a few good shows, like the Wacken Battle and Saarang. Eccentric Pendulum has without doubt, emerged stronger in 2010, and it's a great thing. I love the band because they are musically fantastic. I just want to see them incorporate more energy into their live act. This may not matter to some, but it does count as one of the elements that makes a great band. In terms of releases, Yonsample, Guillotine, Devoid and Escher's Knot were my favourites for the year. My "fanboi" review of 'Tessellations' did attract a lot of shit, but I still stand by my opinions expressed on Headbangers India, and I still think it was a great album. Devoid brought back some good old thrash metal, and I still kick myself for missing them live. Guillotine's 'Cynic' was amazing but has too much of Opeth written all over it. So my first place goes to Yonsample. Slick and super. Another band I HAVE to watch live in 2011.

In gigs:

Lamb of God! I met my Gods, and that goes down as one of the most memorable events of the year. I do get a sick feeling in my tummy when I think of Summer Storm because of loads of other reasons, but I met my Gods. That was awesome. But the Meshuggah gig was better in terms of sound and tightness (of the band i.e.). Apart from these: IMC- Fail, Cemetary Gates- Fail, Grope-toberfest- Fail. Why is our Indian event management, by and large, a complete failure? It's time to bring it up. Fingers crossed for 2011.

And that's it, the article cannot get longer, or I would not want to read it myself. Later.

Road rant

2010-12-14T09:34:00.000-08:00

The average person would spend more than 30% of their life on the road, travelling. And if you're a Bangalorean, add another 20% to that. Which just makes me wonder how angry and frustrating our lives would seem to be, taking into consideration the road rage, the glaring, the swearing and all that each of us indulges in when riding/ driving.

There was a time when I loved to ride. I remember listening to 'Stairway to Heaven' on a slightly drizzly night and cruising down the Koramangala Inner Ring Road. The feeling was awesome. Now that weather is gone (and I will save another crib-blog for that) and we can't cruise anymore. We can, but then, the possibility of being run over is super high.

I have come across the broad categories of jackasses on the road, and I would classify them as follows:

1. The high beamers- The most dangerous ones, especially to someone as blind as me. The law does not allow vehicles to use high beam, but the law-enforcers don't give a rat's ass anyway. And thanks to that, now the high beamers have a variety of flashy colours and designs to choose from. The worst of these are the one-eyed ones. Just make sure you figure out which side the other blind eye is.

2. The lane switchers- The concept of road lanes never works in India, and that's simply because nobody knows what the heck a lane is. Cars, bikes, cycles and the sleek Volvo buses- all of them think they have the right to be on any side of the road, and that they can glide over the any other side, anytime they want. You'll find a tempo moving at 10kmph on the fast lane and a modified Esteem rip past in on the slow lane.

3. The hormonal males- They come in all shapes and sizes, and are all eyes (and hands) for female riders. They come up with very innovative techniques everyday about how they can frighten or "impress" the ladies. I've seen wheelies, I've received loud love-proposals and I've seen the rear-view mirror trick a hundred times. Sometimes, these clowns make good entertainment but at most times ladies, avoid these jerks. You don't want to carry their babies.

4. The three-headed monsters- The idea of going "trips" (i.e. triples, for those who are unaware) is suicidal.It may be great fun for those on the bike, but these jokers are dangerous to everyone else on the road. And this is mostly because the rider does not know to balance 3 people on a 2-wheeler well enough, putting the pillion drivers at a risk of falling off the bike, and onto the road. Most of the time, these trimurtis emerge on one-way lanes, and in the direction opposite to which they
ought to be going. The worst part is you can't even shout at them because you know right away that you're outnumbered.

5. The moving old-age homes- I love old people. I think they're adorable. EXCEPT when they're on the road. The times have changed, and nobody can afford to chill out and take a slow drive on main roads anymore. If you see a Fiat or an old-model Maruti 800 on the road, switch to the right lane immediately. And avoid swearing, it's rude.

6. The three-wheeled monsters- Auto drivers. They terrorize you irrespective of whether you're in their auto or outside it. They are infamous for not knowing anything about road rules, and will come from anywhere, yeah probably even the sky. I've learned something about these fellows- you can't beat them, so be like them. When near the black and yellow road-bug, temporarily forget your road rules. Overtake them from the left and turn right, honk profusely even when you know they can't move, and make sure they don't ever get the better of you. Only then will you know the true meaning of sadistic pleasure.

7. The road-orchestra- These creatures lean on the horn most of the time that they ride/drive, and will honk irrespective of whether they want you to move or not. They also think you need them to remind you when the signal is green (or is going to be green). The best way to tackle them is to let them go ahead of you, then desperately try to overtake, honk profusely and finally when you do, look nonchalant about the whole thing. Repeat in a continuous cycle till Mozart knows you're screwing around with him. Then ride away, fast.

I'm sure other riders and drivers would have their own list of annoying characters on the road. Do share this with me. It will be fun to discuss how each of you tackles these jackasses. Cheers :)

My mom and her Korean student

2010-11-30T01:13:00.000-08:00

My mom teaches a Korean guy English. He was down in Bangalore on some Christian mission sort of thing, started his English classes then, and decided to continue it over Skype, even after he moved back to Korea.

Their email exchanges are hilarious, and I just thought I would share one of these mails with you guys, so that you can have a good laugh too.

"Sir, hello!

Today, I sent by telephone device air cargo.
Send me message if get telephone.
Cash card observes and keeps
I will inform cash card password in following mail.
Then, is tranquilly.

Mr ***
from KOREA"

And my mom's reply:

"Please don't call me SIR. That word is used for MEN only, not women.
I am happy that you have sent the telephone device. I shall call you as soon as I receive it."

LOL. ROFL. ROTFL.

My thoughts on 'Raavanan'

2010-10-11T06:54:00.001-07:00

I finally watched 'Raavanan'- the much hyped Mani Ratnam movie. And boy oh boy, what a terrible disappointment.

I'm not much into Indian movies, because I find them unrealistic and overly dramatic. That's exactly why I have so much respect for Mani Ratnam... because he comes out which such classy, realistic stories deeply embedded in social issues- either directly or subtly. But this film contradicts all of this.

'Raavanan' is based on the life of Veerappan, who is portrayed like Robin Hood- the most-wanted criminal by the cops, and yet the hero for many others. Vikram, who is this protagonist of the tale, kidnaps the "I can't act to save my life" beauty Aishwarya Rai (um, the Sita in this story), who happens to be the wife of a good looking cop (Yeah... he has no pot belly, no moustache/ beard, and yeah... he is fictional). The story is all about the chase and the rescue, and how we see the black, the grey and the white sides of the characters evolve through the eyes of the devoted Sita.

The story is great, and the parallels drawn to the Ramayan are also quite cleverly done. Cinematography, as always, is superb. Certain scenes are breathtaking- especially the final fight on the bridge. But apart from this, the movie is like a play. It's slow moving. It's overly dramatized. And it's so darn annoying at times. There are also multiple editing flaws, which may have been made to appear artistic, but ruin the continuity of the film. I think Mani "saar" decided to step into M.F. Husain's shoes for a short while, but ended up with a half-artistic, half-trademark product, doing justice to neither.

'Raavanan' would've kicked some serious ass had it been shorter and crisper, without the repeated repetitions, the slow motion sequences and the ridiculous jumps of the monkey-man and the suicidal Aishwarya Rai. And yeah, the former was good comic relief while the latter needs to pay some attention to her acting. Her good looks can keep you captivated for some time, but after a while, as the audience, you start hoping for some expressions on her ice-queen face.

Vikram is brilliant throughout, and I very rashly assume that Abhishek Bachchan would have never been able to perform as well as him, hence, if you have to watch the film, go for the Tamil version. Small performances by Karthik and Priya Mani are also great, while the rest are passable.

On the whole, Mani Ratnam has disappointed a big fan with this movie. I really think he should re-visit the editing studio and do some serious snipping, and bring out a shorter-cut-version of the film. That will be a definite masterpiece!

Overall rating: 2.5/ 5

The fullstop

2010-09-18T23:43:00.000-07:00

He’s sitting up there, arranging everything in neat little boxes. Putting all our little lives, with it’s moments of good and bad, packaged, plain and fancy. Now and then, a whim throws in a surprise, and He chuckles. Finally He wraps it all up, and seals it with the ribbon of time.

Yup, nothing ever lasts forever. If you’re having a good day at work, or a great time with your friends, does it ever occur to you that it’s all going to be over? Those moments will never return. Think you have a special relationship that will last forever? The bond may, but the love won’t.

Simple thought, but the finality of everything does frighten me. I’ve been around just for quarter of a century, and the changes are frightening. Changes with people moving on, situations turning out to be completely different from what you expected, and a million happy moments turning into just memories. Yes, change is unavoidable, and I wouldn’t want life to be the victim of a pause button. But what worries me is whether at any time, there will be any hope left. Hope feeds on assurance that things will be ok. But will things be ok if everything has to come to an end sometime? A friendship you banked on has now turned sour, a family you took for granted isn’t as comforting anymore, an emotion you thrived on has turned bitter…

I also realize I sound like a depressed, ranting adolescent. But I can’t help but be shaken by how things end so quickly. It really frightens me!

And god damn, 2012 is just a little more than a year away :(

Untitled...

2010-09-03T22:25:00.000-07:00

The flattened spine grows roots,
binding the physical to the mortal.

And the spirit rises in freedom,
leaving behind the body
that fooled the eyes of lust
as love;

The heart that wept
with every living beat;

The mind that sacrificed rationale
for fear.

Legs that ran
but couldn't escape.

Hands that held
but didn't support.

Expressions that dramatized
but were now left
to a serene blank stillness
that echoed pity,
and yet
gratitude.

Benji

2010-07-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

I was in the seventh standard when I went to visit the new member of Swathi’s family- the beady eyed black bundle called Benji. He was an adorable little German Shepherd pup, and that coupled with the fact that he was my best friend’s younger brother made him even more loved, instantly. I still regret not touching him then, because I was frightened he would bite!

‘Benz’, as the nickname would suggest, lived a life that was nothing short of royal. He would go for car drives every morning, and love it as the wind ruffled his fur. He would eat his breakfast only in the WagonR which is also why the family chose not to sell that particular car.

He was a little ferocious, of course, and that only prolonged my long-distance friendship with him. He initially probably hated even those rare visits of mine to his territory, where we would be separated by a board- his Dark Vader and also our Line Of Control. Both sides would never cross over. Me, in the fear of turning into his meaty snack, and him only with the fear that the board would fall on him again. Soon the board became less physically daunting, and more like a reminder of an instruction that he had to follow.

Luckily, that barrier was broken some years hence. And we finally could hug and play with each other. Benji was a little older then, of course, and less frisky, but he had just gotten more adorable with age. He had started to understand full conversations, respond with very human-like emotions. We all acknowledged him as more of a real brother, and less of a dog.

But it’s unfair that pets don’t live lives that are as long as ours. They conquer your heart for about 10 to 15 years, give you the most untainted love you would’ve ever known, and then they move on. To a better place, probably, but the mortality shift is difficult to deal with. No matter what people say, a pet is still a member of the family, and its going away is heartache, of the immense kind.

Benji too, moved on yesterday. It was sudden, and no doubt, shocking. I can’t bear to think of going to 6th Block, 6th Cross, Koramangala, without hearing his welcoming “woof” echoing from inside the house. I can’t bear to think that I can never have him run around me, and that I will never be able to stroke his frizzy black fur, petting him and receiving his acknowledgement for that as well. I can’t bear to think that he’s never going to disturb Swathi when on a call again. It hurts.

Your family is hurt the most I know, but here’s wishing them all strength. He was a king for as long as he lived, and I know he’s going to have a ball up there with my dear little Walter Scott.

My dear Benji. We will all really miss you.

Blessed be their name \m/

2010-05-17T10:23:00.000-07:00

It was sometime in 2003 or 2004, when I was first introduced to Lamb of God. My cousin made me listen to "Vigil" and couldn't stop raving about it. I listened to it, and was pretty impressed. And when I told a friend of mine that I had checked out this new band, he introduced me to "The Faded Line". And that's when the craze began.

Anyone who knows me, knows how obsessed I am about Lamb of God. I worship them, and Chris Adler in particular, and never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that there would come a day when I would see them play, live. And guess what, I've just lived that day, and you can guess by now that there will be nothing that will ever match the awesomeness I've just experienced.

There have been rumours about bands coming down to India, and earlier this year, we heard that IIT Saarang was bringing down Lamb of God. Of course, I didn't believe it and when it didn't happen, it just re-confirmed my beliefs that I would never see them play in India.

But a couple of months later, the same friend who introduced me to "The Faded Line" told me that he was talking to Lamb of God and trying to bring them down. I knew this was true, so there was a little flicker of hope that he kindled in me, which just turned into something as massive as a forest fire recently.

Summer Storm, 2010, was scheduled to happen on May 15th, at the Palace Grounds in Bengaluru (Beat that! My own city!) My laptop had crashed a week prior to the show, and I lost all my music, so couldn't even spend the days before the concert listening to the songs and imagining how it would all be at the concert. But that was ok, since I knew the music note by note, and growl by growl. In my head, I tried to picture it, but it never took shape, half because I never believed I would get to see them. In fact, I still can't believe that I just did!

All till 02:45am, 14th May, 2010. I was at the airport, along with a small group of other Lamb fans, waiting for the band to arrive. And at around 03:30am, we saw Randy Blythe stomp out, asking for a smoke. Nobody said a word when he passed, because I think we weren't able to digest the fact that it was Randy- the man himself, just a foot away from where we were standing, holding the 'Pure American Metal' flag, jaws open, looking like a bunch of idiots. And then, out came the man- Chris Adler, smiling. "I love you Chris", I remember screaming, and I thought the security guard at the airport would come and bash me in the face, but Chris responded with a quiet "Thank you". John Campbell and Willie Adler came out, and it was really nice of them to stop for a moment with us fans, even after a 26 hour flight. I still can't believe I shook hands and introduced myself to Campbell, and even stuck my mobile phone up Willie's face! But after a quick signing of autographs and a small photo session, they were gone. Mark Morton followed a little later, looking absolutely quiet. He didn't say much, but he obliged us with some signatures too.

Like a bunch of puppy dogs, we chased the band, greedily asking for more pictures and autographs, and we managed to catch Randy. Unfortunately, Chris was already in the car, and I missed taking a picture with the guy I admire the most in the group, but still, I saw him! It was unbelievable, and that's when I actually started looking forward to the show.

15th May, 12pm. I'm sitting at home, eyes swollen thanks to sobbing my guts out the previous night, and waking up in tears too. I may sound like a wuss, but that's how I was, completely unable to believe that the day had come- the day I had looked forward to for so many years. And about an hour later, I was at the venue of my pilgrimage- my metal Mecca. Suprisingly, there weren't many people at that time of the day, but I knew they would come.

And the show began. Bhoomi went on stage first. Bhoomi is a band that plays pure classic heavy metal, with clean vocals and long guitar solos that make the band score high on melody. And if you're a metalhead yourself, you'll know how intolerant our clan is to something they don't like, and people started throwing stuff on stage. That was followed by a battle of words between vocalist Sujay and guitarist Tony versus the crowd, which silenced the idiots for a while, but it was a not-so-pleasant start to the show. However, the band played a lot of new singles which we hadn't heard before, and I must admit, they've become one hell of a tight act. I'm really looking forward to their upcoming Neil Kernon-produced album.

Next up was blues/jazz act Boomerang. I'd watched these guys sometime back, and I knew they were really good. But it was a genre clash for me, and my tolerance levels were also pretty low, especially with the sun sucking out all my energy. I chose this time to laze on the grass for a while, and check the stalls out too. They had a lot of interesting stuff on sale, which kept us occupied till the band finished.

It was time for Scribe next. I've always wanted to watch this band, because they sound killer on their recordings. But the only time they had come to Bangalore, they had some serious sound and equipment issues, so they didn't play. But they put up a killer set, and Anupam Roy works magic with their sound. The vocalist (who was wearing a jacket for God knows what in that heat) tried his hand at some bad PJs, though they all fell flat on the face. But he managed to keep the crowd engaged, better than Prasad from ER could. But Scribe kicked some serious ass at the show. Right from the "Bhaktavaar" scream at the beginning, through the new material they played from 'Mark of Teja', they were tight. Drumming was crisp, guitars were heavy and added a fullness to the overall show, putting everyone present in the mood for some heavy f***ing metal.

After a break, it was time for Extinct Reflections to come on stage. Guitarist Sandesh had travelled all the way from the U.S.A just to play this show, and he made it totally worth it. Extinct has some of the country's most skilled musicians- Jason was a wonder on the keys, and Kishan and Sandesh were brilliant on the drums and guitars, playing their totally unconventional time signatures perfectly. It was great for a lot of us, as old ER fans, to listen to "Mercury Shattered", "Recognize Analyze", and "Swallowed into silence", among others, once again. But it was a short setlist, and I wanted to hear more. But it was good they stopped after the five songs, because everyone was getting really impatient. It was time for Lamb of God.

The 45 minutes were painful, with respite coming in spurts when the backdrop came on, or when the lights were being tested. We waited, and waited, occasionally imagining a Randy or a Willie on stage, when the people we saw were actually the technicians. And then, the hints of the storm began. In both senses, literally and otherwise. The winds started, and we saw streaks of lighting hit the skies, with fireworks on the other side of Palace Grounds- almost like they were announcing the arrival of the band. A few minutes of darkness, and it was time for "The Passing". The speakers came to life, and suddenly, the crowd, which seemed like it had multiplied itself by four, roared in unison. Was it an intro, or was the band on stage? We were right about the former guess, because the men stepped on stage in time for "In your words".

In the first song, there were slight sound issues, because from where I was standing, we couldn't hear Willie's guitar for a short while, and then we lost track of Chris' bass drum. But as the song progressed, it all came together to sound like the dream I never thought I would ever see. Randy screamed out a welcome to Bangalore, India, and the crowd responded equally enthusiastically. Periodically, I had to remind myself that this was no DVD. This was Lamb of God, in the flesh, a few metres away from where I was standing.

The setlist was quite predictable, especially for diehard Lamb fans like me, who know the band so well that you almost begin to think like them, talk like them, (but not really play like them). The songs I mention here are not in the same order as what they played at the show, and you have to excuse me for that. But they went on to "Set to fail", and then "Walk with me in hell". The guitar harmony was exactly like how it sounds on your CD player, and gave me a surge of goosebumps. They played "Blacken the cursed sun", "Descending", "Hourglass", with Randy interacting with the crowd after every song. He spoke about the time when he had met some Indian guys in Indonesia the previous year, who had asked him when the band would come to India, and how he had wondered if Indians knew who Lamb of God was! And the audience bellowed in agreement. Then. it was time for the older stuff. It was time for the art of "Ruin". I waited the whole song for the drum roll before the beginning of the last part of the song, and as expected, Chris nailed it.

Randy then introduced the next song as a punk rock song, dedicated to a punk rock dude from down here in India- Mahatma Gandhi. And the dedication was "Contractor". Then, the lights dipped, and there was the start of the slow intro. "Vigil" began, and so did my rush of blood to the head. Chunky, slow and heavy as hell, the song was a good change of tempo in the middle of the setlist. But not for long. It was followed by a surprise- "As the palaces burn", from their old record. Then came "Laid to rest"- the song, he said, we might have heard in a video game, and then "Redneck". By then, the circle pits were growing in diameter, and people like me were being pushed to the barricades, unable to even nod, forget headbang. "There's a cobra in the pit!" he yelled, and the "crazy bastards" were only more inspired to beat the shit out of each other a little more.

Chris Adler then stood up, sticks up, and that was the signal. "This is our last song for the evening", Randy said, and yes, it was time for "Black Label". The Wall of Death collided in front of us, the mosh pit was like a black hole, with people coming out with bleeding gums and broken teeth. And because of them, people like me had absolutely no breathing space at all, and with tall men all around me, the song was also muffled. Thanks to this, I missed the band's grand exit and the last I saw of them was when Chris came and threw his sticks to the frenzied crowd. And that was it, it was over.

We all sat down, reeling under the effect of the whirlwind we had just been through, till the Bangalore cops came and rudely shook us out of our daze. But yes, the concert was over, and we had to leave. With throbbing necks and injured backs, and with my blue cheekbone, we left. And at the moment, there's only one more thing I can look forward to- that of the band keeping up their promise and coming back to India, to walk with us again in hell.

(Written on 16th May, 2010)

The rain, the jam and Iron Man 2

2010-05-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

If the title happens to confuse you a little, let me tell you that there are no riddles involved. This is just about those three little things mentioned right up there.

So today just happens to be one of those days which fights for first place in my little list of "worst days in my life". And I'm not going to pen down a sob story, because honestly, that's what Eminem is for (except that he says it, and calls it "music"), but I'm just going to regurgitate all my frustrations, and also throw in a little movie review in the midst of it all. Well, I know that makes it a little in-digestible, all puns intended, but that's how I went through it all, and you get no privileges as a reader. So there.

You might wonder that if I have the time to go around watching movies on a Tuesday afternoon, I must be having quite a leisurely lifestyle, and that also must taint your impressions of the intensity of the word "crappy" when I express that I have had a crappy day. But trust me, two visits to the RTO in a span of 8 hours, which still don't win the prize of "What contributed best to the crappiness" can by itself tell you that there are other really bad things that take the cake. Let me elaborate... I've just returned to the comfort of my little home after being stuck in a traffic jam for three hours. And knowing Bangalore, and its traffic jams, and in particular, its traffic jams during the rains, you know that I am not exaggerating. And when your dear vehicle is comfortably being pampered in an extended stay at the service station, leaving you to battle the distances with the BMTC... Oh yes, it's all very unpleasant.

I have been standing like a stork, with one foot resting precariously on the step of the public bus and the other suspended a little above the foot of my neighbour in the big blue vehicle, for these 3 hours. Let me also add the details of her arm being sweatily patched to mine, with an occasional peel-off, when we both tried to act nonchalant about it even happening when inside we were doing the Dee Dee "Ewwww gross" squeal. And oh, there was also the drop that made a 'plop' on my arm every few minutes from the trickling brow of the lady on the other side of me. At first, she looked at me, slightly apologetic about being unable to restrain the beads from her brow from crossing their borders, but I think the look of utter disgust on my face made her sadistically force herself to trickle on me a little more.

And we all stood unmoving, like an inspirational caricature for an R.K. Narayan, for a good half hour, till the bus driver gave up any intentions, inclinations or possibilities of making his chariot move even a centimeter, and he opened the doors of the dreaded vehicle. In my head, I labelled him as kind and considerate, but he had to prove me wrong, because after the 3 hour traffic jam, he dropped us all off halfway, grumbling about it being too late for his next shift, and the whole bus emptied itself out onto the middle of another main road. So we went from being stuck in one traffic jam in the rain, to causing another, yes, in the rain.

Two fights with conductors and a long walk home later, I went back to thinking of what triggered my bad mood. And the answer to that is when I plunge into my movie review. It was Iron Man 2.

Honestly, I am a sucker for superhero movies. I love X-Men, Spiderman, and the rest, and when I watched Iron Man- the first part, I fell for it immediately. It has an awesome soundtrack featuring ACDC and Black Sabbath, and a great mix of special effects, action minus the gore, and Robert Downey Jr.- one of the most classy actors of our time. So, obviously, I was thrilled when I heard that a sequel was in the making, and I made sure I watched it as soon as it was released. And boy, oh boy, what a bummer.

In all, the movie has no story. Even if there is one, I failed to notice it because it was so well coated with so much of other trash. I think the makers thought they'd be able to sell this film just with some hot women, good music and special effects. But all these fall flat on the face, and that's only because these must constitute of the frills, and not the main substance of what someone pays 150 bucks for. Somewhere down there is a plot which I fathom is something like this- Our hero is dying, with a blood toxicity count competing every few minutes to be on the lower end of the scale. It causes a strange graphic puzzle in his skin, making him want to act like a total nutcase and enjoy the last few days of his life. Pepper Potts has no clue that her man is on his death-bed (though he actually isn't, in the literal sense, as he's happily indulging in alcoholic embarrassments and clashes of iron fists), and she is also promoted to being the CEO of Stark Industries. Then there is the entry of the sexy new secretary, a.k.a Ageny Romanov, also a.k.a. Black Widow, who walks around flaunting her curves and doing a fab job for a fresher, which obviously Potts isn't too pleased about. Honestly, I wasn't either, as I simply cannot stand Scarlett Johansson and her very presence in this movie made me wish she would die from the very beginning. And of course, there's the new villain, the one with the electrifying whip and the brain that you think will overpower Tony's lavish stupidity, and he calls himself Vamco. He's the Russian who comes back to take revenge for what Stark Senior had done to Vamco Senior, but whether he succeeds or not is for you to guess, and see how right your guess is. There's also the stupid villain, who sides the powerful bad guy, but ends up as the 'Loser' in the tale, as is always in Hollywood.

So the story moves from Grand Prix races to drunken parties and Iron Man brawls, and multiple replications of the famed suit, with a core that is stronger than that of the original, and that will not cause the graphic puzzles all around your chest and on your neck. Then there's a rediscovery of fatherly love, and the sudden idea that will save everyone's lives, along with the usual dose of love, friendship and hope (the latter shows up as Samuel L. Jackson by the way). During all of this, you're still trying to work things out in your head, but the movie continues to distract you with its noisy arguments, Black Widow suddenly turning into Keanu Reeves in Matrix, and its overdose of technical terms, which I'm sorry to say, don't at all sound intelligent, but more like bullshit.

But there are the touches that make this movie a lot like the first, and those are in the little details and subtle jokes, all thanks to Robert Downey Jr. He's genius, in every sense of the word in this context, and gives you that little chuckle once in a while, making the crap slightly pardonable at the end of the day.

So to wrap up the review, I'd say that its a typical Hollywood-ishtlye masala flick, and you should watch it only to pass your time. Don't expect it to be anything like the first, or you will be disappointed. But if you like promiscuous looking women, lots of special effects, and like to pretend that you understand random technical gibberish, go and watch Iron Man 2.

And doing it Amores Perros narrative style, and coming back to my narration of the day's events, I think I am done. I am dead tired, and want to sleep my worries away. Which by the way, have just taken a new turn. My laptop just crashed.

Lurrve, is it?

2010-04-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

I went for 'Vinnaithaandi Varuvaaya' today. For those who don't know what that is, its a Tamil movie. I mainly went to watch it because the music's awesome. I'm not a very big fan of love stories, and this was another one of them... where boy sees girl, and from the first time he sets his eyes on her, he falls in love with her, and isn't able to get over it for the rest of his life. She, on the other hand, is practical and sees the usual problems they'd face if they get together, and so, she moves on. And blah blah blah.

Love is such an over-hyped feeling, isn't it? Its rosy on the outside, and everyone wants to take the plunge, at least once in a while. Its what gives some people security, and the feeling of being 'wanted' is by itself a major comforter.

Love is euphemism for a lot of things. It moves from infatuation to mutual admiration, and then to tolerance and obligation. It's a gradient, that fades from the pure white to the greys, with the catalyst of time.

Its just like window shopping. Looks so lovely from a distance, but you will have to pay a price (and a big one at that) to call it your own, and maintain it as well.

Why can't it be like in the movies? Why doesn't reality ever taste as good as we think it will? Why does life have to have a tinge of negativity in everything?
And here, I'm not only talking about the boy-girl love thing. I'm talking about family, friends, job... everything that you can feel for.

I wish life wasn't so unkind, at least when it came to the good things. Why can't the purer stuff remain un-tainted? Why does there have to be two sides to every coin? Why can't we keep relationships away from responsibility?

Diary entry?

2010-01-15T20:36:00.000-08:00

There’s no feeling like sitting in a that’s train homeward bound, with Steven Wilson’s magical keys and Mama Cass’ caramel voice to keep me company. There’s no better companion than music, wherever you may be. There’s some for every mood, and every feeling.

My discovery of this best friend happened when I was barely two. From what my mother tells me, I know that I would dance to ‘Sultans of Swing’ and recognize advertisement jingles before I could walk or talk properly. That came as a confirmation that mommy’s genes had passed on (Of course, I mean those of rhythm, as those of dance are non-existent in my lineage). But yes, the journey had begun.
Till I was in the fifth standard, all my music knowledge was limited to the hymns I sang as part of the choir. I also received a good dose of passive input, from mom’s Floyd and Knopfler obsession, to my sister’s phases of Bon Jovi rock and mush overkill Air Supply, and Dad’s occasional Colonial Cousins trip. Those were the days of cassettes, and I remember numeroud trips to HMV world and Swetha’s Gift Gallery (only those who live in Kamanahalli would know that place) to pick up ‘Dangerous’ for fifty bucks and ‘Roja’ for a mere thirty rupees. That amount steadily increased, as plain white cases gave way to smooth-edged transparent boxes with little booklets inside, with lyrics my sister and I would squint to follow and sing along. I bought everything from Britney Spears to Viva and all the Hrithik Roshan movie soundtracks (/though I must confess that those were more for his pictures in the leaflet than for the music).

And I evolved. The Savage Garden cassettes gave way to ‘Number of the Beast’ and Cradle of Filth, and yes, I had landed. The explorer had made her discovery. And it was not over. In fact, it had just begun. Till I was almost 18, I restricted myself to playing the songs at the highest possible volume on my ancient yet awesome music system. And then, I attended a live concert.

Live music has a magic about it, and the experience is by far unparalleled. Whether it’s just that cute guy’s band at a Sunday Jam, or Opeth making divine music a few metres away from where you stand, as though possessed, it’s all varying intensities of the same experience.

Through my journey, I’ve been on the other side of the stage- in the audience. I did venture into the opposite end (apologies to Romit for that), but out of choice (honestly), decided to stay where I belonged. I’ve always been a listener, and I enjoy it here.

As someone who understands the nuances of the tune, it does frustrate me when I sit with the guitar and not play more than the major and minor chords. I sometimes wish I was a musician too, but that doesn’t keep me cribbing. As a listener, I think I’ve given myself the gift of widening my focus, allowing for endless opportunity in the school of learning.

And music’s given me so much. As my favour in return, I’ve got Headbangers India, where Subbu and I work together to promote the underprivileged and misunderstood genre in the scene.

Right now, I’m in the train, by myself. But not alone. I’ve got Randy Blythe, Dave Matthews, Ronnie James Dio, Madonna and the guys from Def Leppard to keep me company. Though power chords and distortion have become more my thing over the last few years, I haven’t put the blinders on yet. In fact, I don’t think I ever will. I want to learn and experiment, however transitory or long lasting my trials may be. I also know that the exploration will not end. Music has no boundaries, in terms of knowledge or genre. I‘ve taken the dive, and my aim isn’t to swim to the horizon. In fact, I want to enjoy every ripple and feel it overcome me. Even if the others are far ahead, I’ll let them be. I’d like to stay here for as long as I want.

The stream of unconsciousness

2010-01-15T20:33:00.000-08:00

There’s nothing like the feeling of sleep.
When vision blurs into a dance of twos,
And you surrender yourself to gravity.
The lightness of being,
Sinks into slumber
Where real people dissolve into fantastic spirals,
And sounds graduate into gibberish .

Men with female voices,
Familiar conversations with total strangers,
Impractical accidents,
Bodiless spirits.

Colours that hurt the closed eye,
Stairs that disappear into thin air,
Never ending falls,
Infidelity.

Fears and choices
That materialize,
In the way you don’t want it to.

A trembling body,
That leads the bead of sweat
Down the pale brown skin,
Leaving behind a trail
To dry with the morning’s rays.

And I awake,
With a dampness of sight and the relief of realization.
That it was all just a nightmare.

A fallen feminist

2009-10-12T08:56:00.001-07:00

I give up! All my efforts to save womankind are no longer of any use!

Women are not, will not be, do not want to be, are never going to be anything apart from their bodies.

I hereby declare myself to be a fallen feminist (Half out of dejection, and half out of force). I resign.

Angel of the Fall

2009-08-21T05:15:00.000-07:00

She peered at me, curiously.
Her big eyes smiling as she watched.
Cheerily, she drew closer…

As fresh as dew,
As fragrant as the summer rain,
With a cheer that was so innocent,
And so complete.

Her fingers soothed
As she wiped the hot tears.
Her presence-
Like the sun’s rays on a winter morning.

This wasn’t how I imagined it to be.
There were no whips, there was no fire.
No black.
Except in the core of her big smiling eyes.

Flashes of pain of the twenty odd years
Stung with their seconds of thought.
And I jolted,
To see how different this was.

How misconstrued our ideas of life and death were.
How healing this seemed in comparison,
And how wrongly we had interpreted it all.

She smiled, the dimple deepened.
And stretched out her hands.
“Come with me,” she said.

And as I felt her grip,
Breath withdrew herself gracefully.
And we walked, hand in hand,
Into the garden of immortality.

Women and controversy

2009-08-12T16:08:00.000-07:00

In a civilization that is ruled by the male and that is designed to serve the male, it is but obvious that the opposite sex will take a secondary position of importance. And this too with the former being the determinant of everything that concerns the latter. The formula has been this way for centuries, starting off with the sacred texts, and seeping through generations to the ideas of any middle-class present day Indian family. And when a sole representative of this disadvantaged gender raises a voice, a controversy is born.

So what is controversy? It is the result of a projection of an idea that is disagreed with by those on the other side of the war field, who demand conformity with their stream of thought. In basic terms, controversy is not justified, not is it possible to straighten out, because thinkers always stand by their ideas, making the other entity always appear wrong.

The texts can lay out as many regulations as they want, but the opposition is unavoidable. From as early as the seventh century, women have stood up against this conformist living to become stirrers of a controversy. From back in the time of King Partapsimha, female writer Muddupalani had begun to go against the norms by writing erotic poetry. Though in flawless Sanskrit, the topics she chose to write about were considered absolutely shocking, ‘especially for a woman’. This led to her being condemned in society, and Muddupalani became a fallen woman.

Continuing the legacy of this devadasi-turned-writer called Muddupalani, in the present day, is a whole new breed of outspoken empowered women. They are not afraid to speak out loud, or to quote, do the “Full Monty in public”. These were the words of one of India’s most prominent novelists- Shobaa De. She is one writer who not only recognizes this marginalization of women, but also gathers the guts to turn the equation upside down in her writing. This former beauty queen has worked as an actress, designer and writer, becoming a role model in each of her different areas of specialty. She too is known for the eroticism in her novels, stamping her with the title of ‘rebel’. Yes, she is indeed a rebel with a cause who believes in shocking people out of their wits in order to drive a point into them.
For instance, in one of her books titled ‘Surviving Men’, Shobhaa De dissects the Indian male and explains the change in the gender relationship in India. She also makes a point about how Indian culture doesn’t get affected if it changes its attitude towards women. Eyebrows and voices were raised in response to her arguments in the book, but they died a subtle death thanks to the woman’s emphatically correct personality and her staunch belief about not having said anything wrong at anytime.

Deepa Mehta, the Academy Award nominated Indian film director has also caused her own kind of upheaval in Indian thinking. Why? Simply because she was another woman who dared to be honest, and faced certain issues that were previously (and probably still are) considered too uncomfortable to discuss. This started with the first of her elements trilogy- ‘Fire’- a film about lesbianism. She did mellow down the storyline to make it slightly more digestible for the blinkered public, but the choice of the theme alone caused a furor around India. Posters were torn down and the narrow-minded revolted because they could not imagine that anyone could discuss this forbidden sexuality. By reacting in such a way, they not only chose to deprive an artistic form of its freedom, but also did they ignore the truth about the existence of lesbianism. Lesbianism is just one among the sea of realities that the Indian public chooses not to face, and if one person musters up the courage to put it across effectively, they claw her down.

Another individual who joins the ranks of these bold women, though in her own way is Mallika Sherawat. With the plunging necklines, the scanty bikini and the kissing scenes she brought with her into Bollywood, she came as a slap in the face of modesty. And what alarmed the public about her was not just the way she dressed or behaved… it was in the way she was so comfortable doing what she was doing and being the way she wanted to be. Ms. Sherawat had no reservations about being the small town girl who’d moved into the big city. She was comfortable with her body and had no qualms about flaunting it. The media lashed out in sarcastic and derogatory ways at first, but the woman continues to do just as she pleases, making all those who point a finger at her seem like idiots. She has been doing well for herself, signing international contracts and becoming a widely popular actress- her very intention. She has also turned out to be the ideal of the present day Indian man, giving the harmless domestic avatar of the woman a rude exit.

Cited above are examples of three women in Indian media today who’ve dared to push boundaries and cover terrain previously not trodden upon. They have each, in their own ways, faced the truth because no one else had dared even attempt it. Shobaa De may have been labeled ‘ungraceful’ because of her themes in writing. Deepa Mehta may have been branded ‘disrespectful’ and Mallika Sherawat ‘demeaning’, but each of these three women has resisted orthodoxy and compliance. Each of them has questioned female restrictions and pushed the boundary, paving the way for change in the future. It is because of their initiatives that women are given the assurance that it’s not just them who feel enslaved.

Despite all this, they still are victims of controversy in media today. But if even controversy is determined by the masculine, then we can look at it as not being controversial at all. Let’s just look at it for the attention its giving the start of the Indian feministic revolt.

Bleh...

2009-05-17T09:23:00.000-07:00

Insecurity is eating me up. Through what I treasure the most- my sleep!

Gosh, I hate nightmares :(

...

2009-04-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Each, placed with precaution
To stand up straight
For all of it to be held together.

They battled the wind,
Ejected the wilting ones
And rose up high.

But the Aces,
Positioned up highest,
Were ever so bent...
Never strong enough for the other
Leaving the peak
Incomplete.

The building blocks
Shivered
Slipped
And fell.
Becoming an unconstructed heap of nothingness again.

At reclamation point...

2009-02-18T04:20:00.000-08:00

The lights mirrored their brilliance in the dancing water... silhouettes of boats, scattered carelessly by fishermen at retirement.

The beauty, the silence, the serenity evoked no emotion.

Yes, as they’d said, my heart had turned to stone.

(Pic. by Subbu)

Headbangers, India

2009-02-18T04:12:00.000-08:00

Finally, two of us have managed to do something we've wanted to for a long time.

It's called Headbangers, India.

http://www.headbangers.in/

Do check the website. A lot of hard work has gone, and continues to go into it. Spread the word too.

(It is also the reason I have been neglecting this poor blog!)

Support Indian metal \m/

Papyrus dreams

2008-11-01T02:35:00.000-07:00

As I retire for the night,

I’d pray

That the music in my ears

Would translate itself

Into a language of thoughts.

Words- carved by imagination

With the sound of strings

And the self- into a loose sheet

With a life controlled by wind.

This then written poem

Would slip away from the shell

Out...

Out into a place

Oblivious of my existence.

I’d dance with the breeze,

Flirt with the fallen leaves,

And sway to the sweet smell of the sleeping city.

I’d get naughty-

Frighten lone late travellers

With my rustle.

I’d get playful-

Tease the dozing pup

With hide and seek.

I’d admire myself

With the casting of orange lights

And shadows of nothingness.

And I’d swirl

Till I’m dizzy enough to remind myself

Of rules,

Of obligations,

Of responsibility.

So I’d ride back home

On the lazy dawn wind’s back,

Slip back into the enclosure of the actual,

Where the whims of a loose sheet

Are penned in a bound book.

Global Metal

2008-10-08T03:57:00.000-07:00

It's finally here!

After watching the trailers over and over again, and getting goosebumps every single time, the documentary by our master saviour Sam Dunn has finally arrived (umm.. unofficially, that is!)

For those of you who don't know, this documentary is a follow-up to 'A Headbanger's Journey'- a movie that was made as an anthropologist/ metalhead's observation of heavy metal culture in general. But as usual, nothing strays from the borders of Europe and America, and only after that film's release, the filmmaker was even made aware of the massive metalhead cult that exists in other parts of the world- China, Japan, Brazil, the Middle East, and India.

I wish there was a way we could all thank Dunn for this huge favour he has done to all of us. He has made people aware that metal exists here. And hopefully, we'll have more bands headed this way (if there aren't any screw ups with the "law", if you know what i mean).

The movie is amazing. No second thoughts, and no heart to even try to rip it apart. The Bollywood embarrassed the shit out of me, i HAVE to admit. What made me want to bury my head in shame was the Prabhudeva song-and-dance crap. Man!

But all in all, one KICKASS documentary. Love it, from start to finish.

Praying Indian metal gets ample publicity from this movie. And also hoping to see more concerts and bigger names, and not just wilting rockstars playing their requiem on life support systems.

Hear our prayer!!!!

\m/

Fight fire with fire...

2008-06-09T00:28:00.000-07:00

What was once a passion driven by fire, and it was now pronounced dead, by fire again.

The young hand that once skillfully etched its life on paper was the same that struck the match.

Angry flickering orange devoured the innocent talent into pieces of black that crumbled without touch.

And the artist shielded the enemy from the wind.

Time had been overpowered by a monotony that killed hobby. Routine had taken over passion. And it had left the owner hollow, powerless, and stung by competition.

His eyes saw a repetition everyday, and his mind failed to resurrect his former best friend- the muse.

Expectations matured with age, and so did the perception of beauty. But for an artist to fail to live up to what he sees is defeat.

He fought fire with fire.

And his instruments of the soul have now been chained by rubber bands, and suffer in the concentration camp of a cardboard box, buried under the bed in the corner, waiting for its turn in disposal.

A dedication...

2008-06-09T00:21:00.000-07:00

Today, I met one of my closest friends, after an impromptu decision to get off the bus I was traveling in, and walking the road of friendship that had been pushed way into the background thanks to mundane everyday life.

And so we met, and in the span of the thirty odd minutes together, we shared the blurb of changes over the past many months. Our lives may have turned upside down and inside out, for good or bad, but we’re still the same.

The days of the wannabe ‘jam’ sessions where we struggled to even get the tuning right, buying fish, turning saviour when I missed my last bus home, being gig partners and missing most of the headliners because of dreaded curfews, cribbing about why people smoke and drink, crying about loneliness…

How I missed it all. More than anything, how I’ve missed you! We all go through the phases of disappearance, but friendship is about trial and error after all!

We’ll be friends forever, I guarantee. And God bless you for being such a lovely human being.

KRYPTOS- ‘The Ark of Gemini’

2008-05-24T01:12:00.000-07:00

March Metal Mania, 2007. I remember getting a little visiting card with ‘The Ark of Gemini’ on it, which sparked off a buzz of excitement about the band’s new album, and new songs which they would be playing at the show. These songs have been played at most of their gigs since then, and time, a lot of it actually, has also passed. But the excitement hasn’t died, though fans, including me, did get a little impatient in the interim.

And it won’t be cliché if I say the wait was worth it. Because it is.

Kryptos is a Bangalore-based heavy metal band that came together back in 1998. If you’re looking for a classification, their sound can be called a combination of thrash and melodic metal. The old school has had a major influence on the music of Kryptos, with the heaviness and melody of Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Dark Tranquillity serving as the band’s muse. But mind you, they are no rip-off band, and through the years have established a sound of their own, and in turn, served as an influence for the multitude of mushrooming metalheads in the country.

Four years back, we saw the release of their grand debut, ‘Spiral Ascent.’ The success of the album must not be measured by its sales. Attend the band’s live performances, and watch fans bang to the beat, growl the lyrics, and scream out song names, and you’ll know that the album did well in its circuit.

2008 sees its follow-up with ‘The Ark of Gemini’- 45 minutes and nine tracks of some classic crafted metal, a joint effort of Nolan Lewis on guitars and vocals, Ryan Colaco on the drums, Jayawant Tewari on the bass and Rohit Chaturvedi on guitars.

The familiarity of certain songs adds to the excitement of listening to them on your stereo. The album opens with the echo of an anonymous voice, leading into “Sphere VII”. What will instantly catch your attention will be the riff in accompaniment with the middle-eastern-ish lead guitar.

Track two, “Order of the DNA” carries the typical Kryptos riff and song format. This doesn’t come in an entirely negative sense, considering that they’ve already reached a level where one can call a type of sound ‘Kryptos-ish’. “Order of the DNA” is fast paced, and is the kind of song you will involuntarily find yourself nodding to. The sharp percussion steals the show on this one.

The anonymous, preachy voice makes an entry again here, very reminiscent of Iron Maiden’s song beginnings. This is “Heretic Supreme”, the first single of the album. The track is kept on its toes with the extended growls and even longer solo act by the lead guitar.

“Tower of illusions” is my personal favourite from ‘The Ark of Gemini’. It sounds very evil, is slow and powerful, and very metal. It’s the kind of song that would conjure up pictures of knights in black, battling it out on a stormy night. No, I’m not suggesting a video. I’m describing the feel of the song. Simply put, the ‘Descension’ of this collection.

Just when you think the band is moving towards monotony towards the latter half of the CD, “Vulcan” jolts your attention back to life. It’s the longest song on the album, but keeps up with the time, in a non-literal sense, playing around with tempo.

Other tracks, such as “The Revenant”, “Trident” and “Liquid Grave”, have their own strengths, but feel like fillers, failing to stand up on their own. But “The Presence of Eternity” makes up for its counterparts, serving as proof to the band’s skill of cross-genre melodies, becoming the short and sweet requiem before the CD comes to a stop.

All in all, the album thrives on catchy riffs, but suffers the drawback of similarity. There hasn’t been much experimentation with style and even the guitar patch seems to beg for a change after continuous listening. But the album does have the look and feel of an internationally acclaimed one, with impressive artwork and inlays by Prasad and Diwakar and also good quality recording.

But overall, ‘The Ark of Gemini’ earns itself three and a half stars out of five. The hard work has paid off, and I’d recommend that every hard rock and heavy metal lover should pick it up, and this time, not just to support the scene, but for a true appreciation of world class local talent.

‘The Ark Of Gemini’ releases worldwide on the 13^th of June 2008 through OSM Records. But you don’t really have to wait that long. Lucky Bangaloreans can pick up a copy for just Rs.300 by dashing off an email to geminiorder@gmail.com. You can also log on to www.kryptos.tv or www.myspace.com/kryptosindia for more details about the band. And to quote the guys themselves, make sure you keep real metal alive, rock hard and ride free!

Earth Day ?

2008-04-22T09:10:00.000-07:00

I left office early today, but what I traveled through has distressed me to the point of no return.

Why? Because we have distressed and destroyed the planet to the point of no return.

I won’t be vague or poetic here. The fact is, we have ruined what Louis Armstrong once called “a wonderful world”.

Today is supposed to be Earth Day, and the radio channels and the television channels have taken up the 22^nd of April to obsess about Al Gore. But look outside the window, and just consciously look around you. What you see is NOT trees of green, NOT people living their lives in peace, and NOT any of the things that our heroes raved or dreamt about.

What you see, and may or may not realize, but you know, is the ruin that we have made of the biggest gift that was given to all of us- Planet Earth.

My journey home today felt like I was slicing through a cloud of smoke created by the exhaust fumes of our vehicles. At a traffic signal, which was still at 120 seconds, more than 60% of the cars and bikes were still on, and puffing filth into the air. More than occasionally, someone in the crowd felt it was perfectly normal to adorn the street with a plastic cover they had just been eating from. And these individual cases, at more than 50 traffic junctions in Bangalore city alone, plus the super many million cities everywhere else in the world, are doing just this. And we are proudly converting our holy land into a dump yard.

There was a time, when the roads in Bangalore were flanked by arching trees, which would sprinkle their blossoms in spring. There was a time, when we, as kids, would watch the bobbing sparrows in excitement, trying to call out to them. There was a time, when we would roll down our car windows to feel the breeze kiss our faces. And now, there has come a time, when we cannot do any of this.

And this, is because of us. And yes, that means you too.

Margaret Mead had said-

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

So, slap yourself on the face if you’re one of those many pessimists with the ‘what-the-hell…everything-is-ruined-anyway’ attitude, and get going. There are tons of little things that each of us can do, and we absolutely must.

I cant list out the tons, so here are a few things to start with:

- Don’t leave the tap running when you’re brushing your teeth. Open and close only when you need to.

- Don’t leave the fan or lights on when you aren’t in the room. Save electricity.

- Use CFLs. Don’t know what that is? Google it, Mr./ Ms. Ignoramus.

- Switch off your car/ bike when at a traffic signal or a non-moving jam.

- Use mass transport as much as possible. If you have a colleague or friend staying in the same area, combine means of transport. You can afford to make minor adjustments in terms of time.

- We know you’re cool. Don’t blast the stereo system in your car and add to the noise pollution. We have enough of it with your incessant, unnecessary honking anyway.

- Don’t encourage plastic, in whichever way you can. And since its so difficult to avoid that devilish substance, reuse as much as possible.

- Restore the environment in your little way. Have indoor plants or probably your own little garden. It’ll add to the beauty of your homes also.

- Take care of our animals. They make the world such a happy place to live in, and they make such good friends. Don’t just eat them.

And if you want to label me preachy, fuck you. Its because of people like you that the world has become how it is now.

Enter the Arena

2008-04-01T01:42:00.000-07:00

I think the 14th of March 2008, was the only day in my entire life when I paid an auto driver more than what he demanded. Not because of anything else, apart from the gratitude I felt towards his rickety, rigged three-wheeler, which had brought me to the shore of my place of pilgrimage- Palace Grounds.

Right from the gates till the actual entrance to the venue, followers had parked themselves, surrounded by an aura of unmentionable substances. But I sped past all, and right through the heavily manned final entrance column, and I was in.

Welcome to ‘Rock in India’, Bangalore’s first ever international rock (more metal, I would say) music festival.

Modelled on probably a Wacken Open Air, but on a much smaller scale of course, the ‘festival’, as it was rightfully termed, had bungee jumping in one corner, and food and drink counters in all the other corners. But it was the store with the ‘merchandise’ board above it that had the maximum takers. Talk about mass production, but of the good kind. The store had a pile-up in front of it, which rhythmically regurgitated one metalhead clone after another, either in a Megadeth or Machine Head t-shirt, most of whom tried to ignore the fact that they were dying thanks to the equation of thick black cotton and summer.

Moving away from the frills, in an almost literal architectural sense, the performance area of the venue had two stages. The massive one was for the massive acts, and the modest pedestal on one side was for the queue of Indian opening acts. Starting with Casino Blues and Prestorika, and moving on to Junkyard Groove, Motherjane, Millennium and Pentagram, each act had approximately three fourths of an hour to themselves, and thankfully, every one of them put up a decent performance. They were a good way to kick off the show, and got the audience in the groove.

Finally, a few minutes after sunset, the men who call themselves Machine Head, conquered the stage. They do complete justice to the term ‘heavy’ metal because, boy, their music is loud! They slapped us with their most popular songs, one after another, but made sure they included the element of ‘interaction’. From ‘Now I lay thee down’ to ‘Halo’ and ‘Imperium’, Machine Head ruled the stage for the insufficient few minutes that they were on it. They bore proof to the fact that they are one of the few core acts who’ve used the years in their field of experience to only get tighter, and so much better.

Hearts seemed to pound in unison with anticipation during the few minutes before the second gang of big guys took over. And soon, with the introduction of ‘Sleepwalker’, Megadeth casually walked on to stage, strumming their flying-v guitars like it was an everyday affair. Well, it may be for them, but Bangalore went ballistic. Heads went berserk as Mustaine didn’t indulge in any time wasting tactics, and let his music do all the talking for him.

The band had a set list that did justice to their many decades in the business, with older hits like ‘Hangar 18’, ‘Tornado of Souls’, ‘Symphony of Destruction’, ‘In my darkest hour’, and ‘Trust’, to newer singles like ‘Washington is next’, and ‘Burnt ice’. The highlight of the show was when Bangalore won Megadeth over by taking over during ‘A Tout Le Monde’. Thousands contributed to the one voice that sang the French chorus and left the actual vocalist stunned, and smiling in between the snarls.

What better way to conclude than with ‘Holy Wars’ and ‘Mechanix’, that exhausted the little energy left of the headbangers. With their trademark bow, they left. But the audience was left hungry for more, but not all wishes can be answered. Especially when conditions are made to apply by the men in khaki.

There were some drawbacks in the show as a whole, with regard to the sound and volume in particular. Thankfully, it seemed to improve as the show progressed, but it was never loud enough. Many others seem to agree with me when I say both bands didn’t have enough time on stage. But the glee of having watched Machine Head and Megadeth, in the flesh, seemed to overshadow everything else.

The day had a perfect cinematic end to it with the heavenly showers sobering everything down, apart from our spirits, of course. Finally, the city’s metal following has risen above the underground, and now, we can only hope to see more than just aging rockers.

And with hope in our hearts and excruciating pain in our necks, we retired for the day.

------
A slightly edited version of this review appeared in The Bengaluru Pages- 1st issue of April

Another review is available here-
http://www.radioindigo.fm/08arch_heads.htm

Shutterbug 2008

2008-03-30T02:01:00.000-07:00

BMS College Of Engineering in association with photographer Jayanth Sharma, brings to you Shutterbug 2008, a photography contest being organized as a part of their annual fest 'Utsav 08'

You could check out Jayanth Sharma's photography here-

www.flickr.com/photos/jayanthsharma/

DATE: 12th April

The event is open to students only.

Students are requested to carry along their id cards and are should report to the college by 10AM.

The theme and other details shall be announced at the venue.

Contest open to all kinds of camera users (DSLRs,Prosumer & Point and shoot cameras)

Registration fee: Rs. 50/-
You can register yourself by mailing them at bmsceutsav08@gmail.com

Any more questions? Contact:
Arpan:9986371023

Rock Ethos 2008- review

2008-02-15T06:16:00.000-08:00

Bangalore celebrated its first all original Indian rock and metal fest on Sunday, February 10th. It was called Rock Ethos, and it was one hell of a show!

I was there for most of it, and missed out only Motherjane because of issues with time. But more or less, I think I was there long enough to pass a decent judgment on the performers and performances.

The show began with Slain, Bangalore’s newest rage. Their music is very melodious heavy metal, and their songs have been composed in such a way that individual skill is brought out very well, what with solos one after the other. Along with seconds and real singing guitars, Slain has a very full and fleshed out sound. Their stage presence has also been getting better steadily, and these guys are surely headed for something really big in the future.

Up next was Abhinav’s band, Inner Sanctum. And I say that because he stole the show. Abhinav is the drummer, and he is very good, that, being an understatement! Frontman Gaurav Basu has real stage presence, and his growls and headbanging really kept the band alive. The others are also awesome musicians, but personally, I think they would do with some stage tips from Basu. Definitely among my current favourites though.

Whitenoiz came on after them. I may be biased, but I hate rap. And I hate the fact that their music reminded me of that, with a lot of hip-hop. Be it the frontman’s attire or attitude I’m not sure, but I really didn’t enjoy them. Went to get snacks instead.

Time for Inviktus! My favourites, for sure. They have a very Lamb of God association going, which works very well for me! By saying this, I do not mean they are a rip-off band. Their compositions are killer, and personal favourites are definitely ‘Xenophobe’ and ‘Inviktus’. Prasad is Bangalore’s best band leader in all of the city’s groups. Awesome musicians, all of them. The only disappointment was that they didn’t play ‘Memories of ice’ because of lack of time. Shouldn’t have happened.

Illuminati were on stage after that, but I was still excitedly (and hungrily) running around after Inviktus that I didn’t watch them. Also, ‘Use protection’ is really not my kind of music, so, I’m sorry.

Every band is influenced/ inspired by bigger international ones, and it’s unavoidable that a few riffs are flicked. But no other band makes it as obvious as Spitfire. Maybe with a little more work on their originals, they can do a lot better.

Extinct Reflections! Another long time favourite. Have been watching this band for a while now, and there’s no denying that they are one kickass metal act. I’d double-star them, but also sometimes feel they could do with one more guitarist for a fuller sound. They stole the show for sure. Surprise, surprise!

After the break were the bigger bands. Myndsnare began with their cover of ‘Raining blood’, moving on to original compositions. Each member may be very talented, but together, they don’t work. I think a compromise on each of their volumes should do the trick. With guitars and drums competing to outdo the other, and the music already being heavy, Myndsnare, I fear, is becoming loud.

Bhoomi made a brilliant comeback. Very melodious, and great chemistry between every person in the band. They worked like a gear wheel, with great synchronization, and were the surprise success of the night. The last time I saw them was at March Metal Mania, and boy! What an improvement!

Galeej Gurus and Threinody were disappointing. But that also may have been because we were all tired by the end of the day, and the nervousness began to set in because of the ticking clock. Didn’t pay much attention to them too.

Kryptos entered with a band, starting their set with ‘Descension’. And then I left. They would’ve been great, I know that for sure, but couldn’t stay. Sucked, but didn’t have a choice. So, I didn’t watch Motherjane also.

But all in all, on behalf of the entire music community in Bangalore, a big ‘thank you’ to Buenos Entertainment and the team behind Ethos. We desperately need shows like this, and we do need to promote original music, and it’s commendable that you guys took the first step. Looking forward to a lot more shows like this one. And a special thanks to Arpan Peter. The band boy. Good job!

For some fantastic pictures of the event, you can check this link out-
http://www.flickr.com/photos/vinayv

And for more details about the event, you could log on to-
http://www.rockethos.com/

And keep an eye open on youtube as well. Videos will be posted soon!

Iron Maiden 2008

2008-02-15T03:08:00.000-08:00

After all the “Why do you want to go?” and the “But you’ve already seen them once”, the trip to Mumbai to watch Iron Maiden finally happened!

As always, the days leading to the big one, which was first that of the departure, were filled with an impatient excitement. After a hundred lists of what to take, and revised versions, and final revised versions, and final final versions, everything was stuffed into the bags, and the goodbyes, at home and at work followed.

On Wednesday, the 30th of January, at 8 p.m., our journey began. By bus. After bugging the driver about what he should and absolutely should not play on the little television that was traveling with us, we were still subjected to some real sub-standard Bollywood.

Thanks to the music and the I-pods, the 18 hour journey wasn’t that bad after all. We reached the ‘city of dreams’ (though it looked more like a garbage ridden nightmare then) and set off to our guesthouse.

I shall conveniently skip all the information before and after the concert, because I’m sure to get carried away with little details and become boring (in case I haven’t already).

Finally, it was February 1st- the day that had been marked V.V.I.P. on the 2008 calendar. And it was not even an hour since the birth of the day when we decided to go check out the venue. So, at 1 a.m., we set off to Bandra Kurla complex, to M.M.R.D.A grounds. We were hoping the band would have their sound check at that unearthly hour. Yeah, we were obviously wrong, but the check for lighting was going on when we reached. And the five of us- Arfunn, Vinay, Mayukh, Subbu and I, stood dwarfed in front of the massive stage, with the backdrop of Eddie as ‘The Trooper’ snarling down at us.

We lurked around in that magnificence for a while, and begged to be let on stage, and a good thirty minutes later, they obliged. After all, we had traveled all the way from Bangalore to watch them for the second time.

Now I know what to say when I’m asked ‘What was your most memorable moment’. Those three minutes, of standing on the same platform that Nicko McBrain, Adrian Smith, Janick Gers, Dave Murray, Steve Harris and mister Bruce Dickinson himself would stand a few hours from then, was just BRILLIANT. I know I sound like an excited little fan, but who cares, I am one!

Lets again fast-forward all the hours that followed, the opening acts, and get on to the big one. Unfortunately, I was so excited, I didn’t look at the time at all. Iron Maiden came on stage, starting with Churchill’s speech, and then, ‘Aces High’. WOW. The sound was louder, and the feeling, as super as the first time.

The set-list was killer. All the old hits (not in the same order)- ‘Trooper’, ‘Two minutes to midnight’, ‘Revelations’, ‘Rime of the ancient mariner’, ‘Fear of the dark’, ‘Hallowed be thy name’, ‘Moonchild’, ‘Clairvoyant’, ‘Can I play with madness’, ‘Wasted years’, ‘Powerslave’, ‘Run to the hills’, ‘Number of the beast’, ‘Iron Maiden’ and lots more. It was one and a half hours of screaming energy. Of course, they had the changing backdrops and the synchronized lighting which added to the grandeur of the whole show. Bruce-man, filled with boundless enthusiasm ran from corner to corner and had India really screeeaaaming for him! My personal favourite part of the show was the stac from ‘Seventh son of the seventh son’. I had always wished fervently to see ‘Moonchild’ live, and it happened.

I’d rate the show ten on ten (wee hoo! Surprise!). And I still hope they come back, again. Rumours say they’re ending the ‘Somewhere back in time’ world tour in Bangalore, and I’d kill to make that come true!

Say what you want, but Iron Maiden will ALWAYS remain the big daddies of heavy metal. So many years, and they’re still going strong. They’re tight, and real showmen. Ah, what a band!

The excitement and emotion has overtaken me, so I’m going to skip everything else that I thought I’d say. With my permission, you may peep into my travelogue, if you’re willing to subject yourself to more unnecessary ranting.

As for me, I’m going somewhere back in time, back to February 1st, and I’m going to relive the experience all over again.

*Boards the flight of fantasy*

2008-01-25T00:55:00.000-08:00

ROCK ETHOS 2008

Featuring:

Motherjane
Kryptos
Bhoomi
Myndsnare
Inner Sanctum
Extinct Reflections
Galeej Gurus
Inviktus
Slain
Spitfire
Whitenoiz
Illuminati
Threinody

LIVE at the Palace Grounds on the 10th of February.

Free entry.

Also features a beer and food festival.

BE THERE!

It's all about the coffee!

2008-01-08T22:41:00.000-08:00

I sat in the corner of the massive food court. But mind you, the nook was no neglected one. I’d see tired faces drag themselves towards me, with the need for sustenance. I was that glimmer of hope in the far end of the branded meal market, winning everyone over with my neatly arranged tin cans.

I was the boy with the caffeine.

I was the ruler of my little foldable table, and I firmly established this by crossing my feet over them, and dangling the fading blue Hawaii chappal on my big toe. If not for my frothing hot cuppa, the industry (whichever one it was), wouldn’t function.

I’d convinced myself that this was true, till He came along.

He was the son of a coffee bean, I forced my defeated soul to believe. He’d always be around, at weird hours, if not all the time. The danger sign began to flash frantically when He snapped his fingers on our very first encounter. He knew the perfect method of going about MY task, and in less than a minute, He had ready, not coffee, but a magic potion far superior to that. Day after day, He’d usurp me with just that snap, and I’d stand beside Him, dethroned and dumbstruck, as I watched Him skillfully go about the concoction.

Since then, my job stands vulnerable, and I’m at insecurity’s peak. Every evening, my heart races faster as the dials near the 5 o’clock mark. My Hawaii chappal shakes involuntarily with the tremble of my feet.

How I wish He grows allergic to milk.

(Based on a true story. And dedicated to one of my good friends, who served as the inspiration for this piece. You know who you are!)

Rock in India

2007-12-28T04:19:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to share something that has really really excited me-wooo hooo!

3 a.m.

2007-12-28T04:15:00.000-08:00

We watched the parallel lines of smoke rise in the foreground, and diffuse into a random psychedelic confusion of nothingness. Behind it, the eyes of a stone idol, chiseled to look divine.

Silence seemed to be competing with the bursts of sob. The eerie still brought to life even a worried gulp, as we stood around the man-made Gods, blank.

Faith had fallen flat on her face somewhere along the way, and seemed reluctant to get up.

In this vacuum, of nothing being said only because there was no idea of where to start, an atmosphere of hopelessness and frustration reigned.

And the infant’s cry from the neighbouring room startled, and there was a shuffle into responsibility, throwing back all things selfish.

How much longer will you push it?

Strawberry Fields '07

2007-11-29T04:36:00.000-08:00

Time for another amateur concert review!

The wait for Strawberry Fields begins from August itself. It’s like the highlight of the year, in my not-so-happening life. I live for concerts, and after the last two kick-ass shows conducted by NLS, I was really really looking forward to go for the 11th edition of the competition.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it on the first day of the pre-finals, and missed out on a band I was dying to watch- Inviktus. I heard the story of their show later, but I really was hoping they would have made it. Yes, I’m partial to my favourites!

On the second day, I had to ride all the way to Nagarbhavi after work, and landed up there only by 6-ish. Again, I missed Pushing Tin and Inner Sanctum. Couldn’t they have waited for me! Kidding! The road trip all the way was quite useless. I watched only a couple of acts. Buzz Theory, who were finalists last year, were there again, and put up quite a weak performance, and I think they knew it. That’s not my kind of music, and didn’t make a difference to me. Didn’t dig them at the finals in 2006 either.

Some other bands came and went, and obviously they failed to make an impact because I don’t even remember their names! And oh yes! There was Abandoned Agony. People like that band, and yes, they are a tight act now compared to when they started off. But, I have personal biases for reasons I will not disclose, and I giggled throughout their performance. I think they try way too hard to be cool and Cradle of Filth-ish, and end up sounding like a bunch of pubescent kids who are fascinated with the idea of death and evil. And I have no comments about the “B is for Bangalore, B is for blood, B is for brutal.” Whatever.

I heard a lot about Stranglehold, but thanks to fun-spoilers like curfews, I had to leave to get back on the road trip home, and reached an hour and a half later, frozen and with a horrible pain in the back.

Sunday was the finals, and this was something a lot of people were looking forward to. And it had been the highlight of the year, after Sepultura of course, and I waited all morning for the afternoon to come. Thanks to Arfunn and Manaswi, my back was saved, and we went by car to the place, listening to some Bodom throughout the drive.

It was 5 when we reached, and as usual, the show was starting an hour late. The finalists were Catalyst, Easy Street, Slain, Aum and Amidst the Chaos. And of course, headliners were Lounge Piranha and Bhayanak Maut.

I’m not a musician, nor a critic, nor a combination of both, so in my limited vocabulary, I’ll say just this-
Catalyst- ok
Easy Street- pleasant, but boring after a while
Aum- the lack of clothing was NOT HAPPENING. Not cool.
Slain- tight, and brilliant
Amidst the Chaos- initially, they seemed like they would disappoint, but a couple of songs later, they were good. Real heavy stuff. I like.

It was obvious that Slain would win, and they deserved it. They’re a bunch of talented and sincere kids, and I’m sure they have a long way to go. Amidst the chaos came second, and yes, that too was well deserved. A lot of us were happiest that a Bangalore band had won this time. It has been a while since that happened!

It was time for the headliners. Lounge Piranha were on first. I’ve only watched 777, and I’ve also heard a LOT about these guys. I liked their show. They are a bunch of talented musicians, and what was impressive was the way they experimented with their sound- using a violin stick like thing on the bass guitar, and a cellphone like a slider. Very psychedelic, and real fun. They’re known for their “cover versions” and they sang some Hindi songs too. Great fun. Only one drawback- that judge fellow they brought on was pissing off. He could have been funny if his character was chalked out a little better. Overall, Lounge were enjoyable, and I’d definitely pay to watch them again.

Up next, Bhayanak Maut. They’re a great band, but something was screwed up this time around. Think it was the sound. They were wayyy too loud. Their act at Whiplash was much better. Here, I had to partly close my ears to be able to enjoy the music. Love the band, but sorry guys, I was disappointed with this show. ‘Black Label’ was okay, but ‘Blood of the Scribe’ was screwed up. Lamb of God holds too much importance to me, and I was quite sorry when I heard these versions.

But the show was fun. The slow moshing and the ‘tapang’ were entertaining. Thanks to all my friends there, it was fun.

Now the wait for the next live act begins. It’s difficult when you thrive on these concerts, because I have no clue when the next one is. And I sure hope it comes up quick!

And that’s the end of my highly profound review.

13th November, 2007

2007-11-16T22:44:00.000-08:00

Two separate rooms.
Two separate people.
Two separate conversations.

In the same house.

And the acoustics give me
a combination,
of frustrated cries
and complaints.

To separate people.
about each other.

The night echoes
as unhappiness speaks,
and helplessness listens,
holding on to both sides
in this strenuous tug-of-war.

When the two sides subside,
her grip loosens.
And she uses the scarred hands
to dig her sorrow,

by herself.

The acoustics give me
just a feeble sniff.

The night now only echoes
with the defeat of submission.

november 8th, 2007

2007-11-08T08:56:00.000-08:00

I was waiting at the bus stop today, for many painful minutes, waiting to get home.

It’s Diwali, and so, the air was filled with life, literally and otherwise.

And I went into my ‘how-things-have-changed’ mode.

But seriously, how they’ve changed.

When in school, the highlight of the entire year was this festival, and it came with new clothes, lots of good food, long holidays, and the fireworks.

And today, it was 30 minutes to the last bus available, and I wasn’t home yet.

The colour in the skies depressed me, because the frightened dogs were running around helplessly under it.

A time to meet and greet, and yet, by myself in real, when my name was being misused by those we call ‘friends’.

It’s not that I was cribbing. It was just a fact that hit me hard on the face. And I’m coping with it. At least I’m trying to.

It’s better to have never known cheer, than to have known it, and lost it. Completely.

happy diwali...

2007-11-03T21:22:00.000-07:00

This is my little campaign for Diwali. I'm trying to spread the word to the best of my ability.
Just give this a thought, for my sake...

"War for territorrryyyyyyyy!"

2007-11-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

SEEEPPPULLLTTTUUURRRRAAAAAA!!!!

Gosh! WHAT a concert!! It was bloody brilliant!

Sepultura is not one of my all time favourite metal bands, but to watch them live is a different experience all together.

Sound was awesome. Their stage presence was super energetic. It was a visual treat with those lights, making silhouettes of the long-haired headbangers. And the music- \m/ \m/ \m/

Definitely one of the best shows Bangalore has had in a while, after Maiden, of course. And I'm saying that because I like Maiden better.

And as I always say, METAL RULES!!!

------

P.S.- My article about Sepultura has been published in the third edition of 'The Bengaluru Pages'. Check it out.

Also, another article is up here, check the link-
http://www.radioindigo.fm/arch_chaos.htm

And, for a better post-concert review, please check:
http://www.radioindigo.fm/arch_sepultura.htm

Narayana Hrudayalaya

2007-10-29T04:13:00.000-07:00

Today I met a man of real greatness.

Here are some tidbits I’d like to share with you about my little rendezvous with Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty.

- More than 90% of Narayana Hrudayalaya’s semi-skilled staff is female. And why? Because they employ only women.
Earning equals empowerment. And empowered women bring up confident children in a positive environment, and not one of wife beating and abuse.
Therefore, employing women would be as good as employing a better future.

- In every hospital abroad, the operation theatres are right in the center, allowing no space for windows, which overlook the outside. In Narayana Hrudayalaya, all the O.Ts have been built along the periphery, and have large windows opening out into greenery. And this because man belongs, rightfully, to nature. Psychology too has proven that it is a boost to positive energy when man is around nature. No wonder being with animals makes one so happy!

- This fact I found fascinating. There is always music playing in every operation theatre, because of the positive soothing effect it has on both, the doctors and the patients. Listening to only the beeps and clinks of the doctor’s equipment can get extremely frustrating.
And so, the music.

- Dr. Devi Shetty used to work with Mother Teresa in Calcutta. And imagine how special he would’ve felt when she actually told him that God was preoccupied when he created those underprivileged/disabled kids, and had sent him to undo the damage. He calls himself nothing more than a technician- an instrument of God.

The visit to the hospital was truly humbling. We were taken into a ward where kids, not more than 2 days old, were admitted with wires and tubes surrounding their very existence. It made me send up an instinctive ‘Thank you’.

To all doctors- I truly admire the work you do.

And thank you too.

for babis...

2007-10-21T10:52:00.000-07:00

i spent a good two hours reading, and loving, everything that she's written.

i'm her biggest fan. to know what i'm talking about, check :

http://thesestringsofwords.blogspot.com/

my head is reeling with the images she's cooked up. whatte!

amuls, i know you'll hate me for this publicity, but...! =)

To you, with love.

2007-10-04T02:02:00.000-07:00

You-
The wrinkles near my black encircled eyes.

You-
The somersault in unnerving excitement.

You-
The clutch of safety when unstable.

You-
The helpless giggle in the rule of silence.

You-
The lyric to the once incomplete song.

You-
The sip of hot caffeine in the cold showers.

You-
The dimple in the gaunt firm cheek.

You-
The ribbon on the long awaited gift.

You-
All I dreamt of.

You-
All I vied for.

You,
Are the angelic inspiration behind love.

The Invocation

2007-10-04T01:50:00.000-07:00

She tucks the curtain of hair
back, reveals a smile.
A stream of emotions,
A fond recollection
come alive with gestures…

His fingers strike a note.

Her parted lips
suck back the sound.

Her happy memories,
Now a nostalgic tune.
The tale is now a musical,
imprinted,
with the shadow of a chord.

There is nothing
more spontaneous,
more beautiful
than the birth of a song.

Dark Side of the Tune

2007-08-16T13:53:00.000-07:00

Bangalore doesn't sway anymore. It headbangs.

Three guitars scream at each other, their players strumming frenetically. The audience is ready to break their necks, each in a different state of consciousness, all clad in I-am-bad black tee shirts. Doom and death define Gen Next’s music. Yes, metal reigns supreme. Local bands catering to this genre of music are mushrooming everywhere. But how far does this frenzy go?

Experts clarify that we teens engage with the angst, there are no rules, and kids just need an excuse to be wild. The total lack of discipline is a rage; the I-don’t-care attitude gives a great high.

Metal is louder, ‘noisier’ and much more suited to large crowds than softer music. Says Shwetha Bhaskar, part of an acoustic band, S Under the Stars, “I think why our kind of music caters to a smaller audience, is because it’s a lot more intimate. Rock is moodier than metal”.

This is evident when we see the audience for unplugged shows and live performances like the Freedom Jam or campus rock shows. KP, front man of Myndsnare, a leading metal band, observes that the audience is mostly college goers and the young working crowd from BPOs and software firms.

Also, Bangalore as a city is very active musically. Puritania, a popular group from Mysore feels that the live music scene in their city is still in its embryonic stage, with loads of talent but zero exposure. Yet, in our city, it all turns metal-centric, bemoans Oligarchy. Oligarchy is a band preferring to play original compositions and a little offbeat music but again, ”everything seems to be leaning towards heavy metal”.

Bangalore’s music scene is definitely appreciative of other genres of music, but not on a scale as large as metal. That scene is so big, that apart from being an exhibition of musical skill, these shows are a catapult to success. It is at these performances that bands are selected by corporate companies and given a chance to show their talent, the world over. Also, these live performances are the most economical means of exposing and establishing talent among fellow musicians. The bands agree: live shows make or break bands.

About the audience: is the focus shifting from the gig, to the booze and the bobbing heads? Synapse’s biggest grouse is about the “pseudo crowds” and “pseudo bands” that aim at sabotage. As Shwetha says, “There is a line between true metal music and noise”.

Among Bangalore’s youth, metal is synonymous with being ‘cool’.

Oligarchy feels “anything different from metal is a welcome change”; Mr. Gopal of the Freedom Jam Foundation emphasizes that Freedom Jam began as an event to give artists and enthusiasts the liberty to perform and listen to the music of their choice, be it Carnatic or metal.

Musicians feel that Bangalore as a music-hub is important in making young people musically aware. Well kids, today’s lesson: a growl may speak louder than words, but we’d like to hear some words too!

___________________________________

This was an article written for our lab journal 2- 3 years back, by Amulya, Chaitra and me. Just found it, and it brought back fond memories about the bandie bonding, and decided to put it up.
Please check their blogs too. Both very good writers.

http://citrasupercooler.blogspot.com/

http://thesestringsofwords.blogspot.com/

the writer's block

2007-08-16T13:45:00.000-07:00

A flicker before the light.
A test of the nib.
A rustle of whiteness.

And a scratch.

Imagination bubbles,
The paper is flattened out.

The first word,
Severed.
The next attempt,
Scored out.

The idea screams,
But the latch is unbroken.
A groan through gritted teeth,
And a tighter grasp of hair.
The blankness remains,
Frustrates,
Smirks,
And succeeds.

The idea retires.
The pen rests.
With a slight bang of fist,
Comes despair.

The joy in expression
Snatched by an unborn muse.
Disabling,
Disappointing.

Want remains,
But incapacity laughs,
Throwing the idea into his backpack.
He drags away.

A rustle of failure.
A pierce of nib.
A flicker before blackness.

ella ella ella ae ae ae ae

2007-08-15T02:34:00.000-07:00

It’s not hiccups.
It’s not a stuck record.
It’s not bulimia, nor is it indigestion.
It’s Rihanna.
And it goes by the name ‘Umbrella’.

When I first heard the song, it highly amused me that she had to experiment with sound effects like this. But the laughter evolved into an incomprehensible expression with wide eyes and a dropped jaw.
It was a super hit. It was requested for more than 23,788 times in a day. It broke records (which were earlier held by James Blunt) and suddenly, the song was all over the place. My ears were ringing with ella’s and ae’s incessantly.

My imagination has been taken over by images of putting Rihanna through a variety of torture devices.

And why should we stop at that? It is, of course, time for a remix! Let’s rope in another ‘yo’-ster and allow him to take his poetic license forgranted.
Thus, the Cinderella-Umbrella remix is born. Rihanna featuring Jay-Z and now featuring Chris Brown.

I may just embark on a blasphemous verbal trip if I continue now.

But one last word-
KILL ‘EM ALL!

the other

2007-08-13T22:34:00.000-07:00

I see her slipping away from me. Teasing me, and politely threatening me.

Sometimes I see her translucent self, playing a mocking reflection.

When we laugh together, she fills me with an anxious tremble.

When in her slumber, my crumbling years construct themselves visibly in front of me, almost like a slapping reminder of what I’m letting go.

She grips my wrist and lashes the whip. It splits, it bleeds, it numbs. And I lash again.

Seclusion just binds me in the knot.

Hear my cry. I plead before you. Release me from these overwhelming cuffs.

Lady of Sanity, let me be.

live!

2007-07-13T03:47:00.000-07:00

It started off as a trial and error. And then what-the-heck-let's-try-again.

And now we're less than 24 hours away from the competition.

Call this a publicity stunt, but please do come for Indigo Acoustic- an acoustic competition that's happening at the St. John's amphitheatre on the 14th and 15th of July. It's a platform for upcoming 'bands' and musicians, like Trial and Error.

Mr. Trial is primarily a drummer, and we can also call him a one-man-band. I'm the fatal error that's going to hit the local music scene.

God. Please save us from embarrassment.

Please be there. No, I'm not inviting you to watch me. I'm inviting you to encourage all the budding musicians and support the event, which I think is a great idea. Love Indigo for it.

See you there!

picks this week

2007-06-27T13:29:00.000-07:00

There's always so much fun in discussing and sharing music.
I've put down some songs that have slowly sneaked their way into the 'most played' category in my player. Not all of them are new. It's just that I've fallen in love with them a little late.

1. Johnny Lang- 'Red Light'

The looks of this guy almost made me close the YouTube window. I expected a whiny love song, but surprisingly, and thankfully, it wasn't. The track does have it's share of the 'ooohs' and 'yeahs', but overall, it's got a very happy feel to it. Simple chords and a nice rhythm contributes to the 'feel good' factor. The guy has apparently been around since 1995 and has even won a couple of Grammy Awards. Well.

2. Hinder- 'Lips of an Angel'
Alternative rock seems to have become 'yo' of late. This may currently be the most over-played song on radio, but good stuff. The song is about a late night phone call, when a couple who have broken up and are currently in other 'bad' relationships, realize that they still have feelings for each other. hmmm. that's so new!

3. Lamb of God- 'Walk with me in Hell'
I couldn't not include them, so I've just added a song off their latest offering, 'Sacrament'. Sheer brilliance, and nothing short of it. If you've watched the making of 'Sacrament', you'll remember how Randy was made to run around the block a couple of times, and then run into the studio, only for the microphones to be shoved into his mouth in order to get the effect of a live performance. Chris Adler is insane on the drums (as usual), and they can in no way be blamed for monotony this time! The album is on the whole worth a buy for this one track alone.

4. Skid Row- 'Quicksand Jesus'
Hair metal/ Glam metal bands aren't in my list of favourites. But this one happened to be playing in the background, and the initial guitar bit got me listening. Very melodious and decent vocals. Non-metal listeners, this one is for you guys as well!

5. Maroon 5- 'Makes me Wonder'
The group's latest offering from 'It won't be soon before long' . I love the attitude. Adam Levine says that it not only deals with 'love' but also with the war in Iraq. Now. How?!

There is a scarcity of growlers in the list. Well, don't fret my friends! They will show up soon! Tell me what you think of these songs. And, any other recommendations?

by the window...

2007-06-24T00:06:00.000-07:00

The roses. The compliments. The blushing. The scandalous secrets. The playing with fingers.

Red.

Once so happy. Once so beautiful.

Now so frivolous. I glance at the stars. He'd said sweet nothings into my ear as we sat bundled up under them. He'd be fooling someone else with the same words now.

What a hyped emotion. And what a painful one. When it shatters, it brings down the entire pyramid of needs. Lowered self esteem. Abandoned belonging.

Black.

That's all the end had turned it to. I hate the fact that I'm reeling under the effect knowing fully well that it's best left laughed at.

But the truth remains staunch. It doesn't permit me to reason.

I still am in love with him. And I hate myself for it.

I know I will not do everything in my capacity to bring him back. But to be a part of the frivolity and the happy nothingness makes me feel wanted. It makes me smile to think of someone thinking of the lonely me by this wretched window showing me the stars with their smirking faces.

And i draw the curtains.

june 2nd, 2007

2007-06-02T23:10:00.000-07:00

I went for the Aerosmith concert at Palace Grounds. Yes, I like them and all of that, but here are some things I realized when I was watching those 'bad boys from Boston' act whack on the stage a few feet away from me.

1. METAL RULES. There's no other genre of music that can ever come up to the standard of metal. Really. Call me intolerant, but honestly, even rock is weak.
Mr. Joe Perry- you suck in comparison to Adrian Smith and Alexi Laiho. You don't deserve those 500 guitars. Hope that air-guitaring ass who got the Fender Stratocaster does some justice to it.
(March 17th, 2007. Now that's what I'd call 'spectacular'. And that's when I'd put the horns up and mean it whole heartedly. Iron Maiden. Man. Now I can die satisfied. )

2. Drinking, smoking and smoking up is totally uncool. Once in a while, I guess it's ok, but to indulge in it when there are people around you who are particularly uncomfortable with the passive abuse, really. What ever happened to tolerance?

3. PDA. What do I say about that now. It's all very 'aww' when you're in love and you have your own little thing going on with your boyfriend/ girlfriend. But there's a line which has to be drawn here as well. Heard about inhibitions?

4. Girls coming for rock concerts in micro mini skirts is disgusting. We're seeing things we don't want to, let alone if you want us to. Why don't you come to a concert for the music once in a while?

5. Nimmi should have got the free pass instead of me. I still feel so bad. Will make it up to you someday girl. I promise. Maybe at the RHCP concert. =)

---------------

Someday... someday I'll see Lamb of God. I will. I have to!!!! \m/

imagine...

2007-05-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

The chair rotates on its hinges, and my toe traces circular designs on the tiled floor. Now and then I hear a silent scrape of an overgrown nail on the squeaky mosaic, not necessarily in rhythm with the faint ticking of the instrument in the far corner of the room, indicating two minutes past the new day.

The world is shrouded in sleep, and the outside, in blackness. But my eyelids wrinkle as I shut them tighter, and my shoulder rises to help the ear bar the sound. The sound, not from an outside source, but the sound inside my head.

It's a battlefield in there. I hear voices- mine own and not, and thoughts, inaudible and yet, noisy. The chaos grows with the passing day, only to be fueled by what would have otherwise been a serene moment of peace. Physical activity may distract, I presumed, and indulged in variants of the same. But all it resulted in was a gentle drowning of the nib in a puddle of ink, or a muting of the throbbing speaker. Sometimes a sprint would also involuntarily dampen to a stroll, ignorant of the hurry in the real world.

Imagination needs ignition with intellect. But not in this particular case. My mind needs no inspiration to set the wheels in motion. A conversation, a comment, an image, a word, a motion, even if it's from the past, fuels up the factory inside. Nothing is taken at face value. Everything is processed, revamped and produced in a not-so-attractive package.

A war wages in my mind for the simplest of reasons. I wouldn't mind subjecting myself to this unrest if the outcome was in my favour. But it never is. And the white flag weakly flutters in the midst of a bloodied strife, and falls unnoticed. The enemy rips my dreams apart, laughs at my enthusiasm, mocks my passion and grinds my knuckles with the thick soles each time I reach for a higher rung.

This enemy is me. It is my conjuration of an incapable self, born from a grovelling self esteem. What hurled me into the trench, I don't know. But smirks and scowls only made me dig deeper.

Outside the moat, there are friends, fun, family and faint calls to rise. And down under, I grope in the darkness for the ladder of reason to aid my escape.

marooned

2007-05-26T00:06:00.000-07:00

Just four letters.
Engraved.
Sprawled out.
Diminishing.
The sand swallows itself,
the wind washes it away.

He stands rooted,
looking up at the darkening sky,
feeling the engulfing sea grab his feet.

The howling trees,
and the deafening claps
compose his requiem.

hello!

2007-05-16T11:14:00.000-07:00

finally, after a lot of persuasion, i started this blog page.
don't know what the hell i am doing here, in the midst of so many writers, but let me just snoop around for a while.
....
don't know what else to say.