The MJ Show #35 (Guests Series - Ehsaan Noorani's Top 10 Songs)

Man! This is really exciting!!!

I have for you one of the finest musicians of India in today's show. He is a brilliant guitarist, a part of one of India's hottest Bollywood music-making trios and genuinely one of the nicest and humblest guys I've had the pleasure of meeting in the few years that I've been in this music scene.

He loves playing the blues and to the best of my knowledge he also has another band (other than the obvious BIG one) where he plays the blues. :)

I know you read it in the heading of the show so I can't be all radio-like and unveil him and make it a big surprise...but yeah...today, I have the awesome, incredibly talented and super cool Ehsaan Noorani's TOP 10 songs for you!! :D

So let's get straight into it!

1st Song - Pink Floyd - Us And Them #TheMJshow
Ehsaan Noorani: Even now when I hear this song right from the organ swirl in the beginning it makes my hair stand and I get transported into that world of Dark Side Of The Moon and it affects me the same way as when I first heard the album.
Mihir Joshi: I know what you mean. The whole album is such an incredible experience. I think it was Dark Side Of The Moon that first got me hooked on to Floyd...more than any other album. Love Us And Them. What a great way to kick off the show. Here we go!

For those of you who missed it...go check out my two Floyd Specials after you've gone through tonight's show. You can see them here: 
The MJ Show #25 (Pink Floyd Special Part 1 - David Gilmour in Concert)
The MJ Show #26 (Pink Floyd Special Part 2 - Complete Discography!)         

2nd Song - John Lennon - Imagine #TheMJshow
EN: What do I say about this song! I think schools should teach this song as part of the syllabus or whatever for the message that it has to convey.
MJ: 'Nuff said! :)


I have GOT to give you a bonus song right now. Ehsaan this one is specially dedicated for you :)
Hope you love it as much as I do. Check it out!
Bonus Song - Eva Cassidy - Imagine #TheMJshow


3rd Song - Paul McCartney & Wings - Let Me Roll It #TheMJshow
EN: From The Wings album called "Band On The Run", this one's like a totally different rock ballad with its 6 / 8 groove and awesome guitar riff. I have loved this song since I first heard it long ago!!!!
MJ: Here's a fab live version of the song!


4th Song - The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun #TheMJshow
EN: This one's from the brilliant Abbey Road album by The Beatles. A friend of mine played this song on the guitar in school and I so loved the opening guitar part that I wanted to learn it too and play guitar!!!!
MJ: That's cool. So this song kinda got your started on the guitar eh! Wow! Really cool.
Here it is. Incidentally, I've noticed that some of my favourite Beatles songs are songs that have been written by George Harrison...just like this one. My #1 Beatles song is Something and to round off my top three I have "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", all Harrison Songs!
Of course I do love a lot of the Lennon-McCartney songs too...but there's something about the songs that Harrison wrote that just really hits home. :)
Here it is...the incredible...Here Comes The Sun!
Check out this video I have for you. Try to spot all the BIG BIG stars in the video...and tell me who you see in the comments :)


5th Song - Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water #TheMJshow
EN: The monster rock song which made any novice guitarist a guitar hero when he learned the opening bars (including me). :)
Interestingly it was only when I saw the making of Machine Head DVD did I realise that I and many other guitar players were playing the opening riff the wrong way. :)
MJ: Man! :) That's something :)
Let's see what you're talking about. Here it is...another one of India's official Rock Anthems!
First up...see what Ehsaan is talking about:


And now...are you ready!! Here we go boys and girls! Rock out with your...well fuck it! Just rock out!!


6th Song - Tears For Fears - Woman in Chains #TheMJshow
EN: This Tears For Fears is a song where the band is at it's zenith. This is where they were experimenting with progressive pop writing and awesome production
The album, "The Seeds Of Love" is and will always be a favorite of mine.
MJ: For those who may want to know about this song...
"Woman in Chains" was released as the second single from a 1989 album called "The Seeds Of Love" by British band Tears For Fears. The single reached the Top 40 in the UK, US, Australia, Ireland, Italy and New Zealand, and was a Top 20 hit in France and in the Netherlands. The studio cut features Phil Collins on drums, and is also notable for guest vocals from female singer Oleta Adams who would later go on to achieve a successful solo career.
Have a look at a live version of the song:


7th Song - Kuch Dil Ne Kaha #TheMJshow
EN: Composed by the late Hemant Kumar, this is one song which I have heard when I was a child and its melody has haunted me ever since. It is Asha Bhonsle's finest singing and in the Bhim Palasi Raag which is one of my favorites always.
MJ: Thank you so very much for this song Ehsaan. Brilliant. I'm listening to it right now and it's such a brilliant song!
Hope you all enjoy it too. Here it is, a song from Anupama,a 1966 Hindi film, directed by Hrishikesh Mukherjee.
The movie starred Dharmendra, Sharmila Tagore, Shashikala, Deven Verma and Durga Khote. The music was like Ehsaan told you was by the great Hemant Kumar.


8th Song - The Police - Wrapped Around Your Finger #TheMJshow
EN: This song is one of Sting's finest compositions always and Synchronicity, the album on which this song was featured is truly a fine album. The entire song with it's world music kind of sound contains an ambiance which engulfs you as does Sting's wonderful lyrics and singing.
MJ: Sting has always had that magic in his music and his songs. Be it his time with The Police or his phenomenal solo career. Lovely song this. Here we go...


9th Song - Johnny Winters - It's My Own Fault #TheMJshow
EN: This song from Johnny Winters And Live album is a blues standard and it was when I heard this song that I got turned on to the blues and wanted to play the blues. Johnny Winter has been a great influence since then!!!
MJ: Here's a wee bit o' history courtesy our good friends wikipedia :)
Johhny Winter caught his biggest break in December 1968, when Mike Bloomfield, well-established as one of the best blues guitarists in the United States, who admired his playing, invited him to sing and play a song during a "Super Session" jam concert Bloomfield and Al Kooper were to perform at the Fillmore East in New York. As it happened, representatives of Columbia Records (which had released the Bloomfield-Kooper Super Session jam album to surprising Top Ten chart success) were at the concert. Winter played and sang B.B. King's "It's My Own Fault" to loud applause and, within a few days, was signed to what was then the largest advance in the history of the recording industry---$600,000.


And here's me bonus song for you laddies and lasses. The KING of the Blues...doing the song...just like he does em.
Bonus Song - B.B.King - It's My Own Fault #TheMJshow


And holy shit! Here's another bonus song! Check it out!
Bonus Song - B.B King & Jimi Hendrix - It's My Own Fault #TheMJshow


10th Song - John Mayer - The Heart Of Life #TheMJshow
EN: This song shows John's strong Eric Clapton influences and I just loved it the moment I heard it and of course John's guitar playing is awesome and he keeps it so subtle he is a guitar hero with true subtlety :)
MJ: I don't even want to get into how much I love John Mayer :) I've already had two shows on his music and I'm pretty sure I'll have more in the weeks to come.
For now...let's just listen to someone I consider one of the finest songwriters and guitar players of this generation.
Here is Mr.John Mayer with a live version of The Heart Of Life, a song from his brilliant album Continuum.

After Continuum was released I had the opportunity to interview him for my online music magazine eMUSICPOST.com which is incidentally in the process of making a comeback as well. I'll tell you more about that soon!
For now if you want to see that interview you can see it here:  
John Mayer interview on eMUSICPOST.com
And two of the earlier shows featuring him are:
The MJ Show #27 (John Mayer - Battle Studies)
The MJ Show #9 (Best covers by John Mayer)

That's about it boys and girls. That's all the show I have for you tonight.
Do let me and Ehsaan know what you felt about his song choice in the comments here.
And if you're not already following the man on twitter...do so now!!
He can be found here: @EhsaanNoorani
I do hope you're following me as well. If not, you know that I can be found here: @musicmanmihir

Right then...take care...and good night! :)
This is your Musicman Mihir...signing off!

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The MJ Show #31 (Guests Series - Arjun Sankalia's Top 10 Songs)

Wow! I can't believe I've already done 30 shows here (especially because I'm SO lazy about writing things out :) )
In any case, back in the day, when I was on radio I used to interview musicians and bands and get them to talk about the music they loved on the shows.

I decided to extend that concept a little further for the online shows.
In the last few weeks that I've gotten active on Twitter, I've met some really interesting people who are really into music as well. So this time around, I've decided to talk to some of these guys and girls and give you their top 10 songs.
I will have bands and musicians and their top 10 songs as well...but for now, I also want to introduce you to some really nice people...whom I know through twitter and occasionally beyond twitter as well :)
One of the main reasons I've decided to do this is also because I'm always wanting to find out more music and I knew that if I just gave you what I love, I'd never find out some brilliant bands that I've found purely by looking at other people's tweets.
So here we go...for you...and for me...we begin...the Guests Series!

Okay then :)
I want to start off this series with a man I've known for many years now :)

I first met him while I was on All India Radio's FM Rainbow. Back then, when I was just starting off, he was just the big man at Sony Music but since then I've got to know him a bit more and I feel really happy to now call him a friend as well.
(Officially, he's a Director in Sony Music and he looks after international music, Indian classical, home video and internet/viral marketing and he's been there for 11 years now!)
That itself is enough for me to make him the first person to be featured in the "Guest Series" on The MJ Show but wait...there's more!

He used to DJ as part of a mobile discotheque company called 'Ear Damage' set up by him and his friends during his college days. "Ear Damage" was around from 1990-99.
And these days, he does the odd DJing gig whenever people call him. He also had a fortnightly residency in Ghetto, with the late Jesse between 2003-04.

So basically, he's not just a record label executive who has no idea about music.
He's really into his music and over the years I've had some really interesting music related conversations with him.

Incidentally he's on twitter as well. Do follow @arjunsankalia!! :)

Right then...how about we see what Arjun's got for us tonight! He'll also tell you why he's chosen the songs you see here :)
Enjoy!

1st Song - Pearl Jam - Black #TheMJSHow
Arjun Sankalia: This is perhaps the most depressing song ever and that may possibly be because the singing and musicianship is so heartfelt. The interplay between voice, guitar and piano is insane.
MJ: Incidentally this is also my favourite song by Pearl Jam. Have a look at a live version of the song. Absolutely incredible goosebumpy song! :)



2nd Song - System Of A Down - Aerials #TheMJshow
AS: One of my fave bands of all time, since they combine metal and politics. When they played this song at the concert I attended (Brixton Academy June 6, 2005), it was amazing!! I felt like I actually knew the other 5000 people in the show!
MJ: Nice. I've not heard them a lot, but will check them out. I found a video from 2005 though I don't think it's from the gig you attended Arjun.
Anyway...guys...check this out!



3rd Song - Fleetwood Mac - Dreams #TheMJshow
AS: If there was one album I could take with me if I were exiled to an island, it’d be Rumors. The songwriting, and singing on this album will NOT be beat.
MJ: Okay, this is another one of those bands I never really got into. Incidentally, I have Rumours as well but not really heard it that well. Will do so now.
But I have heard the song you've chosen from the album because I've heard and loved The Corrs cover of the song.

Here's some info on the album:
Rumours is the eleventh studio album by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac. The record peaked at the top of both the United States Billboard 200 and the United Kingdom Albums Chart. "Go Your Own Way", "Don't Stop", "Dreams", and "You Make Loving Fun" were released as singles. Rumours is Fleetwood Mac's most successful release with sales of over 40 million copies worldwide. In 1978 it won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year!



I've got a bonus video for you here :) Check out The Corrs version! The girls are stunning and so is the song! :)
Bonus Song - The Corrs - Dreams #TheMJshow


4th Song - Led Zeppelin - Kashmir #TheMJshow
AS: It was hard to choose from their extensive repertoire, but I like this song even more than Stairway. The Plant Page Unledded version in Egypt is pure heaven!
MJ: I know what you're talking about. The whole concert was brilliant!
Check this out guys, if you've not already seen the DVD! What an INCREDIBLE version this is!



5th Song - Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls #TheMJshow
AS: I’m a sucker for songs with bells. This song rocks hard and is also melodious. The S&M Version with the orchestra conducted by Michael kamen is tres cool
MJ: Arjun!! I've been telling people about Michael Kamen for a while now. My Ep #25 was a David Gilmour special in Michael Kamen was playing the piano. I want to do a special featuring him and all the great work he's done with so many other rock bands.
This, however was Metallica at it's best for me too. LOVE S&M!!!
Thanks for this KICK ASS song! :)



6th Song - AC/DC - Hells Bells #TheMJshow
AS: In twitterese - Bells + Angus Young = #epicwin :)
MJ: AC/DC = #epicfuckingcollosalwin man! :)
Incidentally, I featured the album that has this song as my first "Classic Album". I'm talking about AC/DC's Back In Black back in Ep #29. The WHOLE album kicks ass.
Check it out: The MJ Show #29 (Classic Albums - AC/DC - Back In Black)
Here's a different version of the song (other than the one that I gave you in Ep #29) :)



7th Song - Iron Maiden - Infinite dreams #TheMJshow
AS: The whole Seventh Son of a Seventh Son album is awesome - metal+ occult+ history+ medieval themes. This song starts out unlike any metal song and then proceeds to kick mega ass!
MJ: Man! I love this band. While I was working with EMI for a year, I had the opportunity of meeting them twice and even hanging out with them. Without a doubt one of the most memorable moments of my life :)
Have a look at this. Photos with the members of Iron Maiden :)

8th Song - Rage Against The Machine - Guerilla Radio #TheMJshow
AS: Awesome band combining metal and politics and activism. This is the ultimate protest song!
MJ: See, this is why the "Guest Series" is awesome. I don't think I would ever have come up with this song. I'm going to check this out with you all now :)



9th Song - Guns 'n' Roses - Estranged #TheMJshow
AS: Slash’s guitar melodies, Axl’s multiple voices, and a million dollar video with Stephanie Seymour! #awesome :)
MJ: \m/ :)
Here's a bit of trivia about the song:
Released in December 1993, the music video is the third and final part of an unofficial Andy Morahan trilogy of videos (preceded by "Don't Cry" and "November Rain") from the two Use Your Illusion albums.
The over nine-minute-long video for "Estranged" is similar in style to the previous two in the trilogy; however, it appears only loosely to pick up the theme. This is mainly because Axl Rose and then-girlfriend Stephanie Seymour (who played Axl's love interest in "Don't Cry" and "November Rain") had broken up prior to filming, making the theme of separation/divorce highly relevant.

Okay, 'nuff said...now watch!


Got a couple of Bonus tracks for you. Just in case you were wondering how'd the other two songs in the trilogy look :)

Bonus Song - Guns 'n' Roses - Don't Cry #TheMJshow


Bonus Song - Guns 'n' Roses - November Rain #TheMJshow


10th Song - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under The Bridge #TheMJshow
AS: Terribly clichéd to like this song but I fell in love with it again after I read Scar Tissue - Kiedis’ autobiography.
MJ: I love this song man. I have no problems at all that you chose this :) Forget being clichéd :) The song is BRILLIANT and deserves to be heard over and over again!


Arjun's Bonus Song - Jay Z - 99 Problems #TheMJshow
AS: Nothing can mess with the hova’s flow when he’s on!
MJ: I remember seeing the Jay Z - John Mayer videos you tweeted me a few days ago man! KICK ASS!
Okay...here's Arjun's bonus track and then I'll give you one too :)



Mihir's Bonus Track - Jay-Z featuring John Mayer - D.O.A #TheMJshow


Oh what the heck! Here's one more:
Mihir's 2nd Bonus Track - Jay-Z featuring John Mayer - You Don't Know #TheMJshow


That's about it for tonight :)
I'll have a lot more tweeps and musicians on The MJ Show soon!!

Right then :)...
Time to say...Good Night and Take Care :)
This is your Musicman Mihir...signing off!

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