Remixes - Does it go well with all?

"Pon magal vanthaal...porul kodi thanthaal..."A classic Shivaji-TMS-MSV song is heard somewhere in a college hostel...But how come? Have the youngsters of this generation finally understood the greatness of yesteryear singers?? No way. For the kids of our time, to understand the genius of Vishwanathan-Ramamoorthy, KV Mahadevan or for that matter maestro Illayaraja, the older people should keep rendering the songs into their ears or, a simple solution, someone like AR Rehman has to remix it to suit their taste. Once the hit tracks of the golden period of tamil cinema(1960-80) are altered and modified to suit the puzzling taste of the younger brigade, we get to think about the creators of the original track. Those legends were not blessed enough to have the comfort of a keyboard and various other hi-tech equipments which is used today, but still they managed to create soul rendering tunes to capture the heart of millions. But people of the present, do not get to really appreciate those lovely songs. But I am not going to blame or curse the youngsters of today for being ignorant of the good music created several years back. They have grown up hearing artificial music(though they dont realise it) in the form of various hi tech gizmos used to create music, and when they get to hear the yesteryear tunes, they are sure to get a feeling of paleness and boredom. So how can they get to know about the works of master musicians of the past? REMIXES - is the answer.

Though the tunes of old songs are brilliant, when heard now they do not give the same fervour it would have given when it was first composed, and we might tend to miss the brilliance of the work. Young people are even hesitant to hear those songs, and often end up with petty fights with the older people. But when the same songs are recreated with the help of new instruments and fresh voices, they are able to realise that the tunes are actually masterpieces. We start to hear more evergreen classics of the older generation, and we also get to appreciate some really good work. So the point is, remixes should make people sit up and take a look at the music of yore. It should lay a platform for more and more people listening to evergreen songs and ensure that good music does not die a natural death due to ignorance. But does this REMIX CULTURE go well with all? Hardly.

Some days back I heard legendary singer TM Soundararajan say that its painful for him to hear some of his own classics being pathetically recreated. One of my friends said "This guy is jealous man". "TMS is jealous of the young crop of singers? Why?" I asked myself. "Maybe...The fact that he had took great pains to croon for such great numbers, while these young singers mint money by just rendering the same lines in the same style." But No...there is something else that should have worried him. And yes...One thing I should say about remixes is...."All remixes do not serve the above discussed purposes. Some might very well backfire."

Recently, I heard the remix of Illayaraja's masterpiece from the movie "Agni Natchathiram" - "Raja...rajathi rajan intha raja". Man! I really had to shed a tear for Raja sir. If he could have heard this horrible piece of rework done by D Imman, I wouldnt be able to explain his feelings in words. There is an old saying "If you cant do good, you can still do good by not doing anything bad." Nice tracks get blown away by these horrible attempts by few people. Yes, Imman has done some good remixes too...like 'ennadi muniyamma un kannula mai' in an unknown movie, but most of the remixes are pathetic(to say the least). When even we fans cannot tolerate such crude recreatons, how could the creators bear it. Isnt TMS' worry justified?

While remixing, MD's should learn to have the original flavour of the song intact, and yet try to do something new. That's what will serve the original purpose of remixes. And last but not the least "Never even make a single move to hurt the feelings of the original creator, after all they had taught us what film music is."

My list of best remixes...(entirely my opinion..opinions may differ)
1. Ponmagal vanthaal(Sorgam - Azagiya thamizh magan)
2. Thotaal poo malarum(Padagotti - New)
3. Ennaasa mythiliye(Mythili en kaathali - Manmadhan)
4. Kadhal vanthiruchu(Kalyana raman - Vallavan)
5. Aasai nooru vagai(Adutha varisu - kurumbu)
6. Ennadi muniyamma(movies unknown)

and the worst...
1. Raja rajathi raja(Agni natchathiram - Durai)
2. Engeyum eppothum(Ninaithale inikum - Polaadhavan)
3. Atho antha paravai pol(Aayirathil oruvan - some rubbish arjun movie)
4. Nalamthaana(Thilaana moganaambal - Silambaatam)
5. Ae aathaa(Payanagal mudivathillai - Malaikotai)
6. Maasi maasam(Dharmathin thalaivan - Paandi)
there are many more pathetic remixes..cant fill in all...

Thanks for reading my views.