Editor,
Apropos the letter by Eva Giri (ST June13, 2014), speaking as a person who listens to metal music and who actively keeps up with and enjoys the Shillong Metal scene, I feel obliged to offer some painfully obvious advice. If the “animalistic screeching and howling noise” bothered her so much, she could have rolled up her car window, put on a pair of headphones, or moved someplace out of earshot. It’s what I do whenever I happen to hear the drivel that VH1/MTV tries to shove down my throat. Musical Taste is just that, a matter of personal taste. The countless droning, perpetually heartbroken, love song singing dolts, fill me with more dread and make me more prone to violence than any metal song ever could. But that’s just me. Just because I cannot stand a particular musical genre gives me no right to condemn the people that do.
As to its association with Satanism, well, while it is true that Death Metal does have very dark undertones, which, in Eva’s educated opinion is “sex, drugs, murder, rebellion, anger…”; after the concert, I, along with my group of friends, did not feel the least bit compelled to go to a graveyard and attempt to summon Satan, do drugs, commit murder or even incite a tiny riot. (What I did feel was this sudden craving for some Alu Muri, late at night. Damn you Satanas!)
I do not deny that Death Metal does have a satanic fan base. However, it is moronic to assume that the entire lot of us are being brainwashed into bringing down society. Death Metal aficionados are far from being something society should be worrying about. As an example, let me remind you of the child abusers and the rapists who move about under a facade of piety and religiousness, the thieves who hide behind their fancy desks and their red beacon-ed cars, the murderers who walk tall under the protection of the people in power etc. Evil breeds Evil. Music breeds adoring fans, record sales, YouTube views and illegal downloads.
I find it disconcerting that none of the papers, except for the Telegraph, even bothered to report on the event. While they can, with great detail, report and follow up on all the latest political mud-slinging, bogus scandals and propaganda laden ‘news’ stories; they couldn’t spare a tiny space to report on an American Band, at the top of their game (unlike the 80’s era dinosaurs that visited us in the past) who, along with some of the country’s leading Metal Bands (Including our very own Plague Throat, who will be performing at the world’s biggest Heavy Metal Open Air, Wacken Open Air) performed in our city.
Music is meant to evoke emotion and while some of you are wholly satisfied with it being “medicine that heals a broken heart”, some of us let it elevate us to a higher plane of being and understanding, and in the course of that journey, listen to a wider array of sometimes more extreme and gruesome music. We don’t make excuses and we don’t ask you to come join us. We are doing fine on our own. Please apply the basic Christian tenet of not passing judgement and leave us alone.
Yours etc.,
S Nongpluh,
Via email
Chief Secy’s silly noises
Editor,
I found the news item “Govt warns of ‘pay cut'” ( ST June 12, 2014) both stupid and hilarious. If the Govt. was really serious about curbing the menace of bandhs, it would have implemented pay cuts and disciplinary action long ago instead of making silly noises like the Chief Secretary has done. Truth is, the Govt is unconcerned about bandhs since all hard-working govt. servants love these paid holidays. The recent HNLC bandh against the NGT coal mining ban was made a grand success due to full Govt cooperation. This Govt. cannot implement pay cuts or curb bandhs. Period. So stop making foolish statements which make you look ridiculous, Mr Chief Secretary. We don’t believe you have the guts to back up your so-called threats, so give us a break!
Yours etc.,
Kenny Marwein
Shillong 3
Temporary ban!
Editor,
I am shocked after reading Naba Bhattacharjee’s ‘NGT Ban…” ST June 11, 2014) which seems to suggest that the ban on coal mining is only a temporary one and is likely to be revoked in the future if certain conditions are met. Is this based on rumour or fact? Are we supposed to believe that the illiterate ‘chors’ will suddenly turn into angels and start worshiping the environment? This is disgusting.
Yours etc.,
R. Lyngdoh
Shillong -3