Plenty of Piranha in the Sea

 

If you like listening to rock music (and I don't mean just the kind which makes the loudest or fastest noise possible), and you're not a misanthrope or an adrenalin junkie, and you live in the country that I do, then you will agree with me when I say that the world seems pretty bleak.

What I mean is that, there are two major varieties of idiot rock fan that can be found commonly in India. Not everyone fits these cases, but the majority do:

Idiot type 1: Metalheads.

Adrenalin junkies. These are found everywhere, but in slightly more concentration among the affluent. When you encounter one, the conversation tends to go like this:

You: "Oh, you like rock? What kind?"

Metalhead: "Oh you know, man...metal! Yeah! Children of Bodom man! Lamb of God, Metallica, Ironmaiden! Fucking love that shit! yeah! Ohh yeah! Korn!! Korn just kicks ass man...fuck, yeah!! Oh...Oh...Oh...SLIPKNOT!!! Ooooooh yeaaah!!!

(pause)

Uh...Shit man, I could use a cigarette right now."

Y: "Um, okay. I see. What about other kinds? Hard rock? Grunge? Psychedelic? Progressive? Classic? Blues? Jazz? Acoustic? There's a lot to choose from, you know."

M: "Seriously dude? I don't like all that stuff...too soft. Gimme metal!! Real music!!"

Y: "Right. Well, see ya. And...put your pants back on."

Idiot type 2: Hippies.

Common in engineering colleges, although not restricted to them. These chaps are like this because their fathers went to engineering colleges in the 70's, and then told them about it. They actually think they're living in that time. They sound like:

Hippie: "Yeah man, the Beatles are the shit. Lennon was a god, man. A god of love. And Floyd, dude. It just make me wish the 70's were back."

Y: "You weren't even born till late 80's."

M: "Yeah man, but it was the age of love. We should go back to the 70's."

 

Neither of these varieties of idiot are listening to bad music. Metal's great. So were the 70's. But they restrict themselves to tiny boxes for very silly reasons.

The upshot of all this has been the complete predictability of Indian rock. Everything is either metal or classic. And that's why the Indian rock scene has been stagnating in the past years...all our original bands have been trying to become either Lamb of God or The Beatles.

Up until now, that is.

There is a small but growing community of fans and desi bands that are trying to break out of the mould. The last Campus Rock Idols I saw had, surprisingly, among the regular scores of metal bands, a few very tasteful and original musicians. Bands like Cafe Dilemma and even the more mainstream Nerverek gave me hope.

Yesterday I saw, for the second time, a band that is an example of the growth of Indian rock.

Lounge Piranha came to Manipal last year as well, and played to a small but enthusiastic crowd. The performance was so successful that they returned again this year, at the conclusion of their Going Nowhere album tour. These guys are the embodiment of everything that is changing about the rock scene in the country. They call themselves a 'post-rock' band (which, in all fairness, sounds quite silly), but even without having to make such an obvious attempt at seeming unique, they do have a fresh sound.

Experimentalism is a key characteristic of their sound, hence the inclusion of the Australian didjeridoo in many of their songs, playing the guitars with violin bows, e-bows, and a variety of processor effects, and occasional exotic percussion instruments. The sound is ambient, ranging from easy-listening light tracks like Ebb, to intense, trance-like numbers like Teenage Curse. And when it all seems to be getting too familiar, they'll throw in a medley of covers that are so unusual that you have to laugh.

The lyrics are simple and the vocals usually mellow and hypnotic to add to the psychedelic air. The basswork tends to be modest and unassuming most of the time, but then occasionally reveals itself in bursts of flourish. Thrown in is chordic, rhythmic guitaring interspersed with doubled choruses and layered with effects-driven soundscapes. And the entire ensemble, usually seasoned with a dash of the didjeridoo or a sampler track, is held together and driven by some very subtle, very good drumming (the surprise is actually what makes it special...after all, it is just amateur musicianship).

The truth is, Piranha are mostly only moderately talented musicians., and the new album does resemble the staggering first steps of an infant. But LP represent more than their own sound...they represent a shift in the psyche of the Indian rock fan. One that, I hope, is not just a passing phase, and will grow into a more mature appreciation of music. One that will lead to a deeper and more holistic approach in our country to the great institute of rock music.