The student band with friends at a performance in a college fest. Picture by Rashbehari Das

There are few things that seem as exciting and important as creating a band while in school, if music is the love of your life. The endless evenings of listening to Bryan Adams and memorising favourite Beatles tracks more often than not result in getting together with like-minded individuals to form a music group.

That?s exactly how Metaphor, a group of 20-somethings, started out around four years ago, as students of Classes XI and XII. After many a memorable gig and jam session, they are a known name in the college fest circuit ? sometimes invited to rock the evening by themselves, on other occasions to open the show for a more established band.

Playing rock ? the most popular form of music that appeals to the high-on-love-and-life college brigade ? the seven-member team is steadily gaining recognition and making a mark in the city?s music scene.

Their most recent performance, at the annual college fest of Calcutta Institute of Engineering and Management in early March, proved that they could well be a favourite with college-goers, and top the list of college bands.

Yet, even playing for a group of frenzied college-goers who care more for fun and less for quality is not easy. ?The audience is always quality-conscious, and you can?t get away with a bad performance,? says guitarist Neel.

So, hours of practice stolen from a busy academic schedule have to be managed, sometimes going against the will of parents who would rather have graduates at home rather than budding musicians.

?But we enjoy our practice sessions, since we can make mistakes and yet not be bothered about people booing us,? laughs Rajdeep, who with Orko shares the lead vocals. Moses, Neel and Soham lend guitar support, while Avik and Rajat take care of the keyboard and the drums respectively.

While at the college shows they can play their kind of music ? hard rock ? at the para functions, where they are being called more regularly with each passing week, the choice of music has to be different.

?In residential areas, people want Bangla band music and that?s what we have to dish out,? adds Neel, not too happy with having to make this unwilling compromise.

?But the money we earn from these gigs helps the band, since we can afford better equipment. So we don?t really mind,? admits Orko.

Next on the agenda is to move from being a band that sings covers to creating music of its own. ?We still have some way to go before we gather enough courage to sing our own numbers. We want people to accept our voices and musical abilities first,? signs off Moses.

Himika Chaudhuri

What?s on your mind this week

Clash of cricket

In the recent Indo-Pak Test, the Indian captain lost his touch. The best of 21 in the series and an average of 9.6 in his last five Tests do not bode well for the upcoming ODIs. It was also bad teamwork. Sehwag?s double century and Harbhajan?s six-wicket haul did not help India win. Pakistan performed as a team, proving Inzy a good captain. Should Ganguly give up his captaincy? Dravid, nicknamed Mr Responsible, Mr Dependable and The Wall, can take his place as skipper. Ganguly proved himself as a batsman in his early days. He has our support. Prove to Pakistan that India is the best.

Dhaval Sampat,
Calcutta Boys School

Come on India

India?s defeat in Bangalore was humiliating. Not often does Kumble concede more than 150 runs in a Test innings with no wickets. Not often does Tendulkar match Gavaskar?s infamous 1975 World Cup innings of 36 not out in 60 overs. However, the Indian batting line-up often collapses, as it happened this time. Only Sehwag and Kumble shone, with V.V.S. Laxman and Gautam Gambhir performing reasonably well. Inzy will treasure his 100th Test. His 184 in the first day set the tone of the match. With the one-dayers coming up, Younis Khan?s double century in the first innings and unbeaten half-century in the second are ominous signs for India. Another threat is Afridi. With Sehwag and Balaji in blistering form, India can send Pakistan packing. Let?s hope Ganguly and Irfan Pathan do justice to their reputations. Wicketkeeper-batsman Mahender Singh Dhoni can be a surprise package.

Arjun Chaudhuri,
Calcutta University

Winning hearts

Cricket has once again brought two arch rivals closer. Former Prime Minister Vajpayee had said: ?Khel hi nahi, dil bhi jeetiye? to Team India when they toured Pakistan in 2004 after 14 years. The border separates the two nations, but not the bonds of brotherhood and friendship. At Eden, Indians and Pakistanis unfurled flags of both countries. Dravid and Younis Khan were cheered by fans of both teams for their centuries. Pakistani fan Abdul Jalil (chacha), said he could see a new start to Indo-Pak relations. Congratulations to both teams for winning hearts.

Lalit Ghosh,
Kalyani Central Model School

Inzy in style

Indian fans were sorely disappointed in the final Test. Pakistan deserved to win. Sourav should take tips from Inzy on how to make the team perform under stress. Inzy was patient and determined. What a result in his 100th test. He started with a bang and his boys made sure that their captain?s efforts paid off. India did not live up to expectations. The bowlers tried. But what made one of the world?s best batting line-ups crumble like a pack of cards? Pakistan?s commitment made them the real winners. If India wants to win the one-dayers, the players will have to pull up their socks quickly. It won?t be easy for dada and his boys.

Sharmi Adhikary,
Calcutta University

Oh my captain

Many questions were raised after the last Indo-Pak Test, the most prominent being about the the Indian captain?s credibility as a skipper and a batsman. Ganguly?s ODI standing in 2004 was quite good, but his Test performance has raised eyebrows. He should be stripped of his captaincy.

Shubhajit Chakraborty,
B.Sc (zoology)

Practical Joke

April Fool?s Day comes once a year?
Oh, what a joke my dear!
How can you say such a thing,
When the lie in it does ring?
Tell me please, without fear
Are we fooled just once a year?
When we elect men to be,
Great leaders so that we are free.
Do they not just fool us,
With false promises and a lot of fuss?
But when they win,
When games are done,
Do they not fool us
To just have fun?
The first of April is only a day,
To understand our folly,
Or, we?ll be fools throughout the year
While they are all very jolly.

Nivedita Bhattacharjee,
GD Birla Centre for Education

April Fool?s Day

April 1 as Fool?s Day has its roots in 1582 France. Before that, new year was celebrated for eight days, from March 25 to April 1. With the introduction of the Gregorian calender under Charles IX, New Year?s Day was shifted to January 1. However, communication being slow in those days, many people did not receive the news for years. More obstinate people refused to accept the new calender and continued to celebrate New Year on April 1. These folks were labelled as fools. They were objects of ridicule and often made the butt of practical jokes.

Payal Srivastava,
B.Com (hons), Bhawanipur College