OMG, iPHONE. ORGASM.

So the iphone was released. Big deal. Its just a fucking phone. I don’t understand all these legions of perennial losers who queue up in front of stores a day before a new product is released, just so they can get their smelly little fat hands on that piece of gadgetry before anyone else does and go ballistic. Sweet mother of God, it’s a fucking piece of over-hyped circuitry- a million others are going to own it. Who the fuck cares whether you were the one who first bought it? It’s not like you’re creating history…. the manufacturers already covered that part of the deal.

Same was the case with the xbox360, the ps3 and now the iphone. Steve Jobs must be laughing his head off at the hordes of people just dying to make out with their iphones. Can’t these people fathom the simplest of logic that they’re wasting precious hours of their miserable lives just to buy a piece of equipment that’s in mass production in a gazillion factories? It’s not like they’re gonna run out of iphones. Just take it easy, godamnit…. there’s enough for everyone.

What, Me Zero?

I apologise for the lack of posts recently- I was too busy doing nothing.

Anyway, it’s time to talk about some local musicians. Now, the Indian rock and metal scene is not as great as we would like it to be, but we’ve got a few gems of our own. Today, I’m going to talk about the Mumbai-based band Zero.

I was oblivious to their presence till a friend lent me two of their albums half a year ago. I can’t say I liked their music the first time I heard them, but it kind of grew on me till I was addicted to them. The kind of music Zero makes is a bit hard to fit into one genre: they’ve got elements of blues, country, folk, funk, jazz, alternative and pop rock. They’re a fun band and are sure to make you smile.

Being an amateur guitarist, the guitar-work is a major factor I look for in bands. For me, a good guitarist equals good music, and an uncreative guitarist equals bad music. (At least where guitars are involved). Warren Mendonsa, the lead guitarist of Zero can pull off some very original and imaginative riffs. The guy has also done a solo album under the moniker Blackstratblues, called ‘Nights in Shining Karma’. I’ll be sure to have an article dedicated to him later, but for now, that’s enough about him. (I’m not sure about this, but I believe he’s no longer in the band, having moved to New Zealand. Too bad, I say.)

The rest of the band has Rajeev on vocals, Bobby on the bass and Sidd on the drums.

Songs of note include:
Not My Kind of Girl
PSP12″
Spitleaf
Christmas in July
The Everyday Love Song
Old Man Sitting on the Back Porch
Lost
Lijo
Lucy

Truth be told, I like almost every single song of theirs. You can listen to more of their music at their last.fm page. (It’s shared by two artists of the same name)

Well, that’s all I have for now. Tune for more bands, music and metal fallout.

A quick thought

If rock musicians are good, they ‘rock’. Following the same logic, why don’t metal bands ‘metal’, pop singers ‘pop’, blues people ‘blue’ and jazz people ‘jazz’? Why do they all ‘rock’ even if  they have nothing to do with rock?

Cats in the Cradle

I just love this song…. the lyrics are quite powerful. I heard cover by Ugly Kid Joe a long time ago and thought it to be the original one. I later learned that it’s originally wirtten by Harry Chapin. Just felt like posting the lyrics to the song.

My child arrived just the other day
He came to the world in the usual way
But there were planes to catch and bills to pay
He learned to walk while I was away
And he was talkin’ ‘fore I knew it, and as he grew
He’d say “I’m gonna be like you dad
You know I’m gonna be like you”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home dad?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then

My son turned ten just the other day
He said, “Thanks for the ball, Dad, come on let’s play
Can you teach me to throw”, I said “Not today
I got a lot to do”, he said, “That’s ok”
And he walked away but his smile never dimmed
And said, “I’m gonna be like him, yeah
You know I’m gonna be like him”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then

Well, he came home from college just the other day
So much like a man I just had to say
“Son, I’m proud of you, can you sit for a while?”
He shook his head and said with a smile
“What I’d really like, Dad, is to borrow the car keys
See you later, can I have them please?”

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then

I’ve long since retired, my son’s moved away
I called him up just the other day
I said, “I’d like to see you if you don’t mind”
He said, “I’d love to, Dad, if I can find the time
You see my new job’s a hassle and kids have the flu
But it’s sure nice talking to you, Dad
It’s been sure nice talking to you”

And as I hung up the phone it occurred to me
He’d grown up just like me
My boy was just like me

And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon
Little boy blue and the man on the moon
When you comin’ home son?
I don’t know when, but we’ll get together then son
You know we’ll have a good time then