MOVIES
MUSIC
HEALTH
SEX
TECHNOLOGY
TRAVEL
PHOTOGRAPHY
CK
STYLE
O R
SPORTS
November 2011
SI U M C SP L! IA EC
YY
Gadgets:
THE RIGHT LAPTOP FOR YOU
OURS OUTHFULLY
indulge
Health:
REFLEXOLOGY THERAPY FOR WORKING WOMEN
Music:
WHAT MAKES
LED ZEPPELIN IMMORTAL
Movies:
RA.ONE- A NEW DAWN IN INDIAN CINEMA
parikrama 20 years of peace, trees and rock n roll THE FIXING HALL OF SHAME
DENIM IS IN
YY
OURS OUTHFULLY indulge.
harsh varshneya photography
Editorial
For Those About to Rock, We Salute You Rock is not just music. Rock is a culture. Strengthening this belief from the past 20 years, the pioneers of Indian Rock have toured throughout the country and the world and have shook people with their music. Parikrama set off in the early 90's and have never looked back since then. From then on, it was a fairy tale of concerts both in India and abroad, of loads of amazing originals and, as they put it, beer. AC/DC have said in one of their songs, it's a long way to the top if you wanna rock and roll. Parikrama certainly have come a long way. In a musical scenario like India's, where talent usually is veiled under commercialism and the ever-increasing need to succeed and become popular, it takes a rock-solid core to stand up and stick it to the man. The man here is commercialism. Speaking of commercialism, it is probably one thing that repels talent like no other. India's Rock culture is on the rise, slowly but surely. Many new bands are popping up and some of them are class acts. But there is a sincere need for better platforms in this country, where artistes like musicians can display their talent, do what they want to and not care about the evils of commercialism, not care about not making an impression in the minds of judges and not caring about not getting work. There is definitely a huge audience for genres like Rock and Metal and enough bands to cater to those audiences. What is missing is a link, a platform which can connect the two. There might be many great bands just waiting to deliver. Moving on to the field of sports, a recent verdict by England's court against three Pakistani cricketers was an eye-opener in
more ways than one. Where on one hand it punished the guilty, it also raised many an eyebrow about the integrity of cricketers. Why do people act like ostriches by hiding their faces beneath the ground to escape from the truth? Match fixing is prevalent not just in Asian cricketing nations, but throughout t h e c r i c ket i n g wo r l d . T h e International Cricket Council should deal with the wrong-doers with an iron hand so that the menace of fixing is prevented from spoiling the beauty of the gentlemen's game. This issue is a special salute to Rock music. As one of the defining songs in the history of Ro c k , S ta i r way To H e ave n , completed four decades of its existence and is still being heard with the same amount of zeal and respect as it was heard back then, Yours Youthfully takes a look at the history of two great Rock bands, Led Zeppelin and Parikrama, and at what makes them what they arelegends. The issue has been made possible by the arduous research and efforts of Nitisha Tomar. Her lucid articles about the pioneers of Indian Rock, Parikrama, and about the band that created Rock music itself, Led Zeppelin, are must reads. Also, all the writers have dug deep and toiled assiduously to bring out this issue of Yours Youthfully with articles that delve into minutiae in each section. So turn on your iPods, put Led Zeppelin on your playlist and, turning the pages of this issue, salute the spirit of Rock music. Oh, and don't forget the reflexology therapy session. Or so our health columnist Bhumika Gupta suggests!
Anant Singh Editor-in-Chief editor.yoursyouthfully@gmail.com
“
In a musical scenario like India's, where talent usually is veiled under commercialism and the ever-increasing need to succeed and become popular, it takes a rock-solid core to stand up and stick it to the man. The man here is commercialism.
�
Write to usyoursyouthfully@gmail.com Yours Youthfully -
4
Contents
YY
OURS OUTHFULLY indulge. November 2011. issue 10
Editor-in-Chief Anant Singh Assistant Editor Meghna Rastogi
Sports Vivek Singh
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12
Cover Feature The 20 Steps To Rock Parikrama Interview
6
Sports Match Fixing and Cricket A Tribute to Wheldon and Simoncelli
Movies Akshay Singh Music Nitisha Tomar
Editorial
8
Technology The Laptop For You
Fashion Shubhangi Chaturvedi Ayushi Bhotika
17
Movies The Technological Advancement of Ra.One
Special Correspondent Ankush Bahuguna
20 Music What Makes Led Zeppelin and Stairway To Heaven Immortal
Design Anant Singh
Photography Udeeksh Tiwari Amartya Sen Shubhangi Chaturvedi
22 Health & Sex Alcohol & Male Infertility
9
Fashion
Reflexotherapy for Working Women
The Style Statement of Elizabeth Taylor Denim Is In Yours Youthfully - 5
Sports
Guilty, But Just The Tip of The Iceberg Fixing is not just Pakistan’s problem, it is prevalent all over, reports Vivek Singh. Cricket is called game of gentleman and is perhaps the most vulnerable game to fixing and betting. Match fixing is not a new thing for this game. It was part of game and still it exists. Recently an incident shocked the whole c r i c ke t i n g w o r l d i n w h i c h Pakistani players Mohammad Asif , Mohammad Amir, who were a part of the most lethal pace attack of recent times and last year's captain Salman Butt were sent to jail with their agent Mazhar Majeed for a scam which involved bowling no balls at specific moments at Lord's last summer so that punters can make money, but to be honest I am not surprised at all . Cricket has been betrayed many times, by many players from many nations. We have a long history of fixing scandals and there are numbers of players like Shane Warne, Mark Waugh, Ajay Jadeja and Marlon Samuels who were found guilty for their involvement in match fixing, but the most disheartening fact is that some of them are still enjoying stardom for example Shane Keith Warne who regularly played I.P.L. is now the most celebrated retired cricketer and has signed a contract that will allow him to play in the KFC Big Bash tournament and Mr. Mohammad Azharuddin who is now a respected member of parliament and who knows he might become Sports Minister of India. Marlon Samuels who, was suspended for two years for his involvement in a fixing scandal, is now playing for West Indies. If anyone thinks that match fixing is Pakistan's centric problem and the rest of the cricketing world is isolated from this evil, then that
person needs to get his/her facts straight. No, they are not the only ones fixing and betting is still going on among test playing nations. Is the anti corruption unit of I.C.C a toothless tiger? After this incidence the whole cricketing fraternity asked why it took a tabloid to expose the scandal and not the A.C.U. which has been in operation for 11 years. So a lot of question are to be asked from A.C.U and because of the inefficiency of this body of I.C.C that is headed by a famous British policemen Ronnie Fleegan, Mr. Andrew Strauss called it a toothless tiger. He said, “For me a lot of questions are to be answered because they were not exposed by any of the cricketing members, they were exposed by news of the world.” “A.C.U. does not seem to have the means to nab the corrupt players,” he added. So as Mr. Andrew Strauss suggested A.C.U of ICC needs attention. They should employ officers with better knowledge of the game with that I.C.C should involve former cricketers to combat
fixing and the reason for that is former players share a good rapport with the players and young and budding players like Amir would feel comfortable in confiding to a former cricketer about his compulsion rather than blow the whistle to the authorities. In fact, I.C.C is taking step to improve A.C.U. There is a talk of a new measure pertaining to disproportionate assets; if unit discovers such a discrepancy a cricketer will not be selected unless he can justify it. The jail sentences given to these players are a vital step in the fight against corruption but this step should be taken much earlier. The game of cricket needs some firm determination from the boards of cricket playing nations, I.C.C, and players to check this evil. And finally true followers of game will not celebrate after this entire spot fixing episode because vengeance is a pitiful emotion. The need of the hour is to put words into action to save the game from this menace.
THE HALL OF SHAME 1) In 1998 Mr. Shane Warne and Mr. Mark Waugh were found guilty of providing information about the pitch and the weather to an Indian bookie John the book maker and as a result both were fined. 2) In may 2000 former Pakistan captain Mr. Salim Malik was awarded life ban for his involvement in a fixing scandal. Mr. Shane Warne, Mr. Mark Waugh and Mr. Tim May also alleged that Malik offered bribe to them to underperform on Australia tour of Pakistan in 1994. 3) In the year 2000 Delhi Police produced a tape that had conversation between the then south African captain late Mr. Hansie Cronje and a London based bookie Sanjeev Chawla . After initial denial Mr. Cronje admitted that he was involved in the scandal. Mr. Cronje along with Mr. Peter Strydom, Mr. Herschelle Gibbs and Mr. Henry Williams were also accused . After the enquiry Cronje was awarded the punishment of life ban. In the same year former Indian captain Mr. Mohammad Azharuddin, Mr. Ajay Jadeja, Mr. Ajay Sharma and Mr. Manoj Prabhakar were found guilty for their involvement in match fixing 5) In 2004 ex-Kenyan captain Mr. Maurice Odumbe was banned for five years for his links with bookies. 6) West Indies player Mr. Marlon Samuels was banned for 2 years for his links with an Indian punter. He was accused of providing some essential information to that bookie during West Indies tour of India in the winters of the year 2008. Yours Youthfully -
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Sports
A Tribute To The Champions Both Dan Wheldon and Marco Simoncelli were destined to be great. By Vivek Singh. Last 15 days of the previous month proved to be a nightmare for motorsports. First it was British racing driver Dan Wheldon who died from injuries after a collision at the Izod Indy car world championship at Las Vegas motor speed way at the age of 33. And after a week celebrated Italian driver Marco Simoncelli died in a crash which also involved Yamaha rider Colin Edwards and Ducati rider Velentino Rossi. MARCO SIMONCELLI
Marco Simoncelli
Honda driver Marco Simoncelli was active in the circuit from 2002 to 2011. He started racing in 1996 at the tender age of 9. Some people think racing is a matter of life and death but for Marco it was much more serious than that. It was in the year 2002 that he competed and won European 125 cc championship. Simoncelli made his first Grand Prix appearance with Matteoni racing. In 2006 he moved to the 250 cc class becoming the only rider from the top eight in the previous year's 125 CC class to make the step. His major achievement was victory in 250 cc world
championship at Sepang (Malaysia) in the year 2008. Ironically that was the place where his life ended. After his death Misano world circuit announced plans to rename itself in honour of Simoncelli. Extending his support to the family of Marco, world champion Casey Stoner said “When something like this happens you remember how precious life is, I can only say my thoughts are for his family.” Another rider Dani Pedrosa said “We often forget this is a dangerous sport. It is obvious we are doing what we want to do but nothing is worth a day like this.” DAN WHELDON Dan Wheldon, aged 33, was active in the game from 2002 to 2011 and took part in the car series for the teams like Chip Ganassi Racing, Andretti Green Racing, Panther Racing, Bryan Herta Auto Sport, Samschmidt Motorsport. Wheldon in his successful career won Indianapolis 500 Indy car championships twice and with that he was the 2005 Indy racing league champion. Wheldon during his early days in open wheel developed a rivalry with Jenson Button but due to financial reasons he left United Kingdom and moved to United States of America to make his career in racing. Initially he spent several years in lower open wheeled series. Finally in 2002 he moved up to Indy car series winning it in 2005. During that season he was offered a place in the BMW Saubar Formula One team but declined on discovering he would not be assured a regular drive. “I do not want to race in Formula One. When my contract expires with Chip, I will take a serious look at Formula One,” were his words.
On 22 June 2008, his 30th birthday, Wheldon took his 15 t h
Dan Wheldon
career victory in the Indy car series and after that win he donated his winnings to help the victims who were affected by the recent tornadoes and flooding. Wheldon was involved in a 15-car accident in which his car flew into the catch fence before lending back on the fence. He was extricated from his car but succumbed to his injuries. Two days later Italian manufacture Dallara automobile confirmed that the 2012 car series would be named after Wheldon.
Yours Youthfully -
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Technology
The Laptop For Your Needs Read on to know more about the kind of laptop that would suit your needs. O n e q u e st i o n u s u a l l y baffles people the most when they are selecting a laptop- Which is the one for me? Most buyers are usually carried away by the lucrative schemes of companies or laptops that are more for show-off than for performance. But how many of us actually do some research before putting our money into this gadget that soon becomes our best friend. This article will help you choose your perfect mean machine, depending upon the kind of user you are. Kindly note that since the selection is to be made from the laptops available in the market and we are not assembling a laptop, so we shall not be naming specific brand names or s p e c i f i cat i o n s fo r d i ffe re nt components. THE HARDCORE GAMER The hardcore gamer is generally one who requires a heavy-duty laptop. Since gaming is an addiction, a gaming freak's laptop should be robust enough to last for hours together at a stretch without any hiccups. This calls for a flawless motherboard and memory. The games being built today require a minimum of 2GB DDR3 RAM to run smoothly, whilst 4GB should be optimal. An overclockable RAM provides an added advantage as they can improve the performance of the game. Since most laptops available in the market are armed with an intel processor, go for a minimum of Core i3. The second most important requirement for gaming is a good display. Most games of today require a graphic card for optimal performance, which is why you should go for a minimum of 1 GB graphic card of a good brand. Audio chip is an added advantage as it
may give a good surround sound for the game. Apart from this an optical mouse is also necessary as the required precision for games is difficult to achieve with the trackpad of the laptop. THE ADVANCED USER The advanced user could be anyone, from the programmer to the website designer, from security tester to the ethical hacker. This is one section that can have different needs and thus different configurations. However, we shall give a general idea as to how your laptop should be. The primary requirement for advanced users is multi tasking. So the processor should be Intel Core i5 or Core i7. The screen of the laptop should be at least 15 inches for applications that require a wider screen. A minimum of 512 MB graphic card is also advisable for programs that require proper graphic viewing. A hard disk of at least 500 GB would be apt because advanced users usually have quite a hefty amount of data to store. The advanced user is usually hard working, spending long hours in front of the screen trying to design a new website or a program. So the laptop needs to have a good battery life as charging the laptop 24*7 is not advisable. Oh, and yes, don't forget an antiglare coating on the screen! THE ENTERTAINMENT JUNKIE The needs of the entertainment junkie are simplemovies, music, more movies and more music. So a processor like Intel Core i3 would be optimal. The primary requirement for entertainment junkies is memory, so go for a laptop that offers you 500 GB or 750 GB of hard disk. The
next requirement is a good, wide screen. 17 inches display wouldn't be a bad idea for you. Next is a good sound system. Alright, most of us use headphones or woofers but a good in-built sound system is always a plus point. These days, many laptops offer a good in-built subwoofer sound system of companies like JBL. If you can afford it, go for it. It is worth the money. Apart from these technical requirements, we suggest a cool and trendy backpack for your laptop! THE AVERAGE USER The average user is one who has really simple needs, like simple office work or maybe even one who is trying to learn using a computer! So keep it simple, an Intel Core i3 processor is sufficient, coupled with a hard disk of 250 GB or 500 GB. The screen could be 13-15 inches, and graphic card is not a compulsion for you. The above mentioned configurations might not necessarily be available in a single unit. So go for the part you require the most- a good processor, a huge memory or a big screen. There are also laptops that offer the best of everything, and trust us, they're worth it. In any case, think again and choose wisely before putting your hand in your pocket and making it lighter!
Yours Youthfully -
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Style
DENIM ...is in
Style
The Denim Report What can be the hottest thing on two legs? Jeans, of course. Here are some looks for the best pairs on the planet, both fitted and loose. Over to Ayushi Bhotika.
Take it Easy Must haves: Cargo pants; jeans in khaki, beige or olive green (earthy tones), neutral colored accessories. This trend calls for a relaxed chic look. It's all about comfort, simple and effortless ĂŠlan. It can be as easy as pairing your khaki jackets with denim jeans or cargo jeggings. Or you can also team up a smart denim shirt with a highwaist skirt. Play around with muted colors.
Girls Can Be Boys Too Must haves: Men's shirts, loose jeans and blazers. Girls, it's time to befriend your boyfriend's wardrobe! Pair your denims with a well fitted formal shirt and waistcoat. Accessorize with a pair of suede or leather loafers, a side bag and masculine belts. For a casual appeal one can go for denim shorts along with a white shirt and a tailored blazer. For more fun one can also experiment with fedoras and chunky masculine watches.
The Punk Streak Must haves: Bleached, Skinny or Distressed Jeans. For that rebellious look, one can lend metallic chains, studs and sexy leather boots to their wardrobe. Go wild with those ripped denims, leather corsets and checkered shirts for the grunge impression. Again for a little casual look try pairing vests with crushed faded jeans.
The Bold Retro Must haves: flared denims, bright scarves and leggings. This look expresses your love for the 'blue'. You can dress down top to bottom in denims and add a splash of colors with the usage of vibrant accessories. A denim shirt with a denim bottoms or dungarees along with bold sunglasses and scarves in floral prints is the apt look. The 1970's essentials have made a comeback. Stylize your look with feminine blouses, printed cute tote bags and wedge heels. High- waist flared jeans are also not a bad option. Yours Youthfully -
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Style
A Salute To The Style Icon Taking a look at the style statement of Elizabeth Taylor. By Shubhangi Chaturvedi.
“I know I'm vulgar,” she said, addressing her fans with typical candor, “but would you have me any other way?” The late, incarnate beauty, Elizabeth Taylor lacked no admirers in her lifetime. But since her death in March this year, homage have been pouring in from the fashion world. It's a Taylor moment! On screen and off, Ms. Ta y l o r w a s a p r o v o c a t i v e combination of the angel and the seductress. In all her incarnations, she had a vibrant sensuality. When it came to style, Elizabeth Taylor was fearless. The diamonds, the hair, the cleavage: She rocked it out everywhere she went. In her younger days, she favored plunging necklines with straps poised to slip off her shoulders, her hair like a dark cloud around her thickly made-up eyes (word is she was born with a mutation that gave her double rows of eyelashes). As she grew older, her style got even bolder: The seventies brought tight miniskirts and more elaborate head pieces, and the eighties ushered in feather bras, bright blue eye shadow, and everything being poufy. Towards the end of her life, Taylor attended events for her many philanthropic pursuits in a wheelchair, swathed in silk caftans and draped with fur and velvet wraps. In 1997, she won a Lifetime of Glamour Award from the CFDA. Her extraordinary style is one of the many things that is and always be missed. " Yo u c a n ' t c r y o n a diamond's shoulder, and diamonds won't keep you warm at night, but they're sure fun when the sun shines", she said.
Taylor has been called the "greatest movie star of all, a child star at the age of 12, she soon after launched into public awareness by MGM and a string of successful films, many of which are today considered classics. Her resulting celebrity made her i n t o a Hollywood icon, as she set the gold standard f o r Hollywood fame, and created the model for stardom. She never wrote a comprehen s i v e autobiogra phy due to her desire for privacy, but did publish several books besides My Love Affair with Jewelry. S h e wa s hy p n o t i c a l l y watchable, and when the part and the personality coincided, she was untouchable. But, clichés be damned, it was her own life that was her greatest role. There was more than a touch of Ms. Taylor herself in the roles she played. She acted with the magnet of her personality. She dictated the fashion scene with an alpha-female image. Her white swimsuit in the Tennessee Williams adaptation, has been updated on the runway by
Dolce & Gabbana and Prada in the spring 2012 shows. She liked wearing Crisp chinos, easy tees and feminine prints all of which still look fresh today. L'Wren Scott and Antonio Marras showed looks that echoed Taylor's off duty style. Curv e hug ging dresses e c h o e d Taylor's ever classic style. She played t o h e r strengths and never shied from revealing h e r collarbone. The hug the curve Liz look has b e e n Photo Courtesy: Andy Warhol re p l i c a te d on the ramp by designers such as Jason Wu and Zac Posen. The many times married star did not let tradition dictate her wedding attire. For her first trip down the aisle she opted for a canary yellow mini. The same color has been in trend in and out in the recent times. Taylor style fringed Halston jacket has taken a spin on the look for spring 2012. Her striped overcoat or the sheer looks have all dictated the runway in the present season. Hence a salute to our style icon of the moment!
Yours Youthfully -
11
20 YEARS OF PEACE,
pari
Cover Feature
TREES AND
krama
Cover Feature
It's a Long Way To The Top If You Wanna Rock N’ Roll Here’s to the boys of Indian Rock who have been there and done that. By Nitisha Tomar. I t a l l s ta r t e d t w e n t y If you're into rock and have studied instruments like guitar, drums and summers ago. in an Indian college anytime keyboards thus exuding a subtle Six college friends got between the early 90's and now, it is psychedelic hypnotic trance. They together to rehearse for a gig they highly probable that you've seen have lived on the likes of Pink Floyd, were scheduled to perform four them play live since their inception Jimi Hendrix, The Doors and Led months later. Subir Malik, on the in 1991. Or, you must have seen Zeppelin and have belted out their keyboard, had four months to go them opening for the esteemed energetic covers in various college before joining his family's motor Iron Maiden and Poets of the Fall in fests. spare parts business thus confining a nearby city. They have seeped into Their first song "Xerox" was the band to a four month project. the veins of the youth through their named'the face of Indian rock'. The months slithered past and then umpteen pro-shows for various Their first hit single "Till I'm No One arrived September 15 with them at college fests in India. All the Again" was released in 1995 along Fr Agnel's School in south Delhi. members except Nitin (who went to with "Open Skies". It was among After that first gig, they got offers Hindu College) went to Kirorimal thirteen other songs chosen from for forty more. And since then, they College, Delhi and were part of the demos sent by a hundred and have toed the 20-year-long line of MUSOC (music society). The band fifty other bands in the country. 'rock n roll'. often fuses Indian classical music This release, titled – 'The Great T h e y c a l l t h e m s e l v e s nstruments like mridangam, tabla Indian Rock-series' volume 1, was “Parikrama”. and flute with conventional
Seriously?
Yours Youthfully -
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Cover Feature A few years from their inception, as the band quips, they were approached by one which insisted them to go Indipop and in return promised to offer them a bonanza deal. They declined with a curt response “Give us five years and you will lose sleep over what you did.” produced by Amit Sehgal, owner & publisher of the India's first rockzine-Rock Street Journal. "But it rained", was released next year. This song was dedicated to the kidnappings that had occurred in the Kashmir Valley, during that period. This song can be earmarked as their biggest all-time hit as a crowd of 40000 sang along with them in their performance for the Iron Maiden concert in Bangalore. The band composed the song "The Superhero" for Bangalore on the outset of the visit of Microsoft's Chairman Bill Gates to the IT capital of India. "Rhythm and Blues" was created in course of their jam session with Usha Uthup. Parikrama has recently released a few more originals like the Lord of the Rings-inspired "Am I Dreaming", "Tears of the Wizard" and "In the Middle". On December 18, 2005, Parikrama performed with Saif Ali Khan at the Royal Stag Corporate Carnival, Delhi. As they quote in their o f f i c i a l w e b s i t e , (http://www.parikrama.com/hom e.html), they offer a Complete Psychedelia of Lights (C.P.L.), Remote Activated and Phosphorus based Fireworks (R.A.P.F.), or pyrotechnics, for short. Designed stage garb and socks, all matched to the last hue. And a perfectly matched set of long hair and merry faces to boot. And that's the uber cool definition of their parikrama! What actually pushed Parikrama into being one of the known bands in the international rock domain were the very eternal pioneers of heavy metal: Iron Maiden. After playing the first song at the Maiden Concert in Bangalore, Bruce Dickinson, lead vocalist of
Iron Maiden, asked Subir where he was from. When he replied, “India”, Bruce asked, “Are you kidding me?” Maiden was so impressed with their opening set that they took them to Download Festival in UK, besides six other venues including the Brixton Academy. “England has to hear you guys,” was how Maiden put it. And that, says Srijan, was the biggest compliment the band has received till date. The band recently returned from a successful USA and Canada tour, where they played at the prestigious Kennedy Centre, Wa s h i n gto n D C a n d we re acknowledged with a standing ovation. And keeping the Indian name high, they are the official opening band for any Iron Maiden concert in Asia! And let me now fling a tough cookie at you. Not easy to digest. All this fame and Parikrama has NEVER ever released an album! The band does not have any policies against their music being copied and distributed. They have made their music available for download on their official website. They did not see this as a 'non-lucrative' business move. Rather they say it has worked in their favour, “People heard our songs on the internet and then they invited us to perform in their cities. It has worked wonderfully." Theirs is the kind of music that would never please the A & R ( A r t i s t e s a n d Repertoire)managers, who would tell them to go Hindi or go bust. Being a complete English-based band, they aren't too popular among music label companies. A few years from their inception, as the band quips, they were approached by one which insisted them to go Indipop and in return
promised to offer them a bonanza deal. They declined with a curt response “Give us five years and you will lose sleep over what you did.” Five years on, their prophecy did come true – Indipop was dead. “Today, most of them are bust and here we are, celebrating our 20th birthday,” says Nitin, who writes all the songs for the band. Faced by the incessant competition and intra-band competence, we have witnessed the breakups of innumerable bands but what keeps Parikrama going with such fervour for an astonishing stretch of twenty years is difficult to comprehend. According to Subir, "There should be no place for ego in a music band. Discipline and co m m u n i cat i o n a re e q u a l l y important for a band to be successful." Indeed, it won't be surprising at all if we interview them again 20 years from now.
Yours Youthfully -
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Cover Feature
The 11 Steps To Rock Yours Youthfully caught up with Parikrama for a delightful interview. The essence:
YY:
The band members have stuck together for quite a long time now. How has Parikrama evolved in these two decades? Was getting along with each other an issue in the beginning?
PARIKRAMA: See... we have learnt to coexist. Like in a family, you have your ups and downs, but we manage. And trust me; we still have the same fun we had, when we started two decades ago, on and off stage.
available as free download on the internet. Why is it so?
favourite song by Parikrama and why?
PARIKRAMA: Well, we say that we have no problems with people ripping our music, not others', we do not support piracy of others' music, we support ours, that is it. We like our songs to be heard by as many people, but anyway, no one can stop piracy in today's world.
PARIKRAMA: That's a tough one, but maybe 'Xerox', because it was our first ever original (1991 – released as a live record on www.reverbnation.com/pari kramaofficial) , 'Till I Am No One Again' (our first ever record – 1995),'But It Rained', 'Am I Dreaming',‘Life is Certain, 'Gonna get it' etc.
YY:
YY:
Parikrama has done more than 2700 shows. What keeps you going?
PARIKRAMA:
Beer.
YY: Every band goes through a roller coaster ride. What were Parikrama's most memorable highs and forgettable lows? PARIKRAMA:
Highs, of course, include things like being appreciated by Iron Maiden, the Download festival etc. Lows, well, we are too personal to ever let anyone know about them, we just fight and sort it out, so that the highs keep coming back quicker.
YY:
Parikrama is widely regarded as the band that has no concern for piracy because your music is
Your genre is unique, comprising fusion of Indian instruments like flute and tabla with typical rock instruments like distorted guitars and drums. What/who influenced you?
PARIKRAMA: We have been using the same since 1991, the main influence for the same was Prof. l. Subramanium. YY:
Which is your favourite concert/tour till date?
PARIKRAMA: Well, when you are nearing 2800 shows, it's tough to decide....but surely the UK tour, Indonesia tour, the USA/Canada tour, shows like MoodI, all the IITs, the north east shows, well...the list is endless. YY:
Parikrama has given the audience a number of singles, all of them equally good. Which is your
YY: You've opened for Iron Maiden thrice. How was it? PARIKRAMA: Maiden are the Gods of Metal, and it was a super honour to open for them.
YY: What is your take on the current musical scenario in India? PARIKRAMA:
It is the best ever, great bands, many promoters, world class.
YY:
What is up your sleeves in the near future?
PARIKRAMA:
Loads of new originals, a few tours and chilled beer.
YY: Your message to the youngsters of India. PARIKRAMA:
Peace, trees and rock and roll. Yours Youthfully -
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Movies
GUESS WHO
MADE IT
BIG WITH Yours Youthfully -
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Movies
Ra.One is Indian Cinema’s Big Technological Leap Ra.One is a film we all can be proud of. Over to Akshay Singh. Ra.One has been ubiquitous critic of Khan. Made on a budget of Not to take anything away from the in the past few weeks. Well for a Rs. 150 Crore you do get to SEE creative marvel that Avatar is but it Shah Rukh Khan movie it is not where the money has been spent. has to be accepted that Avatar had something unexpected. He is a There is a WOW factor when you access to state of the art shrewd businessman; his apt get to see world class special effects technologies, dedicated soft wares, marketing blitzkrieg made sure that and animations in a movie which sprawling studios and a fat budget. the movie made most of its cost has been made in solely made on Ra.One on the other hand was even before its release. As soon as Indian shores; a sense of pride if it made on a budget of 30 million $ the trailers went viral there was a may be added. and the icing on the cake is that buzz about Random Access Hollywood has always been Ra.One was made in a studio in Version-1.0 or Ra.One as we all a sort of a launching pad or an Andheri. But that does not mean know it; the expectations from the ideation center for Indian film- that Ra.One is a base product. Ra.One is just not a movie it movie were sky high. The teasers makers. In 1984 when Amitabh looked very tantalizing and one Bachachan was displaying his has the sweat and blood of could not help but notice the histrionics in Sharaabi, Arnold was hundreds of people working round finesse with which special effects kicking some serious ass in the clock on it. Jeff Kleiser, the main were being projected. Terminator. Not to take anything supervisor behind all the VFX shots It's been quite a while since away from the legend of Indian in the flick, worked in cooperation the movie has come out. If you are cinema but there is no debating w i t h I n d i a n v i s u a l e f f e c t s supervisors, Arjun Mehta and not from Planet SRK; it is tough to which film grabbed more eyeballs. Snehil Pandey, on all the intricate say that the movie lived up to its It was not the first time that aspects of 2D and 3D. With a billing. There have been a number computer animations or special mission to elevate the standards of of reasons for the disappointment effects were used in western film making, software's like MAYA, but let's not dwell on them. They cinema but they were certainly the H O U D I N I a n d M a c s w e r e have been cut and dissected in used in the most grandest of ways. incorporated in the movie to give abandon. The movie was a resounding away a complete 3D effect. For Every successful person has success at the box office and composites, the team relied upon a congregation of fanatics who recently the Library of Congress has NUKE and SHAKE, hence, making worship them and there is also set it for preservation. In the late Ra.One a cut above the rest. In another side to the coin. They also 1970's Star Wars started the trend addition to this, a team of over 750 have a bagful of detractors and by using special effects in it. James professionals was exclusively hired critics. SRK enjoys both the Cameron can easily be coroneted as to work entirely on special effects pleasures and the latter has come t h e to rc h b e a re r o f m a k i n g and VFX in Ra.One. Professionals to haunt him off late on few technically sound films. James not from all over the globe i.e. India, quarters. Within days of the release only dished out Terminator 1 and Bangkok, Canada, US and France added their bit to this flick. Red of Khan's magnum opus the joke Terminator 2 but very recently Chilies VFX mainly handled all the was certainly on King Khan. Ra.One treated the world to the visual post production activities and the became the talking point on social spectacle Avatar. arenas of special effects. It, in Ra.One is being touted as collaboration with various other networks. But amongst the entire joke India's Avatar. What better international studios from Paris, and ridiculing one thing firmly holds compliment could one possibly London and Thailand, worked on the fort in favor of SRK lies the fact get!? this big project. The thing to note Avatar was made on a here is that this movie contained a that Ra.One is undoubtedly the most technologically sound motion budget of $ 300 million with some total of around 3,500 VFX shots, out picture ever made in Bollywood. of the brightest minds of the world of which 800 shots were solely The technological leap the movie contributing to it in some way or the committed to G.One's suit, thereby has taken has certainly caught the other. Avatar took a whopping 15 making it exceed the total number attention of even the strongest years to be finally seen on celluloid. of shots employed in 'Avatar', Yours Youthfully -
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Movies
Not many people know that Ra.One had 3500 VFX shots. James Cameron’s Avatar had 2700. decade's biggest sci-fi saga. Moreover, in order to take care of special sound effects department, the Ra.One team had to specially fly down to los Angles to rope in Oscar wining Resul Pookuty for this project. Interestingly it was decided all of a sudden to release Ra.One in 3D so all of the shots had to be converted into 3D and that kept pushing the release date and up to the very end it kept Red Chili Productions on tenterhooks. Ra.One has surely put India on the world map. Five years back India was only looked upon as a hub of outsourcing talent but now we are capable of giving to the world a respectable sci-fi flick. There may be a lot of whining about the effects failing to match the international standards but this is coming from the lot who is properly exposed to western cinema. No doubt the s p e c i a l e f f e c t s i n A v a t a r, Transformers, Iron Man are impeccable but a few more tries, a few more Ra.One's and we would match them or even better them. It's easy to sit and criticize someone. It's easy to be judgmental without even understanding the intricacies that go down in making a movie that is VFX heavy. People say that Indian audience has matured over the years and has begun to accept cinema which a few years back would not have seen light of the day. Well perhaps the audience needs a bit more of rationale when they come to judging a movie. Ra.One has set a benchmark when it comes to making a VFX loaded movie. It gave the desi audience what probably Fox Studios or Paramount pictures could give them. Stills from Ra.One
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Music
Not Just a Band, Not Just a Song Read on to know what makes Led Zeppelin and Stairway To Heaven immortal. By Nitisha Tomar. It happened one day. The Gods above must have held a conference that culminated to one unanimous agreement: dispatching an avatar to the Earth. But this time the avatar they decided on was neither a purist nor a pundit nor a gold-laden, blue skinned man. They sent a revolution. They sent a set of people, who, going against the orthodox assumption of the duties of an avatar, did not satisfy the greedy plethora of humanity or treat ailments in a jiffy (well, left to you to decide if it could actually happen!!) but instead played the chords of the soul and diffused psychedelia and hypnotic trance into the residents who heeded their serenade. One finds it hard to believe that Gods could turn out to be so cool so as to send... Led Zeppelin. They were an English rock band (which in my opinion is truly an understatement!). Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. They are considered to be one of the forerunners of heavy metal and hard rock laden with heavy, guitardriven blues rock sound. Their sound was marked by speed and power, unusual rhythmic patterns, contrasting terraced dynamics, singer Robert Plant's wailing vocals, and guitarist Jimmy Page's heavily distorted crunch. Many of the band's songs dealt with themes of romance, unrequited love and sexual conquest, like “Whole Lotta Love”, “Baby I'm Gonna Leave You” and “The Lemon Song”. Page stated that he wanted Led Zeppelin to produce music that had "light and shade". They experimented with p ro g re s s i o n a s exe m p l i f i e d
particularly on "Stairway to Heaven" which begins with acoustic guitar and recorder and ends with drums and heavy electric sounds. If there is a song to begin Led Zeppelin with, just bereft yourself of any random downloading and blindly take my advice. Start with “Stairway to Heaven”. This song (as repeatedly quoted by Robert Plant) is a song of hope. The depth is unfathomable. The 70s bestowed a very competitive rock arena. Thus, for a song to not just survive but outdo any other song in terms of romanticism from then till now (more than 40 years) is a whiz in its own terms. They have influenced hard rock and heavy metal bands such as Sabbath, Queen, Megadeth, Revolver, Dream Theater, The Smashing Pumpkins, Nirvana, Pearl Jam etc etc. They are undoubtedly the pioneers of rock music and one of the most influential bands in rock history. Led Zeppelin also had a significant cultural impact. They were the wave that carried forward the hippie boat once ridden by Bob Marley. The band's fashion-sense has also been seminal; they have had a big influence on fashion because the whole aura surrounding them was so cool, and people have always wanted a piece of that. Led Zeppelin laid the foundation for the big hair of 1980s glam metal bands such as Mötley Crüe and Skid Row.Other musicians have also adapted elements from Led Zeppelin's attitude to apparel, jewellery and hair, such as the hipster flares and tight band t-shirts of Kings of Leon, shaggy hair, clingy t-shirts and bluesman hair of Jack White of The White Stripes. Led Zeppelin disbanded following Bonham's death in 1980. The remaining members issued a
statement that said, "We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend, and the deep sense of u n d i v i d e d h a r m o ny fe l t by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were", and was simply signed "Led Zeppelin”. But that did not prove to be a roadblock in their journey of epic “rockdom. They are one of the world's best-selling music artists of all time, as well as the second-bestselling band of all time in the US. Each of their nine studio albums reached the top 10 of the Billboard album chart in the US, with six reaching the number one spot. Rolling Stone magazine described them as "the heaviest band of all time", "the biggest band of the '70s"and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history". Similarly, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame stated that, in the 1970s the band was "as influential in that decade as The Beatles were in the prior one". In 1977, Led Zeppelin embarked on a major concert tour of North America. The band set an attendance record, with an audience of 76,229 at their Pontiac Silverdome concert on 30 April. It was, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest attendance to date for a single act show. According to Guinness World Records 2009, Led Zeppelin hold the world record for the "Highest Demand for Tickets for One Music Concert" as 20 million requests for the reunion show in London in December, 2007 were rendered online.
Yours Youthfully -
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Music Rolling Stone magazine described them as "the heaviest band of all time", “the biggest band of the '70s"and "unquestionably one of the most enduring bands in rock history". What makes them spearheading the rock movement has been made evident from the lines above. But the essence of this avatar is its eternal anthem: Stairway to Heaven. The song has been the most requested, and the most played album-oriented rock FM radio song. The lyrics were that of Robert
Plant who quotes: “My hand was just writing out the words, I just sat there and looked at them and almost leapt out of my seat.” It originated at Bron-Yr-Aur, a remote cottage in Wales where Page and Plant were spending time following an American concert. Page put up the solo pieces together and rendered an ecstatic, quintessential state-of-the-art wine of a song. It revolves around the essence of spiritual realization. The lady referred to in the song symbolizes the aspect of spirituality present in each one of us. She sees good in all things; pure unconditional love – that even the smallest spark of light in each of us has the potential to grow (as in the lines: “There is a lady who is sure, that all that glitters is gold”. The line “And she is buying the stairway to heaven” implies investing effort towards spiritual realization. The word “buying” refers to effort – it will not simply
happen by itself. Liberation has to be bought. On the first listening, no one can uniquely grasp this concept but how Plant wrote all of it in the cottage in one night is nothing less than phenomenal. The song has, though, been accused of backward masking (hidden messages (mostly Satanic) were contained in many popular rock songs through a t e c h n i q u e c a l l e d b a c k wa rd masking). But the band has rubbished off such claims and has firmly stressed on the positive aspect of the song. Its span of 8 minutes has endured 40 years and will so for the colossal period of human era. As Page has quipped, “People have literally got married to the song!” People younger than the song itself dig deep and relish its grandeur. The hearts brimming with music were blessed that day. The day the unparalleled avatar arrived.
Photo Courtesy: Neil Zlozower
Yours Youthfully -
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Sex
Do you know
what alcohol is doing to you? Read on to know what alcohol and male infertility have in common
Sex
A Demon For Male Fertiility Men, your attention please. Alcohol affects your fertility directly. By Bhumika Gupta.
The following piece of work makes such a revelation which no man would like to hear. Every man who suffers from erection and sperm related problems and from infertility would surely not like to h e a r t h i s p a r t i c u l a r causative of these problems. But the shocking truth is that the two major problems found in men all around the globe, alcoholism and infertility are actually interrelated. Whether you believe it or not, booze has a direct as well as an indirect bearing on the fertility of a man. Alcohol consumption can lead to devastating effects on men, like loss of libido, reduction in size of the prostate gland, sterility in males and impotency. The disabilities caused by booze do not end with list given above; in addition, the shape of the sperm also becomes abnormal. The ratiocination and acumen behind the abnormal shape of the sperms and the development of sperms in the male body is hindered as alcohol causes liver dysfunction which in turn leads to an aggrandization and proliferation of estrogen in the body which is malefic for sperms. Alcohol extirpates the cells that produce sperms. Excessive alcohol also leads to hormonal imbalance and it
is the cause for not just infertility but also impotency. A direct ramification of alcohol on the male testis is a condition called Hypogonadism. Alcohol is greatly deleterious for the part of the brain which consists of gonads. Due to this the gonadal production of the t e s t o s t e ro n e i s g re a t l y curtailed which in turn reduces the testosterone levels in the male body. A cardinal and essential mineral for the male body and fertility is Zinc. Alcohol restricts the absorption of Zinc in the male body and thus leads to male infertility. Zinc is found in high measures in the sperms; actually it is this mineral that forms the tail and the outer layer of the sperm. Thus, deficiency of Zinc will lead to infertility because of lowered production of sperms. A good and strong tail is very important for the sperm mobility, but the tail will not develop well if there is Zinc deficiency. Thus, alcohol abridges the Zinc content in a man's body which in turn leads to infertility. The morphology of the sperm is the quality of the sperm, that is, its density, shape and size. The basic cause of one's infertility is the bad morphology of the sperm, and the basic cause of the
erroneous morphology is the consumption of booze. The question that every man will want to ask after reading this piece is whether they should completely abdicate drinking or should they drink in a controlled manner. The answer to this question is simple, anything in excess is harmful. Having alcohol in a controlled manner, that is, a few bottles are not noxious at all. Every man, who is not able to become a father, should look into the mirror and ask themselves a question, what is more important and will give them more joy, the evanescent joy of having booze or the eternal happiness of being a father.
Yours Youthfully -
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Health
Working Women Can Beat Stress With Reflexology Therapy A day in a woman's life is hectic and full of stress. Added to their mental stress are health issues which play havoc with their emotions. Working at the office at par with their male colleagues, taking care of the kids and the domestic issues, a working mother has enough to keep her busy 16 hours a day, which leaves her washed out and emotionally drained at the end of the day. These days more and more women are taking to reflexology therapy and massage to beat the stress and calm themselves so that they can carry on and catch the rush hour the next day. Health issues faced by women today: 1) Stress leading to BP and hypertension 2) Weak nerves 3) Circulation problems 4) Menstrual problems 5) Sinusitis and migraine headaches 6) Back and neck problems 7) Fatigue and sleeplessness 8) Constipation 9) Menopause and depression If you are a woman, then ask yourself how many of these issues you are plagued with. How reflexology therapy can help you with these issues: Reflexology is a technique of massaging certain points on the feet and
hands which correspond to body organs, giving a healing touch to these organs. Almost all the organ systems receive impulses from appropriate massage points on the feet and hand. So, women vastly gain from therapy on all the health conditions mentioned above. Women get reflexology treatment by either seeing a professional therapist for regular treatment, reading ebooks or other books written on the subject and doing it themselves or getting advice from a therapist and massaging at home using therapy tools like foot roller or hand balls. Whichever method is chosen, the ultimate aim is achieved. Hundreds of busy ladies cut out on watching t e l e v i s i o n , re a d i n g t h e newspaper and surfing the net during their free time. Instead they work for 30 minutes to one hour massaging or taking treatment for their individual problems. An ideal time for the therapy is just before bed time when you can calm down and wash away the tensions of the day. Once the stress comes down, it automatically reduces the risk of high blood pressure, cholesterol, headaches, migraines and related diseases. Again in the morning, before the day starts, a short therapy session
helps in settling the mind and making the decisions of the day with a cool mind – which is a must for working and busy mothers. Benefits: Using the reflexology foot map and applying pressure at appropriate points can help women in: 1) Improving circulation, there by alleviating problems of anemia, fatigue and constipation. 2) Improving digestion which also helps in problems of flatulence, constipation and indigestion due to irregular meals. 3) Mitigating headaches due to migraine and softening impact of travel and effects of sunlight on sinusitis. 4) Menopause problems Therapy can tone down almost all conditions caused during menopause and menstrual periods, including pain, polycystic ovaries, depression, menstrual syndrome, etc. 5) Pregnancy - Again pregnant women feel relief and a sense of comfort after suitable therapy. Apart from all this, reflexology therapy helps in detoxification, back pain, infertility, arthritis and patients suffering from cancer. Take to the reflexology way and feel your life bloom! Yours Youthfully -
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Health
Reflexology is a technique of massaging certain points on the feet and hands which correspond to body organs, giving a healing touch to these organs. An ideal time for the therapy is just before bed time when you can calm down and wash away the tensions of the day.
Bhumika Gupta Yours Youthfully -
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