Happy New Decade - update

The new year has arrived and has been done and dusted, and we are well aware how late we are to welcome it! We didn't want to create any hoopla because there wasn't anything substantial to write about - not until two days before the decade renewed itself, that is!

Yes, on the 29th of January, we got confirmation of our performance at the New Year's Bash organized by the Government of Jammu & Kashmir as part of their efforts to make the coming decade a booming one for snow tourism. We flew to Srinagar, rode up the snowy slopes of the Himalayas, and performed in a make-shift tent on top of a hill at Gulmarg at a temperature of -10°C! This event was attended by a crowd of over 300 locals and, needless to say, we froze our asses off!

It was truly remarkable that we survived. We honestly thought we wouldn't make it back, and would end up as frozen specimens of humanity that would be discovered many millennia into the future. Fortunately, we arrived safely back in Mumbai. The smoky haze and mugginess of our beloved city felt like heaven when we touched down.

The trip taught us a lesson and we seemed to have turned a corner- quite a big one at that. There is newfound optimism and structure to our plans for the future, not the least due to the fact that we have Sidd Coutto (TOT, ex-Zero/HFC) who has agreed to play drums with us on a regular basis, and Rohan Utpat, who will be playing percussion/tabla with us regularly. Furthermore, to manage our events, we have found an extremely efficient and talented group of people in Promo Sapiens, with whom we are currently in the final stages of negotiations.

I hope these changes will herald a bright future for us during this year, and hopefully for the entire decade. I would like to raise a toast on this occasion! Here's to YOU GUYS for supporting and appreciating our efforts as you have been wonderfully doing until now, and to US (SHOR) for hopefully providing you with more music that you will enjoy, be proud of, and easily relate to!

Cheers! Happy New Year!

(A picture from Gulmarg - From L to R - Sidd Coutto, Rohan Utpat, KK, Robin, JD, Joy, Kanishka (Promo Sapiens)

KK (Krishna)

Collaboration, citations etc.

Shor Bazaar, as a band, has always wanted to pursue something new. We usually like off-beat, whacky stuff that tickles your senses in just the right way and we are pretty darned certain that there are others who feel likewise. Yes, we want to meet people from different niches of the art world - people with vibrant, tangential ideas so we can work with them to create something interesting and worthwhile.

Since posting about this on FaceBook and Twitter, we've already received a number of responses from across the nation. We are thrilled! Honestly. That's the reason I'm writing about this on our blog. So, if you think that you would like to work with us, or if you know someone who might fit the bill, please let us know. We'd be more than happy to hear from you.

Apart from that, we still continue to be amazed by the fantastic coverage we are getting. These are the new pieces. The rest of the stories can be viewed here.

• The Telgraph (Calcutta - 1st of August, 2009)
• Buzz 18 - Tribute to India's first toon porn
  
• Hindustan Times (Chandigarh - 31st July, 2009

We have also stumbled on a YouTube video of our CNN-IBN interview. Thanks to baboonlogic.


If you stumble on any such stories, please let us know - as a comment, e-mail, or the various social networking options.

Lastly - for only those in Mumbai - you can catch us performing live (with Tough on Tobacco) tomorrow (Sunday) at the Ce'st la Vie Swimsong Sundays brunch. 12 pm onwards. Cover is 1200 Rs./- per person. We have at least one surprise for you!!

Here's the FB event listing.

:)

Gracias, albeit with a disclaimer

We are astounded by the response to our single! Almost every single reaction has been positive. We are absolutely honored!

Here are a couple of extremely amorous, kind responses. We'd like to say 'Thank you!'

"... Savita Bhabhi is one hell of a song. Shor Bazaar's Savita Bhabhi does not not sound like any of that synthesized shit we started to hear post-90s. They sound like one of them - the elite league. The music from the era when dope was cheap and the sex was free. And THAT alone is enough for me." - Athiran

"The musical maestros of Shor Bazar, have given the followers of Savita Bhabhi, their very own anthem. The lyrics are cheeky and chock-full of sexual innuendos, coupled with some great guitar play and arrangements."

We've been covered in almost every form of media.

• CNN-IBN - Entertainment Tonight (30th of July, 2009 - 10.30 pm)
  
• Asian Age (Mumbai Edition - 30th July, 2009)
• Hindustan Times (Mumbai; HT Cafe - 30th July, 2009)
• Red 93.5 FM (Jigar's show, Mumbai - 29th of July, 2009)
  
• Times Of India (Mumbai Edition - 29th of July, 2009)
• Hindustan Times (Delhi; HT City - 29th of July, 2009)
• Radio City 94.3 FM (Malini's show, Mumbai - 28th July, 2009)
• Indian Express (Mumbai edition - 27th of July, 2009)
• DNA Sunday (Mumbai - 26th of July, 2009)

We, and our song, have been doing the rounds on various platform of internet discussion (Twitter, FaceBook etc.). We have had people like Pritish Nandy offering support, albeit vicariously, on such forums. We thank all of them too.

However, we are acutely aware of the possibility of misinterpretation of the song and its message. Especially, vis-a-vis newspaper articles, where our words, after extensive pruning, could transform into vicious political statements.

We would like to clarify one thing - we are not here to promote pornography. Instead, we believe in letting the masses decide what's appropriate for them - freedom in art and various ways of expression.

Please support us in this honest, humble venture.

(Our disclaimer is put up on our blog (*right-sided bar) and FB pages. We do COME in peace!)

Shor tweets are here to stay

Shor Bazaar has decided to shed its taciturnity. Yes, we have recently gotten real and have started tweeting -- that too, like an overweight kiwi. If you too are fond of tweeting, please follow us at Shor Bazaar Twitter page.

If you ain't much of an ornithophile, you really ain't that old and still could become one. At Twitter.com. Then go visit our Twitter page.

Or else, you could just use ole' fashioned FaceBook to keep up with us. Go visit our FB fan page and FB user group.

However, if you figure that blogs kill everything else, just stick around where you are -- at the Shor Bazaar blog.

Or you could unfurl your best Johnny Bravo imitation and call our moms and ask 'Whazzup hot momma?'

Choose wisely. Just take care not to miss out!

And we need you. Quite desperately. So...

(PS: We don't hang out too much on Orkut. But if you want us to, we're game.)

The first single

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your kind patience. The wait is finally over!

Our first single is days away from being released online! The date is tentatively fixed for the 29th of July. What's more, we will be doing a couple of mini-launch shows in Mumbai to promote the single. Hopefully, you will be hearing us perform it on radio as well!

Now, we need your help. We want to know where you would want to download/stream the single from. Write back to us here, there, and everywhere!

We all believe in freedom of expression, don't we? Support the freedom of media by supporting us!

(PS: If you are wondering what the song's about, you will have to wait a few more days! All I can say now is that it's about something really hot which has been all over the newspapers recently.

A tour?

You know, sitting on our bums doesn't feel all that great. With monsoons flooding the roads and railway tracks in Mumbai, we are contemplating going to drier places. Like a desert or something. Maybe even performing there. Yeah, it's been a while since we did that.

Coming to the point, Shor Bazaar wants to know if there are gig-places which would like to host some ballsy music. So, if you know of any venue in your city where you think we can perform, just drop us an e-mail or something. If things work out, we promise to make sure that those who help us will get some benefits.*

What say ye?

(*Conditions subject to change. Read the offer document carefully and consult your lawyer and Momma before submission. Please note that meteorological factors and avian migrational routes could affect this offer. Applicants must be of legal age for drinking and consensual sex for their respective states or union territories. All of the aforementioned stipulations are to be taken with the utmost seriosity. Applicants must not lack the slightest trace of the absence of a sense of humour.)