Indiecision: Music Blog: Independent Music in India and Elsewhere

VOTE FOR VISHAL DADLANI

Unsure about which party you’re voting for in the coming elections? Disheartened by the political inadequacy of the system? Miffed at the media? Then hand your finger to Vishal Dadlani.

In an interview with PlanetRadioCity, the Pentagram frontman said

A couple of friends and I are trying to start a political party comprising of people who are doing something. Like I have filed a petition, some people have organized rallies and made groups. This is a democracy which means we have the power to make our own government. What is the point of abusing people whom we have elected and what is the guarantee that the new people who fill in for those who have resigned will be the right people?

Enter: another couple of months of ‘Voice’?

Update: Vishal Dadlani commented on this post

I don’t think I said this. If i did, it was a heat-of-the-moment thing. No political plans. Got a lot to change around me, without getting into the muck!! 21000people have signed our petition at smallchange.in, and the Chief Justice’s office has accepted it this morning. First, we stop our TV guys giving away vital info on our anti-terrorist forces, then we take it further. PLease DO NOT VOTE FOR ME! You could not find a more ridiculous candidate! I sing with a rock band! My whole life is a scandal!!

Thanks for clearing that up Vishal.

VISHAL DADLANI IS MIFFED AT THE MEDIA

It’s no secret that the portrayal of the terrible events that unfolded in Mumbai by TV news channels has many people pissed off. None more than Vishal Dadlani it appears. The Pentagram frontman, better known for being the eponymous half of the Bollywood music production duo Vishal-Shekhar, is the driving force of Smallchange.in; a website set up as a petition to the High Court to hold objections against the way news channels broadcast minute details of the terror attacks.

Dadlani says

I was shocked that every minute of the encounter was relayed live. More than generating viewer interest, it gave minute-by-minute information to the terrorists. We want television channels to follow a code of conduct while we’re under attack. Some information should be classified. They even showed when ATS (Anti Terrorist Squad) chief Hemant Karkare arrived on the site. I didn’t know who he was. If you assume that the terrorists too were in the same position, this news definitely helped them.

Members of my family, who are in the armed forces, have expressed horror at the live telecast by the channels and interviews with people in the hotel. One channel even had a terrorist giving out propaganda material. This broadcast could have endangered the lives of our commandos. They definitely did not need to point out where the heads of chambers were stuck.

In an interview with Rediff.com, Vishal was asked whether he watched the live coverage of the events. To which he replied

I watched throughout, for the entire 65 hours.

Of course, I could be Daily Show-ing the dealio. Vishal doesn’t fail to mention that he is ‘a musician’, which was a nice touch.

VISHAL DADLANI - SEXIEST VEGETARIAN OF 2008?

There are many things one can call Vishal Dadlani; ‘talented’, ‘accident prone’, ‘overweight’. ‘Sexy’?

The lead singer of Pentagram is the only Indian musician to make it to the nominees for PETA’s Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity 2008 . The list includes other uber-sexy nominees including Professor Simpoo, Anil Kumble and some dude called Niraj Trivedi.

Check out the entire list of nominees.

Kailash Kher and ‘Shreeshanth’ also make the cut. Understandably, the women nominees are far handsomer category, despite Chelsea Clinton making an appearance.

LIVE: AVIAL, THE RAGHU DIXIT PROJECT, PARIKRAMA, PENTAGRAM @ ROCK ON FOR HUMANITY

Rock On For Humanity had plenty of cynics. Heck, the gig was called ‘Rock On For Humanity’. But here’s the deal. If it takes charity to get top bands together on an outdoor stage with brilliant sound and confetti, then here’s your opportunity promoters. Bring out your ‘Save Darfur’ and ‘Save Bombay’ t-shirts, cozy up with some Bollywood celebs and you’re guaranteed a well sponsored, well executed and well liked gig.

While the motive may have been lost when Javed Akhtar appeared on stage pimping Indian Idol (a whole post dedicated to just that, very soon), Rock On For Humanity must stand as one of the few landmark gigs where independent musicians played to a large crowd (one that booed Zayed Khan off stage) with great media visibility (get your spelling right Bombay Times) and much appreciation from the biggest entertainment industry in Asia.

Also, Saif Ali Khan has promised a movie called Rock Star, but more on that later.

Unfortunately, traffic was responsible for the absence of Something Relevant, Dream Out Loud, Them Clones and Shaa’ir + Func from this review. Head downstairs for Avial, The Raghu Dixit Project, Parikrama (with and without Saif Ali Khan), Pentagram, pics and plenty of Indiecisions.

More »