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(Much of this

and misuses of the law; the more prominent being the Keenan-Reuben murder case and Naina Singh’s unexplained death. Many thanks to her!)

Remember when you were 5, and someone on the playground said you’re absolutely terrible at batting, and you went crying to mommy? What did mommy say? “Ignore them, son, you’re good at it, they just don’t know it” or maybe even “Practice everyday and become awesome at it, and then you’ll show ‘em!”? Not “Wait here while I get them arrested and send men to ransack their uncle’s clinic”, right?

It’s absolutely absurd to have an open-ended law for something as wide as “taking offense on the internet”. All it does is create an

extremely convenient excuse for men with influence to keep the country from speaking its mind.

This is

what Section 66A of the IT Act says:

Any person who sends, by means of a computer resource or a communication device,—
a)any information that is grossly offensive or has menacing character; or
b)any information which he knows to be false, but for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred or ill will, persistently by making use of such computer resource or a communication device,
c)any electronic mail or electronic mail message for the purpose of causing annoyance or inconvenience or to deceive or to misleadthe addressee or recipient about the origin of such messages.
Punishment – Imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with fine.

Let’s begin with the fact that there are 4 counts of the word “any” in a law with 3 sub-points. The presence of the term “causing annoyance, inconvenience” itself empowers the government to attach this Section and arrest citizens for the most trivial of issues.

Of course, in almost all absurd cases of arrest, the court will dismiss the charges as too frivolous. However, since the offence is a cognizable one (cops can

file FIR, investigate and arrest without a warrant from the court), you will have to face all the trouble of an arrest, the humiliation as well as an arrest on your permanent record.

This extreme degree of vagueness is where power-tripping political parties like the Shiv Sena walk in. It’s a perfect setting: examples can be made out of, voices can be silenced, anything that’s affecting the agenda is conveniently pushed into a corner.

A woman posts a status on Facebook, the gist of which was “It’s just Bal Thackeray’s death, the bandh in Bombay is absolutely unnecessary”? Arrest her on Section 66A! (Of course, this is not even withstanding the fact that she was arrested for Section 295A, which speaks of making statement with communal hatred, and that had nothing to do with this!). And none of this is a new phenomena; Bal Thackeray’s death just happened to highlight the misuse of a redundant law that has been misused for ages. NDTV recently reported that back in May, two Air India employees were arrested for posting jokes “of a lewd nature” about politicians, on a closed Facebook group

(meant only for Air India Cabin Crew members). So many of us share these jokes about politicians all the time, because well, they’re jokes! Humour, apparently, is not one of politicians’ strengths. Big surprise.

Meanwhile, NDTV put out another video with cops from Palghar trying to appease Sainiks and assuring them how they’re in complete agreement with their sentiments.

Check out the video here.

All that’s left to do is for the cop to fall to his knees, begging forgiveness to the Sainiks.
It’s disgusting in the end of that video to hear that Sena activist’s half-crazed drawl in the end saying to the cop, “yes, give that apology letter to me”. Drunk on so much power, these Sainiks will really stop at nothing to be stubborn in a way that would put most 5-year olds to shame.

We live in a country with ancient Victorian laws that nobody has bothered to change, and why would the administration bother changing them? After all, they’re so hideously convenient to crush any semblance of dissent in the country, and they work like a charm! Kapil Sibal claims that the IT Act’s provisions must be invoked with far greater care. Yes, let the government steer us around like sheep while Mr. Sibal takes utmost care of us and protects us from heavens-know-what.

The two policemen involved in the arrest were suspended; some consolation in the otherwise ridiculous state of affairs. But there’s going to be more policemen, and they’ll all want to take the easy way out in maintaining peace on their beat: appease the Shiv Sainiks, live in peace. Bow down to their demands, sleep well at night. The issue is not whether the policemen did the right thing or not; the issue is that they had to do it to be able to maintain peace.

A political party that’s quite literally blackmailing the government, holding the entire population of Bombay ransom with with assurances of violence if their word isn’t the last word. A party who has only picked enemies as per the convenience of their agendas, and shamelessly run their own law over the city.

For as long as major cities have existed, gangs have ruled these cities. But while we’re quite clear that these parties have absolutely no sense of humour and will break down everything that injures their egos, let’s not give provisions in law that makes it easier for them to keep us down and shut us up, please?

After the initial hubbub this created, it’s lost into oblivion. On and off, here and there, we hear of arrests based on Section 66A, and having read about it once, you come to realize how baseless they are, and how the Section is used more as a cure for a fragile ego than anything else. Unless someone actually DOES something about this ridiculous snippet of law, our freedom will continue to be curtailed.

Let’s draw the line on this dodgy business of policing freedom of speech for political agendas and of using mass violence as a threat if things don’t go their way.

https://www.facebook.com/OneSmallLove

References:

> Centre for Internet & Society article, breaking down Article 66A:
http://cis-india.org/internet-governance/blog/breaking-down-section-66-a-of-the-it-act/

> Full episode of NDTV’s coverage of cops shown trying to appease Shiv Sena men:
http://www.ndtv.com/video/player/mumbai-kya-mangta/facebook-arrest-ndtv-accesses-video-showing-cop-appeasing-sena-men/255818/

> NDTV coverage of arrest of Air India employees: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/two-air-india-employees-arrested-for-facebook-posts-spend-12-days-in-custody-297118?fb/

Stuck in a rut. Spinning on the same old groove. Waiting for someone, or something. Anything. A pick-me-up. A grab-me-up. The blues arrivecanada goose outlet online with no warning and leave with no forwarding address. An endless list of things that bring you down. Big picture? What’s that? Dreams canada goose parkdreamed, chances missed, opportunities that moved

on when the door stayed closed for an instant too long. A feeling that if only that

somebody or something could grab you and ‘take you off this page’, you’d be in a better place.

Grab Me was written just before our frontman and drummer quit their day jobs (one more time, with feeling!) to give the

‘full-time musician’ thing another run. It’s the first song to be recorded at TAAQ’s Queen’s Road Studios in Bangalore. The first song recorded with bass player Prakash.

Here’s the music video for Grab Me. Incidentally, this was the very first DIY video we put together!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKTZsdeg-0o

Click here for lyrics!

 
Personnel, Gear and Trivia

All Guitars/Vocals
Bruce Lee Mani
Bass
Prakash K N
Drums
Rajeev Rajagopal

Equipment used
Erisa Custom Stratocaster
Yamaha BBE 5-String Bass
Laney 160W Bass Amp
Vox AC4 TV Guitar amp
Line6 POD X3 Live Guitar processor
Pearl, Mapex and Tama Drums with
Sabian, Paiste and Zildjian Cymbals
Monster, Mogami and Planet Waves Cables

Trivia
“Been everywhere but the big time, lover
Somewhere, somehow, this ruby yacht ran aground”
‘ruby yacht’ – an oblique reference to the ‘Rubaiyat’ (of Omar Khayyam fame)

“Dance me to the ground

it’s lover-ly
How lots of chocolates can mystify the mage
A tip of the hat to that immortal tune ‘Wouldn’t it be Lover-ly’ from My Fair Lady.

The shadows shrink as I pour my first drink
A Boost in the mug with no happy encore”
Ah well. Our frontman’s choice of morning bevarage

“… and a paisa-worth of bromide”
‘Bromide’ is a generic name commonly used sedatives and headache-remedies in the 19th and early 20th century; specifically, the term is also used to refer to a ‘verbal sedative’ or an overused bit of common wisdom.

“For The Cat” is one of the more personal songs written by our frontman Bruce Lee Mani. It speaks of the influence of Cat Stevens on his thoughts, his music and his life. We’ll let Bruce do what he does best – take up the mic – and talk about “For The Cat”

“If I ever lose my eyes
If my colours all run dry…
(Moonshadow)

I also have to thank Mr. Jaideep Sen for the gift of the poster that started the words to ‘For The Cat’. Pulled from a Cat Stevens LP, the poster has the Cat captured live, eyes closed, fingers poised, bare torso strung with flowers. Under the picture are boxes with the 12 months of the year as titles – but within the boxes are the lyrics to his songs, not mundane Mondays and too-short weekends (that’s the ‘words go around the sun’ reference).


So, there you have it. For The Cat. From the album 3 Wheels 9 Lives.”


Here’s a small music video of “For the Cat” that we put together!

Click here for lyrics.

 

Personnel, Gear and Trivia

All Guitars/Vocals
Bruce Lee Mani
Bass
Prakash K N
Drums
Rajeev Rajagopal

Equipment Used
Erisa Custom Strat
Epiphone Sheraton (fills)
Yamaha TRB 6-String Bass
Laney 160W Bass Amp
Vox AC30 Guitar Amp
Line6 POD X3 Live Guitar processor
Pearl, Mapex and Tama Drums with Sabian, Paiste and Zildjian Cymbals
Monster, Mogami and Planet Waves Cable

3 Wheels 9 Lives is finally up and running. Years and years in the making, this mammoth album of 28 songs has gone through its cycle of writing, rehearsing, recording, mixing, mastering, grabbing quick burgers for lunch because no time for full meals, being ripped off by the damned autos to avoid driving in traffic and other such.

Have you gotten your copy off Flipkart yet?

In 2009, we thought, “this is it”. All sorts of prohibitive rules were being levied on music, and we thought our day was done. But the people who loved and lived for the scene kept at it and the independent music culture survived. Bands continued to make music, the fans gave us all the love, every one believed. Today we’re closer than we’ve ever been to the dream that underlined Thermal and a Quarter’s inception 16 years ago. Indie music has grown into a full-fledged sub-culture in India.

Meanwhile, in March of 2012, 3 boys marched off to Singapore and the US to for a tour at 9 locations. The foundations of 3 Wheels 9 Lives were laid during this tour, when songs like “Meter Mele One-and-a-half”, “In the Middle”, “If Them Blues and “Dangerous Mind” were staples at gigs. Slowly, gradually, more songs were written, some that came to us in minutes, others which had their foundations laid many, many years ago.

Ask Thermal and a Quarter what inspires them, and we’ll say “the city of Bangalore!” before you can say “Pecos”.  This city has given us everything we know and everything we have. We may write about everything from Betelgeuse to Bikes to Bad Journalism, but the root of everything is Bangalore.

Every song from 3 Wheels 9 Lives has stories woven around it. Actually, it’s more like we’ve got our ears pricked up for fun things that we can make songs out of. From your first bicycle ride, to artists being ostracized and criticized for hurting religious sentiments, to the Weapon of Mass Destruction inside you, to the oh-so-pretty Bangalore women, to the ugly face of the glamour-world, we’ve got all the stories in the world to tell!

Starting this week, we’ll give you 3 Wheels 9 Lives: Lyrics and More. It’s exactly what it sounds like. Watch this space for all the dirt on our biggest album to date!

Ah, almost forgot. The thing about the experiences 3 Wheels 9 Lives talks about is, that they could happen to just about anyone (as Bruce puts it, “to any Regular Rajesh”). We’re not telling you epic stories of heroes slaying dragons (okay maybe sometimes). What we’re getting at is, if you read any of these and go “HEY! This sounds like that one time when…”, do let us know what happened that one time! Watch this space for how you could do so; maybe we’ll pick out the best ones from there and make a “Legends of 3 Wheels 9 Lives” series, who knows!

Oh, also, 3 Wheels 9 Lives comprises of 3 whee… er, 3 CDs. Just saying.

3 Wheels 9 Lives is Thermal and a Quarter’s 5^th studio album with 28 tracks and 3 CDs. Get it off the Flipkart Digital Store.

Eid Mubarak folks!

Speaking of Eid, recently had a brand-new experience gastronomique – Haleem. Our good friend Suman Bolar invited us over, rather unexpectedly, for dinner last week; and knowing her penchant for adventurous (and always top-quality) cuisine, we said YES before the hat even knew the floor was beckoning. Full indulgence it was – read all about it!  http://foodtravelbangalore.wordpress.com/2009/09/04/the-great-haleem-quest/

I think it was good ole Phat Muttony (aka Rajesh Mehar, an epicure in his own right) who first told us about Haleem – years ago…

Just found this on Facebook..

An Ode to Thermal by Viren Joseph

I felt like writing. The thought of work is making me want to throw up. :-[
Heard a couple of thermal’s songs after so long, so, ladies and gentlemen…

The Sound of Thermal’s Quarter

Goes Plink.

A Dash of jazz-funk, smart lyrics disguised in a doo-woppy scat, mixed with that special shade of Malayali-Blues, that deep purple coconut thatch, those feelings on a full moon night, lots of jam, and for good measure of the 4/4 variety, Mals. The end result – a mother-of-pearl spectrum of heart wrenching guitar solos and meaningful rhythms. The kind that make you want to head bang, slowly, churn out air guitar improvs at traffic lights, drag nights and anywhere you can say “got a light?”.

In short, quite simply, What Rock Should Always Sound like.

Influenced By: Pearl Jam, Deep Purple, Steely Dan, The general genre of the Blues, Really Classy Rock, Jazz Music With Lots of Guitars Bits, and of course… Excellent Thorun.

Viren – doubt we could’ve said it better. Thanks mate!

Happy World “BirthDay”

- My problem is with remembering birthdays

- My problem is with expressing genuine happiness in it being someones birthday.
Its kind of a weird thing, making that birthday wish phone call, even to the best of friends. Its one of those eeeeeyho type things, and theres so much relief once you are done with it. I dont know if there are others who feel this too.

- I mean … its someone or the others birthday everyday

- Why cant we all individually allot one day in a year where we can legitimately call everyone we know and wish them a very advanced or belated happy birthday.

- We can express true happiness of the event of the birth of that friend and give genuine wishes for a wonderful next year and many wonderful more such years to follow.

- This way its just one day we need to remember in a year and on that day you can call and wish as many people as you possibly can.

- So we switch the deal around and instead of me calling you on your birthday, i will call you + everyone i know on a random day that i have chosen. Do this instead of remembering many birthdays. This way i cold just randomly call and wish you on a day and close the deal for the year.

- It would be more interesting for the receivers too, cos suddenly on a random day you will get a gift and a nice message etc.

- This is so much better than the current system where you really expect everyone to call you and if someone forgets then you get offended and also there are discussions about your age and all that nonsense. In this new concept age is no criteria, its not about how old or young you are – its communication of pure happiness and joy of your birth into this world. It can be on any day.

- And as your facebook friends list crosses 365+ you wont have to call and wish almost one person per day, thereby turning the whole wishing thing into a daily routine like brushing your teeth. It gets so mundane and mechanical..wake up brush your teeth, have coffee, check whose bday it is, call and wish. – Then you’ll have to keep making up new and unique types of wishes for everyone, everyday

- Maybe we can we have one common day dedicated to celebrating everyones birth day

- Maybe this can be once in 4 years, so we can combine it with the opening ceremony of the Olympics and we have a real blast giving gifts and major partying and all

- Stop this whole concept of one happy birthday per person, instead make a big bang of it on just one day, where the whole world celebrates Happy-World-Birthday and everyone around the world, in offices, college/school, families, friends etc etc buy gifts and wish each other a happy belated or advanced birthday depending on weather your birthday has gone by or yet to come for that year.

- Now for the most important part – Because I came up with this idea and cos i’m sort of a selfish bastard id like happy world-birthday to be celebrated on my Birthday 5th of June

- So ladies and Gentlemen, please wipe off all those hundreds of birthdays from your calendars and facebooks etc etc and just mark one day that is 5th June and pick up the phone and call everyone you know and wish them a Belated or Advanced birthday…. and be done with it for the whole year.
….and dont forget to call me