For Private Circulation Only

Nov - Dec 2009

ISSN 0974 – 9128

Vol 02 Issue 04
SANJEEV
THOMAS
those ten things

SHWETHA NEHA BHASIN

MOHAN I want to be
my worst nightmare marooned with
John mayer

SKRAT MARK
nuttier by the JOHNSON
minute
our music can
change the human
race

SHAKIRA
There’s a
SHE WOLF on the
prowl

www.highonscore.com
3
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the Edit pad

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and Stilettos. Vampires. Werewolves. Add she-
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wolves to that list henceforth. When attempting to

lish
ed appeal to readers in four different states, the stakes
+91 highonsisements and

b y and responsibilities are loaded. Fortunately for us

80

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0

at ‘The Score’, we’re (somewhat, by now) experts

t
us@ For adver

,2 nd at working under pressure. This issue is testament

Ave
nue to that fact. That said, did I forget to mention Sha-
,Ann kira? She rules. Our cover, worldwide charts and
t
tac

aN every trend. Trendy, soon-to-be trendy, has-been

aga
con

r ,C trendy musicians, other artists, timeless music - we

hen bring as many to the forefront as we can, setting
nai-
40 trends, breaking some others. We rest our case for
this month. Wake up now and add us to the list, we
aren’t planning on going out of musical fashion or
favor anytime soon!
Brand Partners

Nikila Srinivasan
Editor-in-chief

Reproduction in whole or part of any text, photography or illustrations

without written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The
publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts,
photographs and illustrations. Views expressed in this publication are
not necessarily those of the publication and accordingly no liability is
assumed by the publisher thereof. Advertising copy and artworks are
the sole responsibility of the advertisers.
 inside

Pic : G Venkata Krishnan

13 22 34
Make that CHANGE Leelai’s long Lilt Master of the Strings
Who’d have thought First time music director Inventor and gratitude
musicians off the street Satish Chakravarthy gets filled sishya Nellai S Rad-
would play on tunes candid about the crazy hakrishna explains his
across the continents? experience that Leelai passion for fusion proj-
Mark Johnson did, at any turned out to be! ects that few classical
rate. musicians dream of.
Laundry Servic
 The Girl Who Cried
“There’s a she wolf in the closet
Open up and set her free
There’s a she wolf in your closet
Let it out so it can breathe”
A
t the first glance this might sound like one of those
songs that use random words and make a patch-
work to form sentences that rhyme, more or less.
But if you listen to the whole song you would agree
with what Shakira herself has to say about it: “The
She Wolf is a woman during the day and an animal at night.
She defends her deepest desires with claws and teeth. She is
a free woman and therefore a happy one. The She Wolf is not
just me, she’s the women of our time, and perhaps the men
too.” And then suddenly it hits you, like all of her other songs
that shake you up. You realize how deep they are. And then
you go “wow!”
Shakira has always had the knack of writing relevant lyrics and
then spicing it up with beats that make you buzz. That is prob-
ably why even at 30, she remains one of the most popular pop
artists in the world. Her upcoming album She Wolf is built on
a lot of bass, synth and other instruments that fascinate the
singer, like tambourines and clarinets; another reason for her
fame. She is unafraid to experiment and is influenced by all
musical cultures from around the globe. She says that She Wolf
was inspired partly by her own imagination and mostly by sto-
ries of people she knows. Some of her girlfriends, in particular.
She seems to have depicted herself in the song without any
inhibitions, and has dared to venture a little further into realms
of her own individuality.
“I think I was always really shy but now I feel more like a wom-
an, so I find myself writing with less prudery. I think that at
the very least I know myself better – my virtues, my vices, my
resources.”
So is She Wolf like all the other albums she has made? Yes and
no. Yes, because it carries the Shakira touch in its songs - the
honesty and boldness of her lyrics and the catchy tunes. No,
because it is something that you’ve not experienced before.
She Wolf’s music video is imaginative and full of those impos-
sible dance moves that only Shakira can pull off – “Jake Nava
directed it, it’s a little surreal, a lot of dancing, a lot of fantasy. I
created a lot of my dance moves and I also worked with HiHat,
who is one of my favorite choreographers.” If I could dance
like her, I’d be my favorite choreographer too. But when two
people, both representing absolute genius come together to
make a video, the results aren’t ordinary.
WOLF
 Swati Nair
If you thought Shakira is only about music and dance,
you couldn’t be more wrong! She is part of the ALAS
(America Latina en Accion Solidaria) movement in Lat-
in America that despite its name, (which sounds rather
hopeless) is all about creating a better future for the
35 million children there through childhood develop-
ment programs. But Shakira didn’t stop at just being a
part of an already existing movement. She started her
own which is called Pies Descalzos (meaning bare feet,
for those of you who don’t speak espanol). This is for
children who are less fortunate and can’t boast about
going to the best school in town. Children who live
amidst war and bloodshed. In Shakira’s own words:
“We work in conflict zones and with children that have
been forced to abandon everything due to violence.”
Now you can roll your eyes and think that’s pretty
much what most artists do. Sing, make their money,
open up a charity fund raiser thing, smile at cameras
and talk about all this. So we decided to throw a ques-
tion at her that would make most people squirm un-
comfortably, because you can’t just wiggle your way
out of this one. Anyone spouting empty words or re-
hearsed speeches would be stumped. But not Shakira.
When we asked her how she sees the world, she said:
“Having hungry kids and people dying for causes that
we can manage, knowing that the solution is in our
hands, makes me think humanity is still more primitive
than what we like to think it is (in) the sophisticated
and modern civilization.” Now, there’s a thought.
Steamy dance scenes, songs that make your feet tap,
and a voice that captures every music lover. I could say
“That’s Shakira for you!” but she can’t be summarized
like that. She is that and a lot more. After all, what can
you say about a global phenomenon who makes the
Pix : Sony Music
world dance to her tunes? Only that she makes you
ask for more.
 Won 5 Grammy Awards
Born with 8 siblings

Was 13 when her first album Magia was re-

leased

Ranked 33 on VH1’s Sexiest Artists

Has an IQ of over 140

Has a collection of more than 200 rings

Shakira on:

Marriage: “Antonio and I have a home and

we function as a married couple. I don’t
think that a paper or an institution can unite
us more than we already are.”

The Obama Govt: “I think his mission is to

find peace in the world and to recover from
the crisis. It is not an easy task but I think
he is the only politician who has a shot at
achieving it.”

Michael Jackson’s death: “He was the

King of artistic genius, dance and fantasy.
He reinvented POP and he showed a new
way to articulate music with images”

Philosophy:
“Every cycle is a new challenge. Every time I begin a cycle, I
feel like I’m starting from zero”

“I have never been more fulfilled in my life than those times

when I’ve witnessed a child who has lost everything smile
again. Nothing has given me greater satisfaction than that.
It’s bigger than my career. It just has no comparison.”

(About her inspiration) “I’ve been writing since I was 8 years

old and it’s still a mystery to me. There are images that navi-
gate for days in my subconscious until they become songs.
They are like secret codes, which I can’t translate until they
become lyrics, and music. We dream about a lot of things
every night which we may not remember during the day but
they are latent.”

www.highonscore.com | 12
 13

www.highonscore.com

Tuning to the CHANGE

Have you ever listened to a song on youtube alone in your room, in the middle of the
night and felt your heart race? And you know, that it’s the musicians in that video and
the passion in their voices that gets you to sing along, not the song itself… Log on to
www.playingforchange.com and trust me, chances are you’ll feel it.

 Sonali Shenoy
The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009
 Pix : Universal Music
Y
ou see I always thought that love was the universal lan-
guage, until this one person corrected me, and told me
that it’s music. Normally I would argue to justify my case,
but how can you argue with a medium that is not based
on logic, just something that can make everybody feel the same
thing.
Mark Johnson was on his way to a studio one morning when he
saw two monks adorned in white singing in a subway. Close to
200 people who would normally be on their busy way, stopped
to watch them. The performance ended. There was applause of
course and then the audience disbanded in different directions.
Mark went back to the studio and listened to some of the music
they were making. And then it hit him.
Music off the streets:
“No matter who you are. No matter where you go in your life. At
some point you gonna need somebody in your life, to stand by
YOU.”
Roger Ridley (now deceased) performed ‘Stand by Me’ on the
streets of Santa Monica, California in 2004. And that was inspira-
tion enough for the Grammy winning Johnson to begin his travels
www.highonscore.com | 14
around the globe, with his Timeless Media Group to bring people
together through the music. Stand By Me today is track num-
ber one the album, Playing for Change. It features 37 musicians
across continents, singing on street corners, beneath lights, a no-
ticeable verandah, in front of spray painted walls and the setting
sun….the video till date has received over 18 million YouTube hits.
It took ten years to put together the album, with more than a 100
musicians recorded, innovative recording techniques and a move-
ment of individuals around the globe spreading the word.
Picking up the pace is Bob Marley’s classic War/ No More Trouble
with a catchy piece of guitar work to get the song started, and
then a steady rhythm, with an occasional glimpse of the African
djembe. The song features Bob Marley himself, David Broza (Is-
rael), Rocky Dawuni (Ghana), the Oneness Choir(Chennai), Cathy
Jordan (Ireland), to name a few and U2’s Bono.
Now what you’ve got to understand is the artists on the album
are virtually unknown to the world (except Bono of course) until
now. And when they were recorded, it was in spaces that were
most publicly available at the time like the terrace of a building,
parks, plazas, promenades, in doorways, largely outdoors. And
 15
PLAYING FOR CHANGE

SONGS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

 Sound Bytes
• Chanda Mama is the only
Telugu track featured on
the album.

“Playing For Change was born out of the • Most of the Indian art-
idea that we have to inspire each other ists on the album were
to come together as the human race, and unaware of their role in
that music is the best way to do this. We
Playing for Change until
travelled all over the world through streets,
subways, native Indian reservations, African after it released.
villages, Himalayan mountains. None of
these musicians had ever met in person. It • The song Stand By Me
was the music that brought them together, features 37 musicians
Mark Johnson and the belief that we can do a lot more
Producer from around the world.
for this world if we work together, than we
Playing For Change
ever can apart.”
• Bono is the only living ce-
lebrity artist featured in a
they weren’t brought together from different parts – no each art- song.
www.highonscore.com
ist did his or her bit alone. Sometimes with an audience, some-
times without, with recognition perhaps for a day or two. It was
the music that brought them together as a cohesive whole, and • Clips of Bob Marley sing-
you will understand what I mean when you take a look at the ing War/ No More Trouble
videos.
Another track that made an impact on me is One Love. Simple lyr-
are featured in the video
ics, a beautiful melody and lots of great voices. Quite a few from of the same.
our city in fact. And it hasn’t stopped with the album. Playing For
Change has begun a foundation of it’s own as well, and the goal • Playing for Change has
is to set up music schools for children. The first one was recently
opened in South Africa, and plans for the expansion of this dream become a worldwide
are moving forward as you read. phenomenon. The song
But what change really is, is for you to decide. Is it putting an end Stand By Me has over 13
to hunger in Somalia or letting boundaries merge with no qualms
of language and religion; or is it going to bed at night in the arms million hits on YouTube.
of someone you love? In your quest for a brighter day, it’s up to
you to play.
Playing is change I believe.

The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009

Pix : G Venkata Krishnan

What does a persistent squirrel from Ice Age have in common with a funk and roll
band rooted in the heart of Chennai? Practically nothing beyond the name and a fe-
tish for going nuts! Take a dip into one of South India’s wackiest young bands at their
most vulnerable hour - a lazy Sunday morning!

 Shirin Albert

www.highonscore.com | 16

C
razy, cool and amazing fun! Definitely the first
few things that strike you when you meet these
whacky, down-to-earth characters. Skrat has
definitely come a long way since their start in the
summer of 2006. The had their biggest break this
year by being awarded the Best Acoustic Band at IIT Saarang
and winning the Campus Rock Idols Regional leg (they were
runners-up at the Finals). Apart from winning a whole bunch
of sound equipment and instruments, including a Fender,
they also got to play for the Rock in India Concert in Febru-
ary which was the opening act for Iron Maiden in Bangalore.
Being flown there by Kingfisher was another experience they
enjoyed a lot (for very obvious reasons!). One big change
though, is the fact that they have a new member, Abinav of
17
Chennai’s own Blacklisted. So, what did he have to say abut his
new ‘family’ – “It’s nice only. Like the weather.” A reply I was
not expecting!
It was interesting to find out how these guys juggle work and
college just to make time for their regular Sunday jam sessions
- a lazy, casual collaboration with friends and fellow musicians.
Another shocker is that they have completely chucked all their
old songs which they worked on for the last four years. Seems
like a big step but a brave one. An album release is all set for
next January with a bunch of new material that they have been
working on patiently on for the past few months. They aren’t in
a hurry to rush into anything, preferring to surprise their fans.
As Tapass says “We want to take our time and get it right.’
Now how they got together is a completely different story, one
that I find pretty much impossible to put together. As far as I
could concur, they all had gigs which got cancelled and they
somehow got together to play through their mutual friends.
This was during the Vatz Fest in 2006. Once they realized that
this was what they wanted to do, they decided to take it fur-
ther starting as a five piece band. They admit things were a
little shaky at first – experimenting with the music they per-
formed and figuring out the band lineup. “There was this one
gig where TT and Tapass had to exchange instruments because
they did not know the parts! We even started playing the
song before they realized it. But it all worked out well some-
how.” joked Satish. “Sometimes my sticks used to slip out of
my hands!” added Tapass. In August 2007, there was a minor
change with TT Sriram stepping in to take over vocals and the
pilot performance at the Freedom Jam show decided the fate
of the band. The chemistry between these guys was a refresh-
ing change and banter they shared on stage won peoples atten-
tion. They played at various shows at the Unwind Centre (win-
ning best acoustic band in 2008) and performed at a number of
colleges and also went on to win the PowerChord event at IIT
Saarang, which granted them a wild card entry into the Deci-
bels Finals. They seemed to be pretty lucky at the NIFT cultur-
als, Spectrum, winnning the Best Rock Band in 2007 and 2009.
But why the name Skrat? As T.T. explains,“We hadnt named the
band when we applied for Unwind’s Underground. It just so
happened that a few of us were watching Ice Age at the time
www.highonscore.com
and since Manfred, Sid and Diego didn’t agree with any of us
we just chose Scrat to be done with it!” Their favourite bands
range from Blacklisted, Opeth, Rage Against the Machines,
Dave Mathews, The Killers and Aerosmith to the classics. And
here’s how they define their sound. “Western Music Band?
Jumpy Rock! Some ding ding…. Psychobilly?! We ditched funk
rock but hey we don’t really care as long as people like what
we play and it makes them happy then we’re cool with it.” grins
T.T. In a way I did agree with them because you can’t not feel
jumpy when you listen to their music and laugh at their pranks
and props onstage. “We’re just focusing on doing some good
music and cutting an album. Haven’t figured out further plans.
It’s too much for us to think about!” they joke. As we wrapped
up, they headed straight for their jam session again. Watching
them, I observed it was not about being the best band or about
the competition to them. It was about doing what they love,
doing it well and having a lot of fun in the process! Hope the
album turns out well guys! Cheers!
The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009
 STRING THEORY

Crafting
HMI - Harmony Musical Instruments
Class for the
WORLD
(Madras) Pvt. Ltd. - came into exis-
tence due to a fortuitous set of circum-
stances – The owners of the Jackson
brand of electric guitars were looking
for an alternative manufacturer from
Asia as a source/supplier of this musi-
cal instrument. The promoters of HMI
had on call a team of experienced per-
sonnel who had earlier worked for a
guitar factory. And, most importantly,
the Shriram Finance Group was willing
to invest in this venture by providing
the capital funding. There was also the
opportunity to locate this unit in the
Madras Export Processing Zone (Spe-
cial Economic Zone) (MEPZ-SEZ).

The Jackson brand owner had agreed

to underwrite the production of HMI
manufactured guitars, and therefore
there were no marketing pressures.

Excerpts from an exclusive interview with Mr Ramani Swamy, Director, HMI Pvt Ltd about
international brands, export gains and why you should pick up one of their guitars

Give us some instances where reputed guitarists have attested the
quality of a HMI guitar?
HMI was conferred the best vendor award on overall product
rating of guitars exported in 2008 (out of a total of more than 34
international vendors), by its biggest international customer.
HMI had sold the Tansen brand in the domestic market some
years earlier which was well accepted. Sales were discontinued
due to export demands. However enquiries for the brand still
continued. The reintroduction of this brand has been widely wel-
comed.
We have participated in some rock shows - JRO ‘09 / Pub Fest
IV - conducted by hard rock enthusiasts where our products were
displayed for the visitors to feel / play, with enthusiastic reactions.
Bands such as Blood & Iron and Escher’s Knot who tried out our
guitars during these shows had very positive reactions.
Blood & Iron guitarist, Ashish tried out our HP V 43 model and was
impressed & we offered our guitar for him to use on stage. He
used it after the first two pieces and was so happy with it that he
continued the performance with the HMI model. Received good
reviews by such guitar players ; as also from other leading guitar-
ists who attended these shows.
Has the Indian public/Chennai music scene warmed up to locally
crafted guitars over ‘brands’? Or is the craze perennial?
Yes to some extent - where the user is knowledgeable about gui-
tars. We have re-focussed our attention to the domestic market
only 3 months ago; it will not take too long before our brand be-
comes widely recognised.
Entry level guitar players do not have the experience to imme-
diately appreciate the superior quality / playability of HMI instru-
ments. They are swayed by the glamour attached to cheaply fab-
ricated imports from China/Indonesia, merely because they have
famous brand names (and some of these are fakes). Experienced
guitar players and professionals, instantly realise the value for
money packed in HMI guitars
With product promotion exercises including feel - play sessions,
awareness of HMI guitars is expanding in the market. We have
also sold many guitars based on spontaneous word-of-mouth rec-
ommendations from many first-time buyers from outlying cities
such as Cochin, Delhi, Bangalore, Varanasi, etc.
We expect to override this fancy for “Imported” brands with the
onset of greater dealer participation and a wider market spread &
reach, in due course.
A major musical instruments store in Singapore has tried out our
guitars and is actively considering regular import and sale.

www.highonscore.com | 18

The primary material used in a conventional electric or acoustic
guitar is wood (for the body, neck and headstock). It is vital
to ensure the moisture levels in the wood do not exceed the
specified limits. The pre-treatment processes for preparing the
wood before it goes through the various stages of transforma-
tion in the manufacturing process, as well as the time required
to complete the curing process in the painted guitars, contrib-
ute largely to the overall manufacturing time. Together with
the actual woodworking operations and the finishing, assembly
and inspection processes, a quality electric guitar will take HMI
about 20 days to produce, from start to finish. It is expected
that the same time span will be required for acoustic guitars
as well.
19
Sing Me A Song of Six-STRINGS
HMI can currently manufacture 3,500 to 4,000 guitars per
month, and, with some balancing equipment, the production
capacity can be increased to 5,000 guitars per month. The turn-
over achieved in the previous financial year was approx. Rs. 158
million, when around 30,000 guitars were exported. A growth
in turnover of 30-40% was initially projected for 2009-2010.
This is however now unrealisable on account of the global
downturn. Despite the generally bleak scenario for exporters,
HMI is expected to end this financial year on a positive note.
www.highonscore.com
Pix : G Venkata Krishnan
The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009
 Pic : Sony Music
Brand new
ATTRACTION
If romantic flicks in Tamil are going in for a makeover, it stands
to reason that the music should also follow suit. We caught up
with the two men behind Leelai and discovered quite a few of the
quirks that go with making a movie with a young production team
 Gayatri Kalyanaraman

www.highonscore.com | 20
T
he Tamil cinema industry has showcased various genres 21
of movies successfully but when it comes to favorites, the
audience’s verdict goes to romantic flicks, hands down!
From that perspective, Leelai might seem like the typical

Pic : A H Arshiya
run-of-the-mill boy meets girl story, but it truly is not!
Everything about the movie is nascent. Starting from the crew till the
music, you cannot miss the freshness associated with it. The music
in particular is very new and exceptionally classy; something that
was associated only with the Ilayaraja era of Tamil music. Today, the
music director Satish Chakravarthy is a happy man. Not only has the
response to the music been very encouraging, he has also made his
guru AR Rahman proud! Speaking of whom, Satish swears that he
could have not wished for a better boss both in terms of music and
personality and it was his encouragement that gave him the confi-
dence to take off and start separately. “No matter how many films
I do or how popular I get, I will continue working with him for his
future films” asserts Satish.
Satish has worked with Rahman for about two years and even lent
his voice for films like Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na. It was during one such
recording session – During Jodha Akbar that ARR asked him to start
creating his own compositions. It all fit into place when he met his
childhood friend, Andrew Louis during his wedding. Andrew had
incidentally just started working on his directorial debut and was
searching for a music director. And voila! Leelai happened.
The entire score of the movie - songs as well as background music
has a sense of simplicity to it. The focus is mainly on melody but in a Satish Chakravarthy
peppy way. The songs tend to linger and none of them sound similar.
In fact, the instruments used are minimal and importance is given to
FIVE
connecting the music and lyric as smoothly as possible. On screen
this works well since the lead pair is new and the whole setting of
things you wont read in the
the movie is youthful. The movie’s story revolves around a couple papers about Leelai and its
who are part of Chennai’s IT crowd.
crew
Satish is not entirely new to the field. After studying music in Berklee
for a couple of years and working under one of the best in the world,
he has a touch of world music and how to infuse it into his own

1
compositions; getting a good break was just a matter of time. What
better way than to start off with a childhood friend! Needless to say,
The male lead Shiv was chosen be-
the rapport between the two was remarkable. “The understanding cause the people who cast him
was so good that the communication was almost non verbal” claims thought that he had both north Indian
a grinning Satish. In fact, between the two of them, they had a secret
grin code. If at the end of a recording session, both of them wear
and south Indian features and would sell
the same sheepish smile, then it is a sign that the going was good. in both places
Indeed, what better than a little superstition to spice up a formal

2
relationship!
Before approaching Satish to com-
The lead pair of Mansi and Shiv have also played their part in making
the songs a success by providing near perfect lip sync and emoting pose music, Andrew mistook him for
to perfection. Both the director and music director are all praise for Rahman’s sound engineer
the female lead- Mansi. “It is hard to believe that such a good perfor-

3
mance can be given on debut. She will definitely go places!” claims
Andrew, the director of the movie who incidentally claims that ir- Except the cinematographer, most of
www.highonscore.com
respective of the movie’s success, the music is bound to be a big hit! the crew of Leelai are first timers to
Going by public opinion, the music of Leelai is already hot property. the screen
Much will depend on how the industry perceives it. Time will tell

4
how class and melody work in a space crowded by loud hip-hop and
the cacophony of ghaana music. Either way, Satish has rave reviews, Thanks to working with Rahman, the
a golden voice and offers in his sack. Here’s wishing him well for music for this film has been done us-
whatever is to come and hoping that the music of Leelai might prove ing cutting edge technology which is on
to be the long overdue makeover that Tamil film music has needed!
par with international standards

must listen
If you think love, longing, life and
5 The first song that was composed for
the movie was done in a single shot
and it was initially done as a sample but
all that comes with today’s songs are
overdone, give ORU KILI a shot on your went on to become the final version
playlist. Chances are if not for the mellow
tune, Satish C’s haunting voice’l get you..
there!

The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009

 NEW NOISE

Thaman
Unplugged
 Gayatri Kalyanaraman

From the chubby teenager in Boys to

successful music director, actor/mu-
sic director Thaman’s life has made
a full circle. This is what the man of
the moment has to say about his
past experiences and current trends
in music after his score in the movie
Eeram won him a lot of critical ac-
claim and a one-way ticket to star-
dom.

Pix : G Venkata Krishnan

www.highonscore.com | 22
USP
I know the audience’s pulse. Having been an entertainer I
know what the audience wants and how to give it to them.
I focus on every part of the song and the score to ensure
that a tempo is maintained and the song does not become
boring at any point. The audience is all that keeps you go-
ing.First break
In Tamil the first movie I actually signed up for is Moscowin
Kaveri. But Eeram happened before that. My first break in
the industry as such was in the movie Boys playing the role
of Krishna. This happened to me since I was a close associ-
ate of director Shankar’s nephew and when he spread the
news to him that he was looking for a professional drum-
mer to play the part of Krishna, he asked me to try it out
and the rest is history.
Growing Up
Music was in the family. From a very young age I took a lik-
ing for the drums which later on turned into a passion. As
Inspiration
My inspiration will always be derived from the two pillars of
23
Tamil music. Illayaraja sir and ARR sir. I grew up hearing and
playing their music and now its an honor to be in the same
industry as they are. Ask any music director and you will get
the same reply.
Music, Today
Every once in a while, a certain genre comes and takes over
film music much like hip hop is currently doing. But all these
are only phases and the music will return to its essence -
melody. Evidence to this is the fact that even though there
is a huge interest towards the rock music scene in Chennai
and there is a rock band popping up every few seconds, film
music still stands unaffected and faithful followers of the
language and the music will always continue to exist.

WISHFUL
a professional drummer i played for various bands. I have
performed several live concerts and I believe that this is
very important for any aspiring musician. Music directors

THINKING
should have exposure to a live audience to know what they
like as well as gauge the changing interests of the audience
and what kinds of innovations they accept.
Competing Force
I compete only with myself. I know that I come from a place 5 movies which I
where I have very talented peers but there is no sense of
competition as such. All of us make good music and the au- wish I had scored
dience gets to pick whom they like best
Life in the Industry the music for
Since my initial association with the industry started as an
actor, my identity was firmly established. Having had no MOUNA rAGAM
other strings attached with the industry, this really helped
in the sense that it is easier to progress in the industry if Agni natchatram
people know who you are. After a couple of films or more,
all that matters is the number of cd’s or ringtones that you Veyil
sell. My film Kick in telugu proved that if you if you make
good music, audience acceptance follows, irrespective of Parutheeveran
age and experience.
Roja
“Of all the movies I have done till date, Eeram has
been the toughest. Owing to the different storyline,
the music and the background score had to be per-
fect in order to maintain the suspense. In movies like
Eeram, a small spoiler in the music can give it all away.
Also the songs have to be perfectly done in order to
maintain the contrast. I for one believe that the direc-
tor is the captain of the ship and it’s his creative inputs
coupled with good lyrics that brings out the best from
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any music director. Films like Veyil and Parutheeveran
have been applauded for their music given the differ-
ent setting of the movie and I am happy that Eeram is
part of that list now.”

The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009

 Tarantino’s
Ingenuity
From sphagetti-western inspired sequences to heavier con-
tmporary compositions Quentin Tarantino’s penchant for
detail in his movies’ sountrack is obvious

 Mrinal Rajaram

www.highonscore.com | 26
 27

A
s a film-maker, Quentin Tarantino has always had a unique way of look-
ing at things. His ingenious vision usually succeeds in rubbing off onto
the entire movie set. Being a proactive director, he is constantly involved
in different aspects of the project at any given time. His latest creation,
Inglourious Basterds, is no exception. Apart from some exceptional film-
making, the music also impresses. Like most of Tarantino’s projects, it transcends
the stereotype. The soundtrack fuses a variety of music from the spaghetti-western
genre to Rock and Soul. Tarantino had wanted his film to be like a cowboy western
set in World War II – so, a majority of it contains soundtrack excerpts from famous
Westerns.
Legendary Italian composer, Ennio Morricone, was asked by Tarantino to compose
the score for Inglourious Basterds. But, on account of conflicting schedules, he was
unable to accept. However, the director has used several of Morricone’s pieces (from
previous films) in the soundtrack.
The film opens with Nick Perdito’s beautiful theme The Green Leaves of Summer.
Composed by Dimitri Tiomkin and Paul Francis Webster, it was used for the opening
of John Wayne’s movie, The Alamo, in 1960. Ennio Morricone’s The Verdict (La Con-
danna), is played to the eerie entrance of Nazi Colonel, Hans Landa (played by Chris-
toph Waltz), as he interrogates a dairy farming Jew in Nazi occupied France. Though
the piece was perfect for the part, the similarity it bore to Beethoven’s Für Elise, was
rather uncanny. The main title of the film - Charles Bernstein’s White Lightning, also
has a strong Western influence. The instrumental track adds a very interesting mix-
ture of sounds to it, helping the audience identify with the film’s theme.
A couple of songs that failed to make an impression (as far as the relevance to the film
goes) were, Billy Preston’s Slaughter and David Bowie’s Cat People (Putting Out Fire).
We all know that Tarantino does things his own way and doesn’t follow the beaten
track – that said, the two songs stuck out like sore thumbs. They just didn’t seem to
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fit in. After all, we’re talking about a World War II epic here!
Out of the 14 tracks that were finally used, only 4 songs appear – the rest being,
instrumental pieces. That’s understandable, considering the film’s theme. There are
two, old German songs that also appear on the soundtrack – they are, Davon geht die
Welt nicht unter (by Zarah Leander) and Ich wollt, ich wär ein Huhn (by Lilian Harvey
and Willy Fritsch). Jacques Loussier’s main theme from Dark of the Sun, also makes a
brief appearance during the plot.
Two Morricone classics in the form of The Surrender (La Resa) and Un Amico play
at crucial (yet different) junctures of the film. Schifrin’s Tiger Tank encapsulates the
‘Nazi higher command gunning down’ scene, as the soulful dirge of Morricone’s Rab-
bia e Tarantella takes over before the credits begin to roll.
Quentin Tarantino began writing Inglourious Basterds with his ‘my kind of Dirty Dozen’
(World War II epic) in mind. After more than a decade since he penned the first word,
the film might have turned out quite differently – but, few can question its quality.
The eclectic mix of music that included several Western greats, was hand-picked by
Tarantino himself. A commendable job – considering the fact that he brought the
‘cowboy Western’ influence into a World War II film, and made it look rather believ-
able.

The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009


Soundtrack Listing - Inglourious Basterds
1. The Green Leaves of Summer - Nick Perdito
2.The Verdict (La Condanna) - Ennio Morricone
3.White Lightning (Main Title) - Charles Bernstein
4.Slaughter - Billy Preston
5.The Surrender (La Resa) - Ennio Morricone
6.One Silver Dollar(Un Dollaro Bucato) - Gianni
Ferrio
7.Davon geht die Welt nicht unter - Zarah Leander
8.The Man with the Big Sombrero - Samantha Shel-
ton & Michael Andrew
9.Ich wollt, ich wär ein Huhn - Lilian Harvey & Willy
Fritsch
10.Main Theme from Dark of the Sun - Jacques
Loussier
11.Cat People (Putting Out Fire) - David Bowie
12.Tiger Tank - Lalo Schifrin
13.Un Amico - Ennio Morricone
14.Rabbia e Tarantella - Ennio Morricone
www.highonscore.com | 28
The Bridge On The River Kwai (1957)
‘The Bridge On The River Kwai’ is considered to
be one of the finest World War II films ever made.
If you have seen the film, forgetting the famous
whistling tune of the British POWs, is quite unlike-
ly. The piece (called the “Colonel Bogey March”)
was originally written by Kenneth Alford in 1914.
The film’s composer, Malcolm Arnold, used the
original music of the “Colonel Bogey March” and
followed it up by a counter-melody called “The
River Kwai March.” Arnold won an Academy Award
for the movie’s score. The film ended up winning a
total of 7 Oscars.
Must Listen – The “Colonel Bogey March”
The Dirty Dozen (1967)
‘The Dirty Dozen’ played a huge influence in
Quentin Tarantino’s, ‘Inglouriuos Basterds.’ Tar-
antino wanted his film to be his own version of
‘The Dirty Dozen.’ After almost a decade since
he began the script, the film might have turned
out differently – but, he still managed to give it
the feel of a spaghetti-western set in World War
II. The film’s (The Dirty Dozen) complete score
was composed by Frank De Vol. Containing a
mammoth track listing of 24 pieces, Vol’s skill as
a composer ensured that the music accentuated
the film’s underlying theme.
Schindler’s List (1993)
The Steven Spielberg masterpiece document-
ed the Holocaust like few others have. For a Sec-
ond World War epic drama that spanned nearly
three and a half hours, it needed a score that
was equally moving. The film’s original score and
songs were composed by the legendary John
Williams, and featured veteran Israeli violinist,
Itzhak Perlman. The album won the Academy
and BAFTA Award for “Best Original Score” and
a Grammy for “Best Instrumental Composition
Written for a Motion Picture or for Television.” It
was also nominated for a Golden Globe.
Must Listen – “Theme from Schindler’s List”
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Steven Spielberg partnered with John Williams
again for the soundtrack of this modern depic-
tion of World War II. Unlike a lot of other films
in the same class, none of Saving Private Ryan’s
battle scenes were scored. As expected for a tra-
ditional war movie, the music is rather solemn.
It plays subtly in the background, letting the film
speak its truth, quietly and otherwise. The mu-
sic may not have been as powerful as Schindler’s
List, but that is probably because they’re not in
the same genre. Though Schindler’s List is set
in the Second World War, it is still a drama film
(with little or no battle seen). The music from
Saving Private Ryan was nominated for an Acad-
emy Award and a Golden Globe.
Must Listen – “Hymn To The Fallen” and “Oma-
ha Beach”
The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009
 ON A ROLE

Twin-Pronged
Tunemaster
 Gayatri Kalyanaraman

www.highonscore.com | 30
T
here is an ancient belief in the classical music frater-
nity of south India that the musician does not choose
the instrument. The instrument chooses him. How-
ever clichéd that sounds, it worked in the case of
Nellai.S.Radhakrishna.
“At the age of 22 I came across a picture of L.Shankar playing
the double violin and that’s the instant that I decided that I am
going to become the second person in the Asian continent to
play the instrument” he says. Today he has achieved just that.
For those of you who are not familiar with the instrument, it is
similar to the violin in looks but actually combines the sounds of
the violin, viola, cello and the bass using the appropriate strings.
The pros of this innovation includes being able to achieve differ-
ent octaves or ranges of sounds from the same instrument but
the flip side is that there are no existing compositions that can
simply be rendered again. A great deal of understanding has to
be put into composing songs since even the tiniest of errors is
easily amplified.
Another factor is that the double violin has to be custom made
since there is no stereotype available. So how and when did this
actually materialize for Mr. Radhakrishna? “After 5-6 years in
the making, I finally got my instrument in Chicago while playing
in the Festival of India -3. My guru Ravishankar ji and Anoush-
ka were the first to test the instrument and they were over-
whelmed with my idea!” is his response. From then on there
has been no looking back!
Any new sound does not get immediate acceptance. It took peo-
ple a while to get used to the kind of music that emanates out of
this instrument and in turn appreciate it. In the last 4 years, the
response has been tremendous according to him and he feels
that this unique genre of music has finally been accepted. The
classical yet contemporary feel of his music transcended barri- 31
ers as top labels started endorsing him and also his band in Ger-
many – ‘ Ahimsa’ which is gaining popularity. So far Ahimsa has
only been a local band, but thanks to the increased popularity,
there have been plans for a world tour in the coming year. Talk
about classical musicians making it big!
Incidentally that’s not the only band he is a part of. He is a part
of two other bands. One of them called ‘The Search’, made up
of Israeli musicians and the other, a Calcutta based band called
‘Thaltantra’. This in itself is a feat considering the sheer diversity
of musicians he has to work with, both in terms of music styles
and nationality.
Radhakrishna spends close to 8 months a year globetrotting for
concerts. When he is not playing for his guru Pt. Ravishankar, he
goes solo. Yet this humble yet immensely talented artist is yet
to bring out a solo album. “Every year I begin with the idea of
bringing out a solo album but owing to time constraints it just
doesn’t seem to be happen. But hopefully 2010 will be the year”
he makes light of his plans.
From a long term perspective his purpose is clear. To propagate
Indian music, in specific Indian Classical form to all parts of the
world and thereby establish a certain standards that musicians
in the future can benchmark with. His interests also include
popularizing the double violin as a common instrument since as
of now it is preferred by only those who know the nuances of all
the four instruments it combines as well as those who can afford
it. As of now it remains a luxury flaunted by only a select few.

Pt. Ravishankar insisted that the first public per-

formance for Mr. Radhakrishna with his double
violin was to be at the Hollywood Bowl in Los
Angeles, an honor only very few Indian musi-
cians receive. Due to prior commitments that
did not happen

The making of the double violin is very expen-

sive since it is made up of very sensitive ele-
ments like carbon fiber and a single string re-
placement costs 280 US$.

Radhakrishna has played for a Swedish Metal

band and in collaboration released a cd titled –
Land Of Freaks. Is it just me or does it sound like
an oxymoron considering the mental image we
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sustain of our Carnatic musicians?!

The carnatic music season that happens dur-

ing early December every year will feature the
double violin for played by Radhakrishna for the
very first time in music season history!

‘Ahimsa’ is said to emerging as the next Shakti in

Germany according to the local magazines; the
latter being a hugely popular classical plus con-
temporary music band with hints of jazz. Even
though the two albums brought out by Ahimsa
Pic : Ajay Prabhakar

has not made its way of Germany yet, the local

reaction has been very positive.

The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009

 I
’m flipping through a 1988 issue of Rolling Stone and poring over
‘The Hard Truth About Guns n’ Roses’. Finally, some bad boys who
are good.
The article talks about Izzy, the rhythm guitarist, draining his sec-
ond bottle of red wine and testing the wattage of a portable ste-
reo, while Axl & Slash try to have a conversation over the din. Soon,

Breakdown
there’s a commotion between the band members including Duff and
Steven Adler. Axl is quoted to have said, “It’s cool that this tension is
building up, because it’s gotta find its release in the music. If we live
that long.”
By 1994, we saw the last of Gn’R with the original members. Come
1999, there was a new band line up and the birth of a new album

BLUES
named Chinese Democracy.
Slash, Duff and Matt Sorum then went on to form Velvet Revolver,
along with others. So now when Gn’R come to India in November, it
isn’t quite the same ball game anymore, is it?
2007 saw Aerosmith rocking the stage at Palace Grounds, Bangalore.
My friend and I went in by about 7pm and worked our way forward
until we were right in front of the ramp. We were both great fans of
Joe Perry. For those who missed this concert, tough luck chump! Half
way through the concert, there was a Joe Perry guitar solo.
The band had an amazing stage presence and their success over the
years is a no brainer.
So when Joe decides to try his hand [repeatedly] at a solo career titled
 Ketaki Chandrasekar ‘The Joe Perry Project’, I cannot quite fathom it. Personal ambitions
aside, I doubt any of these guys can survive without the other. What
makes Aerosmith special is the chemistry that Joe and Steven share
during performances. The Joe Perry Project album titled ‘Have guitar,
will travel’ is set for an early October 2009 release. Any takers?
Nick Mason, Syd Barrett, David Gilmour, Roger Waters and Richard
Wright; yes, Pink Floyd.
My earliest memories of music go back to this band. I was still in my
single digits when I was very familiar with Shine on You Crazy Diamond,

www.highonscore.com | 32

Wish you were here and Comfortably Numb. Without
debate, they are till date the greatest psychedelic rock
band that ever rocked the planet. Floyd fans have al-
ways debated who was the hotter favourite: Waters or
Gilmour. My take is that the band was not big enough
for the both of them. Waters left the band in 1985 and
from there on Floyd front man was Gilmour. Despite
this drastic change, hugely successful albums like Mo-
mentary Lapse of Reason and Division Bell [Is anyone
listening to High Hopes right now?] were born.
In the meantime; Waters went on to promote his solo
career, and continued to perform the classic Floyd ma-
terial like The Wall. In fact, when Roger Waters toured
India a couple of years ago, the rumour was, ‘Pink
Floyd is coming to India’. Go figure.
Waters came together with Pink Floyd again for the
first time in 24 years for the LIVE 8 concert in London,
2005.
When boy bands break up, it causes a lot of heart-
break. I once caught sight of a music magazine with
George Harrison on the cover at an eatery in Chennai. I
was delighted to see a Beatle; delighted enough to call
the magazine people and ask them if I could write for
them (and hence The Score Magazine) But the point
I’m trying to emphasize is that I didn’t think of George
Harrison.
I thought of The Beatles. The break up of The Beatles
is probably one of the saddest stories of all time.
Who isn’t a fan? The crazy haircuts, the bobbing head
dance, the simple lyrics, the catchy tunes… The Beatles
were a phenomenon.
After the dissolution in 1970, they each went on to
promote solo careers but managed to involve one or
the other in a few songs. Lennon had a few memorable
33
Pic : EMI Music
hits like Imagine and Give Peace a Chance. But the rest
are hazy.
Looking at more contemporary bands, Audioslave is a
great example of how two wrongs make a right. Sound-
garden’s front man Chris Cornell and the instrumen-
talists of Rage Against the Machine, Tom Morello, Tim
Commerford and Brad Wilk came together from their
respective bands to form this Hard Rock group.
The band officially disbanded in 2007, following Cor-
nell’s departure from the band “due to irresolvable
personality conflicts as well as musical differences”.
Post break up, three members were busy attempting
to reunite Rage Against the Machine, while Morello
and Cornell released solo albums. Has anyone heard
any tracks?
In recent news, Oasis’ vocalist/guitarist Noel Gallagher
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announced his departure from the group this August.
This did not come as a big shock, considering the dis-
putes between the brothers, Liam and Noel, have al-
ways been rather apparent. The band initially did not
include Noel to start with, but his addition did produce
a whole new feel. Can we expect a solo stint? Time
shall reveal all.
Many good bands have broken up to give rise to new
music talent; Cream break up led to the genesis of Eric
Clapton, Sting was born of the Police break up, Jack-
son 5ive led to Michael Jackson etc. Whereas, some
split ups have been disappointing, to say the least-like
those of the bands featured in this article.
Whatever be the case, nothing lasts forever in the
world of Rock n’ Roll, much less music; except the fans.
We are left in the lurch, debating whether or not to go
for a concert that bears the name of a once great rock
band. Shakespeare’s ‘What’s in a name?’ theory won’t
work this time.
The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009
www.highonscore.com | 34
 35
Quirks and queries
If there is one thing Neha Bhasin is sure about, it is that she likes to
sing. From Viva! to Pesugiren, her life has been one insane success
story that even someone with well documented disdain for real-
ity shows cannot ignore. From brand apparel to knowledge of boy
bands, we decided to catch up with her and find out what makes
her tick.. apart from her music!
 Madhumitha Madhavan

1. If you could be a superhero, what secret power would you like to have
Neha Bhasin

I’d like to have the power to fly in the sky

2. Clothes you wouldn’t be caught dead in

I wouldn’t be caught dead in loose unflattering salwars with a t-shirt which is quite a
trend :)

3. A must have accessory for every girl

I think every girl should have a few pretty earrings in different colours. It brightens up the
most boring outfit

4. The funniest rumor you heard about yourself

That i had a wardrobe malfunction at an event which of course i hadn’t even attended
and that those pictures are all over the internet

5. The most absurd thing a fan ever said to you

That he was born to love me and that’s the purpose God has bestowed upon him

6. One person you would like to be marooned on an island with

John Mayer for sure (mmmmmmm)

7. If you woke up one day as the President of the Universe what would you do
I would try and make this world a better place to live in

8. One thing you never leave the house without

My pouch which has my cards and money and my cellphone and my mac lip balm

9. The one thing you would like to buy if you had all the money in the world
Wow! Gucci boots, a penthouse, a Porsche, Versace overcoats... You name it and i want
the finest things
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10. If you were a guy, which boy band would you want to be a part of
Boy bands?? I am way past that - at 14 maybe. but now I am just happy being a girl... but
if at all - The Beatles (!)

Pix : G Venkata Krishnan

The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009

 Guess who
almost was a
ballet dancer
 Krithika Sukumar
For many celebs, their careers have
happened quite out of chance –
trying their luck with something new,
or a quirky twist of fate.
VJ and model Paloma Rao
tells us what brought
her in front of the
camera...

VJ Paloma says she loves being a Video Jock-

ey. But being a fashion magazine’s editor,
and a professional dancer were childhood
dreams; and today her life has a bit of all
three…

Paloma hosts ‘Footloose’ on SS Music

– a show that teaches diverse dance
styles in easy steps - ‘I have always
wanted to be a dancer, and have
trained long years in ballet. I did
want to go abroad and pursue
studies in dancing, but things on
the VJing end caught on when
I was in the last year of school,’
she says.

In her last year of school, SS Music

was hosting a VJ hunt. ‘Everyone said I
should try for it, because models are skin-
ny and talk a lot – and I had the gift of the
gab. I got a wild card entry into the competi-
tion, and began my career as a VJ soon after,’
says Paloma.

Her third love is off-screen; and Paloma writes a

column for some fashion magazines in the city. ‘I
always wanted to be fashion editor of a maga-
zine, when growing up. And fashion can still ex-
cite me,’ she adds.

Paloma
www.highonscore.com | 36 The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009
 Somethin’
We did the Sneak peek for you in case you
haven’t caught it yet!
Wake Up Sid is about Sidharth Mehra(Ranbir kapoor), a lazy, unmo-
tivated, slacker from Bombay who’s world is breezy and carefree

About
with no real responsibilities. Ambitious, well read, and driven,
Aisha (Konkona Sen) has come to Bombay to realize her dreams as
a writer for a local magazine. Sid’s parents’ disdain for his lacklus-
tre attitude leads to a volatile and explosive situation within the
family. Will Sid find a way out of this estrangement that paralyses
his relationship with his family and friends? Will he take stock of his

SID
life and start to imbibe some of Aisha’s focus and spirit? Will he, at
some point, figure out what he’s supposed to be doing with his life?
The trailer earns appreciation for its unique cinematography,
Ranbir’s ‘the-boy-who-refused-to-grow’ look, crisp dialogues and
skillful art direction. The apt choice of the song ‘kya karoon’ adds
colour to the already-vibrant video. Ranbir looks his confused-best
 Meenakshi Iyer and Konkana, his extreme opposite in every frame.

www.highonscore.com | 38
The new Iktara of Bollywood!
39
He started his career composing music for Gujarati plays in a city which can never
get enough of them. A two-year contract with Sony BMG saw him scoring for the
Indian Idol sensation Abhijeet Sawant’s album, ‘Junoon’. And then Amir happened,
which led Amit Trivedi into the vibrant world of Hindi cinema. Though he claims
that the film wasn’t promoted well, his music was widely appreciated for having
aptly brought out the film’s theme of religious polarization. Anurag Kashyap’s Dev
D unveiled his astounding finesse and phenomenal compositions, proving a point
that he has a long way to go from here. As his next venture Wake up Sid is released
on October 2 (he has composed the background score and a song for the film), we
caught up with the music director to find out what is it that has helped him create a
niche for himself in the industry.

From theatre to Bollywood, seems like
a short journey.
It sure has been quite enriching. Com-
posing for plays was a part of my grow-
ing stages. It gave me the much-needed
experience and exposure. And the fact
that it was well received gave me the
confidence to surge ahead. I always
look back on those days, because that is
where it all began.
And Sony BMG offered you the con-
tract?
Yes. That was the gateway, my first as a
music director. I took it up and it brought
out the results I expected.
Your first movie was Amir, which re-
volved around a social issue.
The script was well written, but some-
where down the line, the movie fell
short in its promotional aspect. Thank-
fully my music was appreciated and I
feel content to have worked on the proj-
ect.
Was there a deliberate attempt to cre-
ate a mélange of music for the film, as
agitating as ‘Emotional Atyachar’ or a
folkish “Dhol yaara dhol”?
Not at all. Everything just came together
for the film. Anurag (the director) gave
me no specifications, which helped me
work on my creativity. Dev D came my
way at the right time and the results
were over-whelming. (Smiles)
Tell us about the background score and
Ayan (Mukherji) called up after he heard
 SHUFFLE
Dev D’s songs and wanted me to do the Kya Karoon? (Clinton Cerejo)
background score for the film. The songs The best in the lot. Used in the trailor, this
were done by Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy song has amazing harmonies and a very
and the sequences were finalized too. I refreshing appeal. We recommend!
was on a vacation then and on my re-
turn, I casually made him listen to a song
Iktara (Kavita Seth)
that I had come up with(Iktara), while Seems like it voices the female protagonist’s
we were deciding on the background anguish and pain. Catchy lyrics. Clearly
brings out Amit Trivedi’s style.
score. He loved it to an extent that he
went ahead and included it in the play- Wake Up Sid (S Mahadevan)
list, though it does not feature in the Soulful, bears a strong resemblance to
film! the Dil Chahta Hai soundtrack, in terms of
rhythm and feel.
And you share the cover space with the
famous Trio? Life is crazy (S Mahadevan)
They’re amazing. I’ve grown as a com- Similar to the title track in terms of the
poser listening to their songs. I had the tune. Great harmonies again. Could’ve been
opportunity to meet Ehsan and Loy, yet a bit different.
to meet Shankar(Mahadevan). They’re a Aaj kal zindagi (S Mahadevan)
class apart. I’m a great fan.
The inspirational one. Familiar tune, but
How do you find the current trend in In- indispensable for the carefree-guy-learns-
dian cinema as far music is concerned? responsibility theme of the film.
From conventionalism to progressive
styles.
It is my opinion that any trend is wel-
come, as long as it is neatly done and
presented. At the end of the day, I work
towards catering to the tastes of the lis-
teners, but I make sure I retain my style
and individuality.
Talking about movies, do you like catch-
www.highonscore.com
ing up with the latest ones?
Oh Yes! I love watching movies with
lighter subjects. Comedy, animation and
the like. It relieves the stress and pres-
Pix : Sony Music

the song you worked on for Wake Up sure after a day’s work. ‘Up’ tops the list
Sid. for now!

The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009

 JOCKEY ON CALL

www.highonscore.com | 40
 Tune in to him on Chennai Live
41
104.8 fm, On Saturdays from 11 to
2 PM and Sundays from 2 to 5 PM

Is there a doctor in
the STATION?
 Preeti Krishnakumar

D
octor by day and RJ by night, Ok, No. He’s a doctor
through the week, and an RJ with Chennai Live on week-
ends. He was class topper from LKG to the 10th, and a
Gold Medalist during his post-graduation, won awards,
had his papers published in international journals and
been hit on his knuckles for smiling. He’s married and has recently
fathered a beautiful baby girl. He’s slightly clumsy (but aren’t we

Pix : A H Arshiya
all?), loves Bryan Adams and has the most interesting stories to
tell, stories about test tube collections behind black boards, find-
ing rhythm in a cadaver and one night trips to everywhere!
He practices emergency medicine. Never imagined he’d become
an RJ, and is asbolutely (Absolutely to the rest of us) hilarious and
takes pride in his ability to make up words to existing songs. In-
troducing Dr.Tausif, third of four brothers of a conservative family
who’s taken to radio like a moth to a flame. He thrives on anything Test Tube Collector - this was more
that’s adrenalin pumping, has an attention span of about ten min- of a joint effort, when his classmates
utes (He said that, I didn’t) and fights for his chocolate cake.
He hosts two shows for Chennai Live, One is the Quiz show, And and him broke test tubes in college,
when asked about it, he said something we all know, but seldom they hid them behind a board, and
acknowledge; quizzes on radio shows are made for mass not for
class, and yes, He was a very inquisitive child, constantly question-
apparently when he broke his first,
ing everything. The essence of a quiz how he says is that radio sta- there were already about 50 test
tions find the need to give the listeners the “I know this answer!” tubes in this ‘hiding place’
feel.
www.highonscore.com
A sports buff, his second show is Sports Café and it needs no intro-
duction, they speak of all activities outdoor and prize winning, and First year, anatomy class, he found
sometimes indoor but still prize winning.
Like most doctors, he initially suffered forgetfulness, he forgot the rhythm on an open bone of a ca-
names of patients and was often embarrassed, has had his share daver, for which he was not allowed
of ‘other’ experiences. None were revealed by the die hard fan of
Bryan Adams, Bon Jovi, Def Leppard and anything that’s Modern to participate in his practical classes
Rock. for a month!
On being asked and bothered repeatedly, just for the sake of it,
he even brought his stethoscope to the interview. He says he’s the
serious type, and is when the time calls for it. He completed his UG in Bijapur
There’s one thing he was asked, when he applied to Chennai Live, which is one night from, Bombay,
which I believe was, “You’re a doctor… Can you be funny?” and
you can take my word for it, he is. And his life seems fretty ferfect Goa, Bangalore, Mysore and 16
(pretty perfect to the rest of us!) at the moment. hours from Chennai.

The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009

www.highonscore.com | 42
 43

My Worst Nightmare
 Krithika Sukumar

Considering her apparent confidence on stage, and her popularity as a singer, one would
think that stage jitters are miles away from singer Shweta Mohan. But being no stranger to
performing does not guarantee that, and stage fright is a blessing in disguise she says….

‘I have done a lot of show, but I still get

butterflies in my stomach every time.
And nightmares before every show! I
have a show with Hariharan in a couple
of weeks, and the nightmares have al-
ready begun!’ she says. But the lass
believes that the butterflies only help
her rise to greater heights on stage, and
gives her a certain edge; but that does
not keep the jitters away. So, what is
her greatest fear on stage? ‘My great-
est nightmare is forgetting my lyrics
book – and it has actually happened
once. I realized I had forgotten my lyrics
five minutes before I was to go on stage
and I was absolutely in shreds! Luckily
people around me helped me piece to-
gether lyrics and I pulled through,’ she
says, the relief almost still fresh in her
voice. ‘I do not really pay too much at-
tention to jitters, or have a lucky charm
to ward it away! I just try and stay cool,’
she adds.
www.highonscore.com
Shweta
Mohan

The SCORE Magazine | Nov 2009


13
Those
TEN
Things
I can be moody sometimes but I think it helps me with
my work
One amazing experience that still gives me goose bumps
was during the Jai Ho tour in Calicut with Rahman. I was
suspended about 80 feet above the ground on a crane
that was rotating above 5000 people, playing my guitar.
It was a real adrenaline rush
I did get quite a few breaks in the past, but I let them
pass. No regrets though, I am far more ready now
The one thing that repulses me is hypocrisy
A friend of mine once gave me a hair product to try out,
and the next morning the entire front portion of my hair
just ‘wasn’t there anymore. ’ Hence the ponytail right on
top of my head
45
Sanjeev Thomas is creativity per-
sonified no matter what time of day;
whether he’s on stage performing in
front of an audience or making a first
impression at a coffee shop. Trust me
you won’t be disappointed, because
this musician is a far cry from cliché.
From hit films like Delhi 6 and Ghajini,
to my personal favourite, the opening
riff of Kabhi Kabhi Aditi in Jaane Tu
Ya Jaane Na, his music will have you
humming along in no time.
Looking outside of his commercial
ventures though, his personal style
is a whole different mix --- there’s a
blend of rock ‘n’ roll, a little bit of the
Blues and interestingly, a Hindustani
twist as well.
 Sonali Shenoy
What do I look for in a woman? Hmmmm…nothing spe-
cific really.I’ve learned to go with what feels right
My playlist is usually full of my own compositions, so I’m
constantly listening and improvising
Rainbow Bridge used to be the name of my studio, and
then it became the band. It’s a little bit of everything.
‘Indirock’ we like to call it
My ideal life ? would be different places at different
points in time. I once did a show in Finland, it was heaven
I go with the flow of my music. I don’t knock on any
doors.
Pic : Prabhu Prasad
www.highonscore.com | 46
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