Great going guys....Congratulations... Kudos to all of you :) :) :)
--- In [email protected], "balajirajagopal"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> ...Another thing that seems to have been missed out in the article
is
> how to join the Yahoo groups. We had given the link too to the
> reporter but looks like this too has been left out :(
>
> Cheers!
> Balaji
>
>
> --- In [email protected], "Chord" <purevibz@> wrote:
> >
> > CONGRATS! Great job guys!!!!
> >
> >
> >
> > --- In [email protected], "Vijay Iyer"
> > <vijay.mohan.iyer@> wrote:
> > >
> > > Three Cheers for Gops !
> > >
> > > On Sat, May 3, 2008 at 11:42 PM, prabhu_ferrari
<prabhu.ferrari@>
> > > wrote:
> > >
> > > > Vithur,
> > > >
> > > > We did mention about the noble activities to her. But somehow
> it got
> > > > filtered. We also discussed about ARR website, and the
exclusive
> > > > trailers and many more things. Not all we discussed appeared
in
> the
> > > > article.
> > > >
> > > > Best Regards
> > > > -Prabhu
> > > > --- In [email protected] <arrahmanfans%
> 40yahoogroups.com>,
> > > > Vithur <vithurm@> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > Gomzy
> > > > >
> > > > > Was no mention made to the Times regarding our fans doing
> noble
> > > > activities
> > > > > on a regular basis in Chennai. That should have been
> highlighted.
> > > > It would
> > > > > have really made ARR feel proud of us
> > > > >
> > > > > On Sun, May 4, 2008 at 9:02 AM, Gomzy <gomtesh.upadhye@>
> wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > The times of India, Blore edition. page 21
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Mad about Rahman, dil se These fans live and breathe A R
> Rahman's
> > > > music,
> > > > > > finds
> > > > > > Sharmishta Koushik
> > > > > >
> > > > > > It was the year 1992. The film Roja was released and with
> it,
> > > > a new
> > > > > > music sensation blossomed in the Indian film industry,
> attracting
> > > > droves of
> > > > > > fans, mesmerized by his melodies. Their chotti si asha is
> simply
> > > > to have the
> > > > > > pleasure of listening to A R Rahman's music and perhaps,
> watching
> > > > him
> > > > > > perform live, and if they were really lucky, say a few
> words to
> > > > the musical
> > > > > > genius in person. Meet the A R Rahman Fans.
> > > > > > What started off as an e-group, set up by Gopal
Srinivasan,
> a
> > > > > > Bangalore-based consultant, is, today, a veritable
database
> of
> > > > all things
> > > > > > Rahman. From several media interviews to rare recordings
of
> his
> > > > tracks and
> > > > > > the inside information on when a new album will be
released,
> > > > these die-hard
> > > > > > fans are truly connoisseurs of Rahman's art. "The intent
> behind
> > > > establishing
> > > > > > this group was straightforward to use the power of the
> internet
> > > > to network
> > > > > > with Rahman's fans around the world so that we could
share
> the
> > > > joy of
> > > > > > listening to his music. In many ways, it is Rahman
himself
> who is
> > > > > > responsible for the popularity of this group his music
> and his
> > > > appeal
> > > > > > cutting across barriers. I am guilty of initially under-
> > > > estimating the
> > > > > > global reach of his music little did we realize that we
> would
> > > > have people
> > > > > > from so many countries across the world joining in," says
> Gopal
> > > > Srinivasan. And
> > > > > > indeed, today, the e-group has over 13,000 members.
> > > > > > On a rather sultry Sunday evening, a few members of the
> group
> > > > in
> > > > > > Bangalore gathered in front of the rose garden in Cubbon
> Park to
> > > > talk about
> > > > > > their passion. Quite befitting, considering that for most
of
> > > > them, their
> > > > > > love affair with A R Rahman's music began with the film
Roja
> > > > (rose), and
> > > > > > like his music, their devotion to his talent has only
> increased
> > > > from
> > > > > > strength to strength. Says Kangan Upadhyay, who works in a
> > > > software company,
> > > > > > "We heard the songs of Roja before they were officially
> released.
> > > > And
> > > > > > although I didn't know the language, I could relate to
those
> > > > songs.''
> > > > > > And she gives credit to the music director for her superb
> > > > scores in
> > > > > > her II PU exam. "At that time, the music of Alaipayuthe
was
> > > > released, and I
> > > > > > kept listening to it all the time while studying. I
scored
> 99% in
> > > > Maths. I
> > > > > > kept humming the songs in my mind even as I was writing
the
> > > > paper,'' she
> > > > > > recalls with excitement.
> > > > > > The way Rahman's compositions revolutionized Indian film
> > > > music is
> > > > > > something the fans immensely respect. "He brought in a
> whiff of
> > > > freshness,''
> > > > > > says Balaji Rajagopal, a chartered accountant. "He
brought
> to
> > > > Indian films a
> > > > > > sound which was, until then, only heard in jingles,'' says
> > > > Chandrashekhar
> > > > > > Ganesh, a techie. "Earlier, viewers would walk
> > > > > > out of the theatre for a smoke when the songs would come
on.
> > > > Rahman's
> > > > > > music changed all that,'' says Gomtesh Upadhyay aka
Gomzy, a
> > > > techie.
> > > > > > "He's even a good singer,'' says Vithun Kumar, a BE
student.
> > > > Adds
> > > > > > Shahnawaz Gaffoor, a techie, "His music is
international.''
> > > > > > Not surprisingly, Rahman's concerts are always a grand
> event,
> > > > akin to
> > > > > > international acts performing in India. And these fans
> ensure
> > > > they are there
> > > > > > to watch Rahman live. Most of them took off to Chennai
> recently,
> > > > when
> > > > > > Rahman performed there for a concert organized by The
Times
> of
> > > > India. In
> > > > > > fact, it was during the 2005 concert in Bangalore when
the
> city's
> > > > fans met
> > > > > > each other in person. They volunteered backstage and even
> had T-
> > > > shirts
> > > > > > created especially for the event.
> > > > > > Rehearsals are when they get to interact with the maestro.
> > > > Some of the
> > > > > > members have even met him at his residence in
> Chennai. "Once, I
> > > > went to meet
> > > > > > him at his place. As he was busy he told me to come the
> next day.
> > > > He asked
> > > > > > me if I was a non-vegetarian. Since I wasn't, he ensured
> that
> > > > vegetarian
> > > > > > food was ordered for me,'' says Prabhu Krishnamurthy, a
> techie.
> > > > > > During the 2005 concert, they even gifted Rahman a
montage
> of
> > > > all his
> > > > > > album covers, about 94 both film and non-film scores.
It
> now
> > > > adorns a wall
> > > > > > in his studio. And needless to say, if a fan wants to
meet
> him at
> > > > the
> > > > > > studio, those from this e-group are allowed right in.
> Rahman has
> > > > even
> > > > > > dedicated a colouring book for children, released during
> the Pray
> > > > For Me
> > > > > > Brother tour, to the e-group in November, 2007.
> > > > > > The members definitely deserve such a token of
appreciation,
> > > > > > considering they have taken pains to count the number of
> musical
> > > > genres he
> > > > > > has explored. According to them, his music spans about 36-
38
> > > > genres.
> > > > > > The Bangalore-based fans meet up from time to time, if
> > > > someone gets
> > > > > > hold of the latest copy of Rahman's album or a rare DVD
of
> his
> > > > work. They
> > > > > > recently met to watch a behind-the-scenes DVD of the
musical
> > > > Bombay Dreams,
> > > > > > which shows Rahman actually composing some of the tunes.
> > > > > > "We upload rare tracks on to the website. But it's
strictly
> > > > for
> > > > > > non-commercial and private use. We always buy the
original
> CDs of
> > > > his
> > > > > > albums,'' says Prabhu. "And, of course, we would be the
> first
> > > > ones to buy
> > > > > > those albums on day one,'' says S Radhakrishnan, a
techie.
> At
> > > > times, members
> > > > > > have heated debates. An unresolved one is about whether
> Rahman
> > > > was the first
> > > > > > music director to use a bass guitar in his compositions.
> > > > > > What sustains their immense passion is not just Rahman's
> > > > music but
> > > > > > also the person he is. As Radhakrishnan puts it, "He has
> never
> > > > let us
> > > > > > down.''
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > RAHMANIACS: These fans are devoted not just to his music
but
> > > > also the man
> > > > > > behind it
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > --
> > > > > regards,
> > > > > Vithur
> > > > >
> > > > > Whatever God wants to give, no one can deny; Whatever God
> wants to
> > > > deny, no
> > > > > one can give. Be happy always
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
