V are all Rockstars

Posted on by

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…

188 thoughts on “V are all Rockstars”

  1. We know you’re the rockstar equivalent here at SM – with all the e-panties at your feet

    Don’t forget the drug fueled orgies and the wrecked hotel rooms!

    C’mon give us your best. when your not entertaining the masses what are you listening to?

    Let’s just say I thought Spinal Tap was a real band.

    Seriously, my music knowledge is sorely lacking especially when it comes to anything after the glory days of classic rock.

  2. bess, I love live music, but I have a feeling our decadal difference lends itself to totally different venues/artists. I actually am not a huge fan of the music festival junket (I think festivals really require that you go with a crowd you love), but I do love the intimacy of smaller venues. As I get older, I have a harder time enjoying the big amphitheater outdoor concerts (not leastwise because the audio is not very great).

    I appreciate Springsteen, but vocally, at times, I find him too earnest.

    I loooove Bruce Springsteen. That man is musically terrific, and, in the 70s-80s, had the added bonus of being totally hot. Rarely do I lust after a rock star, but the young Bruce Springsteen certainly does bring out the “rrawr”!

    The coolness level on this thread makes a New England winter seem balmy.

    Except the winter IS relatively balmy 🙂 60 degrees two days ago? What is it, Spring?

  3. Seriously, my music knowledge is sorely lacking especially when it comes to anything after the glory days of classic rock.

    says you, thanks for playing.

    I have a feeling our decadal difference lends itself to totally different venues/artists.

    Camille, you precocious little sweetie, just say it, you think I’m an old fart.

    I loooove Bruce Springsteen.

    I’m not knocking the Bruce, I gave one of his lastest outputs a good, long listen before giving it away. I mean, who doesn’t love a little ” Froggie went A-courtin’ ” ?

    Camille, yaar, I’m glad to see you’re blogging!

  4. 143 · boston_mahesh said

    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”?

    In most of the high schools I was aware of, cliques controlled everything. The popular girls listened to Sweet Child o’ Mine; the goths I chilled with wanted nothing to do with it. I had enough problems, I didn’t need a secret civility towards a stupid song causing more, among the few, depressed, elitist, proto-Pitchforkian friends I had. GnR may or may not have been a hair band, but we hated hair bands and their ilk and this was 1988, when we were surrounded by them– not today, when the idea of a “hair band” feels ancient and Jon Bon Jovi looks damned-near preppy.

    I’m glad you think GnR were amazing but that’s your opinion and one I really don’t share. 🙂

    Finally and caustically, I can’t stand 99% of Bollywood (must reserve 1% for Hema Malini), so yes, I possibly would be ashamed of liking a song from DDLJ. Why on this climate-warped earth would you assume I like a song from DDLJ?? Because I’m brown?

  5. Camille, you precocious little sweetie, just say it, you think I’m an old fart.

    You’re not old, but I may have been a zygote for some of the concerts you went to 😉

  6. One last thing, a Def Leppard concert…what were you expecting?

    Heh heh. It was at a music fest. No way, I spend money to go to one even if I did like their ROck of Ages era songs. Joe’s voice is totally shot. Every year, they always had a Def Leppard, Journey type band on the classic rock stage. One year, REO Speedwagon actually followed Ween on the classic rock stage. The women at the REO – well, you can guess the demographics. I tolerated a vcouple of their songs only because Gene Ween joined the crowd after the break between his set and REO’s set and he was watching with amusement the REO set. He was with some lady. I had to go and say hi to him to make sure it was really him.

  7. Rahul said

    Let’s just say I thought Spinal Tap was a real band.

    Rahul, so you rock hard, huh? And word on the street is that your complexion is the only reason why the TSA gives you a hard time. Unlike your rock idols, who have trouble passing through the metal detectors because of their unusual accessories.

    C’mon give us your best. when your not entertaining the masses what are you listening to?

    Bess, his favorite music is apparently the arias that escape the lips of his gropies, when…..[you know the drill, you’re a woman of the world.]

    And ancient or not, you’re a classic. I quite enjoyed all (also: DJ Drrty, Harbeer, Muralimannered) your posts on this thread.

  8. Bess, his favorite music is apparently the arias that escape the lips of his gropies, when…..[you know the drill, you’re a woman of the world.

    The drills of octaves leading to the exultant crescendo?

    And ancient or not, you’re a classic.

    And in my book you are the Queen of Sheba, and the multiple octave-spanning Queen of the Night Vive La Reine Portmanteau!

  9. The drills of octaves leading to the exultant crescendo?

    I’ve always believed that it ain’t over till the lady sings.

    (And to echo portmanteau, excellent pointers to songs all round, and I am constantly amazed at your knowledge of classical music, bess).

  10. 149 · Rahul said

    The coolness level on this thread makes a New England winter seem balmy.

    It’s ice cold. Wait for it.

    Lion, DJ Drrty,

    Sorry for the delay in responding. Thanks for the Jimmy song. It’s always good to be reminded to have a hat when needed, as well as those teabags.

    Drrty, didn’t realize Kool Moe Dee was named Mohandas. Desi brown or simply brown by law?

    Except the winter IS relatively balmy 🙂 60 degrees two days ago? What is it, Spring?

    If this keeps up the ghetto’s going to get red hot. (Not suitable for work and you may need several ghetto dictionaries as well as a jamaican).

    Or simply it just might be the time to head to Miami for a little taste of springtime love. (Umm, you may need to grab some bread for this cheese).

  11. 81 · Harbeer said

    69 · muralimannered said
    I would qualify that statement as gospel among music critics. I generally dislike music critics, whether rockist or otherwise (yes, to hell with pitchfork, frere-jones,NME and even simon reynolds)–the guitar solo may be egotistical in studio productions but it’s also the warp and the weft of classical guitar compositions which I’ll never deride as masturbatory. The guitar work i was referring to is generally not done alone, but in congress with several other instruments–it is occassionally stale in the studio but generally never when the music is live.
    Fair enough. I just emailed a Stanley Jordan video earlier today, and I was rockin Miles Davis’s Live/Evil last week and really digging the John McLaughlin solos. (Most things involving pre-1980s John McLaughlin rock my world–Bitches Brew, Shakti, Mahavishnu Orchestra, The Guitar Trio.) Anybody hear the Shakti album that Santana played on–Love Devotion Surrender? (Apparently Zakir Hussein is playing in that clip but you can’t really see or hear him.) Sick album. I’ll have to replace it one day. (Been ten years since my apt in Brooklyn got burglarized and I still haven’t rebuilt my collection.)

    Shakti blew me away. My dream was to unite the shade of G. Harishanker, John Mclaughlin, Zakir, the shade of Palghat Mani Iyer, Dr. M Balamuralikrishna and Andy Gangadeen in a room with every known instrument and a great vat of bhang.

    and thanks all who have added links/tunes/info, it’s nice to know that Kasey Kasem and Clear Channel didn’t destroy our capability to enjoy and seek out good music.

  12. 160 · Jangali Janwar said

    Or simply it just might be the time to head to Miami for a little taste of springtime love.

    Aww man, don’t get me started on the electro–I’m really happy to see that stuff making a comeback. Egyptian Lover is getting around and playing dj sets again. Paul Hardcastle can’t be too far behind. I think we may be headed for the Point of No Return, and I like it.

  15. 161 · muralimannered said

    Shakti blew me away. My dream was to unite the shade of G. Harishanker, John Mclaughlin, Zakir, the shade of Palghat Mani Iyer, Dr. M Balamuralikrishna and Andy Gangadeen in a room with every known instrument and a great vat of bhang.

    Nice links, thanks. What do you think of Bill Laswell’s Tabla Beat Science? I caught the live performance at Stern Grove in San Francisco (which has been released on cd) and it’s one of my all-time top five shows. (I have about 30 shows that fall under the category of “all-time top five.”)

  16. technotronic! I am so ready for the rink. skates: check comb in back pocket: check hair feathered: check head band on straight: check tight gloria v. jeans: check

    Harbeer will you couple skate with me?

  17. 163 · Harbeer said

    Technotronic vs M.I.A. We haven’t even started talking old school female MCs–Latifah, MC Lyte, Moni Love, Salt n Pepa…

    Wow..that’s a whole other thread. What I find really interesting is that some of more recent desi names to make it big(ish) and even cross-over are desi women. M.I.A., Hard Kaur, DJ Rekha (doing it for years). I don’t remember of many male desi acts making it to that kind of prominence to a mass market. The ladies are rockin it.

    In terms of hip-hop, we should also probably bring in Stetsasonic. All that Jazz. And of course, Eric B and Rakim.

    Thank You Harbeer and MM for the tabla links, I’ve been trying to expand that area of my knowledge. To all who provided links, who showed their musical tastes and shared their musical journeys, thank you.

  19. 166 · bess said

    Harbeer will you couple skate with me?

    [Wipes palm sweat on jeans, clears throat.] Um, sure! [voice cracks, trips and falls]

    167 · Jangali Janwar said

    In terms of hip-hop, we should also probably bring in Stetsasonic. All that Jazz. And of course, Eric B and Rakim.

    Don’t forget Gang Starr. (Desi connection? Gifted Unlimited Rhymes Universal, aka Guru.)

  20. 167 · Jangali Janwar said

    Thank You Harbeer and MM for the tabla links, I’ve been trying to expand that area of my knowledge.

    In addition to being a pop-fusion icon,Talvin Singh actually even has some real jazz cred, having played with Sun Ra back in the day.

  22. 171 · Jangali Janwar said

    Of Course! Or Nice-n-Smooth. Or a combination of the two in Dwyck. Maybe you and Bess, can try skating again on Saturday.

    Hell yeah! (I almost linked to Dwyck and Just to Get a Rep when I dropped the Gang Starr reference.)

    “Lemonade was a popular drink and it still is / I get more props and stunts than Bruce Willis.”

    This could go on forever. Special Ed. Fu-Shnickens. Naughty by Nature. 3rd Bass. (Young Black Teenagers?) Kwame. Black Sheep. UMCs. Das Efx.

    I better get back to work!!!

  23. [Wipes palm sweat on jeans, clears throat.] Um, sure! [voice cracks, trips and falls]

    OMgosh Herb! my palms are sweaty too. We are so meant for each other.

    I get more props and stunts than Bruce Willis

    I’ll be Cybill to your Bruce. I can’t wait.

  25. And who can forget Tigra and Bunny?

    That song was a mainstay on every mix tape (yes, tape) made within my group of friends from the ages of 15-17. 🙂

  26. I know this thread is dead, and that no one is going to read this, but I have a story to share:

    Anyone else care to muse on past favorite concerts?

    Phenomenauts: Slims. January 2005. The most unexpectedly awesome show I’ve ever seen. I originally came to see the Berkeley’s legendary MTX and instead left a zealous neophyte of the opening band.

    I normally reserve the same kind of staid, dismissive sentiment for the anonymous opening acts one’s forced to sit through while waiting for the headliner that I do for “god-tauting charlatans” and other mediocre hacks trying to get their 15 minutes. Nonetheless, getting a good view in a general admission venue means getting there early, and I knew that being an hour early, standing by the monitors, listening to some local kids’ insipid cover of an Elastica song would be worth the aggravation once Doktor Frank emerged half-sober, dropped his stethoscope, and picked up his axe. I had in tow with me two friends, shamed into attending: their punishment for claiming to be fans of the Bay Area punk scene and yet being completely ignorant of 924 Gilman? Accompany me to this show to get schooled by the original masters, and fidget in jealously as I get my original print MTX record signed, post show. After sitting through amateur night first, of course.

    A potent mix of hunger and boredom finally extracted us from our primo spot, and we went upstairs to grab a bite while we waited it out. The next act came on, but we could barely hear them over the conversation of the diners. We sat idly at an in-desperate-need-of-being wiped-off table and people hipster-watched.

    DJDP: The main act is totally worth the wait.

    Friend: They better be. I’m freakin’ starved. How much are the burgers here?

    DJDP: Iunno. Like 8 bucks?

    Friend 2: Total rip.

    Friend: Huh? I can’t hear you.

    DJDP: What?

    The din from the stage had suddenly becoming overpowering. Within minutes, the floor was shaking. UPSTAIRS. Dry ice smoke wafted in. We stared at each other. What was going on? Was this the end of days? Or did someone’s gluttony at an erstwhile fish taco buffet finally catch up with them?

    DJDP: WTF is going on down there?

    Friend 2: Let’s find out!

    We scrambled down the stairs into a full-on phantasmagoria. The transition from dimly lit nightclub to illuminated mindf*ck was like something out of Narnia. The place was packed. Gone were the scruffy local kids and their couple dozen fans. They had been replaced by what appeared to be a space-faring Hazmat team, surrounded by flashing lights.

    With crazy 50’s styled guitars.

    And giant balloons.

    And robots.

    And a Theremin.

    And a moog (!).

    And a man with a leafblower with a toilet paper roll attached to the end of it, TPing the entire crowd.

    And a crowd going f*cking apeshit.

    I don’t really remember what happened next, but soon the blood was rushing to my head a little too fast as the gravity in the room was suddenly negated and we all become one, floating, pulsating, rocking biomass. As we hurtled through space and time, I could only make out glimpses of the band and my friend’s ecstatic faces, but the strange mix of Brain Setzer, Devo, and an astrophysics lecture roared clearly in my ears. We screamed in exhilaration, swam in euphoria. This wasn’t like any other music I had experienced before; every song rocked you from the core and was instantly memorable, almost like you had heard it before. I had no choice, I danced.

    Yea, me: the guy who looks like Corky from Life Goes On touching a downed power line every time I attempt the macarena was moved to motion. I twisted, gyrated, and waltzed. I may have even pirouetted.

    We all danced, leapt, and frenzied. We had to maintain the momentum. The trip had been incredible, but we had to make it home. The band’s encore had us vaulting even faster than before, as the moogs and Flying V‘s screeched and the drums clanged their final beats, I could see the trajectory of our final descent taking us back down past the Golden Gate…

    Suddenly we fell from the ceiling, into a sweaty, disheveled, disoriented heap. The dulcet sounds that had previously been guiding us had now been replaced by exhausted murmurs and exaltations. Dazed, I stood up, dusted myself of, picked off bits of leaf-blown toilet paper, and realized that the headliner was about to start. The Phenomenauts were nowhere to be seen. All evidence of their existence? Gone. I gazed at my watch, confused. Even though we had hurtled through the universe for what couldn’t have been longer than 30 minutes, my watch claimed that over an hour had elapsed. I looked over to the satisfied looking veteran punk to my left.

    DJDP: Excuse me. WTF was that? And where’d they go?

    Dude next to me: That was awesome. And they’re long gone.

    DJDP: How?

    Anyone who has even the most tenuous understanding of general relativity understands that though only 30 few minutes have passed during our voyage, more than an hour has passed on Earth, allowing the band more than ample time to slip away to a distant star system. Off the top of my head, I’d describe it as the slowing of time in a frame of reference moving at nearly the speed of light relative to an observer, predicted by the theory of special relativity. I think it’s referred to as time dilation. Wiki it sometime.

    DJDP: Wiki? Time Dilation? What? Oh hey, Mr T Experience is coming on stage. Shh.

    And so the final act had was here- what we had come for. MTX were awesome, as to be expected, but my friends and I were still intensely delirious from our astral autoschediasm, and unable to fully appreciate their set. They put on a good show, played not only the requisite hits but Doktor Frank, breaking with tradition, performed a live, acoustic version of “Even Hitler Had a Girlfriend” to honor an especially diehard fan who’d flown in from Norway. (Way to go, Fjnorn or whatever it is your name was.) I got my 7 inch of “Don’t Go Breaking My Heart” signed, but not before asking the band “Dude, did you see the guys that were on before you??”

    So there you have it, the best concert I ever saw. This story is entirely true.

  29. DDJP, Poetic! Thanks for reminiscing. Theremin and moog, my kinda sound and I gotta thing for dorks in suits making great music.

    Let’s hear it NvM, the MvP of searing portraiture. I still think about your tribute to American muscle from so many moons ago.

  30. Harb, Bess: Get a room rink.

    I have a feeling our decadal difference lends itself to totally different venues/artists.

    Mee-yow. So that’s how these start.

    I quite enjoyed all (also: DJ Drrty, Harbeer, Muralimannered) your posts on this thread.

    Merci, but Mme Portmanteau, are you all repartee and no substance? What do you listen to?

    Drrty, didn’t realize Kool Moe Dee was named Mohandas. Desi brown or simply brown by law?

    Legally brown, AFAIK.

    DDJP, Poetic! Thanks for reminiscing.

    You’re welcome! All-nighters often have their own rewards. Thanks for taking poetic license with my initials.

    Theremin and moog, my kinda sound and I gotta thing for dorks in suits making great music.

    Mein gott, how have we not referenced Kraftwerk before? But have you heard The Phenomenauts? To say they’re on a mission is an understatement.

  31. Wow, is all I can say about NVM’s post on muscle cars. DDJP – thank you for this post and the link to NVM, it’s always good to see smart references to Einstein and out of body experiences.

  32. Thanks for taking poetic license with my initials.

    arrrg! Hi, I’m a member of DAM (Mothers Against Dyslexia). You say poetic license, righteous. You’ve rightly made me a fan of The Phenomenauts, DJ Drrrty. Now please tell me you’ve been to a Cramps concert.

  33. Oh gawd, stop the flattery people. Everybody climaxes at least once in their life — and some just once.

    The California leg of American tours have been mediocre (live bhangra acts are an item that actually benefits from the soft bigotry of low expectations). The best performance I’ve seen was The Dhol Foundation and DCS sharing the stage in London. Sixteen dholi’s simultaneously, in tune, bangin’ the hide! I don’t know how to give that assault of all things reasonable its due. One dholi can drive a Punjabi banana’s. Sixteen is another dimension of explosiveness. A lady friend yelled in my ear upon seeing the sleeveless, muscle-bound dholi’s that she would sleep with anyone of them on the spot, no questions. I think I would have too but the thought hadn’t entered my mind. DCS is quality in their own right but TDF are the premier live Punjabi act in my opinion. The track that capture’s the performance is ‘DCS meets TDF’ or ‘TDF meets DCS’ and the only place I see it is on DCS’ website if you go to their ‘music’ page.

    The best songs I’ve heard live from a desi musician was Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s version of Akhiyan Udeek Dhian and Jagjit Singh’s Dhai Din Na Jawani Naal Chaldi. Brought the house middle school auditorium down! The uncles got off their folding chairs, misused all movable joints, shouted “Wah!” “Kya baat hai!” “Hai hai!”, dollar bills were flying, toddlers were picking them up, auntie’s were blushing, the audio was squeeling, the venue reeked of catered samosas and chutney and a handful of sprightly teens were stealing kisses in the parking lot! The Jagjit Singh track isn’t on youtube but when I hear it, I can smell scotch and cashews and picture shaggy yellow carpets because I heard that song in my uncles living room as a tot.

  34. The uncles got off their folding chairs, misused all movable joints, shouted “Wah!” “Kya baat hai!” “Hai hai!”, dollar bills were flying, toddlers were picking them up, auntie’s were blushing, the audio was squeeling, the venue reeked of catered samosas and chutney and a handful of sprightly teens were stealing kisses in the parking lot! The Jagjit Singh track isn’t on youtube but when I hear it, I can smell scotch and cashews and picture shaggy yellow carpets because I heard that song in my uncles living room as a tot.
    Everybody climaxes at least once in their life

    Make that twice!

  35. 176 · DJ Drrrty Poonjabi said

    Anyone who has even the most tenuous understanding of general relativity understands that though only 30 few minutes have passed during our voyage, more than an hour has passed on Earth, allowing the band more than ample time to slip away to a distant star system.

    You remind me of Sun Ra. (The OG George Clinton, i.e. the OOG Kool Kieth, i.e. the OOOG Andre 3000.)

    Sounds like a great show. Two of my favorites at Slim’s (so far) have been The Boredoms and Polyphonic Spree. (What can I say, I have a soft spot for big noisy dissonance and saccharine harmony…)

    I’m pretty psyched to see Grupo Fantasma there on 2/16 and AC/DShe on 3/1.

    NVM–that’s poetry.

  36. 183 · No von Mises said

    The Jagjit Singh track isn’t on youtube but when I hear it, I can smell scotch and cashews and picture shaggy yellow carpets because I heard that song in my uncles living room as a tot.

    That is a great song and, yup, it’s on the magic iPod, too.

  38. Thanks for the ups guys, respek all around.

    I’m pretty psyched to see Grupo Fantasma there on 2/16 and AC/DShe on 3/1.

    When it comes to the wide word of female AC/DC cover bands, I always preferred Hells Belles, probably because their former lead singer was desi.

    I’m heading for the exits from this incredible thread with Shodan’s hardrocking tee on my back, shouting: “For those about to rock, we salaam you!”