Bangalore is about to have one of it’s largest live concerts ever, courtesy of aging 1970s rockers Deep Purple.
Who are/were Deep Purple? For our readers who like to listen to music originally recorded in their lifetime, Deep Purple were part of the the holy Trinity that founded Heavy Metal, along with Led Zepplin and Black Sabbath.
Their biggest hit was probably “Smoke on the Water” which reached #4 on the Billboard charts in 1972, and which is “#426 on Rolling Stone Magazine’s The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time”. If you’ve got a friend learning to play electric guitar, you’ve probably heard him or her attempt to play it, along with Stairway to Heaven.
It is commonly the first song learned by many beginner guitarists, it’s also noted for it’s extreme difficulty. However, it’s main recognisable riff is not difficult and consequently is constantly played by learners.
In fact, it’s so popular, that one famous guitar store in Denmark Street, London, used to sport a sign on the wall reading ‘If auditioning a guitar, please refrain from playing Smoke on the Water, as this is causing our staff mental torture’… [Link]
Events like this contribute to this peculiar retro-quality that parts of Indian culture have. I suppose it’s good that Indians still appreciate the retro given that they’re still receiving visits from bands whose biggest hits were over 30 years ago. Heck, Deep Purple first broke up in 1976.
Bangalore is the only Asian stop on the reconstituted band’s tour. The group will fly in from South America to play one night in India before flying on to Europe, so in some ways it’s a big deal.
But (and I’m wrinking my nose here) … don’t you think that India should be receiving more up to date acts now? I know that tickets are expensive for the average Indian, but Bangalore should have more than enough young employees of multinationals that they’re willing to pay something close to international prices for a ticket. Why is it that, despite India Rising and all that, that India attracts only 3rd string western bands on international tour? I’m sure I’m missing something.
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Some classic Deep Purple:
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And a more recent incarnation of the band playing Smoke on the Water:
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DJ: Ananda Shankar is passe. He is long gone and even when he was alive, he was rated very highly in Calcutta, but less so in other places. If you want good fusion music, check out the albums of L. Subramaniam, especially ‘Conversations’ with Stephane Grapelli., Spanish Wave, India 2000, et al. He is the brother of the famous L. Shankar of Shakti fame. There was a 80s fusion group called Divvya, featuring Dinshaw Sanjana, Roy Venkatraman, etc. It included a young Shankar Mahadevan. Their debut album, Madras Cafe was outstanding. As was the Louis Banks‘ album Sangam. There were/are many more pioneering greats.
Sacre bleu, thanks so much letting me know! I wouldn’t be caught dead listening to something that’s no longer en vogue! Mon dieu, I almost committed an embarassing faux pas! Merci beaucoup, monsieur!
After being dead for 7 years, I’m amazed you even knew who he was! I mean, that was such a long time ago!! Hey, remember Queen? No? Me neither!!
Here, let me put this into a format you’re familiar with: Quiz Question: Identify the snide retort. I don’t give _______ how Ananda Shankar was “rated” when he was alive, nor should it makes a difference how people approach his music.
Hint: You most likely would not like to receive one.
If you answered “an at’s rass” or some variation thereof, you win the grand prize!!!
Explain to me why I should even begin to care what his “rating” was around India, or anywhere else for that matter, when he was alive or dead. I listen to him because he rawks and he rawks hard, not because of what other people thought of him. His music is original, melodic, innovative, unique, and damn funky. I listen to quite a bit of music and I’d confidently posit that I haven’t heard anyone who sounds like him. I know L Subramanium, I have L Shankar on vinyl (with Zappa, no less), I’ve been listening to John McLaughlin all the way from Miles to Mahavishnu to Shakti to now, I have Azam Ali‘s stuff with Buckethead, and I’ve heard enough 80’s fusion/masturbation to qualify as a VJ on the inevitable VH1 restrospective. (VH1 Behind the Music: Hiroshima!) When those artists die, should I stop listening to them? How long unless they become passe? They’re all very talented, respect-worthy musicians, but (Quiz Question:) do they rawk? No. You can listen to whatever you want, just don’t tell other people why what they like sucks and especially don’t hawk absurd reasoning as to why people should disregard perfectly good music.
Please notice that I didn’t either :).
Well, nothing is born out of a vacuum-even Elvis had his influences. Mehdi Hasan and Ghulam Ali were still pretty much inside the classical to semi-classical style of rendition. But Jagjit Singh’s style is pretty much unique, kind of ghazal-pop, but not as sold-out as Udhas or even the recent Talat Aziz. I think he’s maintained the balance quite admirably.
This may be true of Jagjit Singh’s early years, but he later moved towards more serious shayari with a vengeance, specially in the late 80s/90s. Ghalib, as you pointed out, is excellent. Then there is the double album Kahkashan(Josh Malihabadi, Hasrat Mohani, Jigar Moradabadi, Firaq Gorakhpuri, among others), Insight(Nida Fazli), The Latest (Sudarshan Fakir), and also ghazals by Ibn-e-insha, Ameer Minai, Qateel Shifai, Kafeel Aazer, in other albums, off the top of my head. He has missed some classical poets like Mir and some modern greats like Faiz, and has also stayed away from Sufi poetry, but there is no way the ghazals he sings are ‘back-of-the-envelope’ types.
250. DJDP,
Ananda Shankar was a big fav of Osho Rajnish crowd.
Also check out Bangladesh born Runa Laila. She came to India when I was a wee lad. Her Damadum mast kalandar was a big hit. She was hot, wore sleeveless blouse and silk saris (looow). And she danced to her own songs. In black & white Doordarshan days that was scandalous. Many uncles were greatly perturbed. But I digress. She had a great voice but didn’t get commercial success she deserved. She used to sing a great version of Mehdi Hassan’s “Ranjish hi sahi”. Try to get older version if you can.
Another good one to have is Meraj-E-Ghazal. Ghulam Ali + Asha Bhosle. You will catch both of them in top form here.
Enough geekout from me. This is my last post. I am out.
DJ Drrrty Poonjabi
Jebus…I’d leave it to Karmacola, (whose misconceptions are too numerous to cite and rectify, – though you have been doing a good job), to get his facts mixed up and run with an ad hoc hypothesis,
Um..what facts did you discern mixed?
DJ Drrrty Poonjabi:
I’d be interested in knowing your thoughts on Chamkila (if you have any opinion on him). His songs were rarely easy on the ears, especially given the horrible, screeching voice of his female sidekick Amarjot (who unfortunately was on almost every song), but his lyrical mastery, supreme command over Punjabi, and the voice that his songs gave to that slice of rural Punjab, is just amazing. Utter mastery of the nuances of the language, while probably being almost illiterate. Very risque subject matter, telling it like it really is without caring who got offended (that might be what got him killed eventually). Full of double entendres. Also, do you like Kuldeep Manak and/or Surinder Shinda? Their best songs were written by Dev Tharikewala (another gem, he lives in relative obscurity but in my opinion is a national treasure, should be treated like royalty, and has written so many classics). Just wondering if you are familiar with all this and if you enjoy it (don’t worry, even if you hate it, that’s cool).
The late Amar Singh Chamkila live in concert singing one of his greatest:
DJ: Huh? Why get all snarky? Sure, you can listen to him all you want – I used to listen to him too – but the following adjectives “original, innovative, unique” cannot describe Ananda Shankar at least in my book. He is easy on the ears, but I won’t call him innovative at all. Remember, we are talking about Dylan-Beatles like groundbreakers vis-a-vis Indian music. That is why I made the statements I did. I really don’t think that his music is timeless the way the others’ were. On his own right, sure he was reasonably good for 2-3 years. With regard to Calcutta, I was referring to the way he was promoted, particularly from Calcutta-based Ministers including Ministers of Info and Broadcasting (Ray, Panja, Mukherjee et al). When there were more deserving players around, he got major footage in Govt sponsored events, including the Asiad, the Nehru centenary, AIR shows and so on. A large part of his fame was taxpayer driven. I’ve seen far too many Indian musicians of that genre – innovative, original and unique during the Jazz Yatra festivals in Mumbai, who never got that kind of airtime. And they all disappeared due to such lack of support. Some of that music still sounds fresh twenty-odd years later.
I’ve been listening to John McLaughlin all the way from Miles to Mahavishnu to Shakti to now You should get this album of JMcL’s, if you do not have it already. Luckily, I bought most of his albums 60s and 70s on vinyl from Big Al’s Barn, before they moved. 🙂
sakshi [..] but there is no way the ghazals he sings are ‘back-of-the-envelope’ types . I was referring to the 1980s. True, in the 1990s he has been more selective, as you mentioned. Insight and Kahkashan have been good works. A song of Insight (Muh ki baat) iirc, was used as the title song of a Pankaj Kapur serial. However, his music composition was never ground breaking. He stuck formulaic music, which btw, is melodious in its own right. My contention was in relation to the statement that he was groundbreaking vis-a-vis the types mentioned in a post before (Dylan and Beatles).
Oh man, those guys were nuttier than a squirrel turd (and probably just as fragrant.) Any proof of the Osho-Ananda connection by the way? Google didn’t bring up anything.
The Guns and Roses/Asia/arena rock facts that have already been resolved.
Oh man, Chamkila. I have four of his albums and I’m always left, um, speechless after each attempted listen. You described him quite well, he’s basically a barely literate hick with a female sidekick who sings like Elmer Fudd anally birthing a stillborn pangolin…but somehow…some way…it’s pure magic.
I definitely do not hate him, I like his stuff in small doses and am aware of his legendary lyrics, but my Poonjabi comprehension is shockingly quite poor, so I can’t claim to appreciate his nuances or find myself compelled to raise a monobrow at his prurient rhymes. (After experiencing the Whisper Song, who can anymore??) His music is essentially banned at my folk’s place- my family can’t stand to be within earshot of what they consider music for the poor and uneducated Poonjabis they’d rather not be associated with, and I listen to him mostly to delight from the strained and conflicted reactions of my family being forced to listen to a desi bumpkin by their Western born-and-educated son.
“DJ,” they slowly and diplomatically start, “We’re glad you’re learning more about your culture beta, but couldn’t you listen to something that doesn’t sound like…you know…Elmer Fudd anally birthing a stillborn pangolin?”
Oh, Mamma Poonjabi, how I miss your pearls of wisdom.
Kuldeep Manak and Surinder Shinda are the OGs of modern bhangra, who doesn’t like them? I’ve done a few Chamkila remixes (Kach de Glass Vich, Sharbat Wangoo Ghut Bharlan) hopefully they’ll see the light of day sometime soon.
Quizzy – Sorry about the snark, but I’m still going to listen to Shankar and other artists I like despite their being dead and “passe.” Big Al moved? I could have sworn I drove past it on my way to Rasputin a few months ago. Not that it matters, Amoeba is the best music store on the planet.
I’m right behind ya. Sorry for jacking a thread about Deep Purple and turning it into a self-indulgent free-for-all about me and what I consider good music; I’m pulling a Shodan and taking the classy route out.
DJ Drrrty Poonjabi:
Thanks for your response. Good thread, people.