Mr. NICK in new Avatar

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 20 Apr 2011, 22:23

When he started playing....I am not aware of it!!

venkatakailasam

mahavishnu · Post by **mahavishnu** » 20 Apr 2011, 23:33

Nice picture. When/where was this?

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 21 Apr 2011, 00:07

Oh goodness...

That was a long time ago. Well... perhaps not that many years, but a lot of hair has been lost since then

Actually, I used to play quite a lot in those days, and this picture was taken at the home of the mridangist I most used to work with.

Well, really, it is his mother's house. One of the London veena teachers. This would have been Vijayadashami in about 2004. All of her students would come and play, we would accompany, and the event went on for as long as eight to ten hours, especially if it was a weekend. Everyone from new students paying Sa Pa Sa to post-arangetram elders. Long and hard, it was tremendous fun. I used to look forward to Vijayadashimi much more than Christmas

You can find some more recent photos of me playing for rasikas.org jam sessions, but otherwise, these days, I am only to be found in the audience.

By the way... at the beginning of our working relationship, my two "seniors," the mridangist and ghatam player, were about 11. I guess I was 40-plus, and sometimes the naughtiest child of all ]

. They were very, very happy days, and (even though I guess the pic is on my own rather neglected website) I'm happy to see this reminder.

To fill the detail: I learnt mridangam (PSP school) from Sri M Balachandar at VBV, London, who patiently put up with me being a first-year student for about ten years. He is still my friend and "Guruji" and will remain so. I became something of a collector of instruments, and asked a friend to get me a morsing from Chennai. Somehow, I took to the instrument. When I took it to class, Gurji gave me a couple of corrections and said, "play this weekend." Thus I was included in one of the Bharatya Vidya Bhavan's student orchestras long before I had a clue what I was doing. I used to get very scared about going on stage then! One day, Guruji said, "Learning without playing has no meaning!"

We used to play outside concerts at various London temples and other venues. Whilst I am sure I was the school's "token brit," I did learn from being dropped in the deep end. One day, I was sent, with a mridangist classmate, to accompany Sivatharini Sahathevan's student veena orchestra at London Muragan Temple --- and she was kind enough to invite me to play for them again, eventually turning into a regular arangement, with her son Abhi playing mridangam, and Gautham playing ghatam.

As we became a team, we regularly played for other youngsters at Temple and Sri-Lankan-social functions. Still confused by anything beyond Adi Talam, Samam Edupu (hence the perpetual first-year bit) I was now, at least, making more-or-less appropriate noises at the right moments, and appearing as more than just token Brit.

I do recall one occasion when I played at East Ham Murugan temple, with my Guruji, for a professional musician from India. Whilst my Guruji would always have found ways to accommodate the least experienced on a stage, it was still deeply embarrassing. It is no bad thing to be put in one's place from time to time: I was very confident at the level at which I could, and mostly did, perform, but I knew my limitations, even though I was expanding them slowly.

Before I abandoned London, one of the dance teachers had given me the chance to play for a couple of Arangetrams. Generally, you will not find me often in Bharatanatyam audiences as I am not very keen --- but, from the musician's platform it is a much more interesting business. Had I stayed there, I would have liked to learn more of dance accompaniment, and would have had one of the best possible teachers --- but I followed the sun instead.

Here, in Chennai, I found that even the children are way ahead of me. Better to enjoy the concerts from the audience.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 21 Apr 2011, 01:31

Very nice of you Nick to share that part of your pUrvAshrama (past history) with us. Just curious to know what made you move permanently to TN rather than your spouse migrating to London!
Is the overeaching love of learning the motivation? ..and are you getting what you wanted?

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 21 Apr 2011, 01:44

Very simple, CML: purely practical and economic considerations.

Perhaps it was a mid-life crisis too --- but it was a very quiet crisis

Am I getting what I wanted? Well... It is easy to fool ourselves under the various headings of change; seeking this, running away from that, and so on, and I tried not to do that. I was wise enough to know that I was the same person, 5,000 miles here, or 5,000 miles there. A lazy guy sitting in front of the internet in London isn't going to be miraculously metamorphosed by a house move: even if it so far!

So here I am.

I could wish I had kept up being some sort of music student, but I didn't. Perhaps, one day, but I'm making no promises! There is as much music as I can get up off my backside and take in --- and I do it in spurts: a week of concerts here, three weeks of being a hermit there, and so on.

I enjoy the weather; I enjoy Chennai; I enjoy the music... Have wife, have cat... Yes, sometimes I do need to remind myself how lucky I am

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 21 Apr 2011, 02:00

God bless you Nick for getting what you wanted!
The music will come in time though it takes more time as you age.
I commend your dedication.. What if you have lost a few hairs in that process

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 21 Apr 2011, 02:16

Passion for music takes Nick to mecca of carnatic music - Chennai. Wish you peace and happiness.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 21 Apr 2011, 02:27

It all started when I visited a friend who is a drummer. Drummers tend to attract drums, and, in the corner of his room, looking like it had been left out in the rain, was a mridangam. I asked, could I borrow it any try to get it repaired? He gave it to me...

Yes, it was music that brought me to Chennai in the first place, and carnatic music that determined that my visiting India would at least begin in the South...

Thank you for your wishes, they are valued.

Wrinkles are expanding to fill the space the hair is retreating from. That's life!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 21 Apr 2011, 02:44

Nick's off-stage appearance is almost the same--except that you will see him in a simple cotton kurta and dhoti, a cotton bag slung across his shoulder. Yes, and with that twinkle in his eyes...
Mrs. H is a cool lady, if I may add.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 21 Apr 2011, 04:10

simple cotton kurta and dhoti

I was a bit dressed up that day ... it was a sort of a challenge: what was the flashest, brightest thing I could bring back from India!

kids will be kids :$

VRV · Post by **VRV** » 21 Apr 2011, 04:11

Awesome picture Nick. Love the intensity in your eyes.

Vinod Venkataraman

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 21 Apr 2011, 05:12

Here another One!!

venkatakailasam

re posted. I donot know how it got removed!! :@

cienu · Post by **cienu** » 21 Apr 2011, 06:09

That was lovely Nick.
Thank VK for the pictures.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 21 Apr 2011, 18:42

Nick H wrote: I was a bit dressed up that day ... it was a sort of a challenge: what was the flashest, brightest thing I could bring back from India!

kids will be kids :$

...and don't forget the glowing Tilak on your forehead which seems to be missing these days!

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 21 Apr 2011, 21:51

Are purple and blue colors the favorite of Nick?

VRV · Post by **VRV** » 21 Apr 2011, 22:08

Shri Venkatakailasam,

That was a very nice picture of Nick. Please post it back. Last night as I was reading through this thread I noticed some very unsavory remarks passed by a member in this forum. Thank you for deleting those posts. It also got me thinking. Would'nt it be nice if their was a "like" or "dislike" button like in facebook where rasikas could voice their appreciation or strong disappointment of a post in general.

Just a thought. SRKRIS please consider this.

Regards

Vinod Venkataraman

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 21 Apr 2011, 23:36

You know, I am almost disapointed that I didn't get to see the "unsavoury remarks". Almost, but not really, as the warmth and welcome of the rasikas community, on and offline (even if we we may occasionally quibble over a detail here or there) is of such value to me. As you may guess, I am not too bothered by what the occasional few may think.

appu · Post by **appu** » 22 Apr 2011, 00:02

Nick,

You did not miss much. It was the same trouble maker poster from the Aishu thread that got closed by the moderators. I am disappointed that the response from Mahavishnu was deleted too. I really loved that one. Oh well......

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 22 Apr 2011, 02:07

Getting back to the important stuff in life... yes, blue and purple are mr Nick's favourite colours, While Mrs Nick goes with pink

(Thanks vrv, and appu --- and Mahavishnu)

PUNARVASU · Post by **PUNARVASU** » 22 Apr 2011, 06:40

Nick H wrote: Wrinkles are expanding to fill the space the hair is retreating from. That's life!

I remember what my uncle used to say when he was going bald and somebody told him he had less hair to oil;
he would say 'but more surface to powder'!

VK RAMAN · Post by **VK RAMAN** » 22 Apr 2011, 07:54

Bald with eyewear makes one distinguished! Nick must be wearing atleast reading glass some times.

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 22 Apr 2011, 08:12

I was probably the first one to see the posting from the irritating member who had posted an irrelevant item in this thread. I expressed my disgust and requested the administrators to delete that post with out giving the poster any courtesy of shifting it to another thread or some thing like that. I would have preferred the administrators to have left the poster's name there itself, but deleting the stuff with a note from them to the effect that the matter was inappropriate and was posted deliberately by the poster with no regard what so ever to any rules and regulations or for that matter simple common sense.

Radhika-Rajnarayan · Post by **Radhika-Rajnarayan** » 22 Apr 2011, 12:22

Nice picture, Nick. A video would be even better!

So many rasikas are amateur / professional musicians themselves. But more than anything else, they are all passionate about music. A small clip of each rasika performing, would be great! Why not even a small clip of any 'vocal' rasikas appreciating a good concert with a 'baley' or 'besh'?!

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 22 Apr 2011, 21:29

That poster has been banned for repeated violations of the Forum ethics!
You can rest in peace...

prashanth12 · Post by **prashanth12** » 22 Apr 2011, 21:54

Well this is a surprise. I remember seeing your website some years back, Mr Nick, and seeing a video of you playing something, I think on the mridangam?
Now here I've been reading this forum for a long, long time and seeing your posts every day, and never quite connecting that these two British Carnatic music enthusiasts were actually the same person!

syamale · Post by **syamale** » 22 Apr 2011, 22:39

Mr.Nick,
I really appreciate your passion for carnatic music. If you believe in punarjanma, with all the knowledge you are seeking now, who knows you may be a prodigy in next janma. God Bless You.
regards
Syamale

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 22 Apr 2011, 22:52

Prodigy? i guess not, syamale! Then again, who knows? It's his new avatAr--so may be yes

sruthi · Post by **sruthi** » 22 Apr 2011, 22:59

But then again, he could have been a musical prodigy in his previous life, and has come back just to amuse himself with our musical foibles this time over!
Mr Nick, hope you don't mind all this joking around..

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 23 Apr 2011, 02:15

Thank you so much CML, really that mongrel has been on my blood pressure chart for quite a few weeks..thanks for the remedy.

Nick, you should try and get a ride with anna in one of the concerts...he will be only too happy to have you with him on the stage..only by jumping into the deep end of the pool, you will start enjoying the fruits of your labour...by all accounts you look an accomplished kanjira/morsing player

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 23 Apr 2011, 02:44

Sam,
And we have been watching your Anna in action as a judge in the all day Cleveland music competition on icarnatic! Hope to see him (hear him) play. I was lucky to hear him play twice this season!

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 23 Apr 2011, 04:09

Thank you Arasiji....I am trying to hook on to Icarnatic in vain. Some how I am getting the timing confused. Can some one help me out here? I am 12 hours ahead of GMT and that will make Cleveland time ??? Having said that when I hooked on to it, I saw a still picture of anna, nagai and Suguna mami sitting in the front row...no live feed as yet..

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 23 Apr 2011, 04:12

Sam, you are 16 hours ahead of Cleveland. You are so ahead of our time

Sam Swaminathan · Post by **Sam Swaminathan** » 23 Apr 2011, 05:42

vasanthakokilam wrote:Sam, You are so ahead of our time

hmmmmmmmmm......as long as you guys are aware of this, I am happy

appu · Post by **appu** » 23 Apr 2011, 07:22

Sam Swaminathan wrote:I saw a still picture of anna, nagai and Suguna mami sitting in the front row...no live feed as yet..

Sam,

That has been the picture on the screen for the last 8 hours atleast. The time in Cleveland is 10:00 PM on Friday evening as I write this post. Icarnatic may be having some technical trouble.

Regards

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 23 Apr 2011, 07:55

And Nick the new avatar is in Chennai while we are talking about Cleveland and Kiwiland...

rajeshnat · Post by **rajeshnat** » 23 Apr 2011, 13:16

This is just a great thread, I call Nick whenever I see him as Liam Neeson , does he not have the look of him. Nick represents one of the most organized rasika who appreciates Carnatic Music , kind of antha kAlathu 1950 to 1960's rasika. Comes on time say exactly 10 mins before the concert. Says a namaskaram to few he knows, and gives a quick smile to many whom he recognizes but he does not know them.

He dresses in an immaculate white dhoti and a neat matching jibbA , at times he looks more as a musician than the actual musician who is performing in mylapore. He replaces an antha kAlathu vettala potti (yesteryears betel leaf box) with a pack of sesame balls, at the beginning of main puts one in his mouth

, and gets enough energy to be more appreciative during tani avartAnam

.

He has his own ahA experiences with certain numbers like vAthApi in hamsadhwani, the commas krithi of brochE vA revarurA , has a fine sense of appreciation for artists.

Mods
Can we move this thread to vidwans and vidushis and replace the title with Nick .

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 23 Apr 2011, 13:29

Both are not to my liking!!

arasi · Post by **arasi** » 23 Apr 2011, 17:25

VKailasam,
He can stay here and at NAda Inbam too. Let Rajesh not displace him...

Rajesh,
Got all the details right except his last name. No harm done!

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 24 Apr 2011, 09:53

Shri Nick:

Here is http://mridangam.net/?cat=1
Even though you say it is live, there is no play. Sound has been disabled from 5th jan 2008.
revive it. If you like you can post in there this to start with:
http://www.rasikas.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=15804

venkatakailasam

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 24 Apr 2011, 10:15

(mod note: At this juncture, the topic got moved to Vidwans.. See furhter below for how the story resolved itself )

I am for one who takes only a lesser time to understand people and their potential.

I too respect his enthusiasm and commitment and hence this thread.

"can write pages about Nick' If this the qualification , let the thread continue to be here.

venkatakailasam

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 24 Apr 2011, 20:08

BTW, where was this thread before?

I do not know if the decision will be a compromise or not, but many times, we do not have time for logical deliberations to decide. If it fits more or less, that is where it goes. I am sure there are a lot of threads that can be re-categorized if given enough thought and analysis.

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 24 Apr 2011, 20:52

It was in General Discussions.

Sorry Vkailasam for this confusion.
We respect and appreciate your services to our Rasika Community.
Pl continue your good work..

vasanthakokilam · Post by **vasanthakokilam** » 24 Apr 2011, 20:56

On further 10 seconds of thought, there is really no good place for it except General Discussions or Lounge. We have cleaned up the therad and for now moved it back to General Discussions. ( with the ultimate destination as the Lounge is a possibility )

Let us move on with the topic at hand. Thanks.

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 25 Apr 2011, 10:23

Hello friends,

I have been without internet for four days, and there is still a major fault on my line, so I yet may not be around much. BSNL's improvement is often lauded here: at the moment, I'm afraid that Airtel, usually popular with me, needs to take some lessons from them!

So far as my musical ability is concerned, please be assured that I am quite serious when I say, "As long as it is Adi talam, samam eddupu..." Thankfully, the ability to perform is unrelated to the ability to enjoy.

venkatakailasam, my site is mridangam.com, not .net, which belongs to someone else.

Sam, I am among your brothers many admirers, but to join on stage requires even better basic skills than I have, like the ability to follow talam through an entire concert, let alone a single song. Also, a request to any vidwan for help or instruction, should be really sincere, and backed up with a great deal of dedication and willingness to practice and learn. Whilst there are one or two musicians I know well enough to talk about music, on a social, rather than formal, basis, I know enough to know what is required of the real student.

I think that further discussion of my life and times should be postponed ... for around twenty to thirty years, when I hope I will be able to take my place in the succession of rasikas.org, sharing my memories. I will be able to write about the days when Mylapore still had independent houses!

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 25 Apr 2011, 11:31

Nice site with nice photos and about your guru-astounded with your family photos!!

Thank you so much.

venkatakailasam

venkatakailasam · Post by **venkatakailasam** » 25 Apr 2011, 11:42

shri cml:

I nurture no ill will towards any one. Why do you feel sorry? You have done only what you considered correct as part of your assignment.
To put forth my view I may some times look aggressive.
Beyond that I have nothing in my mind.
Thank you for your kind words.

venkatakailasam

cmlover · Post by **cmlover** » 25 Apr 2011, 19:43

Dear Vkailasam
Nice to hear those words from you. As mods we listen to what you Rasikas say and try to implement them as far as possible. Those decisions are error prone and a continual feedback is necessary from all of you that will improve the quality of this Forum. Personal attacks on moderators are meaningless since our actions are not motivated by any personal prejudices. We count on you to alert us whenver there is any attempt to disrupt the Forum or misuse of the membeship previleges. In fact each and every one of the responsible member is a 'moderaor' and we are only your tools of implementation.

musicfan_4201 · Post by **musicfan_4201** » 25 Apr 2011, 20:01

My two cents (you are free to delete this

)
If what is preached is practised / avoidance of unilateral views, these confusions will not arise!
More often than not when an issue is raised it is not heard ......

Nick H · Post by **Nick H** » 25 Apr 2011, 21:54

venkatakailasam wrote: To put forth my view I may some times look aggressive.

Me too!

And I think that is just the way it should be, although, for myself, I hope I will conquer my short temper.

I think there is no reason why forum life should not be robust, but I do not think it should be allowed to become poisonous at the personal level. That is what gets my blood up, here and elsewhere, and I know that I am not alone.

Perhaps it should be a thing of youth --- but I sometimes find I get less tolerant with age!

Musicfan: all our views are unilateral, unless and until somebody else agrees with us!

ramamantra · Post by **ramamantra** » 28 Apr 2011, 11:22

Oh! so, nick and jalras are trumpeting him. Finally, that is what it is. Be active in a forum to ultimately promote yourself. Nick's funda. Great! you have achieved it... |(