Emperor Minge Live @ The Blue Frog

Great stuff Vidhi! Pity you did not hang around long enough for me not to offer to buy you a drink after the show!

is this the band that’s got the snake dance woman?
fuuuuuck…theyre too abstract to listen to for more than 5 minutes…i think half of delhi hates them

Stefan, you’re a funny man…you’re really hitting new lows ! =)

I’m trying that Brit humour thing !

ouch….!!!

Thought I`d point out that the song credited to The Carpenters was in fact an error, it was an original (as were all the other songs). Vidhi clearly did not like the show, there were others though who did. Opinions often tend to be polarized at Minge shows; usually a good thing in my book. Hopefully the author will post a video clip of the show and readers can decide for themselves if EM perform `exactly like a school band`.

wow …. vidhi … u really hate the band dont you ?
were u there the first or second day …not that it would make a difference :P

but half of delhi hating Em is a bit wrong

nice review
:)

@Clarence….I don’t hate the band, I dislike the music!
And I was there on day two. And as opposed to other gigs at Blue Frog…the turnout was shit. Best part is, it wasn’t even Holi :) But thanks for the compliment!

@Stefan: Videos coming up for sure.

@ Everyone reading this : I DON’T GET BRIT HUMOUR..So I’m sorry…When you say ” This is a song by the Carpenters” and leave it at that…you can’t expect me to understand!

Well, as far as i know . Everyone in Delhi dislikes the band. Great article, hit the nail right on the head. No wonder that short, balding English man hates it.

Anyone who knew anything about the Carpenters (one of the most successful acts of the early 70s) would know that the song most definately would not be by the Carpenters. It is not your fault if you have never heard them, in fact you are probably lucky.

Vidhi, I have a sneaking suspicion that Clarence was not paying you a compliment. I think it may have been his amusing `Brit` humour.

School Band music rocks!!

You were there were you `smax`?

ha ha ha ha…. this is so much better than reality TV…….

i liked Emperor Minge. i was there on the first day. i think it’s a very interesting band live and pretty morbid music-wise/lyric-wise. and i like that. cheers!

vidhi if you’re gonna be a critic learn to be a critic first…bashing a band for the sake of it sounds just like our naive Indian ignorant culture….explore the music scene worldwide and educate yourself first…
PS: you are free to bash me because i dont really care…and i think you need a haircut or a facelift…one of the two…you decide…

Emperor Minge…what an honest review man….ppl really need to know how shitty they are…

sapna bhavnani…seems like you’re promoting youre salon wherever you can…cheap whore

I’ve checked out the band on youtube and was one of the few unfortunate ones at the frog the second night, thankfully only for 10 minutes though.

So in one of the NDTV interviews on youtube the guitar player talks how good the band is because they go from a m6 to a m7b5 to a dom7. That itself gives me good reason to not take these people seriously. There is nothing unique in the music, they can’t hold together one style let alone being able to play several and the whole thing looked like a scam. So if you think their gig at the frog was great, either you are a friend and doing them a favor or you are musically dumb.

Also, the whole ‘oh you are not a musician you can’t critique us’ line is balls.

Be thankful that a musician didn’t critique the gig or the review would’ve made you cry.

Hey people simple you don’t like it don’t read it. It’s called free press. If you have an opinion start your own blog and say what you want no one is stopping you.

@Stefan here is the truth there are going to be 300 people who hate your band and 100 who might like it. Why don’t you concentrate on the 100 that like it rather than going after the people who don’t.

@ Madame Sapna Bhavnani: I will PAY you to keep your inconsequential and unsolicited advise to yourself. and even if someone does need a facelift or a haircut, your salon might not even be their last option, given how gorgeous YOU look!
Trust me, this ain’t the place (or the way) to look for business. People talk music here, not manicures and facelifts. you take pettiness to a different level!

Guys, if you have something constructive to say in terms of music, say it. If you can’t deal with someone else’s opinion, go read something else. Stop trying to stop people from saying what they want on THEIR blog.

@Vidhi: some people don’t appreciate the honesty, but such people don’t even matter so if you have something to say, SAY IT OUT LOUD.

Sapna, there’s absolutely no reason to get personal. Vidhi is not bashing the band for the sake of it, and knows more about music than you think.

I expected some class from you, my bad.

Sapna, there is no reason to get personal, Vidhi knows a lot more about music than you think.

I expected some class from you, my bad.

sapna this isn’t the online version of vogue.
2ndly talk music if u want,stop marketing ur business.i know chordvine is a great platform,but looking at ur pettiness,potential customers won’t come to u.
keep it real…try…

vidhi,consider her offer when u are 40…thats if u look like her…

I think the writer got it spot on. The band sounds worse than a wailing cat and deserve the bashing they got…..

@ Sapna- dont u have a job??? or is is shutting down cause its doing so badly considering u have nothin better to do than post some random shite here……. And i can bet my ass that Vidhi knows more about music than you and since you claim, Emperor Cringe is such an awesome band why dont you state some ‘musical’ reasons for it so we can figure out your know-how…..

Oh and some business advice for you Sapna…. maybe you should start selling hats and caps by the dozen to those unfortunates who go under your knife…… That ways, people get to hide their hideous hair- dos (or should i say hair dont’s) with the Mad o wat caps , and you start making some profits… its a win-win situation… Everyone’s happy…..

And what a fitting name for your salon… People are mad-o-wat?? to visit your salon for a haircut ???

Hahahaha…this place is the bomb. oh how i love this!

EM is by far one of the most experimental bands in India. I watched them live for the first time at Blue Frog and couldn’t believe what I saw and heard — movements, texture, madness with intent, costume, sex and drama, and REAL music. So fuck the haters, and stay high, where you belong.

ps: I’m not a friend, or musically dumb. Opinions are like assholes. keep the stinky ones to yourself.

While I don’t really like the music EM plays I’m open minded enough to think there are people who would like it, Musical tastes vary from person to person and Im sure that someone somewhere (Blue Frog?) likes them.

Criticism is all very well but we should be open to other people’s views.

And i disagree with Sapna about the facelift but a haircut and/or an attitude adjustment would do wonders for Vidhi!

LOL. The trash that Jeet Thayil play speaks so much about sridhars post….

Rapunzel, why does it seem like I know you? :)

fuck it makes me happy to know that so many people know of mad o wot…but thats not the point…here’s a secret….i worked as an A&R scout for 5 years in los angeles and to be honest..you know what my brief was….
dont worry about the music..we can fix that in the studio but we cannot give them a new face …
look for people with style that can sell a band….
so before you bash anything musicians…name one big band that is not stylish and name one musician that wouldn’t want to be on the cover of any magazine ….. so unless you’re Nusrat..id suggest be humble and stop the hating..
and as for Posy…well any respectable musician or hair dresser or actor or banker or director would not bash another in their profession…its not…”professional..” i dont know too many people coming to watch you perform if it wasnt for ankur…so maybe the name Ghalat family is perfect after all….
Vidhi your job is to critique but using a bit of finesse would be a very good quality….
ok enough time wasted on a useless website with useless info..
happiness

Sapna : I think as far as musicianship goes..Pozy’s top notch..and really, it can’t be all Ankur…if anything, Pozy’s doing Ankurji a favour playing someone else’s tunes..! And as much as I love Ankur’s music, he wouldn’t have been where he is without the band either. So give them both equal credit. It’s only fair! I don’t think Pozy would be be in demand for sessions if he was so useless afterall. But that’s just me.

I’m okay with you disliking what I write. As long as you don’t stretch to facelifts and haircuts..I’m good with all the criticism coming my way.

As for the finesse…I’ve written more positive pieces than negative..I think you should stop the hating too..your post about me wasn’t too pretty and I totally respect all that experience of yours but using some finesse and knowing what you’re talking about is very important when you go commenting that way!

=)

Sapna, there exists a type which doesn’t care about being on the cover of magazines or having style, too bad you were never exposed to them. I can give you a long list of such people if you like.

Secondly, I don’t play guitar for a living, its just a hobby and I’ll not give you a list of the much bigger gigs and people i’ve been lucky to play with way before ankur, because you for sure don’t listen to that kinda music.

Also, your reasoning makes little sense. You shouldn’t reserve your good side for your peers, be nice to everyone if you really believe in it. Telling vidhi to get a haircut and facelift is alright coz she’s not a hairdresser, right?

The best musicians in bombay are people whom you mustv’e never even heard of and trust me they don’t even care. It’s those people i’d like to be known to and not to random xyz’s.

It’s pretty common to see people these days working on the look and image. Not surprisingly, they don’t last long.

Allan Holdsworth vs the White Stripes. You know who i’d put my money on, sapna. Substance beats style, any day.

Yes Sapna…. Metallica, Motherjane,Opeth have such dashing, stylish and good looking members right?????????????????? Wrong…… but yet they are amongst the best bands in the world right now….

You ma’am are a third grade turd… I really think you should think a little before you speak such shit but I dont think anyone can blame you cause you seem to have an iq the size of an average orangutan…. Why else would you bring up style on a music forum???

No0b!!

Yo all Ye me-knows-all-farts.. some humble submissions from the boogieman!
EM is one of the better experimental bands that i have come across.. This is not to say that they are in a place where they will blow you off your feet.. They are an evolving band for sure.. Having said that here’s what me thinks - A band comes alive when there is a certain thing called cohesivenes.. Unfortunately EM seems like a one man act - STEFAN if you are reading this then remember that the best acts in the world are those where all the elements fuse together - can name a few off the cuff but hey I am no god’s gift to mankind musically or sartorially (Vidhi & Sapna please note)

I completely agree with that sagely soul who is quoted by Vidhi as saying “that swaying person occupying 4 sq ft of stage space” - Stefan : it would be great if you would let that 24 cu.ft. of personage on stage called the singer do her job - that’s what she is there for and perhaps you should stop that GUTTERAL CROAKING that you seem to think goes for singing or at the very least keep it as a strategic “pick-me-up” - Think about it!

Secondly, the band comes across as very disjointed .. this may be because the entire energy seems focused on displaying stefan’s virtuosity on the keyboards - both musically as well as visually (in a live act).. It may be an idea to experiment with the other members of the band coming into their own with a little space to themselves to express their uniqueness - If this could happen then maybe there will be magical moments of true experimentation.. Right now it all seems like Caligula enacting his manic obsession with all the senate members partaking in an orgy, constantly looking at the emporer truly minging when it comes to parting with some pleasures in the orgy!

And as for all Ye Know it alls.. Freedom of expression is a good thing as long as you are as good as taking it as giving..

Rock aint dead yet and long live all evolutionary forms - whatever name it goes under ! Chinese pop seems like bit of an oxymoron.. am sure many of you have your own views..

So in summation - Get tight with it EM - AMEN

Vidhi,

It’s nice to finally read a gig review that has a little more substance than “they rocked man” or “they sucked donkey balls”. So i truly appreciate the time and the effort and also the fact that you actually seemed to listen to Emperor Minge, for a while at least. So well done!

I did, however, find your reference to “Brit humour” quite offensive. From the exchange above, it seems Stefan was merely being sarcastic. Not getting the joke is one thing (Word to the wise EM: Know your audience) but as a (presumably) music critic, you just devalued your own (and usually cruical) objectivity.

Finally, I can understand that EM might not be to your taste, or many other tastes, and that is fair enough. But I would find your review so much more helpful if it had been more multi-dimensional. There was more Vidhi than EM in this piece.

Ay…what’s all this?

EM is one fun live band…bloody kickin vibe!

@Spitfire :

I got the joke…played along…and well, you probably didn’t get it ‘cause I’m an amateur at this sarcasm n brit humour thing…:P

Apart from that, you’re the only person on this thread who has actually given a sensible input..and I guess it’s your musical background!

Will keep that in mind…thanks! :)

hey… i see you’ve deleted my earlier comment… i wonder what hurt?… the fact that you are 17 yrs old or that you dont know your music?

Dear Vidhi,

I see that you’ve deleted my earlier comment… I wonder what hurt?… was it the fact that i mentioned that you are 17 yrs old and have no idea what you are talking about?…
Cheers

`Ha Ha` That is not very nice at all. Vidhi seems to be quite a sweet girl really, OK she was off the mark in her review and perhaps a little shortsighted in some of her responses, OK I am being kind here :) but your feedback is not helpful or encouraging at all. After all, it is worth remembering that at the end of the day `Chordvine is an online music magazine that aims at promoting music as an Art form rather than a distraction or merely entertainment`

since EM`s ability to make music is `doubtful`, she is merely writing according to her (aforementioned) ethos.

Which is quite admirable..well, potentially is.

Since according to the author “you can’t categorize music as good or bad. That’s debatable and subjective in nature”; this must be further proof (as if further proof were needed) that Emperor Minge do not make music, but produce instead, unintelligible noise.

Luckily there does appear to be a market for noise mongers (as we have discovered), so fellow musical illiterates can take heart, which is quite nice really when you think about it.

Maybe Vidhi should just tone down a bit…

BUT….I will give her that she picked up on exactly what this band sounds like…loose and not confident…
…I’d like to mention…I just came across this website a while ago…and have been keeping track of what goes on here…also, one thing i can say for certain is that at this point Stefan Kaye just seems to be trying too hard…i’ve watched them live…HE is really good…however..i wouldnt want to comment on the rest of the band…clarence must be nuts to play with them….secondly…whats with picking on her age? does it give you some sort of solace that she’s so young and still so popular ( i wouldnt know if she was..it’s just that so many people bothered ) or is it the fact that this might infact be true…

EM..stick to what you’re doing…i think your gigs are mostly packed with friends…but then that’s just delhi clubs…and anyway…and stefan…stop trying to prove a point man….move on…grow!

Really, no more nastiness directed at Vidhi please, she may have taken on board some of the feedback and perhaps some of my comments have been a little unsavoury, but she has helped create the forum that we all are enjoying getting allhet up on and exchanging (at times) ideas and thoughtful and constructive feedback. She may be a young whippersnapper but she is totally dedicated to music and its promotion, she has a quite genuine passion that she wants to share with others and will be one of the better known and respected figures in what may be quite a different looking music scene in a few years..possible due to figures like herself

Vidhi. Keep the vision..as if you needed to be told :)

no sarky comment following…look

Rouhaan

Your feedback seems a little incoherent to me

Clarence must be nuts to play with them
EM..stick to what you’re doing
Stefan Kaye just seems to be trying too hard
HE is really good
{the band are}loose and not confident…
i wouldnt want to comment on the rest of the band.

We can all discuss matters quite freely (this is after all one of the purposes of such forums); onen may feel the need to make a point and provide weight (proof if you like) that may help to make that point valid. I read your post after I posted the last one (it was not a reaction at all to what you had written). You are not one to tell me to stop making points.

You do not like the band, that is fair enough..but your diatribe is pretty fucking confusing..for the record gigs we do in Delhi are usually pretty well attended; it would be nice if we had that many friends.

where’d u get the nord stage ?

Stefan, you seem to be quite an arrogant prat…. Vidhi might be 17 but if she’s 17 you seem like you’re a 10 yr old tootsie sucking nancy who is trying so hard to prove his point….. Just a question… How old are you again?? and dont you have a job??? ok thats 2 questions i know(thought i’d state that before the gobshite picks on my error)…….

I’ve not heard your music but and dont even intend to hear it now considering you’re being such a weener. If you don’t like the site, GET OFF IT!!!!! I’ve been following this site for awhile and it pisses me off when artistes make immature rants like these…. Its called ‘freedom of press’ jackass and you have to learn to live with it instead of spitting your dummy…..

You’re quite frankly making a huge ass out of yourself and if you wanna continue with your sarcastic jabs at Vidhi or the site for that matter then you’re just pressing the self-destruct button, you sad lonely man…..

*expects a typical humourless,non-witty , dry, sarcastic comEback*

Go ahead and prove me right, i’m sure you will… hahahaha!!!! TURD!!!

oh i got the answer to my second question….. Your job is to sit at home and press the refresh button every one minute to see if someone has replied to your post….

Yeesh, seems like i’m catching the sarcasm bug …. Its really contagious….. That means people will have to stay away from you…….. and your music………

The problem with Indian music scene or any scene for that matter is - people like Stefan and Sapna. Let’s shoot them or at least hoot them. Just because they are this self loving, narcissistic, vain people, they take art for granted and still pretend as if they are the biggest artists around and know everything about it. All they wanna do is, get into limelight easily with cheap thrills, fancy acts and the gloss filled drama (considering most people are stupid and art- less, they fall for it) Gora people being unsuccessful in their own gora land, come to India and get success ( atlest, that’s what they think cuz they are invited to fancy parties and get free drinks) and people like sapna, who already are vain and have nothing more to them than just their outer skin , encourage such suckers. It”s like a circle. Point is - they still suck- a they either have to accept it and move on or just get their act together.

Talking of giving a fair review. Let’s see. There is nothing wrong in experimental music and it can be good but then, it also doesn’t mean all experiments are good. it’s good to have drama, texture and romance in performances but then just doing it for the heck of it and to cover up their sucky music can’t be termed as good in any language. Stefan, i challenge you to get one fourth of the success (that you mentioned you have in Delhi) you have now, in Brit-land. Then you may be in the position to say something. There, (read- outside India) atleast if people know white stripes on one hand, there would be people who would also know Allan holdsworth or G. love for that matter. ( Pozy said it quite well and i share similar thoughts) Fortunately for you Stefan, in India that’s not the case. Hence, people like you even exist here and are so proudly stomping the music scene and are being blindly and stupidly supported by all pseudo- musicians and pseudo- music lovers who wouldn’t know a shit ‘bout music. Well, you cater them with gloss and a itsy pitsy pancy dancer , why wouldn’t they like you? After all, govinda was ‘successful’ too in India. It’s quite simple. Its called psychology. I’m sure even the Brits know that word.

Once in a while people like Vidhi and P come and give it to you straight and your bloated ego ( may be sapna gave a blow job to his ego too) get hurt.
So, Stefan, take my challenge to get success in your Brit-land first and then come and say something here. REAL musicians take challenges constructively and are JUST GOOD. By GOOD, i mean UNIVERSALLY GOOD. If not, then they just be and don’t bother to react to criticism so much.

@Luke I’m Your Father…finally..i hope the ol’ grumpy gets the point..but then again, you never know..he’s been replying to every lil thing here…

Boho Lady demonstrates very effectively why she is no writer. The problem with the Indian music scene is goras like me..I am not in a position to comment unless I achieve one fourth of the success in UK that I have here..I will not waste my energy commenting any further `cos it is by far the stupidest most ignorant piece of racist crap that I have read in quite a while.. funny how people like that would only write their shit hiding behind a pseudonym. As for the `luke is my father` character..he is the person you would hate to be stuck with at a party..if he ever got out ..which is unlikely..There have been a handful of interesting posts with constructive feedback. Boogieman`s post was one..I must point out though that EM is very much a band..every person contributes in the writing process. His reference to, and likening of my involvement to that of psychopathic sex fiend Caligula is amusing I must say, though highly debatable..agreed more can be done with the stage dynamic..it is perhaps a pity though that this is all he focused on.

People can continue being bitchy if they wish but I shan`t be wasting any more time with it.

Vidhi, we will have that drink in Delhi next month :)

I mentioned Gora PLUS brown as well. How can it be racist when i blame a ‘particular KIND’ of people and by kind i definitely don’t mean color. Read it properly. You, who said all bloody racist things under the cover of your so called ’ Brit Jokes’ is talking of racism? How wonderful.

I’m sure you don’t understand psychology enough to construe my post. Still, you can try and ask some ‘Indi’ to help you out with getting into the psyche of people who appreciate your music.

Lastly, it’s not a pseudonym like your darling Rapunzel or Rumpelstiltskin used. I use this name a lot and if you were half as observant as you were on this virtual world all this time, you would know who it was. I use this name professionally as well. Unlike you, some people actually don’t bother for limelight so much. Yes, it would be a little hard for you to understand this.

Finally, at least my comment ( which you need help of a shrink to understand and then later may be talk to him as well) made you stop your fingers. This is called ‘psychology ’ as well. Know this word?

I mentioned Gora PLUS brown as well. How can it be racist when i blame a ‘particular KIND’ of people and by kind i definitely don’t mean color. Read it properly. You, who said all bloody racist things under the cover of your so called ’ Brit Jokes’ is talking of racism? How wonderful.

I’m sure you don’t understand psychology enough to construe my post. Still, you can try and ask some ‘Indi’ to help you out with getting into the psyche of people who appreciate your music.

Lastly, it’s not a pseudonym like your darling Rapunzel or Rumpelstiltskin used. I use this name a lot and if you were half as observant as you were on this virtual world all this time, you would know who it was. I use this name professionally as well. Unlike you, some people actually don’t bother for limelight so much. Yes, it would be a little hard for you to understand this.

As far as me not knowing how to write.. Aww, i can understand that your brain functions and reads information told in sarcasm and your stupid patronizing Brit humour. So, i don’t blame you not to understand this.

Finally, at least my comment ( which you need help of a shrink to understand and then later may be talk to him as well) made you stop your fingers. This is called ‘psychology ’ as well. Know this word?

I mentioned Gora PLUS brown as well. How can it be racist when i blame a ‘particular KIND’ of people and by kind i definitely don’t mean color. Read it properly. You, who said all bloody racist things under the cover of your so called ’ Brit Jokes’ is talking of racism? How wonderful.

I’m sure you don’t understand psychology enough to construe my post. Still, you can try and ask some ‘Indi’ to help you out with getting into the psyche of people who appreciate your music.

Lastly, it’s not a pseudonym like your darling Rapunzel or Rumpelstiltskin used. I use this name a lot and if you were half as observant as you were on this virtual world all this time, you would know who it was. I use this name professionally as well. Unlike you, some people actually don’t bother for limelight so much. Yes, it would be a little hard for you to understand this.

As for me not being able to write- Aww i understand that your brain doesn’t process information which is not written in sarcasm or your silly Brit humour. SO i totally get that. That was the whole point.

Finally, at least my comment ( which you need help of a shrink to understand and then later may be talk to him as well) made you stop your fingers. This is called ‘psychology ’ as well. Know this word?

Boogieman’s post made the most sense to me. And is the best advice for Stefan and EM, imo.

@Boholady: I’m just curious..who are you?

‘I’m your long lost sister’ ;)

I thought this was a forum to discuss/trash EM’s music. Why is everyone getting so personal here?

@ Parvati: Maybe you should ask Mr. K ! He knows best :)

yo ! me-knows-all-farts ! Boogieman has enjoyed all this kick-me-in-the-face-and-i-kick-your-balls kinda camaraderie!

It’s healthy venting.. keep at it people.. but do at least post something that may perhaps get the band to introspect into what they are doing..

me thinks that the world is racist. period. so let’s not all waste all our collective energies and qualifying this fact..

free your mind.. the rest will follow

@Boogieman, I think this review should be enough for the band to want to improve….clearly, Vidhi didn’t find anything musical in them…so maybe, they should try making music..though she could be wrong, she wasn’t off the mark with another review of the sort…

And if they decide not to get their act together…then thats their problem….

So Vidhi now is the utimate authority on music!!!… Wow Rouhaan… a fine person you’ve selected to educate you musically!!

Whether the band wants to improve or not after this is their headache…so chill Mr know-it-all.

and Boogieman, i know who you are!!

HA HA

@HA HA - good for you that you think you know who I am.. the truth be told even I dont know who I am..

@Vidhi - am surprised that you didnt react to my so called critique.. I normally do not like being the critique.. but some of the comments in your review - even though harsh, guess that’s your style, were bang on. and the essence of my reaction was to put things in perspective.. I guess I do know a little bit about music and stage acts - please dont ask me to qualify this though..

Keep the bashing on people..

out of chaos order and rythm may appear..this is the law of life..

boogieman has spoken.. AMEN

@Boogieman

I didn’t find it necessary to rant on like few ( possibly from EM)…and my responses were mostly not serious ‘cause it didn’t really matter..also, I’m not really the kind that wants to have the last word here( notice certain people from EM do) :)…Come on, facelifts, haircuts? If page 3 and third grade celebs have to get personal then I’m really not interested. Yes, your comment, as Rishu said was probably the most sensible…And so, thanks! As for me being harsh, I guess you’re right..Mr. Kaye here thinks I adopt some sort of sensationalist attitude…but fact remains, that even though I’m no saviour of the “scene” or whatever, EM is certainly one band I wouldn’t want this place to be known for. Unless ofcourse, they get their act together. Who knows, I might just end up becoming a fan…!

Lastly, the point you make about taking criticism if you give it is cool..I’m good with it..As long as it’s restricted to the review. I might not know a lot about music but Sapna and the like certainly don’t know jack.

P.S: I didn’t think I’d get down to saying this.Because of this I-hate-17-year-olds controversy..but every bit of my review is merely what I saw that night. Maybe it wasn’t their night. And it’s without the exaggeration that usually comes with our “naive indian ignorant culture”.

P.P.S : Ha Ha…go on, say something nasty…The post was taken down to save you the embarrassment…really, anyone with half a brain wouldn’t go “revealing” my age…but I guess it’s your way of coping…Bring on the love ya’ll !

And for everyone else..here’s clarifying something…that I did get those stupid jokes- brit or not! And even though my responses don’t seem like I did, it’s just that I’m not into the lowest form of humour…Sarcasm, or whatever you musically enlightened bunch are into!

Vidhi

Your critique on the band in its essense may have been right- looked at from your perspective. AND as a critique, I guess you had the right to express yourself as truly as you felt at that moment (Evidenced by the fact that you quoted an anonymous bystander about the sq.ft. space occupied by the singer - which was relevant) Having said this, may I also add that Stefan’s subsequent defense of what you felt and wrote (somewhere in the thread where he says - dont get personal with Vidhi and offers to have a drink with you) may be worth considering as the “peace pipe offered in the interest of music - at least that’s the way I saw it!

Also,unencumbered vitriolic sometimes has this crazy way of clearing the clouds that works towards fostering better understanding of points of view. Becasue that’s what it is in the end - points of view. The band experiments with a certain point of view.. their angst/joy - emotions - expressed in the act of creating what the band thinks is their form of music,, and you (as much as I) then experience this expression - sometimes to our liking and sometimes not.. But this doesnt take away the fact that the band is trying to put out their vision of music - so what if they are disjointed or playing and struggling with their own demons..

I am not sermonising here.. far from it.. all I am saying is that as a music critique you have the right to express what you felt and the band has the right to react .. as much as all us bystanders throwing our peels of left over potato skins into the couldren.. It;s fun..

So take it in that spirit.. and inshallah we will all live to see another musical day..

thank you for responding to my ping addressed to you..

Boogiman has gyanofied enough for one day..

Long Live rOCK, iNEED YOU EVERY NIGHT (Pete Townsend)

new to this place.. but hey man what fucking fun.. u guys r chillin like villians..dudes n dudettes.. way to go nation

crowded place man….. but honestly,

why so serious??

Vidhi wrote a review. Some people liked it. Some didn’t. Stick to the point. Why all the talking about different kinds of humor and the racist nonsense. Special mention to Sapna with the facelift bull-crap.

Fuck Ha-ha. :D

hey what the fuck

welcome to the canteen!

enjoy or perish.. that’s the mantra dude

why do u want to fuck Ha Ha.. the question is rhetorical..

man!

shalom

who r u nightywol?

I just wanted to thank everyone for making my day…. I had a really bad time last two days but i have never laughed so much as i did in the last 15 minutes.. vidhi you know you’re a darling,, and I know that you know your music,,, so cheers

@Boogieman…I just checked my system…Do you want to know who Nightyowl is? :)

@ Le chaim : Thank you :) Coming from you, it counts!

@Boholady..Please tell me who you are! :) :P

Boholady’s crazed harping sounds like she is a woman with a vendetta..like some very pissed off ex girlfriend….which one are you? :)

I would like to know who HA HA is..I can confirm that it is not a member of EM in case you were wondering..

vidhi

so u know the secret??

@Boogieman, yes I do :)

@vidhi

wogay.. sshhhhh.. :)

@ vidhi

wogay.. sssshhhhh ! :)

hey… no fair… Rumpelskiltskin isnt a pseudonym( or however spelt) …. It’s actually my name….. :( ….

But because i have a hot body, my friends call me ‘Rumproast’ …. :)

You can call me Rumproast…..

Stefan, i have better taste. yes yes, not just in music but also in men.

Phew! that is such a relief!,

I will not be running back to’Goraland’ anytime soon then.

Stefan, I’ve better taste. Not just in music but also for men.

yes , you do seem insecure and scared about your ex girlfriends though. Is it that bad? Aww i feel for you.

Vidhi- It’s sad that I supported a dishonest person like you. I thought i was reading a honest review and finally someone had the balls to say what they feel and not just sugar coat every gig they see. I was quite happy reading it and i would have supported it even if I didn’t quite agree to whatever written on it. I don’t mind supporting for the sake of honesty. But how wrong i was.
Day before when i was having a word with Vladimir Korpen for the first time, all he used were the words like” foe friends and allegiance” in his vampire like ancient English. Which i failed to understand but it definitely showed that it wasn’t a honest review. It was a game played by some bunch of moronic teenagers like you and him to just say bad things bout EM. I asked to delete my comment after that. I think it needs integrity to write something honest and its sad to see that it wasn’t in you. I asked them to simply delete cuz i don’t wanna be associated with it. It’s quite simple for me and i didn’t quite pay heed to it after that but apparently you seem to be jumping all around the place like a monkey saying things bout me?? Is there something i don’t know?

Anyone with half a wit will read what i wrote earlier as a analysis of overall music scene of India and Indian psyche analysis and NOT ONLY Emperor Minge. But i was expecting too much from a bunch of teenagers and frustrated metal heads. I was wrong. i admitted and i asked to delete. Is this very hard to get? at least I was honest bout it.. wasn’t i? I happen to meet Stefan in person before i passed you the message or before i had a word with vladimir. i was wrong about him too. I admit. Unfortunately, you have to meet an person in real to know if they are real artists or not. Stefan is one and i liked it. He likes music honestly and truly gives all of himself to it. I call that an artist. I respect that and it doesn’t matter then if you appreciate or don’t appreciate such artists cuz they still will continue doing what they like. I rather support him than a cheat like you.

I am very highly disappointed in you vidhi. It’s unfortunate that we still don’t have someone with true integrity to write music reviews. you don’t even deserve to write anything now. I didnt know that you had all people you know writing in. I also didn’t know they were venting their own personal frustrations against Stefan. i was just a person who read it as a thing people read online n comment. But your whole world was shaken cuz you didnt expect a outsider to comment cuz it was game? How disgusting.

I said once and for all what all i TRULY thought and i have people who know it cuz i told this to them long back. i think you won’t understand that word ‘TRULY’ cuz you’re so consumed by playing games.

I don’t have the time or patience to monitor what silly, game playing, manipulative teenagy girls and boys like you do or say. Seems all your life has is this virtual world. Which is sad as well. get a life and keep me out of this shit. I regret being part of it. Disgusting. Makes me sad. Don’t bother to rattle more now cuz i won’t even be reading it. I’m just disappointed in you.

Vidhi- It’s sad that I supported a dishonest person like you. I thought i was reading a honest review and finally someone had the balls to say what they feel and not just sugar coat every gig they see. I was quite happy reading it and i would have supported it even if I didn’t quite agree to whatever written on it. I don’t mind supporting for the sake of honesty. But how wrong i was.
Day before when i was having a word with Vladimir Korpen for the first time, all he used were the words like” foe friends and allegiance” in his vampire like ancient English. Which i failed to understand but it definitely showed that it wasn’t a honest review. It was a game played by some bunch of moronic teenagers like you and him to just say bad things bout EM. I asked to delete my comment after that. I think it needs integrity to write something honest and its sad to see that it wasn’t in you. I asked them to simply delete cuz i don’t wanna be associated with it. It’s quite simple for me and i didn’t quite pay heed to it after that but apparently you seem to be jumping all around the place like a monkey saying things bout me?? Is there something i don’t know?

Anyone with half a wit will read what i wrote earlier as a analysis of overall music scene of India and Indian psyche analysis and NOT ONLY Emperor Minge. But i was expecting too much from a bunch of teenagers and frustrated metal heads. I was wrong. i admitted and i asked to delete. Is this very hard to get? at least I was honest bout it.. wasn’t i? I happen to meet Stefan in person before i passed you the message or before i had a word with vladimir. i was wrong about him too. I admit. Unfortunately, you have to meet an person in real to know if they are real artists or not. Stefan is one and i liked it. He likes music honestly and truly gives all of himself to it. I call that an artist. I respect that and it doesn’t matter then if you appreciate or don’t appreciate such artists cuz they still will continue doing what they like. I rather support him than a cheat like you.

I am very highly disappointed in you vidhi. It’s unfortunate that we still don’t have someone with true integrity to write music reviews. you don’t even deserve to write anything now. I didnt know that you had all people you know writing in. I also didn’t know they were venting their own personal frustrations against Stefan. i was just a person who read it as a thing people read online n comment. But your whole world was shaken cuz you didn’t expect a outsider to comment cuz it was game? How disgusting.

I said once and for all what all i TRULY thought and i have people who know it cuz i told this to them long back. i think you won’t understand that word ‘TRULY’ cuz you’re so consumed by playing games.

I don’t have the time or patience to monitor what silly, game playing, manipulative teenagy girls and boys like you do or say. Seems all your life has is this virtual world. Which is sad as well. get a life and keep me out of this shit. I regret being part of it. Disgusting. Makes me sad. Don’t bother to rattle more now cuz i won’t even be reading it. I’m just disappointed in you.

Boholady:

Firstly, the message you got from Vladimir has absolutely nothing to do with me and I found out much later about what he had said to you.

Secondly, this isn’t my world and so maybe it affects me so much. I love what Stefan does, I think he is immensely talented and there is no personal frustration removed in my review. I wrote what I saw. And FYI, I didn’t know the band till much after this review was published so you know, logically, it can’t be personal.
Also, maybe you should hear what Mr. Kaye has to say about you…it’s not too pretty and btw, I share the same opinion as him.

Thirdly, with all those common friends we have, you should have just asked me to take down the post…I would have done so gladly….But no, you ask a certain someone to do that…Why? And then when I say something about you, you get all quippy on my ass?

Chill the fuck out woman….! I’m not all that you just mentioned but if it helps you sleep at night, then OK ;)

Fact remains, you were super nice to Mr.Kaye when you met him, bitched about him behind his back…then ran away from it all by blocking me is it? :P

Twisted you are! Absolutely twisted!

Hello you.

This has been a crazy ride reading all this. At times it was funny but often just plain nasty. The problem with comments pages is that they lack spontaneity as people have the time to ‘compose’. Rather like when someone upsets you and it’s only ten minutes later when you comfort yourself with coming up with that snappy retort that you wished you’d had at the time but the fact always is that the snappy retort sucks, the natural spontaneous, unconsidered reply is all that is ever real and useful. You end up saying mean things which only ever come back on you anyway.

And what’s the point? This is just a review of a gig, not your religion or your mum!

Vidhi, if I understand correctly, you are seventeen. If that’s the case, you write really well and hold your own really well. Congratulations! You should have a drink with Steff, I found him to be exceptional company. A true maverick.

I don’t think the band is at their best yet but the EM material is notoriously complex. Those songs change time signature and scale and who knows what else, every minute or so. You have to be a seriously talented and dedicated musician to play them. So, those of you in the comments criticising the band’s playing, think twice. And Vidhi, I think the lack of confidence that you may well have detected in some of the band is probably a correct observation but that’s purely because those songs are so hard to play.

(Um… I know Steff by the way. Although I’m not here to defend him at all, I just wanted to chip in some ideas that may level this angry soup a tad.)

When Steff had his band in England, they were extremely succesful. In fact, they recorded an album at that legendary studio known as Sawmills, (Muse had just finished their first EP there) as well as a second album at the Smokehouse, they sold out all the major ‘unsigned bands’ venues in London with Friday night or Saturday night headlining slots, (We are talking one to two thousand people cramming sweaty joints) so that includes Borderline, the legendary Dublin Castle, Barfly and HQ’s, (Which has now closed down) their enigmatic T-shirt had started appearing on the chests of a handful of extremely influential celebrities and the reviews were becoming somewhat sensational, (Holly Hernandez’s Demo Hell in the NME actually compared them to the great Radiohead which is phenomenal considering that trashing bands viciously was her trademark) When they got their publishing contract, they were actually signed by an elderly man called Freddie Beanstock who happened to be the guy who had signed Elvis! The point is, Steff didn’t have to go to India to get his particular style of music a greater audience, he left England and his earlier band for sudden and sad news, private reasons shall we say and is in India for the same private reasons, (Nothing to do with crime incidentally, you suspicious minds!!) The band Steff had in London was poised for greatness and thousands over here were gutted to see its untimely demise.

Some of your comments are very personal and physical. One is claiming that looks are crucial to success, (According to a person who was doing A and R in the States) Apart from being a rather cheap, lame way of ‘hot’ debate it isn’t really applicable to many of the biggest selling bands of our time. Thom Yorke looks downright freakish and Bono, the dodgy midget, is… a dodgy looking midget. Oh look, you’ve got me doing it now! But really, if anything, ‘model’ looks that fit the beauty myth usually indicate utterly meaningless pap music. As far as I can see in the EM pictures, they look pretty good and natural rather than mocked up dolly birds and boys. Real people not fake people.

Now, the use of the word hate I found really disturbing. I read some comments, saying half of Delhi hates the band… Well, I want to point some stuff out, it might hurt but I don’t intend it to do anything other than widen your perspective:

1. Bands that attract this kind of polarised attention almost always become legendary, (Zappa, Beefheart, Sex Pistols) You know? Remember, Duchamps’ “Nude Descending The Stairs” was described as “an explosion in a slate factory” by the greatest art critic of the time despite the fact that the painting created an entire art movement and lead to Picasso and the other great modernists flourishing, (While nobody ever read the art critic again)

2. If you are really hating anything, be it a band or a person or a book or a flavour of ice cream… Then your life is exceptionally limited. Basically, you do not live for ever, so don’t waste a moment on such pointless activities, use your energy on something more useful.

3. You all here on Vidhi’s excellent site, who are Indian in background, must be the privileged young from the exploding middle classes that I have read about as you speak English well and you have the time to tap away your viewpoints on computers that cost you money, using broadband that cost you money. That means you do not really represent the majority in Delhi at all do you? And certainly not the moajority of India whom I understand are suffering abject poverty. The figure of 250,000 farmers having committed suicide in a relatively short period of time due to poverty, failing crops and foreclosures at the hands of land grabbing corporations indicates that the impoverished masses are not shrinking but growing. So, you are the elite, be it in Delhi or India, the privileged minority.

I think you should sit back and consider how lucky you are to be able to chat like this, to be educated, to be able to travel, to decide what you like or don’t like. If you truly appreciated your good fortune at being in the middle class ‘elite’ then I think there’d be far less hate in your life.

None of this means you should like EM nor that you should think Vidhi is right either. Just… ease back a little folks! If you don’t like it, then don’t listen to it.

Steff, I don’t know why you got embroiled in defending the band to a critic. But when people start getting so personal, I would walk away in the future.

And EM, I think you’re awesome. The NDTV videos were brilliant indeed. And I love the new stuff.

Vladimir and all the heavy metal heads. Be very careful. I was a metal head. I saw Iron Maiden with the original singer in a venue of about a hundred people and actually bought their first singles. I saw Def Leppard when the drummer had two arms! I saw Randy Rhodes play with Ozzie for the first and last time in England. I saw Lemmy close up at small venues when Overkill was first released, (Still have the green vinyl somewhere) and I even saw Bon Scott’s last gig and guess what? I grew out of it. It is something that you grow out of. I’m not knocking you, as I loved those days but just don’t think that stuff you like when you are a youngster is stuff that you will stay with. So be careful of knocking stuff that in five year’s time you might love. I mean, I wanted to be a policeman when I was a kid you know? And now… well, that’d be telling.

Hope that this comment stops the nasty stuff.

All the best,

Arlo

I had decided not to post anymore on this site but there are one or two things that I would like to add just to perspectivise a little more. After this it is my lot, really.

I had recently discovered the identity of Boogieman..he is a gentleman who had been/possibly still is intimately acquainted with Parvi (singer of EM). The involvement these two have, if i am permitted to say, has been a little tempestuous at times.. but they are close ..Despite what Boogieman may believe I do not/have not made judgments about him according to how he has conducted himself in terms of the involvement he has/has had with Ms P…but do take exception to the heckling and general inappropriate way he conducts himself (invariably worse for wear) at the last few gigs we have put on. He is a much more senior person than P (and several years older than myself even !) I feel he ought to exercise a little more decorum and not allow his judgment to be clouded at times when it suits him. Some of his feedback was worthy and considered but, again…okay KP I will address you by your usual moniker, you are doing the other band members a great disservice by underestimating their role at the expense of portraying myself as some kind of control freak. I think you were particularly aggrieved perhaps that after a typical bout of heckling and a stage invasion (for which you were removed by Blue Frog security) I decided to dedicate `Choot Song` to you! It was an impulsive reaction to your tiresome antics, but no serious malice was intended.

Boho lady is also known to me. though I only discovered this a few days ago after having engaged in usually amicable conversation with her in private over the last month, OK maybe not run of the mill, but usually good natured. I know that you know may of the points that you made were wrong and you have apologized. This has of course nothing to do with liking or disliking the band. You asked me this evening if I have forgiven you..I could not at the time. You accepted that you were swept up on the frenzy of the mob like drubbing but at the end of the day and it is worth considering this carefully, you are accountable for your own actions. YOu cannot I believe legitimately excuse yourself (not even partially) by claiming that you said what you said because somebody else started the ball rolling and you simply got swept along by it all. YOu told me that you were going to apologise and offer some excuse as to why you said what you did..this is commendable..but then you proceeded to lay in to Vidhi as if it is her problem that you responded the way you did. An apology must be unconditional i.e without holding someoine else to task, (whether they are right or wrong) to be taken seriously. If this is important to you (and it does seem to be so) then I may take you a little more seriously. As I did before your alias was revealed to me.

There are others too such as `Luke is my Father` character who it seems takes delight in posting idiotic and pernicious crap with little or no understanding of the subject. Of course we can to some extent excuse these little cretins for their remonstrations as it is basically a typical adolescent need to assert themselves and enable them to kid themselves that they are much bigger than they actually are.

Arlo..as if I would leave you out :)

It is great to hear from you..I would like to add though that i actually left UK in 2000 to move to Barcelona where I stayed for a few years before moving to Delhi..had you forgotten?

Vidhi - Happy Birthday!

We are still waiting for you to post the video from the Blue Frog…just omit the dodgy reggae track that we completely fucked up..though it is your call and I understand that you may wish to validate some of your points :)

For me at least this thread has gone on far enough..please though no more bitching between Vid and
BL. Despite what has been written, I believe one can reserve a judgment for the same people after meeting them in person..I am actually of the opinion that Sid Menon is not the tosser that he comes across in writing..though I am not fully convinced :)

Peace love and tofu

Thank you Steff :)

All’s well that ends well and three cheers for the birthday girl.

hey vidhi….kindly put up the video of emperor minge….blue frog night…
would really like to see it…
thankyou

i am the the dancer

hope you will put it up.

@Anjoli : Can’t have it up on Chordvine. That would make me trashy and revengeful :P

Will have it up on a separate YouTube Channel soon :)

wow … i mean wow ……. so many views …. and so much to read about …… every one has their freedom of expression …. and the band expressed the music and the listeners did their bit ….

its all good to know that we are all passionate … about what we do … just remember that we are all part of the same circle and we live on each other and for each other …

so this much love is really overwhelming !!!

love

clarence

wow! one review on some site.. and so much mudslinging.. although I’ve never seen or heard about this band i think the review is quite demeaning and the tone’s not quite right.. the way the review’s written.. it seems severely opinionated.. really not fit to be put up somewhere.. unless on a personal blog or something.. regardless.. hope to see more such reviews with 80+ comments..

Man, this place is entertaining!
@Suman Sridhar: keep your expat NY/NJ opinions to yourself coz they stink as well. Landing up in India to find yourself an Indian boyfriend who writes and plays guitar, does not qualify you to critique ANYTHING. FYI, have you heard yourself? :D do us all a favour, you poseur. You almost killed me at Kala Ghoda (can you say that without the accent? :P)

cant handle criticism and u compare urself to Zappa . HA! thats a fucking joke

I beg to disagree with your views on EM’s music Vidhi…the only part of your column that I would give an affirmative nod to would be “I didn’t Get it”. Honestly, you didn’t. This band is only one of the really few in India who have the balls not to embrace the typical formulated cliched music which bands and “music connoiseurs” rave about. Ever heard of Velvet Underground and Andy Wasrhol’s Exploding Plastic Inevitable ? Ever heard of the No-wave art rock scene of New York (Sonic Youth and Lydia Lynch might sound familiar…) ? Ever bothered to check out the bands in Elephant 6 Collective record label ? If you do your research..you’ll know what I’m trying to hint at….Artistic Integrity. Hell with conventions and the earthly. I’d rather let my music be my surreal guide to the inner sanctums of my mind or spirit. Stefan K and the all of you from EM…I respect your work..trip on..and do NOT come back to ground…

Tanmay - It is unlikely that anyone would compare themselves to Frank Zappa (except the hirsute drummer perhaps, but that would having nothing to do with the music). Not sure where you picked that up from, but it seems to have riled you somewhat. What is it with bitchy Mumbai musos?

Something Relevant? Now there`s a misnomer.