Down the melody lane

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal">BANGALORE: Packaging manufacturer, lover of Hindi film music, researcher and writer. Mumbai''s Manek Premchand is an unlikely bundle. <br /><br />Author of ''<span style="" font-style:="" italic="">esterday''s Melodies, Today''s Memories</span>, a collection of profiles of important music-makers between 1931 and 1970, Premchand has music running in his veins.<br /><br />Informing music lovers about people who spread so much joy motivated him to write the book, he tells The Times of India in an interview. <br /><br />Excerpts: <br /><br />Q: How did you conduct research for the book? <br /><br />A: Most of the interviews were done in 1997-98. Much of this was fun. For example, the five hours that I spent with Manna Dey. He makes you see the other side of film people. Then I went through Listeners'' Bulletins of <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Hamraaz</span>, old <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Filmfares </span>and dozens of books and magazines on music. I spent a while understanding Hindustani ragas from friends, music gurus and exponents. I spent hundreds of hours finding songs and listening to them. Saw many films again to refresh my memory. I made several dozens of calls to anyone who could help with this instrument, that song, or that word. I did everything I could to deliver something worthwhile to music lovers. <br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section2"><div class="Normal"><br />Q: Why do your music research and book stop at 1970? <br /><br />A: I stopped at 1970 because I had to stop somewhere. But really 1970 or thereabouts is when great quantities of quality Hindi film music started reducing in number. That was when the scene fizzled out. <br /><br />Q: But isn''t it true that some of the best poetry, music and singing happened after 1970? Examples: <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kabhi Kabhie </span>(Sahir -- 1976); <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">1942 A Love Story </span>(R.D. Burman --1994) and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Umrao Jaan </span>(Asha Bhonsle --1980). <br /><br />A: Of course, <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Kabhi Kabhie </span>and <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Umrao Jaan </span>and films like <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Bazaar </span>and Razia Sultan were made after 1970. Why, even <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Pakeezah </span>was after 1970. There were and are many films with great music. But the quality-quantity combine that left a long-term influence ended around 1970. <br /><br />Q: Connoisseurs rue the quality of film music has declined. Comment. <br /><br />A: The quality of music has gone down. Maybe that has to do with many factors. Perhaps the whole business has become market-driven. Perhaps producers just don''t have the guts to make a song like <span style="" font-style:="" italic="">Akhiyon ko rehne de akhiyon ke aas-paas </span>(Lata/Bobby). What a song that was, also post-1970!<br /><br /><br /></div> </div><div class="section3"><div class="Normal"><br />Q: What do you attribute this to: Changing tastes and values, or lack of ability? <br /><br />A: No one wants to reflect life in all its facets. Let''s all dance and party, who wants to cry? It''s mostly just beat and orchestration, and now remixing. <br /><br />Q: Do you see a Renaissance coming? <br /><br />A: That music will never come back. But the good thing is there is a treasure of melodies waiting to be enjoyed by all of us. That can easily last us our lifetime. <br /><br />Q: Who would you rate as the best composer, best singer and best lyricist? <br /><br />A: If you held a gun to my head and asked me to choose, then I''d say Shankar-Jaikishen, Rafi and Sahir Ludhianvi. </div> </div>