Monday 10 June 2013

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. 

Saturday 1 June 2013

    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!