Shine on you crazy diamond

Lights off. Bose on. Full volume.

Best buildup.

I LOVE this song.

Of course the Pulse version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPbQ6weKh-k

Enough said.

The Black Keys - Blues Rock (my two favourite music words)

They're not new by any standards. Formed in 2001.

I love their story. Neighbours since their childhood, friends from Ohio who started a band. They've had musical connections though. Their dad, uncle were all musicians.

The band's name has a not so interesting story. Some schizophrenic neighbour used to call them Black Keys or D Flats because he didn't like them. Yup, that's about it. More here - http://pigeonsandplanes.com/2012/07/the-meaning-behind-band-names/8/

It's like you've asked your friend to tell you their love story and they say, "oh, we just got drunk and hooked up." Wait, that's my story. Kidding.
No, I'm not.
Okay, maybe I am.
Ugh sitcom influence for that dialogue right there.

Moving right on, they've got the Grammys and record with Universal, so they're all set. They also do the festival circuit. So, look out for them.

They used to have an old Chrysler van called the Gray Ghost. I think if you ever start a band, aim for greatness and make sure you have enough trivia worthy stories.
They are sort of like the White Stripes, also just drums and guitar but they're better. Is what I feel. :)

My favourite song - Little Black Submarines

Listen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiMEiJnY8dI (this is of course my favourite album of theirs, El Camino, also won the Grammy for the best Rock album. Give the others a listen too.)
Read - http://www.theblackkeys.com/

Thank me later!

Mausam and escape - A.R. Rahman

--I wrote this in 2009--

It's not surprising that the first elevating musical experience I choose to share, is an A.R. Rahman song.

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=_WOWIH41W4c (courtesy: Youtube)

It's from the much-talked about (and very deservedly so) Slumdog Millionaire.

It was a cold Sunday morning. 3 days into the new year. I was on a train. Calling it a train takes away from what it really was. The Palace on Wheels is luxurious, to say the least. It has a lovely hot water shower (with bad but forgivable water pressure). Only students of IIM-C will know the value of a hot water shower. The sun was still low in the sky, hidden behind clouds which looked like elephants. On some other day, they could look like a Vera Wang gown but that day was an elephant day.

I could hear strains of Bach in the lounge. Yes, each 'bogey' (they called it cabin) had a lounge with a television, dvd player and the usual entertainment essentials. No Bose though. Since it was an elephant day, I chose to skip breakfast. Since it was an elephant day, I wore black. But nothing really helped.

On top of that, my life's balance sheet was quite discouraging. I was teetering on the edge of my now-familiar new year depression. It's a variation of my birthday depression, a little more pronounced.

I opened my sister's laptop, clicked on itunes and let it play. I closed my eyes, expecting a random Fatboy Slim song and hoped the loud, repetitive beats would drown out my thoughts. Then a song with lilting sitar notes started playing.

It seemed to me a song of naive happiness but I was too lazy to change the song. It took me to a place where a light drizzle, made the roses in the garden shine afresh, with drops on their scarlet petals. I was supposed to be wallowing in my self-pity! This song didn't help. I got up.

Then the tone changed. A more determined, purposeful tune. My heart beat a little faster. I felt like I was in a treasure hunt, searching, not knowing what I might stumble across. Running towards the light at the end of the tunnel, as fast as I could. Almost breathless, gasping for air. Faster. Then I stop. It suddenly dawns on me. A profound understanding. Of destiny. Of what lies ahead.

It was uplifting, inspirational and calming. My theme song for 2009.

(Edit on 12th Jan: ARR creates history! http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20090079691 )