Author Archives: Usha Amudan

I didn’t want to write this initially. I honestly have no idea how to summarize a month of India and what I saw in a single post. And I really don’t want to bore you guys into reading a never ending essay either. So, I figured let’s just go by the traditional way. Allow the pictures to speak for themselves. Although they might not exactly convey my feelings, for some photographs were just badly pictured. Sorry about that guys, no matter how much technology improves, batteries have a life and they tend to die often.

Even then, I had no choice but to break it into two posts. This is the first of the two where I spent about 10 days in South India observing and participating in things. It’s titled “Off Wheels” simply because the second post is all about my train journeys around India. Anyways, let’s focus on this part of the journey first, shall we?

Here we go…

An Indian Wedding

It started off with my participation in an Indian wedding. It was my cousin’s. What was supposed to be my watch- and- be -impressed with Indian weddings, ended up being on-stage with my cousin. Not quite what I had in mind.

One would think, least I did, that wearing jewelry would invite looks. Man, I invited quite a few stares for not wearing any. Indian aunts and grannies offered to part with their chains so that “my neck wouldn’t appear bare”. I’m sorry what?

Did I mention Indian weddings can actually last a week?

I was told that my cousin’s three day affair was actually short. Good Lord!

Then again, I am glad it was a huge event else I will never have been able to witness an Indian wedding first hand. By the way, not all Indian weddings take place the same way. Well obviously given the number of states and the diversity of India.

The one I attended followed the Telugu customs. Specifically the Naidus. During the climax of the wedding, the part where the groom ties the sacred thread; was performed with a cloth between the groom and bride. Interesting aye. I was told about its significance, but as time went the information dissipated from my memory. Oops!

Did you know there were pre and post wedding events?

I didn’t. I hardly ever attend weddings. And the ones I have attended, ended within three hours or less. Not this one. One of the post wedding events was a visit to a remote temple in the heart of a South Indian village.

Both the names of the temple and the village were quite a mouthful. But that’s not the point. The temple was built for a deity or otherwise known as a guardian-deity. Can you actually say that? I just coined the term, I’m not sure if it exists. Anyways, the fact that the deity’s responsibilities is the well being of the people, the temple lies in the out skirts of a village. Makes sense innit.

The groom’s family are closely affiliated with the temple hence they tend to visit the temple, after every successful occasion, as a way of saying thank you to the deity.

Besides weddings, Indians celebrate everything. I’m not kidding. There was an ear piercing ceremony for a young kid and they even shaved his head.

The parents didn’t cut his hair since birth; all for this day: To shave his head bald and get his ears pierced.  And between all of these, stuff a banana in his mouth hoping that would distract him. Ok…

The lady on the left was the official “ear-piercer”.

She was not using the pierce gun but a freaking needle! One that she would heat before piercing (read: hurting) the 3 year old’s ears. I swear she was aggressive but many would disagree with me. Sighs!

More Temples

What’s a trip to India if you haven’t seen enough temples right?

At every step of the way, at every corner street stood a temple. Be it one with its towering height, and intricate designs or a simple hut with a deity sitting inside. The numbers were baffling. The bigger, grander temples were the most intriguing. With its cool interior despite the sweltering heat outside, and the history behind its architecture was just pure amazement.

Govindaa! Go-vin-daa!

Venky requires a post of his own, but remember how I didn’t wanna bore you guys to death with my long winded-ness? Hey, I hear you say, as if this post was any shorter but seriously I have summarized it to the best of my ability. Sobs.

Venky is a rich God. People donate their wealth to this deity. I was glad the money was put to good use, for the accommodation provided and the surrounding areas and areas within the temple were kept relatively clean. Infrastructures to aid devotees were well constructed too.

That was when I noticed these see through walls within the temple: the men behind the walls were counting cash! Loads of them! It was pouring cash in this part of India. Will someone please enlighten the poor souls begging on the streets about this place please!

It was literally raining money and… hair, due to devotees shaving their heads for one or another religious reason related to Venky. Meeting Venky was a tedious task. I had to shove and push people. Shout Govinda and later push through the crowds before me. It appeared as if people were shouting “Govinda” to get the adrenaline running before they exert their strength on the dude infront. Wonder how Venky feels about this? Sorry Govinda.

What I also realized, after I mastered the art of being Indian was that I hardly made eye contact with Venky. The entire union with throngs of other Indians between me and Venky, around me and Venky, lasted less than 2 minutes.

After the main viewing, which was twice, thanks to a certain privilege endowed by cousin’s father-in-law, we proceeded for a particular Unjal Utsav. What happens here is that Venky is brought in a chariot, and later transferred to a swing in a room filled with mirrors. The priest slowly pushes the swing creating a momentum for it. The scene is, devotees get to see Venky while he is relaxing with his two spouses on the swing. The comedian in this scene was this other priest at the entrance of the room going “Govinda Cepu! Govinda Cepu” at all who entered.

I mean why? Dude! Venky is resting. I don’t wanna go all Govinda on him now.

Oh well…

(To be continued…)

The title may be a little misleading. Maybe these were not the best. Maybe in your opinion, Salt by A. Jolie was the best. I found it bland though. Perhaps Inception never made it to your list (I don’t like you already if that were true).

For the lack of a better term, and along the lines of movies that were not sleep inducing, instigated me to go fight for a refund (Although the worst movie I watched this year did make me feel that way), I decided to use “Best” and this was the best list I could come up with.

It was THE BEST out of 2010. Enough said.

I loved it more than the rest of the movies and slightly less than Inception.

Johnny Depp is in it. Tim Burton’s production. Helena Bonham Carter has a role! And I’m biased.

It was not the best of the series but definitely not disappointing. Buzz Lightyear, my hero.

May not have carried the entire truth about Zuckerberg but one cannot deny it was produced well. What goes on in Harvard stays in Harvard.

Read this, watch it.

If you could appreciate Shutter Island; you would get my drift.

It was a fantabulous one-man show. It was Ryan Reynolds. And he is our Green Lantern in the future!

Did I mention I was a Harry Potter Fan?

An adapted version of Rapunzel with lots more fun.

Not the best from Julia Roberts. If you love travelling, you would enjoy it.

…And the movie to AVOID.

What was Shymalan thinking???!!!

That was what I thought were the best and one tiny blotch from what came outta Hollywood. You may have a different list. Share it with us under the comments.

Have a Great 2011!

Humble Beginnings

Surjo Bhattcharjee does not represent any band. He hasn’t made the headlines…yet. Rolling Stones lost its chance to chat him up and have his face shot in fancy angles for its covers because GingerChai pushed its way through first. Ha! At this point, we owe Pranjal Srivastava a Thank you for recommending Surjo.

Surjo is from Jamshedpur and has been playing the guitar for the last 13 years; performing at various Indian cities. Many may have seen him play covers for the notable bands like MOTHERJANE, Raghu Dixit Project and such.

Despite his somewhat low profile, he has built quite a remarkable fan base online. He has his own Youtube Channel, where he reproduces some well known tracks and a few of his own compositions. Surjo was once associated with the band Soul Alchemy and his FaceBook Page holds over 800 fans!

Currently he plays with RockBaaj, a Kolkata based band that largely plays popular, mainstream songs. Why would an Indie Artist be pulled into the mainstream culture? He has some valid reasons, not here though.

According to the various bios I poked my nose through while writing this, revealed Surjo to be a “reluctant vocalist” but an avid guitarist. His guitar skills have been well showcased in his videos. For his vocals, I haven’t heard much, we’ll decide when he makes his debut sometime this year or early 2011.

But before we get to his upcoming EP, we figured we’d ask the budding musician to tell us what we should know about him and what we should expect of him. We always give people a chance to promote themselves as we at GC do not believe in staying low profile!

Having cleared the air, this is what Surjo had to say…

Who is Surjo?

Difficult to say really, I keep on making new discoveries about myself. But I’ll try to keep it only to music. I’m first and foremost a fan of all the great music that has been made over the years. My own music is almost secondary in a way, since whatever comes out of me, will have some relation to all that I have heard over the years.

I love to play the guitar, it is the source of great joy and it’s the greatest leveler for me. There is something very supernatural about the guitar for me. People have moods, and are ever-changing.  What they like one day, they might not the next. But a guitar has no such hang-ups. You play the same notes and it gives back the same to you, unflinchingly every single day, like a best friend. Music is like life, blood for me. In school when they would ask for hobbies, I was sorely tempted to say academics, since music is not something that I ever thought was a passing phase for me.

What inspired you to make music?

It seems to me that music is the language that I communicate the best with, so it’s a natural progression that when I need to speak out for something that I believe in, it will invariably come out in the form of lyrics and melodies. Different moods seem to pour out through either words or music. It just seems natural to me. I mean I often think that making music must come naturally to everybody, since it comes naturally to me. It’s about listening to what is inside of you, and then playing it.

Major influences in your music.

Everything that I have ever heard is an influence in my music, from old Bengali songs to Bollywood numbers that I have heard (nothing of late, I’m afraid), to old school rock, blues and metal and pop. Everything has an effect, whether it is a positive or negative effect remains a matter of choice. I could listen to something that might come out in a certain way in my compositions, and that’s a positive effect. I might listen to something and know subconsciously that it won’t figure into my music, and that’s a negative effect.

What genre do you think your compositions belong to?

That’s really for the listener to decide. I love blues, rock and funk above all else, maybe somewhere in there I guess.

What can you say about the instrument you play?

It is my interpreter, my girlfriend in a lot of ways. It plays whatever songs I want it to play without complaints. One of the things about a guitar is that it is a very sexy instrument; the names of the various parts of the guitar are like waist, neck, ribs and so on. And no guy has curves like that.

Jokes aside, the guitar has the innate ability to calm me down. Irrespective of whether I am in hyper joy or sadness, the guitar just gives me a peace of mind. The instrument is always bigger than the people playing it. That’s how I feel about me and my guitars anyway. I just got a new Gibson Melody Maker, to add to my Fender Stratocaster and Comet Telecaster. So I am about as happy as a guy could be, especially sincethe Gibson was won in a contest and therefore did not burn a hole in my non-existent pocket.

When is your debut album releasing?

The date isn’t fixed as of yet. There are tons of ideas waiting to be recorded.

What is/will it be about?

The biggest dilemma for me is to decide whether it is going to be an instrumental album or vocal album. For all I know I might come up with something midway. The album is going to capture my state as a person and musician at this present moment. All of us face issues in our lives, I’m no different, and I would like to explore that territory, and hopefully the listener shall find it relevant and can relate it to their own lives.

What should we be looking forward to?

Melody, lyrics, and tons of guitars!

You have played covers for bands like MOTHERJANE, The Raghu Dixit Project, etc. Best Experience?

Opening for huge bands like this is great because you get to see people who have actually made it in the profession of your choice go about it, and it is a massive learning experience. Most memorable experience, there are 2 actually. After both gigs, both Raghu Dixit and the member of MOTHERJANE were so nice in their behavior and generous in their praise that it is just a huge confidence boost to someone like me. When Baiju Dharmajan, the lead guitar player for MOTHERJANE, gave me a hug before and after my show, it was definitely one of the most standout moments of my performing career so far.

To be received with affection by one of your idols is always a great moment.

Who writes your songs? What kinda themes do you tackle in your lyrics?

I’m the one writing the melodies and the lyrics. The themes come from my everyday life, from what I see around me. Whether it is about me, my friends or something more global; I have always felt that my lyrics should be simple. In terms of language and content, so people can try and get the message, and hopefully mould it and interpret it the way of their choice.

Ultimate aim?

I want to be involved in music through my life; nothing is more joyful to me. Whether it is as a performing artist, recording artist, studio musician, producer or whatever else, music fuels my everyday existence, and I can ask for nothing more than to be a part of it for as long as I am here.

Thank You for tuning In!

Author’s Note: If you have been diagnosed with the following, it’s recommended you contact me and I will get back to you with the remedy!

• You have a favorite musician that you want featured in Indie Rhythms
• You know a budding artist and he needs a platform to spread the word
• You came across an album that swept you off your feet or made you crash into a wall even
• You witnessed this amazing live performance of an Indie band and you wanna share the experience with us (OK for this one you cannot directly contact me.)
• You think I need to do a better job
• You simply wanna say “Hi Usha, the series rocks”. (Although this can very well be done at the comment’s section)

Now all of the above would gladly put a smile on my face and perhaps a gift in your mailbox.

Thanks again  for Tuning in!

Advaita, the first of an eight member band I was lucky enough to come across. Based in New Delhi (one more reason to visit Delhi), this fusion band is made up of not 3, or 4 but 8 individuals who have come together to create magic that lives up to its Sanskrit definition of Advaita – Non-duality.

Advaita encompasses the talents of Abhishek Mathur (Guitars, Electronics), Anindo Bose (Keyboards, Electronics), Chayan Adhikari (Lead Vocals – Western), Aman Singh Rathore (Drums, Percussion), Suhail Yusuf Khan (Vocals – Sarangi, Hindustani), Ujwal Nagar (Vocals – Hindustani), Mohit Lal (Tabla, Percussions) and Gaurav Chintamani (Bass).

Back in 2004, eight dudes who had the common interest of making music got together. Their sole aim was to create music that was uniquely theirs. Eight people collaborating together to create pieces that they all believed in sounds dramatic already. Crazy even. But guess what, Advaita succeeded and went on to give their debut album Grounded in Space early last year.

Abhishek, the lead guitarist shares with Gingerchai the secret behind the oneness that eight musicians share…

How was Advaita formed?

In 2004 a bunch of us from different bands and ensembles got together to try and form a different kind of ‘fusion’ band – although we don’t really care too much for the word fusion. The idea was to make soulful songs incorporating elements of the kind of textures we had imbibed from western rock and pop and merge those with Indian classical melodies and moods, but try and do it in a way that the elements blended seamlessly.

Major Influences in Advaita’s music?

There are too many and they keep on increasing. First of all, Indian Classical music and its inert spirituality and depth. From western music there’s a lot of the classic rock stuff old and new – Pink Floyd, Coldplay. Electronic stuff like Massive Attack, Zero 7, Air and of course other styles of merging East and West from Talvin Singh and Nitin Swahney and projects like ‘One Giant leap’ to the great ‘Shakti’ and stalwarts like the late Ustaad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.

How different is Advaita from the rest of the Indie Bands in India?

Like many others we are unique in the kind of sound and style we are exploring. Although there are a few other indie bands doing things with folk and classical elements with rock or pop, I think Advaita has a distinct mystical sound. We want to sound psychedelic, but not in the traditional sense. We’re also unique due to the size of our line up!!  (Agreed on that note!)

Tell us about Grounded in Space?

Well, it is our first album and the entire process took almost three years to finally take it out, thats a story too large for this interview. (Sobs)

But we’re very proud of the album. Special mention must be made for the support of Mr Shantanu Hudlikar at Yash Raj Studios in Mumbai. The two weeks we spent there recording the album were really memorable.

Inspiration for the lyrics behind the album?

We get inspired by life in general but sometimes the lyrics can be quite abstract like on Suspended or Gates of Dawn. Then there’s some personal stuff like Miliha or Hamsadhwani, and especially So Lost.

Am I right to assume Advaita wants to keep its music at an alternative cum carnatic approach? Is keeping the compositions mellow the motive? Well I personally loved the album.

Not really, we don’t use much carnatic music in our compositions as our classical members are trained in the north Indian Hindustani style.  (It was mistake on my part to have confused both Hindustani & Carnatic.)

Frankly we don’t want to be pigeon holed into any specific sound – some of the new material is very different from what one might expect of us – a lot of it is not mellow at all.

How important is clinching a record deal?

Well, one does want to get their music out there and clinching a record deal was a big leap in that direction. But having said that; people are finding many other ways of getting their stuff out to people through other innovative means, especially using the internet. So they might argue a record deal isn’t important. The music business is changing as we speak so one has to keep their eyes and ears open.

Biggest challenge as an Indie band in India?

In this scene to survive is hard enough and then to earn and get your music heard and get shows, etc. The list is huge! In India one big problem is that our market is so much in the grip of Bollywood that there is little room for other things. This is really sad. Because India has a rich tradition in the arts and it seems these days people just want the same nonsensical emotionally plastic stuff over and over again.

The other side of it is that promoters, event companies, radio, TV channels etc just don’t want to give a chance to anything else. Our record company tells us whenever they do sample testing for their releases, Advaita’s album gets a very good response which makes me feel like – people will like us if they get the chance to find out we exist! (You bet! You have a crazy fan right here!)

That’s a very frustrating feeling for us and other indie bands like us who don’t have the resources to market extensively!

If you can tour with another band, say from the local arena, who would that be?

I don’t know – the truth is we like to make our shows the kind where the audience really gets into our vibe so we actually prefer playing alone. But one band we admire a lot on the scene is Avial.

What keeps the spirit high amongst Advaita? I mean there are 8 of you! How do you manage to create music?

We all are good friends and hang out even when we’re not practicing. For any team to function efficiently the members need to have a good personal equation and in a band like ours where there is so much going on in terms of parts and arrangements – it’s a challenge to keep it together and make music that really reflects our collective personality. Motivation is not really a problem because we really believe in what we’re trying to do.

Where does Advaita sees itself in 5 years?

This is hardly the kind of scene where one can plan so far ahead; we’re just taking it one season at a time.

People who love (____) will love our music.

a) People who love staring at the sea will love our music.

b) People who love chocolate will love our music.

Future Albums? Upcoming gigs?

Ya the next album should be out next year – we’ve got the material but we like to take time to let the arrangements and stuff mature.

More about Grounded In Space…

Abhishek shared the making of their debut whereas as an avid Indie music seeker or new music if you will, I have to say I loved this album.  It has been on replay mode for some time now. No, there was no exaggeration there. The general feel one gets to this album would be along the lines of drinking hot chocolate on a cold winter’s night. I’m serious dude! So wipe that expression off your face.

Considering how those who love a good chocolate bar and enjoy zoning out into the sea would love their music, I wasn’t surprised that I came out loving the tracks of this album.

It was comforting, soulful, and hardly do you hear a song where the lyrics go “Trying to find, find a way to go..” accompanied with an Indian stringed instrument in the background.  Which I have now come to know is a Sarangi. The vocals were so unassuming and soothing it comes as no surprise that So Lost is one of my favorite numbers. Although I am going to repeat, the whole album rocked.

Mere Yaar, starts slow and ends up growing onto you. It continues on with English lines in between. Recall, J-pop with its English one liners thrown in just for the benefit of having a non-japanese lyric. Well, this number is NOT one of them! It was a stark difference. The lines blended in so well with its backing Hindi lyrics. That is one classic fusion piece, right there.  Highly Recommended!

Several other numbers to look out for would be Raasiya, Hamsadhwani ,Ghir Ghir, Durga for a tad faster bit and I will go on, but instead I’m telling you listen to the entire album. You should catch them live if possible and fill us in here at Indie Rhythms.

To listen to Advaita…

Log onto their Myspace, last.fm or reverbnation sites to give your ears a pleasant preview before they start begging you to go grab the album.

And to keep up with their performances in Delhi and around the nation or perhaps in your non-Indian continent, social networking is a gift.

Author’s Note: Apologies for uber long breaks between articles. Attempts will be made to fill the void.

Author’s Note Continued: If you have been diagnosed with the following, it’s recommended you contact me and I will get back to you with the remedy!

• You have a favorite musician that you want featured in Indie Rhythms
• You know a budding artist and he needs a platform to spread the word
• You came across an album that swept you off your feet or made you crash into a wall even
• You witnessed this amazing live performance of an Indie band and you wanna share the experience with us (OK for this one you cannot directly contact me.)
• You think I need to do a better job
• You simply wanna say “Hi Usha, the series rocks”. (Although this can very well be done at the comment’s section)

Now all of the above would gladly put a smile on my face and perhaps a gift in your mailbox.

Thank You for Tuning in!

Note: Images courtesy of Shiv Ahuja & Abhijeet Singh Chauhan (www.advaitaonline.net)

So where were we the previous time? Chennai was it? What am I to say, except that we’re gonna hang around the South for a bit. This time it is Kochi, Kerala to meet the winners of 2009 Asian Voice Independent Music Awards (AVIMA) for Best Indie Rock Band in Asia and 2010 AVIMA for Best Vocalist and Most Popular Act in Asia. .

Becoming MOTHERJANE

MOTHERJANE they call themselves. And the CAPS are accompanied with reasoning by the way. They have been around for more than a decade playing host to some varied audience around India. Sometime in 1996 was when the band took form and 14 years later, they have a massive fan following who call themselves the Janiacs

MOTHERJANE is currently made up of Suraj Mani (Vocals & Lyricist), Baijju Dharmajan (Lead Guitar), Deepu Sasidharan (Rhythm Guitar), Clyde Rozario (Bass) and John Thomas (Drums). MOTHERJANE encompasses a bit of multiple worlds: They have regional influence in their compositions . They use western instruments to create traditional pieces. They sing in English. What keeps the pieces together is the balance of not getting too carried away with the Indian beats nor making it entirely Rock with regards to the western perception.

Amidst getting their “baby”, the new Studio that is currently being constructed, all for the sole purpose of providing MOTHERJANE to conjure up awesome music for our hearing, Suraj, the voice behind the songs sat down to share some MOTHERJANE tidbits.

What is it that we don’t know about MotherJane but we should?

Well that it is spelt MOTHERJANE as a single word. Many people think it is two words Little piece of trivia for you, we used to use all small letters and now we prefer to use all caps. Does seem a lot bolder.

What has changed since MOTHERJANE was born back in 1996?

The entire industry has become better organized and there is a growing sense of confidence in many of the professionals and semipro’s, that this is a viable career. Greatest thing in a single statement would be, the number of young bands who think it is natural that they should make originals. It wasn’t like that once upon a time.

Biggest challenge as an Indie band in India?

Collating resources. Mainly in terms of creative, technical and other support teams. You see, a successful band has a lot of behind-the-scenes work happening and to inspire other people to commit their time and efforts to a shared dream is pretty much the single most critical point in going to the next level.

Which is harder?  Writing a song, creating the music for it or performing live? Why?

I find writing the songs to be real easy and that’s a personal thing. Maybe because I’m so opinionated It does vary from artist to artist. Creating the music has been a logistical problem for us as I have been in Bangalore since 2001 and the rest of the guys in Kochi. Having said that, we almost come up with a song pretty effortlessly when we are in the same room together. Performing is the part that is seriously effortless.

How different is MOTHERJANE from the rest of the Indie bands in India?

Well we have been very professional in our approach. We have a reputation as a band that will be there on time, do sound-checks etc properly and deliver a killer performance no matter where or who the audience is.

Describe a regular creative session?

No real rules actually. If you are feeling good and have something to express, a song is already on its way. In that state of mind; creativity chooses you, not the other way around.

Which song from your released albums would you recommend for someone who hasn’t heard of the band? Why?

Well… All of them! We have two studio albums Insane Biography and Maktub and two singles called the Tribes of Babel and Jihad. Everything rocks

Complete the following statement: People who love (______________) will love our music.

People who love “To honor their roots and question the rules” will identify with MOTHERJANE. Our war cry of “Ethnic Spirits, Global Rock” springs from this philosophy.

I play a couple of instruments at varying levels of hopelessness and I could be tone deaf.  Do you think you could use somebody like me in the band?

Is that a serious question? To be honest, we get a lot of similar requests.   It’s almost like, “I am a great person, can I have an affair with your spouse?” (And I lost my chance of quitting school to become a rock star.)

Future Albums? Upcoming gigs?

Our label Aum-I Artistes is opening a new studio on the 15th of September and we are the reason they built such a studio. Hell yes! Songs are written, studio time is a given, new albums are coming. Season has also commenced in India, so the gigs are also kicking off. It’s a good time for us and we have worked for it.

Albums…

A couple of studio albums under the titles of Insane Biography(2002) and Maktub (2009) are one of the many reasons for the growing numbers of Janiacs. A quick note about Maktub: Ya’ll aware of Rolling Stones Magazine yea? MOTHERJANE was featured in 2009 for coming up with The Best Rock Album for that year. That’s Right, Maktub was its name.

Apart from studio albums, they recently ventured into the South Indian Cine Arena as a music director composing the original soundtrack, Jihad, for Anwar, a Malayalam movie. It has been receiving rave reviews and many have cited it to be one of their favorite since its release in August.

I haven’t listened to their debut album entirely, but, I can vouch for Maktub and why it makes sense that Rolling Stones India named it the best album of the previous year. Almost all the tracks are of a favorite of mine, however, I am obliged to mention a few tracks one might wanna look out for. Such as Fields of Sound, Chasing the Sun, Mindstreet, and Broken. Guitar accompaniments are a major highlight for each of these tracks.

Potential Janiacs…

We would suggest you go grab their records from the first record store you come across. Then again, if you are reading this series for the first time and really doubt our music taste or perhaps are already expressing distinct music preferences than the ones we have to share here; you can always head over to www.reverbnation.com/motherjane or http://www.last.fm/music/motherjane or http://www.motherjane.in to get a taste of what MOTHERJANE has to offer.

Assuming you were impressed with their compositions and is now a true blue Janiac, welcome to the club! You may now stalk them at www.facebook.com/motherjane or http://twitter.com/motherjaneindia to keep yourself updated on the latest happenings of MOTHERJANE.

You guys also owe the PR Angel of MOTHERJANE, Eva Dowd, a Thank You for ensuring these sites are duly updated for us Janiacs.

To the readers: Guess it’s time we heard from you since Indie Rhythms began. All you have to do is let us know the Indie Musicians around India that you want featured in this series. They can already be making waves or they need a platform just so they can start creating some ripples or if you, yourself is a budding talent and need an audience; we’re all ears for ya. Mail me: Usha and I will get back to you.

Thank You for tuning in!

Note: Images courtesy of MOTHERJANE.

No One Knows About Persian Cats (کسی از گربه های ایرانی خبر نداره) is a 2009 Iranian film on the underground music scene in Iran and the troubles these music enthusiasts face before making it big or in most cases, never.

Directed by Bahman Ghobadi starring Negar Shaghaghi, Ashkan Koshnaejad (both belonging to the Iranian Band Take it Easy Hospital, Hamed Behdad and other underground Iranian bands who appear intermittently.

It starts off with Nager and Ashkan, two musicians who are keen in forming a band and performing in Europe. They are introduced to Kadar who has links to individuals who can “arrange” for passports and respective visas. Thus starts their journey.

Kadar brings them to visit a hideous location off the face of Tehran city where an old man sits with his side kick; who is probably just a little younger than him. Inside that dubious cave, sits customers who are awaiting for their documents to leave Iran for better places.

Following that, Kadar brings them to visit other underground bands who might be interested in joining hands with them to perform in Europe. They meet several of them who have been sentenced to prison previously by the “Guidance” Police for engaging in un-Islamic activities. These bands therefore, insulate the areas they play to avoid the attention from outside and most specifically the authorities.

They do eventually manage to form a band. However, as the departure date nears, their visas and passports have been delayed.

As Kadar goes to collect the passports, he spots the underground passport-man to be arrested.

This unexpected twist in events has yet to reach both Nager and Ashkan.

What happens after this? Did the band make it to Europe or was it another journey to the prison walls is what the rest of the movie is about.

Most of the clandestine shots depict reality and it was for this purpose alone, the director chose to use a lightweight digital camera instead of anything fancy. This movie was a venture by the Ghobadi who wanted to show the world how suffocated musicians feel in Iran. How their talents are rarely acknowledged. One thing worth mentioning is that, Ashkan in reality was previously imprisoned for performing in an underground concert in Tehran.

This flick is part docu-drama, part movie. Several tracks from the various bands were also included as part of the background score. The movie reminded me of another indie film called Once starring Glen Hansgard and Marketa Irglova, both being musicians in reality.

The idea of music apart from religious ones is frowned upon in Iran and this movie, obviously, was banned upon its release. Only a limited release has been allowed around the US, UK and parts of Asia.

It provides a view into the lives of eager Iranian youths and the risks involved in pursing their interests while the rest of the world (least the part I live in) have been spoilt for choices as a youth.

The entire movie is in Persian with English Subtitles. Both informative and musically inclined is what No One Knows About Persian Cats aims to deliver. And it does deliver actually.

That was one long break that should have been much shorter, my apologies. Good stuff not only arrives in smaller packages but also takes time with the delivery.

Just to refresh that rusty memory; the last band that was featured in the series (before the disappearing act) was Indian Ocean from New Delhi.

This time we are heading down south to Chennai to meet the alternative rock band known as, Junkyard Groove. The groovy members of this live performance band include Ameeth Thomas (vocals), Craig Maxworth(bass) and Siddharth Srinivasan (guitars). They have been around and performing for close to five years now.

We got around to Ameeth Thomas to share a little about the groove that goes with the band.

Describe a regular music making process.

There is really no fixed way in which we do things especially with the writing of our new album. With 11:11 and Nicer In A Minute some of the songs were written before the band was started. Most of the songs where written with one acoustic guitar and parts built around it. The new album is turning out to be very different.

Major Influences in your music?

Pearl jam, Dave Matthews Band, Incubus, Artic monkeys, John Butler Trio, Guns ‘n’ Roses, Mute Math, Dub FX and the list goes on

Biggest challenge as an Indie band in India?

It’s like anywhere building a strong fan base. There are no short cuts to this.

How important is clinching a record deal?

If you ask me, not at all. With the advent of social networking and direct to fan base marketing there is really no need for a record deal. Another reason is studio and production costs have come down drastically, all you need is a good laptop a sound card, some recording software and it’s like you’re playing in the best studios in the world.

What was the band working towards to in the beginning and how has that changed thus far?

Not much has changed. We formed this band for the love of making and performing music. Only thing that has changed in the last 5 years is the scale at which we are doing it.

How does it feel to be onstage performing?

We are basically a live band that is how we built a fan base. We live to play live and love it more than life.

How different is JYG from the rest of the Indie Bands in India.

I do not know how different we are from the others. I guess that is not for me to decide. What I can tell you is that we not only concentrate on our music but all aspects of it. For example things like PR, marketing, composing, live performance, recording etc. Everything matters I guess. That is what bands here need to learn: Do not wait for someone to save you, save yourself.

Advice for people who might wanna form their own bands?

a. Have a f**k load of fun doing it

b. There are no short cuts to success.

c. Nothing good in life comes easy.

Future Albums? Upcoming gigs?

Right now the band is working on the next album and me (Ameeth) on my solo EP. As for gigs catch us on facebook and our website for updates.

Complete the statement: People who love ____ will love our music.

Pearl Jam, Incubus, Dave Matthews Band and John Butler Trio, you

Previous albums…

Include 11:11 [bootleg] and Nicer In A Minute E.P. Both albums are readily available for download at www.junkyardgroove.net. All one has to do is sign up and you can download all their albums. It’s perfectly legal, if you are wondering that is.

11:11 [bootleg] was released early 2009. It features 11 tracks some of them having been featured in the Nicer In A Minute compilation as well. Some of the tracks starts with an Indian feel and later continues as a rock number.  Folk You was one such track which also carried a couple of Tamil lines.

Interlude was a slow number accompanied with both rock music and Indian instruments. For one who is doubtful of JYG might wanna start with this track and move onto the rest.

It’s Ok starts with a quirky, lively feel to it and the energy is carried throughout the number.

Twinkle Twinkle starts as a laid back track and later takes upon layers. A tad faster than lounge music is what I would say.

Time you got your earphones and start groovin’

To be on track with their music, upcoming gigs and tour dates; one can stalk them, LIKE their status updates (and stalk ‘em more) or intrude their space.

Thank you for tuning in!

Note: Image courtesy of www.junkyardgroove.net

The Journey

10 hours. Curled up on the ground, right in front of the driver’s cabin. Truth be told, couldn’t find a better spot. Even then, our gluteus maximus were tortured massively. Somewhat slept through the journey till Beijing greeted us with its scorching heat.

Single Serving Friends

Checked into the youth hostel to two sleeping roommates. One was an Austrian who had recently resigned her job to travel for two months and another Australian painter. Both were uber friendly. A good sign.

Didn’t get to speak much with the Austrian, she only stayed a night. The older Australian went by the name Patricia Preston.  She was a mother, an artist and a traveler. She brought no mobile or laptop with her. She talks about everything from painting to ayurveda. She hopes to pick up calligraphy when she is back at home in a small town near Sydney.

The other Australian backpacker I met during my trip was Pascal Roth from Perth. He has been around China for a month now and hopes to return again. He has been to most parts of the world which would explain my surprise when I realized he was only 19. And he rears a snake in his backyard. Aussies!

The other serving was a Chinese lady called Fang. She hosted us for a couple of days. I met her via Couchsurfers.org. She had immense love for travel but due to lack of resources, time and perhaps capital she chose to hosting backpackers instead. She does this on a regular basis.

Quoting Edward Norton from the film Fight Club,

“Everywhere I travel, tiny life. Single-serving sugar, single-serving cream, single pat of butter. The microwave Cordon Bleu hobby kit. Shampoo-conditioner combos, sample-packaged mouthwash, tiny bars of soap. The people I meet on each flight? They’re single-serving friends.”

These were several such individual servings.

Crowd Control

On my way back from visiting the Olympic sites, I was almost chutney-fied by the Chinese crowds in the bus. One had her arm right before my face, another had a child near my leg. Any one sudden brake and I would have broken my nose and probably be held responsible for breaking several other commuters’ bones.

To quote Roth, “a billion is like grains of sand. You can say there are a billion grains in a handful of sand but to REALLY comprehend the value of a billion is just something else” on asked about China’s population.

Forbidden City

Forbidden City was no longer forbidden. Public were now allowed to visit the lounge areas and private rooms that once belonged to the Emperors of the Ming & Qing dynasties.

There was this particular room that I was fascinated by. This room was smaller than the rest and also had a translucent veil that divided the room into two halves. In one half, sat a large throne, a tad larger than the King’s. This belonged to the Emperor’s Mother. Apparently, she oversees the meeting that goes on in the other half between the Emperor and his close associates. The Mother held the power of veto.

Tackled the North

We visited the famous Gardens or Parks of China. Personally, I felt these parks were the results of bored Emperors who were often carried around in carriages. Hence, the vast size of their home grounds and recreational grounds.

Yuanming Yuan

This park was bombed during the Anglo-French war and the revamped one was smaller than the previously large park. Still huge if you ask me. The revamped garden took us 3-4 hours to walk around, take in beautiful sites; creatively constructed maze like pathways and massive amounts of lotus flowers.

The “small” garden’s original size happens to be about 300 hectares or more.

Subway

The subways had a flat fare of 2RNB (0.20USD) to anywhere within China regardless of the distance. It was funny we still had to choose our destination on the ticket buying machine.  I don’t see the point. It was gonna be 2 bucks if I get down at the next stop or at the far end of Beijing. Strange.

Famous Universities

Peking University and Tsing Hua University, ranked first and second respectively in the Middle Kingdom. I thought my campus was massive enough but the visit to these institutions made Fudan University appear like Singapore on the World Map. And began another round of walks around smaller parks in the form of Universities.  Either locations held the typical gardens, a lake if not a canal running across. Lots and Lots of greenery. Did I mention people? Yes, loads of them!

Parents in particular were with kindergarten going kids.

Parents to kids – “child, this is where you are gonna study in the future. You gotta start working your ass off beginning NOW! Alright, will you now post in front of the sign that reads blab bla University? We might have to frame the photo and hang it in your room for inspiration.”

It’s all about “moulding” the future.

The Great Battle

Qin Shi Huang, one of the Emperor’s of Ancient China used to be my hero because I was in love with the whole idea of the Terra Cotta Army. To have someone’s paranoia actually materialize on a massive scale was simply amazing. I was floored. My love affair with Qin Shi Huang began.

Today, it ended! He was the reason behind The Great Wall of China. Reasons for the wall were perhaps valid. But, using free labor to perform the tedious task is just plain ruthless. Many died. I almost plunged to my own death. Ok that was an exaggeration, but hey!

We decided to climb the Remnants of Badaling, a particular section of the wall. Perhaps the most nerve wrecking one amongst the many other sections of The Great Wall. Positive note about this area, it was not as famous as the tourist sections hence the absence of half a billion Chinese.

Being highly ambitious, Jan and I embarked on the trip with twenty others, predominantly whites from varied nations. Perhaps an Arab. Not too sure. He had the symbolic beard. He looked white and was from Israel.  One tiny regret though, I didn’t ask him how his Palestine mates were doing. Or perhaps how was Israel maintaining ‘friendship’ with them. On second thought, small talk on Gaza flotillas might not exactly be the right way towards a budding friendship with my first Israeli acquaintance. In the end, I never spoke a word.

REAL Battle

The climbing began. This part of the terrain was made up of both high altitudes and steep slopes. Some with handles by the side and others with sandy grounds. Wearing pink sneakers, Nickelback jamming in my ears, I attempted the climb. This path also housed the 9 towers from which great views of the snaking Great Wall could be observed from. Soon enough the guide realized, my pace had slowed. Obviously! I confessed to being a recreational climber and not a professional one. Hence the pace. I will finish the length in maybe say 5 hours.

But time was not on my side and fear of heights was on Jan’s side. This is why I hate organized tours. Sadly, tour was the only option for the Great Wall as individuals are recommended to not venture on their own for safety reasons. The guide didn’t provide much for my huffing and puffing and of course to console the petrified Jan who was having doubts about continuing till the 10km mark. Her exact words, “I don’t exactly want to die in China.” Eventually we retreated back to the start point for perhaps you can say “lack of guts to go on”?

I was rather disappointed with going back down but being aware that taking longer than anticipated will cause the rest of the group to lag made us return. I love heights so the retreat was a tough decision to make. We could have finished the length if we tried harder.  This is one reason to say I will be returning to Beijing again to complete the hike!

The Battle continues…

Royal Families and Grandeur

If there is one thing I learnt about the Chinese Kingdoms and its Emperors was that, they lived a lavish life building themselves and their immediate family members a palace each, creating an entire city for the family alone.

The cash could have been put to some good use instead. I agree the one who rules should be pampers in return for the country’s well being, but why such grandeur?

The Summer Palace

The Summer Palace was restored sometime in 1902 by the famous Empress Dowager. Three quarters of the site embodied a large lake. I personally preferred the orientation of the Summer Palace compared to the Forbidden City. Besides the poorly drawn map which got us lost in the Longevity Hill, it was an amazing albeit tiring 7 hour walk. I appeared to be clocking in more than 10km of walking distance alone a single day. If you belong to the kind that detests walking, you are still welcome to visit Beijing but it wouldn’t be the same.  Try cycling though. Highly recommended.

Food

One of the famous Chinese snacks were these sugar coated fruits or cherry tomatoes. Fruits are cut into bite sizes and dipped into melted sugar to give an interesting sweet taste. I LOVED IT!

Dinner was at this Buddhist Restaurant. The closest I got to the famous Peking Duck was the vegan alternative.

Jan tried the real one at a well known restaurant for preparing the dish. Jan sat to order the ducks while I was all poised to shoot pictures.  We were told that an entire duck had to be ordered and they do not serve the famous Peking Duck in portions. No choice there. She ordered a whole duck. The roasted duck was brought to the table by the chef who started slicing it in front of the diner. Each duck amounts to a hundred slices. The ‘Quack Math’.

A yellow custard looking pastry from the street side ripped us off by charging us 27RNB! The most expensive street food I have ever come across. On a good note, that one pastry lasted me for three meals for it fills one’s tummy with just one small bite. Its taste was that off a harder, stickier custard. I think.

Good thing about the Asian snacks were that, they were mostly vegan. Grabbed a few fried dough spirals that had a multitude of flavours from Chinese pepper, Black sesame and the originals. Tasted a couple of Chinese mochis that Jan bought. Me like mochis.

Jan tried the scorpions because I pestered her and we really wanted to know why on earth it is a Chinese delicacy. It took her so much effort get a bite but nevertheless managed to eat into it. I heard a crunch similar to crackers cracking away. She said it was crispy and actually liked it. They were first roasted and later rolled in chilly powder.

The Palace Royal Cheese was a famous Beijing dessert as well. It tasted very similar to yoghurt. Royals do have a strange palate. The original Beijing Yoghurt tasted like the Indian lassi. Neighboring countries do seem to have an influence on Chinese food.

Mao the God

Got up early in the morning to ‘pay respects’ to the Great Mao. Sadly, he wasn’t thinking on the same grounds as us. Visiting hours were strictly between 8am till 12am.  By the time we accomplished stuff prior to Mao, it was one thirty in the afternoon.

The next day we got up earlier and presented ourselves at Mao’s somewhat Maosoleum at 8. What awaited us was this long queue; which might as well pave the pathway between Asia and Europe. Exaggerating of course. Thousands and thousands of people were queuing to catch a glimpse of Mao despite the sweltering heat.  Half way into the shoving and pushing queues; the uniform clad men controlling the crowds decided to announce that visitors with bags will not be allowed to see Mao. The bags had to be submitted at an area that was across the street. When I say ‘across the street’ I certainly do not mean within walking distance. You had to battle the crowds at least a kilometer then cross the roads walk another ten to twenty minutes, submit the bag, retrace the bags and stand in the queue all over again.

First Mao was particular about the time when we would meet him and now, he doesn’t want baggage on. Oh wow! We gave up. We got out of the queue to explore better things.

I figured I didn’t have to “see” him to understand his power. I got the picture! He attracts the Chinese like a magnet even after his death. He’s a demigod and they worship him.

Enough said.

Spotted

Interesting thing about the mochis were the brand on the wrappers. The literal translation from the Chinese characters would mean “donkey rolled on the floor”. Why? I wouldn’t know.

And menus have dishes with names that go ‘the old adopted mother returns to a pot of meat’ and ‘husband and wife lung slices’. I ain’t no idea how both the adopted mother and couple whose lungs have been sliced feel about this.

China has no lack of brands. Some are direct Imports and others are locally made. Some of the western inspirations would include; Cleo doodle from Crocodile and Kpapa from yes, Kappa itself. They carry the same logos as their western counterparts by the way.

In the End

Beijng felt like the Real China, if you get what I mean. It feels like China here, from the oriental infrastructure to the common Chinese men.  Chinese culture was prominent in Beijing then the adopted culture that Shanghai portrays.

Every day feels like a Sunday in China. Every hour is peak hour. Do explore when you get the chance.

Haruki Murakami is a famous Japanese writer who had his books translated into 38 other different languages. Haruki Murakmi wrote this novel back in 1992. It was translated and released in English by Philip Gabriel in 2000. South of the Border, West of the Sun discusses the messed up life of a regular Japanese man.

The man in discussion is called Hajime. His first love was this crippled girl called Shimamoto. They were good friends till one had to move away and they grew apart. He never forgot his first love.

His second love was in high school with this conservative girl called Izumi. The smooth sailing relationship crashed when Hajime hurt the girl leaving her scarred for life.

His third love Yukiko, ended up being his wife. He was now a happily married man with two kids. At the age of 38, Shimamoto enters his life again. This time round, she is no more the sickly, disabled girl but an attractive, rich looking woman. She carries this mysterious aura around her. Hajime learns nothing of her except that she is now well to do whose baby died the previous year.

First love strikes the chord again.  Despite having immense love for his wife and family, he starts yearning for Shimamoto’s presence. Shimamoto usually visits him abruptly and leaves with a note that reads ‘I cannot meet you for a while’. Her notes were ambiguous which made Hajime restless. Yukiko figures that he is meeting someone else. She gives him time and tells him to decide who he wants to be with. This leaves him shattered. He doesn’t want to leave Yukiko, he loves Shimamoto, he loved his family, he ‘didn’t know’ what he should do.

When Shimamoto finally returns to give him a gift, he decides to leave his entire family for her.  The day they were suppose to “run away”, she disappears never to appear again. On the same week, he runs into Izumi who was “beyond recognition”. (This by the way is not the ending.)

Haruki Murakami is a great story teller. The people, the emotions, the locations, they were all believable. The characters were made to be ones that could be your neighbor, your friend, someone you definitely came across before. They were not out of the world, they were not exaggerated. The dialogues were the kind a regular man would say. Nothing too fancy or clichéd.

It was a simple man’s tale told in a simple way.

Note: If the review gave you the idea that it could be a romance novel, it is not.

Author: Haruki Murakami

Original language: Japanese

Genre: Novel

Publication date: 1992

Published in English : 1999

Pages: 192

ISBN: 0-09-944857-2

After a mind boggling exam, a movie is considered a good relaxant. However, Shutter Island is not the ideal choice if turning off your brain and watching a flick was what you are looking forward to. Shutter Island, another awesome production by one my favorite pairs Martin Scorsese and Leonardo Di Caprio. It was released early this year. After The Departed in 2006, Martin Scorsese uses Leonardo Di Caprio to take us on a thrill ride on the Shutter Island.

Shutter Island houses Ashcliffe Hospital for criminals who were deemed mentally unstable. Edward Danials (Leonardo Di Caprio) and his partner Chuck Aule(Mark Ruffalo) are US Marshalls on the Island, investigating the disappearance of one of the patients called Rachel Solando. As the investigations proceed, Daniels grows suspicious of the Head Psychiatrist Dr. John Cawley (Ben Kingsley).  The disappearance of the patient, other patient statements, the state of the place and the people who run the place gives rise to conflicting conclusions.

He decides to take things into his own hands. During this period: Chuck disappears, Rachel Solando returns, he meets another patient who lives in the caves and claims to be the real Rachel Solando. From her, he learns of the inhumane ways the hospital had succumbed; all in the name of treating its patients. The lone Lighthouse further adds to the mystery of the Island. According to Rachel Solando, that is where the treatment for the worst of the patients is carried out.

If these layers were not enough to give the viewer a headache, a new layer in the story was forming.

Before Chuck disappears, he sneaks into one of the administration department and learns of a particular Patient No. 67. Throughout their investigation, Ashcliffe was revealed to have only 66 patients. Dr. Cawley denies the presence of a patient 67. Chuck believes there is a patient 67. Daniels is beginning to buy the idea of a Patient 67.

What exactly is happening on Shutter Island? Is there a Patient 67? Who is the real Rachel Solando?

Watch it to find out! Seriously guys, watch it! If you have already seen it, you probably get my drift.

Despite being left with a whacked out mind after the show; I highly recommend it.