Thursday 4 July 2013

The Discovery Of a Metalhead

Before joining engineering college, my association with music was limited to Bryan Adams, MLTR, Eagles, Bollywood stuffs and yes, also with some of those pop shits that they used to play on MTV. In hostel we used to hear diverse range of melodies from all different rooms, but particularly it was predominated by Bollywood songs, rock and metal music, with negligible amount of pop stuffs. Even though I was in some sort of metal environment, but never took it seriously until one particular evening. 

Immediately after the ragging days, the entire fresher’s came to their true forms. The cigarettes switched hands very frequently and the heavenly fluids already started to purify the blood inside our body. Most of the hostel rooms were already blessed with music systems and everyone really enjoyed to play the music  little louder. Sabine was a metalhead and we didn’t know him quite well that time, as he joined hostel just few days before the fresher’s night. That particular evening, few of us simply strolled through the hostel campus and encountered Sabine on the way. We planned to go out to buy some cigarettes and Sabine wanted to go to his room first. I think that was for the first time I visited his room and as soon as we entered the room, Sabine switched on the music system and my goodness, terrible kind of noise started to come out the speakers, as if it was about to burst in a while. Someone asked "What the hell are you playing dude? Please change the music"

Being a die hard metal fan, Sabine got depressed with those words. He then tried to explain us about the beauty of metal and about the spirituality behind it. He gave us metal gyaan for the next 10 to 15 minutes and finally he asked us to do something. He switched off the lights and asked us to lie down on the bed. There was complete darkness inside the room and then Sabine switched on the music system.  He asked us to close our eyes and feel only the music, as if nothing else existed in this world. Sabine increased the volume and what the hell? I was enjoying it, I was really enjoying it. He played some of the classic Metallica tracks that evening in loud volume and I listened to them with both my eyes closed. Couldn't realize how the noise turned into melody for me. It pleased my ears and relaxed my mind and body to a great extent. 

After that evening, something happened to me. I felt quite happy and confident, as if I was in love.  It started that time and the bonding became stronger and stronger day by day. In fact, no other kind of music soothed me that time other than those metallic melodies. The entire four years passed so fast listening to Metallica, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Black Sabbath and many more. Those days on every gathering and especially after the influence of heavenly fluids, hostel metalheads usually used to play video CD’s of the Metal Gods performing live on stage. Watching them we used to discuss and wondered "How it would feel to watch them live, to be part of such a concert?" 

Someone usually used to reply "Forget it, there’s no way we could experience them live in India" It felt bad but we had to believe the fact. But the world is really becoming smaller and smaller day by day. Years later, I think it was early 2007 and I was working out here in Bangalore. I got the news that Iron Maiden was coming to Bangalore for a concert. I was totally shocked and extremely delighted with that news. I just couldn’t believe even after I bought the tickets. That was some kind of a concert, totally mind blowing and out of the world. 

The crowd was extremely huge, as metalheads not only all over India, but all across the sub continent were at Bangalore that night. For the first time I witnessed something like that, some 50 thousand fans and most of them dressed in black. When they played the famous track "Fear of The Dark", my goodness it was magical and I couldn't hear Bruce Dickinson's voice at all, as the entire crowd was singing altogether. That particular concert changed the entire metal business in India and since then, hell lot of metal bands from all over the world performed out here in Bangalore. Few of my other memorable concerts were that of Metallica, Sepultura, Megadeth, Cradle of Filth, SuidAkrA and Amon Amarth. At present I'm just waiting for tomorrow's Bangalore Open Airyes Saturday 6th of July 2013.

30 comments:

  1. Bangalore is one great place which hosts these American Biggies .. including Brian Adams .. and Metallica and I think even LimpBizKit ..
    We manage with our local heroes .. or Parikrama at the most ;) well they are good too :)

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    1. Why only American? Bands all over the world perform here. Or was it a synonym for foreign bands? :) Parikrama is good, I've experienced them performing live several times.

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  2. hope i'll visit ths kinda event sm day.............
    :)

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    1. Surely U would experience such event very soon :) Thanks for visiting out here Karanvir!

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  3. I am not a big metal fan though I like listening to them sometime..especially Gothic Metal....And Yes Bangalore is the most happening city when it comes to Metal Concert and The 2011 Metallica concert in Bangalore was Rocking....
    I would also like to say about Shillong..Though it is not as big as Bangalore but surely the Rock City of NE India..Oh I miss the Hoobastank Concert there..

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    1. Wow! Gothic. Now a days I listen to Melodic death Metal. You are correct Bangalore is the metal city of India. Shillong is certainly the rock capital of India and not only NE. I'm sure all music lovers know about Shillong.

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  4. Pune also has these kinds of events ...........

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    1. Yes Mukhtiar Bhai. But Bangalore is quite well known for metal concerts, even though they use to organize others concerts as well.

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  5. There was 1 more guy who fell in love dat day- Nair. As he recounted later, the haunting chant of "MASTER" "MASTER" just before the guitar solo in "Master of puppets" oozing once from the left speaker, and then from the right, mesmerized him. So much that- it kept him spellbound by metal for the next 4 years of Engg life.

    Dunno if he's still into metal though!

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    1. Yes Sabine, Nair was also present that time. I remember U played "Master of puppets" many times and the guitar solo was mesmerizing. Nair was into metal for the next 4 years of Engg life. But I don't think he's still into metal :)

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  6. I prefer our own old Hindi movie songs... rest all goes above my head. :)
    Have a nice time!

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    1. Even I also like classic Kishore Kumar songs sometimes. Inside my car only Bollywood songs as my wife can't tolerate rock or metal :)

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  7. Yay from another diehard metalhead! So what was the song that transformed you? I'm taking a wild shot- was it by Iron Maiden? Maiden tend to transform lives.
    I've been a metalhead since I was 12 or 13, and looking back, that's the only thing that's kept me going thru everything.
    Have fun at the open air! \m/

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    1. Hello Dude, Always feel good to meet a metalhead :) I could remember 2 songs that transformed me "Master of Puppets" and "Unforgiven 2" by Metallica. And then Iron Maiden contributed a lot in the transformation as well :) Yeah,looking forward for BOA today. Thanks for visiting out here chaitanyavs!

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  8. I like metal bands like black Sabbath and iron maiden. Metal is lovely in its own way

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    1. Nice to know that U R also a metalhead Akash :) metal is really lovely!

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  9. Liked ur post about how the particular music grew on you. i have kids of my own, my son my nephews and nieces too who enjoy these and have various interpretations as to how they find it very gud for themselves. As for me let me be honest I can only take as much as linking park is it that too not all but some...more than that i find it jarring and far from it being music just one headache inducing noise. But pls pls have mercy on me and don't get upset. i also am sincere about different strokes for different folks.

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    1. Thanks Shivani for sharing Ur thoughts. Nice to know that Ur kids, nephews and nieces as well enjoy metal music :) It's OK, everybody would't like such kind of music. Thanks a lot for visiting out here!

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  10. I enjoyed your piece. I'm a metal dabbler and still listen to Ride the Lightning more than is probably healthy :) Have you ever read Fargo Rock City by Chuck Klosterman? There are some interesting parallels between the cultural issues you've highlighted and his experiences with metal in rural North Dakota.

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    1. Nice to know that U'r a metal dabbler :) I haven't read Fargo Rock City by Chuck Klosterman. Seems to be interesting read. Thanks a lot for visiting out here Allison !

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  11. Aha! That known path once again! :-)

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    1. Thanks Rakesh :) for visiting out here!

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  12. i rerly listen metal music, but if it is good like this...

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  13. Though i have been into metals but got to experience it like you said..dark room with eyes closed. Great post !

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    1. Nice to know that U are also into metals :) Glad U liked the post and yes, U should try out that option :)

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  14. Being a metalhead isn't just listening to Metal music and headbaning, it gives us the joy of being a part of a big, big family. :)

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    1. Very well said Aakash, loved those words. It's really gives us the joy of being a part of a big, big family. Thanks for visiting out here dude!

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  15. Lucky you! Metal concerts are a rare thing in Mumbai. Iron Maiden did play here too in 2008 but a that time I was just a school going kid, hence, couldn't attend. Even Metallica skipped Mumbai in 2011! I'm literally dying here to experience the magic of singing chorus to a song with thousand of other metalheads in a concert. Anyways, nice post :D \m/

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    1. Glad to know even you are also a metalhead :) Yes, Bangalore is a heaven for metal concerts. Mumbai is not that far, you better plan it next time :) Thanks a lot for visiting out here Aditi \m/ !!

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