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S.Sunder ----- Original Message ---- From: Kalimuthu <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, 29 March, 2008 4:54:14 AM Subject: Re: [arr] Excellent Deccan Chronicle interview with ARR TRANSCRIPT ============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= === Thamarai: When I heard that the interview would take place early morning, I was very doubtful. I thought to myself, interview with Rahman sir in the morning? Impossible. If it was at night, one would have believed it. ARR (laughs): Well sometimes I also work early morning at around 5 am or so. Thamarai: I know that you used to be an introvert and shy kind of person. However, of late you have become more outgoing.. ARR (laughs): Nalla Pesarena (am I speaking well)?. Initially I was hesitant, but after sometime, you tend to open up. Krish: I would like to know about your music school. Can anybody - rich or poor, aspiring to learn music come here? How will its reach be? ARR: If you know a little about music, there is a course here. And if you don't know anything about music. you have a course for that as well. If you know everything about it and still want to know more, you could come here. There are three different courses. We plan on training 15-20 kids from difference communities from the road and see what level they take it to. We want to bring together different people, keeping music as a common thread. Joshua Sridhar: During you initial years of playing the keyboard, did you ever think that you would make it this big? ARR: Hmmm... No. In fact when I was doing my film, I was still not ready,. But later on, I understood that teamwork gets everybody's energy levels pumping. That's where you get the drive and positive vibes. The final product is just not yours, but a result of the efforts of many. It's like a bouquet of good things. JS: Did you have any role model? ARR: I cannot zero it down to a single person. I listen to Queen. Vangelis and they're all unique. When I started composing, these influences came together as one. I like Michael Jackson, but I could never be a performer (laughs). But somewhere, in me, those energy levels are there. Like when I did Chandralekha, it has a very Jacksons feel, but not Jackson. It just comes out in your music in a different way. JS: Have you ever taken up a project that you later regretted having signed? ARR: Well, I always think about the other side; that I was lucky to get the good projects. Because if you harbor negativity and keep complaining about it, you will never stop. Think positive and keep going. What's the worst that could have happened? JS: As an upcoming composer I find it difficult to deal with the business side of music. Why don't you start a talent management company? ARR: Think in terms of the big picture - when I get wrong films, I still do my best. I know people note that. Instead of cribbing, give it your best shot. Sometimes, I know from day one that the movie won't do well. But I want my contribution to mean something to the film. I do not think India is ready for a management company. Because music is something that you handle with your heart and your brain. Sometimes you have a beautiful project where they can't pay you money. Sometimes they will pay you, but the work won't be exciting. It's like you can't lose out on either. Thamarai: Every 15 years or so, old tunes make a comeback and everyone starts following it.. ARR (interrupts) : Do you want me to go back to Roja again? T: No. but what did you think is the style now? ARR: If one thing works, everyone wants to follow it and it becomes more of a trend. Rather than following something blindly, come up with new stuff. For example, if trance is the 'in-thing', everyone follows similar compositions and in a year, it will become old and boring. T: You do few Tamil movies, these days.. We are feeling bad and wish you do more. ARR: Even I want to work in more Tamil films. But, I am happy with what I am doing. Loads of young talents have joined the industry. (Points at Joshua) He is going well. We have to make way for them too. JS: Composers like me look up to you. I grew up listening to your music and wanted to be as great as you. There's also this expectation. We wonder why couldn't he do in this way or that way? Youngsters find it tough managing their work. ARR: (Laughs) Why couldn't I do what? JS: No, like streamlining and standardization of sorts. ARR: I am a composer. Maybe when I quit composing, I will do that. JS: No you wouldn't have to be doing. But with a vision like yours, something on those lines. ARR: As of now, I think we are not getting the right education. All of us are lucky to be self taught. But how many people can do so and go in the right direction. I am trying to get the best of the west and give back the best of the east. K: There are umpteen samples available online for any given instrument. Do you think musicians are becoming obsolete due to this? ARR: I think there is always a demand for great musicians. If you are a good composer, they're ready to pay you well. When maestros play, they do make a lot of money. But it's not all monetary, it's for the respect that they earn as a musician. If you have a performance of any of these artistes, it will be houseful, right? It's because they are extraordinary. K: You did Bombay Dreams.. When an actor performs in Broadway, he also sings and everything is live. I have been hearing your songs, and you have been singing a lot as well. Will you be acting in Broadway musicals? ARR: Me and acting (Laughs). I can't act. K: I have been listening to your music for a long time and for every movie you keep experimenting. Until, Duet your sounding was different and personally, I think it has changed now. I wanted to know if there is any reason behind that? ARR: The filmmakers demand for what they want and also their expectations are changing. So you see, sometimes it goes against what you want to do, It all depends upon the director's vision and what they want. They select those tunes, so it is their way. K: Today there are so many singers in the industry. About 500 singers are recording every day. I mean thanks to you, as you are the one who brought in the change. Do you think every singer is getting an opportunity to sing? ARR: I think they are getting an opportunity, but I don't know if they are getting their personality out in the open. I don't even know if they are getting an identity. It should always be about passion. K: What do you tell singers who are left out in their endeavors? ARR: I find two categories of singers. One category is, they just sing, they do not move out of the box. The other kind comprises those who have gone three or four steps ahead. They should not complain that nobody asked them to perform better, etc. They just have to go to the next level and start performing. K: Just to remind yourself of old memories, do you visit old places where probably you used to eat out at? Is there any place like that? ARR: My favorite restaurant is Woodlands drive in. I think it is a gift to Chennai. K: DO you still go there? ARR: Of course, I still go there. K: A few days ago, I and Naresh (Iyer) were standing outside his house and talking. At about 4 am or so, we saw you shuttling between your studios in a two wheeler. ARR (smiles) 4 am? Yeah, that was me. K: Why do you think there are so many remixes these days? They take old songs and add some new beats. ARR: They are probably unable to come up with something new. It may be for nostalgic value. The song I will always love you by Dolly Parton was later sung by Whitney Houston. But when she sang it, she took it to an altogether different level. K: Isn't that a new trend? ARR: Well, some people take it personally. Of course, I wouldn't like Roja to be remixed now. But if they ask my permission, it's okay. For example, a producer from Hollywood wanted to remix Chaiyaa Chaiyaa for the film Inside Man. So they approached me for the same. I just had one one condition - that they don't put any explicit lyrics on in and that they don't change the feel of it. So they considered that and worked on it. Later, they sent me an mp3 and asked if I was okay with it. I said it was alright and then they produced the song. That's the way to do it. But now mostly producers have the rights. They just ask the producer and remix the songs and do not consider the composer. They must take permission from the composer. If they say no, then just leave it. They wanted to remix Maa tujhe salaam. I didn't like the idea at all and asked them not to do it and they didn't. K: Is it necessary for a singer relate to the lyrics? ARR: If you don't know the language, it is okay. But if not, then you should go about learning it. I always tell Madhusree, make sure you do not come out of the studio without getting every word correct. It is not necessary for me that the singer should know the language. For example Madhusree sang for me three times Vaaji Vaaji, she has a beautiful voice but does not know a word in Tamil. But yeah it is always good to know what you are singing. So may be getting a translator would help. T: How about your children's music education? ARR: They are learning slowly. They are enjoying their life. T: You are introducing so many new voices. Why not bring them too? ARR: Let them learn first. K: Who is your favorite artiste? ARR: Among male singers, I would say Yesudas, but they SPB will get angry at me (laughs). I would only end up in trouble. But when talking about voices, I would vote for Yesudas. It's that kind of a voice that Yesudas and in the north Rafi sir had, that kind of voice. If you listen to their songs, it is not the music or the lyrics that matters, but it is the voice that counts, that special character of healing you. It is one rare quality you can't find that easy. May be it also has to do something with the personality. Even Cat Stevens had that voice. JS: I think you've got that kind of a healing voice. ARR: I am not sure If I even have a voice! Mine is not that kind of voice. I can't go deeper than a particular limit.. JS: I feel that your voice is mesmerizing. K: I think John Denver's voice is soothing. ARR: That's the kind of voice I am looking for.. Anyone has it here? It's not that other voices are not special, but I am just missing that one special quality. There are other extraordinary singers like him (Points at Krish) here. His next film Chakravarthy will be coming soon. T: When is that movie coming up? ARR: (Laughs) Only today, did the last song get complete. T: They have been making the film for a long. All the excitement just dries off if it takes forever to release. ARR: Probably because they are using too many animated sequences in the movie. But if the film is good, the wait does not matter. T: Are you going to work for the film, Chennaiyil Oru Mazhai Kaalam? ARR: I am not sure about the title but discussions are on with Gautham. ============ ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= ========= === On Fri, Mar 28, 2008 at 2:10 PM, Sunder <[EMAIL PROTECTED] co.in> wrote: > > > > > can anyone download and attach the images and send it across to me as the > site is blocked in UAE. > > Regards > > S.Sunder > > > > ----- Original Message ---- > From: Gopal Srinivasan <[EMAIL PROTECTED] com> > To: arrahmanfans@ yahoogroups. com > Sent: Friday, 28 March, 2008 9:57:17 AM > Subject: [arr] Excellent Deccan Chronicle interview with ARR > > > > > http://www.flickr. com/photos/ arrahmanfans/ 2368363002/ > http://www.flickr. com/photos/ arrahmanfans/ 2367529951/ > > Thanks to Thulasi Ram for spotting this. > > > > > ____________ _________ _________ __ > Now you can chat without downloading messenger. Click here to know how. > > Save all your chat conversations. Find them online at http://in.messenger.yahoo.com/webmessengerpromo.php
