....can bring over a sense of ennui that is hard to shake off. Too much happening all around me, in any case, to put it down in an organised set of thoughts and then through a keyboard to a screen.
I will hopefully become a dad this week. Pujo is around the corner. It has been a long time since I felt this much loved. In October, FLI heads to the Eastwind Festival 2009 again, and we just got confirmed for Autumn Festival in Shillong. There's a new house to take care of. Too many good things? You never know. I have never given up the cynicism, not completely.
And as always, I wish Maa was around.
Monday, September 21, 2009
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Gigs and then some
FLI plays a gig tomorrow. It's going to be our first two-hour concert.
On Monday, the three of us — Allan, Neel and me — head to Nagaland, the rains and the flu notwithstanding. We will also head towards Shillong and hopefully get to jam a bit. I will also meet up with Simon and Rumki, and little Joshua.
I'm gonna be a dad next month.
It's too much to imagine.
Did I deserve this life? I don't really know.
On Monday, the three of us — Allan, Neel and me — head to Nagaland, the rains and the flu notwithstanding. We will also head towards Shillong and hopefully get to jam a bit. I will also meet up with Simon and Rumki, and little Joshua.
I'm gonna be a dad next month.
It's too much to imagine.
Did I deserve this life? I don't really know.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Recordings and twin lives
Over the past two weeks, FLI has been busy rearranging and recording at home. Wholly lo-fi; with just about two condensers, an SM-58 for the kick and a 57 for the snare. Along with a large diaphragm ambient mic. My whole kit, except the hi-hat stand, invaded Neel's bedroom. Of course, Audrey left to sleep at the other house!
The takes were primarily done all through the night, and considering the songs in question, even playing a full-on kit was surprisingly low on overall volume. But what was even more surprising was how this deal came out; it sounds way much warmer than any studio drums I have laid. Work is still in progress.
Right after EKRR I, or rather at the time of it all, Allan and me were constantly getting back to one question: when do we do this band full-time? In the weeks that passed since, keeping my day job and also playing with Span — and consequently turning up late for Span practice in the evenings — has been a bit of a bother, and on one occasion, quite a piss-off. But it's all good. As long as you play, they say.
The takes were primarily done all through the night, and considering the songs in question, even playing a full-on kit was surprisingly low on overall volume. But what was even more surprising was how this deal came out; it sounds way much warmer than any studio drums I have laid. Work is still in progress.
Right after EKRR I, or rather at the time of it all, Allan and me were constantly getting back to one question: when do we do this band full-time? In the weeks that passed since, keeping my day job and also playing with Span — and consequently turning up late for Span practice in the evenings — has been a bit of a bother, and on one occasion, quite a piss-off. But it's all good. As long as you play, they say.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
"...This could be messy
But you don't seem to mind
Now don't go telling everybody
And overlook this supposed crime
We'll fast forward to a few years later
And no one knows except the both of us
And I have honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this..."
do you ever feel this way? well, i can never tell, but sometimes, it gets a little rough. especially when I listen to this tune, or am on my way to work just after arranging a mellowed-down "relationship" song with the band. it doesn't scare me, but it does leave me with a sense of loneliness and despair that's not exactly easy to drive through on a scorching summer day.
But you don't seem to mind
Now don't go telling everybody
And overlook this supposed crime
We'll fast forward to a few years later
And no one knows except the both of us
And I have honored your request for silence
And you've washed your hands clean of this..."
do you ever feel this way? well, i can never tell, but sometimes, it gets a little rough. especially when I listen to this tune, or am on my way to work just after arranging a mellowed-down "relationship" song with the band. it doesn't scare me, but it does leave me with a sense of loneliness and despair that's not exactly easy to drive through on a scorching summer day.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
The passing of a poet
The passing of an artist is always a sad occasion. I've been disturbed these past two days, learning about the untimely death of LeRoi Moore, one of the founding members of the Dave Matthews Band and a saxophone master of our generation. He was an artist,yes; but in his music, on his instrument, he was a poet writing out immaculate verse. Strange things, as they say, happen to good people. And LeRoi was a good man. It showed in his music.
His lines are embedded in my memory. I have been listening to the band's back catalogue and all the bootleg tapes that I had rabidly collected in my university years. LeRoi, along with drummer Carter Beauford and violinist Boyd Tinsley, firmly held up the jazz end of the jam sensations. It's a little ironic that the song that plays over and over again at this point is a LeRoi showpiece called Lie In Our Graves. He was only 46.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Monday, June 09, 2008
23.02.08
Eastwind Festival , February '08.
[We played Day 2 and had a blast, going on after Blend from Delhi and being followed by Bangalore metal maniacs Myndsnare. The stay was too short (blame my work) and we couldn't catch Avial. What we did catch was Pentagram and crazy dancing ensued, yet again.]
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Well, long weekends are finally over and here I am at work on a tuesday afternoon ; blogging because. Just found a great blog http://stratoblogster.blogspot.com/
I am not a guitar player, but I still love reading up about a bluesman's axe. Probably more so this week as I borrowed a few of Allan's John Mayer DVDs (no reference to the "bluesman" part ; always tread with caution, I have learned) and given that I Can't Stop Myself (From Lovin' You) is in constant rotation on my inward radio station.
If I do have the dough one day, I will spend it on some vintage drums and cymbals. Have a nice palette, so to speak. Warm tones. Not necessarily jazz-tinged, but warm, nonetheless.
I am not a guitar player, but I still love reading up about a bluesman's axe. Probably more so this week as I borrowed a few of Allan's John Mayer DVDs (no reference to the "bluesman" part ; always tread with caution, I have learned) and given that I Can't Stop Myself (From Lovin' You) is in constant rotation on my inward radio station.
If I do have the dough one day, I will spend it on some vintage drums and cymbals. Have a nice palette, so to speak. Warm tones. Not necessarily jazz-tinged, but warm, nonetheless.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Return
Back in school, my best friend and me spent hours listening to music. While he always loved pop and had a great music system, which’d play everything from George Michael to the Pet Shop Boys to A-Ha, I was always interested in music that had 'real' drums — The Police, for one (even at that point of time, I liked a resonant, 'real' drum sound over the flat, reverb-fed 80s glam sound).
It wasn't until a year later that I actually mustered enough courage to tell my father that I was gonna spend Sunday mornings at "drum class", under this guy who was playing with a local rock band called Fahrenheit. They nailed a very cool (or it seemed at least at that point of time) version of Eat The Rich, and I was very impressed.
In any case, after that fateful first sitting, my Sundays weren't ever the same again.
I loved walking to the class, in Mandeville Gardens, from my Dover Lane residence. At 14, I was pretty sure that I'm gonna be playing drums for the rest of my life. There was a curious pity at my mates watching Mahabharata; I liked to imagine, as always, that I was gaining entry into this strange and mysterious world of rhythms, melodies and harmonies which fellow-mortals my age weren't even aware of. At least the non-musical ones at that.
The following year, just passing my Class X boards, I walked into Kochuda's (http://theorientexpress.tripod.com/) class. That was another big event as far as my drumming life goes.
It wasn't until a year later that I actually mustered enough courage to tell my father that I was gonna spend Sunday mornings at "drum class", under this guy who was playing with a local rock band called Fahrenheit. They nailed a very cool (or it seemed at least at that point of time) version of Eat The Rich, and I was very impressed.
In any case, after that fateful first sitting, my Sundays weren't ever the same again.
I loved walking to the class, in Mandeville Gardens, from my Dover Lane residence. At 14, I was pretty sure that I'm gonna be playing drums for the rest of my life. There was a curious pity at my mates watching Mahabharata; I liked to imagine, as always, that I was gaining entry into this strange and mysterious world of rhythms, melodies and harmonies which fellow-mortals my age weren't even aware of. At least the non-musical ones at that.
The following year, just passing my Class X boards, I walked into Kochuda's (http://theorientexpress.tripod.com/) class. That was another big event as far as my drumming life goes.
'Em drummers
I just came across the Kumu Handmade Drums website (http://kumu.fi ). Beautiful drums, aren't they?
In the history section of the site, founder-owner Pekka Helanen talks of his childhood and how he started out playing drums. It gave me enough inspiration to take a peek back into mine and just blog about some serious fun we had, back in the last century.
I started getting interested in the drumset as an instrument at the age of 12 or 13 — relatively old in comparison to prodigies like Eloy Casagrande. Back in school, me and my best friend would spend hours listening to music.
I didn't have my own drumkit till I was about 21 years old. I started playing friom age 16. I have played in two semi-pro bands through college, for all three years, on someone else's drumkits. Yeah, that makes me a strong contender for WFPD ('World's Funkiest Pillow Drummer').
As a kid — why, even when I was about 16, I used to hang bedsheets and towels from the bed posts to act as 'cymbals' and had multiple cushions stacked up to act as 'hi-hats'.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Been some time I sat back and listened to my favourite Sting albums. Last week, my friend Neel gave me a movie/concert DVD I have been looking for all my life: Bring On The Night.
Till now, I have only been able to catch glimpses; on vague Transtel late-night transmissions in the pre-cable days, on TB5; on YouTube in more recent times but only as single tracks in performance.
The movie brings together Sting with some of the cutting-edge performers in mid-80s American jazz — Branford Marsalis, Omar Hakim, Kenny Kirkland and Darryl Jones. The subsequent interplay of exchanges — often musical, largely humourous — are missed if you don't see the entire film at length. As Sting puts it at the beginning at a press conference on the Eiffel Tower (talk about being a rock star), this movie documented the "birth of a band", unlike Quadrophenia or Let It Be.
I love I Burn For You. It's probably my favourite Sting song. Well, if there can be one; I keep on posting new lists from week to week on the Orkut forums, as all of the members know. Anyway..back to ...Burn. Why do I love it? Let's just say that's personal.
No, seriously... The words, for one. Branford's lines, for two. And the groove — the water-like, shimmering 6/8 that Omar played on the Brimstone and Treacle soundtrack, not to mention the brilliant live solo. Omar's groove is just oe solid He breaks down the groove, accents the1s, finds 16th note accents within the structure quite like the Weather Report alumnus that he was at that time.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Maa
It's Pujo. The smell of chhatim and shiuli everywhere. Pandals being erected on every street, people crowding malls, shopping frenzy, a smile on everyone's face. New beginnings. Four days of festivities, pandal-hopping, catching up with friends and family.
My Maa isn't here this time.
My Maa always used to be sad during Pujo, saying both us brothers do not pay any attention to her Pujo; to drive her around the city, to take her to grandma, to spend time, have phuchka, spot a wonderful new puja. My father had no time either; cards and old mates from school would ensure that he came back home at late hours and was sufficiently drunk not to engage in conversation.
Maa, instead, was busy organising plays for the kids in the apartment, attending apparently meaningless Pujo meetings, doing the meet-and-greet with random strangers, inviting everyone over to the house for a hearty meal. Just to provide a semblance of happiness and fullness in a house that the three of us used merely as a crash pad. But she was happy with just that little. "Amar chhelera khub byasto," she'd say with a smile. A sad smile, but no one else but she — and maybe me and bhai — knew.
Last year, for the first time in my life, I took Maa out on a shopping spree. I was proud to be able to organise all that — the cash, a bit of comfort, and clothes that she flaunted like a queen. "Dodo diyeche," she said. I had never been so proud in my life. I also never realised till that time how proud I could make her feel, even at that stage when I was jobless and when everyone else basically gave up on me. Maa, on the other hand, had unflinching faith in me and my brother, always telling us how 'everything's going to be alright'.
My brother just cut a recording deal with HMV; his band the first original rock band in India to do so. I have a stable job and a band that will debut at one of the biggest rock festivals in the country, come December.
But how am I going to run through this Pujo without crying, like I am now?
My Maa isn't here this time.
My Maa always used to be sad during Pujo, saying both us brothers do not pay any attention to her Pujo; to drive her around the city, to take her to grandma, to spend time, have phuchka, spot a wonderful new puja. My father had no time either; cards and old mates from school would ensure that he came back home at late hours and was sufficiently drunk not to engage in conversation.
Maa, instead, was busy organising plays for the kids in the apartment, attending apparently meaningless Pujo meetings, doing the meet-and-greet with random strangers, inviting everyone over to the house for a hearty meal. Just to provide a semblance of happiness and fullness in a house that the three of us used merely as a crash pad. But she was happy with just that little. "Amar chhelera khub byasto," she'd say with a smile. A sad smile, but no one else but she — and maybe me and bhai — knew.
Last year, for the first time in my life, I took Maa out on a shopping spree. I was proud to be able to organise all that — the cash, a bit of comfort, and clothes that she flaunted like a queen. "Dodo diyeche," she said. I had never been so proud in my life. I also never realised till that time how proud I could make her feel, even at that stage when I was jobless and when everyone else basically gave up on me. Maa, on the other hand, had unflinching faith in me and my brother, always telling us how 'everything's going to be alright'.
My brother just cut a recording deal with HMV; his band the first original rock band in India to do so. I have a stable job and a band that will debut at one of the biggest rock festivals in the country, come December.
But how am I going to run through this Pujo without crying, like I am now?
Sunday, September 23, 2007
TT 25TH anniversary party gig at Venom, Sep. 14.
I'm not sure why the man in the blue shirt a.k.a Neel (who also happens to be the frontman for Span and FLI) is screaming back at me. If I guess it right, this is a glimpse off us covering the Stevie Wonder classic Superstitious. I do play some loud-ass drums on that song, for no particular reason. It just helps the feel.
It was a nice gig, with my colleague chipping in to deliver lively renditions of Mercedes-Benz and Let It Be and What's Up.
PS: The lady in the ochre top is usually always the resident live video-recorder at my concerts. No points for guessing who she is. Unfortunately, the video to this gig was erased by accident, resulting in a lot of drama the morning after. But that's another story.
Friday, August 31, 2007
FLI news
We worked on two new songs — one written by Allan, and the other, quite unexpectedly, yet another new song from Neel.
In the second rehearsals after a break of two weeks, we did Allan's song in one single, fluid take, pat down (like Screaming at the Sun).
Probably we all needed this time off. Especially me.
Everyday (that's the working title) is a gem of a song, and with the harmonies interweaving, it looks radio-ready. Some melody, that.
The other song was built on a broken, and — a-ha — very aggressive riff that Neel came up with and Allan smoothened out. It's aggressive, trust me. This band doesn't have any problems fusing aggression with hooks, which is always a good thing. Add a killer chorus chant, and we're done.
I'm happy. Purely musically speaking, I am really really honoured to play with these guys.
Oh..the link to our song: myspace.com/fivelittleindians
Feel free to comment; here or on the myspace page. Cheers.
In the second rehearsals after a break of two weeks, we did Allan's song in one single, fluid take, pat down (like Screaming at the Sun).
Probably we all needed this time off. Especially me.
Everyday (that's the working title) is a gem of a song, and with the harmonies interweaving, it looks radio-ready. Some melody, that.
The other song was built on a broken, and — a-ha — very aggressive riff that Neel came up with and Allan smoothened out. It's aggressive, trust me. This band doesn't have any problems fusing aggression with hooks, which is always a good thing. Add a killer chorus chant, and we're done.
I'm happy. Purely musically speaking, I am really really honoured to play with these guys.
Oh..the link to our song: myspace.com/fivelittleindians
Feel free to comment; here or on the myspace page. Cheers.
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