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SHOULD CLASSICAL MUSIC SINGERS LIKE KJY,UNNIKRISHNAN,HARIHARAN BE MORE SELECTIVE IN THEIR CHOICE OF SONGS?

Topic started by VIJAY (@ 129.252.29.214) on Sun Jan 25 01:56:04 EST 1998.
All times in EDT/EST +9:30/10:30 for IST.

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Responses:

• Old responses
  
• From: rajaG (@ 207.43.195.202) on: Wed Mar 3 17:37:55 EST 1999
  
  Vijay (and Chandy)
  
  I know that the point of this thread is whether people like UK, Nithyasree, BJ should be 'selective' in the type of songs they sing in TFM. My point is that they do not have the proper tools to render the 'non-carnatic' based songs in Film Music and thus, it is not a question of them being selective, but them not being qualified and 'select' worthy by the MDs.
  
  If they had the talent and training to do light classical (in Films) as well as popular, like say Manna Dey, more power to them. But sadly they do not!
  
  
• From: Rags (@ stingray.cincom.com) on: Thu Mar 4 01:26:24 EST 1999
  
  My two piece on this in a lighter vein.
  
  I think the MDs using KJY/UK/NS.. to sing dubbankoothu songs is basically a perversion of the MD or the lyric writer.
  
  An analogy could be of a photographer wanting Sridevi in a 'madisaru' as well as in a mini-skirt (la-Pagalil oru iravu style) for two different shots ?!! Each snap enhancing the effect of the other.
  
  Another aspect could be a mild ego trip of the MD - paaru, KJYa dabbankoothu pada vachen...
  
  Don't take this seriuosly - just a thought...
  
  
  
• From: Ravy (@ eagle.vapower.com) on: Thu Mar 4 08:04:03 EST 1999
  
  My 2 cents on this is, it is Money, $, Rs..
  What is the going rate for a 2hr carnatic kutchery? Rs 15k - 20k? But for a 5mt song (of course with retake and other things it may take about an hour but in this technological era most of orchestration is already done with someone else filling in the track)HH and UK command anywhere between 20-30k. Another advantage is that they don't have to worry about front-row Subbudus.
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Fri Mar 5 09:53:25 EST 1999
  
  Rags and Ravy,
  
  Is money so important for these singers? Because they are already well established and have already gained certain amount of fame.
  
  If a MD, for whatever reasons, offer them some dappankoothu or such songs, they can simply refuse it. Or if these people collectively announce that they will not sing such songs, no MD would approach them..... The sad part is that I dont even see an evidence of a regret in their part.. I remember reading some interview where UnniK had just shrugged off the question saying its not in his hands!! Had he atleast made a mention that he'd prefer not to sing such songs, it would have sent a definite message..... What prevents these singers from atleast airing their views about the songs they would prefer to sing, adn those they prefer to avoid... So, what peoplle like us are made to conclude is that these singers are party to whatever is being done.
  
  This pleading of helplessless is something I dont agree with!!
  
  chandy
  
  
  
• From: vijay (@ rodica.ece.sc.edu) on: Fri Mar 5 10:52:22 EST 1999
  
  chandy,
  i agree with u'r opinions. i have always been of the opinion that money is not important for these singers and if they still chose to sing those songs it shows that they are perhaps really after quick money and fame.
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Fri Mar 5 11:22:52 EST 1999
  
  they can certainly be after quick money and fame. But cant they get it thru a "ennavale ennavale" or a "kannodu kanbathellam" rather than some "issu kissu" or some crap like that ?
  
  chandy
  
  
  
• From: Rags (@ qt-ce.singnet.com.sg) on: Fri Mar 5 20:10:06 EST 1999
  
  Chandy & Vijay,
  
  You made a sensible point but not true with these PROFESSIONAL...
  
  MONEY IS THE ONLY, RPEAT, ONLY MOTIVATION for these singers. Lets not pretend otherwise. If they were interested in promoting 'art' they should sing in temples free of cost on Navarathri nights and maybe start classes in Mada veedhi as well.
  
  Okay, they are good singers and maybe excellent too. But that does not mean they can't do with more money.
  
  Lets also take cognizance of the fact that KJY 's carnatic series of casstes under Tarangini banner (his own ?} has been the only source for his songs and also perhaps the costliest (and I am talking minus 10 yars back itself). Do you for a moment think KJY can't do with more money ? C'mon...
  
  Having said that I think what Unni and KJY and the likes are doing is correct. There must be a crowd that enjoys KJY/UNNI singing dappankoothu...and they get paid to satisfy THAT crowd. Not for us though...
  
  You agree ?
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Mon Mar 8 11:06:28 EST 1999
  
  Rags,
  
  These singers can be after money.. no problems.. But somewhere down the line, they also should think of their social resposibility.
  
  About your argument on the specific crowd which likes to hear the dappangoothus from KJY and Unnik, first of all, i think this pie of the audience is negligible.. Even if we agree that there is this crowd which loves dapangoothu, there is no reason why this dapangoothu should come from talented ppl like KJY or uunik. secondly, look at the larger specturm of fans who would feel pained if they do sing dapaangoothu. Whom should they cater to?
  
  
  
  
  
• From: Rags (@ stingray.cincom.com) on: Tue Mar 9 03:06:20 EST 1999
  
  Chandy,
  
  Social responsibility ? Just remember, film world is not into anything but money. Social responsibility is too heavy an onus for these guys (and rightly so).
  
  If the pie is negligible no one will pay them and the market will decide for itself at some stage. Till then one has no choice but to hear KJY singing "thanni thotti.." !!
  
  BTW you think no talent is required for singing dappangoothu ?
  
  Let me add... don't take this film world too seriously and expect social reformation from them. Let them do their job and we will pay for what we think deserves our cent.
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Tue Mar 9 10:59:54 EST 1999
  
  Rags,
  
  Classical songs require more talent than dapaangoothu, and are relatively easier to sing.. when some x,y,z singers can easily manage a dapaangoothu, why should a KJY or UK do it is the question.
  
  You are right about the money part. But when I go through some of the interviews of these classical singers, I do get an impression that they have a sense of social responsibility. I remember reading some interview where UK talked about his ideas of promoting carnatic music among masses.
  
  One can see some justification in KJY singing tahnni thotti.. KJY sang all songs in sindhu bhairavi for sivakumar.. and when sivakumar was supposed to get drunk and sing a dappangoothu, its perfectly logical for KJY to do that number too. Theres a definite justification here.
  
  What bothers me is the albums where these ingers sing only some dapaangoothus (someone mentioned about some UK numbers in this thread before which fall in this cateogry).... Could they have prevented this ?
  
  chandy
  
  
• From: Curious (@ elroy.cs.wisc.edu) on: Tue Mar 9 16:17:59 EST 1999
  
  Why have you classified HH as a classical singer? Isn't he more popular as a ghazal singer?
  
  
• From: Rags (@ stingray.cincom.com) on: Tue Mar 9 20:21:53 EST 1999
  
  Chandy,
  
  I must say you are expecting too much from these filmi guys. They have a talent and they are peddling it for money. Period. All this about promoting classical music among masses...well, you be the judge. You think thats realistic ?
  
  Ofcourse it pains to hear them stoop to such levels...but thats because you and I have raised them high !
  
  Lets have reasonable expectations from these guys and treat them like you treat any paid service - if its bad ditch them; if its good patronize them.
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Wed Mar 10 13:05:18 EST 1999
  
  Rags, I agree with you in toto. But when one reads their interivews, the impression one gets is that these singers are serious about doing their bit for classical music.
  
  Curious, HH is a formally trained classical singer. He ventured into ghazals and film music, and became popular there. Yes, hes not a typical-classical singer like Unni or KJY. This raises an interesting Q. Arent ghazals classical?
  
  
  chandy
  
  
• From: Rags (@ stingray.cincom.com) on: Thu Mar 11 03:35:18 EST 1999
  
  Hi Chandy,
  
  No. Ghazals are not classical. They are light...absolutely light music...They have heavy poetry, soft music and accent more on lyrics than on music actually.
  
  Thats the reason why HH had to learn Urdu and unlearn carnatic fundamentals !
  
  And don't take the interviews of filmi junta too seriously. I would expect organisations like SPIC-MACAY to do more more for classical music (ever heard of them ?) than these filmi singers.
  
  Nice discussing , I must add, with you Chandy :-)))
  
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Thu Mar 11 10:13:15 EST 1999
  
  Rags,
  
  How can you presume that I havent heard of SPIC MACAY????????? Fyi, i was an active member of SPICMACAY bk in school.
  
  Yup, I agree that Ghazals rely a lot of the content of the poetry, rather than on the way they are rendered.... in fact I must have raised this issue in the lyrics-poetry thread.
  
  chandy
  
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Thu Mar 11 10:13:28 EST 1999
  
  Rags,
  
  How can you presume that I havent heard of SPIC MACAY????????? Fyi, i was an active member of SPICMACAY bk in school.
  
  Yup, I agree that Ghazals rely a lot of the content of the poetry, rather than on the way they are rendered.... in fact I must have raised this issue in the lyrics-poetry thread.
  
  chandy
  
  
  
• From: Rags (@ qt-ce.singnet.com.sg) on: Fri Mar 12 18:42:35 EST 1999
  
  Chandy.
  
  No, not assuming anything whatsoever about yr awareness of Spicmacay...just wondered if u had heard of them...good to know u were part of that excellent group...I never had that opp while in India.
  
  BTW did u read my comments in the titbid section...Having remarked 'bout his arrogance, I think TMS was a good example.. who was able to moderate between classical & light music effortlessly.
  
  
• From: chandy (@ 209.125.83.228) on: Mon Mar 15 10:16:14 EST 1999
  
  Rags,
  
  I think KJY has also been able to strike a great balance between classical and film/light music. The few (! can we have a list if its more!!) dupaangoothus he has sung are quite justifiable (I hv elaborated on thanni-thotti in one of my earlier postings) and he has done his bit for the cause of music.
  
  Its people like UK who leave me more worried. UK has been gifted with a golden voice with abuandant talent.. Its saddening to see him sing a lot of very-mediocre-songs. If he needs a positive place in history, its high time he gets choosy about his songs! As suppudu once remarked..."Unnishtam... unni-ishtam".
  
  chandy
  
  

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