Culture Station 16

Mumbai, February 27, 2011 Beatallica is a Beatles and Metallica mash up band with songs like Hey dude, All you need is blood and I want to choke your band

They look, sound and act like your favourite INDIAN INK rockstars, only they're not. But if you can’t see the KALPISH RATNA Cloning original rock acts in the flesh, tribute bands are the Writing on next best option, says Elizabeth Soumya the wall… se it or lose it is an evolutionary Breathe — The Floyd Sound, a UK-based Pink Floyd maxim. A smug corollary, called tribute band performed in Bangalore yesterday UDollo’s Law, jeers ‘and it ain’t ever rockstars Getty Images coming back’. This has always worried hat would you say if the quar- tic Monkeys) performing this year. Mar- me. It is punitive, like religion, and tet from Liverpool, with their Australian Singer tin Dimery of Sgt. Pepper's Only Dart sounds like bad science. My suspicion mop-top hairstyles and all in- Craig Pesco is Board Band, who is also the author of Be- was vindicated last month by a tree frog. tact, were still in circulation? Freddie Mercury ing John Lennon, tries figuring out why About 200 million years ago, frogs decid- The boys, in fact, just per- down to his they’re swelling in number: “Western pop- ed to jettison the teeth in their lower jaws. Wformed their set, including A Day in the Life, ular music has changed little over the last But a splinter group of tree frogs grew fingertips. He I Am the Walrus, and the big medley from claims to have kept 50 years. The music of Elvis Presley, The them right back again 20 million years Abbey Road — which had never been sung the spirit of Queen Beatles, Pink Floyd and The Stones, for ex- ago. Today, Gastrotheca guentheri has un- live before — in an English pub the other day. alive with his ample, resonates with young people today questionable bite. We have John Weins of Wait a minute; these aren’t the Beatles or performances just as it did with their parents. For those Stony Brook, New York to thank for dis- their ghostly apparitions. This is a Beatles who missed the ‘golden age’ of ’50s or ’60s covering this spot of re-evolution. look–alike, sound-alike, act-alike tribute pop music, and for those who nostalgical- When millions crowded Tahrir clique — Sgt. Pepper's Only Dart Board ly look back to that era, tribute bands are Square, the Western press wondered if Band. That’s no John Lennon, that’s John often their only chance to get an idea of Egypt was ready for democracy. Would Legend (Martin Dimery) with Paul Mc- what this music sounded like live”. they be able to tolerate it, after years of Coatoff (John Freeman); George Hare Singh- Breathe — The Floyd Sound, is the sec- dictatorship? Haven’t they evolved into Song (Colin Holley); Ringo Stalin (Marc Ben- ond tribute band to perform in Bangalore gormless flakes devoid of will and action? dell) and Sgt. Pepper himself thrown in too this year following Led Zepplica, a Led Zep- Like Guenther’s tree frog, Egypt has re- (Rob Waller). The Dart Board Band is just pelin tribute band that dropped by last evolved. That’s a terrible word. It exists one of numerous Beatles tribute acts, shar- month, while Guns 2 Roses will tour India only because we haven’t invented one, not ing the heritage with Beatlejuice, Beatle- next month. Sanjit Ganguly of Campus In- yet, for ‘evolution revised.’ Evolution was mania, 1964 the Tribute, The Bootleg Beat- fotainment is a resolute believer in tribute derived from the Latin for unrolling. Dar- les, The Fab Four, The Fab Faux and RAIN, bands. “As an organiser, you can’t afford win never used the term for his celebrat- to name a few clones that come closest to the the original international bands which ed theory; rather his friend and champi- original pin-ups. might cost a thousand times more. At the on Charles Lyell first used it in this con- In fact, the tribute band phenomenon can same time, not everyone wants to hear up- nection. Devolution, the reversal or re- be traced to the advent of the Beatlemania coming, original music,” he says. gression to a more primitive state, makes portmanteau. The Buggs were perhaps the As for the sentiments of the purists, he for great science fiction, but is seldom first music maniacs who wanted to be real- true in biology. This tree frog’s decision istic copies of the authentic four. They SOUNDS LIKE demands a new word. It also demands that formed in the mid-1960s, and had a some- we start thinking outside the box. what original Liverpool sound, only differ- Tribute band names try to Stones) Since 25 January, the Arabic word ence being that it came from Nebraska, USA. retain some essence of the Beninem (Eminem) tahrir has become synonymous with lib- By the late ’90s tribute acts had become a original bands with name erty. American papers call it Liberation Oasisn't (Oasis) serious trend — more than a few songs re- puns and references to Square with faint irony as though liber- hashed here and there. “It was an entire sub- songs. Red Hot Chili Beans (RHCP) ty were a stay-at-home location, rooted culture that essentially existed in a parallel The Muffin Men (Frank Who's Who (Who) firmly in the Verrazano Narrows. To the universe,” says Darren Hacker, who set out Zappa) rest of the No (Yes ) with co-director Jeff Economy to capture Dread Zeppelin (Led world, tahrir this other universe of rock imitators in their MetalLiquor (Metallica) has spelled Björn Again Zeppelin) documentary An Incredible Simulation Simon and Garth's Uncle hope. Tahrir is a tribute (2000). ing to play as tribute acts, instead of per- will settle for the next best thing I guess,” aRe wE them (REM) has a second show to the Initially,Economy confesses he was both forming their own material. But what did reckons vocalist Robby Walsh, from the Rolling Clones (Rolling (Simon & Garfunkel ) connotation — Swedish “disgusted and fascinated” by the fact that make an impression on the duo was the im- Deep Purple tribute band Purpendicular. it also means pop group so many local (Chicago) bands were choos- peccable attention to detail, the time, ener- The result was that some of the most suc- writing, and the ABBA gy and expense that went into the dedicat- cessful tribute bands in the world were says, “Only 10 per cent of the audience is liberation that ed duplication of music. The band Prezence formed in Australia: the Australian Pink very discerning. We respect them, but we ensues from a could play literally every song in the Led Floyd, Beatnix, Zeppelin Live and Björn are not really catering to them. Others just piece of writ- Zeppelin catalogue. The Kiss tribute Strut- Again (an Abba tribute band). want to have a good experience.” he says. ing. It is this meaning that worked for me ter performs over 200 shows a year,complete Today tribute bands are rampant in the But the tribute audience aren’t really a as I read the words of those millions gath- with makeup and costumes to the blood- US, Australia and the UK; so much so that bunch of clueless dunces who don’t ap- ered in Cairo, people like you and me who spitting, fire-breathing pyrotechnics. it’s a crowded market. “In fact there’s so preciate music. On the contrary,“they are had never before raised their voices in The drive for authenticity by bands that much competition that we have to try to very exacting. After a gig they’ll walk up protest, never publicly voiced their con- focus on covers of a particular music band stay at the top of the game,” says Dave Gee, to you and say that note in such and such victions. can vary in its manifestation. While some drummer of Breathe — The Floyd Sound, a song was off. Or they’ll ask us which ver- The net is a great example of tahrir. bands focus on re-creating only the sound; a Floyd tribute band that performed in Ban- sion we were listening to. Some will even Never in the history of human thought others push the envelope to mimic every nu- galore yesterday. say the guitar you’re using isn’t the same has information been so universally ac- ance of their idols including the superficial. Celebrating this trend is Glastonbudget as Floyd,” says Chris Barnes, Breathe’s vo- cessible. Writing is freedom. The moment “Several band members have actually gone — an annual music festival held in Leices- calist. it is censored or banned, democracy is to the extreme lengths of having facial re- tershire which will have bands such as Kaz- There are even examples of tribute gone. Hosni Mubarak, like all dictators, construction surgery,”says Hacker. abian (Kasabian), Oasish (Oasis), Blings of bands being acknowledged by the origi- broke the pens of dissident writers. And Australia, in particular, has been a cra- Leon (Kings of Leon), Greendate (Green nal heroes. Former Oasis lead singer Noel Egyptians saw it for the fearful, cowering dle of tribute bands. With big bands leaving Day), Guns 2 Roses (Guns and Roses), Four Gallagher had called No Way Sis the "sec- gesture it was. the continent out of their itineraries, local Fighters (Foo Fighters), The Fillers (The ond best band in the world", and presented We haven’t had our pens broken, but bands had to recreate their music. “People Killers) and the Antarctic Monkeys (Arc- his doppelgänger Gerry Mckay with a gold- books have been banned and libraries en Les Paul guitar,while Deep Purple Drum- burnt. Such actions don’t spell the end of mer Ian Paice often plays with Purpendic- democracy.We bring that about by our re- THE BAND ABOUT THE BAND ular on small European tours. sponse to these threats. Tahrir showed us 1. Why be part of a tribute band as huge compliments from the original Then there’s the story of John Kadlecik the choice. We can either continue being opposed to a band that plays its Robbie Walsh from the Deep Purple tribute Deep Purple members for doing so. who was first ‘turned on’ by the Grateful obedient—refusing to display MF Hus- own original music? DNA Sunday Dead when he was 18. Kadlecik, who was sain’s paintings and excluding James From a personal point of view it's band Purpendicular chats with 3. What would you attribute the rise good at imitating voices, became a star imi- Laine’s book from the public discourse — because most of us in of tribute bands to? tator of both the voice and the guitar tech- or we can do what we did so well a cen- Purpendicular have worked with the In most cases it's because the niques of The Grateful Dead’s Jerry Garcia tury ago. Be civil, but disobedient. We original members of Deep Purple original band whatever band that in the tribute band — Dark Star Orchestra. taught the world how to do that. In Mem- throughout the last decade, so it's may be has ceased to exist from In 2009, 12 years into playing with Dark Star phis, in Wenceslas Square, in Tianan- what the audience want us to play playing live gigs. Bands like Pink Orchestra, two listeners got in touch with men, people did what we no longer know and probably expect of us. All of us Floyd, Led Zeppelin etc. There is a him to play with them. They were Bob Weir how to do. Like the tree frog we will have individually have original projects. major audience for these bands and Phil Lesh, founding members of The to opt out of our sixtythree-and-a-bit spell But Purpendicular is to represent and the people will settle for the Grateful Dead. Today they play together in of evolution and recover our bite. the music and play the songs that next best thing I guess. There are a band called Furthur. Kadlecik says some Before Tahrir became a Square it was Deep Purple don't play today. In some cases yes, where tribute way. Every night is a new show, full very professional tributes and also folks have likened this to moving from the a Midan, a maidan, a field, a place for de- bands dress up and copy the songs of improvisation within the song hobby tributes from almost every minor leagues to the majors, but for him, bate. Calling it square represses its exu- 2. There's an accusation that whether that be live versions or structures. We don't dress exactly band nowadays. In our case it’s a “it was more like going from post-graduate berance into Euclidean rigidity. Geome- tribute bands lack originality and studio versions, these are the like the real Deep Purple as we little more difficult as the real schooling, then spending 12 years ‘writing try is all about the writing on the wall. creativity. What do you have to say bands that lack creativity. Then have our own style. But we remain Deep Purple tour extensively to my doctorate thesis’, if you will, to getting The human spirit is all about erasing the to that? there are bands like us that do it our very creative and have received this day. that perfect job.” [email protected] writing on the wall—how else can you make place for grafitti? The Ghalib who lived here was probably a horse

hen I received the Diwan-e- enjoyed in the time of the Mughals. To- cult for us and it crumbled over time.” After reading the Diwan- Ghalib poetry book as a sur- day it is noisy and congested, but one of Although half of the building is now prise gift on my marriage the packed lanes radiating from here maintained as a memorial, Merajuddin i-Ghalib, Paras K Jha felt anniversary, my hobby of leads to Ghalib’s haveli. has his doubts over whether this really he must visit Ghalib’s listening to ghazals, which You need to ask more than once for di- was Ghalib’s residence. “Any residence gaveW colour to a monotonous life, was re- rections to the haveli, however, because would have doors, windows, rooms, and Haveli in Delhi; what he juvenated. I decided that I must visit Del- most of the younger traders and shop- a kitchen, but here nothing can be seen, hi, and Ghalib’s residence itself, which keepers of the area seem oblivious to not even floors. When my grandfather found instead was a formed a backdrop to many of the po- Ghalib or his residence. I spotted an old purchased this building, it was being ems in the book. man with a long white beard and a round used as a stable for the horses of Hakim stable masquerading as As luck would have it, I soon got an cap on his head, sitting quietly in this Azmalkhan. Even today you can see the opportunity to spend three hours in Del- noisy and confusing bazaar, and ap- holes in the pillars, where wooden poles the poet’s last residence hi, while I was returning to Ahmedabad proached him. “Chacha, do you know used to be fixed to lock the horses in the from Shimla. I quickly put away my lug- where Ghalib miya’s haveli is?” Without stable. A professor from Aligarh Univer- gage in the cloak room at the railway sta- looking at me, he said, “Go straight and sity even did some research and con- tion, and set out to find the great poet’s ask for more directions there.” cluded that it was a stable.” home, where he lived out the last decade At least, I was on the right way.Final- I looked at the place once again, and of his life. ly,a helpful man told me to take the next sure enough I found the pillars indeed Delhi’s Chandni Chowk is known for right turn and look to my left. With had holes. As I left the haveli, neither its history and teeming populace. Mod- mounting excitement, I approached my wanting to believe Merajuddin, nor my ern and ancient India meet on its streets, idol’s last home, which he had occupied A crowded street in Chandni Chowk with the haveli purporting to be Ghalib’s last eyes, a couplet from the display of Ghal- and people with different pursuits bump from 1860 to 1869. residence. February 15 was the 141st death anniversary of the poet. ib’s poetry caught my eye, and I felt that into each other. Landmarks include the Whatever picture I had conjured up in the poet was reciting to me — Lal Quila and Shishgunj Gurudwara, and my head about Mughal era architecture of Ghalib’s handwritten letters, a poetry. There were some utensils from Bus ki dushwaar hai har kaam ka then there is the renowned Paranthewali reflecting Ghalib’s tasteful nature evap- chronology of events from the poet’s life, that era, some books, and a listing of his aasaan hona/Aadmee ko bhee muyassar Galli, one of the best-loved streets for orated quickly thereafter. The main en- his genealogy and some photographs of favourite food, attire, and games. naheen insaan hona foodies such as myself. But I had to move trance of the building has a plaque pro- his grave. One cannot imagine that Mirza (It is, indeed, difficult for every task to on to find my poet’s residence. claiming it to be Ghalib’s residence, but Ghalib would have wanted to occupy a A curious tale be easy/Just as it is not possible for a man once you enter the place you hardly get a room such as this. Dissatisfied, I went over to the telecom to always be human) Ancient market feeling that this was where Delhi’s best Half of the haveli is in fact a shopping shop. Its owner, Merajuddin, had a curi- Giriyaan chaahe hai kharaabee mere Mirza Ghalib’s Haveli is located in Gali known poet spent his last years. There is centre with shops like Meraj Telecom ous tale. “This haveli was bought by my kaashaane ki/Dar-o-deevaar se tapke hai Qaasim Jaan, in the Ballimaran area of just one dark room with the poet’s picture Point and MD Opticals. I ignored these grandfather Haji Mohammad Ibrahim bayaabaan hona Chandni Chowk. Ballimaran is one of the on the wall. There are also photos of his and explored the other half, which con- 110 years ago,” he said. “After independ- (Tears are seeking the destruction of my most ancient markets of Delhi, but it has contemporaries, like the last Mughal em- tained a small statue of Ghalib locked in ence, many people from Pakistan used to abode/From the insides of the walls obviously lost the pride of place it once peror Bahadurshah Zafar, a photograph glass, and displayed some couplets of his visit the haveli, but its upkeep was diffi- trickles the wilderness)