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Sunday, 18 April 2004  
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Sri Lankan Rock Gets Set To Roll!

Rock Company is one year old on April 20, and wow, what a year it's been! Metal-heads who packed the venues of countless Rock Saturday gigs need no recap of the roller-coaster success story that saw the likes of Independence Square, Kreb's Cycle, Stigmata, Cold Fusion, Paranoid Earthling, Whirlwind and countless other new-wave rock bands storm the stage to become the household words they are today, in the local music scene.

On the occasion of this anniversary, we pause to look back at the story of Sri Lankan Rock, tracing how it all began within the run-down walls of Koko's in Thimbirigasyaya ...

In the mid to late 1960's a social, cultural and musical revolution swept across the principal cities of England and the United States of America. Led by the restless and idealistic youth of the day, this counter cultural phenomenon took place against a constantly changing soundtrack composed and played by the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Who, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and the Byrds.

Back in Ceylon, faint echoes of this musical revolution first saw the light of day on the airwaves dominated by Radio Ceylon and its cadre of resident DJ's. Listeners became aware of the Beatles, and to a lesser extent, the rhythm and blues drenched raunch of the Stones and a handful of other bands along with their accustomed diet of sonic candy floss perpetrated by countless greasy teen idols and of course, the over sweetened Country & Western confectionaries of Jim Reeves.

Even as the Beatles were acrimoniously breaking up in 1970, the rock and roll of the day was mutating into something altogether more intense and powerful.

Relying on massed amplification, instrumental virtuosity and attitudes that often bordered on pretentiousness, "Rock" rid itself of "Roll" and took off into a brave new world with bands such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes, Black Sabbath, Jethro Tull, Deep Purple and Santana leading the charge.

With the exception of a handful of senior college students who obviously had recourse to vinyl LP's and music trade papers, the rest of Sri Lanka's music enthusiasts had to rely on the occasional radio program such as "Progressive 30" presented by Noeline Mendis to vaguely ascertain the evolving soundscape of the 70's.

What was later to become "Rock Company" had its start around this time. The self same college students acquired guitars, drum kits, keyboards, hired rudimentary sound systems and started to hang out together and attempted to recreate the records of their heroes with differing levels of success.

All this without the aid of decent guitars, effects pedals, drum kits, synthesizers, sophisticated PA systems or recording studios! The first ever Rock events in Sri Lanka revolved around bands such as "The Unwanted Generation", "Graveyard" and "Coffin Nail" featuring such musicians as Prins Jayaratnam, Chris Dhasan, Nimal Gunawardena, Ramesh Weeratunga, Imtiaz Hameed and Kumar Navaratnam responsible for organizing extravagant rock concerts featuring multiple Sri Lankan bands who introduced Colombo's wide eyed and newly hatched youth culture to the underground sounds streaming in from the UK and the US.

A few years later, another important milestone was attained with the formation of "Cancer," the first ever Sri Lankan band that took the initial step of composing and playing its own material. Led by Prasanna Abeysekera and his brother Ranil, together with a cast of musicians that included Yogu, Brian Knower, Leo, Sumedha Kulatunga and sundry other enthusiasts, "Cancer" defiantly rocked to a different beat.

One that they could truly call their own. However, the lack of recording facilities and a proper medium to spread the band's original output ensured that only a tiny handful would appreciate their attempts at creating a Sri Lankan rock identity.

"Cancer" and their ilk, did find a regular hangout where they and like minded bands could rehearse and showcase their abilities to the true believers, within the suitably run down walls of "Koko's, - the closest local equivalent to a rock venue located in Thimbirigasyaya.

Hard on the heels of "Cancer" came such luminaries as "Rattlesnake" and "Venom" who for the most part, played hard rock covers and helped to keep the music alive through the gigs that took place at "Koko's and other venues. The late 70's saw a notable change in the rock scene with the emergence of a whole new generation of bands with a different agenda- Punk Rock and new wave bands and songwriters reintroduced high energy and a DIY work ethic that flew in the face of established mainstream acts throughout Europe and the US.

Largely unaffected by these changes, Sri Lanka's Rock bands soldiered on until many of the pioneering musicians emigrated or found themselves with little or no time to pursue music as family and economic demands focused their attention away from power chords and heavy riffs. Rock Company itself wound to a close in the late 80's and the decade that followed saw the music being just about kept alive by a handful of devotees along with Rattlesnake, Venom, Cancer and Brass Face.

However in 2003, a whole new generation of enthusiastic Sri Lankan kids weaned on the music of "Metallica", "Iron Maiden", "Def Leopard" and other intense metal acts began to form their own bands, while rehearsing and writing original material.

"Independence Square" and "Kreb's Cycle" were among the first of such bands aided and abetted by a newly revived and rejuvenated "Rock Company" led by Ajith Perera, who championed their originality and helped to organize concerts, publicity, sponsorship and more importantly, funding for recording the music produced by these bands and newer ones such as "Stigmata."

"Rock Company," consisting of the members from each of the new wave of Sri Lankan rock bands have combined forces and pooled their resources to release CDs of original Sri Lankan Rock music and to organize regular monthly gigs that showcase the raw energy, excitement and talent of these and upcoming outfits.

Albums of original rock by "Independence Square"and "Stigmata" have been launched as well as EP's and a compilation highlighting the work of "Paranoid Earthling", "Cold Fusion" "Kreb's Cycle", "Mute," "Ezra" and "Stone Broke" among others have been released with gratifyingly successful sales results.

A steadily growing fan base has been established and all Rock Company gigs are sold out affairs. The monthly journal of the organization has sold over 2000 copies and a new magazine carrying news, interviews and photographs of over 30 different Sri Lankan rock bands entitled "The Mosh Mag" is in the works, as is a 2nd compilation CD of new Sri Lankan Rock.

The first ever Rock Company National Tour took place to overwhelming response and a second tour involving gigs in Kandy. Negombo, Hikkaduwa, Unawatuna and Nuwara Eliya will take place soon. The organization is working towards the goal of establishing its own recording studios, and a fully equipped rehearsal space for the use of the bands and musicians interested in creating original rock music...a dream that will be realized in the near future. So keep your ears peeled...

-The Axe Man-

www.imarketspace.com

www.Pathmaconstruction.com

www.ceylincoproperties.com

www.continentalresidencies.com

www.ppilk.com

www.singersl.com

www.crescat.com

www.peaceinsrilanka.org

www.helpheroes.lk


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