Tag Archives: India

Why MTV can never befriend Indian indie rock

The “fascinating article” (by Arjun S Ravi on MTV Iggy) that Cicatrix speaks of in Sepia Mutiny reads like ‘The Best of RSJ (1992-1999), with Notable Exceptions’. It’s all been documented before with elan and sincerity by Amit Saigal. Today, it’s dated. Because it casually ignores a significant slice of Indian rock history — the independent music scene in Bangalore, which was where the really surprising stuff started to emerge from the mothballed closet in the late 1990s. In businesspeak, this era was when Indian rock music sought to “differentiate” itself. Not through marketing strategy (a la Parikrama et al which still have nothing to offer the discerning music fan) but through inventiveness, performance and startling creative energy. Ergo, I am not sure if Ravi’s omission stems from ignorance (which is unforgivable) or from personal bias (which is charlatan). Continue reading

Posted in bands, bangalore, journalism, music, musicians | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 39 Comments

Yes, Prime Ministerial candidate?

On the subject of the attacks on women in Bangalore, Shri Advani is laconic. On his blog, he says just this much: “I have read in newspapers reports about some hoodlums attacking girls in Continue reading

Posted in activism, moral policing, politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Eight woofs for Slumdog

The first Oscar blitzkrieg for India – eight Academy Awards – has come from a curious mixture of Hollywood, Bollywood and Simbly South. The big marketing trick has worked. And the great Western stereotype of India has triumphed again. Continue reading

Posted in Cinema, Movies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

On MG Road, coffee is homeless

It’s curtains for India Coffee House on MG Road. Like all things, this too must pass. Into the history we are prone to forget. Into the homogeneity we are loath to welcome. Continue reading

Posted in artists, bangalore, music | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Oh, for a desi FactCheck

If India had a website like FactCheck.org to run the polygraph on politicians, I wonder how far we’d get. For one, the information overload would be so crushing – imagine that, a website crashed by the attempt to tell the … Continue reading

Posted in Politickle | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment