Posts by Wankatesh:

If wishes were tunes…

May 1st, 2012

I’m sitting at a Bhayanak Maut jam. It’s our weekly get-together; the one opportunity we take to share new riffs, song structures, merchandise ideas and other such things that are of no consequence to you or your life.

I’ve just heard a new tune that Aditya has brought to the jam room and it has given me goose bumps. The working title for the song is Pappu Tatti. Perfect.

It’s got me thinking of all the tunes that have haunted me ever since I heard them for the first time. Riffs that I’ve fallen in love with on first listen. I’d like to share some of them with you.

 

1. Horsehead – The Black Crowes

 

It’s that sludgy, sexy opening riff that I cannot get over.

 

 

 

2. I wonder – Blind Melon

 

The guitar solo that closes the song. Enough said.

 

 

 

3. The Last Baron – Mastodon

 

It’s a simple riff, laid on a simple beat but it’s placed so beautifully in the middle of a swirling mass of complex riffs and drum rolls that it just has to stand out. You’ll hear it kick in at 8:20 in this live performance at the Aragon.

 

 

 

 

4. Lullaby – The Cure 

 

This is part of my Funeral playlist. I love the opening riff.

 

 

 

5. Secret World – Peter Gabriel 

 

When you have David Rhodes, Tony Levin and Rachel Z in your band, this is how a beautiful song becomes epic. The last few minutes of this song are essentially, the shit.

 

 

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Songs for the Dead

March 20th, 2012

I’m not afraid of dying. That’s probably because I can’t control the eventuality of my imminent demise. And when I do go, I’d like my friends and family to throw a party to celebrate the love and respect that we all shared. I know I won’t be there in the flesh, but a part of me will be there – as the playlist for the DJ.

 

Now, the truth is this: I’ve honestly not spent hours deciding on this funeral playlist. The thing is, whenever I listen to an album for the first time, in my sub-conscious mind, I’m processing the songs through the following filters:

 

A)    Will this play at my funeral?

B)    Will this make me feel good on a bad day?

C)     This sounds interesting; Let’s head to Wikipedia to read up on this artist.

D)    Fuck this shit.

 

Yes, this funeral playlist is very important to me.
Yes, I will keep adding albums to it; for now though, this is a taste of what it sounds like.

 

Glimpses of my Funeral Playlist




1. The Beatles – The Magical Mystery Tour (1967)

This playlist HAS to open with a track by The Beatles. I absolutely love this band and everything that they ever created. They were geniuses. They created the perfect opener – Hello Goodbye

 

I love every other song on this album too. One of them, though, is the most bad-ass songs of all time. If any song can make you feel uncomfortable yet confident at the same time, it’s Strawberry Fields Forever. I buried Paul.

 

 




2. Alice In Chains – Jar Of Flies (1994)




Everytime I play this CD, the next 30 minutes are the best 30 minutes of my life. Every-fucking-time.

It’s dark, moody, mournful, sweet, even joyous and upbeat in parts – and my favourite AIC album.
All four musicians shine on this 7-song EP. Especially Layne Stayley, who was a  phenomenal vocalist and lyricist. He was as old as I am now, when he died 10 years ago. RIP, you beautiful creature.

My favourite track from the EP is Nutshell. Tears will flow when this plays at the funeral.

 

 

This next song shows the magic that Jerry Cantrell (Guitars/Vocals) and Layne Staley were able to create with their vocal harmonies.

 

 

 

3. Jethro Tull – Living In The Past (1972)

 

A magnificent double-album by any standards, Living In The Past was my introduction to the world of Jethro Tull. The band’s line-up has changed several times since its inception and they’ve always had multi-talented musicians playing on each of their records. This change of line-up always made each album a little different and interesting to listen to (They’ve made 22 studio albums in 45 years).

Living In The Past is special to me since it had some of my all-time favourite Tull tracks. For instance, my favourite song of all time, Life’s A Long Song.

 

 

And this, the opening track on the album, is the first ever song that I ever heard by Jethro Tull. It’s called Song For Jeffrey and it kicks fucking ass!

 

 

4. Tool – 10,000 days (2006)

 

All I’d like to say is that these two songs will close the playlist – Wings For Marie (Part 1) and 10,000 Days (Wings Part 2)

 

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Isolation

March 13th, 2012

I wrote the following piece in May 2011.

 

You’ve been sitting on the couch for about 20 minutes.

Your sweat has formed a thick, wet layer between the rexin and your skin.

You don’t care.

It’s dark. You like it that way.

 

The light switch is placed right behind the couch.

Before you had switched off the light, you had looked around the room very slowly.

It felt like you were saying goodbye to all the things that you own.

As soon as it was dark, you seated yourself and felt very happy.

At first, like always, you were filled with excitement.

This is probably the only time when you felt comfortable about the dark.

 

After a few seconds, the shapes start to form.

Recognizable shapes. 

You block out the sounds.

And concentrate on controlling the shapes instead.

At that moment, you see how black mixes so easily with darkness.

Everything starts to move like it had a pulse.

It’s a very comforting rhythm.

 

You pay attention to your breathing.

And wonder if you could pause life at this moment.

 

The ‘sounds’ that I blocked out were being made by the Irish band Therapy?.

I was listening to their sophomore effort Troublegum, one of my all-time favourite albums.

 

I bought the cassette at Hero Music House in Fort, Bombay in 1995. I had seen the video for Screamager on MTV and instantly took a liking to the song. Apart from the absolutely sexy tone of the snare drum, the lyrics to the chorus fascinated me. Vocalist Andrew James Cairns sings – I’ve got nothing to do, but hang around and get screwed up on you.

Here’s a link to the video of Screamager :

As I held the cassette in my hand, I had to decide on whether I would spend my hard-earned savings on this album.
I carefully read the reverse of the case and remember seeing Page Hamilton’s name in the credits for lead guitar on Unbeliever and instantly knew that if Page played on this album, this band must be good –Page Hamilton is the vocalist/guitarist of ‘Helmet’, one of the most underrated bands from the 1990s.

 

To this day, Troublegum is one of the few albums that I can listen to from start to finish; I feel the same way about each song as I felt on the day that I heard the album for the first time. This is one album that’s way ahead of its time and an absolute masterpiece.

 

Check out their cover of Joy Division’s Isolation:

 

It’s a shame that Therapy? have not been able to make an album that’s as grand and moving as this ever since; But I’m glad they made this one.

 

 

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Our Ears Bled Together

March 6th, 2012

K and I have known each other for a long time. We befriended each other in the 12^th grade and have been close ever since. A few weeks into our friendship, while chatting about our youth, we realised that we had actually met each other while at school (we were bench-mates for a short while in 7^th grade) and had forgotten about that.

2012 marks the 23rd year of our friendship.

Music has been a constant companion through these years – We’ve shared a deep and common love for bands, musicians and songs for as long as I can remember and I thought it important to make a playlist of the albums that both K and I have discovered together.

These playlists will always be special for K and me, but I’m actually creating them for K’s adorable son who will turn 3 this year. I plan to gift him these playlists when he gets his own personal music player.

What follows is a short write-up for the first Volume of ‘The Bleeding Ears Playlist’, specially created for you, dear Shaurya. I hope you enjoy discovering these albums like your dad and I did.




 

The Bleeding Ears Playlist – Volume 1/Album 1
Artist – LIVE
Album – THROWING COPPER

 

The year is 1994. In 24 hours I’m going to be heading to Singapore for a short holiday. K and I are standing by the window in his bedroom and he puts a $20 bill in my hand and says ‘Dude, apart from RHCP’s Mother’s Milk, please buy me something new from a music store. Anything new. Your choice.’

I returned 2 weeks later with Live’s ‘Throwing Copper’. I bought it at the now-extinct Tower Records Store that stood on the cross-roads of Scotts & Orchard. If I remember correctly, I heard the entire album in the store before I bought it. I loved every minute of it then, I love every minute of it now. K and I spent an entire afternoon listening to the album – While it played, we ate some lunch, smoked a few cigarettes and just stared out of the window at the Arabian Sea.

I remember playing ‘Stage’ a few times on loop along with ‘Iris’ and ‘The Dam At Otter Creek’. I think we played that CD over and over for the next few weeks and even called each other when ‘White, Discussion’ played on MTV Headbanger’s Ball.

Go on, give the album a listen. It’s probably the best rock album of the 90s and K and I love it.




 

 The Bleeding Ears Playlist – Volume 1/Album 2
Artist – MAD SEASON
Album – ABOVE



My elder brother introduced me to this band – they’re a super group of sorts. Their story is quite simple: members of Pearl Jam, Alice In Chains and Screaming Trees get together (I’ll introduce you to these bands separately; this playlist is for the albums that your dad and I discovered together) to write some beautiful music and quickly record and release an absolute gem of an album. Each and every song on this album will reach out to you and grab you by the balls. Some of them will make you smile, some will bring tears to your eyes, some will just make you want to run around the room and flail your arms while screaming obscenities. Some will just make you drool uncontrollably. No other album will ever make you feel the way this album makes you feel. I’d like to know what goes through your head the minute the album stops playing. Call me, ok?




 

The Bleeding Ears Playlist – Volume 1/Album 3
Artist – PRIMUS
Album – PORK SODA



I remember that I was sitting in K’s White Contessa and we were on our way to his house post college. K rarely told me if he was going to play something new; he would usually just let the music do the talking. On that journey home, we stopped the car in the by-lanes of Hindu Colony near Dadar Station because my jaw had reached the floor and I just could not believe what I was hearing. Nothing had prepared me for Primus. But I will always remember what transpired in the car that afternoon: ‘My Name Is Mud’ was ripping through the car’s speakers, K sat next to me and his body was doing ‘the move’ (the move was this very uber-cool dance step that K did when he was a teenager; I haven’t seen him do it in a long, long time) and I felt this warm, queasy happiness erupt inside my body (that ONLY happened when I heard something unusual and new) after a very very long time. This album still makes me feel happy almost 20 years after I first heard it.

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*Get Inside Yourself*

February 28th, 2012

When I need to write, I find myself sitting in a comfortable place; my eyes are staring at nothing in particular and my body is slightly limp and relaxed. My mind, at this point of time, plays womb to an army of unfertilised thoughts; thoughts that will lay dormant till a spark may chance upon them, converting them into ideas.

After about 10 minutes, I quickly read through drafts of what I’ve written over the past few years. This helps me look a little deeper into the thought process (*what the hell was I thinking of when I wrote THAT?!?!*) and identify the catalyst – the source of the elusive spark.

 

Earlier this evening, when I was busy reading through some of my older short stories, somewhere in my sub-conscious mind, Led Zeppelin’s ‘Kashmir’ started to play. Not the original from 1975’s ‘Physical Graffiti’, but the epic, 12 minute, pimped-out version from Page & Plant’s ‘Unledded’ DVD. This version transforms the song into something more beautiful and powerful than what it already is – something that’s full of purpose. It’s like this version of the song holds the secret to the meaning of life. Page & Plant took one of their better creations and managed to successfully re-mould it into their best song yet.

I’ve tried to do that on several occasions with my own creations – lyrics, short stories and even Haiku. Sadly, I haven’t seen any need to change anything; I can’t seem to get myself inside the frame of mind that I was in when I wrote that piece. So I’ve decided to put aside the pieces that I like the most and review them after 20 years. Perhaps, I’ll see them differently. Perhaps, I won’t. But I’d be glad to get a glimpse into a part of my life that I’ve enjoyed living. Maybe that’s what Page & Plant experienced too. While I ponder over that, immerse yourself in ‘Kashmir’:

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If it’s important, you’ll find a way. If it isn’t, you’ll find an excuse

February 21st, 2012

Ten minutes ago, I stood in front of a mirror and had a conversation with myself that went a little like this:

Me in the mirror: When you wake up every morning, what makes you want to get out of bed and start living the day?

Me: I don’t know.

Me in the mirror, looking surprised: Hhmmm…Think about it. Ensure that it’s something that makes you happy.

Me: Something that makes me happy?

Me in the mirror, looking concerned: Yes. Happy. Ok, listen, before you do anything, take the time and effort to define ‘happiness’. Without that, everything else is meaningless.

What started this conversation in my head?  Two words – Arcade Fire.

I have immense respect for this Canadian band. They’re one of the few musicians who make the effort to create engaging experiences for their fans through their music videos.



A couple of years ago, I saw this – ‘Neon Bible’



Some time after that, I was subject to the supremely inspiring ‘The Wilderness Downtown’



And then, earlier today, I saw the very addictive ‘Sprawl2’

Each video has a degree of interactivity and engagement that generates copious amounts of awe and astonishment in my being. I also feel insignificantly minute knowing that I, as a musician, have the potential to do so much more. If it’s important to me, I know I’ll find a way to see my ideas come to life.

Do have a look at all 3 links and take the effort to watch the interactive videos. You won’t regret it.

As I get ready to go to bed, I think about waking up tomorrow morning and I wonder – will I find a way or an excuse? Let’s see.

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To be Free…

February 14th, 2012

I find myself plagued by thoughts throughout the day. Questions, situations, decisions, feedback, explanations, feelings and even desires – Thoughts that make me who I am.

One bastard that resurfaces on a regular basis is: What will it feel like to be free of my body? What will it be like to not feel anything – no touch, no taste, no perception, no tactility whatsoever. I guess I’ll never know.

More often than not, when this question pops up, I find myself headed to my iTunes to play this song – “Be Free”.

It’s written by the singer/songwriter duo of Kenny Loggins (of Footloose fame) and Jim Messina way back in the mid-seventies.

I love how this song makes me feel about myself. The fun bit is that this feeling goes away as soon as the song is over. Now, I’m not going to tell you what I feel like; instead I want you to give it a listen and then see where it takes you. And do come back, there’s a lot more music that I have yet to share with you.

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Tomorrow? Never. No.

February 7th, 2012

The answer to the question that’s plaguing you is this – I don’t know. And neither do you. No one does.

Truth is, you’ll have to gather the courage to face the situation and deal with whatever comes your way; for the rest of your life.

Remember this before you set off into unchartered territory – it’s not about doing things that make you happy; it’s about discovering what happiness really means to you.

Happiness, to The Beatles, was doing something that they had never done before. They made a conscious effort to discover things – New sounds, new experiences, new instruments, new recording techniques and even new business opportunities. They were never afraid of failure and they never stopped the (at times, quite painful) process of discovery. If something had to be done, now was the time to do it.

There’s a track that I want you to listen to -Tomorrow Never Knows – from The Beatles’ 1966 album Revolver (It was their 7th album in 3 years) . If you’re listening to it for the very first time, then kindly do the following:

1. Make sure that you are alone. This listening session is for you.
2. Put on your headphones. I repeat – this listening session is for YOU.
3. Take a deep breath, press play and then exhale.
4. As the song begins, close your eyes (go to the extent of covering your face with a piece of cloth or blanket); you need the darkness to accompany you on this journey. I’ll see you on the other side.

Welcome back. I’d like to bring to your attention the fact that The Beatles were all in their mid-twenties when they made this album. I’m forever in awe of how they were not afraid to experiment and see what the outcome would be like.

Please watch this next video. It’s got Paul, George and Ringo with George Martin (The Beatles’ producer) talking about how they put ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’ together. Watch and listen carefully. Good luck with your discoveries.

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I’m all wired tonight

February 2nd, 2012

I’m standing in the middle of the living room.

You’re not here. I wish you were.

I’ve got Red Fang’s epic ode to absolute fuck-all anger, ‘Wires’, blaring through the speakers.

It’s one of those songs that can perfectly play the role of a soundtrack to a glorious ‘moment’ – an epic, tear-jerking, sweaty armpit, orgasm inducing moment – like me rubbing coarse sandpaper across your face.

Oh yeah, I really wish you were here.

Who am I addressing, you ask?

Before I answer your question, I’d like you to immerse yourself in my soundtrack for the moment – Just press PLAY on the video below. Be a fucking man and put your speakers on ‘FULL-FUCKITY MAX’ while you play it.

 

 

 

Have the first chords kicked in? Awesome. Read on.

1. YOU are a loud, bawling baby in an airplane. I hate you. I don’t give a fuck if you’re too young to understand where you are and why you’re feeling uncomfortable. I want to rub your face with sandpaper while I stare at your MILF mother’s tits.
2. YOU are one of those assholes who lives in India and says that they are a die-hard Arsenal/Man U/Liverpool/Barca fan. Really? Why? What connection do you have with that city or with that football club? Why do your tweets or facebook status messages say ‘WE have done it!’ or ‘WE showed those red bastards’ or ‘WE are the champions’? THEY did it you asshole; you had nothing to do with it and nobody really gives a shit anyway. I want to rub your face with sandpaper while I stare at your MILF mother’s tits.
3. YOU are someone who stares at me. Yeah, you.  Don’t look at me in the eyes and not have the decency to smile. I want to rub your face with sandpaper as hard as I possibly can. I’ll do it till I just see teeth, motherfucker. If I see your teeth, I don’t need to see your MILF mother’s tits.

 

Now wait for the song to end. Press play again. Think of a MILF. Masturbate. That’s what I’m going to do. Good night.

 



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