He picked up a guitar in his school days thinking he would be a rock star some day. He grew up watching Zakk Wylde, Ozzy Osbourne, James Hetfield, and many other rock icons. But he's still surviving to play in his own country. The dream of being a rock star may just end as a dream before he gives up his guitar to the situations he’s living life in.
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Bhayanak Maut.
No, the title above isn't a C-grade Hindi Horror Movie, but our own - India's Heavy Metal band. You may laugh when you see the band name above but then you may change the idea once you know about the conditions under which these bands are forced to survive.
I saw several Pakistan rock bands' videos and live footage in my friend's music collection, some four-five days back. I thought I'd search and find some good live videos of our own Indian bands on P2P networks but alas, I couldn't find a single one. Videos and live footage (bootlegs, and not the DVDs that bands release) on P2P are somewhat legal.
I searched through the websites http://www.rsjonline.com/ and http://www.gigpad.com/ and was stunned to read the interviews, and the profiles of these bands. Many are in grief about no one sponsoring them, no record company accepting them to get an album out. Though some radio stations do air their songs, there are many who still fear to air them. And the channels, you probably know all about it - have you seen MTV, Channel V play them? No.
The bands that rock GIR every year in Delhi, who rock different rock fests every year, and bang thousands Indian heads are in a state of dismay. Bands like Demonic Resurrection, BM, Pin Drop Violence, System House 33, Prestorika, Motherjane, Sledge... - the list is endless. Had they been a bunch of guys like "Band of Boys", or the guy who won at some competition named 'Indian Idol', the situation would have been altogether different. No, I'm not biased towards the rock culture or heavy metal and this post isn't meant to criticize pop culture or those associated with it. Heavy Metal - It is true, and everyone knows this genre is left untouched by many. The genre is underground. Perhaps, this is the reason there's no one to fund these bands, so that they can come out with albums of their own under good record names, play shows - here and abroad - the reason why no single music record company comes forward to sponsor the show these bands put up, just because there’s less money in the same as compared to other music streams.
The gig 'Campus Rock Idols' I witnessed last year and the scene when the pop junta threw bunch of crumpled papers on the band 'System House 33' that was playing on stage disheartened me. But the excitement returned when the same band was awarded as the Indore region winners. The winners of the final round in Mumbai were awarded with some decent amount of cash plus a promise of headlining the show when any world acclaimed celebrity comes to India for some show. The next celebrity was Sting. And worse, perhaps they were forced to present a show in front of the pop junta again. I wonder whether this band too faced crumpled papers or such stuff.
But some of them still are pleased the way things are. They are pleased in the state of being underground. They are pleased with a small Indian fan base.
Though this comes uninvited, but if you're one of those who's into rock music and haven't yet explored Indian bands, log on to http://www.rsjonline.com/bandlands/bandmp3.asp - the MP3s section and download the demos of several Indian bands. Some of them are much better than the bands abroad. Music companies should come forward to support these bands, who enough talent to play this game at an international level. All they need is support. Support the Indian Rock Movement, support Indian bands. Support them!
With a hope that things get better for the Indian bands in the time to come...
Long Live Indian Heavy Metal! Long Live Indian Bands! You Rock!
---------------------------
peregrination
-----------------------------
Bhayanak Maut.
No, the title above isn't a C-grade Hindi Horror Movie, but our own - India's Heavy Metal band. You may laugh when you see the band name above but then you may change the idea once you know about the conditions under which these bands are forced to survive.
I saw several Pakistan rock bands' videos and live footage in my friend's music collection, some four-five days back. I thought I'd search and find some good live videos of our own Indian bands on P2P networks but alas, I couldn't find a single one. Videos and live footage (bootlegs, and not the DVDs that bands release) on P2P are somewhat legal.
I searched through the websites http://www.rsjonline.com/ and http://www.gigpad.com/ and was stunned to read the interviews, and the profiles of these bands. Many are in grief about no one sponsoring them, no record company accepting them to get an album out. Though some radio stations do air their songs, there are many who still fear to air them. And the channels, you probably know all about it - have you seen MTV, Channel V play them? No.
The bands that rock GIR every year in Delhi, who rock different rock fests every year, and bang thousands Indian heads are in a state of dismay. Bands like Demonic Resurrection, BM, Pin Drop Violence, System House 33, Prestorika, Motherjane, Sledge... - the list is endless. Had they been a bunch of guys like "Band of Boys", or the guy who won at some competition named 'Indian Idol', the situation would have been altogether different. No, I'm not biased towards the rock culture or heavy metal and this post isn't meant to criticize pop culture or those associated with it. Heavy Metal - It is true, and everyone knows this genre is left untouched by many. The genre is underground. Perhaps, this is the reason there's no one to fund these bands, so that they can come out with albums of their own under good record names, play shows - here and abroad - the reason why no single music record company comes forward to sponsor the show these bands put up, just because there’s less money in the same as compared to other music streams.
The gig 'Campus Rock Idols' I witnessed last year and the scene when the pop junta threw bunch of crumpled papers on the band 'System House 33' that was playing on stage disheartened me. But the excitement returned when the same band was awarded as the Indore region winners. The winners of the final round in Mumbai were awarded with some decent amount of cash plus a promise of headlining the show when any world acclaimed celebrity comes to India for some show. The next celebrity was Sting. And worse, perhaps they were forced to present a show in front of the pop junta again. I wonder whether this band too faced crumpled papers or such stuff.
But some of them still are pleased the way things are. They are pleased in the state of being underground. They are pleased with a small Indian fan base.
Though this comes uninvited, but if you're one of those who's into rock music and haven't yet explored Indian bands, log on to http://www.rsjonline.com/bandlands/bandmp3.asp - the MP3s section and download the demos of several Indian bands. Some of them are much better than the bands abroad. Music companies should come forward to support these bands, who enough talent to play this game at an international level. All they need is support. Support the Indian Rock Movement, support Indian bands. Support them!
With a hope that things get better for the Indian bands in the time to come...
Long Live Indian Heavy Metal! Long Live Indian Bands! You Rock!
---------------------------
peregrination
Pronunciation: (per"i-gru-nā'shun)
—n.
- travel from one place to another, esp. on foot.
- a course of travel; journey.
Synonyms: peregrination, traveling.
Usage: travel (especially by foot).
posted by codeextracts at 1:15 PM
6 Comments:
Yeah, it's sad to see real talent go waste because sponsors are not willing to fund anything which won't get them enough returns. And we people [esp in Delhi] are too much into pop & bhangra to give a decent chance to other [infinitely better, for me!] forms of music.
I've always been surprised at the Pakistani music scene. Seems like their film music isn't as big an industry as ours is, so music bands enjoy much popularity. And ironically, when the same bands come to India, they get usurped by our movies again lol! Look at Paap, and that Woh Lamhe movie, and all the rest.
Hi... thanx for the comment on my blog....
Peregrination....synonyms - journey, passage, travel, trek etc.
You have devised a good way to enhance your vocab..
hi fictional reality
i m not much of a rock listener but a friend of mine is a huge fan of rock.He organised rock show in our college n we alws lookd fwd to that day.He told us about the sad condition but he wantd to atleast try to make it better...n i m sure it will certainly get better..:)
ahan!!....i dint know you feel so strongly for heavy metal....sadly , i m not much into rock...but yeah i can understand their deplorable condition...its true there r lack of opportunities in india n life for smone pursuing ssomething "not much popular among masses" is difficult.......be it rock or any other stream....
i dont want to listen to 'Bhayanak Maut' ..its too scary.....
pls update my blog's url- http://surgingwaves.blogspot.com
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