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| 16 October 2007
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| The story of rock and me
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I am entitled to make remarks because I have experienced life while belonging to the category.
I was, not very long ago, not a very big admirer of rock music. At that time, rock was nothing but noise to me. There are hardly any lyrics. And it's so difficult to figure out what the whole fuss is about. And I decided to stay at a safe distance from all the rock-followers. They are generally alcohol-drinking, cigarette-smoking, drug-doping, weapon-yielding , maybe outlaws too, definitely dangerous. I couldn't understand why they all claim to like rock music, why they all claim to be die-hard fans of hard rock. I thought it was just a cult whose participation entitles glances, admiration and attention. I thought that a rock follower was just someone who claims to like Marilyn Mansion whereas the reality is that he/she secretly listens to Backstreet Boys (which is pop) privately. It was just a show-off, I thought.
Then came college life, and along with it came the freedom to listen to music the way it's meant to be listened. At FULL VOLUME. So, I downloaded a couple of "rock" songs on recommendations of my fellow roommate. "Somewhere I Belong" and "In the End". Both by a rock band known as "Linkin Park". I plugged in the earphones, turned the volume to its maximum level, and listened. And then I listened again. And again. I kept listening. I was hooked.
Then I went to my first rock concert at a college fest, wearing a black t-shirt similar to what I had seen other rock fans adorn. I don't remember much about the concert now, but two things that I vividly remember indulging myself into were
1. Sitting just in front of the 20000 W speakers, feeling the bass shake my body down to the core. I still remember checking my cellphone to see if it was vibrating, not once or twice but several times during the concert.
2. Joining the rank of head-bangers and doing the head-banging stuff myself. I can't
explain in words how that felt, but I remember that my eyes were closed so that I could appreciate it completely.
After that day, I have been to several rock concerts in my city, inside and outside my college, and I have had similar experiences everytime. And its not just the concerts. Whenever I'm feeling low, or high, I listen to rock on my earphones at full volume. Why do I do that? Because I feel it communicates to me, on some level, and that I can relate to it.
Now, when I look back at those who have (unfortunately) been untouched by the magnanimity of the rock and wonder what they feel about us. I am not surprised to discover them going through the same phase that I had myself gone through once. I try, but am unsuccessful, in my attempts to make them believe that it is not just crap or a show-off. I rock even when I'm alone. I headband even when I'm alone. But they are unable to appreciate it.
The only way for you to understand us is to become one of us. If you haven't experienced the spirituality of rock, you have no right to reject rock.
Just keep rocking. |
posted by Rohit Agarwal
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