The Crimson Rose

In a distant land that time forgot,

Upon the highest mountain top,

The Crimson Rose stands taut,

A sight that makes hearts stop.

A flaming torch under the sun,

A ruby in a moonlit night,

To feel its petals we run,

Climbing and crawling with all our might.

Alas it is not an object to possess,

It is the blessing we pray to get,

The friend we yearn for in distress,

The true love that has not struck yet.

For the fallen soul, it is the helping hand,

The ray of hope when darkness grows.

Upon the mountain in a forgotten land,

Stands taut the Crimson Rose.

A Band Apart

The Backstreet Boys are always known to evoke extreme reactions, whether of admiration or hatred. The first I heard of them was "Everybody", during some dance competition in school in 1998. I loved the song, had it on some audio cassette too. I didn't think too much of the Boys though (what vocal talent can you judge from that song). A few months later, I spied this live performance of them on some music channel. It was an acoustic performance filled with a wide array of their ballads and harmonies. Then came Millennium, their biggest album to date. And I became a fan. Apart from their amazing vocal talents, the hundreds of interviews have shown them to be down-to-earth people who came from modest backgrounds, and reached success through determination and hard work. So, I scoff at people who dismiss them as a "boy-band", whom they are nothing like.

Rather than the talent show creations that came after them, the Backstreet Boys were a self-formed group. They went through the labors of going on cross-country road-trips to play their music before they got a record deal. This was no different from any rock group that I am a fan of, except this is a group of five singers, an acapella group. "Acapella" is the magic word here, that separates them from the flood of pre-packaged talentless pop acts. Their countless performances over the years in concerts, award shows, TV shows bear testimony to their amazing vocal abilities. So, people saying "they can't sing", just demonstrate their blatant ignorance and nothing more. Individually, they are five different personalities with their own vocal style and influences. Brian is a devout Christian musician with Gospel influences as part of being in school church choirs. Same with Kevin and Howie, but Kevin is a fan of country music and soul, and Howie of Latino music and R&B. AJ has old school rock-and-roll, funk and jazz influences, while Nick is inclined towards classic rock and metal. In their trademark five-part harmonies, all five alternate being tenors and counter-tenors. Kevin is mostly the baritone. AJ and Nick trade places for bass. Howie is the usual counter-tenor.

Then there's those that call them, or their music "gay". That word seems to have become a loser's easiest way out. You just hate someone without really knowing why, then you just justify that by calling them gay. "They're gay coz they sing love songs". Did you get the lyrics of "Nothing Else Matters"or "The Unforgiven 2" faggot? Yes, the BSB do sing a lot of love songs. But if you get your head out of your ass, and actually listen to their whole albums, you would see that over the years, their lyrics and content has matured. Songs like The Perfect Fan (written by Brian), The Answer To Our Life, Time (co-written by all), Weird World, Never Gone (written by Kevin), Moving On (written by Howie), to name a few, deal with various other aspects of life. A message song does not have to be anti-establishment or one abusing George W Bush. In fact, the best message you could give would actually be one that is positive.

So there you have it. I am a Backstreet Boys fan. And I love rock too. In fact, if there is one genre I would single out, that I listen to the most, it would be rock. Apart from BSB, there is hardly any pop that I listen to. Moreover, the BSB combine elements of rock and R&B, with the occasional country and soul influence perfectly.

My playlist has both 'I Want It That Way' and 'Nymphetamine'. I can listen to 'Shape of My Heart' and 'Turn The Page' in the same breath. I put on 'Wake Up' to fire me up, and listen to 'Show Me The Meaning' when I unwind. So go ahead motherfucker, blabber what you want, here's my two arms raised, one with the Devil's horns and the other with the finger!

\m/ ,,|,,

The Creation Delusion

The video above is a brilliant lecture by Neil deGrasse Tyson speaking on the persistent, ignorant theory of Intelligent Design. I think he hits the nail on the head here. Its necessary for scientists to take a more serious note of the influence of Creationists on the general public. Instead of trying to sweep things under the rug, they need to take the Creationists head-on and counter their outrageous claims. You can easily see Youtube videos with Creationist propaganda, and how convincingly some of the speakers are able to put forward their "theory" to a mostly scientifically challenged public.

My Idea of God

I have been brought up in a Hindu family, and my parents aren't overly orthodox. Nothing was ever enforced upon, and everything was open to debate. Growing up, my interest in reading made me familiar with the Mahabharata and a few other ancient scriptures. Rather than rulebooks & doctrines, I was pleased to find metaphorical stories that inspired and taught values that are as relevant today as they were in those days.

I have never been one to visit temples too often. The idea of a God that punishes was unacceptable to me even as a small child. And rituals & superstitions just aren't my cup of tea. Having said that, I do know of some practices having a scientific background, but are given a populist facade to make sure people follow them, and I certainly do follow them.

In a lot of situations, I seem to agree more with atheists than I do with believers. So what is God to me? For the most part, a source of inspiration that is the most pure and incorruptible. Being a student of science, every natural occurrence has a scientific explanation to me. So I don't think of God as some kind of puppet-master. Thankfully, my religious teachings do not prohibit me from believing that my ancestors were apes (figuratively speaking). So my faith does not blind me from simple truths like evolution. This trust in a supreme being lies totally in the spiritual domain of our existence. Like morality, it does not have a scientific/logical proof, nor does it need any.

So then, what is the 'use' of this belief? It inspires me to be a better person. Sure, we have idols among fellow humans for that. But sometimes you need something far different to inspire hope within yourself. Not everyone does, well I do. I admire the atheists who can inspire hope within themselves when there is none. And would most certainly like to read about them. Unfortunately, all great & famous stories of survival of the "rise from the ashes" kind that I have heard involve people who quote their belief in this supreme being as an inspiration to rise above. Not passing any sort of judgement here, I might have certainly missed some.

So there it is, my idea of God.....

Professional Love songs

Came up with this list when I was listening to BSB b-sides. You know.. those songs that don't make it to final cut of an album.

1) Backstreet Boys - Forces of Nature ---> For Chemical Engineers & Earth scientists probably :P

"Opposites attract, chemicals react"???? WTF? Is this a chemistry class??? Amazing harmony though!!!

2) Backstreet Boys - Satellite ---> For astrophysicists ;)

(P.S. - A running list. Looking for songs by other artists too!! )

मराठी अभिमान गीत

A Story

The year was 1992. In the Sunshine State of Florida, the city of Orlando with Disney & Universal studios was a haven for those seeking fame & recognition. Nicholas, Alex and Howard were no different. Nicholas, born in upstate New York and raised in Florida was all of 12, but dreamed big. So did Howard, a native of Florida, older but barely out of his teens. Alex, 14, perhaps wanted to give meaning to his existence, lost in a dream world, away from his troubled home, raised by his loving mother & grandparents. The three used to meet regularly while auditioning for musical theater, TV shows and became good friends. They soon discovered their common interest in music & began working together. Later they also met Scott, 20, a native of Kentucky, former church choir singer and currently performing theater, who soon joined them. A businessman, owning an airline company, but who wanted to make a fortune out of managing a music band, auditioned them & decided to manage them. But he wanted one more member, and Scott thought of his cousin Thomas back home in Kentucky, also a church choir singer. Thomas was on his way to join missionary school, but in his heart was a born performer. So, he made his mind to try out his luck with the group. In no time, he bonded with the rest. And so began their journey.

The path was not easy. They spent 3 long years practicing, performing in schools, theme parks. Finally, they landed a recording offer. But, they met with little success in America. So, they went across the Atlantic to Europe. Slowly, people started taking notice, and soon, before even they realized it, the five were becoming something of sensations. Riding high on their newfound success in Europe, they came back to their homeland, and this time, they were greeted with a huge welcome. Now, they became the Fabulous Five!!! They became a worldwide rage. They worked hard, and they loved what they did. However, the world around is not as simple. Their manager was out to squeeze every penny using their talents. They found themselves being stretched to the limit, with not a lot of payback for themselves. Howard performed with the group hours after losing his sister. Thomas survived a health scare, but barely took any rest before hitting the road again. But, they had grown up & realized none of this is worth without health & family. So, they laid out their terms and said that they wanted things their way. And they got it. They were now more successful than ever, and they were now doing things on their own terms.

They were maturing, but unfortunately not all in the right way. Alex, with the ghosts of his past, became lost in the dizzying world of fame. Rather than his friends with their feet firmly on the ground, he enjoyed nights at clubs. Alcohol was just the beginning, soon he became addicted to drugs. Suddenly, his friends found him floundering & exhausted. Then, one day, Alex lost his dear grandmother & suffered a breakdown. Scott, troubled by his friend's changed behavior, confronted him. But they had a fight and Alex told Scott, who, being the eldest was like the caring big brother of the rest, that he didn't want to see him again. Later, Alex felt guilty and knew he needed help. With the support of his family and his friends, he entered rehab. His friends too, took this time to be on their own. Cousins Thomas & Scott married their childhood sweethearts. Thomas soon also became a father. Howard spent his time in business. Nicholas was still the growing boy, and he utilized this break to make music on his own. The friends spent time apart, but never left each other's side. When Alex finished his rehab, his four brothers were there to greet him. The biggest hug he got was from Scott.

Then they decided it was time. In 2005, they announced they had a big & refreshing break, and it was time to work. Things had changed now. Over a decade of experience had also humbled the Fab Five. But behind all the glitz & glamor, their amazing talents had left a indelible mark on their followers. The craze, though now more reserved rather than the prime-time TV news material of before, was still there. Moving on, Scott decided he needed time for his family. Giving his blessings to his friends, he went back home & is now a happy father. The others continue to worth together & on their individual music. Thomas has followed his calling, and together with his work with the group, is also a Christian musician. Scott meets his friends occasionally. He even joined them once in a performance in 2008. Through it all, they have still remained the five friends that used to hang out & make music together near the Backstreet Market in Orlando.

[ This is a fictional story inspired by real events. Any resemblance to living legends and their lives is a result of their inspiration to this story along with some fictional, but probably closely accurate elements :) ]