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| Sunday, 30 May 2004 |
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Sri Lanka has lately been engulfed in a benign yet instantly gripping revolution. Rock music - a genre that is both critically acclaimed and frowned on, is being hungrily swallowed by a generation of followers who, weary of the irksome canned music thrown their way, have found a new, sweetly dangerous trail. Rock music is serving best as a form of rebellion that teenagers, young adults and adults can relate to.... Issues that are rarely spoken of such as child abuse are being addressed. Problems and consequences are being depicted with passionate, raw and energetic music that is a fast growing philosophy for those who seek to differ from convention's choice. Alternative "Fathers" Independent Square is the band that first brought originality onto the Sri Lankan map with their smash debut 'Bring back the Sun followed through with the melodic assault of '5 and a half'. As a band Independent Square faced many industry trials and tribulations to reach their rock'n roll pinnacle and have done so with little compromise. Heavy Metal was an outcast genre that was too harsh and too extreme for the average Sri Lankan music fan. Stigmata stepped into the picture with a painful solution. A band that shattered the silence with attitude and musical craftsmanship that has placed the band as one of the most unique and influential bands this country has produced. Stigmata released a 3 track EP 'Morbid Indiscretion' that sold out in less than 3 months. They followed the EP with the menacing concept debut 'Hollow Dreams' in August 2003 that is currently reaching the 4000 sales mark. An amazing feat for a band that is still the underground's choice receiving very little mainstream backing. Ezra; winners of TNL Onstage 2001 released their debut EP that starved gospel rock fans could get their hands on. The energy and conviction that has brought the band thus far is captured on the 3 track EP. Whirlwind is perhaps this country's first band to combine fusion and hard classic rock and their debut Album Vedana '(Pain)' has been a commercial hit. The band has sold over 3000 CDs and over 2000 Cassettes so far. At a time where Sri Lanka was festering with bands that only played covers, a new movement has breached the industry proving that originality is the ONLY way ahead. One tends to wonder why so many talented Sri Lankan bands in the Western music circuit stick to playing covers. Some extremely talented local bands stick to playing covers never attempting to produce something that they could call their own. Do they feel that their pinnacle of success is playing covers couple of nights a week at various restaurants and pubs in the city; Don't they give heed to the fact that we will never be able to make it in the international scene playing covers that belong to someone else? If we don't venture out to making our own originals at least now we will forever be shackled to this narrow market which would be penny wise pound foolish. Take the case of Sinhala music. Early Sinhala songs were mostly Hindi or Tamil song copies sung with Sinhala lyrics. But somewhere down the line a few pioneers started to write songs that were authentic Sinhala music complete with our own melodies and lyrics. This set the stage for the development of what Sinhalese music is today with its own industry fuelled by thousands of artists. Rock Company has sowed the seeds for this originality in the Western music scene. Given time, the talents abounding in this country are sure to blossom and break the shackles that have held us down for so many years. Who knows in time to come we might have our own equivalent of Iron Maiden or Black Sabbath hailing from this little island. A stunning benchmark in original rock music was when Rock Company released the sell-out Compilation CD featuring the best in the country. The disc has now become such a cult classic that fans are eagerly awaiting the second Compilation that will be out soon. The rusty doors have now been cast open for many other bands that now have the motivation and encouragement to focus on original rock music. Hundreds of teenagers are picking up instruments to fulfill their dreams to attain their place in the Metal Pantheon that a few bands have scaled gracefully. Rock fanatics are eagerly awaiting EP or Album releases by Paranoid Earthling, Stone Broke, Soul Skinner, Taunt and many more. Rock Company and the bands have had mud slung at them by musicians of other genres - and one wonders why. The youth of this country finally have an opening of some sort to express themselves and make the music in the depths of their souls. Rock Company has their sights on putting up the First 24-Hour Rock Station. A pure Rock station that will promote our Local bands and feature the best international rock bands - both in the mainstream and the underground. A portal for fans where the classic gods of the genre like Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest would be heard with the most intense bands around ranging from Iced Earth, Dimmu Bogir, Morbid Angel to early Slayer. It seems the gates to the future will be clawed open...and indeed with the revolution that is taking place. I am going to be one of the flag carriers - 'cos it's damn time this country had a change! - The Lotus Eater |
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