The Viola

I've always had dreams of being a rock star. In reality, I don't think I'd actually have the will to pay my dues as a starving artist and would probably die at an early age if I was in fact a rock star, but I've had maybe two moments that made me feel like I was almost there.

The first was at age 14. The band I was playing with was kicked off stage while we played a teenage version of Purple Haze and our lead singer freestyled some not-so-kosher lyrics. The assistant principal ("you just don't understand me Arthur DuLong") came on stage and actually grabbed the mic from him and told us to get off stage. Check.

The second was probably in the most opposite of settings from the youthful, pre-sellout, high school "band night". It was a MBA black tie event that involved playing a set full of songs that the wannabe hipster in me will refrain from mentioning, but deep down am okay with in the way that I feel that "I'm Yours" is okay. We played in front a group of a few hundred classmates and it ended with me rapping.....okay, I'll admit it, Flo Rida and finishing with....yes, I'll admit it again, Bad Romance. Check.

During my world-renowned career as a guitarist one thing always struck me: bassists are damn interesting, and somewhat odd people. I was always puzzled at the decision to play the bass. Lead singers are generally attention-hungry folk that love the spotlight. A lead guitarist likes a little bit of spotlight, probably can't sing very well, and is generally just nerdy enough to sit down and spend the hours it takes to become technically proficient (laying out these qualities just made me realize: is what drove me to playing guitar the same thing that drives me to blog?). Drummers are just fucking nuts and full of rage.

The bassist though...I always wondered what would possess someone to actually choose an instrument that will imprison you at the back of the stage, not stand out in general at any point in the song (Red Hot Chili Peppers and a few other bands aside), and require extreme discipline to play somewhat repetitive riffs over and over and over again.

With much love to my bassist friends, if I stop and think about famous bass players that come to mind, it's a somewhat odd bunch. John Entwistle from the Who, Jack Bruce of Cream, Cliff Burton of Metallica, Bill Wyman of the Stones, Duff from GNR, Nikolai Fraiture of the Strokes, etc. etc.....what do you think of when you think of these guys? The level of relative anonymity for major rock stars is unbelievable. Are they just quiet, nice guys? Do they just like an instrument that hangs a bit lower? Are they quietly insane and behind the scenes are emotionally and physically abusing their bandmates? What are they up to??

This has always been a fascination of mine that recently was extended into an entirely different realm. The other night when I met someone who plays the viola for a string quartet. It never occurred to me, that in this completely parallel universe, there are almost equivalent dynamics. "Violists are the stoners of the string quarter" she exclaimed before saying "I've always kinda had a thing for violists". At first this seemed somewhat random, but then I remembered back to my brief, disastrous stint as a violinist from ages 8-9. Even at that tender age, a chubby little Ranjan wondered, "Why the hell would anyone play the viola"? In what capacity would an eight year old make a decision to choose an instrument that was just one string down from the ever popular violin? Apparently, the same decision calculus used by a young Flea is utilized every day by hundreds of pre-teens being who are joining orchestras. It is something I don't know if I'll ever understand but weirdly very much respect.

"Oh....you're NOT into Olga Goija?"