The (mis) Adventures of Vin Sharma:

The MYSTIC MONKEY MUSIC PREDICTIONS early 2011!

2011-01-05T20:12:00.000-08:00

It's the beginning of a new year- calling it Twenty Eleven... Two Thousand and eleven... or Two Zero One One ( i'm still unsure which one to use in conversation!)... and in line with this time of year, monkeys across the planet are attempting to make Nostrodamus predictions and premonitions about what all of our future holds, and in particularly tipping names and cliques who demand our focus and attention in the coming year. So if it's good enough for other chimps, this monkey would recommend we all have a go too! (feel free to share your own with me via this blog post or via Twitter).

Firstly, if you wish for your own personal life predictions, visit a Yogi or a Tarot reader based on whether you believe in it or not. I personally would not like to know exactly what my future holds, and instead I rely on a simple approach of trying to focus on attracting as much good as possible, and also attempting to do and spread as much good as is in my capability; the rest as they say aptly- 'que sera sera'...

But what I do think we all have the adequate capability of doing in this highly digital age is making attempts towards looking into our own metaphoric crystal balls (don't laugh!!) for what our personal taste-buds are inclined to predict will be popular (or not!) over the coming year. There are many credible self-proclaimed experts and specialist taste-makers who make it their full-time jobs to filter the world of music, culture, politics and the arts on all of our behalf to shape what we may or may not be buying into, and although that is a great source of information to digest and shape our interest or curiosities, in my opinion it shouldn't be the only means of concluding our inclinations.

Fast food style news regurgitated into our mindset is great for the busy paced and information- hungry lives we lead, and to democratically cater for this fact, I believe we can ALL have our personal and credible take on what we like or don't like. Consumer interests and trends are sources of information even the taste-makers themselves rely on, and as we know, businesses across the planet invest large amounts of money to tap into the psyche of each of us individually, and as collective mass buyers of products. Those businesses who truly understand the power of new media in 2011 are already investing much time and effort into communicating directly with us using resources such as twitter, facebook, online blogs, etc- and it is a duty to communicate back in order for providers to cater for our individual needs.

I would actively encourage us all to look beyond some of the business and PR orientated hypes and actually see what our own personal senses are being attracted by naturally. After all, we do have the same instant access to information at our fingertips, dependent on time we can invest; and often our specialist interests can be more valuable than we think!

More importantly, at the core of my own belief, I don't always like to just take a so-called experts words for it. To keep it simple- if any of your multitude of senses tingle in response to any form of stimuli- be it music, film, art, etc- then that is a perfectly natural inkling towards recommending it to another person to gauge their own personal response. After all, it's one of the reasons many of us do love to social network via Facebook and Twitter- there is an obvious pleasure in being able to recommend and share information, and if you have any doubts, just ask a DJ, a Journalist or a connoisseur who will vouch for that in much detail I'm sure!

And on that note- here follows my personal 'Mystic Monkey' predictions and recommendations blog for 2011 (as it stands in this moment of time- early hours of 06/01/11!) Of course there are far too many names to include here... but I promise to get back to my roots of supporting and promoting good sounds and good people in 2011 alot more!

I may also indulge in separate lists for FILM and the wider ARTS here, but let's start with the area that is a daily saviour for us all- and me personally- MUSIC! I am mindful of eclectic audiences and tastes and as inclined to do so naturally- I keep my diverse thinking cap on alert. My list will increase on a daily basis but here is a brief organic spillage of who and what I will be looking out for in early 2011, separated into some helpful sub-categories maybe:

SOME ARTISTS:

RKO is a 20 year old of Indian and Panamian descent (not that it's of any relevance!) and is under the same management as heavy weights such as Manic Street Preachers and The Script - he brings with him some great creative influences and as the music industry can be quite a fickle arena, he also has the marketability factor based on his image and looks. (I recall hearing many years ago from credible industry folks that if men or women- or teeny boppers- would wish to sleep with you- this is a sure-fire recipe towards building a strong enhancement of your brand!! Sex does sell, but there are of course many successful exceptions to this rule who I will let you ponder about!) Download his MIXTAPE and hear for yourself if his music has what it takes for big things in 2011... in your valid opinion of course. I certainly like the vibes, and alongside the top management and PR backing which he has he is certainly one to watch. Some nice influences very apparent on this track:

WRETCH 32 has been making some noise for some time from his residing playground in Tottenham, North London, although it seems he has been up and down the country on a self promotion tip- like a travelling wilberry with or without a dog. Proving the fact that talent with immense self-belief and alot of hard work STILL speaks loud just like it did for the hustling Hip Hop MC's in the 80's and 90's when Hip Hop was considered a dirty word. Now it is globally commercially viable and conjures up delusions of grandeur amongst an over saturated culture of sex, money, and hitting that lifestyle of living it large- although I would never knock anyone on the planet being able to make a lucrative living from what they are most passionate about! It's certainly Wretch 32's year this year to fly his flag and reach similar levels of success as his adversaries across London + UK based Hip Hip, and I for one truly hope the likes of Wretch continue their rise whilst also meeting their natural responsibilities of positively inspiring and lifting the hopes and dreams of the young adults they leave behind- Tottenham is one of the many parts of London close to my heart ( I used to live in Highbury + worked in Tottenham!) which has an influx of social issues on ground level which require role models to instill empowerment! Wretch has a vibe which speaks with credibility and he will be big this year!

MAGNETIC MAN- Having graced my ipod in late 2010, and for long being tipped as crossing basslines into the mainstream arena... ps: i recall how when I was much younger, when an artist or sound was underground it felt more attractive, and as soon as it reached commercial mainstream success it lost its appeal. Not that I didn't want the artist or sound to be successful, it was more of a psychological sentiment. But now that i'm a little older and a tad little bit wiser (or not!) i understand the importance of masses jumping on a bandwagon and I do not let this get in the way of what makes my hips gyrate or my senses stirred. Magnetic man has a sound that does both, and regardless of anything- already big... and bigger in 2011 certainly! Check the album- and do also look out for the many remixes by other bass heavy collectives and artists! And it's gotta be said, if you are a former garage head, drum n bass head or Asian underground head- ( I was all!) you cannot ignore the power Dubstep has brought to music over the last couple of years- so give it some of your much needed attention and love!

BROTHER - to stick with the tradition of urban expression- and in particularly repping your ends I have to pay homage to a band from the part of the country I went to school in and spent a significant part of my life in, a land filled with memories on every street corner and back street- good old Slough town in Berkshire. This is where I still travel back to on a weekly basis for my radio show, and I have alot of love for improving the town and the lives of the diverse population that resides here. For now, i have to mention the hustle of these local rock and rollers and the fact that I do dig their sound beyond the fact that they are displaced Slough residents. My music playlist changes in line with mood swings, and at the core of my soul I have a natural attraction towards the rebel attitude ingrained within rock and roll- always have, and always will. Although these guys ain't your hard rockers, they have an indie rock sound similar to the likes of Oasis, Manics, Kasabian- and are gaining attention from gigs around London and the south east. I look forward to catching them live soon- expect an invite on my radio show too seeing as they are a stones throw away from the studios. Tipped by Guardian online this week which i'm sure will give them an added boost in PR- and i really love the way the following video is shot by the way!

JAI PAUL- Sometimes an artist puts across a vibe that they have made minimal effort towards choking promotional activity down the throats of an audience, yet they suddenly emerge with the backing of heavyweights all in tact and ready to hit the global stratosphere. Jai Paul comes across as one of these artists- already signed up with XL recordings (although I couldn't see any mention on their site- and he states on his myspace that he has business to take care of with them- cha ching!!). He has a quirky image which I dig and in terms of sound- so far I have only heard BTSTU and an upbeat remix of 'Jungle drum' Emiliana Torrini -(love this lady too!) both of these have a distinctive and eclectic edge. He is being compared to the likes of Prince, D'Angelo and (possible) label mate M.I.A. so how can we not get a little bit excited!

JAY SERRAO & THE JUICE- On my Mystic Vin Music predictions list last year- and it would be a sin not to mention the vibe of these guys again this year. Ever since I heard the debut album 'Blood for water' a few years ago and then had the pleasure of hosting their presence at one of my comedy nights in London a while back- i fell in love with the hard rock sound of this band. It would be an injustice not to catch one of their live performances to truly feel the energy, passion and talent of the band, and Jay in particular, in my humble opinion is an immense live performer and vocalist. Show them big love and for me, ones to look out for in 2011 for sure!

SWAMI BARACUS- self-proclaimed as 'West London's finest' - and if we are talking from the perspective of an artist with eclectic influences, intelligent lyrical flow as an MC, and the gusto to stand out as distinctive from a niche industry over-saturated with bravado and strong spirit- then this man is one of many to show some of your love towards. Having graced other artist albums and DJ Production remixes as well as countless amounts of live performances across the UK, he has recently launched his own solo track + video entitled 'Break this game'. I particularly liked the fusion of the rock element combined with his obvious affinity with UK Hip Hop and he has also released a Hindi language version of the track which I think is a clever touch on a commercially viable sound. But i still recall having first heard about Swami when I was introduced to his raw vocals in the home studio of Asif from Fusing Naked Beats- swami featured on many of his albums and his lyrics and delivery was particularly distinctive, intelligent and fresh i felt. Check out his latest release- to add, with a quirky name like Swami Baracus... "I pity the fool" who doesn't listen to the enlightened 'jibba jabba' this man brings. Also look out for the quirky adventures of 2 cats who call themselves the Caravan Crookz - you may recognize a familiar voice here- and full of great character and humor- 2 more of my favorite traits in anyone creatively inclined! Check out the following video also featuring BBC Radio 1's Nihal as a firm long term advocate... Nuff said!

ps: Whilst on the subject of UK Hip Hop- 2 other names who have had countless amounts of previous mentions from myself, as well as being advocated by the far more credible connoisseurs- such as the good man that is Bobby Friction from BBC (i recall sensing the heavyweight passion of this man a long time ago, me being a by-standing dancing monkey at Swaraj nights back in the day- I really loved those 'Sounds of the Asian underground' days, and Mr B has been the dedicated leader of a wider sound since day 1- so muchos respect + props it must be said!!)

1) SHIZZIO - well, where do we start. All that needs to be said is if you don't know, you will get to know, and if you havn't heard- then you certainly havn't joined the digital revolution that is Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Ustream, etc, etc! Another question i'd like to put to you if you havn't heard of Shizzio- is are you living in a hole, or do you walk around with a box on your head. Forgive me if you are part of the growing number of folks who due to the amount of noise we all get bombarded with daily have decided to live the life of a non internet accessing, TV watching or radio listening hermit... i truly respect your reaction, but if you do get a chance of going online and are interested in real, honest and heart felt, and quite humorous communications- check this man out. Like marmite- you will either love him or otherwise, but without question you better not hold him back. Sure to be bigger in 2011 if passion and persistence combined with great talent continues to be the fuel behind his endeavors. Like Wretch 32, + Swami Baracus, Devlin (now signed + who also features on a Shizzio remix) + many other great names- an indie doing it independently!

2) RIZ MC- such is the diverse talent and passion of this man that he defies any woman who says a man cannot multi- task! Acting, MC'ing, Singing, Activism, Social commentary... all have been eloquently and intelligently and innovatively expressed. I caught his Microscope gig at Fabric nightclub (check my review) and it was a unique experience to say the least. His new album releases end of January 2011 and is available on itunes for digital release. Even his group email communications about the album oozed the emotional intelligence of a truly tuned-in artist who many artists and fans have grown to admire and also be inspired by. I am very surprised not to see his name prop up on some of the taste-maker lists being released, but that certainly will not stall his journey. As well as his music, also check out his acting work in the highly acclaimed films Shifty, 4 Lions, and Rage... more exciting projects to come in 2011 i'm sure! ps: the following video is deserving of an award!! BIG!

SOME TRACKS:

Adele - Rolling in the Deep (Jamie XX Remix) - loving this remix to a lady with great soul! I have loved her voice since I first heard her- and this remix to a great track is AMAZING!

Emmanuel Jal feat Alicia Keys- Ive loved Emmanuel Jal for many years and his sound takes me back to a really special radio show I fronted for community radio in East London many years ago- I loved being able to play the music I felt from my heart which conveyed my own displaced and eclectic identity. I have always had a love for traveling by mind through all the continents and doing so musically and culturally- and great music from the different parts of the globe always excite me be it Africa, Asia, US, Carribean, Europe and beyond. We covered the popular genres emerging from different parts of the globe, and Emmanuel Jal brings great Hip Hop vibes from his native country of Sudan. Check out his back catalogue- and this track is awesome combining much needed social conscience with great music! Also advocated by the beautiful Alicia Keys!

SAIPRIYA- 'Game of life'- Singing with diverse influences and to a global beat, this is the acoustic version of a track which is being released with a number of remixes. Look out for SaiPriya in 2011, a lady passionate about her music and creative expression. Here is a radio chat I had with her end of 2010- for more details find her up on twitter + via usual online networks.

Tees Maar Khan s/t- Sheila ki jawaani- This just ended 2010 on a fine note from the world of Bollywood, a film which wasn't as great as it was being hyped, but an entertaining and quite fun release with a great soundtrack from the genius musical duo- Vishal & Shekhar. It's camp, it's fun, it's cheeky, and it is great to dance to, and how can i not add a bit of Bollywood to my list when I do absolutely love diverse South Asian music, and playlist alot of it on the weekly radio show. As they say in Mumbai- "Mind blowing yaar!" ps: i'm not a fan of actress Katrina Kaif, but she is scorchio in this video!

Losers feat Riz MC & Envy- i heard this version late, but recall the instrumental version which I loved! This just enhances a great piece of music and gives it a wider reach and audience appeal. I also really love the video. Genius!

Nickel Eye- Brandy of the damned- Once again, an oldie, but still gracing my ipod as if it's brand new. I love the words, the music, the vocals, and the video and looking forward to the album in 2011!

Pinju - mad indian - as advocated by many of the Radio 1 players, namely Nihal, this is a track with monster beats and an intro which sounds like my Dad's old record player getting stuck and then getting violated with grimy bass, drum and scratches! This one makes me want to swear profusely to express adulation... i will save writing the swear words which come to mind and leave it to your imagination!

Jamie Woon + Ramadanman- I love both of these guys, first got into Ramdanman with his EP release in 2010- feat a funky instrumental called 'no swing'. & Jamie Woon is already HUGE from 2010 and is going to be BIGGER in 2011! Playlisted all across radio + TV stations- truly global commercial appeal. Music is evolving it seems, and this man is one of the latest catalysts! This remix is haunting and you truly lose yourself to it- genius!

Katy Perry "E.T." (Manhattan Clique Remix) - tipped for a grammy award in February, not only is she the biggest pop artist on the planet, but also married to one of my favorite characters- the notorious Russell Brand, and an incredibly beautiful and feisty lady full of character and charm. This remix is cool as you like and enhances a cool track from the album 'Teenage Dream'.

and finally... SOME ALBUMS:

Transnational Dubstep Compilation (Excerpt/Taster Mix) - as previously mentioned, if I was still fronting a radio or TV show covering eclectic urban Global music, this album and the tracks featuring would be regularly playlisted. What this album represents under one of my favorite global music labels Six Degrees records distribution, is exactly the sentiments I promote and that is that the world really has reduced in size, and our reach to any corners of the globe is made easier now more than any other time in history. Beautiful!

Botown- The soul of Bollywood: One of the finest albums of 2010 in my opinion, and one of the funkiest live bands to look out for on your travels. This album will infuse both modern Bollywood and the groovy Soul, Motown + Funk vibes from yesteryear. It sounds so perfect I can't believe this album wasn't made earlier- great concept, great influences, and perfectly executed by talented lead singer Ajay and his collective- "Proper BO- TOWN... i tell thee!" Check out an end of 2010 conversation i had with lead singer Ajay here. And this video is filmed from the Mecca of Asian Britain- Southall, West London. I was born just down the road in Hounslow, and apparently the first owned home of my family was in Southall itself so it's practically second home!

Sukshinda Shinda- Jadoo- And to end my (longer than expected!!) mystic monkey blog post 2011- with a man who could be given the title- Godfather of Bhangra music. Now Bhangra music is another genre I cannot stray away from with it being in the blood and just another section of the natural DNA. Godfather may make him sound old and he is not that at all, so how about the Godson of UK Bhangra music. He is a pioneer as a talented musician, vocalist, producer and live performer and commands respect on a global platform. Check out his back catalogue if you are non Asian and not already familiar with his work, and if you are familiar with his musical mightiness- do check out his latest album release. And if you wish to delve into the world of modern Bhangra- also check out the latest album release of well-known artist Panjabi MC- entitled 'The Raj' released in late 2010, and my favorite concert of 2010, Sufi / Punjabi artist- Satinder Sartaj! Musicality on a level I could never reach myself, but as a fan of music- truly a gift for your ears and your soul!

The following video of Sukshinda Shinda may not be from the latest album, but it's a perfect way to end this rather long winded Happy New Year (in music!) blog post! I predict 2011 will inspire some great music all round- feel free to share your own news and reviews with myself and others!

For a great list of eclectic music album releases in 2011 to look out for- CHECK the credible experts list right here- THE RECOMMENDER - sounds to me like these guys are biased just by their wide taste in music... NICE!!!

CUPID's LOG- 'A short story'

2010-11-09T07:41:00.000-08:00

QUOTE: “Everybody needs his memories. They keep the wolf of insignificance from the door.” Saul Bellow

Rohit and Jyoti loved each other dearly. But of course they had to, following the fuss that was made by them to get married in the first place. Jyoti was one of seven daughters who were all seen as a great responsibility on the heads of their parents, in particular for their father. It was down to him to not only provide for such a large family but also ensure they all married into good homes by the time they reached their early teens. Each daughter carried the weight of a considerable amount of money needed in terms of the dowry ‘down payment’ that was provided to her new family. This is how the ‘Indian’ system was accepted to be and there was no getting around this societal doctrine. Understandably Jyoti’s father felt under great pressure to provide so much and it was seen as a curse life had granted on him which not only meant that his name was not to be automatically passed another generation by the son he had always so longed for but also that he would be seen as someone upon whom society showed pity for his misfortune. This was one of the reasons they had conceived for a child over and over but every time to be blessed with the curse of a daughter was a fate upon which they had no control.

Jyoti’s parents married young during a time where marriage was a responsibility put upon two adolescents to encourage independence and also with the added advantage to contribute to a household’s income. Every child was conditioned throughout their childhood to accept this fate and for many households, every detail of the child’s’ life was mapped out and planned well in advance, almost as if the whole existence of the individual was a secondary status. Often a holy priest would be present when a new child was born into a family, and he would be expected to conduct religious formalities of which no one but the priest himself would be aware whether they were even in sync with how the scholars of the past had intended. It would seem they had just been moulded into incumbent rituals holding no actual substance to anyone but those getting rewarded as a result- namely the brotherhood of the priests who were always remunerated quite handsomely! Not too dissimilar to chickens egg’s hatching in a poultry breeding farm- and add to the analogy a chicken poultry farm which also required halal or kosher chicken meat- everyone but the chicken itself fully aware of the path ahead- both fortunes and misfortunes pre-empted by the union of farmers (for the chickens), priests and the parents for the non- feathered human offspring. Fascinating things are rituals- described as overwhelmingly intensifying feelings conducted through joint symbolic actions- and then organically spread through time and space like wildfire of words and mouth. Regardless of whether an individual’s thought processes were allowed to question their significance- the over-consuming obligation always fuelled their power and the empty sentiments rigidly ingrained the psyche of everyone in its path.

Jyoti’s childhood was cut short as a result of what was planned for her future- most childhoods were of this era. From an early age she was being groomed and conditioned by her mother- she herself who had been conditioned by her own father first and then her own husband who dutifully continued his own pre conditionings. Jyoti’s father had naturally been infected with this inherent plague of responsibility- not to say that he didn’t love his daughter or other daughters even- he adored each and every one of them in their own right, it was just his way of conveying the natural love and instincts he felt with what was labelled by society as him being burdened.

Fear would linger in Jyoti as she reached aged 8, 9, 10 onwards. Knowing that soon she will be forced to leave her home, her family and friends, and she will be sent away to start a new chapter with a stranger boy and his family. She started looking out for the signals from her parents, she even made sure she always obeyed her parents and was the best daughter she could be in their eyes, believing that if she was successful in this they would take pity and delay sending her away. Maybe this had worked on some level, because unlike many of her cousins and other girls in the village who married as young as 11 and 12 years old, Jyoti was 16 when she married. And her marriage was unlike anyone else’s marriage she had known in her life.

Rohit was 17 years old. A dashing and handsome 17 year old who had reaped the benefits of a first-rate gene pool. They belonged to a caste of Hindus who were classed in the highest ranking, and of worthy positioning in terms of background and influence. Rohit’s parents had worked hard to raise their children- 5 boys and one girl of which Rohit was the youngest boy. His parents had been labourers, but they earned enough to ensure each of their children was well educated. The eldest child, and Rohit’s eldest brother had educated far more than expected and was training to be a lawyer. He travelled to a town, a considerable distance to where they lived in the village of Lakhimpur, a small part of Northern India. Rohits brother committed to travelling away from home in order to complete his higher education and law training, and would send money to his parents which ensured all siblings had the best of everything and were fully comfortable. Being the youngest, Rohit was given more freedom as a result and enjoyed his teens relaxing with friends, visiting the cinemas regularly to keep in touch with the latest Bollywood film releases, and emulating a lot of what he would see on the big screens- or ‘picture halls’ as they were referred. For most traditional families such as Rohit’s- Cinema was not seen as much of a positive recreational activity- more a waste of peoples time during which they should be indulging in study or work, or the raising of a family; but for Rohit who felt young and uninhibited, he would have to sneak from school to secretly indulge in a past time he was gaining a real passion for the more he had a chance to do so. For a young man living the daily mundane village life, the cinema became a fascinating escape where he would learn about the wider world. Where he would become engrossed in melodramatic storylines of love, family, betrayals, society, villains, heroes, and of course with the heroes- the heroines! His teenage hormones would be soothed by the presence of beautiful, sensuous, busty women on the big screens. Larger than life they were, and he would imagine himself to be the hero to these aesthetically pleasing goddesses. His friends would all learn and recite the dialogues they had heard from the last film they had seen- they would keep tabs on local posters and news of the latest releases. They would hum the infectious songs from the musicals that they would also hear on their travels on radios, tape players and other idle folk also humming in the back streets. They would style their clothes in similar fashions to the hero. They would style their hair in similar fashions too. In fact the more Rohit amended his dress sense, and hairstyles and even his mannerisms, he would be told by his friends that he had an uncanny resemblance to one of the leading icons of Bollywood of the time- Rajesh Khanna. Maybe best described as the Marlon Brando, or James Dean of Indian cinema. Men wanted to be him, women secretly wanted to be with him. Not that many single women even stepped foot in the cinemas- it was mostly the married women who fantasized about their hairy, pot bellied husbands being as clean cut and romantic as Rajesh from one of his blockbuster films. The single females were too busy still being conditioned and trained in their homes or at school.

Rohit was adamant he would fall in love with a local girl, just like in one of Rajesh Khanna’s famous films where he would be the Romeo to yet another Juliet, there would be similar fateful obstacles the hero would have to face in the quest to win his love, just as with Romeo and Juliet’s tale- the number of villains and antagonists, the lack of money, family pressures, but there was always a happy ending to conclude the dramatic storylines. And it was this happy ending that made any previous hardships worthwhile in the plot, with the odd song and dance number to add to the dramas unfolding. Powerful subliminal expectations were instilled into all who got caught into the melodramas unfolding on the big screens. For those without the guidance of realism or experience and without detailed conversations with elder family members about the actual realistic expectations from life, what was being conveyed through the stories on film were educational for impressionable minds such as Rohit and his pre-pubescent friends. Rohit believed that he was destined to find love in his local village- he believed that he would face similar challenges and pressures around him from winning his love, but he was adamant that like the heroes on screen, he would also get his happy ending. He became almost obsessed towards finding the destined love who he felt was waiting for him to rescue from the shackles of her own existence- he longed to be the Knight to his Goddess, the hero to his very own real life busty heroine. The good guy amongst the villains.

Rohit first set eyes on Jyoti whilst relaxing with friends in the local village park, on a hot sunny evening. Groups of barefooted dark skin Indian boys were playing Cricket with home made bats made from wood, and hard strings wrapped around thousands of times in the shape of a ball. Branches from the trees were used as wickets. The village kids, although were probably classed as considerably well off in comparison to some nearby villages and regions of North India, they were still resourceful when it came to the sporting activities they indulged in and the equipment they utilized. ‘Gulli danda’ was another popular local sport, which although had not gained the same exposure as Cricket had done, was just as fun to play. It involved the simple rules of hitting a spherical shaped carved piece of wood as far as possible across the park, armed with nothing but a thinly carved wooden log. A combination of skill and power proved hours of entertainment for the kids, and the precision of being able to lob a piece of wood as far as possible without causing damage to local windows or passing folk. But on this occasion, this was not meant to go as planned.

The small piece of carved wood had already been hit by a small group of young boys and was nowhere to be found. And so they turned to using small stones and pebbles as an alternative option that still worked in the same way. Hit the stone with the stick whilst on the floor in order to gain flight, and then “WHACK!” watch the pebble fly as far as possible into the near distance. The sounds of shouting voices and laughter also filled the air, as did the stench of testosterone with so many adolescent boys in the vicinity. Women walked past, mostly elderly grandmothers, and mothers who lived nearby. The odd adolescent daughter dragged by the hands to and fro from their after school tuition classes, or from dinner with family members. On this particular day, and at this particular moment, Jyoti wasn’t one of these girls accompanied by her family this evening. She had been asked to run an errand by her uncle to find out if his medical prescription had arrived at the local chemists, and strictly instructed to go straight to the chemist and straight back home in a hurry as she would do, always obeying the instructions of her elders like a good Indian girl. Jyoti walked the same route as she would always through the community park, which was always lively with local kids and adults alike, all enjoying the picturesque setting, the relaxed and laidback atmosphere of the village kept in tact, and of course, some small groups playing Cricket, and some ‘Gulli Danda’. Head down, and mostly ignoring her immediate surroundings, Jyoti was in deep thought timing herself to how quickly she could make her trip, and how much praise she could possibly reap from her family by doing so. The glistening silver bells of her ankle bracelets ching chinging as she paced, rhythmically swaying to the syncopated beat of her footsteps. Jyoti would often lose herself in her own thoughts, every experience becoming an innocent, uncomplicated adventure, not abnormal for a young girl of her age in any way whatsoever; a young spirited child at heart like she was. To those around her, she was growing into quite an attractive young woman. She was beautiful, and her innocence and lack of self-awareness enhanced the beauty she exuded externally. She had long, silky black hair. A fair complexion, and a petite yet shapely frame, adorned with bright clothing and delicate jewellery. She also looked as if she could quite easily be swayed away by the blow of a careless breeze, she must have weighed only a mere 25 – 30 KG, if that. She was the smallest amongst her siblings even and her family would often feel overly protective of her, despite her being the eldest amongst all the healthier looking sisters. This was something Jyoti did have quite an awareness of, and was something she longed not to ever lose through being forced to get married and moving away into a strangers family life where maybe they wouldn’t be as protective of her as her own were.

Lost in her thoughts and like an Indian Alice in her own Wonderland she drifted gaining momentum towards the goal of the moment- the prompt pick up of her uncles prescription. She wondered what food was being cooked at home for dinner later, she felt her stomach rumbling and going against the rhythm of her steps. She hurried along, still oblivious of her surroundings. The sound of evening traffic could be heard faintly from the distance towards where she was heading, nearing the parade of shops and amongst the hustle bustle flurry of people preparing for their evening commotions. And just as she felt she was reaching her destination- “WHACK!”

A sharp pain and then complete silence. Fixated on her own trail towards the shops, she had unknowingly also entered into the alternative path of an inanimate object that was to shape her whole entire future. Like a smoothly aero dynamic arrow of cupid- except made of natural stone and capable of reaching high speeds and breadths of distance if propelled hard enough. If it hadn’t hit Jyoti right in the side of her head, it could have reached a further 10 metres or so and would have been followed by rapturous applause by the group of boys who were responsible for the hit. But instead of applause- there were sudden hesitant groans, hands clutched on heads, and then an immediate instinct to scarper from the vicinity in order not to attract attention. The equivalent of a ‘hit and run’ and embracing the human minds involuntary reaction of ‘fight or flight’ in the moment of panic and sudden unexpected confusion. Boys started running in different directions as the sight of a young girl lying in a pool of dripping blood and the noise of adults surrounding the girl built up, the whole calm and relaxed atmosphere of the park had suddenly been eliminated and replaced with anxious feelings all around. Thought bubbles whizzed through the minds of all who had gathered around the young injured girl. Birds hovered in the sky, unleashing their feathers in their own panic-stricken movements, having picked up on the hubbub below- and as if asking themselves the same questions- “Is the girl okay? Is she conscious? Is she even alive? Why is she here alone? What should we do...?”

Rohit and his friends were also part of the gathering spectators. They gazed at the young girl and the few of the responsive adults who appeared to be acting in natural states of calm- most likely because they were parents themselves and were used to dealing with injuries and youthful mishaps. Rohit however, froze in the moment- not just as a result of the hullabaloo, like the adults he too felt naturally calm and ready to intervene if need be to the situation itself. But this was more to do with the feelings of worry mixed with a subconscious connection he felt with this stranger; this beautiful stranger who he was finding himself drawn towards. He had a sense of responsibility towards helping others by his nature, but this felt new. This felt different to how he had ever felt before. This felt like it was meant to happen exactly how it was intended by an invisible force; his heart told him he was meant to be standing in that exact spot, in that exact moment because by doing so he was acting true to his own personal path, and this young girl was the catalyst that was about to shape both of their existence.

Later that evening Rohit stood outside the hospital where the young girl had been rushed just hours ago after being hit on the head with a considerably heavy pebble- the kind of pebble that just shouldn’t have been the ammunition from an innocent game of “Gulli Danda” but if it hadn’t, Rohit wouldn’t have just encountered the girl of his dreams. He smiled as he recalled the old man beating the kid who had propelled the pebble with the very stick he had used to play with. A stick he had ironically carved himself, not knowing it was to be used to beat him with on this day! As the girl was being rushed to hospital, the young boy was left being attacked by his own stick to teach him a lesson.

Jyoti wasn’t too hurt, surprisingly. She was most likely saved by the thick hair clip she had fixed in her hair that must have absorbed most of the momentum of the blow. This was apparent by the dent it had left- it was her favourite clip and rather than thanking it’s sacrifice in the line of duty, she longed for it to be replaced so she could feel the same sense of pride whilst wearing it. Her parents and entire family had all arrived at the hospital after hearing of the accident. Her uncle hovered in the background as he felt most of the guilt for sending her to the chemists for his prescription, which he didn’t even receive in the end. If only he had sent someone else, he thought. If only he himself had gone then Jyoti would still be okay. Part of him was also secretly thankful that he wasn’t the one who had been hit on the head with a pebble, which could have happened if he had set foot on the same path and at the exact same time. He knew that his own baldhead would not have survived the impact of a small yet heavy pebble colliding with it, and even if it had, the fall to the ground would have done damage to his already fragile limbs. He was thankful that all was well, but still felt the need to refrain from any attention from the rest of the family in terms of blame.

Jyoti was released from the hospital that very evening, with a bandaged head and a bruised hair clip in hand. As the family escorted her back home where she would be safe from any low flying pebbles, she noticed the somnolent young guy, staring at her as she sat in the backseat of the waiting taxi. She couldn’t help but feel that same connection which Rohit had himself felt earlier- and as the car drove away from the hospital, fate had unknowingly left her heart behind with the boy who would later become the love of her life.

'Britain's (once upon a time) Most Wanted Man'

2010-11-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

(AN OLD ARTICLE WRITTEN FOR A SOCIAL COMMENTARY BLOG- mid 2010)

Today Police have confirmed that the two officers who shot Raoul Moat with taser stun guns did so only after he had held the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger. It was described as a reactionary response to an incident with heavy global media interest and with the priority to maintain minimal security risks for both the police officers involved on the ground and the general public in the vicinity. The fact that Moat ended up shooting himself in what can only be imagined as his final act of desperation was probably the most preferred outcome all could have encouraged in order to control any potential damage to others. Reports from the scene say that Moat shouted the word “Bastards!” and then multiple gunshots followed ending what was termed as the hunt for ‘Britain’s most wanted man’.

What followed was a barrage of disparate responses from the local communities, family members of Moat, his friends and colleagues and the general national public. A tribute page emerged on Facebook and was promoted across all social media and then simultaneously picked up by the national broadcasts and newspapers. In just a matter of days this one story captured the attention of the country, and was also being followed by an international audience. The text message jokes started distributing, the pub conversations, and the debates in offices all conveyed an opinion on the issues surrounding this horrific sequence of events, which ended in what appears to have become a very public suicide; a final eruption from an obviously disturbed man with a history of eruptions built up over a long period of time.

It is not surprising that the public opinion was divided with many sympathizing with both the situation, and with all who had been directly affected by the actions of this crazed vigilante-like character. And a growing number of people further encouraged aggressive judgment on the acts of Moat. And rightly so, for regardless of his state of mind, and regardless of the reasons that motivate anyone to implode or explode- nothing can ever excuse the use of violence or aggression, especially when it leads to loss of life of any other persons.

And now I bring to focus the effect on Moat’s kids. I speak from the perspective of a hard working family man myself who fully empathizes with the hardships of fathers everywhere. But I also, more importantly speak from the perspective of a son who once upon a time had to pick up the pieces his own father left behind following the devastating act of suicide.

Of course, in my father’s situation the downfall of one man had no relevance to the outside world. My father also did not intentionally choose to impact any actions on anyone else apart from himself, and by no means did my father ever display such a chaotic history of turbulent behaviors as with Moat. The only similarity was the fact that within brief moments both made a decision to end their own lives, be they in extremely opposite circumstances.

I recall clearly the phone call I received from my distressed mother who asked me to travel home immediately. She wouldn’t tell me why, but I sensed the tone of her voice translating as something bad having happened- I never would have guessed what I was to learn later. I try to imagine how I could have felt if say I had switched on the news headlines and heard about my fathers death on TV? I dread to think.

Luckily I was of an age where I could comprehend and digest information well and make my own judgments on the entire situation rather than rely on second hand accounts from other people. My mother was lucky she had young adults as children rather than pre-teens or infants as in the case of Moat, and so she did not need to take on board too much consideration of the impact the news had on us as the offspring of a man who deliberately or by mistake had committed suicide. But the impact was of course naturally immense.

I personally have been haunted by memories and flashbacks of the past and it has taken just under 7 years to even get close to coming to terms with the actions and choices my father must have made within the space of time he must have done so. And my heart goes out to the kids of Moat who will grow up doing the same on such a grander scale. They have been provided with second hand accounts directly from their mother and from family members. They would have had to attempt to understand why the rest of the world was reacting to their father in such a way. They would also I am sure have had their own negative (and I’m sure some positive!) memories of their father both directly and through the accounted experience of others. But fact remains- Moat’s previous girlfriends or wife can easily disassociate themselves from having any ties or affinity with the man but as his children he will always be their father. If not now, then one day they will wish to learn more about what their father chose to do, and they will come to their own conclusions as assumed intelligent adults, as to what caused situations to escalate in their fathers experiences.

Individuals or medical professionals cannot easily diagnose mental health or circumstantial mental breakdowns. Not in the same manner in which Cancer is diagnosed or any physical ailments are treated. And with regards to treatment for the likes of Moat and the kind of treatment often delivered by under-resourced local health services, how do they respond to isolated extreme cases such as with Moat? Should they have sectioned him much earlier, and if so, would this have resolved issues or even helped in any way? One possibility would be that Moat would have been provided with the kind of insight he obviously needed which may have put his life circumstances into some kind of rational perspective in order for him to resolve them like everyone else is expected to do so in society and public life. And what about the support for his family, and again importantly, his children whilst he was erupting in the manner he was when alive? Were local community services aware of their presence and the possible impact their father could have been having on them? I guess we will never know.

As I hear the latest news headlines mentioning the independent police complaints commission inquiry, the police press statements, and the summaries of reports; I am forced to attempt to imagine what really motivated Moat to reach such extreme levels of anger and violence. Anger that was spilled in the direction of specific targets, and against what sounded like institutions and systems with which he developed strong grievances towards.

Even whilst the man-hunt was emerging, and after such time having passed following the horrific incident, I had hoped that we would all learn to reach stages of being able to empathize in some way with what he was going through- maybe even conclude that he was possibly unable to express his arguments in a rational manner due to the unstable state of mind; or the fact that maybe he had never learnt to do so because of his negative experiences. As long as he could be contained and kept alive, it was his personal perspective that was missing from all of the news reports released.

So we the general public will now never know accurately why Moat was fighting, or why he chose to explode in such an extreme way. His family members will have had a more direct insight and may be able to trace back where things had gone so drastically wrong. His children will one day wish to seek the truth behind what happened to their father, and if not now, one day they will actively take steps to come to terms with the brutal demise of the man partly responsible for their existence. I just hope they are given the necessary help and support as they grow up to be able to do so sensitively and in a positive manner. And as someone with no specific religious affiliations, I certainly hope and pray that the restless and unstable soul of Raoul Moat, if at all there is such a thing as soul and afterlife, is at peace wherever it may be. I also express deepest condolences to all he may have impacted in a direct or indirect way and may they all find peace at some point.

With regard to my father, I am slowly coming to terms with his own personal journey, and I have explored all the possible events and feelings that may have caused his demise. My father displayed some signs of feeling mildly depressed but nothing so visible that required him to seek outside help or support. Sometimes I wish he had, because with a close knit family unit like ours and with so many outside avenues of support through extended family, I am sure he would have received everything he would have needed to resolve the internal battles he may have been fighting at the time. I know for sure that he had felt detached and quite lonely following career changes and as a result of an unexpected redundancy. He was also missing his own family who he had both left behind in India many years ago, and many with whom contact had been lost through bereavements.

Regardless of whatever my father may have done, and aside from the relationship he had with others and himself. He was the kindest, the most loving, and best Dad a son can ask for and I can only now understand that my father had not learnt how to express his feelings in the way many of us often take for granted.

I don’t know if Moat was ever any of these things, but I do now believe that life difficulties and circumstances can sometimes make people react in very different, and sometimes unexpected ways. I hope his children can also one day find the answers they will be very likely to ask.

This song by Nitin Sawhney was played at my own fathers funeral. Thought it an apt closing song to this article.

The Ticketing Mafia... "and just far too many choices...!"

2010-09-15T08:05:00.001-07:00

Our modern times will always be well remembered for the amount of choice at our disposal. Multiple choices when it comes to everything we do, everything we consume, and even all the information we get coerced to think about on a daily or regular basis. Even orgasms are demanded to comply with multiplicity... yet most would see this as quite a good thing for obvious reasons... (ahem!).

But on a daily commute in and out of our wonderful city called London, the fact that we are now imposed multiple choices for the type of train ticket we wish to purchase; this I find to be one of life’s most annoying of decisions lately and a reason why I wonder how good for us an element of so many choices can really be.

As I envisage a day in the not too distant future when we get to go as far as personalizing the printed font or the background images of our travel billets to match our shoes or our exaggerated personalities even, I recall why I usually force myself to keep schtum about the growing modern day idiosyncrasies. It is through fear of being deemed as some kind of pre mid-life Victor Meldrew caricature, and at such a prematurely prime age at that too! But enough is enough I say, even to the prepubescent young guns that may be reading my rant. May there be lessons for us all in my following words:

Firstly, I should have known better than not to have planned my entire journey meticulously prior to departing from my abode, like some kind of OCD suffering military General- totally unlike the spontaneous free spirit I consider myself to be. But when purchasing my train ticket at the station kiosk and to be asked whether I would like a peak, super off-peak, superior peak, grandiose latte off-peak or a measly common as muck regular ticket... I’m left well and truly baffled. I question whether I’m the only schmuck in this predicament, and as I glance around it seems that I am. Everyone else seems to be confidently going about his or her business. Not a whiff of confusion elsewhere! I reticently ask- “So what is the difference between each of my options” - I’m told it depends wholly on what time I choose to embark on the train and equally what time I am looking to make my return journey.

In addition to this pickle, I later learn that I am unable to purchase what was traditionally known in the game as a 1-day travel card option... and the reasoning for this?? Well, I’m told this is only now open to the under -age kiddie commuters or the over-aged retired folks. Being neither, I am only obliged to add virtual currency onto the super elusive Oyster card. Here is when further confusion kicks into my brain space and I’m again expected to make my choice clear from a multitude of strange options. I thought Oysters were meant to be aphrodisiacs... I wonder as the burden of carrying this bright blue card with apparent super-powers has put me right off any kinky behaviour! And talking of kinky-

“Whatever you do... touch in and touch out!!” – I get warned about this twice by the rather incoherent member of staff. I wonder what it means but decide not to ask too many questions so as not to appear ignorant to the mysterious ways of urban travel schpeel.

Travelling on the tube I notice how everyone appears to look more wide-eyed and twitchier than normal. I wonder if it is as a result of the amount of tube advertising... now also in TV screen format around the stations to allow the commuters more ‘choices’ as passive consumers.

I haphazardly manage to figure out what ‘touch in and touch out’ means and ensure I do so, although on a few tube transfers I notice how this is made difficult by not having conveniently placed barriers or devices to touch. I’m forced to locate one by taking slight detours.

Now whilst on the penultimate point of my overall journey, I find myself on the Bakerloo Line heading towards Waterloo. Two very butch and quite scruffy ticketing inspectors join the train accompanied by four other uniformed ticket inspectors. They aggressively demand for us all to touch their star trek hand-held devices in order to confirm we are not making illegal journeys. I wonder if this also counts as a touch in... or out... or shake it all about ritual, and again I’m left quite baffled. Surely everyone travelling on a tube is unable to make a journey without adequate fares paid, and if by any chance they had it would be quite likely as a result of some confusion, human error or a similar state of bemusement as I found myself in.

I make it safely, and with my sanity still in tact to the other side of the tube, and now I am requested to show my ticket again (now for the 8^th time altogether from my entire journey!). The inspector quite abruptly informs me that my ticket is not valid during the peak period within which I am looking to travel home. Apparently the information I was given in the morning was incorrect; post 6pm is not off peak as I was instructed, it is in fact post 7pm when the off-peak period commences again. I’m being criminalized by the, again, rather burly member of staff and he has played both judge and jury within the space of a 3-minute interrogation. A small section of my brain involuntarily wonders whether doughnuts are granted as daily rewards to London Transport staff for enduring mundane questions from dumb customers like myself- hence the fact so many I have encountered have been so tubby. I glance at my watch and the time at this precise moment of my existence was 6.43pm. After much debate and reserved deliberation on the part of the inspector I am charged an extra £9 for the journey. “Cha ching!” goes that small section in my brain again.

A fellow passenger points out to me that this is a common experience for many commuters when faced with what they termed as being herds of uniformed ticketing mafia folk. Not all of course, but a visual majority of public service staff who through discontentment or subliminal training methods choose to act as robotic enforcement officers to an unsuspecting and quite baffled general public.

“This kinda thing doesn’t happen oop norf... it seems to be the London experience now!” was a response from another rather biased northern gentleman on the train.

In a spontaneous manner and in an equally impulsive accent I console myself- “Forgeth abowt eet!!” I whisper this under my breath. And probably the best advice I can offer for my fellow commuter-ati’s who on occasions, may also find themselves in a similar state of deluded reflection at the end of one journey home. “Just forget about it!”

Not sure why i'm minded to tail this rant with the words of Jarvis Cocker- 'Running the world' -one of the most unusually catchy anti establishment songs which can be related to my sentiments...

Eclectic or part of the herd?

2010-09-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

Eclectic or just a turd in the herd??! I often ask myself which faction I would belong in... and then I reflect on my journey and think back to the many decisions I have both consciously and subconsciously made along the way. I think at various times in my timeline I have been both- an eclectic taking influence from wide sources and also someone who has chosen not to take a risk and just conform to remain hidden and detached. We are all recommended to reflect on our daily ways and on any path of creativity I think this is even more applicable. You give yourself targets, you address inner aims and desires and then the most important factor- you take action. Much of the process often becomes an inner dialogue you have with yourself during moments when you are not being bombarded with information overloads, when you are not being sold into a product or an ethos.

I've noticed how I have minimized my social circle over the last few 5 years in particular. Partly subconsciously and partly strategically. I have been pushed and pulled in various directions and I still have requests made to join cliques and brands and often to assist with PR or promotion or publicity or a combination of all. I wonder why I never feel right about any of it... and that inner voice confirms why every time.

I have recently been reflecting on 2 areas quite alot. Firstly I have been questioning other peoples motivations for why they do what they do and how they do it. I then look at the things I have done, and how I have done them. I appreciate elements of both and here onwards am tenaciously forcing myself to focus on what I believe to be the right thing to do. And much of the focus will also go into self development as should always be the case.

Part of the process for me always is talking to others and learning from the interactions. I am very keen to look into ways in which collective efforts can be made rather than submitting to the wider culture of being overly individualistic and remaining as detached as I often feel like remaining.

Right now there is much talk I keep hearing about the lack of unity within the niche Asian creative scenes and from within communities even. My response is always that there is no such thing as a 'niche' scene- Asian or non! We may happen to share some ideals and sentiments and look alike, or agree and disagree on common factors- but in no way is there a niche (anymore!). We are all eclectic now and no longer identify with the same things we identified with in the past. The only thing we all now have in common is that we are all simply trying to get by during challenging climates and we must all get past in one of two ways- detached and focussed on ourselves or collectively attuned to each other and the wider common grounds. Miles away from race, culture, language, genre, style or identification.

I congratulate all making waves individually and I salute all doing so with a wide vision for collectivity and collaboration.

And to think... it was this new track by Kings of Leon from their eagerly anticipated forthcoming album release in October (and the video!) that inspired me to spill these words.

Now... are you eclectic or a turd in the herd?

http://www.twitter.com/vinsharma

Creating Heroes Blog

2010-05-31T07:14:00.001-07:00

I can be found posting blogs via the POSTEROUS page on behalf of: http://www.creatingheroes.org

CREATING HEROES: is a movement and social interest company working with young people to recognize the heroes of our past and present times, and thereby encouraging heroes of tomorrow... today! As part of the process, utilizing the mediums of Journalism, Multimedia + Performing Arts.

e: info@creatingheroes.org to communicate enquiries.

w: http://www.creatingheroes.org

(Download PDF brochure on site for further information)

t: http://www.twitter.com/RealSoopaHeroes

The pre-General Election anthem:

2010-04-28T15:02:00.000-07:00

Beware... of the exercise ball!

2010-04-22T02:40:00.000-07:00

The world is being threatened by a highly dangerous spherical shaped item which is ruining lives. Found in gymnasiums across the nation, it is also readily available to buy in bulk, and at a cheap price from your local Argos or Index retailer. (who remembers Index?!) Currently legal to purchase, and if you are found in possession of the ball you have no reason to justify its purpose. My local gym seems to have manipulated the lapse laws and has over 30 of them easily accessible to all!

Exercise balls are causing international havoc and following talks during last weeks Operation Cobra meeting at Downing Street, the government is looking into declassifying them as a Class A weapon of destruction. We recognize that this will increase the chances of the exercise balls falling into the hands of criminal gangs supplying them for their profit, but we are too lazy to address the real reasons why more and more people are resorting to violence (and using their balls!!) to get a cheap laugh, or deal with underlying problems.

Join the campaign to support the govts lazy interventions and lets ban the exercise ball before it ruins more lives. Talk to your local councils, and educate your children and family about the dangers. And remember to quote the campaign slogan on your travels:

STAY SAFE... from the dreaded balls!

ps: with enough of a media hype, govt is sure to impose an immediate ban on balls! (see also wikipedia link to mephedrone for how this made its way into becoming a classified illegal substance within weeks of a campaign. Prime example of how not to deal with underlying issues which cause masses of people to misuse any substances- illegal or not!)

EMBED-Exercise Ball Tribute Song - Watch more free videos

Mr Vin's REVIEW: Lal Meri- The Indian ep

2010-03-21T06:01:00.000-07:00

What happens when you hand pick a timeless track way back from a forgotten era, and you bring it completely reworked into the 21^st century in a way which makes it feel and sound original. Once given the honorific title of the queen of melody, Noor Jehan was the singer and actress who mesmerized audiences when she first performed this beautiful sufi folk song in the days of Black and White broadcast. This version features the hypnotic vocals of a relatively unknown singer Pooja Lal, who manages to capture a similarly beautiful yearning style in her voice, as did Noor Jehan all those years ago. The ep features cinematic remixes by underground producer and group member Carmen Rizzo from Niyaz fame, and the highly new age sounding giants Bombay Dub Orchestra.

The song will leave your spirit feeling refreshed and alive through the hustle bustle of modern living, and as you absorb the music you will be taken in between subtle Indian textures, Middle Eastern strings and striking electronic soundscapes all merged together beautifully like the tapestry of an exotic, intricately designed rug. Such is the combined diverse influences of band members Nancy Kaye, Ireesh Lal and Carmen Rizzo.

The LA-based trio based their own name on the title of this song, which interestingly translates as a famous Hindi term encouraging people to smile through good times and bad. Never has there been a more apt time for such a sentiment to exist, and I would highly recommend you check out all the eclectic Global fusion releases from the label under which Lal Meri distribute: Six Degrees Records. These guys and their label releases have shared a long stretch of my attention for many years, and I hope the new generation of time traveling musical connoisseurs will also show them the same love and appreciation.

http://www.lalmeri.com/

http://www.sixdegreesrecords.com

http://www.lalmeri.com/

http://www.sixdegreesrecords.com

Here is a clip from some live show rehearsals a while ago. It's taken a long time to release this as a single, but better late than ever i say!

Mr Vin's REVIEW: DJ Dips feat MC Rax, Menis, Rkz, Horizon & Swami Baracus- This DJ

2010-03-21T05:53:00.000-07:00

You may be bopping your heads to this as I write. The video is receiving airplay across the TV stations and there isn’t an Asian club night between here and Scunthorpe that isn’t playlisting this during a shindig. Picture a room filled with young blud Asian rugrats with bad blood circulation: hence the woolly hats, scarfs, gloves, hoodies, and b-boy glares. But that’s not where the target market ends. Hip Hop fans across the board will be nodding their heads in agreement to this Bhangra Hip Hop fusion featuring five of the most talented Urban artists that happen to be beige whilst they spit. Respected, recognized, and highly unavoidable in my opinion, if only our niche market award shows could show their appreciation and support too with an MC award catregory. But nothing is lost, because just as with the grime artists who have made it big in the mainstream: Dizzee, Wiley, Tempah, Tinchy... they were also once upon a recent time ignored and sidelined as commercially unviable. Executive label bosses eating their words as we speak.

Now all that is left to wait for is when the likes of Menis, Baracus and crew are mentioned and recognized by the mainstream alongside the current grime influx. This track in my opinion will definitely appeal to both the Bhangra heads and Hip Hop fans alike, and takes Asian MC’s one step closer towards national recognition. Word of advice: let us stop attaching ‘Asian’ or ‘Desi’ to the titles of such artists from our scenes. Beyond our inherited cultures, we are now more than capable of amalgamating a multitude of influences into our repertoire, whether a rapper, a Journalist, a Poet or just a vagabond! (end of mini rant!)

This DJ will be releasing via iTunes, Amazon, Play.com and all other good music stores in March 2010.

Mr Vegas ft SONU NIGAM- Gallis (Punjabi remix)

2010-03-21T05:45:00.000-07:00

(Reviews written for http://www.thamarai.com )

Paradoxical collaboration or an organic by-product of 21^st century cultural fusion? I will let you decide. But as the self-proclaimed beige reggae connoisseur of Hampshire, I must admit to being a little excited about Sonu Nigam’s current plans for global domination. He has both remixed and provided his smooth vocal contribution to this track, and although he sings only in English on this version, there is mention of another version said to be coming soon to feature Hindi vocals also combined. For those more familiar with Niigaam’s indo pop style as Bollywood playback singer, this will certainly surprise your senses and make you question the intention. Is it organic artistic expression or an attempt to commercially target across the continents? Dancehall meets Bhangra and Bollywood. If you ask me... well, I like it. Not as much as the original ‘Gallis’ by Mr Vegas, but I like the fact that India makes anything that may seem impossible on paper manifest into something that is both innovative and quite unique. The high-octane styles of Bhangra and Dancehall naturally fuse well, and this track will have you both gyrating your hips and changing the light bulbs simultaneously!

With regard to the collaboration, nothing surprises me about the reach India and it’s resident artists and performers have across the globe. Seeing Snoop Dogg rap with Akshay Kumar in the film ‘Singh is Kinng’, and Mike Tyson lip syncing alongside Sunny Deol in ‘Fool n Final’, I know there is no collaboration that cannot happen if the right amount of money is on the table and if simultaneous markets can be penetrated for profit. So do not be surprised when you hear Sonu Niigaam featuring alongside Senegalese rnb giant Akon and with another big name in the world of dancehall Shaggy, all to be expected later this year.

My mystic Vin predictions for potential future collaborations: Shankar Mahadevan with Dizzee Rascal. AR Rahman with Lady Gaga, Jay Sean with Priyanka Chopra (both singing!) and Buju Banton with Bappi Lahiri!! (watch this space- all could happen!)

Check this unofficial youtube leak:

MYSTIC VIN's weekly 'Horror' scopes:

2010-02-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

All sorts of random and spontaneous things seem to happen on my weekly radio show. And from this week onwards i have had a new calling. Im delving into the world of Horoscopes and Zodiac signs, and I take pleasure in introducing the weekly spoof horoscope pod-casts and blog posts. Whether you keep tabs on your own horoscopes on a weekly or daily basis, or whether you think it's a loada baloney mumbo jumbo. Our weekly forecasts will sure to add a bit of 'horror' scope and predictions for what your week could possibly bring.

If any of my predictions do come true, please feel free to let me know via the usual avenues.

I would be just as surprised as you if they did. however in the mean time, inspired by Russell Grant, Mystic Meg, Patrick Moore + the wider astrology industry, i bring to you:

The Stupidly spoofy weekly Star Sign forecasts:

(07/02/10 - 13/02/10)

ARIES: You will meet a beautiful woman whilst on late night travels this week. She will ask for you to save her from some villains. You will get carried away with this request and will feel compelled to wear your underpants on the outside of your trousers and use a towel or scarf as a cape. You will end up slipping on a banana skin and just as you hit the floor, your eyes will open and you will realize it was just a dream. Wake up Aries, maybe it's time to get a job.

TAURUS: You are searching for love and having difficulty finding it. Keep searching, but it won't do you any good because your parents have already found a nice hairy girl / guy for you who lives in a hill billy village in the back streets of Calcutta who they have arranged your marriage with. They will tell you about a holiday to India in the next few days and trick you into believing it is just a holiday. You will come back to England unhappily married. Good luck with that!

GEMINI: You are in 2 minds about what next steps you should take. Forget it, don't think about it. Instead stay at home this week, sit in your pajamas and pick your nose with a tooth pick whilst watching Dhoom 2 on Sky plus. The answers to all your questions can be found in the film story-line. The fact that the film has no relevant story-line may say more than the answers you may or may not find.

CANCER: You are known to be conservative and against taking risks. This is making you dull amongst your friends (if you have any left) so start using your imagination a bit more. Ignore your lifetime ambition to meet Shah Rukh Khan in person. He was in London this week and didn't ask for you. Accept it Cancer, you are unlikely to meet Shah Rukh Khan so get on with your life and stop having unrealistic dreams. You fool!

LEO: You are compassionate, understanding and sympathetic- but then that's why you are known amongst your friends as a sucker. Your parents used to secretly give your brothers and sisters treats and while you slept the rest of your family ate meat and marshmallows. You wore hand me downs even though you were the oldest child. Tomorrow call Mcdonalds for an application form. They are currently recruiting. At least it's some pocket money for you to eventually look into buying some real friends.

VIRGO: You are persistent and determined when striving for a goal, but have no clue how to achieve it. All of your friends pretend not to notice your lack of intelligence- at least to your face. Research shows that if Virgo's were not counted in national exam polls, grades averages in the country would rise by 4.5 per cent. It's a good time for you to quit school or work and find what you are really good at, maybe knitting or embroidery. You are good with your hands, or at least that's what all the men in the local football team are saying.

LIBRA: You are shrewd in business matters and can usually get your own way with others. That's why everyone hates you. Close friends and family enjoy having parties that are kept secret from you. When you go away for weekends, they even use your house to hold the parties at, telling everyone it is someone else's house. Your co workers make fun of you behind your back and mimic your poor posture. Even Tony Blair wouldn't like you and he could do with friends right now. It may be a good time to fiddle your expenses, but you will get caught. Which may not be a bad thing on behalf of your friends.

SCORPIO: You are optimistic, enthusiastic, and ambitious. Too bad you have no talent. Most Scorpios end up in prison or on the dole. You may as well put all your hopes in your children, but according to statistics, even your children are likely to be less than average. Good time to see a counsellor, not that it's going to help. But your story will make them laugh. Beware this week: your partner is currently plotting to put poison in your daal (lentl soup!) Pour it in his / her favorite shoes.

SAGITTARIUS: You are artistic and imaginative, but that is because you have a warped view of reality. Very few people admit to being a Sagittariun , but the rest of us know who you are because all Sagittariuns have a limp and are left handed. If you are not left handed your parents lied to you about your birthday as part of a cover up conspiracy against you. It may be a good time to trace your real family tree. You were adopted Sagittarius... well i say adopted. They found you in a cauliflower allotment chewing on the leaves. Im sorry to break it to you like this.

CAPRICORN: Your idea that you are attractive to the opposite sex is rooted in your vivid imagination. The rest of us laugh alot about that. You have hairs growing out of your nose and ears which is affecting your other senses- like rational thinking. This is because you eat saag (spinach) every day. Cut this down to only eating saag (spinach) on Wednesdays. Go to your hairdressers and get them to trim the hairs. Try and book yourself in for a waxing of chest and back too. Try and get a tan as well, you are starting to look pale because the sun can't reach your body with so much hair! Remember, cut down eating spinach!

AQUARIUS: You are loyal, hard working and very trustworthy, which helps explain why you haven't amounted to much in the real world. You have little skill-set which do not involve use of a mop, bucket or broom. Word of advice: go to sleep in your swimming trunks every night this week, you will wake up feeling fresh. And if you do not wake up feeling fresh, don't worry about it. At least if you were to get wet in your sleep, your trunks are water proof so no embarrassing wet patches will be left on the bed sheets. If only all else was just as simple.

PISCES: You are incredibly intelligent and articulate, and those around you appreciate intelligence in someone who looks as funny as you do. This will get funnier as you get older so the only job you can do is as a comedian. So start writing some jokes. Your nickname given by your friends is 'Bakra' (goat) and they all make baaaaaa noises behind your back. Time to buy breath mints in bulk. No one has told you this before, but you have smelly breath. That's one of the reasons they call you 'Bakra' (goat). Word of advice: buy a tongue cleaner from Southall Broadway.

The above predictions are completely fake and not backed up by any form of skill or knowledge in the area of astrology and star signs. Thanks to all who contributed.

Fresh new weekly pod-cast forecasts coming next week onwards. hippy week in the mean time. http://www.vinsharma.com/podcast

Lohfer Magazine's beige 'Super Hero'

2010-02-02T15:49:00.000-08:00

^^^^^CLICK ON PIC TO VIEW LARGER SIZE ^^^^^

Nowadays it don't take much to become a super hero it seems. Just have a big mouth, answer strange questions in an honest manner, and be willing to talk about ur underpants or bodily fluids without blushing or feeling shy. Add funny specs for further impact.

As i like to say: "It's good to talk!"

Inner City Pressures... depicted through animation + comedy!

2010-01-21T15:54:00.000-08:00

I had initially written up quite a personal first blog posting for 2010. But have decided against posting it here for several reasons. Instead find embedded below 2 clever pieces of video highlighting what I see daily as absurd collective modern predicaments.

The first is a clever piece of animation entitled 'Gustav and Alienation'. The second is a comedy gem from my favourite musical comedy series 'Flight of the Concords'.

Unravel the hidden sentiments as you may.

Oh, and a belated hippy new year + decade to one and all! As my friend Yommie would say: "Big tings!"

'Everybody's Free' by Baz Luhrmann

2009-11-19T10:11:00.001-08:00

I was reminded of some great words of wisdom and music combined today. I loved this then, and still love it now! For anyone too young to have heard it before, listen intently to Baz Luhrmann!

For the geeks amongst you, here's some random information for you. The words were originally taken from an essay titled "Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young" written by a lady called Mary Schmich and published in the Chicago Tribune as a column in 1997.

And i gotta say. Today i may still class myself as being young in age, but one day i know i will be best described as young at heart. Prior to that time, I'm in agreement with the following.

Enjoy your own moments of nostalgia that this may induce!!

The modern day 'MORAL DILEMMA!!'

2009-11-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

Another week has passed, and this month has been officially renamed Movember just in case you havn't already heard. Movember is about bringing the moustache back into fashion, whilst having some fun for a very serious cause - prostate cancer. Now in its third year, the foundation are looking forward to seeing 'Mo Bros' & 'Sistas' embrace the moustache once again and raise a bit of money and some great PR towards the cause.

For more details of the global campaign, check:

http://uk.movember.com/

I for one am looking forward to growing the old mafia tache for a laugh too! Funnily enough, here's a link to a mini blog posting of mine from July last year which is kinda related to the moustachio syndrome, some great examples of sum cool moustache styles for ya!

http://tinyurl.com/ylhbr7o

This week has been another busy week filled with lessons, contemplations, funny experiences and heartfelt reflections on my side. I have also had many flashes of what i would like to call genius in terms of endeavors i am looking to push further, i will keep you posted when and if they reach momentum.

Yesterday i had a conversation with my lovely gran which kinda confirms what i try to remain aware of daily, sometimes begrudgingly. She spoke about old times, memories, the many changes over the years, + generally her feelings of losing touch with wot real life is and should be about. She spoke about how growing old has made her now realize that much of what she believed and was taught to her had been wrong and now she feels it is too late for her to relearn the essence of having a good life. I have noticed that much of her time is spent reminiscing about the olden days, rather than thinking about the present and the future.

Related to the sentiments with my gran, i randomly stumbled upon this article which you may like.

http://tinyurl.com/bheotd

I also like this video kinda related. Entitled 'Youth and Aging'.

This week i have also encountered some of the rudest and miserable folk on my daily travels, which in effect made me quite the grumpy beige fella. Can Britain be any more doom and gloom right now i ask?? The weather, the politics, Gordon Brown!! Misery and grumpiness seems more rife than Swine flu at present, very annoying i say!

Thank Jah for 'X Factor' which seems to have revived some form of much needed light hearted escape. And just in case ur wondering about my opinion, Jedward to win i say. That 'Under pressure' refix was frikkin genius i tell thee!!! Jedward and Jamie Afro i likes, and a soft spot for Stacey is developing too i think.

Anyways, tonite im launching a new weekly feature for the Sunday nite talk show. It's called (and said loudly in the X Factor intro voiceover man style!)

'THE MORAL DILEMAAAA!!"

It does what it says on the tin. I present a range of ethical and modern day dilemma style schpeels, and peeps offer their take on the choices at play. Tonite i have a great one that has been used for job applications, and i have an endless list for the coming weeks! With a Jerry Springer style closer, and i will also have well known names from the music and media world offering their take on each weeks subjects.

Listen in the usual way if u wish to, and over the next few weeks i will be adding highlights onto the podcast so u can be nosy in ur own times on the ipods and minus cheesy ads!

http://www.vinsharma.com/podcast

And closing quote to my usual weekly waffle:

"My formula for living is quite simple. I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night. In between, I occupy myself as best I can!" (Cary Grant)

This familiar recent T-Mobile stunt is also a good lesson in losing touch with our sense of fun! Great example of effective and thought provoking modern day publicity, being cleverly adopted by a corporate brand.

IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE...but i still won't wear a poppy!

2009-11-08T05:17:00.000-08:00

As i write, i have the Live BBC Remembrance Sunday coverage streaming in the background, on a day for us all to collectively unite in grief for the many souls from yesterday, today and tomorrow who sadly lose their lives during war and atrocity across the globe. I watch the soldiers from yesteryear on TV, proudly marching, solemnly reflecting on the battles they must have partaken in during their own lifetimes, and what i can only imagine as hope in their hearts for those in battle in our present times.

My heart and mind tries to imagine what it must be like to go into a battlefield under the orders of the powers above and government policy, which you have no say or control over. What must it be like to wave away a loved one or friend, and not know whether you will ever see that person again. Aside from the risk factors, what about the lessons learned from our history of choosing war as a strategy towards change or control. Surely we have evolved enough to understand that war as an international strategy does not bring about change without the sacrifice of hundreds of lives.

Only today, we learn that yet another British soldier has lost his life in Afghanistan. Everyday there are dozens of soldiers, and let's not forget the innocent citizens from nations around the world who are continuing to lose their lives and we are yet again expected to accept that all of this is necessary in order for us to be safe and for peace to come about in some distant future?!! Think also of the many forgotten heroes who are sold the glorification of patriotism when being sent to war, and forgotten upon their return home. The countless amounts of ex soldiers living in poor conditions, damaged by their experiences, and a growing number of whom rely on medication and public services to get by daily life. There are many who get their voices heard, yet i can only assume there are more who do not.

On this day, my heart goes out to the countless amount of others who are affected for every one life lost during war. The mothers, the fathers, the brothers, the sisters, friends, and to go even wider, everyone who hears of the stories. Because in effect, we are all affected by the ongoing news, and in some way or another we are all saddened by our helplessness to influence it.

Poppies have long been used as a symbol of both sleep and death: 'sleep' because of the opium extracted from them, and 'death' because of their (commonly) blood-red color. I remember wearing a poppy at school under the insistence of our teachers. But i havn't worn a poppy on my lapel for over 10 years now, and not out of disrespect to the lost lives, but more out of a kind of dignified statement. I will put money in the tins and purchase a poppy as it is for a worthy cause, but i refuse to wear it proudly on my lapel for i feel if i did, i would be advocating the wider connotations i feel it also promotes, namely my support for the many wars of today and tomorrow. I remind myself that i do not wish to symbolize neither death nor sleep both metaphorically or in its literal terms.

Grief in my opinion is always a personal emotion, and for the establishment to expect us all to join in with their formal ceremonies at this time of year i think is highly insensitive considering there are existing wars taking place. I would much rather take part in such formalities when war itself ceased as a means of invoking change, or ironically, as a means to make peace. For me, the public formalities and ceremonial jingoism brings into focus the whole brutality, violence, hypocrisy and vileness of warfare, and just reinforces why i choose never to wear a poppy on my lapel.

I hope the personal expression of my opinion does not cause any offense, as this is far from my intention. I hope instead it encourages us to rather than collectively uniting our full focus on grief and loss, which inevitably it will, but for us to alternatively strive to keep talking and expressing opinions about how we can collectively work towards peace... and so one day when it is achieved, we can then rightfully gather and remember how wrong war was in the first place.

QUOTE: "Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind...War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today."

-- John F. Kennedy

Feel free to share your own personal thoughts and opinions here, or on my Sunday night talk show on: Sunday evenings 7-9pm.

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/vinsharma

FACEBOOK: http://tinyurl.com/ykc6wa7

Leaving you with this piece of timeless musical genius, reworked and inspired by the Bob Marley song 'War'. In loving remembrance, 2009!

Hippy burfday group address!

2009-10-25T06:38:00.000-07:00

And so another year passes in my world, a weekend spent being grateful for all the good things and good people that surround ones microcosmic place on this planet. One thing i've also realized this weekend, whoever said material things don't make you happy, im afraid to say, LIED!!! The amount of birthday pressies i received which have made this beige man as happy as a cheshire cat, and to name just a few:

Flight of the Conchordes box set (YAY!)
O2 Tickets to see comedian Michael Mcintyre
MJ 'This is it' cinema tickets
Helicopter flight
i-phone
Sum great books + biogs
CD's
Vouchers
Funky socks,
etc, etc, etc.......

Talking to those from the creative fields, whether established or up and coming, whether freelance or permanent, it seems it can often be difficult to even make enough money to get by and live on let alone afford the luxuries that make us more comfortable. Money isn't the be all and end all, but it certainly remains to be the way of the world in terms of the means to get by!

But being blessed with good people around us, being in touch with what the essence of our life should be, remaining healthy, and often pursuing the right paths to make our significant mark on the world is what the real focus should be about in my humble opinion, and it surely remains to be for many of us. Hopefully during the process of our daily endeavors and achievements, we can also reach out and lend a helping hand or ear to others who may need it, and encourage each other to keep smiling and laughing together.

This week i've seen a balance of the extremely good of what life has to offer, and the extreme opposite end of the spectrum from another perspective. A friend of mine spoke to me this week about her partners experience of being diagnosed with Cancer and recovering from a major operation, and the struggles that have made them truly get back in touch with what life is about.

And on the other hand, a young beautiful child by the name of Dean Sheikh i learnt, has sadly lost his long battle with illness this week. Whenever i hear news like this it makes me stop in my tracks and remind myself why i wish to work in the creative field, and it also reminds me how precious life is. As a parent myself, it also naturally makes me feel stories connected to children in a more deeper way!

I would actively advocate the appeal inspired by Dean's experience and would appeal for everyone to get involved if you can, and encourage others from your communities.

RIP 05.11.00 - 22.10.09

Sometimes even little things can make the biggest difference and i commend the team at Desi Donors for their inspiring efforts:

DESI DONORS: http://tinyurl.com/ygwp7dq

In the mean time i carry on with my journey, and as the years pass by and more birthdays follow, i also plan to stock up on the Oil of Ulay cream supplies to keep some youthfulness, and keep the cod liver capsules on the ready! (ahem!)

With regard to the above quote, this beige hippy isn't too mellow yet thankfully!!

And for anyone interested:

This weeks 'No Holds Barred' radio show talk topic is related to the timeless book by John Gray and the famous quote: "Men are from Mars, and women are from Venus!" Inviting your contributions about the good things about us men, and the countless annoying things about us. And the common exchanges with our female counterparts and how we all live together in harmony...well, most of the time!!! (ahem!)

It could get quite heated me thinks!!! Men and women, represent urselves! On air 7 till 9pm tonite.

Sky Channel 0173 and the usual other avenues where u can listen + get involved:

Studio tel: 0845 189 1035.
EMAIL: mistrvin@gmail.com

http://www.vinsharma.com

Check this video inspired by the difference between men and women! I luv this:

NEW WEEKLY TALK RADIO SHOW: 'NO HOLDS BARRED'

2009-10-18T04:12:00.000-07:00

So, i have made a slight unexpected move and am providing some new presence with the Litt Corporation every weekends. (ahem!!) With many stations under the banner and in the same building, it really is quite an exciting place to keep your eyes and ears on with the ongoing developments.

I would most welcome your involvements with my weekly 2 hour talk based show entitled 'NO HOLDS BARRED'. Each and every Sunday evenings 5pm till 7pm, if you find urself at a loose end, twiddling your thumbs with nothing to do, feel free to either join me on the airwaves on the topic of the week, or alternatively use the space to offload anything that may be happening in your world which you may like to share with others. This could be as random as you like, it could be serious, light hearted, funny, emotional, anything you like. "Better out than in" as i would inappropriately say, or better still "Your rant aired, means it gets shared... + then closure!!!"

18/10/2009 is the 1st show, and whilst i also get used to a new studio and building (and, erm...an inherited pseudonym given by the network!!!) i will be talking about 'what it means to be Beige in the UK today.' This will cover a range of areas around identity, global culture, Media + Arts, and hopefully get input across the generations. Inspired by the new Channel 4 documentary which will be airing on November 4th 2009 'The Family' in which the 1st UK based Asian family joins the world of reality TV to provide a glimpse into their lives, and also explores their identities.

Mark the date in ur diaries: 4th November, Channel 4.

Also related to todays topic are the recent Strictly Come Dancing controversy with Anton Du Beke using the 'P' word, my own recent experience in rural UK when faced with a self confessed racist who hated all ethnic minorities, the BNP leader Nick Griffin on Question Time next week (and yes, ive requested audience tickets, currently being vetted!) and of course the great Jay Sean hitting the number one spot in the US Billboard charts.

All this and more will be part of this weeks chat.

And in the words of Bob Hoskins + BT: "It's Good to talk!!"

Sunday evenings: 5-7pm.

Tune in on 1035 AM in Greater London

DAB Digital Radio in West Yorkshire

Nationally on Sky channel 0173

http://www.vinsharma.com

JOIN:

TWITTER PAGE: http://twitter.com/Mr_sharma_show

FACEBOOK PAGE: http://tinyurl.com/ykc6wa7

FOR MORE ABOUT THE CHANNEL 4 DOC info: http://tinyurl.com/yza9x4e

Strutting my beige ass!

2009-09-24T07:00:00.001-07:00

Just a quick clip from an event i hosted last weekend. This was following a professional intro dance performance by one of the acts from the evening to kick start the show. I thought it could be fun to bring on some amateur display as my introduction to the audience!!! (it got even funnier during the rest of the evening!!!)

DVD's are on sale apparently. I look forward to watching the full footage soon! (gulp!)

Live Hosting clip from Sell out Dance event in Hampshire from Vinay Sharma on Vimeo.

The intro clip from the sell out event in Hampshire. Warming up the audience!

DANCE EXPLOSION @ The Haymarket, Basingstoke

2009-09-13T05:39:00.000-07:00

Last night i graced the stage at the great venue in Basingstoke for the first time, and im looking forward to gracing it again some time soon. It was a real pleasure playing host to an event which promoted something of real interest to me, and that is showcasing the great young generation of talents that are making their individual waves with various endeavors. As the title may suggest, the evenings event showcased the creative expression of dance. Its popularity has risen dramatically over the last few years following the amount of reality programs that have developed dedicated to the art form. From Britain's Got Talent to Strictly Come Dancing and with international models of these brands also promoted across the globe, never has dance been so fanatically followed by so many people, in particularly amongst the young adults of the future.

Fred Astaire, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Prince, Shakira, Usher, Michael Flatley, just to name some of the great names we may think of when considering some of the masters of dance on the international arena. All of whom im sure would have been proud to see youngsters ranging from 5 years old all the way to 20 years old showcasing their honed expressions during the evening.

Highlights from the event included students from the highly established Jeanine Greville Dance Academy showcasing a range of street, jazz and Ballet dance styles, as well as some amazing performances by Bee Varga (Hooping extraordinaire), Cult Dance academy showcasing theatrical street dance fusion, as well as local young achiever of the year Shivani, and Basingstoke Ambassador, and older brother of Shivani, Liam Dawett. This duo are founders of exciting local dance collectives Fatboyz and were also involved in choreographing much of the routines from the evening as well as also being involved in the production of this lavish showcase.

It becomes difficult to remember that some of these guys are so young, and as well as working hard at school with their education, they work hard on a daily basis with dance training and partaking in national competitions to hone their art to high levels.

I compare some of the kids i interacted with during the course of the evening, with many i meet on a regular basis through much of my other involvements who are often from unprivileged backgrounds, and far too often from unstable and chaotic situations in life. I see no difference in any of these groups, apart from the fact that they have not been provided with the equal opportunity for whatever reasons, to be able to get involved with activities which promote health, wellbeing, and fun (equally important amongst us adults!!), all whilst instilling passion, ambition and a hard work ethic in their lives.

I strongly believe that it is each and every one of our responsibilities to inspire all we encounter, and exchange inspiration on a two way basis in order for us all to be reminded that a good life is something we are all entitled to, not just those who are privileged or better off. Whether this be with adults, or with those younger who often seek others to learn from and rely upon. I for one would like to see more events such as this take place in every town and village across the UK, and then maybe Media and Journalists can follow suit by promoting coverage for these events, and the talented young people involved in them, rather than constantly bombarding us with the negative stereotypes associated with young people in the UK today.

There is far more to young people than Happy slapping, Knife Crime, Drugs and violence. and for me, having a small insight into the potential of youngsters on such an enjoyable evening to host, was a real pleasure indeed! ANd to quote myself in a previous blog entry:

"I am a non believer in the theory that 'with age + experience comes knowledge + power!' Whoever said that, was on the brink of extinction! Both young + old can teach other new tricks"

The event also supported national charity Barnado's in line with their dedication to the welfare of children and young people.

Also feel free to check this link for a great organization which i have recently been involved with working towards positive representation of young people across multimedia:

http://www.headliners.org/

And here's comedian Dara O'Brian's alternative take on young people:

Inspired by Maharajah Duleep Singh!

2009-09-13T03:49:00.000-07:00

Last week i went out of my way to attend a slightly alternative performance filled with symbolic sentiments. Scottish Sikh brothers Tigerstyle are known for their love for alternative musical and cultural fusions, and this time, alongside the music, they were set to fuse references from the past with the present. Set in the grounds that house the jewel in the crown, which added to create a positively eerie atmosphere to accompany the music style showcased live on stage. The event included spoken word references and the translation of vocals inspired by the life of the last Maharajah of Punjab, Duleep Singh.

Also performing at the event were:

Raj Academy, the world's leading institution preserving, promoting and reviving authentic Sikh Music. They presented a small performance of the sacred music as practiced over 300 years ago by the Sikhs, using the melodic instruments of the Sikh Court. Rabab, Saranda, Sarangi, Jori, Dilruba and Taus reunited to sing in harmony the scales of the unstruck sound - Anhad - taking you beyond sound.

I was left in awe of a beautifully unique cultural exchange witnessed by an audience of not only Sikh heritage, but people from mixed backgrounds. All gathered to appreciate the positive vibes, and learn about a time in history, which some of you may have noticed (ahem!) that i have a keen inclination towards!

And whilst we are on the subject, this may be a good time to open up the debate surrounding the famous Kohinoor diamond and where it rightfully belongs. It is a known legend that whoever owns the koh-i-noor rules the world. Here's hoping no one tells Rupert Murdoch, as that could be the icing on the cake for his very own media empire!

Follow the Tigerstyle journey online via: http://www.tigerstyleonline.co.uk/

And if you havn't already, check out their latest album release entitled Mystics, Martyrs & Maharajas (OUT NOW!)

Live footage courtesy of BBC:

Our amateur homage to USAIN BOLT!

2009-08-26T03:09:00.000-07:00

Usain Bolt's biggest competitor is always only going to be the clock. Last week he bettered his old 200m world record by a whopping .11 seconds, the same margin he shaved off the 100 days earlier, when he finished in 9.58. (what??!!!)

"I'm on my way to being a legend," Bolt said, without a trace of arrogance.

I for one am in awe of this mans speed, and to really feel the extent of how quick he is, and alongside TEAM SHARMA, we decided to experience the sprint for ourselves. Here is the amateur (in more ways than one!) ad-libbed, no frills, and some may argue, no skills footage of our homage to the legend that is USAIN BOLT! Ive got one word for you Usain: "WOWAWEEYA!"

ps: And i must add, far from the adulation he should get for being what can only be described as half man and half cheetah! We love his laid back attitude and sense of humor! We frikkin love you Usain!!

Also check his site for more about this incredible athlete! http://www.usainbolt.com/

SONA MOHAPATRA new single preview

2009-08-22T03:38:00.000-07:00

I discovered the beautiful voice of Sona a few years ago after hearing one of her tracks on a reality TV program in India at the time. I had to find out more about her and started scouting for more details.

Her debut album, simply titled 'Sona', is a must for your collection, and if you are hearing about this beautiful artist for the first time, i would urge you to get your geek on and get the bug. The album highlights her beautifully unique voice, and fuses Pop, Bollywood, Funk, Folk, Rock and Electronic styles with a great remix also featured by Midiival Punditz on the album.

I had the pleasure of meeting Sona whilst she was in London nearer the time of the release of her debut album, and i remember sharing an exchange during a lovely warm evening in town speaking over some Pomegranate juice. Her passion for her musical expression was apparent, and it is clearly apparent that she thoroughly enjoys what she does with her talents and is highly determined to make her own mark.

Her own profile describes her as a global gypsy which comes across from the diverse influences she brings into her music. And from one traveling gypsy to another, it is my theory that underneath all of our cultural pretenses, we all have an element of gypsy within which further enhances the attraction towards diversity.

Her biography quotes as saying:

"Sona is happy about the response to her debut album. She prides herself in being a live performer, who is not saddled by images or labels. She wants to make her own music with her own band, rather than following trends."

And did i mention that the sex appeal exudes through her vocals alone, and if that doesn't get your attention, I'm sure the video will do the rest!

Self assured, epitomizing free spirit and memories ....in her own words: "describing the beauty and loneliness of the cities we live in ...."

1 min preview of 'Diljale' below.

The full song will be available for download on the Nokia Music Store & Sona's website to start with from the 1st of Sept 2009.

Keep your eyes and ears open for the beautiful Sona Mohapatra.

http://www.sonamohapatra.com/

NEXT BIG THINGS in music, in terms of the masses that is:

2009-08-21T12:50:00.001-07:00

Being a fan of alternatives, and shifting through time scales, spaces, and in and out of the genre bubbles, the next big thing by its very definition would mean, what PR hype and marketing manipulation techniques the mass crowds will be buying into.

I remember as a kid, whilst listening to remote radio stations (often pirate!) and making my own home-made kiddie-styled mix tapes (this involved simply recording tracks i liked from the radio, and starting and stopping as and when the radio jock annoyingly interrupted!) and i used to get really excited when i made other ears listen to my ripped musical gems. As soon as a song would get commercial and popular by the masses, i would instantly be put off and get set to uncover the next hidden underground gem. I never understood this when i was younger, but now i guess it is clearer.

These were probably my early inclinations as a DJ, which i wish i had kept rather than drowning out my passion with the noise all around us. Now every Tom, Dick, Harry and Gurjinder is a so called DJ, and once again it loses its appeal when everyone wants to do it and make a business from it! I used to DJ quite a bit alongside like-minded musical acquaintances, and held many club nights. I DJ'd for weddings and birthday parties and i still havn't found a better feeling than the one you get whilst people dance to your mix or selection, and sway to your vibes. Kinda takes it back again to the childhood memory described above.

Now the reason i get some feelings of anxiety when hearing of 'the next big things' is because the process of individuals and groups getting to the stage of 'big thing' often involves hard grafting, blood, sweat and a lotta tears, but the cynic in me often feels it also involves a whole lotta fake PR, conglomerate label finance, corporate company requirements, and a long line of 'back scratching' affiliates who plug the schpeels into the public eye. And like the shape shifting consumers that we are, we often fall for it and go out in hoards to make labels richer than they are already, and the artists become household names! (which ain't actually too bad a thing, so take a chill pill Mr Sharma!!)

SO im thinking, i wonder if the next big things can be as predictable as i think they are. To test my theory that they are, here are a list of who i think you and possibly i will be listening to in masses very soon!

1) SLIIMY: This funky French singing dude with the music video for "Wake Up", his first American single. His debut album, "Paint Your Face", will be released September 15th on Perezcious Music/Warner Bros Records. Need i say more!

2) MICACHU: I actually love this girl, and i for one have fallen for the PR hype. Mica Levi, known by her stage name Micachu is a very talented English singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. She is classically trained and is best known for experimental music in a variety of genres. My only question, how is 'Lips' only 1 min 26 secs on i-tunes?! Could it be the shortest future number 1 track?! Hmmm, next big thing or not, she has my attention!

3) Bombay Bicycle Club: are an indie rock band from Crouch End, London. The band is composed of Jack Steadman (lead vocals, guitar), Jamie MacColl (lead guitar, backing vocals), Ed Nash (bass guitar, keyboards) and Suren de Saram (drums, backing vocals). I love the style, and i love the following video. Not sure why, but it takes me back to the 70's, which is strange, coz although i was born in 1977, i consider myself an 80's child! This song also has a 'Plantlife' vibe to it, who i love so they gets my vote!

ps: Not to be confused with this funky site for an apparently famous Indian Curry house, which even Gordon Ramsay digs: http://www.thebombaybicycleclub.co.uk/

4) Sad little stars: Described as frenetic new wave influenced rock with a folky vibe. I love this animated video, and well, i likey. US based, and coming to a chart near you i finks for, well, erm being new wave i guess! Props for the video once again, and i quite like the title of the song below, listen up kids!!

5) The Juice band: Now these guys i discovered over a year ago and i loved their debut album 'Blood for Water'. I had the pleasure of seeing them live during a regular comedy night i host and run in London, and not only are these guys BIG talents, not only are they UK players and a regular name on the live london circuit, but they are a great bunch of guys who i feel deserve the title of 'next big thing'. Ive decided to rename them, just for my purposes, referring to them as 'The MIGHTY Juice'. Props!

ps: Lead vocalist Jay Serrao is the funkiest rocking beige brother i have seen!! That sways my vote even more!

6) Tunng: Okay, now some of you may say, well these guys are HUGE already, so why are they included in this 'eejit' beige bloggers' 'NEXT BIG THING' list. Well, because i can! I saw these guys live in Reading and fell in love with the eclectic, surreal and innovative folky, electronic pop fusion. Folktronica is a good word, and i love words. I love it just as much as i love 'Grindie' (which is grime and Indie combined, 'Bhangraton' (Bhangra and Reggaeton) and all the other bizarre fusion names which we never thought possible. Can someone tell me if 'REGGAEMO' is invented yet, that being teh fusion of Reggae and Emo music???!!! Hmmmm, now that would be interesting!!!

7) Fahad Ahmed Siddiqui: My final plug for the next big thing is from the global music scene, and for anyone who knows me you will know i absolutely love World music. Whilst presenting on various Asian radio shows, i have had a long term love for the amazing music emerging from Pakistan in particular, especially the innovative rock and roll! Bands such as Zzen, Jal, Mekaal Hasan Band, Aaraiz, Cold Bullet, Axis, 82 Rocker, Axed, and sooooooooooo many more!! So i leave you with another new name i have recently discovered, and i think he is another gem from the many others to support and look out for.

ps: Check his vibe via his new website: http://www.fahadahmedsiddiqui.net/

Thats all... for now! Keep your eyes and ears open to see if you hear more about any of the above. In the mean time i will try and practice tapping into the wavelength of Nostrodamus on other matters of more importance maybe!!!

Matisyahu- 'Teasing my polygamous sensibilities with Reggae music'

2009-08-21T11:33:00.002-07:00

I have an open relationship with Reggae music which seems at times more special than the relationships i have with all the other genres. But reggae music told me that was okay, she sleeps around herself, often blending her slap bass with a lickle electro, sometimes collaborating with Hip Hop. She always remains the most beautiful i say!

And if you are reading this and wondering "MATIS-YA-WHO????!"

Let this be a warning to ya!

I for one canny wait for the 3rd full album 'LIGHT' OUT IN AUGUST 2009!

FREE DOWNLOAD of 'Drown in the now' remix track + more details on one of the many vibe-ful global ambassadors of FUSION culture in the 21st century:

http://www.matisyahuworld.com/

YOUTUBE makes me ask, "Who really killed my father?"

2009-08-02T04:08:00.000-07:00

This very personal article and the thought process behind it was inspired by a very brief moment in a youtube video which i have attached at the bottom of this article. I would request that if you have the time spare, kindly read the blog article first and view the video after. I look forward to any response.

I find it funny that a very brief you tube contribution could have urged an important response in my mind which i seem to have spent the last 7 years ignoring.

So here goes the question with which i begin my spillage of words: "who really killed my father?"

These very words are tinged with fresh feelings of grief which still surface through thought processes and are often triggered by images, circumstances, incidents and memories. The grief of losing a parent at whatever stage in our life is always a difficult thing, and a sentiment i know many will understand from their own possible experiences.

But what if the loss of someone could have been prevented?

Recently, it was also the realization that there does not seem to be any lasting evidence to even commemorate the existence of a man who so strongly shaped, and still carries on shaping my mindset and my life choices. When i enter the name of my father into google, there is no association with his name attaching to his existence. When i talk to family members or friends, there is a deliberate attempt at not talking about my father, for fear of it causing upset or discomfort. I flick through family photo albums and there seems to be the odd memorabilia which feature my fathers presence, but i notice a look of detachment, and the look of someone who had quite clearly lost his identity even whilst he was alive. The very identity that seems to have disappeared from ever having existed even today.

My Dad's name was Shiv Kumar Sharma. He was born in a place called Lakhimpur in Uttar Pradesh, North India. He was the youngest of several siblings and was brought up in a close knit and loving family home. There was a strong work ethic instilled from a very young age by both his parents and his older siblings. There was said to be a free spirited demeanor about my father from a very young age, possibly as a result of knowing that he had both parents and older siblings always looking out for his well being and interests. He enjoyed bunking school to go to the cinema with friends, playing sports and generally hanging out enjoying the freedom of youth. His favorite Bollywood actor of the day was Rajesh Khanna, possibly as a result of being told he resembled him in his prime. He even adopted some of his mannerisms, and mimicked his screen presence in real life.

Unlike the rest of his older siblings, my father studied to a lower standard of degree education, however completed a reasonable level of education in comparison to others, and was from here onwards ready to join the work force. With pressure from his older siblings to pursue a career in what were known as 'the sciences' in terms of career direction, it was business and commerce that seemed to be his interest. Within the family at the time, a career in business was seen as the rebels choice and was frowned upon as a choice of career for those who do not fulfill adequate education. After the death of his parents, it was his oldest sibling and his sister in law who replaced the parental role for my father and they were continuously urging him to make a serious attempt at building a successful career and further his skillset.

During brief periods of employment in mundane clerical jobs my fathers free spirit was slowly being sapped away from him unknowingly. During this time he met my mother through a mutual friend, and once again his free spirit was revived. My mother and father both dated secretly for some time, something that was very much not allowed, however was beginning to become quite common with the influence of romantic story lines from early Bollywood on the impressionable youth of the day. After much melodrama, my mother and father encouraged their families to agree to their marriage and here began my fathers transition into adulthood.

Many conversations with my mother have concluded that she was at a very different stage to my dad when they married. With exactly 10 years age difference between the two, she describes herself as still child-like in terms of her development as a person, shaped wholly by her own separate experience of growing up during this time.

My mothers parents had a strong part to play in their decisions after marriage. My Grandfather was a very hard working and entrepreneurial man who had seen international potentials in terms of lucrative livelihoods. He had initially lived in Uganda for many years and built up a great building and construction business. After the mass exodus from Uganda, he moved back to India for a brief time and then decided to pursue the financial potentials offered by the UK government who advertised locally for labour recruitment.

My father had not been able to secure a fulfilling career in India, and when faced with the decision to follow his wife and her family to the UK, he decided to go with the wishes of his new bride. It meant being the first in his family to pursue a life abroad which i am guessing must have also struck a chord with his free spirited nature. It also offered him a chance to show his own family that he could be successful and independent.

The UK provided my parents with alternative choices in terms of lifestyle, and may have put unexpected pressures on my parents relationship. There are many pictures of them traveling with family members to tourist attractions, whilst on holidays and during family celebrations, seemingly getting by during what were quite turbulent times. After the arrival of kids, one of which happened to be myself, economic pressures increased encouraging both parents to work long daily hours in order to survive.

The benefit for the asian communities who travelled to the UK at this time, and in comparison to the host communities, was the cultural values of looking after each other that were instilled collectively, and also the fact that extended families often supported each other to ensure both work and leisure times were fulfilled. This was one of the recognized driving forces of the wider community in these days.

And then came the Thatcher reign, with her changing the cultural and economic landscape of Great Britain in full effect. Her influence, even on the strong ties and culture of UK's Asian community was significant enough to have made an early impact towards the losses of individual identities. 11 and a half years in Downing Street, in my opinion, were not placid ones; they were probably the most divisive years of the post-war era for the UK, much of which rippled into the daily lives of the migrant communities in particularly. Too many Britons as a whole also felt they were discarded, like so much unwanted waste, by an economic policy that eventually tripled unemployment as mere collateral damage in an otherwise just previous war.

There was also a hardening of the heart in those years which can be seen as having been continued all the way past Tony Blair's ruling, and right now until Gordon Brown. A thinning of the subtle, almost invisible threads of neighbourliness and common interest which ultimately tie a society together. Greed seems to have replaced compassion as a core value as a result.

These years grated the relationship between my parents, and to add to this the fact that due to the age difference, they simply remained at differing stages of spiritual development, and the pressures on them individually and collectively took over. My mother had the advantage of having her own family members and her siblings by her side for support and guidance. My father on the other hand drifted into an isolated existence which involved working extremely long hours in jobs where he was over qualified, and eventually forced by redundancy to work way below his intended remit and experience. His contact with his once close-knit family was tarnished by several episodes of being manipulated for monetary gain by close members who were suffering their own economic episodes in India. His need to please them and longing for them to be proud of his endeavors enabled him to be easily manipulated, and in effect made him eventually realize that by moving abroad, not only did it rip away his identity as an Indian living in a foreign land, not only did it add pressures to his existence which went against his free spirited ways, and not only did it force the need for economic achievement to be placed way above the importance of happiness and relationships, that it had also been the sole cause for why he felt so alone and unfulfilled.

I was a care-free teenager observing my father from afar, too distant to be able to offer him the hand of support he so needed during his experiences. The strong role of a father so often gets spoken about when it is the son or daughter who goes wayward, however i think it isn't until later on in life do children also realize the important roles they end up playing with their parents. There comes a time when children end up learning far more than their parents and when they become in a position to be able to offer guidance back, support back, and themselves wish to look after the people who sacrificed so much for them to have what they have in their own life. Even just the simple things such as food, shelter, warmth, clothing, education, electricity, and protection.

I often think that if my father was still around today, he COULD have been a happier person. I then wonder what his relationship would have been like with my mother, who at the moment seems to have started a new phase of self discovery and fulfillment in her own individual existence, something i think she may have restricted herself from doing when he was alive. Would i have been able to offer the guidance and support my father needed, especially since it seems i too, albeit on a different level, am continuing the battle against the same forces which made my father unhappy. The very same impact from the Thatcher years on UK culture and economics, Tony Blair's obsession with continuing the movement and impact of neoliberalism (also termed as 'Blatcherite' for obvious reasons) and all the way until our current global predicaments.

But have we learnt any significant lessons to really change things?

I am no economist to be able to offer intellectual debate around the alternative choices at our hand in terms of economic reforms and ethical distributions of wealth, far from it. But what i am, and what i have seen first hand, is the impact that wider economic policies and schools of thought have had on individual lives and the social conditions of wider communities. I am also the product of this impact which in effect attempts to condition me into a frame of mind of being greedy, and simply out for myself, and interested only in creating a positive environment for my own, at the detriment and disregard for the need of others who i encounter during my travels and live amongst. I am being sold the idea of self gain and self importance to over-ride what has been the firm basis of my cultural upbringing of looking after others, including our neighbors.

I come from the country where Mahatma Gandhi, once upon a time, influenced a whole nation and an empire to be able to question themselves and look inwards for the good of others. And all of this, just like the existence of my father, seems to have been forgotten.

My father committed suicide just over 7 years ago. Circumstances and certain events may have influenced the moments prior to the decision i believe he made in an instant. The court hearing verdict decided 'Death by misadventure' and the newspaper report described a lethal mixture of drink and drugs as being the cause of his death.

It was my mother who found him in bed. Unconscious, intoxicated, and lifelessly cold. I took a call on my mobile phone from a distressed woman i recognized as being my mother, whilst working in a job i had hated, and going against my own free spirited nature at the time.

I travelled to India with my fathers ashes. It was an amazing journey filled with miraculous incidents, many of which have stayed with me to this day. His family members, who he had so longed to be near had changed so much from my memories and i am sure from the memories of my father from when he was younger. Struggle seemed to have aged many of them, those of who had actually survived the stresses and strains of work and livelihood. It was apparent to me from these times that many in my family had sacrificed their personal paths, their own desires and their real life purposes to conform to what was being taught to them by others.

I strongly believe that the loss of my father could have been prevented. Maybe it was destined, maybe it was something that was needed to happen for me to make some of the choices that i am required to make in my own life, and then instill something different in the life of my daughter, my family now.

So i come back to the question with which i began this random spillage of words. Who really killed my father?

Was it neoliberal capitalism? Was it Margaret Thatcher and her economic influence? Was it his wider and immediate family? Was it his own self made isolation? Was it the conflict between his own values and what he was being taught by wider society?Or was it technically the lethal cocktail of drink and drugs that took away his last breath and should take the blame??

My words here act as the only brief account online, of a man who once existed and made a great impact on my life. His name was, once again, Shiv Kumar Sharma, and his memory lives on.

Im reminded of some lyrics from a song, which when i heard for the first time many years ago, also triggered memories, just like the embedded Youtube video below. I will leave you to make up your own minds to the question, "Who really killed my father?"

'Never went to church' by 'The Streets'.

LISTEN HERE: http://tinyurl.com/nvrb6j

"I miss you dad but I've got nothing to remind me of you.

I never cared about God when life was sailin' in the calm,
So I said I'd get my head down and I'd deal with the ache in my heart,
And for that if God exists I'd reckon he'd pay me regard,
Mom says me and you are the same from the start.

I guess than you did leave me something to remind me of you,
Everytime I interrupt someone like you used to,
When I do something like you you'll be on my mind or through,
'Cause I forgot you left me behind to remind me of you."

ps: Thanks to Oliver James for his rant, and the female ex-woolworths employee for triggering my thoughts:

In conversation with GURINDER CHADHA

2009-06-07T04:42:00.000-07:00

I had the recent privilege to be able to hover around the sets of acclaimed director extraordinaire Gurinder Chadha's latest film project. I caught up with her on behalf of Brit-Asian magazine, and under the scrutiny of editorial whipping, managed to cover the questions they felt needed answering.

It was an interesting experience for me personally, as it emphasized the lack of substance many magazine and network editors insist on when conducting interviews with those in the public profile. For me in terms of where i am in my own career and mindset, i am no longer interested in simply chasing celebrities and gaining fluffy content in order for editors to sell a product. We are living in times where far more substance is demanded from our daily interactions i feel, and in my own journey from here onwards i am hoping to be able to get involved with interactions and communications which answer wider questions than just the selling of products and brands.

An example of a key highlight from the day of filming with Gurinder, which did not get included by the editors at Brit-Asian magazine, was a beautiful exchange with the very inspiring Shabana Azmi. We spoke about her own role in the film, her involvement with a UK project, working with new talents, and established artists, and we also delved into her personal thoughts and interest towards society issues and world politics. This was my own highlight from my day and i was left in awe of someone i have admired since childhood.

Another significant detail was excluded against the fluffier content for Brit-Asian magazine online. The owners of the shop premises in Southall where the filming was taking place on the day decided to offer their financial fee to donate towards a worthy local cause and something which is known to be very close to Gurinder's heart and part of her ongoing endeavors to highlight and support worthy community based projects. The project chosen by Gurinder as recipients of the kind gesture was 'Southall Black Sisters Project, a stones throw away from the day of filming.

Southall Black Sisters project is a not-for-profit organisation, established in 1979 to meet the needs of Black and Asian women. Their aim has been to highlight and challenge violence against women, empowering them to gain more control over their lives. Gurinder's latest project highlights an area of work linked towards the remit of the project, in that it delves into the treatment of women in general from within South Asian communities in particular.

I look forward to watching the film due for expected release in early 2010. And as someone raised predominantly by strong women in my own family, and now as a father of a young woman in the making myself, i too have a particularly close interest in the positive treatment of females in our communities.

FOR MORE ABOUT SOUTHAL BLACK SISTERS PROJECT IN WEST LONDON VISIT:

http://www.southallblacksisters.org.uk