Thursday, May 13, 2010

Summer of Music

This summer, while my spirits and focus should be else where, I seem to have found my love again. Its been almost 10 years since I've felt like this about music, when I had my first "Summer of Music". I've rarely related or enjoyed any of the contemporary offerings of the supposed "mainstream", whether it was rock, pop, alternate or anything else. I always had a feeling that every single of them sounded the same, and as they were having an orgasm while singing or as if they had gone to a the same school of Crap music. Until now, my view was that no good music was created after 1999-2000. While all of this might make me sound like an elitist or an oldie or a snob,it feels so bloody good :)

My first summer of music happened at the end of my 11th standard. Up until then I will admit that most of my music tastes revolved around Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys and some other crap. Yes Thomas, I've said that in the open, I loved Britney Spears!!!! It wasn't until one night in 11th grade when I was watching MTV Classic and the song "Don't Stand so Close to Me" by the Police came on. And my mind went"BAM" and it was as if the song opened the secret door within my brain. I remember thinking "Bloody hell that sounds outstanding". And I had never heard this song, despite it being released in 1980, a measure of how musically illiterate I was.

So I ran the next day morning with whatever cash I had(Most of it was my mom's) to Music world and bought "The Very best of Sting & The Police", and suffice to say I listened to that cassette so many times that the tape broke 5 times in a 2 week period. From then on there was no turning back, with the influence of Thomas, my music tastes broaden to Pink Floyd, U2, Metallica, Beatles, and so many many more. For the entire summer, I was mesmerized by the music, the lyrics, and the fact that most of these stuff existed when my mom was in her teens. And to my dismay my mom had an entire collection of Rock LPs stacked away without my knowledge, which included "The Dark Side of Moon" .Wow, how much cooler could the summer get, my mom and I can listen and sing to the same songs and talk about it. Of course I ensured I made every single friend of mine listened to these songs, whether they had a choice or not. And I had to convince them to change, and have some taste in music :)

But sadly, the summer ended and descended into a bleak Winter. And I've struggled ever since to listen any of the crap that most of bands of today put out. Whether it was Nickelback, Poets of the Fall, Sting, or U2 or any other genre of music. I've for the most part found it difficult to relate with them, or found anything unique with them. Always felt all of them sounded the same, or had to sound according to some archetype sound. I've derided the talent shows like Idols shows, the remixes that bands put out and pretty much every form of modern music. And for years, I was stuck with the songs I had fell in love in when I was in 11th grade. Until this Summer.

I always envisioned my Summer of Music would return when there was a new Police record, but sadly that's not happening since Sting is still stuck in his own world. But I've found love again in a rock band from my state Kerala called "Avial".

Initially my reception was sort of lukewarm, but as with every love, it blossoms in the summer. And suffice to say, they're bloody awesome. I feel yet again like the kid who fell in love with music in the 11th grade. Inspecting every single aspect of their music, from their beautiful bass lines to their drums to their lyrics. Their drums sound a bit like the Police, the organ sounds like the Doors, the intro stuff like Pink Floyd, but their combination with Malayalam music and its folksiness is something out of this world. I keep listening to songs like "Adu Pambe", "Chekele" , "Njan Aara" till my roommate throws the kitchen sink at me.


And the best thing of this summer is that, it has expanded to so many other bands. Most of them are Indian and folk. I've found great stuff like Raghu Dixit, Trio, etc. Its amazing how well India music lends itself to rock music, while at the same time sounding so unique. And I can't wait to listen to the new music I will find this summer. And I pray that the next Summer isn't going to take another 10 years to arrive. And yes, you've no choice, you're going to have listen to them all, whether you've a choice or not.

1 comment:

  1. And finally, you do admit about your Britney Spears love!!

    ReplyDelete

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