http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/04/12/talkasia.rahman.script/index.html
--- In [email protected], "Roshan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > another great quote from ARR > > AR: What I understand of music is -- it doesn't need a language. When > I listen to western classical, or when I listen to African zulu music > or I listen to Islamic music -- or anything. It's not the words which > matter, it's the words combining with music and getting another > dimension to it, another kind of spirit which comes out of it. That's > more important I think. > > > > > > AR Rahman Full Transcript > > > > Wednesday, April 12, 2006 Posted: 0820 GMT (1620 HKT) > > LH: Lorraine Hahn > AR: AR Rahman > > LH: Hello and welcome to Talk Asia, I'm Lorraine Hahn. My guest today > has been described as the greatest Indian composer of his generation- > A.R. Rahman. > > Born in India in 1966, Rahman was heavily influenced as a child by his > father, a musical arranger. By the age of 4 he could play tunes on the > harmonium, and by 11 he was working as a professional musician, > financially supporting his family after his fathers death. In 1991 a > chance meeting with director Mani Ratnam led to an opportunity to > write the score for the film Roja. Both the movie and the soundtrack > were such hits that it catapulted Rahman to stardom overnight. > > Since then he has scored more than 50 movies and released a series of > successful albums. So revered is he in India, that he was bestowed the > Padma Shri title in 2002, India 's highest civilian award. > > Block A > > LH: Mr. Rahman thank you very much for spending some time with us. I > wanted to ask you about yr new musical -- The Lord of the rings, > adaptation of the J.R. Tolkien famous book: How did you get involved > with this? > > AR: Well, you know about my Bombay Dreams venture with Andrew Lloyd > Webber, it happened in 2002, and it had this whole team -- like Chris > Webber Nightingale was the music supervisor on that and Kevin Wallace > was with Andrew Lloyd Webber, who's the producer for Lord of the > Rings. I think suddenly they realized that, they had signed Värttinä > the Finnish band to write the score, and then they said it would be > nice to have AR for the score too. And then I got a call and I said > 'Ok lets join them' and that's how I came into that. > > LH: Is it going to be another huge production, like Bombay Dreams -- > or what can we expect? > > AR: It's probably 10 times more than Bombay Dreams! (LH: Oh my God!) > You have like 18 hydraulics moving on stage, you have a three and a > half hour...amazing stuff! > > LH: Right. Again, you are no stranger to international musicals -- you > mentioned Bombay dreams. Did that, Bombay -- did that play, that > musical take your career to the one step further internationally? > > AR: I think so! I think it's a big step for me -- it's a big step > because, of course lot of Asians around the world love my music -- and > they've introduced my music to other people but a normal European or > American who don't know my music, this is one of the biggest step, and > I think now after doing it's 2 years in London and 8 months in New > York, in Broadway, I think its going to tour now -- I'm looking > forward to that. (LH: Yeah that's so exciting) It is. > > LH: What is it like to work with someone like Andrew Lloyd Webber? > > AR: Well, it's two different cultures totally -- I used to have a room > in his apartment, in one of the apartments he gave, and he used to > come, and he used to take off his shoes before coming in, that's the > type of respect he gave for my culture, which is amazing, yeah. > > LH: I mean, is he a tough person to please? > > AR: No, he is a very sweet person, and he was very encouraging to me, > and he's done quite a lot of stuff for me actually. > > LH: And you've learnt a lot from him, I presume? > > AR: Yes, I was a big fan -- I am a fan too. And from that, I think he > was the one who picked most of the numbers which I had already done -- > like Chaya Chaya and Taal . I said 'these were my favorites, and this > has to be your musical', and that's the reason all my old stuff came > into the thing. Apart from "The Journey Home", and all the other > numbers which are new were written with Don Black. > > LH: How different an experience was it for you to compare, lets say, > working on Bombay Dreams, with any other project you have done in the > past? > > AR: The biggest thing to break ice, in Bombay Dreams, was to do > something in English. Because I've never done an English song, I mean > a proper English song in any film. And for me, I said 'is it going to > work in English, is it going to sound too corny with Asian influence > and stuff?'. But everything became -- I started getting acquainted > with Don Black -- he was the writer for that, and then he made it very > easy for me and gave me all these titles for me like 'Journey Home' > and stuff, and then it all fell into it naturally. > > LH: Right. Bombay Dreams obviously popularized your name international > into western household, but it also popularized Indian culture, Indian > music. How important was that for you? > > AR: It's something which was never intended! Exactly, when I used to > meet Asians in the flight they used to say 'Oh, now we can just lift > our collars and go man, you made us do that!' And that is very moving > for me, you know? Being a musician and the sort of hatred around the > world, and me coming from Islam -- a Muslim, I think it was a big > thing for me. I got very touched by all the statements which came from > Americans, Europeans and Asians and all those people. > > LH - You've scored a number of wonderful movies, Indian films -- like > Lagaan. Do you have a favorite? > > AR: Yes of course -- I think that Lagaan was a very complete movie. > Representing Indian culture, Indian songs with pride -- not being > apologetic about it and all that stuff. And the recent Rang de > Basanti, which is again a very different kind of direction for me, > going counterpoint from the film, not going with the film (LH: Why, > why was it?) we were just doing the opposites in the film, in the film > -- something very serious happens but we were just going with a guitar > singing a very jolly song! So that's a step forwards for Indian films, > I think. > > LH: Right, Roja as well -- is one of your early films? > > AR: Yeah, that's like a good news which I got from Time magazine -- > ten top soundtracks of the world, or something like that. > > LH: I mean that changed the face of the Indian film industry -- right? > > AR: That's what they say! (LH: Do you think so?) Yes in a way. (LH: > How?) There was a shell for the sound- generally it used to be 'this > is the sound, this is the Indian sound' -- and Roja was breaking all > those. Not taking any traditional singers, not taking any traditional > instruments, and recording in a small room -- my home studio, and then > becoming big -- it was a big statement! > > LH: It's very important, that. > > AR: It is important. > > LH: Bollywood, where do you think it's heading these days? > > AR: I see two kinds of things happening. One is a step forward, and > one is a step backwards also. Because people are seeing loads of > things on satellite TV and stuff. They know that nobody can bullshit > them now -- nobody can copy anything or rip anything off because now > they know it bang on that this is something. So that's all good. And I > think there are two things, one kind of filmmakers are avoiding songs > -- saying that its going to break, and another filmmaker is going full > fledged with songs: 'this is the music I'm really proud of' -- that > sort of thing. I'm getting associated with both of them. > > LH: You find that Bollywood then, is heading...? > > AR: And they are also very ambitious, I think now. They want to > virimusker???, (TC -- 00:31:58) I don't know for what reason. Which is > good to be ambitious, and going forward. > > LH: That's good > > AR: That's good > > LH: What about new talent? Evolving talent? Is that where Bollywood is > also pursuing? > > AR: Yeah, things which was impossible probably 3-4 years back, and > people would just put you off -- are now saying 'yeah maybe'. They are > more open to things which are new, which is amazing. > > LH: Is Hollywood then the next step for you? > > AR: I'm in and out of it actually. Actually, some of my scores have > been used for Lord of War, and Spike Lee's new film -- a kind of song > which is used. And so I am in and out of it actually, the full fledged > Hollywood film -- I would rather work with a person who understand me, > or who likes my music, who is friendly to me. (LH: Any idea who?) I > don't want to just jump in and go 'Oh, Hollywood here -- and then fall > flat!.' > > LH: Any ideas who would be that person? > > AR: Well, I've been- Baz Lurhmann came for my concert in Australia, > and then we just had a talk and he's a very -- he's a big fan of > Bollywood and stuff like that. I wouldn't say Bollywood, I would say > Hindi film industry. But he's a master musical maker I think and I'm a > big fan of his. We might...I don't know, never know. > > LH: Wow, that'll be quite a pairing! Mr. Rahman, we are going to take > a very, very short break. Don't go away, Talk Asia will be right back > with Indian composer AR Rahman. Stay with us. > > Block B > > LH: Welcome back, I'm talking with Indian composer, AR Rahman. Mr. > Rahman, you showed a lot of musical promise at a very, very young age, > I read that 4 years old you could already play the harmonium. I mean, > how did you manage that? > > AR: I think it's the blood! Having a composer father, I think it's > quite natural. > > LH: So it's what, almost like watching your father..? > > AR: Yes, I use to go with my father to all the places he used to work, > and I still have those memories with me. > > LH: Right, that's amazing, I know you rarely speak about your father > and I hope you don't mind me asking you a little bit about him? > > AR: Well, I think (LH: he was very influential right?) Yeah he was a > very hardworking person, he used to work in 3-4 places at the same > time. And all the studios was just next to him. And I've seen him > work, he's a really hard worker. And I think this is one of the > reasons he died so early, he died when I was just 9 years. And only > good will was there with everyone -- all the fellow musicians about > him, and good things to say. And so, it's a good thing for me because > when you have such a father you always want to take it further > than...you know? And my journey has been like that, so... > > LH: I mean he was a musical arranger, a very well-respected one at > that! Right? (AR: Yes) What do you remember most about your father? > > AR: Well, all I know is his first film was released the day he died. > The same day -- I think it's, I don't know -- destiny. Maybe all that > suffering which he went through, is now god is giving it back to me -- > in a nice way. Easy fame, and stuff all that. (LH: No it's not, its > not easy) It's not easy, of course, but I'm just saying... > > LH: You are carrying on his legacy, so to speak then? > > AR: Yeah. > > LH: When he passed away, you mentioned you were very young -- 9 years > old. I read that a lot of burden was put on your shoulders, to provide > for your mother and your siblings. Is that true? > > AR: Yeah, in a way actually. At the age of 13 or 14, I had to go to > school as well as work. I used to be a roady kind of thing, set up > instruments for people. And at the age of 18 I started composing > commercials and stuff like that, which was -- then life became > interesting. > > LH: Right, so before then it was really a matter of making money? > > AR: Yeah > > LH: And when did it suddenly change when it became a career? A love? > When was it, when was the turning point? > > AR: The turning point I think was when I was 18 -- 23 when I met Mani > Ratnam -- when I got the opportunity to do Roja. So I had one of the > leading producers, and a legendry filmmaker called Balachander, he > produced a film and this legendary director whom I was a very big fan > of -- Mani Ratnam -- all these things came together, unusual things. > And I felt that something is happening! > > LH: Almost like fate. (AR: Yeah it is) I read also that you are quite > interested in technology. > > AR: Yeah I was a big fan of electronics, in my teens, and things that- > later on in my life, both of them came together. When computer music, > and computers and all this stuff came -- yeah it was fun > > LH: You dropped out of school, you worked, you even -- but after that > you even came back to win a scholarship. > > AR: For me what happened was, I was working and then I suddenly met my > master who was Jacob John. He said 'I know your father, and you should > not be doing this you should be working and learning more!' And then > he wanted me to come to his thing, and then he made me write the exam > of Trinity College in Chennai -- which I got scholarship and all this > stuff. > > It was the understanding of the Western classical music which is very > important -- and now it's helped me a great deal actually. > > LH: How do you see this sort of Western and Eastern classical music > complimenting each other? > > AR: My biggest dream now is to start a classical conservatory in > India, or Chennai. And a lot of friends have come forward and helped > me out. I think the discipline of classical music is very important -- > and then we can ring in the eastern element in it. And make it > something that is wild and exciting for classical music, which it > needs now to pull a young audience back into, you know? (LH: That's > right) All those opera houses! > > LH: Nowadays as well, a lot of people listen to music, to songs in > different languages. > > AR: What I understand of music is -- it doesn't need a language. When > I listen to western classical, or when I listen to African zulu music > or I listen to Islamic music -- or anything. It's not the words which > matter, it's the words combining with music and getting another > dimension to it, another kind of spirit which comes out of it. That's > more important I think. > > LH: Mr. Rahman we are going to take another very, very short break. > Stick around, Talk Asia will be right back with AR Rahman. > > Block C > > LH: Welcome back to Talk Asia, my guest is Indian composer Mr. AR > Rahman. Mr. Rahman, religion seems to be very important to you. How > important? > > AR: For me, being influenced by Sufism is very important. The base, my > whole breath is the spirit, and divinity and stuff like that. And > before music it's again that, cleansing my mind and all that stuff. > And success and failure, everything is from god - that's my kind of > vision for myself. And what I believe is there's divinity in every > human being, evening in an atheist and whatever religion. I need to > respect every person, I need to love every person because he or she is > the co creation. So that's my theory of life! > > LH: You weren't born a Muslim though, right? You converted in your 20s > -- what was the turning point? > > AR: well, when my father died we had a spiritual healer which met us. > He kind of foresaw my whole future, and all this stuff he said 'you > will come to me after 10 years and this is going to happen to you' I > said -- what is he saying? And then it all happened, and then my > studio was built and then I started getting intrigued by Islam and > Sufism. So what I did was, with my first movie Roja, I changed my name > to AR Rahman, which is Allah Rakha Rahman. And it's been- I've been > opening doors of spirituality one by one. > > LH: Now your name, AR Rahman, was chosen for you by an astrologer -- > correct? > > AR: In a way, and not in a way -- because he had a choice of 7 names > or something, different religious names and I loved this name. (LH: So > you effectively chose your own name?) Yeah! > > LH: Being a devout Muslim now, how has that affected you > professionally -- and personally? > > AR: In Tamil Nadu usually any Muslim who comes into the film industry > would change his name into a non-Muslim name, and he will survive like > that. For me, I did the opposite. Me coming from a Hindu religion > before, and then going into the film industry I wanted AR Rahman as my > name. And people are laughing at me 'what are you doing?' and I say, > this is it -- this is my way of life from now onwards. And that's what > happened, and then Roja became a big hit and then I had so much > encouragement from Mani Ratnam, whose the director. And it got me all > the awards ever thought of, like national awards, state awards, and > all the stuff. It gave me respect, and then it gave me opportunity to > do better stuff and get out of mediocrity. > > LH: And all through your development stage, your family has always > been behind you, always supported you (AR: Yeah) -- even through your > change of religion? (AR: Yeah) And everything? That is amazing. That > is important isn't it, (AR: Yeah) for somebody. Because you don't see > to be the type of person that would listen to too many people -- you > are pretty strong minded am I correct? > > AR: Yeah. (LH: How do you-) I would listen to everyone and then do > what I wanna do I guess! > > LH: There's another word for that -- stubborn! How do you feel, on a > more serious note, when you turn on the TV and you watch what's > happening around the world. Muslims fighting, Muslims fighting against > Christians, vice-versa, and how the world views Islam today? > > AR: I think it's ignorance, first of all, lack of understanding. As a > musician I feel, and that too coming from Islam, I feel that it's a > very important role of mine to do to do things which politicians can't > do. (LH: How?) By doing music, music doesn't -- you are not going to > turn off something which says, oh it's an Islamic composer, its a > Christian composer. I love Mozart, I love Bartok, I love Verdi and all > that stuff but nobody is going to question that -- a piece of music is > a piece of music. And then me doing Lord of the Rings, about music in > the middle earth. So I think here, art can play a more important role, > an artist should be like that -- creating bridges with people. And I > think the government should be doing more to understand other > cultures, not being arrogant and thinking 'that is bad, these people > are bad, these people should be killed'. That word shouldn't come in > -- it's explicit. I think that's the future, not just going killing > and bombing people, just to understand them and loving them -- and > that's the way to heal things. > > LH: So as a musician, when you travel you try to make it a point to > educate people? > > AR: In a very sublime way, not direct. It happens automatically (LH: > Right, right). When I do concerts I get people from all the > communities, whether you take Bande Mataram, which is a very Hindu > slogan -- it used to be that, and now me doing it joining along with > Maa, Tujhe Salaam -- it's gone to a new level. And most Muslims, and > Hindus accept it at the same time. That's a big step for me. > > LH: Do you believe in destiny and karma? > > AR: Yes, I do, I believe in prayers. I believe prayers from spiritual > people and prayers for my mother -- and I think that's more important > than -- I mean that can change destiny also. When you wish well for > people. And I pray for the world- and world peace. > > LH: Well Mr. Rahman we wish you all the very, very best. Thank you > very much for spending time with us. And that is Talk Asia this week, > my guest has been Indian composer extraordinaire AR Rahman. I'm > Lorraine Hahn, let's talk again next week. > 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! 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