Roger Waters concert...18th February’07...He sang Comfortably Numb and I was high...not high on cocaine, but on the music. I was swaying…it was just Floyd, music and me…and then it came to an end…the concert was over…
Quite often I wonder, ‘Does a person’s taste of music decide his level of maturity?’ Ever so often I hear people say things like, “Oh he listens to POP…he’s still a ‘kid’” or “Oh my! ...metal??....you are ‘cool’ dude!” .And hip-hop? I have always seen a constant war between RAPPERS and ROCKERS. Why create such stereotypes? If rappers are gangstas then ain’t rockers devil worshippers? If hip-hop music is abuse defined then don’t rockers literally scream till they develop throat cancers? Classics and retro lovers are ‘the respected ones’ and quite often emerge as neutral individual. Let me clear things out…why the groupism? Why can’t we celebrate music as a whole rather than just a few genres of it? What’s wrong in listening to Boyzone or even N-sync? They have been idols for millions of teens all over the world but the same teens when they grow up; find it shameful to discuss these ‘Pop bands’ amongst their friend. One may not like Backstreet Boys’ music, but hey they are not the sole ones who represent POP. With the likes of Madonna or Modjo or say Dido I am sure POP is a type of music worth listening to.
One more question, ‘Is being a boy an eligibility criterion for listening to rock?’ .I have written a few lines on my FLOYD EXPERIENCE above. You all must be wondering what the relation is? Amongst all of my friends there wasn’t a single girl who seemed genuinely interested in coming for the concert. All I heard was of my seniors (imagine sab saandh jaise… :-D) and yea that too ‘strictly guys’ who were planning to go. When some of them learnt that I actually bought passes for the concert they couldn’t help but express their utmost bewilderment! WHYYYY …why can’t I go for the concert, rather for a FLOYD concert? I don’t say I am a hard core Floyd fan, but I celebrate music. When in mood I do listen to their songs. From Avril Lavigne to Audioslave, Enrique to Eric Prydz…a bit of Beyonce and a bit of Bob Marley! My taste has undergone an evolution of sorts but at the same time it hasn’t stopped me from listening to my teen hood favourites. If today my playlist has GNR-knocking on Heaven’s Door, the other day it will also include VENGABOYS-WE LIKE TO PARTY!!
There are also the kind of people who look out for meaningful lyrics in a song and their opinions clash with the kind of people who look for THE BEATS to keep them tripping on the dance floor.
And yea! HINDI MUSIC! Hindi our ‘Rashtra Bhasha’ but the music fails to make it to the playlists of many. R.D Burman, Bappi Lahiri, Zakir Hussain, Rehman...even our very own Himmesbhai…why do some people consider it derogatory to listen to the works of such legends?
Some of you might argue that not everyone can like all types of music. EVEN I CAN’T. But I will say if you like only certain genres don’t dislike the other genres! Cursing a person just because he or she does not listen to rock is an even more immature act than (as some might say) listening to pop is. Let us all show our love for music as a whole, for it is music as a whole that speaks your mind, it is music as a whole through which you can voice out and it is music as a whole that unites people.
Peace, Love, Empathy…
Thu Aug 30, 2007 2:25 am
