Never too old to rock 'n' roll

Aditya Ashwath

Make no mistake. Elvis hasn't left the building. What we mean is that rock ‘n' roll is alive and kicking. It might not seem that way, given how modern electronic sounds have infiltrated mainstream music like enemy forces bursting into a medieval castle. But you simply have to dig a little deeper to understand how there are flashes of the genre even in a space like Bollywood, Rock ‘n' roll soniye from Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna being an obvious example.

Elvis Presley. Pic/Facebook

A talk tomorrow will delve into this musical style's finer details, showcasing how it has spawned sub-genres including glam rock and surf music. Aditya Ashwath, an instructor at Adagio, will host it as part of the studio's regular series called A Mindful of Music. He tells us that he will take one true-blue rock ‘n' roll song and one psychedelic rock track, and break down the different elements in them. Ashwath says, "I'll deconstruct the songs layer by layer, trying to explain what each style is derived from, so that when the participants listen to another rock ‘n' roll tune later on, they can suss out the different elements in it for themselves."

He adds that, yes, it's true that songs from the era of Elvis Presley or The Beatles might be termed as ‘vintage' today since their sonic patterns are dated. But rock ‘n' roll has this inherent quality that's akin to a boxer who gets repeatedly punched to the ground, only to rise up each time and knock his opponent out eventually. "That pure sound might be gone, but rock ‘n' roll is constantly being shuffled around with newer forms of music," Ashwath explains. So like we said, Elvis hasn't really left the building. It's just that, in a manner of speaking, he's changed his clothes and worn something else to return to the stage.

On: January 31, 8.30 pm
Log on to: insider.in
Cost: Rs 400