Episode 14 –James Hetfield – The Poet

My subject in college is English Lit and the current lectures on ‘Appreciation of English Poetry’ and ‘Literary Criticism’ have been very enlightening. As usual, I relate everything that is taught to Rock music and it has helped me understand poetry and lyrics better. Last term as a part of my assignment on American poets, I studied the lyrics of Bob Dylan – who would have thought talking about Rock n’ Roll could fetch you top marks!

Coming to the point, last week I saw Metallica’s ‘Black Album’ on Classic Albums. While talking about song writing, Lars Ulrich said about James Hetfield – “He would sit down and count every syllable while coming up with lyrics. He would not simply string words together. It was structured.”

Words are very powerful instruments. Words have sounds, the way we use them, the choice of words, their arrangement play a pivotal role in making or breaking a song. Continuing with the example of James Hetfield, the chorus for ‘Wherever I may Roam’ goes like this (as you all know)

Rover, Wanderer
Nomad, Vagabond

Call me what you will…

If you pay attention to the details and the stylistics, here is what you’ll find – each line from the chorus has 5 syllables where the first word in every line has 2 syllables and the remaining have 3. ‘Rover’ ‘Nomad’ and ‘call me’ are Iambic which means the first syllable is stressed and the second unstressed. ‘Wanderer’ ‘Vagabond’ and ‘what you will’ are Dactyllic where the first syllable is stressed followed by 2 unstressed syllables. It actually deciphers the meaning of the song. The Iambs and Dactyls which represent falling action denote the ups and downs of life on the road. It shows how hectic and stressful touring can be (which is what the song is about) Hetfield rhymes the sounds – ‘ver’ -‘rer’ and ‘ma’-‘va’… It would not have the same impact had it been – “Vagabond Rover, Wandered, Nomad call me what you will.”

For some, this may seem like a boring exercise but the next time somebody says ‘Metallica is awesome’, you can bag the title of Fan No.1 because what you state will not be just your personal opinion, you can brag about your intellectual skills by saying how you have actually taken the efforts to appreciate how Really Awesome Metallica is!

Well, as for me, my love and Respect for Metallica has increased.

Episode 13 - Dream Out Loud

A few years ago while channel – surfing, I heard a few bars of acoustic guitar on Vh1.  A soaring Eagle voice and phenomenal acoustic guitar snatched my attention. As the video ended, I came to know the song is “It’s Raining now” by Dream Out Loud. I jumped to the conclusion (who wouldn't?) that it must be a USA band. When I googled them, I found out to my great joy and surprise that they are an Indian band – a Mumbai band.

The ultimate test of a rock band is their acoustic songs and this one of the best. It ranks with ‘Love of my life’, ‘More than words’, ‘Patience’, ‘39’. So I went out and bought their album ‘Human Race.’ The CD came with a lyrics booklet. Its poetry and extremely good poetry at that!

Fast forward a few years, and the guy who sang “No more tears to cry, no more need to lie” is now belting out “Bhaag Bhaag Bose D.K!”

Quo Vadis Dream Out Loud? This band, according to me should have been playing stadiums by now all over the world. What happened? They had the Dream, the Ambition, and the Potential. I don’t care about what happened, but I bet every rock lover would have loved to see this band dominate the international rock scene. They are a gazillion times better than Coldplay!

So Who? Where? When? Why? What happened? Why didn't a major record label sign them? Because I’m damn sure they would have sold like 20 million copies ALL OVER THE WORLD!

Episode 12 –   Friendly Neighbourhood Guitar Shops

The best thing about living in Borivali (w) is the number of guitar shops. You can buy a US Tele, Ernie Ball strings, and Tech 21 pedals and give you guitar first class service- all within a radius of a few kilometers.

There are so many options to spoil you! There’s S.B Music, Good Shepherd’s and Mr. Sunil Shinde – the luthier par excellence.

The best thing about S.B Music is the owner of the shop, Mr. Ashish Modasia, is himself a guitarist. So whenever you go there, you get advice from an expert. The establishment has a very friendly atmosphere and a pleasant ambience. It’s not just business; it’s about guiding a musician about the best that is available in the market at a price you want. And if the shop doesn't have the product you are looking for, Ashish can get it for you. I bought my Jackson WRXT from S.B Music when I was 13yrs old. Even back then, he told me, after I played Sunshine of Your Love (just the riff) – “Someday you’ll have to buy pedals” and then he gave me a BOSS pedals booklet. After 7yrs, his prophecy has come true. So the next time you go gear hunting, this is the place you visit!

Shepherd’s in I.C Colony is a 10 mins walk from my place. It’s a family run establishment that has a warm atmosphere and a friendly smile. Uncle Steven D’cunha has supported me with encouragement (and occasional discounts) I bought my Hoolahan slide from him some 5yrs ago. He once let me try a Gibson acoustic to check its action and always says – Play some more.

If there is one person I absolutely trust with my guitar, it is Mr. Sunil Shinde. I recently got my Jackson re-fretted from him. He used Dunlop frets and my guitar sounds better than the original. Mr. Shinde breathes life into guitars from India and abroad. Mr. Eshaan Noorani sends his guitars to Mr. Shinde. It’s a very comforting thought that this wizard has his workshop in Charkop, only a few kms away from my place… Whatever the problem, Shinde kaka HAS the solution!

North, South, East, West – Borivali is the Best!!! ;)

Episode 11- The Wizards of Sound

Hello people around the world! I know I haven’t blogged for a while (for those who care) Well, that’s cause I bought me a Reverb pedal – Tech 21 Boost RVB and it’s been taking up all my time, it’s so magical!

Buying pedals was the best decision I ever made. I had a Zoom G2.1u, I had a lot of fun with it but because of its limitations I started thinking of more professional gear. The Zoom gave me a lot- it taught me to think in terms of sounds and not just notes. As a Rock guitarist, I think it is very important to develop your own sound and I’ve heard from professional guitarists that pedals help you to achieve that distinct sound.

Ever wondered how Hendrix, Brian May, Tom Morello, The Edge have such a broad and deep sound? It’s their pedals plus loads of talent. The only downside with pedals is Money! (It’s a gas) There are so many pedals you need to buy and each brand offers a unique sound. It’s not enough to buy just one distortion pedal, same with Overdrive pedals- the variety helps you to experiment and explore a whole new horizon of sounds.

The last word is pedals are a rewarding experience.

Slash said in an interview that he has a bathtub full of pedals… it will be a while before I get there!

Oh! For a few dollars more!

Episode 9 – No Safety Net

This next song is about our desperate struggle to please and chronic craving for approval. I really, really hope you like it!

After dropping out of school, Kurt Cobain worked as a janitor in his own school. Toni Iommi worked in a metal factory and lost the tips of two fingers in a factory accident. Eddie Vedder worked at a petrol pump, Sting was a tax collector and a teacher; and believe it or not, Bon Scott was a postman!

Slash started his career with a single string flamenco guitar his grandmother gave him. Almost all rock musicians come from working class backgrounds. Hence they have the hunger and the anger to make it big. They know they have enormous talent; all they have to do is prove it to the world.

No artist would want to spend the rest of his life in a cubicle, living the same day for the rest of his life. Isn’t it soul crushing?

G.B Shaw said, “As for living, our servants can do it for us.”

So the point is- what makes a musician? I mean isn't it a shot in the dark? – Maybe you’ll make it, maybe you won’t. I think the sheer love of music is one important reason and the other equally important reason is – No Safety Net – you have nothing to fall back on, no securities, and no guarantees. Maybe that is how these guys surmounted obstacles-because they had no choice but to march forward- Veni, Vidi, Vici.

As Def Leppard say, “Only one thing is certain… … Nothing.”

P.S- Terry Reid said no to Jimmy Page’s offer to join Led Zepp as the vocalist – Opportunity giveth and you kicketh it away. 

    Episode 7- PALM EXPO India-2013.

How was Palm Expo 2013? To begin with, Loud and Noisy and Crowded!

 But how I enjoyed myself! 

And what do I have to say? The future of non-Bollywood music is BRIGHT. My theory is, let’s say 10000 people visited Palm Expo on any single day, out of those ten thousand, let’s say a 1000 are genuinely interested in playing music, out of those 1000 guys, there might be 10 really fantastic musicians. Now multiply 10 by 3 days, so you get 30 Top Level musicians, that is 5-6 top level bands. It’s a fool proof formula and a very promising ratio. There is a huge potential, so mamas and papas buy your son or daughter that electric guitar, drum-set or keyboards because that is the best investment you’ll ever make. There is a decent and a respectable living to be made in music. So, the more the merrier!

On a personal note, I got to try the new Gibson Les Paul Min-ETune. I was playing a Vox guitar at the Furtado’s booth- my mix of blues, rock and Hoolahan slide. Mr. Nick Aslin- the representative of Gibson USA heard my playing and told an assistant to hand me the Les Paul. He came over and explained the auto-tuning and other features of the guitar. I felt privileged and it was a wonderful experience.

The Gibson is a very friendly guitar. Usually I need time to get used to a new guitar but with the Gibson, it felt as if I had been playing the guitar for all my life (Oh how I wish!) It felt perfect. So if you have the money, (i.e. around Rs.90000) BUY IT NOW. The auto-tuning is an extremely useful feature, one press on a button and you have the tuning you want and need I say, it sounds AWESOME!

Episode 6- Nothing Else Matters

Waiting for that One Big Break takes a toll. Every musician dreams of life changing record deals and making the kind of music he loves. The only glitch- business-minded, money-lusting label heads. (The big print giveth and the fine print taketh away.) I mean, the Beatles were lucky to have Brian Epstein and George Martin, Led Zep was fortunate to have had Peter Grant- guys who stood by the band like the Great Wall of China!

What we need in India is an entire infrastructure to search and promote musicians belonging to different genres. The whole problem arises when trying to form a band, a rock band. I was talking to a singer and telling her about the phenomenon called Robert Plant. She dismissed my words with- “You should listen to Bruno Mars. He is so awesome.” So this is what I mean. In order to play a genre you should know the artistes of that genre. Now-a-days people download a song or two of XYZ band and claim to know everything about that artist and his music. How many people buy an album, light a candle, turn off the lights and lose themselves in the music? People are multi-taskers- who has time to sit down and listen to music? If nothing goes in, nothing comes out.

The decision was made for me when I was 13 years old and watched GNR’s 1992 Tokyo Dome Concert on VH1. This is what I want to do- Music that is empowering. The hideous people I've met, the discouragement I've got- nothing is going to stop me.

Nothing Else Matters!

P.S- Harper Valley PTA is the wackiest song I've ever heard.

  Episode 5- Low Notes

In my search to find a bassist, I've come across some real characters. I can laugh at it now, but spending 2 hours in the jam room with such guys was far from exciting. On one such occasion, I booked a jam room as my vocalist and I were to audition a bassist. The bassist entered, he was tall as a door and wide as a cupboard. He looked the part, now the important question - Can he play?

I asked the fellow to take a seat and listen to the OC we were to play. He replied haughtily, “I’m ok on my feet. You play! I’ll pick up.” Well, so we played our song and I watched him, he just stood there with his bass dangling around his neck. After the song was over, he looked at me and said, “Oh, this may take a while, I’ll sit down and think of something to play.” So he kept thinking and thinking and thinking… after an excruciatingly painful wait, he said, “ I've come up with something really awesome, you gonna dig it!” And then he played me my own guitar lines. I glanced at the singer, thinking where the hell on earth she had found this fellow. I explained, very slowly; to the bassist that he should play something parallel to the guitar parts and not simply copy my melody lines. He looked at me like a confused ox and bellowed, “You are playing all the wrong parts! Why don’t you come up with something new?” At that moment I realized it would be hopeless to argue with him. According to him, accompanying a guitarist meant stealing the guitar parts and then telling the guitarist to find something else to play.

Time dragged on. The vocalist and I rehearsed some old songs we had done and practiced two new ones while the bassist sat and wondered. He got up only when it was time to leave. While leaving he said, “Lemme know when the next jam is.” Well there was no next time; perhaps the sight of two PYTs had unnerved him. Such things happen!!!

Episode 3- Highway to Hell

Yesterday I had to take my Vox AC4TV tube amp to a South Bombay music store for some servicing. Because the amp is so dear to me, I decided to take it by taxi. I was comforted to see that the taxi driver was an elderly, venerable looking man and so my mom, who accompanied me, and I were relaxed as we believed that he would drive extra safely. However we were in for a shock when the 70 plus fellow went from 0 to 60 in two seconds! And so my ride on the Highway to Hell had begun…

 On the highway, the crazy cab driver went zipping and zooming past every vehicle. He kept honking frantically at bikes, cars, buses and gigantic trucks! My mom asked him to slow down but all in vain. After nearly one hour we were in the city. I gave a sigh of relief thinking that the city traffic will compel him to drive slowly but that didn't stop our wild man. It was like the RHCP video ‘By the Way.’

Now that we were in the city this guy was not deterred by narrow and congested lanes. We were nearly rammed by buses on two occasions when he jumped signals. When we told him to be careful he nodded his head and gave a smile. Maybe he was senile or partially blind or in a terribly bad mood.

This atrocious driving was an eye opener. And to think I have to spend another 20-30 years of my music career, with my life in the hands of drivers who may be high on drugs or booze or god knows what!

Well, this is the life I've chosen and I’ll take my chances!

Episode 2 - Bloody Nonsense

One good thing came of the shock treatment- I've started thinking hard. I met a guy just returned from a well acclaimed guitar institute abroad. During the course of the conversation he said, “Oh, those guys are good. It’s in their blood.” Asked to explain, he continued, “See, try to cover Angus Young and you’ll find you can’t play a chord the way he does.”

My Scorpio blood began to boil. “But why” I asked, “should one always forever try to cover Angus Young or Brian May or Kurt Cobain?”  I mean, I worship these guys, but why can’t we have more heroes of our own? Like Rudy Wallang.

I think we've got this cement concrete in our heads- we’re never gonna be as good as them. Rock/Metal is never gonna have a future in India. Bullshit!!!

Why not say, “We’ll rule the world!” That attitude drives South Korea, Japan, and China. Tinariwen has that attitude. 

After all, the sound of music is all about ‘I have confidence in me!’ \m/

  Cable Trouble

I never understood why rockers wear rubber soled shoes. I used to think they were ugly with all those thick laces but experience is the best teacher they say and this is how I found out…

I was invited for an open mic gig for one of the leading music stores in India. It was an honour and so even though it was really far away and I had to spend my precious money on taxi fare, I went there with a song on my lips and joy in my heart. 

I was to perform at 7pm and the sound check was at 6 o’clock. Since the place was really far away from my place and traffic jams are a daily part of life, I started out at 4 o’clock.

I really enjoy sound checks; it is a great time to understand how you sound live and to know how good the other guys are. It is also an opportunity to make friends (especially with the sound techs). I was the first one for the sound check but my enthusiasm landed me in shocking trouble. It was an experience I’ll always remember with fear and trembling. The hell of a genius guy who was in charge of operations gave me a thumbs up and with an idiotic grin on his face yelled, “Connect your guitar now.”  So, like the obedient girl I am, I picked up the cable and then all I remember is ‘Whooooooooooozzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.’ It was so bizarre! I just held on to my guitar and let the cable go. For a few minutes everything was a blur, I could hear my teeth knocking and my fingers and my toes were tingling, my hands felt numb. This was repeated THREE times! The manager and staff members came rushing. Apparently, they did not have a trained electrician and so had severe earthing issues. I had come a long way to go back without playing, so I did my thing.

Later that night, the family doctor said, “You’re lucky, it could have been serious.”

Hello world!!!!!!! Welcome to my first blog :)

Struggle is a nightmare, though you can laugh at it when it is over, struggle can make or break a person and the best thing about this difficult period is you can share your experiences with your friends and let a small smile crease your worried face. 

I hope you all take interest and help me make this blog(and my career ;) ) a success...

It all started 7 years ago when my 7^th grade teacher announced, on the last day of school, that Guitar lessons would be held during the summer vacation and interested students were to register in the school’s music room. I had just seen ‘The School of Rock’ and the dream of becoming a world famous Rock n Roll star was fresh. Images of Jack Black talking passionately about Rock music and teaching his rock brigade about “stickin it to the man” were dashing through my mind… so that day I signed up for the guitar classes and deciding to pick up the guitar has been the best darn decision of my life!  

Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Queen, Cream, The Who, The Beatles, The Stones, GNR became my new best friends, like Penny Lane says in Almost Famous, “if you ever get lonely, just go to the record store and visit your friends.”

Rock n Roll has given me a major confidence boost as I set out on this lifelong quest of ‘Paradise City’

Through this blog I wish to share my joys and woes with like-minded people. Please do write and share your adventures (and misadventures) while you try to make it BIG in the music world!

P.S- I also wish to find a kick-ass vocalist(preferably a rock chick), a cool bassist and a half-mad, rabid drummer!!!