That was a great index-article. I've been hooked on "Thermal & a quarter" for the last hour or so.
Wishful thinking, but I hope to see them opening for the likes of String Cheese Incident. In any case, hope they get to do some shows here in the US :)
I also get the feeling that all the washed-out bands from the west whom nobody cares about anymore come to india to earn some easy money. There are so many good bands in India but unfortunately there are not many takers for originals . Bands have to play popular covers because typically a vast majority of the Indian rock audience are "posers" (for lack of a better word). Almost everyone has listened to "Its my life' (Bon Jovi...what a shitty band), "Hotel California" (Eagles...generic american band) and "Nothing Else Matters" and they come to a rock show expecting the band to play them...something they can relate to. Also may i add that along with the bands that the author has mentioned,the music of Indian bands like 13 A.D, Myndsnare and Gruesome Malady is right there with the best that the west has to offer
so you mean any old music becomes trash. What an insensitive statement. I liked MLTR when I was young and would have gone to a concert if they had come to my city. Why do you have to find fault with someone having a successful show and why does your blood boil? Are you jealous of someone elses success? All I gain from your article is that you don't want to appreciate any form of western music except if it is sung by an Indian. That is total BS. There was a concert in Bangalore by an Indian band and a lot of people showed. It was a small concert but done well. How do you expect people to spend good money on a new band? Do you think when MLTR started out, they had sponsors and became world famous over night. If India has to produce world famous musicians in all kinds of music, we must make music available to everyone to learn. How many schools teach music, singing etc. How many schools of music are there where people(young and old) can learn music in their areas. Why is it that because we can't help the situation, that we always blame someone else? Please wake up and smell the coffee. You can have this negative attitude and its not going to change a thing.
we got lotsa rockers in india..but i blv very few wud hav heard of indian rock bands.. garbages...songs full of filthy words from west is lik gift of heaven here. we neeeeed to move out of shadow of west. we neeed to promote indian rock bands. thnx
I must thank the writer to put light on some rock talents of india. never knew abt them before. I am rock fan but i am disheartened by the rock played by the indian bands i see in concerts. Thye play covers of trash metal and throw in a crappy "original" of theirs and call it rock music. Its just become abt "moshing" and yelling and yelling for no good reason. There is no good music, no good stuff. no good lyric writing that i see in these bands. very sad.
rock is well and truly dead in india, if it was ever alive, save for a few bands here and there. we are a nation addicted to sugar and no song that doesnt talk about young love or some coochy-cooey message does well. look at pakistan. they have some great musicians, people who are comfortable playing electric and bass and sing songs for the times, rock songs with a sub-continental touch. why not india? all we have is mind-numbing mediocrity that no one remembers next week
this is going to be the last year of independence rock in bombay (if it ever happens) and is quite apt. no meanings or soul in songs please, we are indian
dear mr.sumit bhattacharya,hats off to your column.it was really an eye opener.you have shown what a fake world we live in.we fail to appreciate things we already have and rather crave or even ape things from west.i too was gaga over mltr coming to india.maybe i too got swayed away by the brand name and image...just coz its from the west.maybe now i can respect the sanctity of true music.thank you
