The apathy of Music, or what is left of it.

I have been observing a very disturbing trend off late. I remember writing about how people want everything instantly in today's times, some 4 years back at least. I'm surprised that tables haven't turned since then. What's disturbing is that probably they won't, ever.

Its a little appalling, the approach people are taking toward art forms. This is probably a lament on similar lines that I remember was happening when there was a debate going on as to how much technology should you let into your music. While there were pros like different artists not being available together for a recording, there were also cons that robbed songs off their expression because of various breaks during recording, off the chemistry and bonding that would have been if not for technology. Taken in with a pinch of salt, since technology simplified the work of the sound engineer, it reigned supreme.

Today, its the exposure. Social media has played and will continue to play a very important role in our lives. People decide to showcase the food they eat, the people they have gone out with and the like. But when used properly, social media can serve as a very powerful tool for the required exposure. With a lot of people - young and old taking up music and taking up gigging on the rise, its only fair that they require their followers to increase, recognise them so that they get more shows, hoping their musical career would get an upstart. Its very heartening to know that youtube sensations have gotten big breaks earlier. So that one reason is enough for us to hope, and thus, perform and publicise.

I'm not saying publicity is bad, neither am I saying marketing ourselves is bad. There needs to be an aggressive push in the market if we are looking for people to notice us. What is appalling and steadily deteriorating is the quality of music.

We all think of getting on stage and covering classics. Few people shy away from covering them because they would be worried that if its not reproduced the same way as of the original, the crowd would well, boo them. Few people take the brave step of acing the guitar riff or the solo the way it is with rigorous practice. Few people play the part with their modifications and then stand by it saying its their own version of it. I've seen all these kinds of people. One simple thought we need to stop sometime in life and ask ourselves is this. Why did these bands become classics? Why have few bands like Iron Maiden perhaps stood the test of time? How is it that anything that's new isn't termed a classic, or how is it that it fades away too soon? I'm not trying to demean any artist here. All artists, in my opinion are trying to give it their own flavour to it and only few are successful in getting a taste of it. As kids, we've heard stories of musicians practicing for days on a particular scale, conducting workshops only about a certain raaga and the various ways it can be interpreted.

I used to have many such discussions at music class. In view of getting likes of going live, or just publicising our work, we get into the field like half baked chicken. Here, the musical ability is limited, there, audience doesn't give a damn as to what you play as long as you entertain them. It could be death metal, it could be carnatic classical. That has forced a new breed of musicians to evolve, the ones that don't care. The ones that are ok with learning for 2 years and then going all out on promotion. Yes, it has become a business, it has become very commercial. Gone are the days when music used to sell because of a certain person. Now its the package. That's no harm either. But its art form. Art is liberation. For liberation to happen, there has to be a proper means. Every art form is an ocean. An ocean that needs to be worshipped, needs to be revered. Its what is referred to as 'Saadhana'. Having heard stories of artists who would just lock themselves up and play one particular raaga for days together, getting inspired from them, and looking at people who have an attitude of not wanting to take in new things, not wanting to evolve, not wanting to experiment, but just rely on instant fame is a little too disturbing. Again, its the ones who can actually have a certain discipline that can really stick around to anything. But this trend can surely be changed by proper education, by proper upbringing. Its not fame or success that matters. Its the discipline and the perseverance. Its the practice. Its how you express your liberation after that. But for liberation to happen, you need to know what you are capable of. 

Evolution

I don't intend to make this a discourse on human evolution. But hey, come to actually think of it, it might just be that. Well, to another degree or dimension, I suppose.

There's this thing I keep reading here and there. I think I turn away from it voluntarily because its the truth. I don't think any of us have the balls to face the truth as it is. Well, lets not make it about anybody. Let me talk for myself - for if I do evolve, this will serve as a nice memoir. But seriously, the thing I kept evading every now and then was - 'People are only important to you at specific times'. I thought it was kinda rude to make a statement like that. But its the truth, isn't it?

We all have grown out of relations, out of friendships, out of relations that we can't give a name to. We have evolved out of them. I've heard people say that those who were important to us at a point of time are like plain glass now - we look through them. Why did that happen?

There are probably two things at play here. One - We change. We conveniently say out loud that people change, he/she has changed and blah. But how many times do we stop to realise that we are included in the people? How many times do we think if that other person thought the same about you, some time? Its all laced with self pity and distress that we quickly shift the blame away from us. But, turns out what I read was true.

We all make relationships. We never start a relationship with an intention to make sure it lasts for 2 months. (We call them flings.) No, but seriously, at that point of time, that person would mean quite a lot to us. I don't mean to make this sound in a way that would make people selfish and 'use' the person for some gains. That is a whole new game. But its okay. I'm really convincing myself here that its okay to grow out of relations. But I guess the harsh reality just bites you in the ass. We all consider that person important in that phase of our lives. Priorities change. We change. They change. We find others, they also do. We grow out of it. They do too. Its only the ones who stand the test of time that are laud-worthy. Not to mention, a rarity.

State of mind

Well, hello there.

So it turns out that this is the first blog of the year. I was so hoping that I'd open my blog to find a couple of entries already in Jan. But, it turns out that they just ended up as being plans after all. With a gleam of hope that I'd miss my Feb entry by hours, I immediately rushed to open the screen of my MacBook, but seems like it is right on time to make my first blog entry!

I wasn't lying about making those plans of writing blogs. There was Pravasi Diwas that happened in Bangalore in January. I was a little too perplexed with the way things unfolded during those few days around that event. Greenery everywhere, even planted with due care in the underpasses. Like I heaved a sigh of exasperation about how much of effort would go down the drain for some excessive ornamentation of our 'Garden city', which really did, sooner than expected. This was to form a blog in entirety. I don't know how, please don't ask me. Maybe out of sheer frustration, I'd have ended up typing fancy words at furious speeds.

But without planning (like many times), today, as soon as I wrapped up my now-a-relatively-little-bit regular vocal practice (of which I was mighty disappointed), I just thought to myself - I could take it to two extremities. I could sulk that I'm out of touch and ruin my mood, or I could say it was just one of those days when things didn't turn out to be that hunky-dory. Now, this, too is very subjective. It really depends on the state of mind during that part. But, how many times really have we actually rued about things that have happened and not found a way to brush it off saying, 'its ok, it was just a one off incident'. Reminds me I was cribbing about something that had happened for atlas weeks after the incident till I actually convinced myself - with great motivation from some wonderful people around me of course.

I remember telling a friend recently - a quote that I read somewhere in a very disturbed state of mind. You know when you are all a little upset about something, you are trying hard to get rid of it because its affecting your efficiency and all that. So, I was a little preoccupied with some thoughts when I saw this - 'If you are upset about something and really can't do much about it, close your eyes for a minute and think if it would affect you in some way in the next 5 years. If it would, you better pull up your socks together and do something about it. If it doesn't, then you have your answer.' Some quotes like these at the right time can make wonders. In your head. 

We are all human after all. We all err. We all are meant to. Or else we never learn. We never get motivated. Have you ever thought that motivation doesn't come by looking at videos? Neither does persistence. Neither does a state of mind. This reminds of another incident that most of you would have read about - the cockroach story. You know a lady freaks out in a restaurant when she sees a cockroach at her feet. The dude next to her freaks out too, and as a chain reaction, all people start scampering and shouting. The poor cockroach, oblivious to all the commotion is trying to find a place and running pillar to post. A waiter comes along, confidently picks up the cockroach by the antenna and throws it out. What was on display here? The waiter's ability to not get affected by the cockroach, because, duh, it really didn't mean to affect you in any way. So, similarly, state of mind is created by us. We are upset because we let ourselves become upset. We are happy because of similar reasons. We get motivated when we want to, and the days we aren't, we blame it on something silly. Its never an external force. Its all us. Its all inside us.

2017 beckons

So, as it turns out, it had been a while since my customary new year post happened. I remember only the last 2 new years when I was hanging out with friends, incidentally at the same place. The last year was slightly more memorable since it was right after a gig. Well, ok. A bad gig.

After much deliberation, I must admit that I don't remember the most important events in this year. Maybe there aren't much important events that have happened. Maybe it was just another year of failed hopes, failed goals. But what I know is that it was one step closer. You know like when people say I don't see anything constructive happening and you retort back saying that you are laying the foundation to make sure the skyscraper rises really high. Maybe its just that. Or, maybe another failed hope.

All the emojiless sarcasm apart, I think this year was fairly good, on many notes. And fairly bad on many notes. Its like how you see a half filled cup. Emotions and life does that to you. A good state of mind will make you think that the cup is half full and on the other hand, a bad day would make you see how much emptiness the cup has. 

Workwise, there has been a lot of ups and downs, lot of running around and stress. To which I attribute the reducing levels of creative thinking and memory. Well, you really need to find a defence point. That's how life works. Over the past few days, I guess (and hope) that I've found a way to beat it. It has gotten a little better. I don't lament that I don't remember at least. 

Musically, a lot of things have (not) happened. Plans got stronger and the desire to get close to making them happen got stronger as well. There are two people who have contributed to this. One who keeps telling me that I just plan and don't DO, and the other who is always surprised that I've not given up on them, yet.

I see these (intentionally funny) posts off late about a list of people who turned strangers in 2016. I have never thought of it that way. Found it extremely rude. Yeah, coming from a judgemental, arrogant person it isn't rude. But really, I never thought that people could turn into strangers just like that. Maybe there were two things to it - one is that I really take a lot of time to warm up to somebody to know if I need to give them enough importance or not, and the other thing is that you never really understand a person. You understand only what you want to. Never is an effort made to understand who they really are. So, obviously when something happens, you get all worked up saying things like you didn't expect such things and so forth. Here's where being judgemental helps. But mark my words, it isn't fool proof.

Despite that, I really look forward to more memories, more lamenting about not meeting goals, more confusion and anarchy, more helpless states of mind. I also look forward to more meaningful relationships, more happiness, more sharing, more love and of course, more mystery and suspense, which may or may not be coupled with Music.

I'd like to thank all of them who have been through my rough and best times. I'd like to thank all of them who set goals for me this year. I will admit, I realised none of them. I'd like to thank a few people for just being there, and at times being more than just 'being'.

Happy new year folks, hoping (yeah, the bitch is back) that it would be better!

PS. Someday I'll have a New Year bash with meaningful people all around, making merry, raising toasts, having fun and all that. Oh wait, I should wait to sleep, to dream.

Happiness

Well, the new redesigned blogger. Honestly, didn't bother checking it. But that font stole my heart away. The font that says Blogger. *Melts*.

A pleasant chilly day in November. November. Makes me think that already the year is about to end. I know, the next month by this time, I'd be writing something about what all happened in this year and all that, you know - my version of thanksgiving. So, I'll just let that be, my usual routine. Today I was mostly thinking how violent a place this world has become. 

When I say violence, I don't mean bombs or religious attacks necessarily. I mean the states of mind of people. I mean the impatience plaguing us everyday that forces us to honk at empty roads or the "slow moving car" that's constantly 30 metres away from us. Then, there is a justification. What if someone comes all of a sudden? What do I do then. Its better to honk than be sorry. Let's us please not leave it at that. Oh, this is a narrow road. Let me get in even if I see a big car coming from the opposite direction. Why? Dude! I'm in a hurry!

Wanna try something magical? Its called patience. Wanna try something better than that? Smile. Its called being courteous to a stranger. And I can say this, try it and it will come back to you sooner than later. Like most people know, I have completely given up on honking. Sometimes when I wait for an auto to pass in the narrow road, I come across an unexpected "Thank you!" from them. Yes, from auto drivers. Yesterday, three vehicles (one was mine) intersected at a T. All 3 of us stopped. Looked at our faces, smiled that we all stopped urging the other one to go. Ended with a curt nod. 

Happiness is smiling at a stranger. Happiness is helping out a person you don't even know. Happiness is putting an end to the violent thoughts you just experienced from some unprecedented corner. Inside you, you'd probably be bubbling with pain, something that you'd want to share. But you realise that you need to be strong only because telling about it would make matters worse for you or for someone else. In such cases, its always better for one person to suffer, than matters getting out of hand.

Why is this important? Not a single person in the world is trust worthy. The person who you trust the most would be one of the firsts to deceive. The rest would follow suit. So no matter how, no matter what, we are all alone. There will be temporary company now and then. But at the end, nothing will give you the same happiness that you get when you help a stranger on the street. And, people are known to have perspectives. They always do. Few people bitch about you behind your back. Few people discourage you on your face. But every person, mark my word here, every person mocks you. They will continue doing so till they get busy with some other work or something else. Because even success isn't a measure for such sad souls. The best cure is to stay by yourself, create a world sans the violence that the world encourages you to create and try and spread some happiness each day. 

River of thoughts

It was a few years back, the initial days of the band when one of my bandmates came up with a song called River of Thoughts. I wasn't paying much emphasis on lyrics those days so I really can't say that the song changed me completely or deeply influenced me. But I remember the name. Very vividly. Especially today.

For starters, I'm ok with getting arrested if expressing my views is a crime in this country. So, that's where I'd be if you don't hear from me for a very long time.

Now for the subject - No one owns water. It is extremely disheartening to see people squabbling over water. I'm not taking any sides. I'm not saying who has to do what. Its not my position to say so, without knowing the complete story. Like how there are issues on one side, there will be issues on the other side as well. It is quite but obvious that human nature will force you to take sides. Sadly, this gets on to classify people based on their religion, culture and language.

Every solution has a problem. Its easy for me to sit at home and say this. Farmers who protest are very valid in their claims. But targeting people purely based on any of my afore mentioned parameters is just plain simple boorish.

I'd restrained myself from talking about all of this so far. From talking about all the crap that the so called news channels promote as news. From talking about public refraining from all the violence that we saw a few weeks back. From basically having a biased opinion, because it is wrong to comment without knowing any story completely. I saw a video today on a social networking site. Promoted by a news channel as well. I can't find enough words to express how disgusted I am with it. I'm really sad that I commented on it and tagged a friend on it as well, something that I should remove right away so that the post doesn't get promoted. Ok, so that is taken care of right away.

You don't make videos where you belittle people from other cultures. And the bloody news channels shouldn't promote something like this with great support and the numerous hashtags. Solution to sharing is always something that is amicable. Because, duh, its called sharing. The solution isn't to hit people, it isn't to create arson, it isn't to create such shitty videos which come up with the lamest things on the planet - We all know the dispute is between which states over which water source here. There is a line that says Kannad gothilla, something that is oft used to mock the non native Kannada speaking "North Indians". So what if it isn't related. Let's make a video anyway. We'll get our share of fame for as long as the subject is in discussion. Pains me. Just pains me. And using a medium of Music for this. People, just quit. Music is definitely an expression of your rebel. But I'd definitely take offence if your song lyrics say - "Hit the people, sack the people and hit them till he bleeds."

I'm disgusted. Appalled and too much in shock.

Human brain

This thing keeps me intrigued. Like really.

I come from a time when even owning a computer at home was termed a luxury. And soon after a considerable folk started to, the middle aged men who would meet up at social gatherings would keep repeating (like most always do) about their brain being a hard disk that stores a lot of information and it never gets erased. It was some reference that the person who made the joke would laugh louder than the ones who heard it.

Well, humans. We all age, we all wear out, we all rot. If that joke didn't catch up on people, it was probably because of this.

But technically, I sometimes feel if its a hard drive or a RAM. I honestly am in no capacity to discuss in these technical terms, so I'll get rid of the jargon before I say something stupid.

The point I'm trying to make is, we all absorb a lot of information. Some extremely essential, some luxurious and mostly unwanted - the stuff we could do without. And then, who keeps recalling this information time and again thereby making the present situation a pain to live in? The brain. Some information that would have been essential at a point of time would somehow wear out in importance. 13 years down the line, when such an incident is called upon, the brain pulls out the information in exactly the way that it requires. A sad thing, it never happens for most of us when we write exams of any kind, at any level of maturity. I know the technical stuff - things that we want to remember, things that are dear to us, we make sure we remember that. Does that mean you erase off the rest? You don't! At that point, that information is probably useless and its stored in some deep storage. When the situation comes back, if at all it does, the brain pulls it out and presents it to you. How many times would each of us have experienced this! Just imagine, information of this degree, of this size - even if its stored in a computer, we would lose track of what to pull out when and from where. Despite its size, the brain simply sits and works, organising stuff in the head and neatly stacking them up. To a degree where I wonder if we control the brain or the brain controls us.