REMO FERNANDES :

By Wellington Dias.


The place Goa located on the western shores of India, can conjure up images (for people who have visited it) of a lush expanse of land with golden sandy   beaches, warm sunshine (for most parts of the year), friendly people and a land throbbing with rhythm & music. More than 400-years of Portuguese rule was instrumental in leaving an indelible mark on Goa's lifestyle, architecture and music with the blending of Eastern & Western influences and over the years Goa has sprouted talented musicians and premiere entertainers, one of whom is REMO FERNANDES (hailing from Bardez, Siolim), a man of principles, a strong & assertive person, who  would not hesitate to speak what's in his mind and inspite of not having studied music, with his immense talents alone, hard work, is today, one of India's foremost musicians, pop star and an entertainer of high calibre.

REMO FERNANDES, to this day has produced a number of his own albums namely GOAN CRAZY, OLD GOAN GOLD, PACK THAT SMACK, BOMBAY CITY, POLITICIANS …. , O MERI MUNNI (with some of the songs in the albums containing hard hitting lyrics against drug abuse, corruption, etc.), and also churned out hit numbers with foot tapping music for hindi films.

Inspite of his busy schedule, Remo was kind enough to oblige me with an interview through cyberspace, wherein he provided an insight on his music, himself, of the music scene in India and other subjects as well.

When queried as to what it was like to release 'O Meri Munni' (after a long gap) &  the difference it made to him in terms of adulation from his fans, more performances, constraints on his time or being more in demand and also mentioning to Remo about giving him more songs to perform for his shows, he admitted that even though 'O Meri Munni' was released after quite a long gap; that his doing film songs which were released at an average rate of one a year had the same effects in terms of fan adulation, etc., that 'O Meri Munni' had,
after its release.

Remo, being the first Indian to release the 'Cyber Viber' on the internet, when  questioned what was the feeling like after release of
the same and also what was it like in terms of increase of sales, demand, etc., Remo admitted that he may not be very technically savvy, but professed his love for high technology  specially when it was related to computers and the Internet and stated that releasing the single "Cyber Viber" in cyberspace was a thrill for him due to the aforementioned reasons and also due to the fact that he himself directed, shot and edited the music video on his own, which, according to him was another exciting first-time rush for him.

About his music (pointing out to Remo about his tendency, at times, of mixing or blending different sounds or music, that is, scats,
classical, rock & roll, bhangra, etc.,), and when queried about the reason for his doing so or if it was some sort of spur of the moment inspiration or his own style  of music that, he would like to potray or bring out, Remo mentioned about  everyone tending to be what we are, as a result of our past experiences and the influences we've absorbed along the  way, elaborating further on this, he mentioned that it could be the lullabyes that one's nanny must have sung, the songs in one's Dad's record collection, the cassettes one's hostel room mate must have played, different cultures one's absorbed abroad and further added that his music was a mixture of all that he's grown up with, and not a conscious mixture, but an end result which comes naturally to him.
 

Furthermore, he added that perfect fusion is one where, one does not see the seams and hoped that I did not see too many seams in his music.

Having been an artiste & a performer for a while now, when requested to elaborate on a performer or an artiste getting a high, i.e. similar to how an athlete gets his adrenaline pumping, pushing on to do better, better, etc., and when queried as to what made him tick or gave him the utmost  satisfaction or high, Remo admitted of his having many highs, that is, As a "Composer", he mentioned that he experienced a high when a  really inspired music and/or lyric came to his mind. As a "Studio Performer, producer and recordist", he mentioned of another high which came out of listening to different recorded tracks falling together like a jigsaw puzzle to form a whole track and added that both these were lonely highs experienced without witnesses and without  a audience, no one to share them with when they actually happened.

 
And the last high that he mentioned about was the "very public high", that of finally performing these same songs on stage, in front of thousands of people who enjoy them, who sing, clap, dance along and goad you into performing beyond your own limitations and pointed out that being an artist was  full of highs for him and that he enjoys them all.

When queried as to what it felt like being on stage in front of thousands of  adulating fans and if anytime ever, he felt any tinge of nervousness or get stage fright, inspite of being a professional performer for many years now, Remo admitted that that he did still
always feel that tinge of nervousness just before he went on stage every time, even today and further added that when he stopped feeling nervous, it would mean that he has stopped feeling excited about going  on stage.

 
This feeling according to him is similar to meeting a new woman, a potential  new lover to be seduced and mentioned that's what an
audience is primarily, a new lover to be seduced and finally added that if one does not feel excitement at the prospect of meeting a
new lover, then one might as well be dead.

Being on the panel of judges for one of the preliminary rounds of  "Fa Femina Miss India 2001",  recently, when questioned as to what it felt like being around the gorgeous girls, as the winners could  bring laurels to India at the Miss Universe, Miss World & other
Pageants given India's track record at these pageants in recent years, Remo, mentioned that he's been around these gorgeous girls for years, performing at Miss India Pageants ever since the legendary Aishwarya / Sushmita year, meeting them all in very informal and relaxed surroundings but this time, as he was a judge, he mentioned that the girls looked at him and the  other judges from a rather nervous angle and further mentioned that the judges tried to put the girls at their ease right from the beginning and pointed out meeting girls at these pageants wasn't like meeting them at a party, as here they were professionals with a very specific mission and all relationships were always highly professional.

Mentioning about every man's ego, when requested to briefly describe as to how the same could affect an artiste (citing an example of a simple or humble artiste working  his way to the top, gaining fame),  if it could somehow change a person drastically or if it was dependent from person to person, he, pointed out that this ego problem which crops up with success wasn't only limited to  artistes  and stated that it could happen to anyone, i.e. a poor man getting rich, an ugly duckling winning a beauty contest, even a holy man attaining fame as a spiritual leader and then turning arrogant and admitted that artistes are more prone to egos, because of an artist's work being so public with the press and the audience forever praising or criticising it, which he considers as a very real and normal danger, and pointed out that the way each one deals with it was  certainly dependant, on each one's inner capacity.

An observation made by Remo was that the biggest and the truest artistes  that he had met so far had the smallest of egos and according to him it was mostly the mediocre or average artistes were the ones who had big egos and needed to resort to great pomp and show in order to hide their insecurities.

When requested to comment on the present music scene in India, with regards to, the Recording Companies' treatment of the artistes (in paying royalties, etc.) and Copyrights, Remo mentioned that if any artiste in India  was to be questioned if he was truly happy with the royalties paid by the record company, he stated that nine times out of ten, one would hear the answer of an emphatic 'No' and added that most companies would tell you that their dealings were transparent and their computers were fully open for scrutiny but pointed out that every one knew that a computer only told you what's been fed into it, in the first place.

With regards to Copyrights, stated that they remain a joke, with our film directors still plagiarising songs or parts therein left, right
and center,  but admitted that there are organisations trying to enforce copyright laws and was optimistical that one day they will
be effective, but according to him, that day still wasn't yet around the corner.

Being one of India's foremost musicians, artistes and gaining more & more popularity churning out hit numbers, performing more often, being seen on TV, etc. when asked to describe "himself", Remo stated  that first and foremost, he was a "musician" and added that this trip of being successful, popular, etc. is transitory and it did not fully depend on  one's own capabilities, but on other external factors, such as audience tastes, record company manipulations, television music channels' interests, luck, etc. and further added that an artiste's stardom, popularity, success can come and go away but his music will not. And that's why he saw himself as just a musician, now and forever.

When requested to give more insight on his hobbies, likes & dislikes,  feelings towards let downs, back biting, hypocrisy, etc., Remo admitted that he basically was quite a loner, but he it seems that he did love people and company and even partying, but not too often and it seems when he did party he really liked to  party and further added that when there was good dance music it was impossible to get him off the dance floor, but according to him most evenings, he was really, really happy to be at home with his family. It seems his other loves include reading a good book, watching a good movie, listening to good music, eating good food, but pointed out that the word 'good' was relative, that is, what's good for him might be boring for the other person.

Coming out strongly against let downs, back biting, hypocrisy, etc., he stated in the strongest of terms that these things did not exist in his world and asserted that when someone proves he's a fake!, that person would be OUT of his life!, No matter who he was, whether a Owner of a huge record company or a powerful minister or a popular music director, it would not matter to him and henceforth would be in his permanent ignore list from that day on and finally about hypocrisy admitted that Life was too short to be wasted on hypocrites.

When asked for his reaction on the title track of the film "Pyar To Hona Hi Ta" missing out on getting the Best Song award (the year that it was nominated), "Quoting" him in his own words, " Winston Churchill once said, "I'd  prefer having people ask why there's no statue of mine erected in the city, rather than having someone ask why there is one." I frankly enjoy having people come over and ask me  why I did NOT get an award for 'Pyaar to hona hi thaa'. In any case, an award is decided by just a handful of individuals,  while the song was enjoyed and appreciated by the whole nation; and to me the nation's appreciation is more satisfying than that of half a dozen 'experts'. Bet let alone being awarded, I have never even been nominated for an award: not for Jalwa, not for Humma Humma, not for Huya Ho, not for Aflatoon, so this is really no matter for surprise to me. There are mysterious criteria required to win an Indian filmi award. I don't go around polishing boots and calling people in the industry "Ji"; I'm forever criticising their copycat qualities in my interviews; all this is not very conducive to industry awards, I'm afraid!".

Given his involvement with Bollywood, when requested to give a brief insight on life on the Mumbai film industry, his friends out there, etc., and when questioned if it was all glitz & glamour as the movies & the press made it out to be or if there was a different aspect to life out in Bollywod, as in the case of every sphere of life, he stated that one would have to be very dumb indeed to think that it was all movie-like glamour and glitz in Bollywood, or even in Hollywood for that matter and stated that it was just another professional industry which was in the business of selling dreams and illusions and further added that if the public thought that it was all glamour out there, he guessed that the dream merchants have
succeeded in their task

When queried about his family specially his Sons, Noah &  Jonah, if  they were taking after their Father (who's today, one of Goa's
illustrious & famous Sons & also one of India's foremost pop stars, or should he be called as one of India's cultural Ambassadors ?
representing India for its festivals in the erstwhile USSR and other places), that is, if they were showing any glimpses of musical talents, that could perhaps see us emulate their Father, someday, Remo, mentioned about both Noah and Jonah having strong musical talents but pointed out that it didn't necessarily mean they were going to be musicians and mentioned about Noah's passion for acting and a fondness particularly towards dramatics which involves musical activities, while Jonah, according to him was just a little too young to be truly passionate about things other than fun and games at the moment.

 
He further added that he was really not keen that both of his Sons should follow in his footsteps or his profession and stated that he
was very keen though, that they should have a passion for their profession, whatever that profession might be.

Having lost some of his close friends & band members (from the Microwave  Papadams his backup band) in a road accident (which left him in a lot of pain) and also due to the necessity of having a new backup (which even his late friends would agree that the show must go on) and forming the same, when queried about his new backup band, its members, how they were shaping up, in terms of big show temperament, co-ordination, team work, etc., Remo, mentioned that they were terrific and had to say that he couldn't have asked for better guys.

 
According to him, as musicians or as human beings, it seems that he always has given equal importance to people in his band, having to be nice guys as well as good musicians; due to the fact that the band has to spend so much time together working,  rehearsing, traveling, performing, sharing hotel rooms, etc. it was most important that everyone's able to get along well and easily and felt that good musicians with inflated egos and difficult temperaments only tend to make life difficult.

Further added that after the pain and nightmare that he went through, he just didn't look forward to the ordeal of auditioning new musicians and according to him this new band fell together in just three days flat and finished rehearsing the whole repertoire in 22 days and mentioning about his experiences in forming bands before, pointed out that this was an impossible feat in such a short time and added that he  was convinced, beyond a shadow of doubt, that his old friends were with him, guiding and helping all the way during the formation of this band.

When queried about his future plans and recordings, he mentioned that he did not feel very inclined to speak about them until completion, which means that his fans are in store for a musical treat in the near future.

 
 
@ 2001 - Copyrights Reserved.
Wellington Dias.
E-mail : wellydias@hotmail.com