This is a transcript from AM. The program is broadcast around Australia at 08:00 on ABC Local Radio.
http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1461719.htm Indian composer brings Bollywood to Lord of the Rings PRINT FRIENDLY EMAIL STORY AM - Friday, 16 September , 2005 08:24:00 Reporter: Karen Barlow TONY EASTLEY: A megastar of music, adored by millions, has managed to slip into the country virtually unnoticed. Indian composer and musician A.R. Rahman has among his fans Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baz Lurhmann, Cate Blanchett and of course millions of fellow Indians. He's composed the music for scores of albums and Bollywood films, and is gearing up for what may be a very controversial project, a stage musical production of Lord of The Rings. A R Rahman, who was born a Hindu but who converted to Islam, is in Australia for stadium concerts in Melbourne and Sydney, which are already sold out. AM's Karen Barlow reports. (Sound of Rahman's music) KAREN BARLOW: A classically trained musician from the India's Tamil south, A.R. Rahman, started his career writing advertising jingles. India's prolific and vibrant Bollywood film industry took notice, and since 1992 he's been in demand as a film scorer and artist. Rahman is known for melding traditional Indian music with western ideas and modern instruments. (Sound of Rahman's music) A R RAHMAN: When I got my first break I thought I don't want to do the same thing, which other people are doing here. I want our music to go around the world, being appreciated by all people around the globe rather than just being the (inaudible) of Indian, Asian people. So that made me take efforts to do little changes, changing the beats or whatever and getting harmonies and chord progressions and stuff like that, you know, with traditional Indian melodies. And I think something, some magic happened. (Sound of Rahman's music) A R RAHMAN: I do appreciate every kind of music and sometimes it comes in naturally rather than intentionally. (Sound of Rahman's music) KAREN BARLOW: A R Rahman's joyful melodies and rhythms have won over millions of people, including Sydney's Vandana Ram, who's grown up with traditional Indian music. VANDANA RAM: It is an experience of discovery, because you feel like you're starting off somewhere, it's often really slow and then it builds up and you go on a little journey with it. There's often really strong percussion, so there's a fantastic sort of build up and climax, it's a whole experience. Yeah, I just find it leaves me it's just fulfilling. KAREN BARLOW: While Bollywood is starting to be mass-marketed to western audiences, Vandana Ram says A.R. Rahman is in a class of his own. Rahman says Bollywood compliments his work, but he's starting to reach out to a wider audience. Andrew Lloyd Webber got him to do the music for his Broadway production, Bombay Dreams, three years ago. Now he's working with Finnish folk musicians on the score for a Lord of the Rings stage musical, which is set to open in Toronto early next year. (To A.R. Rahman) Well, tell me about that, because it's really hard to imagine The Lord of the Rings as a musical. I mean, how are you approaching this? A R RAHMAN: It's a they don't want to call this a musical, because there's so much music in it, probably two times more music in it than other musical shows, but it's done in a way where it's not the typical ok, now, you're going to hear a song. KAREN BARLOW: It's not Disney? A R RAHMAN: No. KAREN BARLOW: Oh, that's good. Because I suppose there are a lot of fans of The Lord of the Rings, even before the movies came out, and they'll be very particular about this. A R RAHMAN: Very true. And I think some of them will definitely be more happy than with the films, when they see the show. KAREN BARLOW: Really? That's a big call. A R RAHMAN: Yeah. We are hoping that. (Sound of Rahman's music) TONY EASTLEY: Indian composer and musician, A.R. Rahman ending that report from Karen Barlow. Regards, Navas ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Life without art & music? Keep the arts alive today at Network for Good! http://us.click.yahoo.com/iuUuID/dnQLAA/n1hLAA/iyUplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Explore, Experience, Enjoy A.R.Rahman - The Man, The Music, The Magic. Only at arrahmanfans.com - The definitive A.R.Rahman e-community. Homepage: http://www.arrahmanfans.com Admin: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/arrahmanfans/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
