The Natural High

  

  Hello people!!! Feels good to be back... Happy New Year!

I’ll be getting my Bachelor’s Degree in a few months and College Days will soon be over. My classmates are busy discussing career options – teaching, management, law, journalism… As for me, I cruised thru my college days saying “I’ll cross the river when I come to it.” Bloody Hell, the river is here now and I ain’t got no lifejacket, boat or bridge. All I have is my music- that’s the only thing I love and the only thing I want to do. People tell me to keep Plan B ready but I can’t imagine being cooped up in a cubicle 9 to 5, living the same one day for the rest of my life. It’s the most soul-destroying thing that can happen to a musician.

I guess every musician starts the same way – no money, opposition of parents, you get ditched by your girlfriend (like Billie Joe Armstrong) for being a jobless loser. Well, despite the odds and doors slammed in your face, as Oscar Wilde says, “We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars.” Or a more Rock version by Jack Black –

We may fall on our faces, but if we do, we will fall with dignity! With a guitar in our hands, and rock in our hearts! And in the words of AC/DC: "We roll tonight to the guitar bite, and for those about to rock, I salute you."

     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!