Ambitransitive Ravings…

Hear ye, hear ye, O’ self proclaimed “real people”

Hear ye, Hear all, the wretched screech of thy self righteous bugle

Drumming chests, stomping feet, 

Imploring subconsciously, with a facade of command, 

Prevaricating, credulous to percieved truth, 

With abhorrence for reality, 

Cadaverous yet alive, 

Hear ye, hear ye, O twisted “real people”, 

Have you seen what you’ve become, for your twisted scruples?

This desire is ravenous, encompassing, consuming…

the desire to achive a catharsis, failing, falling..

For the thirst gnawing inside, 

Penultimate quest of superiority, 

Destination……obliteration?

Maybe there’s something intellectual about it after all…

I’m wondering now, really wondering, what’s the point in all this? I mean who cares about what anyone does anyway. But then, you do come across those who consider themselves“Nietzsches” in their self created idiosyncratic universe. Is this artificial epiphany a boost or a sycophant parasitism? Is it strong enough to create this gaping hole of insecurity and inept certitude of superficiality insofar? Maybe there’s something intellectual about it, maybe it makes sense to those few aficionados of that reticent unfathomable abysm that life has become for them, who aim to achieve a remarkable distinction in their existence, which in itself is a contesseration of homogeneous oddities, while they unwittingly head towards being a part of the abnormal regularity of life. Indelible and sacrosanct is what such thinking seems to these individuals. Strange is the sanctimonious inviolability of such self proclaimed incarnations of “twisted reality”. Well, I still don’t give a fuck. Does occasionally make me wonder though…..

Indian Rock

Maybe its that certain swagger when he walks, with loose fitting jeans/cargos that redefine “low waist”, a hint of a tattoo, an ear, an eyebrow or the chin pierced, with the trademark goatee and accessories to compliment all these features. He would rather worship Satan than listen to Himesh or groove to the likes of Anu Malik. There, I might just have described your regular, next door underground rock fan. Most of them usually wear their favorite bands across their chest or over their shoulders. This person is a product of a movement started almost three decades ago by pioneers of a genre that has now come to be known as “Indian rock”. A movement started by the likes of great musicians like Colorblind, Indus Creed (Formerly known as Rock Machine and now metamorphosed into Alms for Shanti), Parikrama (read defunct band that still covers AC/DC and Pink Floyd and complains why original music isn’t being appreciated), etc. and carried it on to convert it into a gargantuan wave of frenzy by the likes of bands like Pentagram, Orange Street, Acquired Funk Syndrome, Friday the thirteenth etc.

An average underground rock concert in a pub in Mumbai, Delhi or Bangalore would comprise of say a 150 strong crowd, all moving to the groove created by a funky bass-line or to a general alternative sound, moshing with each other to the fury of nu-metal, or just insanely head-banging to the sharp and heavy metal riffs with blatant disregard for their neck joints, whatever the case maybe, it’s the unison, the faith, the quality of audience (both critics and non-critics involved) and a hope against hope that plays a major role in creating the motivation for these 150 people here.

When Indus Creed came out with three “all original“ albums Rock ‘N ‘ Roll Renegade (CBS) (1988), The Second Coming (Magnasound) (1990), Indus Creed (BMG-Crescendo) (1995), it broke the concept of being a cover band, which most of the upcoming bands in India were concentrating on at that time. Most Indian bands kept playing cover influenced sets with less original compositions to offer to the Indian audience till as late as 2001. The appearance of Indus Creed’s video on MTV of the song “Trapped” only strengthened the potential of Indian Rock Underground to surface as a mainstream industry. The band Colorblind also came up with an all original album in the year 1997-98 which motivated many youngsters to come out with their instruments and start composing. In early 90s a certain individual called Farhad Wadia started what is now known as Independence Rock, in 1996 Rock Street Journal, one of the most read rock based magazines in India, started an all India rock band competition called the Great Indian Rock. Almost 300 bands send in their recordings to both Independence Rock and Great Indian Rock each, only for that once chance to play in front of a ten-thousand strong crowd, the screaming fans, news reporters, media channels, the crowd singing their own songs and mouthing the words while they sing to them, a feeling that can best be described as a musical orgasm, a chance for which they practice every day of the year after school or college or work. Off late there has been another endeavor by DNA Networks in this direction called the Campus Rock Idols, which gives a chance to all college bands to compete each other on a country wide level. The winner gets to share stage with an international band. A few examples are Delhi based “Prestorika” opening for The Rasmus, “The Superfuzz” opening for Bryan Adams.

 

Some examples of Indian Bands getting international exposure would be “Pentagram” and “Orange Street” becoming regulars at electronica festivals like Glastonbury, and “Parikrama” sharing stage with metal gods Iron Maiden, things are surely looking up for the Indian Rock circuit. There are 20 albums released by Indian Rock Groups every year on an average. Mumbai based band “Zero” sold 10000 copies of their first album “Hook” and their single “PSP 12” is already a huge hit amongst Indian fans.

 

With more bands coming up with all original albums (Anu Malik should take a cue here) and more and more shows and competitions happening all over the country which help them rub shoulders with international artistes, the Indian Rock scene is definitely looking up, and it won’t be a surprise when we might just give Himesh a run for his money, its just like what John Keats once said “If it is winter now, can spring be far behind?”