August's End

There was an office party on Friday night. The experience was frightening and yet ultimately satisfactory, if only for the tons of alcohol I consumed while I was there. I had called Mr. Flirt and I still have no idea what I spoke to him about but my colleagues told me I was missing for over two hours. I spent the rest of the night, drowning in more alcohol and dancing…..Oh yeah! There was dancing! - Which was very surprising figuring the dance ban hasn’t been lifted?

I'm prone to crippling shyness and I'm not that much of a goody two shoes (Left to my own devices I'm prone to being very naughty, but you get the point.) Therefore, the idea that clubs are the easiest way for a woman to meet a man has never really worked for me. Catch me in the right mood and I can be awfully sociable. I rely on alcohol to loosen me up and since I'm pretty shy, I don't really have much natural grace to politely repel the unwanted advances of guys who creep me out. The whole night was such a bizarre mix of the familiar and the terrifyingly that I didn't really know what to do with myself afterwards, so I just went home and hit the sack.
Everyone who lives in B’lore and hasn't already seen it should immediately get tickets to 'All Shook Up' by Leila Alvares. It’s been awhile since I’ve spent an evening at the theater. The musical closes tomorrow, so don't delay.

Since Mr. Flirt and I have started talking to each other for long hours he has wanted me to express my thoughts, even when they are unpleasant. I don't know where he came up with such a disgusting idea--probably the same place he got the ridiculous notion that I think he’s my world. So in order to punish him I have been taking him at his word and I’ve been getting him really worked up lately.

Today was my concert with the band. Yay! I’m so happy it’s finally over! I was at practices the entire day and I hadn’t decided what to wear. So I had to throw together an outfit at the last minute from whatever I could find in my closet; I ended up making a very lucky choice, because I think I looked really good. My eyes were constantly glued to the monitor. I didn’t look up at the audience- I was so scared. It’s a tough thing to get up in front of an audience of about a thousand people and act cool and professional, or atleast not like you’re going to have a panic attack. The guitarist did an awesome job. I think he stole my thunder but it wasn’t more than I could bear. Chatter died and interest spiked when our band came up on stage. I bet it was the music that got everyone hooked to the performance. Standing ovation. We were forced to believe that we had done a good enough job.
I shall sign off for now with this track my boss gave me to listen to over the weekend. The Hold Steady with ‘First Night’. Tell me what you think of it. Hope you guys had a great weekend.

Mr. Flirt

Yesterday, on my way back from work, my driver stopped at different places on our usual route so that I could take some pictures. Too bad I didn’t have my camera with me then but I’m sure glad my mobile’s camera is quite nice. And now I'm going to inflict these photographs on you.

Fear not! you won’t be subjected to all of them; just a couple.

A few weeks ago, I had mentioned that I might soon have an exciting piece of news to share.

I do.

So, I’ve been spending my every waking moment on this new friend who I’ll call Mr. Flirt. Mr. Flirt and I message each other every other minute and call each other at least twice a day. So far, our little friendship is going a little too well. Yesterday, I wanted to surprise Mr. Flirt so I called him. He asked me why I had called. You’d think it was a stupid question to ask but by now I’m used to all his weird questions. So this is from a conversation we had:

Evuhleen: I just called. Do I need a reason?
Mr. Flirt: Yes
Evuhleen: uh….
Mr. Flirt: You missed me, didn’t ya? Say it.
Evuhleen: Don’t flatter yourself
Mr. Flirt: You just wanted to hear my voice- is that what you wanted to say?
Evuhleen: (And as Ck always calls it- ‘my lame comeback’) whatever!

I didn’t quite know how to feel about this. I refuse to be bullied by him but it felt pretty fabulous. God! I’m infactuated with Mr. Flirt. Actually, that's not true. I’ll just go now, throw some water on my face and maybe I’ll feel differently.

Here’s Oasis with ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’

Portishead

Working for an online company means easy access to dozens of seasons of TV shows. I've gone through most of Dexter and Burn Notice most recently. I can only watch the older seasons on DVD though. Waiting for new episodes isn't really a bad thing though. It builds the suspense for a show but while I appreciate the suspense of waiting for the next episode, I'd still much rather like to just get to it. So how about this- They have movies that go straight onto DVD, why not do the same with TV? Avoid the whole waiting for a series to air, take a year to become available and provide the entire thing up front. People still buy DVDs that never make it to theatres, so why can't TV shows be just as successful??

My mom used to be in the medical field and she's computer untaught. We have a decent PC for the entire family. What's funny is that all she knows about the computer is well, nothing. She has no idea how to get to her mail, she has no idea how to send a mail, she's got no idea how it all works. So, when she gets online (which is quite rare) she has this piece of paper with her that lists out a step-by-step procedure of how she has to check her mail, write it and send it. If something went wrong she just shuts down the PC and turns it on again as if the mistake will be corrected.
Awhile ago, she came into to my room just as I was in a video chat with my best friend, Imcha. She looked at the laptop like it was alien technology. She still doesn't know what I do for a living. The point of this post is that I realized how some people like my mother have such a hard time switching to technology. Unlike us they will probably have to take lessons to learn how to use it. We geeks don't realize that sometimes.
Portishead is a psychedelic/experimental rock band. The song 'Roads' isn't a fun song. It fits perfectly with the bleakness of the cold weather. While listening, it's hard not to imagine walking by yourself on a grey, gloomy day while a weird feeling penetrates your body. For me, it's hard not to feel almost entirely saddened by the song. It's so emotional; it almost burrows a hole into my stomach. When I listen to this song, it's that type of deep, unrelenting sadness that oozes out. Whether the song is about futility, absurdity, the need to feel a connection to anything we possibly can, or anything else in between, there is one thing for certain - this is a band that doesn't make empty, simple, or generic music. This is a band that deserves a chance to make you think.

Some Disillusionment and Yay! A New Band

Back when I was just a fresh graduate I wasn’t very careful about the dates I went on. My frailty being what it is, many of these became serious little relationships and then I regretted getting into anything at all. After it was over I'd spent very little energy dwelling on missed connections.
There were a few cases, however, in which the photograph that accompanied the initial romance depicted a fellow of such breathtaking beauty that even now a small part of me regrets what might have been, even if the time for which it might have been was less than a couple of months. I am not so naive as to pout over the guy that got away, but I have spent an occasional moment or five since then wishing I’d bump into him.

Keep this in mind, as I kinda change the subject to mention that while I was going through an old social networking site that I was a member of a long time ago. A quick exploration of the photo album revealed the photo I have described above, which I hadn't seen for years. I sat back in my chair spending a few moments reminiscing a moment of a time long gone. A minute further into the inspection of the photograph exposed features that were average, and possibly worse. My memory made him look like Lancelot and damn my visual senses for judging him attractive in the first place. I deleted the pictures but now I’m worried at some point later in my life my laptop’s going to tell me that I have to repeat the same exercise with some other built up memory and I can only imagine what illusions I’ll have to smash to smithereens then.


Moving onto something a little happier now- If you feel like you are sick and tired of hearing overplayed songs on the radio or the television and you just want to hear something fresh and new then give The Afters a try.
The Afters is a band composed of Josh Havens (vocals), Matt Fuqua (guitar), Brad Wigg (bass) and Marc Dodd (drums), young music artists from Mesquite, Texas. The band was formed at a Starbucks coffee shop under the name ‘Blisse’. They came up with ‘The Afters’ after realizing that there was another band that used the name ‘Blisse’. The Afters’ music has an upbeat rock sound. The album ‘Never Going Back to OK’ will surely be worth your listening time and deserves to be part of your playlist.

For more on this band, check out http://theafters.com/

A Date with Karma6

So for those who want to know what went down yesterday here goes… Ruan and I went to Landmark to get a present for Tony’s upcoming birthday and I had found the perfect gift. For someone who likes Gordon Summers (Sting) so much I bought a book titled ‘Lyrics by Sting’. The book contains Sting’s collection of lyrics along with his commentary for each song and black-and-white pictures that would make any Police fan quite ridiculously happy. Giving Tony this gift was the best part of it all- the innumerable kisses I got back was priceless.

I found myself with nothing to do the entire evening, so I decided to go with Runa to palace grounds to watch the Independence Rock concert. The thought of seeing Karma6 in concert again sorta invigorated me. I never made it for many of the Sunday Jam events because there are hardly any girls at the concert and secondly, I don’t dig strange death metal music. I prefer listening to music that I can hear and understand, not cringe and head bang to. Runa and I got to the concert just when Karma6 got on stage to do their sound check. We screamed Tony’s name so that he could see where we were and then we waited for the magic to happen. Being at the concert, I came upon two conclusions. First, the guitarists- Prakash, Alwyn and Tony are bloody great. Effortlessly, they rocked with the purest sort of rough-edge glee. Fantastic. Mark had the crowd going with his classic rock voice that makes you melt like butter on a biscuit. This five-piece South Indian convergence of classic and new, rock and yes, we'll say it, roll, has made quite the impression on the Bangalore crowd. The band performed tracks by Mr. Big, Foo Fighters, Coldplay including the track that got them all on TV- the Earth song.

Overall, many of the tracks they managed to get right. Some others, however, are caught between good- but- not-a- good -fit- for a rock concert. If I had the time to stay on till the end of the entire concert I would’ve loved to tell the band that they put up an awesome show and I swear that with their own compositions they would make Bangalore gods to rock fans. Tony, the music genius of the band is going to be busy writing the lyrics for their upcoming album and I can’t wait for them to show B’lore their own stuff. My only complaint is the fact that there were some girls who were screaming crazy whenever Mark came around the corner. Ugh, I hate the stench of hyperactivity. And that's about all I can say about that fantastic concert. Woohoo!

So, I’ve created a new blog. It won’t be an everyday thing like this blog but it will be updated on weekends. I’m attempting to write posts dedicated to one man I honestly don’t know a lot about so I’m just going to wing it. Why would I decide to do this? Easy, the voices in my head asked me to. This will be quite the adventure, especially since I hardly stay in love for too long. So the new blog is about Jeff Buckley and my life with his music. Basically, a personal blog such as this one but just the songs played and reviews made will just be on Jeff Buckley’s tracks. I can’t wait to share the music that leads me to have an outburst of emotion. His songs do not let up in intensity and it will have you singing along. Even if this is not your style of music, his music is still gripping. The lyrics are believable and many people can relate to such regrets. The rhythm of the songs is moving and fit well with the lyrics. The lyrics are definitely the most serious and straight-forward part of Buckley’s normal freestyle type vibe. With a 5 minute plus running time his songs never seem long but rather it leaves you wanting more, which is usually why I put it on repeat. If you like songs with layers and no screaming (no offense to screamo fans) this is your guy, your blog. I’m open to suggestions and criticisms that will help me make this blog an interesting read. And with that I leave you with this track by Travis called ‘Side’.

Evuhleen's Downtown for Music

After work I went out with the girls and Ck for dinner last night. All I could think about was my new friend. I imagined the face of my intended, embracing me in his arms- uh! I didn’t know I could be so theatrical. I don’t think my self-esteem could handle it if it actually happened. My hyper state of existence has thrown me into a tangle of uncertainty and over dramatics.


My addiction to shopping is getting out of hand. I told Ck and Ruan to go ahead and order food while I took Runa to my favorite shopping place so she could get something for Tony’s upcoming birthday. I was famished but that didn’t stop me from spending a good amount of time buying some clothes. I worry that my priorities are misplaced.

I was all ready for it to be a horrible, hellish experience at work without Shreyas around to check on us. When the day came for him to leave to Goa for a holiday I kept asking him neurotic questions about the process and couldn’t take comfort in the fact that he was leaving the team to fend for itself but it’s been pretty painless and we’ve been able to do just about a good job on our own.

Last night, I was in a pretty good mood because I’ve got two new readers, who happen to be colleagues of mine. Both of them started reading my blog after hearing about it from friends of mine and one of them sent me a message online to tell me that she was a fan. I had heard that the other reader maintained a blog on LiveJournal, I decided to visit his page after the flurry of activity at work had died down. Sometimes I really just love the world. Fabulousness from this blog. Take a gander and see what you think.

In my mind whenever I think of the word ‘Guitar Hero’ I’m probably thinking Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Santana, Slash…way before I’d ever think of the video game. So, by now most of you guys might’ve heard about Guitar Hero. Personally, I wasn’t brought up on video games. So I don’t see what the big hoot about it is. The news related to the game is about some 16 year old that has dropped out of school to practice and compete in the game. Is that ridiculous or what? I mean, if you’re spending all that time perfecting the push of buttons why don’t you just learn the damn guitar. I’m hoping folks out there get it in their heads that there’s a difference between the two- buttons and strings.

Chan photographed by Jean Baptiste Mondino for Jalouse '05

Years down the lifeline of rock, entire uniqueness is tremendously uncommon. Everything is an offshoot of something. So when I listen to an artist or a song and it doesn’t remind me of anything I’ve heard before I’m real curious. Chan Marshall is at a point where, like it or not… is going to be included in my blog for more than a post. She’s here with ‘He War’ and she’s proved that she’s worth checking out. Go Cat Power!

Height Issues, Dexter review and Chan Marshall...Straight up!

As a kid I was consumed with proportions and sizes. I was so bugged that I was never as tall as dad or my older sister and I used to go out of my way to explain to my tailor that I wanted my dresses to make me look taller.
As I look at my sister’s wedding album I think to myself, ‘I looked like the friggin flower girl!’

Since I’m talking about the past, I have to mention that when I was real tiny I had the biggest crush on the now late Charlton Heston of Ben-Hur fame and I had told my older sister that I would run away with him but now that he isn’t alive I think I’ll add another to my list- John Barrowman. Watch his fabulous performance here. His voice is of such fine quality that it is beyond description. Well, maybe he won’t go on the list right away but he is sure nice to look at and listen to.

Life isn’t too terrific today as I had made up my mind to quit the band that’s playing on the 30th. It all happened because I didn’t have time for practices and the final day is coming very close. My dear friend Ash made it significantly better by listening to it all and then sharing her warped philosophy.

Dexter is a wonderful series that I had discovered a couple of months ago. 2 seasons with 12 episodes each about a serial killer who satisfies his thirst for slaughter by murdering other serial killers. The world of Dexter is punctuated with adventures and much entertainment. The action is riveting, the humor wicked, the script impressive and convincing enough to grab anyone’s attention. I regret to say that the series I've got is actually a bootleg, since the originals are pretty hard to locate (unless one is living in the US or able to order it online). Getting the bootleg is the easiest way to view this amazing series. If you do begin watching the serial, do note that there’s quite a bit of gore, profanity and nudity- your average dark thriller. Not appropriate for those below 18 possibly?

Now I must mention the music. I’m quite a huge fan of Chan Marshall known popularly by the name ‘Cat Power’. The russet-haired blues singer skillfully channels her strong emotions through truly arresting songs. Her music is delicious to the ear and her voice delivers them perfectly to the point. You can visit her MySpace page here and have a listen to select songs. My favorite pick is the track I’ve uploaded below. It’s a bloody good listen and it demonstrates the breadth of this artist. It’s wide-reaching and it’s a great piece of work. And so, without further ado, I present to you ‘Metal Heart’:

Single Life and John Mayer

While I do feel lonely at times, I have to say that we single people have a better deal.
We’re lucky because we can do what we want to without having to check in with anybody else. I don’t have to complain to friends about relationship issues, the mess I’m in and how i prefer work or the nearest pub to being at ‘his’ place. While I like the idea of just having me in my life, a dame such as I have to tolerate the outrageous questions from neighbors and aunts (basically old women) about when I plan to give up the fun life and settle down. Now why would I possibly want to do that?
So, here are the questions I'm asked most of the time and the answers I'm going to give:

When’s the big day?
A: Oh! Soon… I’ll let you know when I sign the deal to front my own rock band.

No, seriously. When are you planning to get hitched?
A: Long time from now. But when I do, I’ll invite you….err…maybe your kids.

Have you at least found The One?
A: Yeah. But he’s currently married.

Don’t you ever feel lonely?
A: Of course I do. No one else does?

For me, the benefits of being single are more than the disadvantages. No remote control issues or me being on the laptop or reading or watching TV for endless hours or using up all the hot water. So, for now I’m just going to stick by my point that I am better off solo.

Today, I had the pleasure of viewing a performance of John Mayer on YouTube. Keeping aside the healthy amount of news he gives to the paparazzi he is one of the reasons why music, at this time, doesn’t blow big time. His music is extremely notable. It hits you where it’s supposed to and the guitars- leave you absolutely breathless. He’s one of those artists who can come out with as many albums as he wants to and still remain outrageously famous for each one of them. He produces some great quality music and leaves no doubt in any mind that he’s fucking brilliant!
The track below is Mayer’s rendition of a very famous song- I love the way he sings it. It sounds rich and gorgeous. The song has a feeling, if I may be so vague. You’ll have to hear it.

If you are in search of good music then do a little unearthing further than what’s been played on these wretched radio stations and give a listen to something that entices and gratifies you.

Tuesday's Surprise!

I'm 24 so it's appalling that I can still act like a 16 year old sometimes (with great taste in music, of course). I can't rid myself of this excitement- let me share it with y’all before I faint. Brace yourselves: Tony Das got me an autographed CD of Brett Garsed...

and the best part of it is, it’s addressed to me!! Yay!!!

For those of you who haven’t heard of him before this, Brett Garsed is an Australian-based guitar maestro brought down to b’lore recently by Music biggie Sandeep Chowta. You will love this guy if you like instrumental rock music and I can’t wait to listen to this CD called "Planet X". Although I kinda cringe every time I take this prized possession out of its package. I’ve been showing off the autograph to my manager, who happens to also be a huge Brett Garsed fan. I bet he’s happy to finally send me home without hearing another ‘I can’t believe I have his autograph’ from me.

Grab a copy of Garsed’s CD if you can. Sure, you can stream his music but it’s something else to hold his record in your hands, listen to his music and realize that this guitarist is one of a kind. I don’t really listen to too much of instrumental rock music, but I'll totally endorse this one. Garsed’s music is a trip and its art. No, I’m not exaggerating. This is what music should sound like.

Today, is RJ’s birthday and she isn’t here. Miss her so much, particularly today. I hope she’s happy, wherever she is now.

Someone has been leaving a huge smile on my face lately. I’m not going to reveal more and jinx it. For now, all I’m saying is that he’s a classy flirt and an absolutely charming bloke.

I dig Mr. Big. Especially the single ‘Goin where the wind blows’. It's an excellent track; that’s the best way to summarize it. I can’t understand why this one didn’t race the charts and kick out ‘To be with you’ and ‘Wild world’, nor why it’s been largely forgotten. I guess it might’ve had something to do with the time period that it came out in. As you listen to this track you become conscious of the fact that this is a supremely catchy song that’s delivered with both finesse and intensity.

I’m rambling now. You want the music. So here you go.

Manic Mondays

At the moment the whole of B’lore is currently preoccupied with the live ban. I hate it and if you’re like me and the rest of us who are for live music, it makes you want to slap some sense into the authorities. I'm not going to go into my thoughts about this as it will just turn into a rant about human rights and governmental control.


Posters that were part of the Bangalore Protest:



This post is going to be real short as I’m too tired to post properly. I worked non-stop from stupid nine to five o’clock. Today, I reckon I must’ve be one of the busiest workers in B’lore. In fact, quite possibly, the world. I'm not going to whine as yet- honest, but today involved some real hard work. I now realize that there really aren't enough hours in the day. I suppose most women have known this fact for ages. And it’s back to work, again, tomorrow (yes, I know. sigh!)

One day Ruan and me wouldn’t stop singing this song and tripping on the lyrics. It was by this band called the Moldy Peaches though the version I’m playing for you here isn’t the original. Instead, it’s by the Juno couple- Michael Cera and Ellen Page. A modern love song that’s highly addictive and terribly listenable.

The Ideal Weekend

I wish I could walk into a place, rest my thoughts with a nice drink and listen to someone sing. It’s hard to believe that B’lore, of all cities, has banned places like those.

Saturday, somewhere in B’lore city, I met Shreyas and Ruan for brunch. Alexis and Venky also joined us. For those who haven’t read my older posts. Alexis, is comparatively new to the music scene in the city but she has made quite an indelible impression on the audience. Venkat Subramaniam, known as Venky in music circles, is the Frank Sinatra of B’lore. And that is not an overstatement (hear him here). The 5 of us met with the intention of having a late breakfast together. Six pitchers of beer and innumerable stories later we realized it was late evening and that it was time to move ourselves out of the place. All I can remember as I write this post is the beer and the generous serving of bread, bacon, eggs, sausages and mashed potatoes. It reminded me of regular weekend breakfasts with friends back in my college days.

Returned home drunk and sleepy. Took a quick nap, then went for coffee and got back home because Runa and Ruan wanted to come over and watch ‘Grapes of Wrath’. We had read the book in college and I finally got my hands on a great print. But I was reeking of alcohol, a little too sleepy and it was bit late, so we ended up talking about the day. I spoke to Ash after the girls left. She’s a good friend who’s in Chennai at the moment (taking a break from b’lore or someone in b’lore). After the call I then hit the sack.

I think I’m going to do this weekend-breakfast thing more often. I never want to get myself into a situation where I have nothing to do but watch movies all day. This is how one falls into depression. I need exercise and people.

The weather makes me think of these days as weird and wonderful. It's definitely not wonderful when others have to put up with the nuisance of traffic jams and slushy roads, or worse, flooded areas; but watching the rain just fall, feeling the breeze brush past my neck and the cool air all around - leaves me feeling quite relaxed at this time of year. I'm going to remember these past couple of days as the ones when I breathed the air, learned to wait, stepped out of my world of inhibitions and hoped for better things.

There's beauty yet in this world. Sometimes it's right in front of us that we miss it altogether.

I spent the last couple of hours playing with my niece. Some jumping, some kickball. I gave her my drumsticks, again. Her father will soon have to buy her, her own. Much laughter, then goodbyes. A good Sunday afternoon.

A Perfect Circle- 'Gravity'. For my dearest Ash.

Dark Knight and - Happy Independence Day!

Last evening, was quite an adventure and I can't recall the last time I had an unusual night out. I didn't go out for an old faithful drink but for the new batman movie (Damn CK for not having me seen it sooner). So the movie finally happened because god willed it I tell you. (He knew how badly I wanted to see Heath Ledger.) I must say the movie was pretty damn good.

I had finished work early and went to another office in the city and I just couldn’t forget the weird looks I got from techies who looked at me like I was some small sized girl selling cookies or something. My crew and I left the office pretty late and then we got stuck in the rain. Of course, no auto would take us to the theatre because it wasn’t far enough for them so we hopped onto a bus- a first for me and it wasn’t bad at all. It was one of those fancy Volvo buses and there was no inappropriate touching involved so I didn’t have to scream. We got off the bus, got drenched a little more and then entered the icy theatre ready to catch a cold… anything for Heath Ledger. The movie is still fresh in my mind and it seems so daringly real. For two hours I sat in my seat enthralled. One really can’t grasp the admiration I have for Heath Ledger’s acting until you watch this film. For my friends who thought Jack Nicholson was the best Joker there ever was… Umm… there’s no doubt about it now that Heath Ledger was insane in a way that Jack Nicholson never came close to approaching.

Dozens of critics and millions of audience members can’t be wrong- The Dark Knight is certainly one of the greatest films made this year. Period. The film consistently surprises you and Ledger is entirely convincing in his evilness and strength.

In the movie you never see Heath Ledger as the the Joker. Never. It’s hard to place the polished jaw, good-looking Aussie as the erratic villain. I was so bummed out that a guy with so much talent like him had to die but you have to agree that he did go out with a bang.

The movie makes you question the strength of humanity through the Joker. It’s ugliness. The theme of choice plays a huge part and that is the most crucial test in human character. This makes the experience of watching the movie all the more worthwhile. Director Christopher Nolan has done an outstanding job in transforming the world of comics into a literary experience.

A lot of movies make you sob your heart out or laugh out like crazy; this one just makes your head burst! For those of you who haven’t gotten around to watching it, well then rush to the nearest theatre and get yourself a ticket- if not for the batman then just for the terrific and the dark performance of Mister Ledger. Screw the standards of good and bad, villains and heroes. This movie makes you rethink all that.

Today, I got up late and then went with my dad to get my voters id. After that was done I joined my friends for lunch at Koshy’s. Bacon, eggs and beer- Mmm…life couldn't get possibly better.

I have cookies on my table, the DVD of ‘Lolita’ to watch and I have a window that opens out to the little sunlight there is right now. Late last night I chatted with a very old friend and it was so nice to catch up with him after so many years. When I meet most of my old friends they never tell me that I’ve changed drastically. Well, because I’m of the same height and size since I was in high school and also I look much younger than my age, a trait I’ve had to endure for awhile now (I’ve come to accept that I look more girlish than womanly).

Bought a new top in my drunken state – not bad. The feeling is great. I’ll have to try this sometime soon again.

Made a new friend- online. Still thinking if it was a good idea.

My friend Ash, wants to set me up on a date with a younger guy. Which is good because I’m starting to forget what dating feels like; but not so good because I don’t feel like I’ve finished up with the old yet.

I’m looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants- Part II. If it ever reaches our shores, that is. Anyways, I’m off to read the newspaper and busy myself with other things like, take a breath, for one.

Going to end this post with one of my favourites. A brilliant track by the Red Hot Chili Peppers called ‘Road Trippin’. I must say I love it for the sprawling guitars and the vocals and whether you are or aren’t a Red Hot Chili Pepper fan you’ll love every second of this song, from start to end. Saying that is saying a lot.

Stay tuned for more melodrama and of course, how can we miss out- Music!

Happy Independence Day!

To Pritham.

I’m hoping I never find it necessary to ever cook in my life. I realize that such a wish would be frowned upon by the many individuals who read this blog but I really hate cooking. Sometimes fights with mom call for Maggie noodles and that I can deal with.

Once upon a time I used to be quite passionate about cooking but the event that changed it all was when I went to visit my dad in Dubai. He was at work and I was all excited about cooking up something special. So, instead of ordering from a restaurant I decided to play chef. A brief search of the kitchen revealed just the ingredients I needed to make some rice and chicken curry.
I opened up the packet of Chicken curry masala and followed the directions given on it. I suppose I used more than I was supposed to because I really wanted the flavor to stick out. I prepared the rice by calling mom who was back home in India. She didn’t have the patience so she ran through the entire thing in a hurry and hung up. I had a couple of distractions in between but I thought the food looked as it was supposed to.

My dad came back, I set the table and then we sat down to eat. He picked up his fork and took a bite. He was not one of those fathers who would tell their daughters it was nice when it wasn’t just to make them happy. I’ve never seen my father move at such speed the way he did that day, to the sink to spit out my hard work. Then he spent the longest time trying to rid his mouth of the taste of the food after which he told me, ‘You never have to cook as long as you stay with me.’ And from that day on cooking began to frighten me. The damage to my psyche is colossal and it would take a shrink a year or two to help me over it.

I received a call today from an old friend who works as an airhostess. She dutifully calls me every month just to make sure I’m not getting myself into trouble. And while she has been absent for many of my failures I thank her for having lots of faith in me and spending all that money on calls to make sure we stay great friends. I remember I cried on and off for the whole day when she left to Doha.

I don’t normally address political issues here because thinking about it gets me so angry and depressed but I just have to say that I don’t get Indian politics and it’s obsession to include everything religious. Corrupt politicians have managed to twist religion so thoroughly to their own ends that they’ve reduced God to a tool to help them get and maintain power. How can I vote for anyone when I don’t believe a word coming out of their mouths?

After I’m done posting this I intend to execute my scheme to take over the world. If you aren’t with me, you're against me.

Now, for something fun. The Doobie Brothers… weren’t they an awesome band?

The guitars are crisp and it’s one of the best tracks out of this band. Also, the instruments explode in this song. The arrangements and the layers sound great. The song accomplishes what it sets out to do and wraps up without any loose ends. ‘Long Train Running’ is a track definitely worth checking out and if you’re looking for something to put you in a good mood then this song comes highly recommended.

To Pratiksha.

I’ve been trying way too hard. Things feel weird. People feel weird. The world that I’m trying to repair has just progressed beyond weirdness and all that’s left is a big pile of mess that I can’t take charge of. It makes the trying and the caring and the not giving a fuck about all too hard.

…..And then I remind myself to take a gulp of air and sit still.

As I walk down the end of my street I say to myself, ‘Another day. God help me get through it.’ The car should arrive any minute snatching me away from my thoughts. I wait in the cold, my hands clutching my big white bag which is so warm. I inhale the chilly air and I look at my cell phone to see how long I’ve been waiting: 2 minutes. It should be here any moment. This is what Samuel Beckett referred to as Existentialism. Waiting… seemingly endless waiting. People are being weird and I’m being weird today. I pull my bag closer to me. I’m so cold. I hate being cold. I see my car…

I guess this is what they call the winter blues.

As promised, this weekend I did nothing. I just caught up on sleep and recuperated from a full-on week. ‘The Holiday’ was the kind of movie I haven’t watched in awhile. It was ultra mushy and sadistic. It had my tear glands all swollen up. It was 7 years of my life all squished into a one in a half hour movie and I think I’m over this genre. No wait! Maybe after I watch Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, then I’m over the genre.

In other non-significant news I’m planning a trip to Nagaland in the month of November. I plan to meet relatives and spend some quality time with my best friend Imcha. He’s busy with his designer line so we’ve hardly spoken to each other. After I called him last night and surprised him with my plans to visit his hometown he promised to be there and take me around the place.


That’s really it from me for now. Will leave you with a song I was crazy about awhile ago. ‘Lullaby’ by Atlanta- based artist Shawn Mullins takes me back to some awesome memories. He’s one of those singers that can get you to slow down and focus on the moment. I simply love this song and I think each and every single one of you should promptly hit the play button on the player below so you can love it too.

I’ve written about it many times and have had conversations with people in which I’ve complained about famous bands being ‘boring’ and that they take up a lot of airtime when it should be only right for better bands to be heard and showcased. And the moment I’m done with one of these outbursts I always feel obligated to listen to a well-known song by one of these recognized bands. Yeah…Guilty as charged.

While there are certain items that you should have if you want to be taken seriously as an adult. There are also items that you shouldn’t have. So it’s time for an episode of- products that make you not-quite-a-grownup-as yet:
- Snuggly quilts or bedspreads featuring Disney characters on it.
- Unframed posters stuck on the wall with double-sided tape or that sticky weird stuff.
- No bookcase for your many books.
- That old chair that every college kid gets when they’re excited about studying.
- Little stuff toys sitting out in plain sight.
Any others that I’m missing?

Pretty melancholic today - It's probably an equal mix of the gloomy weather, the fact that I got up early on a Saturday morning for band practice, the fact that I was supposed to do so much today but ended up watching a movie and reading a book, the fact that my Saturday isn’t working out the way I wanted it to and wishing I was at a café or a pub instead of a residential park east of B’lore. Oh well.

Still, I wanted to post something, so I've decided on introducing you to a Scottish indie alternative rock band called The Fratellis. The album ‘Flathead’ hit US shelves on Jan 07 and these dudes were the opening band for The Police Reunion Tour.

The track below is called ‘Flathead’. It’s different enough to grab your attention and hold it. This track should be turned up and listened to -LOUD. It will cheer you up. It’s perfect for the times when you want to be cheered up. Enjoy.

The week has ended pretty well. Had a one-on-one with the boss. We discussed process related issues and then for 15 minutes after that we spoke about my blog. I love my job.
This weekend I intend to stay at home during which I expect to do nothing but eat my way into obesity which would cause me to assume the shape of a globe at which point I would have to withdraw completely from any human relations.

The question that’s been on my mind today is: Why on earth am I looking so tired lately?
1) I require sleep.
2) Maybe the tired look is an external expression of the deterioration in my morals;
3) or maybe I’m just getting older?

If the answer is 1), I’ve been sleeping 7 blissful hours daily. I don’t see the point of getting more cos that’ll just make me outrightly lazy. And I don’t see the use of sleeping when I can perhaps use that time to do something more creative. Hmm…Party!

If the answer is 2), I can ask my uncle the artist to paint my portrait. I shall keep it safe someplace where no one will find it; this portrait, like that of Dorian Gray, will show all outward manifestations of my moral deterioration, while I remain forever youthful and attractive.

And if the answer is 3)) then I should just get married and disappear.
I'm sort of wishing it’s answer number 2 but I don’t really know how I’m supposed to get that idea to work.

Sometimes all your day needs is one good song for a much-needed uplift.
No point in waiting for Amy Winehouse to get her cocaine effected lungs to work again. In the meantime, this slice of vocal heaven from THE Suzanne Vega doesn’t make me care so much for Miss Winehouse. I have to admit that listening to these tunes of Vega’s left me wishing for more. I’ve uploaded two of her tracks because one just wouldn’t be enough. These tracks have a certain epic like quality that begs to be heard. Apparently, ‘Tim’s Diner’ (DNA Remix) made it to UK #2 in 1990 (that’s what I’m playing for you folks). ‘Caramel’ has also a special place in my heart because Runa had sung it and she actually sounded as good as Suzanne Vega. Wish she would just get over being so conscious and let me upload her track. But since I haven’t got her consent y’all are just going to have to take my word for it. Happy Friday folks. I’ll try and post something this weekend if I can. As always. Stay tuned.

Me and My Starlight

This post is about the who’s who in my life. First up are Ruan and Runa. Runa is short for Aruna. Runa and I go way back. We knew each other from school but started hanging out in college. Ruan, joined us in Post Grad. and we’ve been together ever since. These two have been my partners in crime and the closest to me. They’re both gorgeous and smart with a love for music, singing, reading and some naughty things I shall not name. The three of us even work in the same company. While it gets a little stifling at times it just reminds us that we have each other to fall back on.

Next we have Dex and Imcha. They’re probably my closest male friends. We’re food and music buddies. We swap ideas, critiques and generally misbehave. Dex was my first love and then we became friends. Imcha, was the crazy boy I spent every minute of my day with. I’ve known both of them for about about 8 years now. My friendship with Dex revolves around flirting and food and with Imcha, its music and fashion.

Then we have Ck and Shreyas. Ck is my ex supervisor and shreyas is my current supervisor. Ruan, Runa, Ck, Shreyas and me always hang out together and are always upto mischief. Both of these guys are lovely people to know, good-hearted and a lot of fun too. Shreyas loves to give us a show and snap us out of boredom. Ck is funny with a fondness for music, films and crosswords.

Another person who gets mentioned quite a lot on this blog is the Crooner. A recent ex who seems to be on my love-hate list.

Then there’s Abigail. She’s my little niece. A 1 ½ year old, known by names such as Abby, Lemlem, Aolem and Lemska. She’s far too scary for me to look after by myself though she’s showing early signs of being quite a hottie and having a thing for fashion.

Another person who’s mentioned on this blog is Tony Das. An amazing guitarist who just went to Mumbai to hang out with Virgil Donati and Brett Garsed. Tony is Runa’s boyfriend and they adore each other. Tomorrow they celebrate five years of being together.

They’re a lot of others who make very occasional appearances but these above, are the main ones that get written about.

To my amazing friends- here’s One Republic’s rendition of Jeff Buckley’s ‘Last Goodbye’. (I love the lyrics. Hence the scroller)

Lyrics | Jeff Buckley - Last Goodbye lyrics

Wednesday's with Mister Buckley

I seem to have been infected with a bit of gloominess. I’ve been very stressed and grumpy at work lately. Today, I found myself snapping back at a colleague when he tried to have a little harmless fun at my expense. So, am I ill? Do I need to go the doctor? Or am I just getting grave in my old age? Oh, and I also wanted to publicly announce that after that post on my late friend Dan, his sister contacted me and we spoke about good old times. It felt great to finally talk things out. Before I fill you in on any more details I’ve decided to have a disclaimer for my blog. So here it is:

Whatever has been written on this blog is purely of my own opinion. I do not write with the intention of causing anyone offense (maybe annoyance). Reader’s views will be taken into consideration if they contain humour or praise. However, if the reader’s comments don’t make me happy then I have the right to not publish it or reply to it.

It is extremely important that you realize never to think that I am an authority on any subject. If you do require advice on matters other than music then see your shrink or lawyer or mother.

I have the right to write in my state of madness and claim to be in love and then say I’m not (unless, I mention ‘official’ next to it. Which means that I really am in love with Jeff Buckley. I’m not taking that back.)

I’m an experienced screw-up so I have the right to, well, screw up.

If you find the content of this blog too baffling or unfathomable, foolish or senseless, outrageous or outlandish, bizarre or peculiar then just pass on by. While the real me would advise you to do something much more interesting I’m sure you’ll prefer my first suggestion.

Another cool song by Jeff Buckley I recently discovered was ‘Lover you Should’ve Come Over’. I’ve heard Jaime Cullum cover this one. The track has been stuck in my head all day. I’m going to upload it here so y’all can have a listen. This just makes me want to keep on my toes for whatever music of his I can find. Stay tuned folks.

Bluesy Tuesday

Today was just OKAY. Apologies for the moody-me everyone, sometimes life just gets in the way. True to form, I was not able to get through a day at work without acting stupid at least once.

I love this picture of CK at Orange Peel with the 1 litre mug of beer.

And now it’s time for some random facts about me! So here goes:

• I have a secret love of reading fashion magazines and imagining myself in like an Oscar de la Renta creation.
• I have a habit of buying clothes and then never getting round to wearing them.
• I am obsessed with my pink mobile. Yeah, you heard that. It’s PINK!! CK calls it ‘the Paris Hilton phone’. Others have called it the ‘transformer phone’. I only bought it in that colour because it stood out.

The sofa and TV are calling to me, so that’s where I’m heading to in awhile. I just wanted to let you know that….. I’m in love.

It’s official.

The signs have been there for a couple of days now - lack of appetite, daydreaming about my affection, sweaty palms, racing heartbeat…

And now the object of my desire is in my possession.

It was Wednesday, July 31st, in an act of unabashed conformity; I fell in love with Jeff Buckley much after the rest of the world had fallen in love with him. ‘Grace’ was the first Buckley song I ever heard. And let me tell you folks that one song is enough to give you a permit to lust after Buckley. I couldn’t get this musician’s haunting voice off my mind. His voice personified soul, joy, being and pain. So when I read that Jeff Buckley had drowned at the age of thirty just as his fame was rising, you can only imagine my astonishment. What I’m happy about is that I did discovered Jeff Buckley on my own and like a bazillion others, I thought “Grace” was written for me and only me. Maybe not, but it's still one of the best songs I’ve ever heard. His music seems so steady and flawless and I’m sure I’m not the only one who supremely admires Jeff Buckley and categorizes ‘Grace’ as one of the greatest songs ever created. If you’re only going to listen to one track today this should be your choice. This single takes music to a new level. The layers in this song are brilliantly well done.

Well another month has come and gone. Another thirty or so odd days will bring to my attention enough new tracks to write about and complement my personal life. For those of you who are new here- Every week I write about one new band, unheard of by many. Sometimes it’s just about artists that have been undiscovered by me.

That is all kids. I’ll make sure to upload and write about some new tracks for your listening pleasure. Enjoy the music and tell your friends.

Weekends

After a whirlwind weekend of movies, stay-overs and shopping- not to forget eating a five course meal (the first and probably the last feat I’ll ever attempt as my stomach is that of a 6 yr olds.) I’m back. It’s been a challenging but interesting day at work. For my colleagues reading this- I know it didn’t seem like I was having fun with all the loud sighing but now that I think about it- I’m happy that I actually made it through a complete 8 hr working day!

Friday was great. We had a terrific time. Ate a lot of junk food and laughed our asses off watching Shreyas pretend to be Spiderman. Saturday was even better. Did a lot of shopping and decided to visit my college since I was in the vicinity. Met my teachers and I was so happy to see them. In a conversation with one of them, I discovered that I, too, wasn’t the only one who felt differently about certain things. Perhaps there's something about specific thoughts that draw people, who share it, together. I'll skip over the details of how my teacher and me found each other in a class of over 120 students; suffice to say that after a couple of classes and repeated trips to Coffee Day I found a hardy soul and my mentor for life. One of the few people I know, intimately enough, to speak my heart out.

No, we didn’t party on Saturday as planned. It was clear to me that the guys weren’t excited about going to the club as I was- a fact that bamboozled me. I got home sulking but not for long as my little niece was waiting at home to give me a sloppy little kiss. I watched ‘Mummy 3’. Instantly I realized that this whole movie thing had been a big mistake. My friends agreed that it had been the worst action movie of the century.

Yesterday was a Friendship Day lunch special at the Orange Peel. From the instant I walked in, I felt like it was the best friendship day ever. Within moments I was leaning all over people, hugging them and generally being all friendly, laughing out loud and smiling at the singer. I swear she was checking me out and I thought the nice thing to do would be to smile back. It felt like home and the music happened to be just right. The most pleasant elements in all this were the 1 litre beer mug and the five-course meal. The food was delicious, as I expected it would be, given that the host is a professional chef. I started off with the most delectable chicken rolls that melted as soon as they touched your tongue. The second course was a non-veg platter, the third, a shrimp salad, the fourth, lamb doused in mint sauce and the last course, was an excellently created dessert made of chocolate- and that my dear friends, is a magical substance that can work all manner of wonders. I will give more details within the next few days. For the moment, I’ll just say that of all the times I've had brunch with friends this has been the most enjoyable by far.
I wanted to write about my new love, but my stomach is growling and I need to get me some food. So this track will have to do for now. If you are as crazy about him as I am, then do let me know. Comment.

Jeff Buckley ‘Last Goodbye’