Anything about IR found on the net - Vol 1

One more blog post on rAsA in the net world with nothing special to read:
http://iagnya.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-post_26.html

However, the reason I post this link here is for the picture of the annakkiLi disk cover



This is one of those 45 RPM vinyl discs that could accommodate only 4 songs (2 on each side).

It can be seen that the TMS version of 'annakkiLiyE onnaththEduthE' is missing in this disk!

This was one of those big problems (IMO) for some of the initial movies of IR that had more than 4 songs. Those days the recording companies either didn't have facilities to manufacture or the producer couldn't afford to release a 33 RPM LP record. If the # of songs were >4, some were never released on disks or had to find a place in the second disk. Well, in case of "2 disks", obviously, most movies didn't have 8 songs to fill both. So, some numbers occured in both disks to fill the space.

At times, the radio stations didn't receive (or didn't buy) both such disks and the result was non-playing of certain songs. Guru was one very clear example - the Trichy AIR never played 'paRanthAlum vida mAttEn', though it was not one of those "banned songs", like 'Oram pO' or 'kEttELE angE'.

Possible reason? They got only one of those 45 RPM disks and it had 'pEraichchollavA', 'AdungaL pAdungaL' SPB version, 'nAn vaNangukiREn' and possibly 'mAmanukkupparamakkudi'. I've never heard that station play 'enthan kaNNil' either

Fortunately, the school hostel (next to our quarters in the campus) had the cassette with those songs and was playing on loudspeaker regularly Later, IOKS got all songs and was playing them regularly!

interesting trivia abt the earlier disks app...

Panju A mentioned he dint expect that face and that build from a (wannabe) music director when he met Raaja for the first time. Now I can understand his reaction. aadu thiruduravar maadhiri irunthirukkaar

but its good to know they gave such space of publicity to a newbie md... imprinting his pic and all...

Looks like a typical madurai pakkathu gramaththAn. maNNin maindhan!

2040 wrote:interesting trivia abt the earlier disks app...

Actually the earliest disks that I know of are 78 RPM ones (people used to call them 'arakku rekkAd').

Those could hold only one song of < 4 min on one side. Most movies prior to 70's were available only on 78 RPM disks. Certain longer songs had to be recorded on "both sides" of that disk and there will be an "idai vELai" (for flipping the sides) when radio station played them

e.g.
avaL paRandhu pOnALE (pAr makaLE pAr)
jagam pugazhum puNya kathai rAmanin kathiyE (lava kusA)

Even in 45 RPM during the 70's, some songs occupied both sides...the maNippayal song 'aNNA aNNA aNNA, engaL anbin deivam aNNA' was one such IIRC.

enga irundhu enga vandhirukku music production...

it would have been a great experience for u to have seen both the extremes now...

Don't know whether this is correct or not...but at least an interesting gossip:

http://cnntamil.blogspot.com/2012/11/blog-post_8996.html

இளையராஜாவுக்கு பல்வேறு அமைப்புகள் விருது வழங்கி கவுரவிக்க விரும்புகின்றன. ஆனால் அதனை இளையராஜா மறுத்து வருகிறார். துபாயில் வழங்க இருந்த "பெஸ்ட் காண்ட்ரிபியூசன் ஆப் வோர்ல்ட் மியூசிக்" என்ற விருதையும், மலேசியாவில் வழங்கப்படுவதாக இருந்த "லைப் டைம் அச்சீவ்மெண்ட்" விருதையும் மறுத்திருக்கிறார். முதன் முதலில் தேசிய விருது வழங்கப்பட்டபோது அதையும் வாங்க மறுத்தும், கடந்த ஆண்டு லிம்கா சாதனையாளர் விருதை மறுத்ததும் குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது. விருதுகளின் மேல் இளையராஜாவுக்கு எப்போதுமே நம்பிக்கை இல்லை.


தேசிய விருது குறித்த தனது கருத்தை இளையராஜா இப்போது வெளியிட்டிருக்கிறார். அது வருமாறு: சிறந்த இயக்குனராக தேர்வு செய்யப்பட்டவரின் படம்தானே சிறந்த படமாகவும் இருக்க முடியும். பிறகு எப்படி சிறந்த படம் என்று ஒரு படத்துக்கும், சிறந்த இயக்குனர் என்று வேறுபடம் இயக்கியவருக்கும் கொடுக்கிறார்கள்.சிறந்த இசை அமைப்பளார் என்று ஒருவருக்கும், சிறந்த பின்னணி இசை அமைப்பாளர் என்று ஒருவருக்கும் கொடுக்கிறார்கள். சிறந்த பின்னணி இசை கொடுப்பவருக்கு சிறந்த பாடலை கொடுக்க முடியாதா, சிறந்த பாடலை கொடுப்பவருக்கு சிறந்த பின்னணி இசையை கொடுக்க முடியாதா? இதனால் தேசிய விருதுகள் மீது என்கு பெரிய மதிப்பில்லை. இவ்வாறு இளையராஜா கருத்து தெரிவித்திருக்கிறார்.

ippadiyum oruththar irukkAr :

http://gagankrishnadas.blogspot.com/2012/11/neethaane-en-pon-vasantham.html

There's one dialogue in Vaaranam Aayiram where Suriya says "those days were like an Ilayaraja song". No exaggeration, but yes a random good song of Ilayaraja contains so much within it, and gets over in just 5 minutes! And the hero in the movie goes through something similar where he spends a few beautiful days with the girl of his heart which gets over in no time.

I was just watching the theatrical trailor of Neethaane En Ponvasantham on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XG8PWUgAIiM and was just thinking on how the movie would be.
...
...
For a director who extracted the best out of Harris Jayaraj, I am waiting to experience what he would have extracted from Ilayaraja. Ilayaraaja is known for his "different" and fusion type treatment of western instruments. The audio of Ponvasantham is out, but I am yet to listen to any of the songs. After seeing the theatrical, it seems to me that there is a high dosage of electrifying western (and rock) influences in the album along with the classic Ilayaraja stuff in the foundation.

Looks like the blog about IR's opinion on NA is based on a dinamalar article:

http://cinema.dinamalar.com/tamil-news/9640/cinema/Kollywood/Ilayaraja-avoiding-awards.htm

As usual, the comments below the newspaper's gossip are nauseating...

இளையராஜாவைக் கேளுங்கள்! Latest
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If u guys want me to post as image, will do that!

Sakalakala Vallavar wrote:pic.twitter.com/j9vx6KR5

Thanks sakala. Super ma and very true! I was really frustrated when IR didn't get NA for Pazhassi Raja (when he got for background score) and SRR. Especially when a music director can only fetch award for songs and not for background score itself tells he is not competent. But the other way can never happen as BGM is the most difficult one to score compared to songs. The songs and score which got awards those years does not stand a chance to these classics!

V_S - The songs that got award in pazhassi raja year were actually very decent. But yeah, Kunnathe Konnaikkum is unbelievable. For normal listeners, it just comes under the heading "nice melody". You have to listen to it closely to see how much emotion is packed into every strain of the song, and Chechi's singing, and the interludes.

B(K) made the mistake of dismissing it as the mandatory melody before being humbled by the sheer awesomeness later.

Yes, Plum I agree Dev D was excellent. I am just looking from my perspective only. If I were a part of jury, first thing that will come to my mind is how this music represents India and its tradition. Next comes the creativity and innovation. But both are mandatory. Dev D does not even have a hint of 'indianness' in its music. May be it was new at that time just because people (especially in north) first time might have listened to rock influence in film music (as they were only accustomed to pop?), but those who have listened to lot of such rock music, will not fall for it.

Also Maestro has done this and all long time back in 80s itself. No one seems to bother as it fell into flop/average movies trap and these kind of genres will never be on your face with Raja. Also I thought that there was nothing newly done in terms of rock genre there and thereby losing originality (except now Amit is being considered as rock equivalent MD, but I don't want to give any credit there, if there is no mark of a music director). Same thing holds true for last year when SRR was rejected. Some 'laptop' got the award which again does not have any originality and indian'ness in its music. I am still wondering how could they miss out a mighty original, pure and highly innovative classic like SRR which represents India. Shouldn't they be proud about this music?

If the jury is announcing this is 'THE BEST MUSIC FROM INDIA' to the world and they listen only to come to know that it's all done by them already, is it not a shame?

plum wrote:B(K) made the mistake of dismissing it as the mandatory melody before being humbled by the sheer awesomeness later.

Flau, that ALWAYS happens! How come you expect all of our brains will work in synonym, wrt reception of vera vera IR songs?? Given 5 songs, to a set of audience here, surely the results on who liked what will never match at one given instant. While there is less chance to dislike a song you liked, later(you may say you are done with that song) there are always chance that you will like a song which u dismissed before.

My case, i dismissed Thaavi Thaavi from Dhoni initially and now recently i just love that song! Ithellaam jagajam thaan!

Would like to share one recent example which we all know. The London Olympics and naanthaan ungappandaa. When they were playing that song on radio, the commentators were trying to bracket that song to some genre and I remember they were mentioning every genre; pop, disco or rock, indian but could not come to any conclusion. I was smiling myself at them, that they will never be able to crack that, as we all know which genre that was and how profound that composition was. They can only merely scratch the surface, no one knows what it contains inside, except Raja. One thing about that composition that it has a whole Indian heart to it with many western flavors around it. That's how a Indian composition looks like!

our celebrity forummer Skr interviews Attila

JeMo meets Raaja.

http://www.jeyamohan.in/?p=32153

Mentions that Raaja is "watching" NEPV.

Yes wizzy, skr shared this sometime ago. We were amazed by skr's passion and interest towards Maestro. Plum shared in other forum that he took a picture with Maestro during Nothing But Wind event when everyone were busy leaving after the show. Another wonderful thing is Attila acknowledged him and called him at his place. Great work skr!

Thanks Aravind for JeMo article. Even in his busy schedule, he spares times to talk with people that too in a leisure way. Good to know he is working on NEPV.

Sakalakala Vallavar wrote:

plum wrote:B(K) made the mistake of dismissing it as the mandatory melody before being humbled by the sheer awesomeness later.

Flau, that ALWAYS happens! How come you expect all of our brains will work in synonym, wrt reception of vera vera IR songs??
Given 5 songs, to a set of audience here, surely the results on who liked what will never match at one given instant. While there is less chance to dislike a song you liked, later(you may say you are done with that song) there are always chance that you will like a song which u dismissed before.

My case, i dismissed Thaavi Thaavi from Dhoni initially and now recently i just love that song! Ithellaam jagajam thaan!

Not liking one song out of five is different. In this case, the emphasis is on how our natural antennae work. B(K) received it casually as a typical IR melody, and only later realised the shades painted. While for B(K) it might have been a one-off gavana kuRaivu, for the majority that is how their antennae process it. Melodiousya is the maximum critique these people can say about music, and that is why you see ordinary songs with a catchy melody being hailed in the same words as a classic. reNdukkum they can only say "melodious" because that is the limitation of their appreciation.

In B(K)'s case, I emphasised it because even a discerning listener like him had this casual antenna - in his case, he dismisses "just-melodieS" as not worthy meaning he is the polar opposite of the cases I mentioned above - the fact that even he took a casual approach initially and then realised the mistake is significant

Because if it could happen to him, a hapless jury processing the song in their heads for the 3 odd minutes during the movie will simply see it as a mandatory duet, and they cannot process the awesomeness of it.

Raja has a point here - this song was not just any duet. It was part of the story and captured the "childless-unakku-naan-enakkunee" dynamic of Pazhassi and his wife Makam. The situation is significant because even amidst the despairing fall in glory, they are hopeful of restoring their throne, and everyone around them is also hopeful of a possibiility of this couple still getting a child despite the previous mis-carriage.
There are two angles
1) Relationship angle - this is a historical movie. But still the director places emphasis on the characters and their concerns which adds weight to our concerns about these characters as we watch events unfold and help us sympathise when they suffer
2) Relevance - the fact that they, despite the British full-on might, believe that they can restore their former glory, a son will be born and they will be back to normal - this shows why these small-time rulers believed they can take on the British then. They never thought they'd lose and they never realised the might of the British machine. This song captures that hope dynamic, which is very important in the screenplay


And the song, if you see, captures that hope, laced with the melancholy of the situation, and at the same time, captures the hopelessness of it - we all know how it is going to end by then - with the sarangi strains in th eprelude and first interlude.

There is so much in the song - while IR knows and you and I now know that the award committee couldnt even have seen this. For them it is just how melodious a song sounds.

Why blame them? For most other MDs', thjat is the approach to movie while for IR, even songs need to cater to the situation, theme and characterisation.

It is no surprise he is not at all respectful of these awards. Who are these inferior people who cannot understand all this, who give out these awards?

Why shouldnt he pour scorn like he does a award committees?

This is what he means by "nAn pOyi en isai ipdi apdinu solli avanaLai convince paNNanamAkkum? Isnt it their job to understand all this?"

Ofcourse, it is easy for other MD fans to misinterpret this as a dig on their MD.

Yup, i did not look beyond the Sudha dhanyasi in "Kunnathe" initially, thinking "andha sweet, tender Malayalam SD template la dhaane irukku". (Hope nobody tells me now that it sounds like SD but is actually a different raagam!)
I've done this for other songs too. Like "Roja ondru, ullankayyil..." etc

BTW, I, for the life of me will never understand why anyone would have a problem with Raaja's response on the NA question - BUT, that is exactly what the mafia would do.

I have been a torch bearer to DEVD's music - but trust me .. years after, I still play kunnaathe, aalamadangalum and aadhi ushas while DEVD has joined the list of noisy all to drowning blast of punjabi fake rock that amit trivedi seems to churn out in his sleep. I guess no reviewer worth his value in salt is asking the trivedi the question of "versatility"( I myself dont care much for it - avanavanukku ulla sarakku avanavanukku thaen theriyum) - but for a raaja song the initial reactions always seem to be 'functional melody' , same as what we heard in the 80s (dei pudhusa edhaachum soram kandu pidichurukkaaingala?) etc., kalaignanai madhikkaradhu irukkattum, modhalla kalaikke madhippu illaye indha naatula..

jaiganesh wrote: but for a raaja song the initial reactions always seem to be 'functional melody' , same as what we heard in the 80s (dei pudhusa edhaachum soram kandu pidichurukkaaingala?)

LOL

Bala (Karthik) wrote:

BTW, I, for the life of me will never understand why anyone would have a problem with Raaja's response on the NA question - BUT, that is exactly what the mafia would do.

புடிச்சாரு பாருங்க லாஜிக்! ஒரு பயலுக்காச்சும் தோணுச்சா!! இசை, பின்னணி இசை கூட இப்பத்தான் வந்தது, அனேகமா ராஜாவை மனசில் வைத்து தான் பின்னணி இசை ந்னு ஒரு பிரிவே கொண்டுவந்திருப்பாங்க, ஆனா ராஜா அதையே காரணம் காட்டி பேக் ஃபயர் பண்றார் பாருங்க!

சிறந்த படமும் இயக்குனரும் வெவ்வேறா !!!!

There seems to be more of IR-MGR stuff coming out nowadays...

Among those Kumudam things (twitter pics that SKV has posted), there was one about how IR ended up singing pinnaNi for MGR - after MGR rejected the TMS & MV versions of the song With IR concluding how it was impossible to change any decision by MGR...

Now another in this hindu article about IR's books:
http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/ilaiyaraja-the-poet/article4146174.ece

His guru Dhanraj Master’s dislike for film music and annoyance at Raja joining the film industry are revealed. Also, how Raja cleared the 8th Grade Theory and Practical Music Exam on his own without any help only shows how determined this man was in achieving the goals he set for himself. A person who never compromises on his principles, he even shocked MGR during the awards ceremony of the film, ‘Mundhanai Mudichchu,’ where he refused to take the gift - a gold ring. An angry MGR pushed it into Raja’s hand, who promptly returned the gift to the producers the following day.

Raja’s confrontation with MGR’s secretary when he could not get his dates for presiding over the fund-raising concerts for the Srirangam Rajagopuram, is another case in point. MGR, however, never harboured any ill-feelings and in fact, lit the lamp at the grihapravesam of Raja’s new house.

Well, it was good that IR's innings started just about the time MGR moved into politics and stopped acting! I'm not sure if TFM would've got all those IR-wonders had the industry been still getting pushed around by MT...