Vol 03 Issue 05 December 2010
ISSN 0974 – 9128 ` 50/- (INR)
The First Indian Pan - Genre Music Magazine
SHAAN On the independent music scene, mediocrity & wardrobe malfunctions!
GREG HOWE Inspiration via String Theory
GREAT INDIAN OCTOBERFEST Karsh Kale, MIDIval Punditz, De Profundis, Mohit Chauhan Need we say more?
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the Director’s cut. Editor-in-Chief Nikila Srinivasan Asscociate Editor Shirin Albert Creatives Director George Vedamanickam Strategy and Planning Ajay Prabhakar Operations and Marketing Pragash VM Production Fayaz Mohammed Creative Co-ordinator Paul George Vedanayagam Content Co-ordinator Sujata Shanmugam Content Advisor Solomon Porres Siddharth Vipin Photography S Srirama Santhosh Ravikiran Vissa Pretika Menon Suhasini Jayaram Paul George Vedanayagam Yuvaraj Vivek Siddharth Sumitran Illustrations and Creatives Francis Xavier Marketing and PR Tara Rachel Thomas Intern Abhinav Krishnaswamy
“The Score Magazine” is wholly owned and published by
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hese last two years, we have gone though enormous changes in terms of thought, form and structure. We are finally excited to tell all our readers the path The Score Magazine has set itself on for the next 2 years! These last 20 years, the music industry has gone through constant evolutions. In the early 90’s we had a whole bubbling economy around music, and there were many music and media companies that were doing their bits in being a platform for them. However, it is lamentable that the scenario today has vastly changed. Television channels that represented the aspiration for music in India are turning into reality show exclusives, not all of which nurture talent, and have relegated themselves to playing Bollywood item numbers. The Score Magazine is not an end in itself. We want to launch a revolution for music in India. We want to transform ourselves into a formidable and respectable music and media brand. We want to pioneer the marketing of music in India and so much more. The revolution is not going to be easy and we hope to do it with our work and our words. As Director of the magazine, I wanted to take this opportunity to reach out to the readers and let you all know of the vision we have set for ourselves for the years to come. We hope you will stay with us through this exciting journey! On behalf of my entire team, thank you for your patronage and support. We will be back, bigger and better. Have a great 2011! Ajay Prabhakar Director, The Score Magazine.
AJAY Prabhakar Director, The Score Magazine.
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SHAAN CALLING “Money by companies is being thrown at absolute mediocre talent and creating monsters out of them.”
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14 OCTOBERFEST 2010 Karsh Kale, De profundis, Mohit Chauhan, DJ Aqueel. What are you waiting for? Turn those pages
22 SHRED-TACULAR! Guitar exponent Greg Howe has arrived. And Howe!
24 POLYSTRINGS ATTACHED He’s lived life as a gypsy and worked in a graveyard! Introducing Poly Verghese.
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28 MONSTER MANIA After a long period of hibernation, the madness returns!
32 RAGHAV The poster boy of east meets west is back with his new hit album. His formula: Good looks + cool sound = Ka Ching!
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36 FUNKY POETRY The duo who take Indie to the next level. A sneak preview of their latest album ‘Mantis’.
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December 2010
“
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“At the end of the day, it’s belief in the artist to deliver; to maintain standards, to not disappoint and to stay focused. Artists need to be proactive. Music companies no longer back the artists, atleast in India.”
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Photography: R. Pratima Reddy
Stylist: Marvin D’souza
Assistant: Himansu Anizwal
Shirin Albert | shirin@highonscore.com
THE UNCROWNED KING OF POP
Rule one: Shaan is somebody you have a conversation with; not an interview. Meeting him was surreal but on hearing him out, I realized how strongly he felt about his work. Up close and personal with the multi-faceted artist who clearly doesn’t always get his due.
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ur journey to meet him was a long one. Me and my photographer packed our bags and headed to good old Bangalore, barely able to contain our excitement. On reaching the venue, we knew we had a ditch to cross. As soon as Shaan entered the hall, reporters swarmed around him yet he obliged to most of their wishes. Luckily, I did get to meet him and reschedule our interview. At the concert, sporting a leather jacket and white T, he insisted that the youngsters be allowed to approach the pit and dance. He was also very concerned about the kids not standing too near to the systems. His voice was still magical, his demeanor still charming and he couldn’t stop thanking people for all the love and support. He was a “rockstar” in every true sense of the term that night. On that note, I begin my observation of the man I had the pleasure to talk to.
End of an Era
Shaan wasn’t born in a lap of luxury and he has no qualms in admitting it. With his father, the late music director Mana Mukherjee, music was an everyday affair. “It was wonderful. He would sing riyas every morning. My house was special to a lot of people. Guests included everybody like Pankaj Hazarji, Abhijitda and even Kavithaji who was his pupil.” He fondly remembers the admiration and respect his father drew from his peers and friends. “When he passed away, I was only 13 and I had to take a lot of jobs. It was a sad situation but I didn’t lose out.” It was his sister, singer Sagarika, who cajoled him to take up singing as a profession. “I never thought of myself as a singer; no creative belief. I thought I would end up taking sports or a regular job.” Offers for jingles poured in in due time but that didn’t convince him to make it a career. “As a singer, money was coming in easily and they treated me well. I decided to do concerts but my life was pretty unorganized.” It was only seven years ago when he met his guru that he started taking lessons. “When people started taking me seriously, I had to be serious.”
Dirty Business
It is not a secret that the present music industry’s standard is abysmal. “Music companies call the shots now. They kill genuine artists. We need to find a way to be really ‘independent’ of them.” With regard to box office success rather than production of quality albums, he adds, “There is a lot of pressure to deliver that you cannot think straight. The objective of creating something melodious or relatable is just lost. It’s more about catchy phrases and simplifying things.” The latter half of the deal is the hype or hysteria created in promotions – big names, labels and endorsements. “It’s quite hilarious when people call and ask me to put them across to my PR. PR? Who
and why? Speak to me. I am my own PR!” he laughs. He hopes in time, people in India will pay for creativity. Another reason perhaps why most start-ups fail – the lack of faith. Ten years ago, the industry was flooded with Indian bands and artists and there was a mass following. How did that change? “Music channels realized that over time videos lacked substance. People who wanted to become famous the quick way, backed by rich businessmen, made videos that were dauntingly raunchier by the day.” Reality shows were a breath of fresh air but is now a rampant disease on most channels. “Money is being thrown at mediocre talent and creating monsters out of them. There are so many fake people now who think they know better and there is no room for improvement. It’s all quite pathetic.” “I think I get a lot of undeserved attention these days but it’s still nice when people love my voice now more than ever. I think an ordinary voice like mine sounds different. Today, you can’t make out whether it is a girl or boy singing! That is just the truth!” I found this quite hilarious. Shaan still insists on singing, even if the company is not recognized, as long as the music is good. “I have to sing with my whole heart in front of the mic everyday. Otherwise, it is tiring and disappointing. The music these days give me a headache. It’s pure rubbish.”
The Family And I
Shaan and Radhika have been married for nearly a decade. He admits that getting married was probably the craziest thing he ever did but was his best move too. His sons Soham, age 8, and Shubh, 5, make him proud everyday. When asked whether he still thinks of his father, the answer is instantaneous. “My beliefs and ideologies are based on how he led his life. I have to be socially responsible and think of the bigger picture. Respect is way more important than money.”
The Road Ahead
Shaan is presently working on an album which includes his own compositions. He is also waiting for the right time to strategize since there is no good promotional vehicle available these days. As far as changing the scenario himself, he did not seem adamant. “I don’t want to be a martyr to a losing battle.” According to him, a moral code and self-respect is what matters at the end of the day and he hopes to make a mark. I am convinced that people would ultimately look up to him for that and that would be his legacy - the artist who had standards, who cared, who loved his music, a great father and a kind human being.
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December 2010 Scoring with Shaan SHAAN IN A JIST His favourite indulgence is talking and he is quite a decent listener. A social person who loves to strike a conversation with anybody he meets. Ironically, he is hydrophobic and claims that if he cannot feel his feet on the ground, he gets paralyzed. FITNESS REGIME My trainer talked me into creating a gym at home. He comes home everyday and we have breakfast together. All credit goes to him. I am not obsessed but I like that I am fitter than ever before. MISHAPS Earlier in my career, when I was starting off, I wore this really heavy metal belt. For some reason, my pants fell off while I was performing. Anyway, I continued. Not pantless though! A mishap always turns into a good opportunity to do something spontaneous. It’s fun and it throws challenges at you and things turn out better. Recently, it started raining during a show at Raipur and I sang without the band and everybody loved it. HIS LOVE FOR INDIA I love it’s madness and it’s warmth. We are able to look at the simple, basic aspects of life without worrying about infrastructure and getting confused with high technology. We have a better human interaction here than abroad. STYLE MANTRA I think I have a bit of taste when it come to clothes. I always put something decent together even when I am stressing out. Most of the time, I am casual but would never plan on wearing anything hideous. Even if it isn’t casual, it’s not over-the-top.
I was the only Indian artist with Virgin Records who was comfortable singing in English. I sang with Mel C, Blue and MLT R. I had to sing ‘Give peace a chance’ for a John Lennon tribute album too. I would love to have stories of how I met them at a bar over a drink by accident like in the movies. But sadly, everything was done over the phone and things were sent viz the internet.
Advice to Young artists http://www.highonscore.com
“Now playback singing has gone out the window and there is no point in working towards it. It is a lost cause. Start writing your own material. Execution is important today, not the voice. You cannot wait around for offers. Today with gadgets and equipments, anybody can record music. Now you have the latest technology to edit the ‘editable portions’ of a voice. You will stand out if you are vocally proficient. Earlier, a singer’s voice had to be charming and appealing but now you can get away with a so-called ‘rustic’, ‘unconventional’ sound. Create your fanbase using social networks if you must.
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Photography: Paul George Vedanayagam
ON INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATIONS
DID YOU KNOW? Shaan invited a fan of his from Twitter to the Bangalore show along with her family and dedicated a song for her. He even called her up on stage!
December 2010
NERINA ON TOP THREE RECOMENDATIONS Sophia (Fires)
“I’m really proud of that song; people relate to it the most. It’s always the one that fans mention when they come up to me.” Take one listen and you willll be hooked to Pallot’s pipes for life. FYI : this is a song by a female artist about a man, that actually isn’t spiteful. Everybody’s Gone to War (Fires)
“I’m really happy about it. I wanted to write something meaningful but not too poppy.” If love is a drug then I guess we’re all sober – you have got to love the lyrics on this catchy track where Nerina goes alternative. My Last Tango (Dear Frustrated Superstar)
http://www.highonscore.com
“This one’s from my first album. I really loved writing & recording it.” Nerina’s vocals sit achingly beautiful on this breathtaking piano ballad.
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Sandhya R | sandhya@highonscore.com
N THE RISE
An Ivor Novello & BRIT award nominated artist, an avid Gooner and very recently, a mum – Say hello to Nerina Pallot!
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eally, it is the mellow songs that are hard to cinch. There is a world of possibility for things to go wrong - sounding trite, going loopy, too languid or worst of all, unable to communicate. So when a really good soulful number comes by, it is as refreshing as ice-cold lemonade on a hot summer’s day. Take a listen to her single, “Sophia”, and you may feel my metaphor does not do justice to the revelation that is Nerina Pallot (pronounced “ow” as in “Harlow”) – a delightful treat from the UK whose rendition of piano ballads and acoustic melodies reassure you that music still is pure.
Nerina’s new album is almost done and should be out next spring. I ask her what it is going to be called because word is that it is either Better Than Porn or Year of The Wolf. She laughs it off saying, “Better Than Porn was just a working title! A fan of mine said ‘your music is better than porn and I was like ‘whaaaat’? Guess I should take that as a compliment!” And quite fittingly, Wolf refers to little Wolfgang Amadeus Chatterley, Pallot & Chatterley’s finest song, as she states on Twitter.
Music as a career has taken its own pace for the 35 year old half Indian (her mum’s from Allahabad) and half English-French songstress who released her debut, Dear Frustrated Superstar, way back in 2001 followed by Fires in 2005 (on her own independent label, Idaho) and her third foray, The Graduate, was well received in 2009. It was a big year also because she graduated to songwriting for other artists, making generous contributions to the works of Kylie Minogue & Diana Vickers.
Facebook – Awwwwwwwwww I dunno; I don’t like it! I’m a big fan of twitter – it’s shorter, I can tweet more people directly and more quickly!
According to Pallot, the worst part of the music business is the risk.”You never know how things will go but just have to give your best shot always.” The best part? “I get to do something I really love! And it’s not like a real job!” And she has had her share of those. To finance her dreams, she took up many jobs in the past which include bank employee, nanny, waitress and for a short while, she even worked in a record company.
Arsenal Player (she roots for Arsenal)– At the moment, André Arshavin, he’s Russian!
Nerina says she always knew that music was her calling as early as the age of four. She studied music in college for a bit before making her way to London to develop contacts and chalk out a music career. She is a pianist and also plays the guitar. Growing up, she idolized Michael Jackson and cites Kate Bush, George Michael & Prince among her favourites. “I love Lady Gaga! Is she big in India?” she asks. Today, there are not too many really big stars like Madonna & Prince – they’re commercial but artistic as well; so few like that these days.” Interestingly, Pallot’s hubby, Andy Chatterley, happens to be her manager. What about the “mixing business with pleasure” rule? “When we met, we met tnot through work, but romantically. It’s funny how we went to the same school but we didn’t know each other. It was 25 years before we met again.”
Nerina Talk:
American Football – Oh it’s not football, what we play in England is football. Its really men wearing really, really ridiculous clothes
Indian cuisine - We don’t call it Indian cuisine in my house, we call it food; it’s all I can cook! Cricket – I’m ashamed. My dad is a fanatic, my husband loves cricket. I just don’t understand how they work out the scores!
The Indian Connection Pallot’s tastes include anything & everything – ‘I listen to pop, classical, heavy metal hip-hop’ & she reveals how when she was in Allahabad, she listened to a good deal of Bollywood music. Pallot was a few months old when she started visiting Allahabad. When she was 6, her grandfather wasn’t too well and she moved to U.P. for a year & attended school there. I try to goad her into saying something in Hindi but she tells me that she lapses into the language only when she’s talking to her mum or grandma! She also listened to a good deal of Bollywood music when she was here apart from her favourites of pop, classical and heavy metal hip hop.
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TARA RACHEL THOMAS | tara@highonscore.com
November 2010
Do You Speak he first time I saw the words “We No Speak Americano” placed together was a few months ag, when a friend ordered me to watch the song on YouTube. I closed the window, impatient for the video to load. It was only about a month later, at a party where everyone was relatively inebriated, that I finally listened to the song. And my life hasn’t been the same since.
http://www.highonscore.com
Okay, not really, but there’s definitely a certain something about this song. It is dancy, slightly mental and an ecclectic mix of genres. It played on repeat mode, on request, for approximately three hours and aided the night’s transition from subdued to downright out of control! Such is the effect that Yolanda Be Cool and DCUP have on people! This single raced through the charts to become the only No.1 Single in SIX years in the UK charts by an Australian, the last one being Peter Andre. Keeping in tune with the song and its nostalgic feel, the video is set in a Charlie Chaplin-esque era and shows the amusing escapades and adventures of one blithering idiot of a lad, whilst trying to win over his lady love. Who the …. Is Yolanda?
The name of the artist is inspired by a line from the movie “Pulp Fiction”. In the movie, Samuel L. Jackson plays a badass hit-man who in one scene threatens the burglar, Yolanda with the famous line; “Yolanda, I thought you said you were gonna be cool!” Yolanda Be Cool comprises of two gentlemen from Australia who happened to meet a certain Mr. DCUP (Duncan Maclennan –
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Australian DJ and Producer ) to create “Americano.” The song is a mash-up of an old Italian piece titled “Tu vuò fà l’americano” which means “You pretend to be American.” The song was performed by Renato Corasone in Neapolitan and was a huge hit back in 1960 when it was performed by Sofia Loren and Clark Gable as part of the score for the movie “It started in Naples.” While “Tu vuo” is a classic and a stylish blend of swing and jazz, “Americano” has the simultaneous effect of making you feel like you are unwinding at a piazza in Rome while randomly being transported back to a club filled with people where everybody is dancing to this addictively loud and funky song. A couple of listens, and I guarantee you’ll be speaking fluent Americano yourself !
Word on the Streets The official YouTube video put up by Ultra Records had 2,105,088 hits, but the unofficial video made by PINK LOUDER featuring old black and white choppy footage of a jazz/swing band has a whopping 22,818,827 views! Yolanda Be Cool are famous for their unwillingness to commit their faces to camera. Most of their photos show them blocking their faces or covering them with old LP records. Check out YouTube star “Mystery Guitar Man” in Bali who plays this number on a host of native instruments.
Every Week @ Star Rock! The Score Magazine and Star Rock
brings you live eclectic performances.
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December 2010
TARA RACHEL THOMAS | tara@highonscore.com
TWO CITIES - ONE SOUND What shaped the sound of some of the biggest Indian names in electronic/fusion music today? It is with this thought in mind, that we sit down to meet The MIDIval Punditz and Karsh Kale. The distance from their cities of origin, New Delhi to New York, is a few thousand miles, but we find out how their sound is strikingly intertwined.
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s we hovered backstage waiting for the interview to begin, we could not help but wonder what they were going to be like. We were thirsty and when they offered us (the photographer and I) beers from their fridge, sponsored by a certain Mr. Mallya, we began to feel comfortable around them almost instantaneously.
Musical Instruments were present all around the house and Karsh was drawn to everything percussion related. In spite of listening to a huge variety of music, Kale developed his opwn style eventually - a fluid blend of Indian Percussion and Electronic Music. He started performing at parties and clubs as part of Asian Massive which was an underground sound movement in New York. Cut to New Delhi, where Gaurav and Tapan were growing up listening to everything from Chemical Brothers to R.D. Burman. They too began as drummers and soon turned to DJing. As the MIDIval Punditz, they would go into clubs, put up their own décor and play their own style of music that wasn’t mainstream - a unique sound that related to their urban, fast paced, metropolitan lives. The Trio met as early as 1991 and decided to keep in touch and collaborate on each other’s albums as well. This was just the beginning of over a decade of album collaborations live shows world-over. There were many who dissuaded them from their style, asking them to be more Bollywood-centric. Sticking to what they enjoyed paid off, as they got their first big break with Mira Nair’s “Monsoon Wedding”. Soon they had signed onto 64 Degrees Records in San Fransisco, the label on which Karsh Kale was signed as well, and the rest as they say, is history.
Quick THREE
http://www.highonscore.com
Advantages of making music in the states Karsh - “We all grew up the same way, with the same Influences. I realize it’s not just about where you come from, but more about where you’re going.” Change In The Music Industry Gaurav - “Change will happen. When the younger generation takes over, there’s going to be many things that are done differently”
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Photography: Siddharth Sumitran
Craziest thing ever done They’ve skydived and gone bungee jumping, mooned people and once Karsh yelled at a soundcrew and threw drumsticks at them, not realizing that he was live on national T V!
ROHAN SEN | rohan@highonscore.com
Metal all the way
An explosive live act and songs that are instantly memorable are key aspects of the entity that is De Profundis. An India tour under their belt, the band looks destined for bigger and better things.
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ovember 2005 saw the formation of De Profundis, a British metal band who met through random contacts and a few beers. Through a series of line up changes and experimentation, Roman Subbotin (guitar) and Craig Land (vocals) finalized on a line-up that comprised of Nick Tingle (drums), Arran McSporran (bass) and Shoi Sen (guitar). Their game plan was not to play any shows or release a demo track until they had perfected their sound. Thus in 2007, they released their first album Beyond Redemption touring parts of Europe and even India with bands like Nightwish, Nevermore, Iron Maiden and a few more. Bleak Reflection was their second album that seemed to be more what they were looking for. During our interview, they mentioned that there was no specific individual who wrote the tunes or the lyrics. Their music is an amalgamation of the individual talents of the band. They also said that the two years they spent playing with each other was a huge learning curve. Speaking to Shoi Sen, he elaborated on how the members of the band compliment each other while creating their music. “There is nobody in the band who writes everything.” Arran says that he had to try and bind the guitars and the drumming patterns together and even tried playing saxophone solos on his bass. Having a good drummer was essential to the band and when Nick joined they were all set. In retrospect, Craig said that their first album was a little primitive but helped them improve their sound. The bands’ musical influences range from Opeth to Indian Classical Music. In February 2009, when they played along side Iron Maiden in India, the sheer number of fans they gained form that one concert convinced them to come back for another Indian tour. That, along with the fact that Sony India offered to sign them on and release their album under their label in India which meant affordable prices for their Indian audience. They commented on how pleasantly surprised they were at the guitarists they met here. ”It was quite surprising to see metal so ram-
Photography: Alex York
Organised By: SPRINGBOARD SUPRISES
pant in this country, especially since we are from Europe,” said Roman. He went on to say that he was shocked that the headlining act at the Bangalore Octoberfest were Bollywood actors! The band is looking forward to more tours in India, though nothing any time soon. They are, however, looking to record new tracks over the next few months and we wish them the very best with that.
Profound Quotes See what these guys had to say - for the record! THEIR HISTORY OF BAND DRUMMERS “Two greek drummers who were ‘complete nutcases’ and just plain bad. And one English lad; a builder who just ate fish.” BAND’S FAVOURITE OUTFIT Matching black leather pants FAVOURITE SINGER Craig - “George Michael.” (Really Craig?) ON OTHER BANDS There is only one metal band with a crap drummer and that’s Metallica. FAMILY SUPPORT Shoi - “My mum is a professional Hindustani classical singer and is still very confused why i ended up listening and playing this sort of music. She tries to give it a listen and refers to growling as ‘poetic singing’.”
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December 2010
SUJATA SHANMUGAM | sujata@highonscore.com
Masakali ud Matakali! He sank like the Titanic in his Dooba Dooba while it raised him to Himalayan fame in the Golden Era of Pop. Now is that not mutually opposed?
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ohit Chauhan makes a fine interview subject despite the inevitable questions about Silk Route’s “Break ke Baad” story. Articulate, attentive, courteous and chatty, Mohit, the man with the silky voice, shot to fame with his band Silk Route’s debut album, Boondein, followed by Pehchan. The Himalayan descendant who had fun running through the farms and orchards of the mountains and being chased down by angry landlords for stealing apples, is an ardent folk lover who wishes to conduct folk and contemporary music festivals in the future. He delved into music which was something of an impromptu event while he reluctantly hoped to become a copywriter. He began his career with jingles and for someone who has never been classically trained, Mohit is still one of the most sort after voices for playback singing. “Masakali” changed that notion too and gave him the professional recognition with several “Best Playback singer” awards. Mohit created an album for the then President, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, and recalls how APJ launched into a near eulogy of his performance and album. He bewails the fact that music then had presented enormous opportunities to independent artists. Unlike now, where television and radio channels have resorted to commercial and Bollywood music. It is sad how sponsors regard non-film and “non-Akshay-Kumar-hip-shakers” as something of a taboo! (P.S. The views expressed here are not necessarily endorsed by the writer!) Being a man of poise and warmth, his mantra has always been “Love and Peace” for all! He follows his heart, loves to compose music and is currently beavering his way towards the release of his second solo album. Having seen bands and artists crushed by the weight of expectations generated by the hype machine (CWG anyone?), it’s good to see Mohit Chauhan riding his wave out into the horizon.
A Slice of his life http://www.highonscore.com
Mohit grew up in Himachal Pradesh and is a true nature lover and is very fond of kites. He’s the first Himachali to win a FilmFare for “Best PlayBack singing”. Never been formally trained in music but sings and plays the flute. Mohit did not know how to swim when they shot the video of “Dooba Dooba”. If not a musician, he would’ve been a shepherd!
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Photography: Siddharth Sumitran
Venue: Clark’s Exotica Bangalore
http://www.highonscore.com
December 2010
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SUJATA SHANMUGAM | sujata@highonscore.com
Saraswathi flaunts it. Narada possesses it. Kalidasa and Appar sing praises of it. Primitive ages thrived with it. Yet, it is as unsullied as the bright of day!
unheard melodies of the
Veena
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his is not the music heard many times on the radio or songs that are similar to most pop bands but every bit as good. It is the elemental stringed instrument that has vedic references and is considered the valued possession of every divinity in the Hindu mythology. It is indeed the Veena which is one of the three celestial musical instruments (veena, flute, mridangam), rooting its origin to the vedic times. If there is someone who has been hugely instrumental in ascending this celestial instrument to magnificence, it can be none other than the foremost Veena player of India, Dr. Jayanthi Kumaresh. Born in the Lalgudi family, Jayanthi commenced her musical streak at the age of 3, inspired by her aunt Smt. Padmavathy Anantha Gopalan and she soon became the direct disciple of the Veena legend, Dr. S. Balachander. Married to another violinist, she attributes her success and wisdom to her musically inclined family. Jayanthi is the youngest artiste in Veena to receive the A-Top Grading from All India Radio which is regarded as one of the highest grading boards in India. Her latest contribution to the classical world is her album Mysterious Duality which is a neo-classical album that soars free ahead of religion, lyrics and language. The album is purely a Veena composition which takes one into a trance while the soulful rendering of it is dimensionless. “I wanted to give my gratification to the Veena and take it centre-stage. I made this album with the hope of reaching a wider audience.
When classical music was learnt through Gurukul learning mode in early times, it was rather disciplined and there was lesser clamor about it. Now, with technology taking the world to places, learning has become easier where it is even taught on Skype mode. In a click of the mouse, learning across different continents and even time zones has become possible. She feels elated about the fact that the progress in technology has augmented awareness and feasibility in manifolds with many foreign takers for the art. For someone who lives most part of her life out of a suitcase, Jayanthi never feels fatigued by her extensive travelling across the world. She feels overwhelmed by the enormous demand for classical music and learning. She believes that NRIs have been a great source of strength to musicians and concerts like these bring in a sense of nostalgia for the audience. Jayanthi’s music is as popular as ever with her legion of faithful followers. Her music is her religion. The conviction and sincerity with which she projects it has assured her a place in Carnatic history making her unrivaled in the classical world. She is far from being complacent of her achievements, but it seems inevitable that she will become as successful globally as she is in the Indian Carnatic world.
Get in tune with the Veena Veena is derived from the Yazh of ancient times
Jayanthi feels that the December season in Chennai is “feverish” with the commencing of Margazhi Utsav with over a hundreds of sabhas and organizations conducting a few thousands of programs in a matter of about 45 days. While concerts during this season have overeflowing halls, she believes that the more number of shows, the lesser the crowd since the curiosity of the rasikas deplete with repetitive performances.
Veena can have one string to hundreds
The Margazhi season in Chennai has a growing demand for vocalists more than the instrumentals. Jayanthi feels that the anti-instrument prejudice prevails more in Chennai, unlike most other cities in the country. She blames it entirely on the organizations in the city that predominantly promote vocal artists and encourage students of music to have a preference for vocals over instruments.
In Hindu myth, the form of Lord Shiva with a Veena is called as “Vinatara”
The primal ones had resonators made from the skull It was played vertically until the Veena Legend Muthuswami Dikshitar popularized it horizontally Tanjore Veena is considered the most sophisticated so far
The Gottuvadhyam Veena also called as Chitra Veena is fretless. A Veena maestro is called a Vainika.
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December 2010
Maestros of S
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A world music act featuring four French fellows who sure
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Photography: Paul George Vedanayagam
Sandhya R | sandhya@highonscore.com
Smooth knew how to keep things mellow.
i
’m in the car rushing to make it on time for my rendezvous with the French band, Yapa. I make a mental note NEVER to underestimate Chennai traffic. I run like a maniac and once I reach The Marriot and barge in panting, my ears are pleasantly stunned for a minute. The lights are blue, the guitars seem to be telling a story and there is this beachy sound that on closer inspection is because the drummer’s using brushes. The band joined us in a bit, all dressed in kurtas! Meet the band - Fabrice Bourguignat, Christophe Combet, Xavier Hamon and Simon Chenet. The first thing I blurted out was “Why Yapa?” to which Chris explains, “It is four letters we put together, more as a sound or feeling than for a meaning, because all of our music is instrumental. It’s like opening a door, you don’t know yet, but you’ll see.” Yapa started as an acoustic jazz act in the ‘90s. A few years later, they decided to rope in a percussionist and ever since, there has been no looking back. They have been together for a decade now. “A lot of people call us jazz because we’re purely instrumental. Since we’ve been moving around more, especially in Africa, we’ve met a lot of traditional musicians. It began to become more like world music. World music is more about music that travels and not just being some big band,” explains Chris. They all admit to having different influences. “We listen to a lotta guitarists,” adds Fabrice, “a bit of electro, jazz, flamenco, pop rock, the guitar heroes, African Caribbean and South American. Xavier mixes everything up - darbuka, kicks, chime. He also drums with fingers; uses more brush than stick.” Their approach to music is very different and is not about cutting albums and chart success. It is primarily through touring and gigs that they have spread their music. They have released two self-produced albums – Chroniques d’Endoo and Can I Talk To You, which is a live recording of a tour in the east through the Balkans.
Incidentally, Xavier, the percussionist, has toured India before with a pop rock band, Quack, and it was through his contacts with the Alliance Francaise that this tour was organized. They give me a rundown of their next stopovers - Pune, Kolkata, Bombay and... Bhopal? “Everyone asks us that! Why? Its right in the middle, right? Our shows don’t have to be high profile. Sometimes you can be in a place that looks like nothing but people come and they’re so happy to hear us play. It’s really human-to-human more than just playing for a lounge.” We look around and it is incredible. We did not even realize, but the room is now packed; quite a crowd for a Thursday evening. My heart momentarily swells with pride. Yup, never underestimate this city
YAKKING WITH YAPA INDIAN WORDS THEY KNEW Chris: You know… Namaskaar, Shukriya. In Trivandrum they say ‘Nani’! Fabrice & Simon: Kurta kurta! Simon: Instruments like the mridangam and sarangee. People’s names! Indians speak a lot of languages! FAVOURITE INDIAN DELICACIES Simon: Dal – in India, you eat, you share... Fabrice: Desserts and sweets. Chris: (Trying hard to remember,) It looks like a Camembert. (Had no clue myself.) And lassi. Simon: Ginger Chai
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December 2010
Howe does he do it? He’s cool, played guitars for Michael Jackson, Victor Wooten, Dennis Chambers and even Justin Timberlake. He’s known for his fretboard pyrotechnics, has got the most interesting vibrato ever and he just finished his tour in India. Meet Greg Howe. Flashback to 8th November, 2010 I was totally stoked when I heard that one of my guitar idols was going to play live in concert in my own city. The closest I had gotten to watch Greg Howe, so far, were the guitar solo clips that were posted on YouTube, until now. To the people who do not know Greg Howe, he is a virtuoso guitarist who started playing in his early teens. Like any other rocker starting out, he played in various clubs until 1988, when Shrapnel Records signed him. It was quite strange for Shrapnel to have signed him as they were more inclined towards neoclassical metal guitarists, whereas, Greg Howe was into his own brand of fusion shred. After that, it’s been quite a joyride for him playing with Michael Jackson, Victor Wooten, Dennis Chambers, N wwSync, Justin Timberlake and even the legendary Billy Sheehan of Mr. Big.
Howe did he start?
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When he started playing the guitar, he was influenced by guitarists like Yngwie Malmsteen, Jimmy Page and Eddie Van Halen and eventually moved on to Pat Metheny, George Benson and John Scofield. He says the journey so far has been great, and to this day, he tries to find inspiration by listening to something new everyday. He also mentioned how anybody composes best only when they are truly inspired; like waking up in the morning and waiting to play out their ideas. That’s how he came up with his latest album, Soundproof. He advises young musicians to stay inspired and to play music for the love of it without the idea of becoming rich and famous and that success happens only when you’re enjoying yourself and doing what you love. Let’s fast forward to the day of show. I met Greg Howe and his band ( Jude Gold – guitars, Kevin Vecchione – bass and Gianluca Palmeiri – drums) earlier that day at a music store and these guys had absolutely no airs! Greg Howe was someone who inspired us to pick up our guitars and play and he was absolutely cool. I even got him to sign my guitar!
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Photography: Paul George Vedanayagam
vikram vivekanand | vikram@highonscore.com
Showtime – 10th November , 7.00 PM, Museum Theater I walked into the concert hall to see the stage set for the evening’s performance. I literally jumped when I saw his beautiful black and gold Marshall JCM 2000 amp! At the performance, I found myself trying to keep pace with his fingers. The whole band was brilliant! Greg Howe paid tribute to one of his favorite artists, Stevie Wonder, by playing an incredible version of “I Wish” and “Superstition” (which featured our very own Beeny Dayal). Of course, the band played Greg Howe’s solo material from his album, Soundproof, and they ended with the more famous “Jumpstart” from his second album, Introspection. By the time the concert ended, all I could manage to say was “phew!”
Between the strings For the gear junkie, he uses a Laguna LE924 electric guitar, with MXR, Boss and T Rex pedals, into Cornford amps. His first album was recorded with Billy Sheehan on bass and Atma Anur on drums (who now teaches at the Swarnabhoomi Academy of Music, Chennai). Small world huh? Jude Gold is the Director of Programmes of the Guitar Institute of Technology, at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood. Howe’s vibrato technique was developed in a recording studio because his director didn’t like his normal vibrato. Falling on his face, falling off the stage, getting guitars knocked down, have beer spilt all over his pedal board, playing through power outs - he’s done it all on stage!
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December 2010
24
Photography: Pretika Menon
srikrishana sekhar | srikrishna@highonscore.com
Poly Rhythms Kurta? Check. Student of a well respected Hindustani artist? Check. Appropriate amount of facial hair growth? Check. Guitar? Check. Wait! What?
d
ressed in a kurta, with his long hair and unshaven beard, Poly Varghese is not your quintessential Hindustani musician. One thing you can say about Poly is that he refuses to be pigeonholed. I could write about Poly the musician or about Poly the writer. I could also write about Poly the actor or Poly the gypsy. But every one of those articles would be criminally incomplete. He is very clear about one thing and goes about proving it with a vengeance. “Why should I be restricted to one thing? No one has asked me to be restricted.” Poly is most famous for his “avatar” as a Mohana Veena player, an instrument made famous by Pundit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, whom Poly is a disciple of. But apart from being a legend in his own right, he plays Hindustani music on a guitar. Ask him why he chooses to play Hindustani music on the guitar and he says, “Indian music comes naturally to me. It’s like speaking Malayalam, there’s a genetic connection with me and Indian music. Whatever instrument I play, I will play it with an Indian flavour.” Playing the guitar alone just was not enough for him; he was hearing sounds in his head that weren’t translating into the music he was playing. After rigorous research and consulting with some of the best minds in the business, he designed and built his own guitar. He quite cleverly calls it the Poly-String Guitar which has forty strings. To build this, he took his ideas from Indian instruments, adding several “sympathetic” strings, two necks, a bass neck and a regular neck. He has also given his guitar to his disciples who play in the United States and it’s become a success in it’s own right, with some rock musicians also adapting it for it’s unique sound. Stringed instruments, while being his forte, aren’t the only instruments he can play. He started off playing the mridangam, the tabla and can hold his own in konnakol with the best of them. These, and fourteen other instruments, bring his tally up to a breathtaking eighteen instruments! What would take several lifetimes for someone else to achieve, he has managed to pack into one, while doing about a million other things as well. He is a Baul singer and is very spiritually connected to Bengali Baul music. He considers it “tantric” in the effect that it has on him, as well as on his little daughter, whom he sings to whenever she’s throwing a tantrum.
He has absolutely no restrictions in his life being an avid listener of both western rock and classical music with gigantic collections of both in his house. He is also a movie aficionado, especially of classics, with a soft spot for European movies. Pushing the concept of “no restrictions” to it’s limit, he went ahead and lived life as a gypsy for some years and once, even worked in a graveyard! Wandering around the country with his instrument, he calls this journey a search for his soul, through interactions with real people. Even after a few seconds of his playing, you can feel the passion and the soul that he puts behind every note and every phrase that he plays. Describing someone as complex as Poly is an incredibly hard job. The man is an experience all unto himself. One thing that we can be certain of is that he will leave a significant impact on whatever he decides to do. All while having great hair.
Poly’s Quote of Arms Greatest fear Human beings. The mind is after money, and money makes one very emotional. Practice I’ve practiced till my fingers have started bleeding and I keep on practicing. It’s the music that drives me. Indian Music requires you to be extremely patient and forces you to read extensively. Rock on? I could never play rock music. I find it too confusing! Philosphy Art cannot be restricted only to one place. It’s perpetually evolving, and should be allowed to evolve.
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INC
rohan sen | rohan@highonscore.com
December 2010
This is a band I have wanted to have an interview with for a long time now. That’s probably because I belonged to it’s first, no wait, third generation of fans! If I had to sum up this band in a nutshell I’d say, it’s
MONSTER
MADNESS!
t
he band’s fan following began, quite ironically, after they broke up five years ago. “A lot of that came from the fact that we uploaded all our music onto free streaming sites and made our tracks available for download,” said the band’s lead guitarist, Joshua. In a couple of months, people were begging for a reunion. They played one last show, mid 2006, before most of the band went abroad to work and study. The previous members included Arun Britto, Nikhil Cherian, Clifford Rosario, Sanjeev Raman, Shane Fernandez, Wayne Fernandez, Aubrey Sequiera and Willy D’moz.
Cut to the present day and rumours started spreading about a Neo-grunge band’s return and how it was going to happen on Score Night. The first thing I noticed about Garage Monsters Inc. was that their line-up had changed. Everybody, except Josh, was new. Genre-wise, the band’s songs let out hints of various extreme genres but simply put, Neo-grunge. The band’s influences include Mr.Big, Extreme, Pearl Jam, Creed, Incubus, Hoobastank and The Red Hot Chilli Peppers. The first thing that got me hooked onto the band was their name. It was just simply that awesome. The name was a clever mix between the childishly innocent (the Disney-Pixar movie “Monsters Inc.”) and the extreme (Metallica’s 1998 album “Garage Inc.”).The name was merely a joke when they were coming up with names to register for IIT-M Saarang 2004. A lot of listeners synonymised the band with an own composition of theirs, titled “Stray Bullet” and labelled them as a one-hit wonder. In total, the band came up with four own comps which they performed in concerts along with a couple of covers. Each song in their EP, The Great Divide, which they released, sounded unique, never once eclipsing the other songs’ awesomeness. When asked about future plans they said that they had plans to release an album in the near future and that they would tap into their existing fanbase and expand upon that. Another pressing issue always on Josh’s mind were the falling standards of musicians today. “People are just average and mediocre with a lot more attitude today. People give up when lessons become complex. They lack dedication.” “People just want to have fun, learn ‘quickly’. There are no shortcuts for improvement,” adds Mario.
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I wrapped up my interview with the band pretty soon. The reason being that they all work and took time off for it. I was eager for Score Night and soon enough, it arrived. These guys threw a couple of surprises our way with a whole slew of their own comps along with their regular setlist. After the band finished their last song, Brian screamed into the mic saying, “We’re Garage Monsters Inc. and we’re BACK!”
“
Producers and the media, give our bands and original music a chance. Stop bringing international acts and paying them loads of cash for just one gig.”
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Ashwath Nair | ashwath@highonscore.com
THE BEST OF THE BEAST Joshua Mark Raj (Lead Guitarist, Backing Vocals) Sessions guitarist and teaches guitar. Has a tendency to throw a snare drum after every concert. Kidding! Would choose to be a cat if given a choice to be an animal.
Brian Paiva (Vocalist, Sessions Guitarist) Works as a Graphic Designer at an Ad Agency. Tech savvy and designs a lot of guitars. A lion; to be the king of the jungle. Archie’s!
His favourite comic - Calvin and Hobbes
Freelance graphic designer and flash animator. Considered hot property since he used to drum for Junkyard Groove. A shark; to kill annoying people. Junior Vigadan?
Operations Management at an undisclosed office/location. Secret Agent maybe? Perpetual late-comer, whiner and apparently, lies often about his age. A skunk. For it’s defence mechanism. Phew! Tinkle (Giggles galore from the band)
Photography: Rohit Krishnan Sabu
Hudstin Fernandez (Drummer)
Mario Rohan (Bass Guitarist, Backing Vocals)
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December 2010
On a sunny Sunday afternoon, the band’s having a couple of laughs over a funny video that they discovered post “Silsila Hai Silsila”. It has been exactly a year since we have spoken to them, which is why I was impatient to get
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SKRATTERE
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Photography: Rohit Krishnan Sabu
Ashwath Nair | ashwath@highonscore.com
ED!!!
w
e’re just focussing on doing some good music and cutting an album. Haven’t figured out further plans. It’s too much for us to think about.” These were their last words to the magazine before they recorded their first album, Design, which was released mid March 2010. They celebrated the release with an album launch gig where everyone got a free copy of the album with every ticket that they bought. A pretty smart move to promote the band if you ask me. For those who are relatively new to the band scene in Madras, Skrat (T.T, Sat, Abhinav and Tapass) is a Hard Rock band that’s been around since July 2006. But things have not always been smooth sailing with this band. This is the first time that the band’s jamming for a gig, post line-up change. Tapass, the band’s drummer, is currently studying in London and will be back next year to take over as manager too. They have currently found solace in Hudstin Fernandez (Garage Monsters Inc. and The Sellouts). So what were they upto now? Well for one, the band was busy fooling around with the sound recorder and making funny noises. When I asked them about how they were quite often associated with the fun side of hard rock, if there ever was such a thing, Sriram corrected me saying that they did enjoy making music but they do have a serious side too. “We work hard and hope to play for more gigs. We really hope thought that bands start getting paid for performing.” I’m with him on this one. I seriously feel this band is a winner as far as personality is concerned. These guys are hilarious and have a collective sense of humour which blows you away. They are also unbiased when it comes to judging their own album. “The vocals could have been better, but like most first albums, there is always room for improvement. We are much better now.” This hasn’t misled their fans in any way. Score’s Halloween Night was proof of that. Have a look at the pictures on our Facebook page!
Two questions more and the band got restless. Who could blame them? They were eager to leave for lunch and I was the reason they were staying. As I picked my recorder up to turn it off, I remembered the chorus to one of their songs that’s now an anthem all across the city - “STAY (STAY!), WILD (WILD!), In my mind, It’s ALRIGHT NOW!”
Journey to Skratatopia T.T. Sriram If given a choice, he would be a pair of boxer shorts. Loves the Xbox360. Satish Narayan A Pole! Loves his laser shirt. Abhinav Krishnaswamy Jack White’s Triple Jet guitar Is currently studying to be a journalist. Hudstin Fernandez Random Access Memory Is a graphic designer and flash designer.
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December 2010
RAGALICIOUS RAGHAV There are a few artists who attempt crossing bridges in mainstream genres. Unlike most of his counterparts, this artist had successfully managed to make fusion sound cool. Raghav Mathur is back with his fourth studio album, his Greatest Hits.
r
aghav never lead a conventional life. Growing up abroad in Canada, he was exposed to a whole spectrum of genres which influenced his work and broadened his outlook on music. “Growing up in Canada, I was listening to Hindi music as well as the English top hits at the time. I am a mix of it all. It’s just who I am.” His favourite genres range from hip hop, rap, reggae to R & B, pop, Bollywood and Hindi classical music. “It is an amalgamation of my whole history.” He was also an extremely gifted child. Ever since he was four, he wanted to make singing his profession. His family noticed this and never failed to lend their support. “They had a whole lifetime to warm up to it. They’ve been so supportive and they enjoy whatever success I have today.” He credits his success to his mentors which is his family collectively, as well as, his High School teacher who encouraged him to train in Los Angeles under vocal coach, Seth Riggs (Madonna, MJ and Stevie Wonder). Surprisingly, Raghav is not classically trained. Frankly, I think he could give most playback singers a run for their money. “I took a few classes but am not as well trained as people are here in India. A fact not well-known about the artist is that he is also a talented writer. He made his debut at the age of 17 when he submitted his entry and won the National Songwriters Association of America Award. Did this push him to start composing? “At that age, any sort of encouragement helps you. As an artist we are always insecure about our art. This helped me move forward definitely.” In 2005, Raghav dominated the scene with his hit singles “Angel Eyes” and “Can’t get enough”. His versions of Hindustani music mixed with R & B/Pop tinged beats took things to a new level. I could’nt help but ask what inspired him to write “Angel Eyes”. It was originally his Hindi composition, the infectious “Tere Baaton mein (Your Words)” which was transposed to the English version. “The rhythm was so universal. I decided to do an English song over the same tune.” And was it written for a special someone? “At the time yes, but not now. Unfortunately, all my relationships seem to be a passing by…” he trails of with a giggle.
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Raghav has been extensively promoting his album in the country and has also completed shooting for the Kingfisher Modelhunt with Deepika Padukone. His recent single “So much” featuring Kardinal is a single you should check out too. A cool video with a groovy hip hop beat and his distinctive ethnic vocal touch in the vocals. When I asked him how it was to work with Kardinal, he did not hide his admiration for the rapper. “This is my second time with him and he is still so humble. He is a big ol’ massive star now.” If there is one thing I did notice from my conversation with him was his passion for the arts. And like any artist, he takes his profession very seriously. “Sometimes, when I am down, I disconnect myself form the business side of things. I just listen to music that challenges me to love art again.” His parting advice for independent artists was simple. “Make sure your art is in the heart. Eventually, the industry will change. It is very Bollywood centric. Stay true to what you are and that is how we Pop artists will rise again.” And for his fans – “ Thank you so much. You are going to love the new record. The best is yet to come.”
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Shirin Albert | shirin@highonscore.com
Raghav onE ON ONE CRAZY DESI I’ve rode on top of a train in India. That was just me being young, dumb and full of spunk. But it was crazy! THE BIG B He had the chance to perform with the Bachans for the London leg of the Unforgettable tour. “It was a learning experience. They conduct themselves with so much humility. Being in the same room with Amitabh Bachan was a dream come true for me.” THE INDIAN CONNECTION “I love everything about India – the people, the food, the music. Wherever you go, you can’t help but hear some regional music blasting. It is very special. You don’t get that anywhere in the world. I’ve also been dying to go to Coorg for the past two years. It’s a beautiful place from what I have seen in pictures. TWEET ME You can also catch Raghav on Twitter at http://twitter.com/raghavworldwide. You never know, He just might surprise you one day. FAVOURITE MISHAP Once a stage collapsed on me. That was in Detroit. I broke my ankle. But it’s all fun and games. Atleast I’m walkin’ now! ON DATING FANS I would have to be a fan of the person I date. I look for substance more than anything. I would like her to love me not my music.
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Nrithya Maria Andrews has come a long way. From college competitions to opening acts at concerts, she has done it all. A pianist, she is also part of a Tamil Rock band “Srishti� and has worked with a whole bunch of music directors including A.R. Rehman and Yuvan Shankar Raja. She has also performed with popular musicians like Benny Dhayal and Darbuka Shiva and is also planning on releasing an album next year with her own compositions. Nrithya is currently doing her Masters in Mass Communications.
Nrithya Maria Andrews
FACETS OF A DIVA My Discovery You need people to tell you you can sing. I found out when I was 14. Whenever my parents went out, I would close the door and play really loud music like Christina Aguilera and sing along. Composing Blues My music is very personal with simple melodies and raw emotions. It is tricky to compose and to put a tune to it but when it does happen, I can finish it in no less than ten minutes. Age no Bar There is so much young talent being recognized now. And age is not an issue these days. I like the fact there are more bands playing different genres now. And I really feel music channels should be putting our music out there by making more videos for non - film music and for bands.
Why Score loves her 1. Sweet, adorable and extremely friendly.
2. The girl is a deadly poser!
Obsessed with a camera; she loves taking pictures and is a Facebook fanatic.
3. Her songs have everything
to mull over - first loves, infatuations and catty fights!
4. From being a total blue-
haired rebel in a Convent school to the quiet person she is now; don’t let that fool you. This lady is on fire when on stage.
Photography: Pretika Menon Location: Star Rock
December 2010
THE FUNK CONTINUES My Roots This would appeal to any true blood Tamilian; this is Indian electronica. It is fascinating how they have mixed a fun solo into one big jambalaya of musical energy.
Freeze you Picture the fifties, men in suits with their glass of bourbon and cigar and a sultry jazz singer with her noble guitarist by her side. An explosion of energy hits from nowhere taking the song in a totally different direction.
Hyperbole Monica’s vocal abilities, as well as Randolph’s crazy innovating capabilities are plain infectious here! The beats and the guitar work are aesthetically appealing too.
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The Func Returns
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rohan sen | rohan@highonscore.com
“How do you avoid a wave from pushing you under? It’s to dive right into it.” - Monica, vocalist, Shaa’ir n Func.
t
he origins of great musicians are often lost with the fame, glory and shameless idolization of their images. The inheritance of music plays a vital role in developing the musical inclination and perception of the end product. Both Randolph and Monica of Shaa’ir n Func, grew up with backgrounds conducive to breeding the musical spirit and rhythm that exists in most human beings, unless you are a part of the corporate rat race or just have no emotions at all. Oh wait! Those two are the same. Randolph started with his father’s assortment of music. Everything from Pink Floyd to Abba was what the lad from Bombay was exposed to. Art school was on the cards and then one fine day, after many inhibitions were shattered, he picked up a guitar and the music engulfed him. His first audition was for a band called Pentagram and the rest is history. Monica Dogra had a similar background with her mother being a singer too. She started competing in the United States when she was 12 and pursued a degree in music from New York University. She happened to meet Randolph at a party while on vacation. A jam session followed where she caught Randolph’s attention. She agreed to return to India to form a band since recording in the States was not easy. (Probably because Justin Bieber was the new rising star. They should be ashamed.)
FLIPSIDE MOST MEMORABLE MOVE BY A FAN M- A guy handed me a note saying ‘Will you marry me?’ while we were playing onstage.
CUISINE YOU CAN NEVER GET SICK OF Andhra food anyday.
NAUGHTIEST THING DONE AS A CHILD R - I broke a lot of my fathers records.
FUNNY RECEPTIONS AND MISHAPS R - Actually, Monica’s artist name in the States was ‘Shahir’. I called myself ‘Func International’; ‘Func’ as in function because I needed to remind myself to be functional with my work and to knock me on my head when I lost direction. Thus ‘Shaa’ir n Func’.” Whenever we get out of the airport, the drivers are usually holding up placards with our name misspelt as ‘SHAAN & FUNC’ or ‘SHAAIR & SUNC’ or ‘SHARON FUNC’. It’s always something we look forward to.
Four years ago, these talented individuals decided to embark on a journey that lead to 3 albums : Light Tribe, New Day: The love album and their latest creation, Mantis, which by the way is available on their website shaairandfunc.com. Mantis has a lot of jazz and funk influences but at the same time they wanted to keep it “very 2010” and if you actually listen to the album, you will know exactly what they are talking about. Another factor which makes them extremely funky their videos! Might I add that their videos, if watched on herbal medication, can be excellent tripping material and even otherwise are a visual experience. In conversation with the duo, what came across very positively was the fact that music breaks all barriers. “That’s always what we were into, bridging gaps, breaking genres and reconstructing them. Just creating a free flowing style of music that was very international. We love music and we don’t try to fake it.” When asked about whether they see English Indian music getting more acceptance in India, Randolph said the political ideologies that exist in this nation don’t allow free independent music to flourish. People here have always had someone trying to control the way they think and are thus confused about what to like. They believe that people will see the honesty of their music, regardless of the language, and connect to the power and freedom of expression that music allows. Shaa’ir + Func leading India’s music revolution? Well, we certainly hope so because so far they are doing a fantastic job. The Score will hear from them again soon.
37
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December 2010
DOUBLE TAKE
38
SUSANNA LAZARUS | susanna@highonscore.com
They describe themselves as two bachelors living together. Meet Maya and Sricharan as they talk about young love, music and being the Yin to the other’s Yang.
S: Actually, I was her cousin’s schoolmate. I was a sound programmer and I was collaborating with a drummer. I knew her brother, who was a keyboardist, really well.
Instant spark or slow chemistry? m: We were friends who cared a lot for each other. We composed together. A lot of late-night conversations. When I met with an accident, he came to see me in the hospital and was almost in tears. s: It was a bad head injury! Anyways, soon enough she got really mad with my supposed ‘You’re my best friend’ routine. But I was not hesitating. I was just... you could say, shy.
The parents m: Two days after we decided to get engaged, he told his parents. It was too early for me!
Bloopers m: Once, he booked tickets for a Vijay movie. Before leaving, he sat on my specs and his dog bit both of us! We were late for the movie and found two people in our seats. s: We found out that our tickets were for yesterday’s show! The worst part was we had so much food in our hands. So we ate in the car and went back home.
Qualities they love about each other S: She is very clear in her thoughts in a crisis. She is a typical Virgo. She keeps putting herself down and I am the opposite. M: He tends to get a little paranoid only when deadlines come close. I am a bit of a dramaqueen, whereas, he is extremely calm. He is just too cool. Today, he cleaned his bike and he was so happy about it.
Location: The Spring Hotel
m: I wanted to cut an album after “Super Singer”, and that’s when I approached him. He was my brother’s friend. I really liked his voice. He sounds just like Craig David.
s: My parents are very confident about my decisions. Her father is a very practical and orthodox man too. They said, ‘either you get married now or forget about it. No waiting for two years. You youngsters will change your mind.’
Photography: Pretika Menon
On how they met
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December 2010
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On an odyssey
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sujata Shanmugam | sujata@highonscore.com
“Critics are not always people with sound music knowledge. They can be critical about my music but not that I care. I create music that gives me contentment, not necessarily others.” says the cherubic man with audacity in his words.
odyssey of Music a
legend’s life is marked by constant activity – jetting from one engagement to the other, changing weather zones and time zones until cities, countries and even continents zip by in a blur. When the frenzy settles, Jagjit Singh, vigorous and dynamic at the age of 69, is standing in the full glow of a setting sun. Jagjit Singh – the fêted Indian Classical musician, singer, song writer, composer, activist, entrepreneur and more than anything, a man of words, has achieved something akin to a legendary status in his own lifetime! With every album release of his, he moved into the list of acts with the most aggregate time spent on the “Classical Record Charts” worldwide. His popularity as a singer and composer, combined with his oldfashioned ethical values, contributed to his reverenced career spanning more than four decades. “Ghazal loses its individualism and novelty when trialed with. I may not impress every music lover but the refined Ghazal listeners who listen to my Bhajans and Ghazals for the authenticity and mellifluousness of it,” states the idol singer, who feels that Ghazal is an amorous form of music that cannot be experimented with.
less of his unyielding schedule and believes that every man, irrespective of his age and exertion has to practice for his betterment. His life seems to be on a roller coaster ride with performances and concerts lined up including a concert alongside Zakir Hussain and Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia. He may not be a man of experimental music but his philosophy of inspiration is not limited to the boundary walls of Ghazal and Bhajan. He absorbs ideas from around him and remains unfettered to criticisms. Jagjit quotes his favourite lines from Galib - “I have a thousand desires, all desires worth dying for. Though many of my desires were fulfilled, majority remained unfulfilled.” Jagjit Singh still believes he needs another lifetime to contribute to the fullest to the cause of Indian Classical Music.
Minutia on the man with the Golden Voice Together with his wife, prominent Ghazal singer Chitra Singh, created India’s first digitially recorded album, Beyond time (1987).
In the early ‘70s, when Ghazals were a stature of nobility and aristocracy, Jagjit Singh revived them and carved out a niche for himself by fetching simplified Ghazals to the common man. He transformed the sophisticated form of music into a soulful yet elegant form, that was comprehensive for any music lover. Although he began his career with Hindi Film Music, he explicitly remarks that vulgarity and earthiness has been deliberately infused into modern music.
He has composed and recorded songs for the former Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee.
Jagjit Singh synthesized many styles in creating his musical voice and his modern rendition is unique. He enjoys celebrity status in many parts of the world, tempered by artistic integrity and the sorrow of Ghazal losing its charm over commercial music being produced. He states “Ghazals, much like the Hindustani, have lost some of its luster and credibility in recent years with the pop phenomenon. The most indefensible part is that classical music has lost its charm over the futile film music which ironically is being celebrated by media.”
His music has been prescribed by Psychiatrists across metros as stress relievers.
Jagjit Singh remains the most widely known and revered performer of Ghazal music and is credited for helping spread Urdu poetry and modern Ghazal to the worldwide audience. He uses music to bridge cultural differences. He is aging gracefully and performs riaz everyday regard-
His personal Ghazal favorite – “Mehdi Hassan”. Finds Kay Kay and Kunal Ganjawala impressive among Bollywood singers.
Received the Padma Bhushan in 2003. Loves dosas and sambars and manages to relish them even while he is travelling across North India. To find the true spirit of mystic poetry, Jagjit spends most part of his day reading Urdu and Hindi poetry. “I love poetry and am an avid reader. I have composed and recorded songs written by Gulzar and Javed Akhtar who are my personal favorites.”
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December 2010
In-fusion When you really feel the music, there’s nothing else that exists in the world, except that harmonic connection between you, your soul, and the music. Seeing the Alex Machacek trio live in concert concreted the very belief of every struggling musician.
“
Alex Machacek’s music starts where other music ends.
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- John McLaughlin
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vikram vivekanand | vikram@highonscore.com
i
It was a lazy afternoon when we met the trio - Alex Machacek, Jeff Sipe and Neal Fountain. I must say that talking to them was quite revealing as their stories were so interesting. Alex never played in a rock band. He did listen to bands like Deep Purple and Iron Maiden but decided not to sling his guitar under his knees and play cliched rock progressions. I agree with him as I personally don’t see the point of three guitarists playing three chords over and over again. Funny how every conversation about Iron Maiden revolves around E minor, D and C! He got into jazz after listening to Joe Pass, Allan Holdsworth and Chick Corea. Neal Fountain grew up listening to country music since he grew up in Georgia. Everyone in his family played an instrument so it was only natural for him to start playing the bass. Jeff, the drummer, lived in Germany and for a long time, all he ever heard was American pop on the radio. When he moved to the States, he started listening to Miles Davis and John Mclaughlin and then got hooked on to the Mahavishnu Orchestra. After the usual banter about their equipment (I was very interested in knowing about Alex’s pedals since I am a total guitar gear head), I was quite surprised at the fact that these guys did not have it easy one bit. Alex actually worked in a laundry where he sorted out dirty hospital linen to save up for a good guitar. Just when he thought he would have
been done with the day’s work, poof ! Another batch of dirty linen would fall down the laundry chute. Jeff ’s been a dishwasher, garbage collector and a cleaner at construction sites. Neal loves to build things - houses and a practice studio that musicians hire which brings him quite a bit of money. Infact, he doesn’t need to work anymore! Fast forward to the day of the show at the Sivagami Pethachi Auditorium in Mylapore. The show started off with gentle volume swells on the guitar, combined with some very cosmic effects creating this really intense, mystical aura on stage. The bass and drums came in very easily, taking the song to an entirely different dimension. It was as if there was a magical, invisible common train of thought and feeling connecting these three virtuosic musicians. All the solos were mostly improvised. At times the song would take on a different turn by way of a change in the chord progressions, and yet, they always managed to get back to the hook of the song towards the end, making sure that the audience did not lose their way! It was not a packed audience I must admit. But you know what they say, the difference between a rock and jazz band is that a rock band plays three chords to thousands of people, whereas, a jazz band plays thousands of chords to three people. To hell with that joke! I never laughed at it anyway.
DID YOU KNOW? Alex Machacek is a teacher at GIT (Guitar Institute of Technology) at the Musician’s Institute in Hollywood. Jeff Sipe has collaborated with some really prominent artists like Matt Garrison and the legendary Shawn Lane. Neal Fountain cashed his scholarship check at Berklee College of Music to buy himself his 6 string Modulus bass (which was freakishly expensive!). Alex Machacek toured with Planet X, an all star band that had Derek Shirinian (former Dream Theater) on keyboards and Virgil Donati on drums.
Photography: Paul George Vedanayagam
Location: Hotel Savera
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™
Got what it takes? Be a monster today!
m
India Beats to the tune of little Monsters
onster Cable , the world leader in cable technology, has a new offering for the Indian market. Beats by Dre is now in India! These extremely popular headphones and earphones define style and music in equal rapport. The whole idea was conceptualized when Dr. Dre, the iconic music producer, said “People aren’t hearing all the music the way they should; the way I do” In the existing headphones, the one element that is missing, is the “beats”. So what better name for his idea than Beats by Dre. Monster Cable is famous for powering and wiring the studios of artists worldwide and earns much adoration and popularity. As a token of appreciation, many stars have endorsed it as a part of their regular public activities. The famous is seen on countless number of music videos. So much so that now, beats are synonymous to great music and unbeatable style. As a part of a special treat, we bring the artist series to India and who better to introduce it with than the “Fame Monster” herself, Lady Gaga! Lady Gaga, has taken the world by storm and like a roaring monster, with her style and passion for music, she is not looking back. HeartBeats are an expression of what she is all about. The triangle is the most enchanting shape for the “Fame Monster” with the three sides representing the three rules she lives by - that she would die if she was forbidden to write, forbidden to love or forbidden to fashion. Her wish is to combine the sonics of Beats by Dre and Lady Gaga fashion to create little monsters out of all of us. Heartbeats by Lady Gaga are holistically designed to deliver the soundtrack of your life with clarity and power, as well as, to satisfy your passion for fashion. In this digital era when music is being changed so rapidly, you need headphones that care about the artist, their music and their emotion. Immerse yourself in pitch-perfect highs, precise mids, and club caliber bass. Because when your music sounds amazing, you stop hearing it and start feeling it. Lady Gaga’s heart bleeds of fashion and music. And wherever these headphones are placed they’ll bleed on their own, just like her heart. Her mantra : Fashion + Music = Monster. For more information log on to : www.beatsbydre.com. For further assistance call : +91 80 41493618 or e mail : sales@prosco.in You will also find these headphones at select iMagine stores and all iStore outlets across India. These headphones are also available online at www.ienhance.in and www.gift360.in.
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December 2010
LET’S GET POPPed
We help you make the Swift transition from Wayne’s World to a Costello Carnival – Score’s say on the latest albums, with a pick of just what’s juicy!
ELVIS COSTELLO BLUES/JAZZ
The man has been in the biz for nearly 30 years now and his latest reminds us why. Intelligent songwriting and a versatility that can only come with experience, National Ransom is one smooth ride. A lot of the tracks have a country leaning, owing to the fact that a lot of this album was recorded live in Nashville with his band – The Sugarcanes. Incidentally, Costello is in the running for “Songwriter’s Hall of Fame 2010”.
Jimmie Standing In the Rain Smooth old school jazz at its best!
One Bell Ringing Slow and laidback but worth a listen for the instruments.
Five Small Words It is a country-tinged rock song with some great bluegrass guitar.
A Voice In The Dark If you are a sucker for smooth numbers that catapult you back to an era of nightclubs and jazz.
TAYLOR SWIFT POP
Taylor Swift is very loved. Kanye West may beg to differ (that will never get too old) but teens just cannot get enough of her and the biggies have a warm, approving smile to offer. Her fourth album, Speak Now, is a double disc. Entirely written by her and in keeping with her autobiographical style, there are a lot of nice tales embedded in these great tunes – the split with Joe Jonas and the Kanye West showdown among other less juicy ones.
Back To December
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Powerful arrangement and a beautiful verse makes it one of the most soulful numbers on the CD.
Speak Now She sounds different in this one. It starts uncharacteristically high-pitched and punkish but then fills out into typical Taylor territory.
Better Than Revenge Taylor Swift gets tongue-in-cheek with a wicked punk rock jab at a maneater! Rumour has it that this one is about Camilla Belle who started dating Joe Jonas right after their breakup.
Haunted It is vocally quite wonderful with the violins providing the dramatic edge.
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LIL WAYNE HIP HOP
Lock him up and leave him out and well, what has been unleashed is a pretty tight hip hop record - fresh out of jail, but 2 million in sales! Dwayne Carter a.k.a Lil Wayne’s eight studio album, going by digital sales, is lookin’ good! Debuting at number two on the Billboard Charts, Wayne’s style of rock/rap is not lost out on this album with some really fine collaborations. Although there is a sort of repetitive quality about the tracks and really, no track is as instantly infectious as the Grammywinning “Lollipop”, the CD does have its share of hot tunes. It will also have you pondering again as to how hip-hop music gets away with such graphic wordplay; actually just words – there isn’t even an attempt to conceal the sleaze. There’s a track on this album called “Gonorrhea”. I rest my case.
Right Above It feat Drake As good as hip hop gets; but would’ve been a tad better if there were a melodic refrain for the chorus atleast considering it’s got a really strong score.
I Am Not A Human Being It deserves a mention because it stands out from the rest – heavy, heavy mix of rock & rap – very Wayne.
What’s Wrong With Them A chartbuster with female-rapper-of-the-moment, Nicki Minaj. It’s radio friendly with a wicked groove.
With You feat Drake One of the rare mellow moments on the album as Lil Wayne enters melodic territory with a bed of serene “Oooooh’s.”
FUTURE RELEASES THE BLACK EYED PEAS POP
Aha! They got us didn’t they? It’s not The E.N.D after all! Their new album, The Beginning, sticks to the sound of its ‘techno-ed’ prequel. The first single, “The Time (The Dirty Bit”) samples the Dirty Dancing hit “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life” and while yes, the auto tuner might’ve worn off its welcome, they certainly have the new-age feel going. So if you like the futuristic BEP that made you “Rock That Body”, this album’s calling out to you!
TAKE THAT POP
The Brit pop act is staging a comeback after fifteen years with all 5 members! Ex-member Robbie Williams will also join the quintet this time on Progress, their sixth studio album. The first single, “The Flood”, has definitely struck a chord with fans and even for first timers. This high intensity track is a refreshing listen. The video has all five of them wading waters in very smart rowing attire. Quite impressive!
DUFFY POP
Going by the Welsh songstress’ latest album Endlessly, “Well, well, well feat The Roots,” this one’s going to a fun ride and is such a cheerful throwback to the swinging 60s! Also watch out for Duffy’s big screen debut in Patagonia with Mathew Rhys; it’s already doing its rounds in film festivals - well, well, WELL alright!
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November 2010
Let’s Get Rocked And then there was light. And some noise. Yes, Score is back, with this month’s picks of who is making music and what we really think of it. So clear up some disc space and get reading!
KINGS OF LEON ALTERNATIVE/GARAGE/ SOUNTHERN ROCK
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Bands these days have found an all new survival tactic. When you cannot sell records anymore, you simply licence out your songs to shows! In this day of completely commercialized music, what band would turn down the offer to be on Glee and Ugly Betty? Apparently, KOL would. After all, like they stoically maintain, they have become bigger than that. With Come Around Sundown, their latest album has some great riffs and the smoother sounds seem to work well for them occasionally. Come Around Sundown is no Only By The Night, but atleast fans can make peace with the fact that they still have their sporadic moments of brilliance.
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Back Down South This is undoubtedly the best song in the album. Simple in construction and yet catchy. It is a true southern influenced song. The country-rock undertones remind you why KOL were so great to begin with.
Pony Up This is a feel good song that has all the elements of southern inspired funk. Filled with some fun-filled guitar and bass, this song makes you wish it were a little longer.
The End This is the song that has been generating mixed reviews. Love it or hate it, it has all the elements KOL fans have now come to hold dear. And yes, this is the obviously titled first track of the album.
Maroon 5
Madhumitha madhavan | madhu@highonscore.com
ALTERNATIVE/POP/FUNK ROCK
Maroon 5 is a band that seems to have perfected the formula for success by choosing only to play exactly what is expected of them. But frontman, Adam Levine, is in fact “frustrated” at the boy band image they have acquired over the last few years. This was probably the reason they jetted in Robert “Mutt” Lange of the AC/DC’s Back in Black fame to produce Hands All Over, hoping to borrow some of his credibility but that still has not changed things. The album does feature a handful of upbeat tracks ranging from pop to funk-rock to even disco. Perhaps, it is time for a slight change in their formula after all.
Misery This is the first single from the album and is rather peppy. A very traditional song that peaked at no. 17 on Billboard’s Hot 100.
Never Gonna Leave This Bed Fans will instantly recognise it’s huge dose of heartbreak and melody. This song has an acoustic version too that appears on the deluxe edition.
If I Ain’t Got You This is their Alicia Keys cover that also appears in their deluxe edition but should have been on the regular one. Adam Levine’s vocals on this track are amazing and soulful.
Santana LATIN/BLUES ROCK
FUTURE RELEASES: PLAIN WHITE T’S ALTERNATIVE ROCK
Watch out for this Cirque du Soleil inspired Wonders of the Younger album by the Grammy award winning band who are now moving over to the dark side thanks to the Burton inspiration from Alice in Wonderland!
Santana plus the classics equals commercial success right? Or so you thought. With his latest album, Guitar Heaven, his original style stands out in some of the songs without overshadowing the song itself which is great. He seems to have gone over the top though, especially while trying to indulge some of the guest singers which is a huge let down. However, if you have been a long time Santana fan, this is something you might rather enjoy.
Whole Lotta Love This is one of the songs which are almost impossible to tell apart from the original. It has Santana’s unique licks and Chris Cornell has done this Led Zeppelin masterpiece justice without ruining the original.
Never Gonna Leave This Bed Sure no one can match Def Leppard but Chris Daughtry has done a pretty good job with this song. Santana’s Latino beats in the background make this new spin on the classic rather refreshing.
Back In Black Yes, you heard right. This is a rap cover with guest singer, Nas. So obviously, unless you have never heard the original before and are a rap fan, you would love this one!
LEE DEWYZE
ALTERNATIVE ROCk/ ACOUSTIC The 24-year-old winner of American Idol season 9 is all set to release his debut album this month, Live it Up. But unlike tradition, he is the first Idol winner to have actual writing credit on his first single.
HINDER
HARD ROCK/ GRUNGE These bad boys are back with their third, All American Nightmare, due for release this December. The first single sounds promising with what works best for them – stripper inspired mad rock!
December 2010
It’s all about hope and spreading joy
a
s a powerful public platform, Chennai Live 104.8 FM, the only English radio station in the city has always strived to make a difference. From the nail-biting competition between the top schools in the city for the second edition of the “Schooler Ruler 2” to spreading awareness on World AIDS Day, Chennai Live has been buzzing with various on-air and onground activities. And what better way to end the year and welcome 2011 than a gala party hosted by Chennai Live 104.8 FM.
After a successful first season of “Schooler Ruler last year”, the inter-school quiz competition was back with a bang. The smartest students from 19 well-known schools from the city took part in the competition. The prelims and semi-finals were conducted on Live Café with RJ Sonali. The finals hosted by RJ Tausif, were held on Children’s Day (November 14, 2010) and saw Sishya School, SBOA Matriculation & Higher Secondary School, Velammal Matriculation Higher Secondary School and St. Michael’s Academy battle it out. Rohan Jacob Verghese and Nandagopal Srinivasan of Sishya School were crowned the “Schooler Ruler 2010 champions”. To spread awareness on World AIDS Day, Chennai Live 104.8FM held a campaign called “Paint Chennai Red – Support World AIDs Day”. The radio station requested their listeners to wear red on December 1, 2010 (World AIDS Day) to show their support. From social messages to interviews for the primetime shows throughout the day, Chennai Live ensured to send out a strong message about creating more knowledge about the status of HIV and AIDS in the city. Several institutions, groups, companies and individuals took part in the initiative by Chennai Live. Kochhar & Co. - advocates & legal consultants, Nokia India Pvt Ltd., Chennai F4 group members, The Score Magazine core team and members of Bhavan’s Rajaji Vidyashram showed their support for the World AIDS Day campaign by wearing something red.
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And marking the perfect finish to the year - Chennai Live 104.8 FM will be hosting EC41 – 11 Heaven on the 31st of December. The party will include performances by some well-known deejays like DJ Kave, winner of several awards, and DJ Mazzr, followed by a fabulous hip hop performance and sizzling rain dance show. As the clock strikes 12, the extravagant fireworks begin, followed by a spectacular laser show. The place boasts of having Chennai’s largest dance floor which gives one the ideal reason to bring in their dance shoes and join the celebrations as the world welcomes the next year!
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