That guy with Ektara

While wiping out the dust from my old diaries today, I got hold of something interesting, a small piece of writing, filled with some hastily written lines – well, I recalled that day, when I wrote that quickly because I didn’t want to forget about that experience. Actually, almost nine years ago I wrote that. It was the time, when I used to save every penny to buy those music cassettes with a price tag of 120 rupees. It was a flourishing time for all those boy bands (Boyzone, Backstreet Boys and a few others). Well,  my only source of English Music, Channel V and MTV -  were also showing their tracks most of the time. So, whatever was hit on TV or coming more often on TV – was hit for me. Though, I didn't understand the lyrics of many of their songs, I hummed them in the bathroom and tried to imitate those good looking boy-singers, when no one was watching me. Well, I started this post with this small introduction to recall that what I was listening during those days, when I met that guy on that day.

Now, lets’ come straight to the point here. It was one of those days, when I was going to my friend’s place, I boarded a bus in South Delhi (Madangir – the exact place) and after the bus reached the fourth bus-stand, I saw a guy standing, facing the passengers of the bus. He was using the metal rod cover of bus-bonnet to support his body – with his back sticking firmly to those rods. He had a unique kind of musical instrument in his hand. I quickly related that one instrument to Ektara, I once saw in a play in my school titled “Meera”. Actually, it was an Ektara or one string guitar as I would like to call it with a big base or head made of pumpkin. It was a blue-line bus and anyone who lived in Delhi during those days must be aware about that killing fleet of buses, which were driven by pokerfaced drivers, who were always competing with others to get more and more passengers and very rarely I saw them saying anything. Whenever they opened up their mouths, either it was to abuse someone or to order conductor to do something – sometimes to change the side of the cassette in the music player - something I always liked!

Let’s come back to our protagonist or the guy with Ektara. Like he used to do with every other passenger, conductor approached that guy and asked for tickets, this guy smiled and balanced himself as he was preparing to play and gave a few coins to the conductor – who counted them and immediately shifted his focus on another passenger. Interestingly, our protagonist was not playing it like Meera (as I saw in that school play), as he had another stick, which he was using to play it like a violin. Initially, I didn’t notice it as I was busy enjoying the race between our driver and other – as both were stepping on the accelerator every now and then to reach to the next bus-stop quickly before other. My head was moving to and fro every now and then with the frequently altering speed of the bus – but that guy was standing firmly there, with his back-body sticking to those metal rods – meant to keep the passengers away from the bus-bonnet or driver. That guy stretched out his arms, held the Ektara like a violin and started playing, with the utmost focus. Passengers were boarding and alighting, but this guy was right there with that Ektara – and he was playing the tunes of some popular Hindi tracks. While balancing my head with the wobbly speed of the bus – I tried to concentrate on those tunes and found that he was changing the tunes without any break. So, I had to focus hard as he quickly shifted from Pardasiyon se na akhiyan milana to tu mera jaanu hai tu mera dilbar hai.

He was absolutely focussed on that Ektara and gradually, I found myself in a kind of trance created by that music – sometimes those tunes were crushed by the cranky horns of the bus and other vehicles - but I didn't lost my grasp on those quickly altering tunes. I must add here about those interruptions by the conductor, who was pushing that guy every now and then to accommodate more and more passengers in the bus. Those pushes were nothing as compared to the abrupt alterations in the speed of the bus – but this guy was skilfully balancing himself while his Ektara and he looked as one – both were working as a perfect unit to captivate me and others, who were listening to those tunes, seriously.

As the bus reached the fourteenth bus stop this guy stopped playing and opened up his palm before passengers. A few guys sitting in the front tossed up a few coins in his palm and then he came to me. Gradually coming back to my real-self, after experiencing that pure ecstasy of music for a while, I seriously took notice of that guy – a man between his forties, looking somewhat dishevelled in those sweat-laden dirty clothes, with a few wrinkles emerging at the edges of both sides of the eyes and a few white hair on his beard further worsening his looks. He had dark lips – which were looking parched may be due to relentless smoking or cruel Delhi weather of May. Then I noticed his petite smile – not the one you see on the faces of those who ask for the money after performing something in public. And, if you don’t give anything to them – they come up with that wry smile to leave you with a biting-thought – What the hell, I didn’t ask you to perform that. This guy had a very assured smile and he didn’t stop smiling before those who didn’t even look at him.

I gave him a five rupees coin and then he got down at the next bus-stop. I travelled on that route many times after that but never saw him again. That day I didn’t feel any pity or sympathy for that guy. Good Music attains sublime form – no matter, where you play it. That guy had every good reason to smile and feel too good for himself because he played like a virtuoso during those ten minutes or so and touched my soul with his music.

Hip-Hop Music: So much, So what…

Like the fire needs the air)
(I won't burn unless your there)


Yeah, I need you, I need you to hate Me
So I can use you for your energy
You know, it's real shit, feel this! – 50 Cent

World Politics, Education, Wars, Television Shows, Religious dogmas, Purists endorsing fake peace and all that comes with that controversial tag (in front of TV cameras) – Hip-Hop music is one of a kind Genre that emancipates it all with a blend of beats to ensure that it survives! Talking from an overloaded listener’s point of view – Yeah, it feels that Hip-Hop just talks about controversies and that’s why people love it. Just another creepy discussion that would surely take us NOWHERE. So, let’s come out of the closet and talk about some greasy arguments that might help us to predict the future of this form of music!

Like mentioned above, controversies and Hip-Hop music are synonymous to each other. Some of its major highlights are drug use, murder, severe acts of violence, arson and all that you can afford to imagine in your weirdest dreams. Thanks to gangsta rap that has already trespassed every periphery to bring on a new breed of entertainers. And, the popular subject matter moves in and around violence, drug usage, alcohol glorification, big-bucks spending, and fighting – sincerely, all Jaw-Dropping Stuff.

Now the point one: We should understand that they (these entertainers!) talk about these things (Because we love to listen to this *&*&). And, mind it…they do not commit any of these crimes…or even if they do…who Cares! And, why not…when you have millions of followers all across the globe…for them…its all music nothing else! Hard to believe!!

Point two: Is it possible for Hip-Hop music to survive just by eulogizing controversies? Once again, I have to stop myself…It would be too early to say something about that. Every year, Hip-Hop has been posing a serious threat to other popular music genres with its consistently fattening fan base. Something that was discarded just because it was somewhat explicit (in the past)…has now been embraced like never before. Many lost artists or who were about to bid adieu to music industry have revived their careers by taking a simple decision – blending a little bit of Hip-Hop with their music to serve what sells. Now they are mixing it with everything Rock with rap (Hip-Hop), Blues with Hip-Hop and what not!

So, the final note is that apart from those controversies and heated arguments…Hip-Hop is another form of music…and Music is not confined to those scummy boundaries (Good Music and Bad Music)…so people love it! And, that’s all that Matters!

Feeling baffled…Me too! Add your valuable comments to figure out something??? If you find!

Heavy Metal Music: Not meant for everyone!

For some, it’s the way of life to stand up against malicious conventions, atrocities, beliefs and muggy dogmas and for some its insanity exaggerated to stupidity. Heavy Metal Music has been cursed, lashed out and prejudiced over the years by all those who take this as nothing more than a frenzied obsession. Agreed! It’s not that easy to see the darker side of life – not in this way at least. Surprised? Ok, I confess, its hypocrisy that is popping up every time, I am trying to blurt out inhibitions – it happens to all of us. In all my senses, I am here to gruel the details about this genre to reach somewhere, where I can do justice with this extraordinary form of music – no more carp! Whatsoever!

Unconstrained, un-bigoted, and ruthlessly straightforward – these have been remained the forte of Heavy Metal Music. Whereas, it’s explicit (as purists defined it!) lyrics is loaded with Black verses. Anger, Agony, Arrogance, Abuse, Adulteration, Adulthood, War, Satan, Fatality, wrecked relationships and all that seems dark have been all the rage subject matters of Heavy Metal Lyrics. Considering the fact that Heavy Metal Music is loved by innumerable Metal Heads across the world – you have to be weirdly audacious to call it nothing but rubbish! Now, take This! Blame it on our mediocre approach or posing behaviour – people often pick up the negative meaning of some of the finest ‘Heavy Metal’ tracks and shamelessly herald them nothing less than EVIL! The most precise example would be Led Zeppelin’s great track – ‘Stairway to Heaven’ that had been fanatically accused of eulogising evil, when it topped the popular charts across the world. Just a few years ago, Great German Band Rammestin’s amazing number ‘Du Hust’ also incurred the sick wrath of music theorists as they haphazardly translated it as ‘You Hate Me,’ surprisingly its real meaning is ‘You Ask me.’ Who is insane? YOU DECIDE?

Now the million dollar question is that, are such tantrums are good enough to exclude Heavy Metal or its interrelated Genres from Mainstream Music? ‘Old habits die hard’ possibly, this is the reason why our indolent music preferences are limited to those peppy party songs, complimented by that 4x4 beats those rely upon Solo-Chorus format. Quite popular but stale, tried and tested formula! Sounds harsh, but you get what you deserve! Apart from all these hullabaloos and issues, one thing that we all know is that people enter the showbiz to make money – and everybody has a right to do that! I might sound like your agony Aunt here, but all of us want to have loads of money...no matter even if it is mixed with some filth. So, the apparent objective is as visible as the glowing Sun in the Sky. Yeah, money is right there, but isn’t it good to use this medium of expression (Music) to talk about bad things sucking our very own existence? Ok..Question simplified.. Isn’t it sad to overlook the evils prevailing in our society? Nope..not at all! If Black Sabbath used their lyrics to attack those manipulator politicians and leaders who are plotting war against human beings to grind their own axe – then what is wrong? It’s rather confusing.

Whether its about System of a Down’s ‘Chop suey’ track that was banned because of its explicit lyrics or its Sepultra’s latest album’s cover that also incurred the wrath of critics, as it showed some images of Christ in a susceptible way ( So..what about your freedom of expression!). It’s a high time for the music community to take its call upon moral police while ordering them to poke their nose into dirt than killing the sublime creativity. Or, let it go on with all those crappy plastic rhythms, sticky beats and formula music. Once again I Repeat: If music is one of the finest form of expressions and the most despised word ‘EVIL” lets you speak up what you feel….then play it loud to MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Beware before you Scream! Just a prelude about Heavy Metal Music..You can add more into it at your disposal! Till then ..Shut Up! Keep listening.