Albums that changed my life! The Bridge: Ace of Base

Greetings to all the readers. The second installment of my favourite albums is here. Although I would like to mention a few external factors here. I am extremely hard pressed for time as my end-semester examinations are underway and as I found out to my dismay today( today being the first day), there is absolutely no scope of cheating!! Curses! If that weren't enough I have a pressing engagement in which I am supposed to record and mail a song to a friend. So this shall be shorter and definitely sweeter than the other posts that shall follow in this segment! Sweeter?? Well today I shall chronicle a pop band. Ace of Base!!
This is another album that I heard in my infancy as a musician and a person. Having heard "The Bridge" in the same month as "Appetite for Destruction", the two very contrasting styles was quite the spectrum for me then. What stands out that this album was heard during a very distressing time for the world in general, and to a lesser extent, me. I heard this album during the time of the death of Princess Diana. I still remember reading the newspapers for every article about her life and death while this album was playing on the discman. The haunting quality of some of the songs made it a very profound experience. It's like tripping, only a very miniature version.
Before I jump into the evaluation of the album I would like to take some time to talk about the band. Ace of Base are natives of Sweden and comprise of four members. Sisters Jenny and Malin "Linn" Berggren, brother Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg. Often compared to Swedish powerhouse ABBA, Ace of Base personify a lot of the good and bad qualities to be found in popular music culture today. They have excellent vocals, catchy tunes, well produced, and the songs were the right songs at the right time in the music scene. The album preceding "The Bridge", called "The Sign" was listed in the TOP 100 bestselling albums of all time by the Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA). It doesn't take a genius to figure it out, this band had their moment under the sun. The factors that probably contribute Ace of Base to being a very minor act now are that they were pushed for media airplay by managers who only wanted record sales, not quality or longevity. Once their sound was decided upon, the managers never let them explore new territory, so once the music audience were tired of their brand of pop, they were pushed to the sidelines. This might have even contributed to Linn being gradually more disillusioned which ultimately resulted in her departure from the band. However I can only guess that, what is sure is that Jenny's voice does not have the same quality as Linn's whose powerful vocals were one of the features of the band's sound.
Onto the album then, "The Bridge" is different from the band's traditional sound. Ace of Base made their reputation mixing their unique mix of reggae, electronica, europop and funk that catapulted them to the top of charts in various countries. This album however has songs that are more ballad and chorus oriented in their nature than their earlier offerings. Linn's vocals are outstanding as always and she is definitely one of my favourite female singers(that is a very short list). The orchestration and song arrangements are slightly different than what one might expect but the songs are definitely listener friendly. The album starts with "Beautiful Life", and with most songs on this album there is a beautiful pull in the songs that captivates the listener. Although I have grown out of Ace of Base I was listening to these songs last night and I still found them cool, unlike most other pop songs that I hear. My personal favourite on the album however was and is the acoustic mix of the song "Lucky Love". This single was also the highest selling single of this album. Now my reason for liking the acoustic mix is the absolutely lovely guitar rhythm that accompanies the track. I mean when I heard this all I wanted to do was to play my guitar in that particular rhythm, and that helped me a lot in my fledgling stage as a guitar player. Although I must say that I would be hard pressed to play that guitar part even now, 12 years later, there is just such a beautiful feel in the chord structure. Even though the progression is simple there is an ebb and flow in the rhythm that makes this song enchanting.
Short post has turned into medium length post! Anyway, if you ever get the chance, please do hear the album. Also check out other Ace of Base songs like "Happy Nation", "All That She Wants" and "The Sign". If not anything else, you shall find that a lot of bollywood songs have been made off them!! Cheers!

Albums that changed my life! Appetite for Destruction: Guns n' Roses

Since this is supposed to be a music forum( at least that's what the name says), it is about time that I started discussing music on a more frequent basis. My last post was about Indian rock powerhouse Motherjane but I am going to go for something a bit different. I am going to make a series of posts on my influences as a musician and they shall be wide ranging, from musicians to songs to albums! Well this month I have decided to talk about all the albums that influenced me. And I am trying to keep them in a chronological manner so if someone were to deduce a progression in my tastes they probably could try.

Anyway, to the post then. Well I hail from a family which had very humble beginnings and there was absolutely no English music happening in my house. My parents loved music and I was exposed to all the old Bollywood classics and Bengali classics as well. I didn't know that a separate world existed, but my reverie was to be broken. I remember my elder brother(God bless him) bringing home a cassette from one of his friends. This was when I was ten and my brother had just gotten a guitar as a gift from dad for doing exceptionally well in his board exams. The guitar later came to me but that story is for a different day. Anyway my brother heard the thing for quite a few times and I was firmly asked to stay away. But such is the nature of the bored mind that I sneaked the cassette and gave it a listen anyway.
What makes Appetite an excellent album to listen to is that it can give you the same euphoria every time you hear it. The starting riff of "Welcome to the Jungle" can give you goosebumps every single time. You might have heard the song live too right?.... ("Do you know where the fuck you are??? You're in the jungle baby,wake up...it's time to dieeeee.....") and Axl Rose's howl transports you to a darker, almost sinisterly romantic place. That one line and riff captures the basic essence of metal! The feeling that you can never deny.. it creeps up on you and makes you submit. And for a ten year old kid who had never heard a distorted guitar before that thing was almost scary.. like forbidden fruit. It ends after four and a half minutes of gut wrenching music.. of riff and solo.. of bass line and drums.. of Axl crooning midway to the song as Slash's harmonics cut through the mix. Metal had pervaded my universe.. and although the next time I heard the album was after an interval of 8 years I recognized all the songs instantaneously.
To the other songs.. "It's so Easy".. lyrics that twisted my head( made me look up fuck in the dictionary..ha ha) and the same power of rock that was a feature in all of their songs. As Slash had said about Appetite.. "Appetite was the best record we made.. cuz it wasn't dictated by industry pressures or producers.. It was just us doing our thing".
The lyrics of the songs still make for interesting listening. "My Michelle" was about( as Axl put it).. " this crazy girl i knew.. doing drugs and shit". "Night Train" was about a bottle of whiskey by the same name. One has to love the cowbell intro to Night Train, and the twin guitar parts in the solos..first time i had heard that too.
"Mr. Brownstone", definitely one of the funkiest and probably most understated rock riffs ever. It's kinda like Aerosmith's "Walk this Way".. not just quite up there but pretty good in it's own right. I mean I could ramble on about how good each of the songs are.. but you should give it a listen if you haven't yet.
The thing about GnR is that they introduced cool to the mainstream rock audience. They were more public than most other bands who were flaunting their act at the time. Motley Crue and the entire glam rock movement were pretty flashy, but none of them sold as well as GnR. Well, Axl had proclaimed that Appetite for Destruction was going to be the largest selling debut album by a rock band. And he was right.. At 15 million record sales.
But truth be told.. these songs are good but not worth 15 million in record sales.. that was accomplished by the two songs that really kicked the album to the sky.. "Paradise City" and "Sweet Child o' Mine". Radio friendly in the last true period of mainstream rock, these two songs were the reason for the notoriety that followed during GnR's reign at the top. They spent their advance money for Appetite on clothes!!! And they still lived in a hovel somewhere near Sunset Strip!The intro to "Sweet Child o' Mine" is like a guitarist's "First ten licks to learn" kinda thing. The solo is still difficult to pull off. There hasn't been a guitar god since the Les Paul straddling, cigarette and hair dangling, Slash. Even though he plies his trade with "Velvet Revolver" now, it's not the same thing. Nonetheless, they were( were.. not are, the money spent on recording Chinese Democracy could have erased a few nation's hunger issues) one of the best rock bands that ever were.. erased from meaningful existence by MTV and their 90's flagship Nirvana, but they gave us some really good songs that will last for a really long time.
Summary, well it's a great album. Guitars, bass, drums, riffs, solos, vocals, lyrics.. the complete hard rock package. Lessons in sex, drugs and rock n' roll by the best in the business. Cheers!

Tansen who? Baiju's here!! The painted face of Indian Rock: Motherjane

I have been part of a band for the past 6 years. But a long time before I had formed my band I was listening to a variety of music. From the normal fare dished out on MTv and Channel [V] like boybands and Britney( yes Britney! Dude she's hot and I was 15!) to mellow rockers like Eagles and Bon Jovi. However, being a part of a band means exposure to a whole new world of music(read : METAL). Enter Metallica, GnR, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath. Over the years, the list has grown quite long but what was missing from the list was an Indian presence. Well, smashing through the ranks, I give to you, Motherjane.
Although I am a very recent addition to their ever-expanding fan-base, my respect for them borders on reverence. As a guitar player whose sole ambition in life is to be a professional musician, these guys are living my dream and kicking some major ass while they are at it. The pre-defining element of Motherjane is India. Their innate "Desipan"(serious lack of a better term) sets them apart from the crowd of deep-throating, mosh-pitting metal messiahs. From kathakali faces to carnatic guitar solos, they move across diverse genres of music with such seamless ease that one can't help but marvel at the skill that is involved. It is fusion, but unmistakably rock. Anthemic choruses, progressive riffs, funk drumming and the cherry on top of this formidable cake, Baiju's solos.
On to the different members of the band. Firstly, the voice, the frontman, the poet, Suraj. As tight and classy in the studio as he is live, here is one performer who will never let you down. Plus he writes the words, and the lyrics are as progressive as the music. People tell me he doesn't sound international enough. Hello, he is the voice of the band that has just won the AVIMA Best Rock Band award, and they are opening for DreamTheater in Indonesia. Ask all of the guys who sound international whether their musical CV can mirror his. I would think not.
Next up, Clyde on bass, one half of a very formidable rhythm section. The 5 string Fender he tots turns into a groove box once he gets going. Aside from the normal bass playing which he carries out with elan, a stand-out feature are his runs that accompany most of the acoustic sections of their songs. My personal favourite however, are the unison lines played by the bass and guitar when they launch into their progressive riffs. Very reminiscent of Geddy Lee- Alex Lifeson, or more recently Myung- Petrucci. A true stalwart in his own right.
We move to John, drummer, percussionist par excellence. It is so easy for the drummer of a metal band to just let loose a flurry of double bass mania, and John is technically capable, but he refrains from that temptation and switches on a groove instead. His drumming style is most similar to Chad Smith of RHCP. The funk he plays in response to the prog riffs of the guitars makes for a most delicious combination.
On rhythm guitar we have Deepu. Always running the risk of being overshadowed by the brilliant Baiju, Deepu bring a lot to the plate. Super tight rhythms, handling the riffs live when Baiju is playing solos or fills and putting in a tight shift as the back-up vocalist, no one should underestimate the value of this musician. Baiju's solos might be the icing on the cake but Deepu is the cake.
And finally, Baiju. What can I say!! Being a solo guitar player myself it is hard to not write a full post about him alone. With looks like Hendrix and a playing style somewhere between Dr. L. Balasubramanium and Eddie Van Halen, Baiju has redefined the way that rock and carnatic music can be fused. His solos are unlike anything that anyone has ever played. His technique is exceptional, all my time spent shredding seems wasted once i hear his two handed tapping( you know he might break the sound barrier with the speed of his legato). Those carnatic fills that he puts in the middle of his solos are so sharp that they immediately yank a listener's ear to attention. What sheer genius, for me he is one of the greatest guitar players because he is stretching the boundaries of the instrument. Those classical runs are executed by slides and not bends, and from personal experience I can say that it is both difficult to execute and control. Plus he is an exceptionally gentle and humble human being. I do not have enough words to describe the man.
To sum it up, they are the thing. They are not some fad, nor the result of a marketing strategy, they are the heart and soul of where music should be. Of lyrics and melody and that infinite sense of pride that one feels that these are our countrymen. Hats off to Motherjane.

An appeal!

This is an appeal to all the students of NIT Jamshedpur. The efforts to organize OJASS '10 have begun in earnest, and all intentions are to make this year's fest bigger,better and smoother than any of it's previous editions.
Even though we have received very good responses for participation in the various committees, I would like to bring to notice certain acts of vandalism that have been seen throughout the campus. The leaflets of OJASS '10 have been defaced with individuals making explicit diagrams and/or changing certain words so that they now read like abuses.
It is my sincere appeal to these individuals to discontinue these actions as it does not reflect the correct spirit that an NIT or its annual techno-management fest should portray, and nor does it have any positive outcome whatsoever. A lot of effort is being made from all quarters to ensure that we have a better tech-fest than ever. Please do not disrespect the efforts of others to get cheap thrills.
I understand that our college hasn't exactly provided us with the best infrastructure in terms of academics, sports or extra-curricular activities, but it is my strong belief that whatever this college is a result of the abilities and spirit of the students. We are no lesser than any student from any other colleges and that has been proven time and again at fests in various colleges.
My appeal therefore is this. If you aren't in compliance with what is happening for organizing OJASS '10, please find other ways to express your displeasure. All the committee members are available for suggestions and so forth. Us students need to be in the right spirit for this. "Our Fest, Our College, Our Life".

Indians: Our Pride and Prejudice

It's a year to the great tragedy that struck our nation. 26/11 should be remembered forever by India, primarily as a day of heinous attack and mindless "retribution". Besides the tragedy however, the day is a testament to the strength of the human spirit. A year on from the tragedy, we wear white to show our solidarity for the victims of the attacks. But that is us, what about the victims of the attacks?
The stories have been picked up where they were left off. The examples are abundant, from the manager of the Taj Hotel to the guard at the Cama Hospital, they have all picked up the pieces of their lives and continued with the same dignity and strength of character that they showed on that shameful day. Indians hold your head high for we have such persons amongst our number. Persons who have not let their selfishness or desire for self preservation come in the way for duty towards their country. To you brave Sirs and Ladies, I bow forever.
However, I would also like to draw attention to something else today. When there are countless examples of citizens who personify "India Shining", there are a few who are apparently not entirely happy with the concept of India at all.
Enter Mr. Raj Thackeray, the founder of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena. A year ago he led a charge that North Indians were usurping the rightful jobs of Maharashtrians as they work in Maharashtra. The public vitriol that was spewed was on display in print. television and the internet. Incidents of not just political manipulation but also physical misbehaviour with North Indians led to a large uproar throughout the nation but the common man is sometimes helpless against such atrocities. After the attacks however his attack on North Indians stopped. Thankfully the people who have made their homes in Mumbai did not desert their fellow human beings just because they were born in another state, something Mr. Thackeray would want us do.
A year later and yet another Thackeray to the fore. This time it's the original Thackeray. Even though his name means child, Mr. Bal Thackeray has never had any agendas that would come even close to the meaning of his name. The target of his most recent attacks, Mr. Sachin Tendulkar. What can one say about Sachin, global sports icon, ambassador, demi-god? Yet a simple statement by the Little Master about him being an Indian before a Maharashtrian was misconstrued and used as political leverage by the Shiv Sena chief. What can you say about a man whose party newspaper is called "Saamna"(face-off). One of my dearest friends asked me whether i hated him. She said that since I loved Sachin I should hate Mr. Thackeray on principle for tarnishing Sachin's name. Well, I told her i don't hate him, that it is impossible for Sachin to be treated with anything other than reverence in India.
Cut to the chase, look at what we have. The same country, state and city, yet such differences. I would like to say something. Bal Thackeray wouldn't be who he is if he didn't have the support of the public at some point of time or another, and it is by twisting this support does he get publicity for such shameful accusations. People in India, in the middle class, are struggling to break the shackles of money for good, they work hard at probably unsatisfying jobs just to earn that rupee. If a figurehead( read Mr. Thackeray) comes along who incites them to their ancestral rights or some such, then it is highly likely that those misguided souls might follow in the footsteps of their messiah. And Mr. Thackeray knows that, so he utilizes it. It is shameful, but it is the truth.
I am confident that the spirit shown by Indians on 26/11 can drown out the voices of such power crazed maniacs. If there is a way forward, then they must fall to the wayside

The Mind is infinite.. Mindset however isn't

I would like to challenge my own mindset with regards to certain issues. My previous post had a section about the "Greater Good". Now if anyone were to ask me if there is anything called the "Greater Good" I would have said NO. But since i am trying to challenge my mindset here I shall look upon the question again. Is there a thing such as the "Greater Good"?
Through the course of time luminaries have been facing this obstacle.. the "Greater Good". Would they have been lesser men, they would have turned back, afraid to tread the path that lay before them. Genghis Khan united all of China and Mongolia, albeit via a bloody campaign, to transform them from a squabbling, poor bunch of tribes to a mighty and wealthy juggernaut that steam-rolled everything in it's path. Now this might not be a suitable example for many as it involves violence but that's how the world was back then. Diplomacy was a mere bystander then, not the potent tool it is today. Definitely the "Greater Good" for many hundreds of families.
What better example for a boy from Jamshedpur than the Tatas. They have been accused of unlawfully acquiring the land from the tribals of this region to set up their factories. Well, now the Tatas are a vast conglomerate, feeding clothing and sheltering so many thousands. "Greater Good"? Most definitely.
The late Dhirubhai Ambani had been accused of false means to generate capital for his ventures. It works out to the same thing. That falsity has resulted in jobs for thousands of people who consider the Ambanis to be akin to their gods.
A rather bizarre example now, although possibly the most relevant. Everybody has heard about Viagra, the wonder drug for the middle aged man. It has no health benefits save boosting the flaccid egos of men who need it. So what is the need to make Viagra then? Absolutely none, one might say. But the truth is that the money made by selling Viagra (and that is quite a bit) is used for funding typhoid, cancer, tuberculosis and malaria research. The genius of this plan requires genius to fathom and I most certainly did not possess it. The target audience for Viagra are middle- aged Caucasian males. These people would never suffer from typhoid.. they live in clean surroundings.. they drink boiled water. So why would they give their hard-earned money for medical research that is used to cure a disease that wont afflict them. Typhoid, malaria and tuberculosis are among the top 5 killers in Africa. But they do not have the money to eat, let alone sponsor medical research. So sell Viagra, collect the money and pump it into research. "Greater Good". You still don't think so?
The examples are numerous, but the necessary vision to see is limited. The "Greater Good" is all around us, we just haven't seen it yet.

Curiosity killed the cat... Is man next??

During the entire lifetime of mankind, man has always had great curiosity regarding the world around him. This very curiosity has driven us to find new lands and settle in them, to find out why waterfalls go downward and birds fly.

Not content with only the outer world, we have delved into the inner realm of ourselves. Inside the human body we encountered our brain, that veritable minefield of potential, of Nobel Prizes and atomic bombs, of beautiful music and brutal slaughter. Our entry to the human mind has paralleled our foray into the destruction of mankind.

While one group of scientists have been trying to delve into the human brain, another group of minds were joined together to find the secrets of nuclear fission and fusion. Alas, the very thing that could turn Our World into a happier and more content place as ripped it apart.

We are standing on the brink of destruction. The very things that were heralded as earth-shattering in their influence can now literally shatter the earth. The simple art of blacksmiths has evolved into Titanium- Steel alloy. The brilliant fireworks for the Emperor of China have evolved into Inter- Continental Ballistic Missiles. Any and everything twisted by a few waylaid minds "For the greater good of Mankind".

Countries and men choosing the right to govern others! This works out fine but unfortunately our ethical advancement also gets twisted like our technological advancement. The need to govern turns into the license to kill and behold, we have the world as we know it. Running on the whims of a chosen few, who's to know that our elected messiahs have not gone mad with power themselves. God himself would have trouble living in our world. Note that Krishna or Jesus have not appeared among us for quite some time. Or perhaps even if They have, They have gone by us unnoticed, no different from the rest of us, struggling to find our voices and purpose, drowning in the sea of humanity.

You stand still my friend.. Yet the world spins around you!

A quick look around you will have you agreeing with me on what I am about to write. The only factor that doesn't change around us is change!! Change has never been wholly necessary.. but if you think what the most saleable item in all of human history is... it's change. Scan the history of the world.. people change.. leaders change.. philosophies change.. places of staying change.. modes of travel change.. even Gods change. The decadence here is that change now has been reduced to a mere marketing tool by manufacturing moguls to service their own selfish needs. The most important of issues, those which should forcefully be changed are kept constant. World terrorism, hunger, disease.. leave these aside and think a bit more personally.. the need to excel, to distinguish oneself has been replaced by the need to be part of a crowd.. to belong.. normalcy say some, mediocrity say I. Nobody wants to stand on the shoulders of men anymore, although now it seems we have an over-abundance of shoulders.

Change begets change. Change in one field necessitates changes in other fields. Now since my life revolves quite a bit around music.. my example shall pertain to music. Change in musical tastes result in a change of clothing.. Metal had body hugging pants and long flowing shirts and longer hairdos.. Grunge had torn jeans and t-shirts, Hip- hop has baggy pants and just about everything else. Turning on the television now to view any contemporary program is almost like visiting a circus.. Baggy shirts and trousers.. I thought that was what clowns wore.. an everyday circus indeed.

The necessity for such massive changes stems from the one defining factor of today's youth.. "The Wannabe".. Packaged by the cutting edge machination of present-day realism, the wannabe is a species completely overlooked by Darwin's theory of evolution. We really are turning time around.. All of us wanna look the same.. speak the same language.. and no it is no longer English( "Wassup bro!" hardly being the fare for Oxford or Collins).. I think that we are ready to make the next giant leap for mankind and return to being monkeys.. Now that's change.