Abhi posted a link on the news tab which I just had to click…Guns N’ Roses? Sweet Child o’ Mine?
Indian-ishtyle??
I thought my brain would implode at the thought but I was hooked immediately. That song (and that group) dominate my memories of my freshman year in high school– mostly because I hated myself for secretly kind of liking it. Fortunately, no one uncovered my shameful positivity towards this anthem of the popular set. I say “fortunately” because my friends wore flight jackets, smoked cloves and paired Fluevogs with our somber tweed uniforms; we listened to The Smiths, not this group we would later derisively hiss at for being ignorant and intolerant since it obviously had issues with homosexuality and people of color. Never mind that GnR’s lead guitarist Slash is half-black himself, to 14-year old me any group which was going to diss gay people was evil (I had just gotten over my crush on George Michael, my favorite member of Depeche Mode was Martin and I hearted Erasure…I really wanted to be Grace Adler when I grew up).
Part of the reason why this video– which is actually a wonderful commercial for Indian MTV-rival Channel V— jolted me like a quadruple-shot-latte was because none of the things I associate with Sweet Child o’ Mine are brown. High school, my friends from it, the TG parties I grimly attended with all my pledge sisters at UC Hippie…not brown. This video? Brown, and fabulously so.
This song has serious staying power. It went from being my bete noire twenty years ago to what I was giddily shouting the lyrics to a few months ago, at the National Geographic Halloween party. Upon observing how unanimously thrilled everyone aged 21-61 was the second those unmistakable, evocative first notes blared, I think I drunkenly decided that SCoM would be on my wedding reception play list, should I ever resolve my fear of adulthood and move beyond the existential crisis of “nomenclature for feminists”, i.e. “Do I take his name?”.
Wait, where was I? Oh, yes SCoM. Rather, “Ooooooh, woah-oooooh Sweeeet Chile of Miiiiiiiine”. A song so infectious, I’m sure every one of you has your own memory or five associated with it. I must say, the version we’re highlighting above is fantastic. Well, the first almost-half is. I loved it until 00:24. I just wanted more of those bliss-inducing strings. The vocals ripped me out of the euphoric haze I had been lifted in to and I was bewildered and slightly annoyed until Auntie’s hilarious, monosyllabic reaction at the end, which punctuated the minute nicely.
It’s a Monday and I thought you deserved something Happy; see how many times you watch it before you can tear yourself away. Me? Four. Just when you think something familiar can’t surprise you…
100 ΓΒ· Camille said
“Beef, what a relief.” Kris lost me forever as a potential fan with that one weak line (although D-Nice still holds up). Too simple and didactic. Arrested Development? Meh, they’re just corny (same reason I don’t like Spearhead), although I was a fan back in the day.
My answer to the parents question: my dad used to listen to qwaali and ghazals and stuff like Gurdas Maan, Jagjit Sing/Chitra Singh, Surinder Kaur, etc. Not so much anymore. My mom hates music unless it’s kirtan (Sikh “hymns”) or dhadi waars (which are something like militant Sikh power raps).
I’d never play NWA in front of my mom because I never really went for that misogynistic gangsta stuff in the first place, but even if I played Shakiyla in the car with her she’d prolly yell and swipe at the off switch and inadvertently turn it up instead of off.
Doh! The phrase “militant Sikh power” was supposed to point here.
An impromptu “I can’t believe I’m still #^@%!#& at work”/inspired-by-SM playlist:
1) Description of a Fool – Tribe
2) Holy Moly – Talib
3) Pass the Plugs – De La
and just for Camille, what I’m listening to right this second…
4) What Side you on – Public Enemy
Back to work…
But don’t you find Arrested Development whimsical? Didn’t Mr. Wendal make you think? Sigh, I will retreat to my misogynistic, weak-lyric’ed, Boogie-less gangsta rap corner.
Thanks, ANNA! =D
Camille,
Until your comments about Arrested Development, I was a fan of your posts, but now I must question your judgment. π Since you, Harbeer and ANNA are fans of “conscious” hip-hop and are commentators who try to get their point across without being misunderstood, this one’s for y’all.
C’mon, you know you find them precious! π I don’t love ALL Arrested Development, but I can’t say I dislike them. I love to groove to their version of “Everyday People” and to “Tennessee”! You know who I really love, though? Dead Prez.
After Common fell into the GAP he really broke my heart π
104 ΓΒ· Camille said
Ironically, I’ve softened up to NWA but not BDP since then. If you can imagine (based on my comments on SM), I’m actually less self-righteous than I used to be. π The new Devin the Dude is insanely great and it’s hardly pc.
Arrested Development whimsical? Maybe in small doses. I’m would wager that I’m far too cynical to listen to more than two songs in a sitting, but I would probably enjoy those two songs, but I am not willing to test this hypothesis because I am a fraidy cat. “Tennessee” would still be fun. [Resisting urge to look up other song titles and clips for fear of actually liking them…]
Are you in a hipster recovery program? π
S’ok (re: fraidy-ness), I can live with that. I can even live with you hating AD π When they are fun, they are real fun. When they are moralizing, they are weak-sauce.
Here’s tonight’s dirty dozen…I’m grateful they were around to keep me company on this late, late night which is FINALLY over.
Shodan,
I’m a fan of both, but i’ve been giving Opeth second-class citizen status in the metal world while listening to the eargasmic perfection that are the fills and time signatures deployed by Mastodon’s drummer. Also geeking out with the Dethklok album as well–I would submit, Anna (and others aware of the 80s), that’s it out Spinal Tap’d Spinal Tap. If we’re discounting misogyny, I can’t make much more tastier recommendations than:
New UGK album–still plenty of Pimp C on the boards, Bun B on the mic and a few surprise guests (Dizzee Rascal for one.)
Any Jay Dilla production–whether his detroit buddies Slum Village or any one of a number of his side projects (err backcatalog)
Zion I–Boom Bip always grabbed my head from a resting position and set it to nod with alarming reliability. (west coast! west coast!)
harbeer,
eventually Devin the Dude will live solely on income from shows playing to 100% college kids. He’s massively awesome and I wish Houston didn’t have a way of cutting down it’s finest with ‘drank and shitty label issues and probably non-drank related substances.
Just as a follow-up, the link I gave to my friend’s website (up-thread at 96) has some issues. Apparently, one of the webforms is messed up and he has to rebuild the site. Under his appearances section, someone jacked the site and put links to porn sites. Please be aware of it and don’t be offended, it’s not representative of what he’s into. If the SM Intern wouldn’t mind, please remove the link at 96. Thanks Much.
My mom loves Rick Springfield. She was into the whole Elvis thing(she is one of the late 60s immigrants). Oh, she could’t stand Norah Jones. Found her boring. She enjoys Aerosmith. She liked even a couple of Eminem songs. She likes the guitar part of We Dont Need No Education. And she enjoys all those jam sessions during those Rock and Roll Hall of Fame shows. Unfortunatley, she also likes the Celine Dion type stuff too. She finds White Stripes amusing to watch, especially Meg White’s demeanor. She got a kick out of watching Pixies on TV though I do not know if she shared my enthusiasm for the band. It seemed more like she watched it for the novelty aspect (from her POV). She likes some Aerosmith, Stones, and quite a few of the 70s rockers. And like many other Indians, she likes the Beegees and ABBA. (then again, I love the Sat. Night Fever soundtrack too and I can’t hate ABBA as much as I try to).
Office?! I’ll never be square enough to be cubicled. Plus, mine goes up to eleven.
Thanks for the shoutout, Bhenshod, and for the love, Bess. Where’re your playlists?
When is he neither? DtD is the best thing to come outta the Dirty Souf since the General hisself. (I know you’re with me on this one, Bess)
Great interview, but what was up with that ridiculous mashup you played? @=)
Impressive, but is she a Carribean Queen?
(I can’t believe I just asked that of your mom)
Respek for the Zion I up. I count Fingerpaint and Bird’s Eye View as some of the illest joints I’ve ever heard.
Are you referring to Another Brick in the Wall Pt 2?
Instead of overwhelming you guys with more of the tiresome pontificating and haughty dismissals of differing opinions that you’ve come to expect from me every time I delurk to talk music, I’ll spare you and just point y’alls to this comment on an especially epic thread in which I discuss everything here (hair metal, Rush, a blistering solo, more hair metal, desis coming together to rawk) and more. I am not magnanimous enough, however, to spare you from imposing my current playlist of obscure, too-hip-for-you tracks. (Shodan, you might recognize some of these):
Secret Chiefs 3 – Renunciation (Amazing Ananda Shankar cover)
Pornopop – Death Tape
Okay Temiz – Denizalti Ruzgarlan
(Second links go to full length, high quality mp3s. Get ’em while they’re hot.)
Yeah. The lyric was dancing in my head when I was typing in a hurry.
I’m proof positive that if you play NWA in the presence of your mom, you get chappals and thappars in one swift blow. Gatka ain’t got nothing on the martial arts that moms can whip up.
The day before Mother’s Day in ’07, Santana was standing right behind in line, card in hand, at Papyrus. White pants, white shoes and a white hat. Spunky!
I saw’r him and smelt the musk.
I ran into Santana at a tourist trap across from the Warfield once, before one of his shows. Apparently, he needed sunglasses before he could rawk.
That’s funny because “I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy…I was able to get a sense of his soul” and his soul said, “I need to make obnoxious video’s with that obnoxious-lly maned singer from Nickelback. And stop looking at me kid.”
I think parents can groove to “Express Yourself”.
The reason why I asked this question is the parents of the 30 something generation here came over during the 60s and 70s when their American peers were big time into music that is still listened to. So I am always curious how assimilated they get into culture. When they went to grad school, would they listen to their classmates talk about the Stones and the Who? Or Marvin Gaye? One of my uncles listen to some country station. One of my aunts listen to lite rock FM. But I rarely see any of that generation buy CDs with our music even if they will try to get down on the dance floor to whatever a DJ plays during a wedding. I don’t think my mom knew what Cyndi Lauper was singing during She Bop when she liked it.
I think the more common artists I saw older Indians listen to whenever they came on TV were the guys like the 80s pop stars – MIcchael Jackson, madonna, Prince.
I can’t believe you asked that about my mom, either! No, she’s not, and no, she doesn’t like that song π My mom is cute and wholesome, like a granola bar.
Pravin, my dad is a HUGE Chuck Berry fan and also loves Elvis, the Rolling Stones, etc. Does that count? Other than that he listens to classic Hindustani/filmi songs, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, and bhangra. I think my mom is a little different (e.g. she likes Dave Matthews Band, Will Smith, Mary J. Blige, Bob Dylan, Santana, Buckingham Nicks, etc.) because she came when she was younger. Once they got into CD-technology they went crazy! I think they still really love their records, though.
Nope. KPFT and KUT in Tay-hass – both are respected for their community outreach/rep. (I’m a radio geek.)
And you sound great. Please give a heads up when you host again.
I did, but I’ll play catch up. I really can’t wait to get one of these so I can catch all the great radio out there.
DJ Drrrty you know I love you for your fine taste in music and muscle cars! And I loves ya too much to share my playlist – one that includes a Bruckner symphony….see?….you just fell asleep. I was never that cool. I missed the hip hop thang. I went from loving 50s and 60s stuff, to metal to 4 AD right into to trip hop. With classical(east and west), straight-ahead jazz, old school country, its offshoot Americana and world (whirled) music in between here and there.
And so should we all. It’s a better sound – analog over digital- just less convenient. Camille, it sounds like you had a nice upbringing musically.
I used to rap. (Don’t laugh.)
Theres a great movie coming out called, Planet B-Boy, all bout the world Breakdancing championchips
would you believe that in my own backwater of the USA, Secret Chiefs 3 was the very first thing I heard at a recent visit to a friend’s house (albeit a hippie house, but still…) At first I thought it was some kind of bad joke, with vaguely eastern woodwinds, but once it picked up I was a fan.
Thanks, it was happy! I think we listened to the Jackson 5, too. And the Fine Young Cannibals. I had an eclectic musical experience π
OMG thats’s not a band that’s a symphony! The love grows. “Exodus” sounds like Ennio Morricone with a nod to Rachy 2. (I saw Mr Bungle ages ago in Ybor City)
MM, I’ve always appreciated your more nuanced view of the south ; )
122 ΓΒ· HMF said
There is a great movie out called Air Guitar Nation which has an awesome 2nd-gen immigrant angle that will warm your heart and make you love the good ol’ US of A. Check it out–great great film.
This thread has laid bare so many gaps in my musical knowledge that I’ve had to think about what I was listening to instead (of what’s been referenced) which has given me a fun way to look back on the past 20 years. I am woefully ignorant, for example, of most of the dirty south crunk stuff, even though I spent much of my life in Houston and I have good friends who work in the industry. (Last UGK song I really listened to was “Tell Me Something Good,” and that was like 1991. Scarface was the only Houston rapper I really paid any mind until Devin the Dude. Sorry Mr. Willy D, “corner” and “on me” do not rhyme.) (Nuff respect to Dallas’s the D.O.C., ghostwriter of so much NWA material.)
[Big-time off-topic digression.] Murali, your mention of drank reminded me of my new hobby–collecting cans/posters/promotional materials for local energy drinks. It all started when I noticed a poster for Hunid Racks in my San Francisco neighborhood. That’s right, my ‘hood has it’s own damn energy drink–how you like me now? Naturally, my only option was to take the poster, find a store that sold the stuff, and build an altar in my apartment.
So I was back in Houston a couple weeks ago when I spotted a poster for something called “Drank – The Anti-Energy Drink.” Yup, my hometown’s got it’s own answer to the energy drink phenomenon, too. The store was sold out so my partner and I convinced the man to let us take the poster. A few days later I finally found a store that had it in stock. It’s a strange purple brew containing rose hips, melatonin, and valerian root. The poster bears a warning: “This beverage may be extremely relaxing and calming and may cause one to lean.” No shit–I am not making this up. [/digression]
Zion-I, wow, haven’t heard that name since he used to play at Bay Area protest rallies and had a track on one of the Blu Magazine samplers. (Anybody ever look at AWOL magazine?)
Anyway, getting back to heavy metal, being a headbanger is the perfect choice for a young Sikh boy, tell you what. Can’t nobody out-hair you. My first mosh pit was at a Living Color show. Bad Brains opened (a travesty surpassed only by Miles Davis opening for the Grateful Dead). When it got too hot and I retreated to the edge, a woman I didn’t know lifted my hair and blew on the back of my neck. Vernon Reid played a mean solo with some (then) newfangled effects which made his guitar sound like a keyboard. My Sikh peers were not down with my love of metal and picked on me for it, so I was really happy to find a kindred spirit many years later when I read Kristina Gray’s “I Sold My Soul to Rock and Roll” about being a black metalhead in Colonize This!
121 ΓΒ· bess said
How does that manifest? (Thanks for the compliments and for listening.) Did you ever hear about this? Here is another article about that project. We did finally get on the air, albeit from an Airstream trailer in the parking lot. Great story. Community radio rocks.
Ha! Harbeer, you’re not getting any work done either. The only time I ever lifted an unknown man’s hair at a concert, was to bite his neck. I guess that wasn’t you. I hadn’t read about your Little Radio Station that Could. The constant setbacks must have been disheartening. And to be told no rap music b/c it might incite violence??! And no, I don’t think Clearchannel would have been cleared any sooner – not that the co. would be so generous in the first place. The whole breakdown in govt. assistance at that time was infuriating, but it did offer communities a chance to step up and take care of each other. I had a friend working in the Astrodome after Katrina, setting up systems to report health issues directly to the CDC, he mentioned how often various groups from the community came into the dome to help those who were stranded. Amazing- I’m really surprised I didn’t see that article before today. thanks
Done.
Much appreciated Intern.
DJ Drrty,
With an attitude like that you’ll be perfect for the Hipster Olympics. π
BTW, a cubicle doesn’t have a door. An office has a door, respect, me a don dada. ;P
MM, Harbeer, Bess, Camille, DJ,
Thanks for the links. MM, Since you refer to back-catalog, I assume you are aware that Jay-Dilla passed? To return the favor, take a look at Russell Gunn and his Ethnomusicology records. He’s jazz but he brings in Hip-Hop and a whole other set of influences. He has a good live show as well. Got to keep it short today, its very nice to hear what other people listen to, as Harbeer said, it opens your eyes to new things.
Surprised none of you mentioned any reggae? Big in the 80’s and 90’s and in NYC. Check Supacat, a real brown west indian brother. More fire.
I don’t really get the reference but all right, rawk on.
Hey, at least I didn’t ask that of your dad.
No, Brucker doesn’t put me to bed, but Bartok is my main man. Let’s see that playlist.
You can thank Trey Spruance for that Spaghetti Western/Late Romantic/Surf Rock fustercluck. The man’s a genius. I miss Bungle, but the music that has risen from their ashes is truly epic. Did I ever tell you the time I made a funny after a Rahzel show and Mike Patton gave me a hug? I’ll save it for a less self-absorbed comment.
Brilliant video, but no thanks. I fucking hate hipsters.
80 ΓΖΓ’β¬Ε‘ΓβΓΒ· Jangali Janwar said
Huh? KRS-One was head and shoulders above his contemporaries back in the day (1987) especially when Boogie Down Productions (BDP) put out “By All Means Necessary” which is one of the best rap records of all time and that was after “Criminal Minded”! NWA, Public Enemy and a host of others simply were not as good. Admittedly later on KRS-One lost the sense of humor which so rocked “Jimmy”.
I still remember BDP show at the old 9:30 club. Man, the entire audience jumped up and down for 2 hours straight. Can’t believe there is a Gordon Something brewery bar on the same block now.
Lion,
I was a Queens guy, I therefore, have a natural dislike to KRS-One. I am glad you reminded me of “Jimmy”. Personally, I thought Slick Rick was the man in 87-88, when it came to hip-hop. Children’s Story and La-di-da-di were fixtures every place you went.
Whoa, Slick Rick, that’s a name I haven’t heard in a long time. Reminds me of Kool Moe Dee.
Is it bad to mention I could actually understand the lyrics of rap/hip hop back in the day compared to now?
Still, rap back then was a mixture between the high and low of the message. Of course, the esoteric end was The Last Poets.
BDP’s “Jimmy” was great. When people started mentioning M.I.A.’s “Jimmy” before I heard it, I thought maybe she went old school and got super coo and did a remix.
Real name, Mohandas.
Jimmy.
Do me a favor wear your hat!
.what ever happened to guitar solos in songs? I haven’t heard a guitar solo in a new song (popular song that is) in ages.
The Seattle bands killed the guitar solo’s in the early 90’s. Which was good cause alot of songs the solo didn’t fit the whole song.
I’m pretty sure one of the dudes from Soundgarden was Indian. Given the career trajectory of most grunge bands, he’s probably well on his way to being a ‘street musician’ of sorts.
His name is Kim Thayil and he didn’t end up like some of his peers. He still around and living in the Seattle area, but doesn’t really make music any more. His last time he played live, was about year ago in Seattle when he joined his Seattle friends Alice In Chains live for song on there surprise concert in Seattle.
Too many random thoughts … started reading the comments to the wonderful Channel [V] SCoM and got lost in pingpong balls and leather boots! By all means, this one is hiilllllaaarrriouss! The clip starts with a little feedback, like every rock guitarist do. Just cracked me up ….. Channel[V] is well known to come with such funny spoofs, like Sholay one… very creative indeed!
Yeah…that’s pretty much what I noticed too.
There are some decent Indian bands that are keeping the tradition alive, two great places to see these bands in action are Mood Indigo at IIT Powai and the independence rock festival in Bombay. Parikrama is a band that has come out with some decent original tracks.
I thought my brain would implode at the thought but I was hooked immediately. That song (and that group) dominate my memories of my freshman year in high schoolΓ’β¬β mostly because I hated myself for secretly kind of liking it.
What did you have to secretly like this song? That song was one of the biggest hits of the ’80s, and that band was THE biggest band of the ’80s and part of the ’90s. They were amazing. Are you ashamed of liking songs from DDLJ? Then why are you ashamed of liking “Sweet Child O’ Mine”?
It’s a friday yaar. a bright beautiful sunshiny day. why you got to do this on my cereal yaar.
Relazz. a verd of contrition would be nice.
Is that short for a group or an album? I can’t quite guess what it is.
I’m hoping this thread isn’t entirely dead. It still has me thinking and reminiscing about my earliest and fav concerts: X (my first mosh), The Cramps, Laurie Anderson, Sonic Youth, Mercury Rev, The Cult(no GnR did not open from them this time)….a band called Fetchin’ Bones… Anyone else care to muse on past favorite concerts?
I am a big fan of music fests. And I hate area concerts with assigned seating. At music fests, I love 1) Sometimes people mistake me in the dark for a black guy doing security and I can easily go to the front row because people make way for me. Even if that doesn’t work, I still manage to snake my way through the crowds as do other determined fans. 2) You can get different perspectives of the band and sound by walking around during the set. 3) You get to sample bands you never would have if you went to solo concerts. 4) You can always leave one stage for another if a certain band is having an off night. 5) Easier to pick up chicks at music fests. 6) Funnel Cake. 7) The value is unbeatable. When Atlanta had its music fests, you could see the LL CoolJ, Al Green, White Stripes, Jett, Ween, Fogerty, Killers , PE, Devo, Pixies(some of the mainstream headliners in the last two fests) all in one 3 day weekend fest for 70 bucks. Sadly, Atlantans did not realize te bargain they had and the annual music fests ended a couple of years ago. We got to fork out $200 and camp out for Bonnaroo for just a few more acts . That is still better than paying 40-100 for single concerts. 8) Ben Harper
Downside: 1) Sound may not be the best with a lot of noise bleed depending on the music. 2) Underage chicks hitting on grownups for beer. 3) The older chicks may not be in the best condition to do stuff with. Women at the Def Leppard stage had a LOT of mileage. 4) Overpriced and sloppily made Philly Cheesesteaks 5) Ben Harper. The guy is a music fest whore.
One of the more disappointing experiences I had was a Springsteen concert a few years ago. It was good. But I may have been the youngest guy there, not counting the kids who came with their parents(and I am a child of the 70s,80s so I am not young). The crowd was humorless. Though Springsteen is progressive, some of his audience was very conservative. Weird vibes. It got really awkward standing among them when he played 41 Shots. I was mistaken for an usher by a few and I wasnt even pretending to be security. I was threatened to be kicked out because I had the temerity to not sit or stand right at my seat. I was merely standing and walking in a 3 feet radius(I had an aisle seat). I wasn’t blocking anyone, yet I was seen as a problem. Also Spingsteen insisted on playing a few of his really boring 90s era tunes which really killed the mood. I think I would just rather watch his 70s era concert clip on tv whenever they show them. I have really no wish to go to any of the aging superstar concerts after that.
I promise never to call you Praniv again. Thanks for taking me up.
I now have a whole different image of you. You must look like a baddie to get mistaken for a security guy.
just a number 6, really?
smack for that one.
I’ve got the coolest concet t-shirt from his 70s stuff, it’s one of those old school baseball t’s. That’s about the closest I’ve gotten to one of his concerts. I appreciate Springsteen, but vocally, at times, I find him too earnest. Ween- now I’ve got that song stuck in my head “push the little daisies and make ’em come up!” One last thing, a Def Leppard concert…what were you expecting?
The coolness level on this thread makes a New England winter seem balmy.
you mean, other places exist? We know you’re the rockstar equivalent here at SM – with all the e-panties at your feet π Is this just a mic-check? C’mon give us your best. when your not entertaining the masses what are you listening to?