No one is born as a super evolved human being. We all rough
it up as we grow, to be what we are today and what we want our tomorrow to be. Life
is always an uphill task and the only way to end the journey is by reaching the
top. Some loose hope, some get tired in this inclined ride and tend to camp en
route. Only some make it till the last or rather last till the last. Most of
the halts are disheartening in our career path and that is what creates a
strong dent on our judgments.
Music is no exception. Rather Musicians face more drums in
their life. When we look deeper and closer into their lives we see a lot of
melancholy and despair surrounding their lives. What can be more unfair than,
what happened in the life of Beethoven. In 1802, he wrote a famous text which
expressed his disgust at the unfairness of life, that he, a musician, could
become deaf was something he was not prepared to live through. But, music gave
him the courage to carry on and he also mentioned, that he knew that he still
had many other musical abilities to explore, to discover, and to pass on.
Beethoven did not commit suicide, rather, knowing that his handicap was getting
worse and worse, he threw himself into his greatest Beethoven music.
Then be it John Lennon who was assassinated at the age of
40, or Bob Marley who died of cancer at the age of 36 or be it Karen carpenter
who died at 32 due to anorexia till recent times, when Whitney Houston was
found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel room
joining the list of brilliant singers like Elvis Presley, Amy Winehouse and
Jackson - whose lives were cut short by personal problems and drug abuse. Most
of these musicians who were legends to the world had succumbed to some weakness
that let them down. Musicians mostly are enslaved by drink or drug. Though
music by itself is a very positive
source of energy that can change and transform lives, it somehow could
not save the lives of so many legendary musicians.
If only MJ was alive today, wouldn’t we have had the
opportunity for more of his music? That is why, we have to take inspiration and
keep telling ourselves to survive to strive more and face challenges as they come.
Wasn't the life of Jagjit Singh tragic, a singer who had a golden voice that could
express love and pain like nobody else in Indian Ghazals. His son passed away
much before him; a testing phase during which he lived through the shock till
he breathed his last.
Of course, we can only discuss life stories of those who
were successful before they lost to life. There are and can be many lives that
had to make great sacrifices even to reach or not reach any prominent position
as musicians.
No one is born with a silver spoon or no body is waiting eagerly
to distribute opportunities. Even after being successful once or twice, life
keeps testing, that is when we have to be more cautious and let not ourselves
succumb to any pressures. Always believe in Music and the talent you have
within, all you need is perseverance to survive till the day arrives. Do not
get lost and wander into the tragic roads of life. Hold on and you will be
rewarded.
I have not gathered information to write this, but it is also
my personal experience in life that makes me talk this way. My initial success
in music did not come without waiting. It was long journey of knocking several
doors and waiting with lots of appointments that were disappointments.
Highly influenced by Remo Fernandes, I always wanted to do
my own music, sing, play and write. Also do songs that are inspirational, motivational
and carrying a social message.
From the pocket money I saved from my last job at Orient
Longman Publishers as a sales executive I wanted to make an album for the New
Year eve of 1990.
On the advice and suggestion of friends at a nearby church
in my neighborhood I took the initiative to record Christmas charols in
English. I spent all my savings on them by hiring a keyboard player, a bassist,
a guitarist and choir singers.
But the duration was not sufficient to make a cassette on
both sides. So with no budget left to do more songs I wrote 5 songs and
recorded them in my voice at a small studio.
I still remember that it was during the fag end of the year
when the city was under curfew, I had to travel via the LB nagar Ring road on
my scooter during the relaxation hours and reach Basheer bagh, do the recording
and hurry back home before night.
This was the only recording my MOM had accompanied me in my
lifetime.
After a few days, I had duplicated 200 cassettes of this
album priced at Rs.20/- and started to sell them to every person I was bumping
into. Friends at the church, did help me out a bit.
This album did not open any door to me. My passion did not
deter me and I started working on another one titled, Dark Horizon.
Green pastures – a song on pollution , Demise – a song on
drug abuse, Suicide No More etc., I spent more than the first album and
found a local audio company to release it. After few months, one fine evening,
when I visited, One of the leading regional brand ‘Leo Audio cassettes’ who
promised to release my album, I found to my dismay, the album carried the title
credits of composer courtesy as “Music
by Suresh Babu” and sung by sashi preetam. One year of struggle and all my
savings and hardwork got this deal to me.
However, not getting depressed, I continued my trials with a
telugu album and this time it was Lahari audio and it was Mr.Raj kumar the
manager for A.P. I remember going atleast 40 times and several hours of waiting
in vain.
After years of struggling phases, I almost did it with
Geetha audio – Mr. Bikshapathi
After all confirmations, I booked the studio
21st century and was present for the recording and the great man never
turns up and fails to live up to his commitment.
As the old saying goes, ‘Everything happens for our good’, I
was going to record my original version of the song ‘EE VELALO’,and imagine the
song had a better fortune awaiting after a couple of years in the film
‘Gulabi’.
Turbulence for artistes and musicians is very common be it
in professional life or personal.
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