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How A Western Feel Abt IR and ARR

Topic started by Ramesh (@ 64.246.46.52) on Sun May 25 08:58:51 EDT 2003.
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

There are some many who think that ARR's music is ground-breaking. And some others have pointed out that a westerner or those who listen to western music will find ARR's music either all to familiar or rippped-off from elsewhere. I came across this article about a French musician who's lately getting into Indian music. This is the quote from the article.

"He is a great fan of Illayaraja and S.P. Balasubramanium. But surprisingly, A.R. Rahman doesn’t feature on his list of favourites. ‘‘He’s too contemporary and westernised for my taste,’’ replies Heni."

http://cities.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=51840

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Responses:

• From: PasserBy (@ 207.44.154.35) on: Sun May 25 10:17:24 EDT 2003
  
  Guess that settles it once & for all for the dumb claim by people here that hollywood & westerners are going to be taken by ARR's music.
  
  
• From: Anecdote-an (@ 66.176.167.250) on: Sun May 25 11:12:14 EDT 2003
  
  I have a "Western" colleague who plays the bass in a couple of bands, a progresive rock band & an electronic band (weird combo, I know). He recently asked me to give him some Indian CDs and played him whatever mp3 I had on my work computer. The reaction was surprising...
  He thought songs like Humma Humma & Konjam Nilavu sounded more like pop with an Indian tinge, while he was completely bowled over by the percussion instrumental "Love Check". He also thought 'Vaan Nila" from Kadhal Virus was a nifty piece of compisition. One common thing he had to mention about all of ARRs songs were the good production values.
  Then I played him some Ilaiyaraja numbers...right off, he was curious why they sounded so muffled and I had to explain that was the best quality he could expect. Anyway, he was impressed by 'Poove Sempoove' and a slightly lesser known IR song, "Thaamarai Kodi, manadhil vandhadhu yeppadi". He could not relate to songs like "Pottu vecha mallige mottu" and "Aayiram thaamarai mottukkale", though he did notice the western classical influence.
  
  I'm not judging either ARR or IRs music based on the evaluation of a random 'western' listener, but yeah, it did somewhat point to the fact that maybe not all westerners are going to be taken in by ARRs peppy-poppy numbers. But then, thats just not what his music, so maybe he knows that better than us and will come up with the right stuff to woo the western world.
  
  
• From: outsider (@ 206.20.111.106) on: Sun May 25 21:55:55 EDT 2003
  
  hey, I'm a westerner too. I agree with some of what Henri said, there is alot that can be found in tamil and hindi music which is not found in the west. But I think MDs using western styles is not necessecarily a bad thing. It depends on how it is being used. I don't like MDs who deliberately try to write "pop" sounds and often come off as bad imitations of western music that no westerner would listen to.
  
  I think ARR is probably the best MD for incorperating western music in a way that is both interesting to westerners as well as indians. HJ and VS write more in an 'MTV style' of insidious pop music, and sound best when not writing western style music. Deva is also guilty of writing bad western pop, but often he does it 'tongue-in-cheek' and is fun to listen to.
  
  I think composing in different styles shows the versatility of the individual composer. And versatility is a good thing.
  
  
• From: C~P (@ 202.9.148.157) on: Sun May 25 22:15:11 EDT 2003
  
  "Guess that settles it once & for all for the dumb claim by people here that hollywood & westerners are going to be taken by ARR's music."
  i never knew that west is sooooo sparsely populated! .... i never saw anyone acknowledging the fact that MJ was spotted wearing a ARR t-shirt ... but yeah Henri is way too popular compared to MJ!
  
  
• From: S D J (@ 152.163.253.65) on: Sun May 25 23:33:38 EDT 2003
  
  Who in the blue hell is this Heni.....???
  
  But it doesn't matter...WE(this includes all IR/ARR/DEVA/HJ/VS fans and any other morons out there) all could take his word and settle it once & for all for the dumb claim by people here that Hollywood & westerners are going to be taken by ARR's music.
  
  Shame on ARR for not being in Heni's featured list of favorites.
  
  
• From: ambleen (@ 61.8.210.74) on: Mon May 26 00:17:25 EDT 2003
  
  "Shame on ARR for not being in Heni's featured list of favorites."
  
  Well it ain't more shame when compared to being on the favourite list of some numbskulls here whose only exposure to music is just ARR.
  
  
• From: Paran (@ 203.123.16.249) on: Mon May 26 01:02:24 EDT 2003
  
  ha ha ha ha..
  
  mm..le me think....didn't did gave his own fav ist of MD..in an interview....without IR...
  
  
  so..what's the conclusion out of it?
  
  
• From: Paran (@ 203.123.16.249) on: Mon May 26 01:03:34 EDT 2003
  
  Sorry
  
  ****************
  mm..le me think....didn't did gave his own fav ist of MD..in an interview....without IR...
  
  SHOULD BE
  ****************
  mm..let me think....didn't Dhina gave his own fav list of MD..in an interview....without IR...
  
  
• From: outsider (@ 206.20.111.99) on: Mon May 26 02:31:59 EDT 2003
  
  well ambleen, I don't think I qualify as one of your numbskulls. I've had knowledge and experience of western classical, pop, rock, rap, etc, as well as listening to various tamil MDs, and I think I can fairly judge good writing from bad writing, whoever the writer is. And I certainly don't ga-ga fawn over ARR, nor IR.
  
  
• From: ambleen (@ 61.8.210.74) on: Mon May 26 03:27:07 EDT 2003
  
  outsider,
  
  ARR's western inlfuence is too much. Westerner's don't need that. They'll find it so boring as it's too close to their own music. That is why BD's main patrons are Indians living in London. That is why Heni said what he felt. And this, some smart Indians already felt long time ago.
  
  
  Paran,
  
  Ur missing the whole point. Who cares what Dhina feels or says. This guy is a conniving big Zimmer and IR fan. Have you listened to his music? His little bgms is totally molded from IR's. His usage of nathaswaram is taken not from MSV, not KVM but what IR invented ages ago. His other BGM steals from Gladiator, Backdraft and lots of others. The discussion is how a westerner feels abt IR and ARR music. And it's aptly said by Heni.
  
  
• From: Paran (@ 203.123.16.249) on: Mon May 26 04:07:48 EDT 2003
  
  yaaaawn....
  
  good bedtime story.....
  
  good nite ambleen..will u tell me more tomm, please?
  
  
• From: Speaker (@ 203.126.142.232) on: Mon May 26 04:50:43 EDT 2003
  
  For Paran, Dhina's word is utlimate Music recognition. Thats upto him, taking reference as per the knowledge available!
  
  
• From: ambleen (@ 61.8.210.74) on: Mon May 26 05:30:07 EDT 2003
  
  yeah yeah...guess its too complicated for what u have up there which u call brain. Anyway, its a good way to escape. Now, go and sleep.
  
  
• From: ambleen (@ 61.8.210.74) on: Mon May 26 05:30:55 EDT 2003
  
  Speaker,
  
  Agreed.
  U can really tell the difference in the mindset and knowledge of a certain fan group. When u talk sense to them, they back out. Some run away. When u use words like para(ya)n, it is surprising to see they got feelings and get agitated. Funny creatures this.
  
  
• From: Paran (@ 203.123.16.249) on: Mon May 26 06:02:37 EDT 2003
  
  he heheh
  
  ha ha h aha
  
  
  "When u use words like para(ya)n, it is surprising to see they got feelings and get agitated"
  
  never seen one like that...
  
  it's always, we try to educate the person who post this primitive, typical minded idiot..but as always....we fail...
  
  
  i am not escaping...but....when u keep on sayign the same thing...i get hypnotized........kah kah kah
  
  
• From: mrp (@ 202.185.65.46) on: Mon May 26 06:47:39 EDT 2003
  
  heni represents himself not the west. i've got many western friends who think arr is easily one of the best in the world.
  
  
• From: xml (@ 128.148.68.57) on: Mon May 26 08:50:18 EDT 2003
  
  Since ARR copies all the western music in his film we can not expect from them good to say about ARR.
  
  It is like if some one borrow all the money from you and saying that 'I am more reich than you'.
  
  Will you accept that he is rich than you?.
  
  
• From: Speaker (@ 203.125.142.128) on: Mon May 26 21:14:28 EDT 2003
  
  Analogy. When westners come to india they are absolutely not interested in seeing LIC. They are interested in seeing nativity, be it thatched roof houses, great grand temples. If they want to see concrete towers, they will be happy staying in their home itself. Just visit Thiruvaiyar, as westners came purely for Carnatic songs not hip hops.
  Similarly, the success of Indian musicians will be brighter in they can bring forth the essence of Indianness in their format. Ravishankar got appeal from west because he modified the formats (Though many locals doesn't like it). ARR will sure mix enough quantity of Gazals and Pop and present. All along he's been doing this. Now VM says the future projects with ARR is Tamilizing Gazhal kadhal songs.
  IR thirusakam would be in much more experimental for sure. Good thing IR must be aware of clear expectation of west wrt to Symphony.
  
  
• From: eden (@ 65.138.35.45) on: Tue May 27 01:16:07 EDT 2003
  
  Is it not just a question of (Heni's) taste? I don't think his observation has got anything to do with quality / capabilities /richness of music etc
  
  
• From: ambleen (@ 61.8.210.74) on: Tue May 27 03:36:44 EDT 2003
  
  the same can be said of Andrew Lloyd Weber
  
  
• From: outsider (@ 206.20.111.100) on: Tue May 27 04:20:05 EDT 2003
  
  or Micheal Jackson
  
  
• From: Paran (@ 203.123.16.249) on: Tue May 27 04:55:56 EDT 2003
  
  and the same can be said of heni ...(again)...
  
  
• From: curses (@ 219.65.108.17) on: Tue May 27 05:39:06 EDT 2003
  
  ambleen..
  i disagree w/ u.
  If a composer of his fame is more than ready to produce the work of a guy from the East, not even from his background, it rings a completely different tune!
  
  
• From: madhukar (@ ) on: Sun Dec 12 04:03:48 EST 2004
  
  hi all,
  i am a gr8 music fan.i listen to a lot of music.i think IR is probably the best MD in india now.his style puts him ahead of anyone in the world.his mixing of western music in carnatic and hindustani will remain immortal.i play many notes in flute.but the rhythm and the feel u get frm IR's notes are more than anything in this world.
  anyone interested in sharing ir's music, any song,any album are welcome.bye.
  
  
• From: madhukar (@ ) on: Sun Dec 12 04:09:04 EST 2004
  
  hi all,
  i am a gr8 music fan.i listen to a lot of music.i think IR is probably the best MD in india now.his style puts him ahead of anyone in the world.his mixing of western music in carnatic and hindustani will remain immortal.i play many notes in flute.but the rhythm and the feel u get frm IR's notes are more than anything in this world.
  anyone interested in sharing ir's music, any song,any album are welcome.bye.
  
  

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