Hi Vithur, Thanks for your great effort in translating the interview.. It's a truly enjoyable interview.
thanks! -Avinash --- In arrahmanfans@yahoogroups.com, Vithur <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Rahmaniacs, > > The transcript of the ARR Interview in Koffee with Anu is herewith for the > benefit of people, who were not able to view it, and for people, who were > not able to understand it fully. > > Anu :- You have beeen so much of growth. Is it true that you started playing > harmonium from the age of four ? > > ARR :- I was just trying to ( smilingly ) > > Anu :- Was it your most fascinating instrument, or did you try everything > and then come to this ? > > ARR :- That was the first instrument which I started. My father used to > cover it with a cloth, and teach me which note was from where. So, he used > to teach me, that the note below 3 Black ones was F, 2 Was C, I used to > remember it like a riddle. So, I would be asked to find which note was from > where by my father. I was not perfect, but can find out which note was where > because of playing it. > > Anu :- You went on to play in Raja Sir's Music right ? > > ARR :- I was playing for Malayalam composer Arjuna Master, Telugu composer > Ramesh Naidu. That time, I got an Invitation from Raja Sir. Raja sir was > playing for my father before. In that rememberance, Raja Sir called me > thinking that we can call Shekhar 's son. That time, was the first recording > for Moondram Pirai. That time, he told me that I was very young, and told me > to come later. Then he called me after two years. That time, I worked with > him for 1.5 years. > > Anu :- When I was talking with Mani Sir, he told me that one remarkable > thing abt Rahman was that he was playing like a small boy with Raja Sir, and > then he decided that he would go on his own as a young man. So What inspired > you to go of your own ? > > ARR :- I got frustrated after playing too much of Film Music. There was a > monotony of playing continuosly in the morning, evening.. I started feeling, > if there was no life other than that. Then , I started thinking of making > commercials, where we can do music of our own. When we learn Western > Classical music and play, we play whatever notes are there in it. No Free > thinking in it. But in Classical, we can take a raaga, and improvise in it. > we can do it in Jazz also. Film Music is also like that. The Notes that are > given has to be played . So, we never know if we have the real skills of > composing or not, when doing Film Music, and also an urge to see, if there > was something else that would be interesting to do in the work. Adventurous > Model. > > Anu :- As a child, you have been completely engrossed in Music. What about > playing gilly, playing cricket in the road ?? > > ARR :- I have just flown kites.. I have even broken my hand in that. But > there has been no fights with kites. More of Music, and less of all these. I > dont miss those times, I like whatever happened. Because, when one thing > reduces, another thing increases. I always believe in that . > > Anu :- Whats your relationship with your siblings ? > > ARR :- I and my elder sister studied Music together. After that she got > married. And the remaining two sisters used to look after me, when I used to > come back from the studios. They used to take care of me like giving me > coffee etc. They also became different , when they became 16, which I am > going to go through ( my daugther is now 12 years ) . They think > differently. I was the only male member in my family. All others were > females. Probably, Prakash was the next male member. ( My sister's son ), > and thats the little story ( smiles ) > > Anu :- Are your children interested in music ? > > ARR :- Yes. I am going to teach them. They are also learning it. Then, they > can make a choice. I will not be pushing them into music, nor even forcing > them. > > Anu :- It seems your style of work is different. You keep adding a lot of > things here and there, and for a long time, you keep experiementing with it. > So Hows it ? > > ARR :- For some songs, it happens like that, and for some songs, we get to > know at the beginning, that this would be enough. For the same Love Songs, > Duet Songs, Item Number, we ourselves tend to become bored, and people will > surely feel bored. So, if it becomes interesting to us, then it would be > surely 10% more interesting for people who watch. That is the real > challenge. > > Anu :- Tell me abt Sufism > > ARR :- It can be said as Divine Love. Unconditional Love for every Creation, > of your GOD. Treating everyone equally irrespective of any materialistic > grades . Equal Love, Equal Justice to all. This is what I have learnt till > date, There are much more things to learn . I am still at LKG. > > Anu :- Many have told, that its Divine Inspiration. How do you think of it > ? > > ARR :- Nowadays, if you see, there are a lot of choices. There are a lot of > opportunities, choices and aveneues for diversion. Even if you watch TV, > there are some 150 chanels to select from. You can make out which channel to > watch. For , all channels to be channelised, I think, as some people put it, > we must be like Samadhi. Once you come out of that stage, then you would get > the focus and direction. That direction, seems to be the right and correct > way. > > Mrs. YGP ( School Principal of Padma Seshadri bala Bhavan Schools ) :- > Rahman was Dileep in those days. He has been studying in our school since > childhood days. Very Hard working Guy. In those times itself, He used to go > to Keyboard classes at 6 AM. His father used to drop him at 8 : 10 in > School, with a flask of milk. In the evening also, he used to go and play > some jingles etc . He was the one man orchestra for our school. For all > programmes of our school, we used to tell Rahman, and he used to make > everything ready. " Some are born great; Some achieve greatness; Some have > greatness ". Rahman belongs to all these three categories. He has inherited > the genes from his father. His whole family is dedicated to music, and apart > from that, he is a very good human being. Even as a student, he was very > helpful, soft spoken. All the teachers adored him, and the best part is he > remembers all his teachers. The best part was that he was friendly, and used > to share all his experiences with children, used to be very helpful to them. > He doesnt show off. > > ARR :- The relationship with her goes little more earlier. Father used to > play for Manohar Sir's drama, and Uncle sir ( Mrs YGP's husband was also a > dramatist). Much more earlier than that, and thats why my father put me on > to the school. Because of artistic connection. But I remember only the > beatings that they gave me ( very jokingly ) > > ANu :- What for did you get beatings ? > > ARR :- Of course attendance. > > Mrs YGP :- He will come late, and tell us some reasons . sometimes, not > much. In those years, we used to tap them once or twice. > > ARR :- No matter of child abuse ( jokingly everyone laughs ). I never went > to college and hence school memories are all the more impact. > > Mrs YGP :- The greatest moment was when he came to get the Natya Kaladhar > Award ( Bharat Kalachar ) , in the very same premises in Thirmullai Pillai > road ( where he studied ) . All old memories are clowning on me, when I > start speaking now. > > ARR :- very good; very good.. No time for cutting classes etc. Going to > classes itself was a big thing. > > YGP :- I wont blame him because , he had to look after the family. He was > the main bread winner after his father passed away. So he had to adjust a > lot of things. So taking care of that, coming to school itself was a big > thing. Upto 9th standard, he managed , but went off to State Board at the > time of Public Exams ( during 10th standard). But he used to study well till > that time also. > > The most enchanting aspect is his singing for National Integration, when he > sang Vande Mataram. Singing routine songs is always there. But singing with > passion, and full inolvement, only Rahman can do. > > ARR :- Ya. It was a good team work. Bala was there. > > YGP :- Ya. Bala still continues to be there, and your team is great. I am > very proud to see our school student is famous world wide , but at the same > time, doesnt have slight trace of ego or headweight. I appreciate that very > much. I have never seen him losing his temper. ( ARR intercepts by saying > at times YES , for which Anu says I will not ask abt that, because if he > says he can show me a demo, then I am finished ). His own children, he > treats them with so much of love and respect. Its phenomenal. I take all > pride and love, for he is from our school. God Bless you my child, and she > kisses ARR on the forehead. ( ARR with all humility says Thanks ) > > Anu :- whats the secret behind the name ? > > ARR :- There is nothing behind the name. KM is my own secret. Music > Conservatory is the most important thing. I started thinking abt this from > the year 2000. when I went to UK, and saw the orchestra, I was thinking as > to why not have such a thing here in India. A lot of friends of mine also > had the same idea. But that idea was to set up a pure Western Classical > Conservatory. But what we want to try to do is the musician we are training > , should be an all rounder. First, they should learn music. They should > become a good human being, a good musician , and then they can do anything. > we will try to build up a bridge for the students, so that they can do a lot > of things. > > ARR :- There is such a similar orchestra in Bombay . It consists of all > Kazhakisthani ( Russian players ) . The idea to start this was to have our > own people, who will play the orchestra for ourselves. There is so much of > talent here, which can be seen nowhere. Already , there are 300 > registrations, which have come in. We wanted to dive into this project this > year, as so much of time has already been wasted before. So, Instead of > waiting for the building to come, we thought of simultaneously starting > something. > > I met a professor called Srinivasa Krishnan in London Flight. He asked me if > I was Rahman. he told me that all my songs have become the favourites of his > students in US . I went and checked. I found that they were learning my > songs with so much of love. Then we did a big concert in US with them, and I > was very much impressed. I told them abt the school , and they assured me > that whenever it may be, we will come and teach there . ( the students there > were foreigners and Black Americans ). That gave a lot of confidence to me. > It was such a beautiful thing for me, because being in such distance, they > were ready to leave everything and come and teach here. They will come here, > learn Indian classical, and teach their style of music. The way of teaching, > the way of learning everything will be different. I want to create some > leaders in Music, and make them leaders. > > There is another idea that we have to take up street kids, teach them and > see what happens. srini is from Global Rhythms. They are part of Ohio > University. Hollywood Bowl is an interesting concert. In most of the > concert, the audience would be varied people consisting of tamil, telugu, > north indians etc, and they will shout for the songs they like. But in > Hollywood Bowl, all were foreigners. we were thinking as to how they would > enjoy our songs, but they started enjoying after some five songs. They were > all dancing till the end. It was a nice concert. The ticket prices were very > cheap . 1 $ or 2 $. All were directors, Editors in Hollywood. > > Singer Kalyani Menon on ARR > > My association with Rahman is way back in 1980. I went to the Tv Centre for > recording a song. Very good melody. Arjunan Master was Music Director. That > time, a small boy came for playing Keyboard. I was wondering how such a > young lad will play keyboard. They put a plank for him on which he could > stand and play. I was just enchanted when he started playing. After the song > finished, I went running to the Music Director, to ask him, who this boy was > ?. He said, " He is not new, and he is the son of our Music Director > Shekhar". Tears rolled in my eyes. Very modest; Very very humble. Very > genuine person. Truly spiritual. All success is attributed to God's gift. > Success has never gone into his head. I heard that he has started a new > Music School recently. I am very happy, I wish all success. There should be > lot of musicians who emerge out of that school, and the institution should > become very famous. This is my desire. Best of Luck. > > S.J. Suryah > > Inside Man , an English Film. When I was seeing that film, Spike Lee was the > Director. He is a big range Hollywood Director. When the title credits were > going on, I could hear the song ' Chaiyya Chaiyya". I was wondering , if our > people were doing something to that film, and started rewinding it to see it > again. At the end of the title credits, a special Thanks to Rahman Sir was > written. So, there has been an International reach , for a Tamilian, from > our soil. I feel proud to speak about Mr. Rahman. > > He is a very spirtual man. Love for God, Devotion towards God, Love towards > Human beings, and respect for human beings marks the qualities of the Music > Maestro Mr. A. R. Rahman. > > KMC is the name of the school started by Rahman Sir. Today, India is growing > at a good pace in Sports., Cinema. For the betterment of India in Music, and > for the noble purpose of encouraging good musicians, rahman Sir has started > a school which is a big service to humanity. Its a big pride for Tamil Nadu. > He has opened a big gate, for students to leave to foreign countries for > learning music, and even for foreigners to look at India for Music. I neednt > talk anything abt this. I am sure, Allah will bless him abundantly in this > endeavour. > > ARR :- I pray God that He makes the faith that people on me come true. we > have started the work on this Conservatory with a lot of devotion and > prayer. Till now, we have received a lot of encouragement and support for > this work, be it be the media as well as otherwise. I am grateful to all of > them for this. I hope, the right intention of the students will be taken > care properly. > > > ARR Abt S.J. Suryah :- When I first met him, was in the flight. I was flying > back from Bombay, when he came and sat next to me. He started telling the > story of NEW, and was telling me that Ajith is going to act in that film. > After two weeks, he said me, that Ajith was not acting, and that he would > hismelf act. I told Ok. I think he was having the fear that I wont be doing > the film. It was a surprise that I said OK. He is very passionate about > music. Over enthu. nice person. > > Mr. Rajeeev Menon :- He is the person who gave me my first National Ad. The > moment, I came out of Raja Sir, I was playing for Raj Koti for two years. At > that time, he told me that an ad was to be done. I asked him , " What ad ?". > he told me ' an english song as required. The Ad was for Allwyn Trendy > watches. After that, we became very close friends. we talk about music. He > knows so many. He is an encyclopaedia about cooking, about music. He has got > a very good voice also. In fact, Kadhal Rojave from Roja, was suppsoed to be > sung for him. But I didnt show it to Mani. I liked his voice, but before > that, SPB Sir sang that song. Otherwise, he would have become a great singer > by now Its not too late now also. > > I think he should act. See him. and he marks at his photo and says , " he is > very smart. very nice person also". > > SPB :- I had an orchestra consisting of all small boys. Kumar , The Drummer, > Prabhu, the Guitar. Our first performance was for SPB 's Birthday in kala > Sagar . We used to wait for his recording. SPB sir used to do recordings at > 4 places. 12 : 00 at one place, 1 : 00 at another place and 1 : 30 at > another place. Ours used to be the 1 : 30 slot. Notes would be ready, and > when SPB Sir comes and sings, we used to make it ready. ( When I was working > for Raj Koti ) > > I was particular that he should sing a song in Roja, and he sang " Kadhal > Rojave". > > My fav singer :- P. Susheela. He writes a message for her in the Coffee Mug. > ( tells its secret ) . I like her voice, her pronounciation of Tamil. One of > my most favourite singers. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- > regards, > Vithur > > Whatever God wants to give, no one can deny; Whatever God wants to deny, no > one can give. Be happy always >
