Home   Forum   Wiki   Notes   Register   FAQ   Sitemap   About Us   Contact Us  

Yanni's interview

Topic started by Anand Mahadevan (@ 175-178-43.ipt.aol.com) on Sun Jun 7 11:10:06 EDT 1998.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

Folks,
Yanni was on Larry king live on Friday(06/05/98)
and was talkin about promoting his new album "tribute".He is doing a 18 month road trip across the world.Its typically a 3 hr perfomance and then an half hour technical Q & A session.When asked why this road trip,he said his mucic can have a much more profound effect when its live rather than on a CD.He wanted to feel the pulse.
This I think is true as this gives the audience a much better upliftment rather than listening to a CD at home.
I think IR can plan a road trip across India to promote his sysmphony(if released) and try to reach out more.IR wants us to come to him.He does'nt want to reach out.I am not sure wether this is egostic or pure self indulgence.I think any artist needs some kind of reach and Yanni was clearly making a point.
Thoughts on this would be interesting.
Anand Mahadevan

---

Responses:

• From: Nithin (@ nc.pr.mcs.net) on: Sun Jun 7 15:18:05 EDT 1998
  
  Anand
  
  If IR were to do this, in the last 20 years IR would have probably given music for 20 movies! Yanni creates some music once in a blue moon and he needs all kinds of props to make people buy his 'stuff'.
  
  That is one quality I like about our creative people in India, no wasting time in self-promotion , let the work speak for their genius.
  
  
• From: raja m (@ spider-wa042.proxy.aol.com) on: Sun Jun 7 15:34:43 EDT 1998
  
  Anand:
  
  Yanni has a lot of stage presence, IR's symphony has to be conducted by a world famous conductor and orchestra, with top quality PR work, maybe a live satellite transmission - that is the kind of stuff which can tell the world of IR. I doubt this will happen, mostly it will be released on an Indian release with low quality/cost publicity.
  
  
• From: raja m (@ spider-wa042.proxy.aol.com) on: Sun Jun 7 15:36:16 EDT 1998
  
  typo - should read indian label not indian release
  
  
• From: Anand Mahadevan (@ 205.147.245.41) on: Mon Jun 8 09:42:42 EDT 1998
  
  Nithin,
  I do'nt agree that Indians don't have self promotion when it comes to art.IR had this huge movie media to promote his music.U can'nt expect people to knock at your door to listen to your music.Infact I srongly beleive that "How to name it" and "nothing but wind" would have reached more ears if there was a sufficient promo.Why shy away from promoting quality products.Not all people have the same kind of accesability that U and me have.Lets take "GURU" for example.Despite the quality music not many people have heard it.I am surprised that IR kinda tends to neglect his PR.This was my bone of contention.Any form of art needs to be taken thru a carrier.I was also impressed with a 1/2 hr Q & A at the end of the concert by yanni.
  Instead of wasting time on films like "kadavul" and other nonsense stuff, IR for a change can do a road trip.
  
  
• From: Nithin (@ nc36.pr.mcs.net) on: Mon Jun 8 23:16:38 EDT 1998
  
  Dear Anand Sir
  
  I did not mean a hasty response to your honourable suggeson. My personal feeling is that geniuses like Illaiyaraja have so much going on in their minds that they leave the remaining administrative and marketing aspects to other inspired people. He is the production and design guy, if you see what I mean and also Chairman of his own corporation or creativity.
  
  How much can our Isaignani do to make his people happy? He has made the grains, cooked it and even given it is a nice flavor, should he also put it in our mouths or package it for us 'to go'? This is not Midday meal scheme.
  
  Anand, you see Yanni is doing the right thing for himself. I mean no malice or sarcasm, but the great Yanni gets inspiration once in a billion years and he, like everyone of his befuddled fans (mostly, humans with long hair) knows that his expressions in the form of a type of music is not good enough. Yanni simultaneously realises since he has plenty of time at hand and plenty of women following, why not let his hair down and do some short-circuiting of this world?
  
  If you ask Yanni himself, he will probably tell you that not just one promotional trip will do the trick for him, but a thousand. Yanni, when he made the all-in-all controversial visit to the Taj Mahal and did his moonlight sheherzade, the people of the villages in the vicinity who could not help but hear Yanni's version of what sound can be, they instinctively knew that Taj Mahal can soon lose its face. Already, the great Wah Taj, as you and I are aware, have lost colour.
  
  The villagers around Agra thought the music of Yanni was like a first cousin of the noise and air pollution that came from the beat-up industrial sites during day time. Only thing, this time around, Yanni Industrial Noise & Co was operating in one night, making up for a year's lack of night shift in the whole of India.
  
  Anand, see reason, it is job of die-hard fans like you and me to spread the gospel of the Maestro and let the Emperor just meditate on his works. Unfortunately you have brought in the legenday Yanni as an example, who does not have it in him to drive home your point.
  
  In case some of you are not following, Raja's music will reach the desired audience when the audience have that level to accept it. We have to wait and see, what happens. Suppose you and I start a FM radio, like that great D ( I mean that famous DJ) who was the only person instrumental in spreading the weird tunes of the Beatles before they caught on in the US, we can then do a similar thing and declare the Arrival!
  
  
• From: Anand Mahadevan (@ 205.147.245.41) on: Tue Jun 9 10:31:32 EDT 1998
  
  Nithin,
  I am not disputing IR's greatness but he can take a break and try a road trip to spread his music around.The music I am referring to is his western classical and experimental music.When I say a road trip,this includes
  trips abroad .To an extent image projection matters.IR philosophy of " work will speak for itself" is true but a balancing act needs to be done.He needs to come out of the closet.Again no one disputes his greatness.I was just wondering if he can perform "How to name it" and "Nothing but wind" in radio city music hall.There will be a lot of attention and his work could be appreciated by many more.There is no point in complaining that if U are a South Indian its tough get a national spotlight.I think he has kinda reconciled to his fate and has closed all doors of accesability.why on earth is he wasting time in composing film music for Murali and ramarajan?I am abso confused about his moves.There are a lot of self proclaimed composers in chennai who can do that kind of work.
  I think its talent going down the drain.
  Also,just b'cause yanni promotes his music does'nt mean his work cannot speak for itself.
  I have listened to his work and they are interesting and well composed.
  Yes we can do a DJ act and I would be interested in speading IR's work.
  
  Anand Mahadevan
  
  
• From: SRikanth (@ 161.225.48.3) on: Tue Jun 9 12:21:58 EDT 1998
  
  Hi,
  
  After demanding MS Bhart Ratna , National Awards, (National Level)
  Once again IR fans pull in YANNI -
  (They go International ....)
  
  Guys there are more people,
  Richad Clayderman, Elton Jhon, MJ, Kenny chesy, Phil colins, Zubin Mehta -- They all have road shows, pull them also into your Raja cult discussion....
  
  Ask raja to release his symphony first before the road shows or any other show.
  
  Srikanth
  
  
• From: raja m (@ ww-tc01.proxy.aol.com) on: Tue Jun 9 19:44:18 EDT 1998
  
  Nithin:
  
  IR cannot let his hair down even if he wants to :)) IR fans dont jump at my thondai - take it easy..
  
  
• From: Nithin (@ nc36.pr.mcs.net) on: Tue Jun 9 21:55:42 EDT 1998
  
  Anand
  
  Your point is well taken, IR needs to take a break. But, see the breaks he has taken. A visit sometime in 1984 to France to meet Paul Mauriat, in 1993 to Cochin to compose the Symphony, then to London to record, then from 1993 to 1996 few movies done, back in 1997 with the realisation that it is probably only film music that keeps him going.
  
  See, only a few days back I was thinkin that I should personally go the Chicago Symphony Theater, one of the finest in the US and find out if Raja's symphony would be performed and how does one accomplish organsising such an event?
  
  Unless, there is a difference between ShiowBiz and Work. People like Yanni and ARR are truly showbiz people, they know how much they can do and what type of listeners they want to please. People like Illaiyaraja have set their own standards and they are not showbiz guys. Again, the point we are missing is: Illaiyaraja would prefer that someone else like Zubin Mehta conducted his works. I am not sure, it is really difficult to justify why Illaiyaraja is in the first place not interested in releasing it and in the second place would he himself not promote it?
  
  
• From: Srikanth (@ 203.minneapolis-06.mn.dial-access.att.net) on: Tue Jun 9 23:40:19 EDT 1998
  
  Hey guys,
  Raja needs a break!,
  I told this months ago in the topic should raja retire. I told he needs a break ...not retirement.
  There is a saying "All pathee aadai pathee"
  a famous personality needs some show biz..
  He/she has to Market themselves.
  It is AR or Yani or Elton john -- there should be some marketing. Infact Raja has also good show biz...he forced most producers for his cut out in theaters...this was told by K.Bhagyaraj.
  so you cannot rule out Raja has as a showbiz person.
  The fact is only Tamil Speaking People talk about Raja ..
  
  
  
  
• From: Mala Ashwin (@ 166.55.80.31) on: Wed Jun 10 22:35:56 EDT 1998
  
  Hi Guys,
  This is my first time here. I never knew there were so many IR fans. I thought I was the very few die-hard IR fans still left in this planet.
  I thought I could throw in some of my points into your discussion.
  First of all, IR is from a different background, a different school of thought , traditionally a back stage performer.
  composing music for movies is primary to him, than composing for an album. So, going on the road idea may not come naturally to him.
  Secondly, he never had the time. He has composed over 500 movies. I have heard that he used to compose 3 songs per day.
  
  But I have always wondered why he never ventured beyond India. I mean, he could have cut a deal with any producer in the U.S. for an album. (I know it's not that easy,.. but still I thought he never made any efforts.). He is capable of outperforming any contemporary artist.
  He could go easy on those movies for now, and start doing something for himself.(i.e., get some recognition outside of India.). But this is for him to decide.
  
  For a while I never heard about IR. I was very sad and thought, IR is history. But a couple of months back heard about ' Kathalukku mariadhai' 's BGM. People said it's exceptionally good and IR is back. I also heard that raja is composing for 8 other movies .
  is it true.?
  
  
• From: Yaarnaan (@ nc.pr.mcs.net) on: Thu Jun 11 22:48:05 EDT 1998
  
  Hello, Mala
  
  Welcome to this exclusive club. You thought you were the LAST of IR's devoted fans? Don't worry, we are in it together as you are.
  
  If you don't mind me asking, would you really, as your name suggest belong to the species with long hair? Or, is it a pseudonym? Why I ask this...
  
  It is not without the prospect of a vindication and proof that I was very dearly chiding, our Great Nanbar, Anand (the architect of this jarringly interesting topic that has caught many of us unawares while we were in the midst of some even more seriously jarring topics) that Yanni fan base is only women, in particular and long-haired, in general. That this Yanni thread has attracted a female music lover to profess her admiration for Illaiyaraja when there are a few hundred threads on him, is quite a paradox, but thanks to you, Maya, I feel delivered of the mental anquish I have been suffering of having unnecessarily played pambaram with Anand's topical discussion.
  
  (That perhaps is Yanni's incredible virtue. Anand, in all mirth, that is perhaps the only one of Yanni's patent talents.)
  
  Meanwhile, let me go at length and ask you present you a broad view of this forum. TFM has absorbing discussion topics with which you may have by now gone to your knee caps in the puddle. You will have a feeling that the cup runneth over as you are overwhelmed by the rate at which we folks throw in abbreviations like IR, ARR, MSV repeatedly to sound like some new popular rhythm (the thillana, thillana type, by the way, originally from a certain Dr. Alban) though not audible but appear to come up menacingly alive and jump right at you.
  
  As the your involvement solidifies, you will probably be interested in making seating arrangements for your friends who would wish to see how TFM looks in your most recently computer. If that is the case, please bring in only IR fans. That way you stay healthy.
  
  By the same coin, if your other friends, who happen to be hair-do deep down in ARR, call you over for a cup of coffee while visiting this TFM, please behave like a ARR fan. This is my sincere advice. That way, you will not spill your coffee.
  
  Now for some serious note, there are a lot of query threads that discuss IR, ARR, SG, MKTB, etc.. Do give us some news about them and other composers in those threads.
  
  (I hope Ravi, Ramki or even Anand does not ban from me here!!)
  
  

---

List all pages of this thread

Post comments