THE FREAK MUSEUM 2010

FEBRUARY

mayukh guha thakurta

Is a media student/freelance writer

Music: diverse

Is a CD Freak because:

Words falls short for someone who talks 19 a dozen when asked why I love Cassini's Division.

Sunday is gloomy,
My hours are slumberless
Dearest the shadows
I live with are numberless

i guess this Billie Holiday song is all that's plays in my mind ever since I left Kolkata. For me Sunday is Cassini's Division day. It always will be. Cassini's Division and Sundays , The two blends in so surreally to create a gamut full of emotions that spread beyond the music.
A motley crew made up of eccentric men, women, children, monkeys, cats, ravens, stars, fossils-lovers, crazy accountants, jesters, ketchups and dips, samurais and a lady fish that usually put the guy brigade to shame when it came to headbanging, punk and emo kids, horses, cookie lady, bouncer kaku and family, the cinema guru, man who screamed "fuck the world", panus, bantoos, sonic youth and many a freak soldier (pardon me if I missed your name sir or madam, age does take a toll on memory) gathered in the lobby to march in to SPE and jump and dance to the crazy but amazing world of Cassini's Division. The songs were original, the covers were different and the on-stage enthusiasm unmatched. And what more here there was 4 individuals who loved us and cared for us as if we were their own.
 

So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.
Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.

Lots memories: moshes, sitting on bar counters with Avikda Tara, Samurai and Olivia, on speakers and anywhere we found convenient and then hiding and keepin low when the bouncer came, being elbow nudged by Bantoo, screams of fossils, weeks and weeks of "Mayukh ur car has come", being threatened to get sodomized by Bubuda, boring every CD freak with irrelevant chatter, Liberty Hall, Rahulda's bday party and being part of sum crazy wacko plans for it by Bantoo and Samita, running around to get them done, being tolerated for talking 19 to a dozen, badgering Ludoda for info regarding loads of drums and percussion-related queries, being assured by Jboi that he has my back on more than dozen occasions, being introduced to the music of Joy Division and New Order by Rahulda, discussing graphic novels with Sukantida, pre-show addas on movies with Avikda, Calcutta Rock Festival, front row paglami at Xavoutsav, Diyasree, Tara and Shreya's hair landing on moi as if its a runway, shrieks by Shaapla and Tara that made some of us deaf, Bubuda jumping from speakers, Dipdip falling down during mosh, being bodysurfed, etc. If memories could be calculated in length it would by far supersede the length of The Suez Canal.

To me every gig was different. I headbanged in a few, listened to the music from strategic locations at the venues or had tears in a few songs in my Last CD SPE gig. I am not the only one who feels this way about the band.

On a personal note Cassini's Division happened when the world around me was not exactly in its right place. This has never been my music initially. But this is family that I made who stuck by me and there's so much to be told and hope the little boy does not run out of patience but eventually he will.

The warmth, affection, love that we have witnessed is unparalleled to anything else. We've been hit back ,we've been struck back. As Cassini's Division freak for life.
But this can be the end, the bands gonna make it bigger go higher than they have ever been before, they are gonna do more gigs, the revolutions gonna spread and the cover loving crowd will get brainwashed into listening to originals .For those who haven't heard CD  they have missed out, for those who don't know the 4, they miss out on warm friends and elder brothers and for those willing to, welcome to the bigger party that they and their music will soon throw for you.

CD freak till my last breadth or maybe beyond the grave.
Love them and fuck those who don't.
 

JANUARY

poorna banerjee

Is a writer

Music: Suddho music

Is a CD Freak because:

I was called up in the middle of the night (My Middle of the night is Eight in the morning) by one Mr jBoi who let me know I was a CeeDee freak. I was shocked by this assertion that was randomly made for my benefit and I shall categorically deny all association with this particular satyr9 group. In fact, my obvious dislike of being associated with this school of fish was so strong, that I feel vindicated by writing this letter, which seems to be a model of everything I dislike about them, and shall stay in my outbox until it is brought to the public eye.

First of all, the band members. I shall definitely go ahead and say, not only do they not dress like they should, they are also arrogant, overbearing, bossy, and protective. I shall be pointing my fingers at one Mr Sookie, who seems to think of me as someone who's not old enough to know her own mind. The other one is definitely Mr Ludo, who is a creep and on the other side of this bleedy spectrum, often forgets knowing me when he is seen in company at Olypub.

Secondly, the Bandwagon. They are as weird as the band itself, if not weirder. And the band often seem to issue orders, threats and announcements on their behalf, headed by one Mr Samurai Jedi Singh, who has recently cut his monstrous hair, that previously used whip around his face while he displayed all sort of antics like body surfing, head banging, moshing, and other such random acts of violence that he thought made him look like a smooth criminal. Let me tell you Sir, That was an ACT of Violence, and I shall not have any of it. Mr Bantoo has often slapped my face with his swirling mass of marijuana-laden garnier fructis coated hair, and Miss Samita has often made a show of gyrations while popping it around everywhere. The young crowd is no better. Miss Sharmila and Miss Shreya have often displayed a willingness to nod their heads without much compunction, and I have often been on the receiving end of their youthful displays of the same act of violence which they seems to have learnt from Mr Samurai.

Thirdly, I shall claim all connections (of the last four years) be bygones, and sever all ties and such, simply because I find the band music riding the waves of definite trouble. Not only are they going international, but they are also losing all their animal instincts, and becoming civilized, i.e. a model of sobriety and propriety. As the resident writer/features editor of a business magazine, it is my civic duty to warn all up and coming wannabe groupies, members and other such people against this band which brings in a level of Miasmic (voivoid, so as to speak), diabolic, definite tones which for me defies the barriers of age, sex and time.

So members, beware! Do not be fooled by the sweet dreams this band portrays in the picture, find out the banging truth that shall cut to the chase and know the story of their lives today!

Regards,

Poorna Banerjee
Features Editor/Writer
Core Sector Communique
Listener of Suddho Music (as claimed by others)
 

THE FREAK MUSEUM 2009

DECEMBER

sneha chugh

Is an IT Professional

Music: Varied

Is a CD Freak because:
I crossed paths with ‘CD’ about 3 years ago and ever since one of the few things that gets me going “wheeeeeee...” in an otherwise structured life is the thought of attending a CD gig. There couldn’t be a better way of unwinding myself …. The bouncing energy, the passion, the eccentricity….Absolutely Awe-inspiring!!!

I didn’t know what hit me … the throbbing punch of punk, grunge and alternative or the powerful/poetic and often ‘kinky’ lyrics or the killer performances or the fact that they ran into the ancient mariner or the plain charm of just standing there in front of such awesome musicians … guess I’ll never know.
Every time I’m watching the band perform, I’m all emotionally charged and the frenzy almost crosses the border over to insanity…. Iv almost received threat calls before Sunday gigs to cut my hair short to avoid all the lashing action on the bystanders [for those who know what I mean ... ;)]

I remember bunking work and attending the CD shows every week till 1 day I found my Boss sitting at the SPE counter and getting CASSINI’ZED herself …. Of course I didn’t stop bunking. From the next Sunday I just used to send in my spies before me to see which corner she had taken so that I could sneak in and take the opposite.
Cassinis Division are a revolution in the Kolkata Rock culture and will remain inimitable in all its form. As most already know I get the “CD withdrawal syndrome” if I don’t hear them in a while... and I get all fidgety…. So please “Play On!” You guys have all our love and support (both drunk and sober) and have a long way to go…
Your Vision is our Horizon.

NOVEMBER

debdutto chakraborty a.k.a dutto

Is a Student of Class-XII

Music: Punk, Urban Punk, Black Metal, Death Metal, Thrash Metal..... Ranging From Pantera To Cradle Of Filth To Static-X To Metallica To Rasmus To Nine Inch Nails To Marylin Mansion To Green Day To Pinhead Gunpowder To Cassini's Division To Foxboro Hot Tubs & Many Many More......

Is a CD Freak because:
Well, Cassini's Division The Name Itself Can Strike Goosebumps Into You...... First Heard Bout Them Last Year........ Their songs were circulating too much on the internet......... I saw their name....... but didn't download the songs since i used to go to a cyber-cafe....... & u people know wat kind of speeds they offer...... but after launchpad i got my net connection at home......... & i downloaded all their songs........ They are a wonderfull band..... with a really talented & varied lineup........

Well maybe i'm not the Biggest CD freaks but i surely fall in the same genre of freaks.......

THE FREAK MUSEUM 2008

JUNE

sukanya ghosh

Is a student

Music: black metal, death metal, powermetal, metalcore, nu-metal

Is a CD Freak because:

1.Music 2.Lyrics 3.Headbanging 4.Band members

Cassini's Division is one of the very few bands in Calcutta worth listening to... the moment they start playing... I am this bundle of energy... all set for crazy headbanging. Their sound is refreshing & their beautiful lyrics will touch your heart... & not to forget the band members... despite of being such talented musicians, they are all so humble, down to earth, frank and friendly!!!

Most of the bands in this city are busy playing covers but it is the originality of CD that makes them different from the others & they truly deserve to be on top. It is their exceptional bonding, on-stage energy and music which blows me away every time I attend a CD gig.

Last year on my birthday I heard them playing at Someplace Else for the first time & I was hooked and soon became a regular...and now I feel so proud to be a part of the CD family!!!

With the right bit of attitude & passion, CD still has a long way to go.

anirban a.k.a. diabolique

Is an IT professional

Music: music that kicks ass - heavy metal and experimental/alternative rock. Favourite bands range from Black Sabbath, Judas Priest to Dream Theater and from Tool, Porcupine Tree, Staind to Carcass, Dark Tranquility, Amon Amarth, Nile

Is a CD Freak because:

Coming to Kolkata from the hub of metal in India (Mumbai) was a bad feeling. And then I saw cover bands ruling the roost here. Covering Floyd, Deep Purple, Guns n Roses is hardly my idea of a progressive rock scene.

Then a CD show happened at Swabhumi. I had heard about them back in college, but apart from "Caesar" I had never got a chance to hear much stuff by them online. It was finally good to see a band doing good in the Kolkata scene by dint of their strong originals alone. There are very few bands in India that have survived so long on originals and have managed to gather a cult following. Let alone in Kolkata.

What I love about their music is that it caters to everyone's needs. Right from the hip-shaking Roxy/Tantra crowd to metalheads. Their music is for everyone. One of the very few surviving original alternative/nu metal acts in the country, they have carried the tag of being Kolkata's premier band for almost 7 long years now. Rock on CD!

FEBRUARY

chandreyee chatterjee

Is a journalist

Music: music that is lyrically strong as well as anything that appeals to my untrained ears

Is a CD Freak because:

Cassini's Division... hmm... I have known the band and its members for the last five odd years. I have seen three drummers come and go. I spent almost all my Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at Rahulda's house, now known as Liberty Hall I believe. I have seen them perform to not more than 15 people at Clown Town. I have seen them fight and make up, stomp off in a rage and come back again to make better music than before. And the change... music-wise, sound-wise as well as presence-wise. Despite all the ups and downs of my relationship with the band the journey has been awesome.

I don't know if I qualify as a freak... I don't head bang, I don't always sing along (though I have caught myself doing that quite number of times) and I did not attend every Sunday show. But that does not make me love them any less. What is it that I like about this band? Everything from their music (and most definitely their lyrics, though I do miss the old numbers like Lizard and Simba) to their grit and determination that made them leave well paying jobs to live almost hand to mouth... especially the fact that they have the balls to give their middle finger to whatever other people think.

I stand in the sidelines and see seven rows of head bangers, the crazy mosh and the frenzied madness that they imbibe among their audience with something more than fondness... it is pride. I am proud to have been associated with a band of many firsts (some of them quite difficult) that has managed to do mighty well for themselves. I salute them and wish them luck on their journey forward.

amartya chatterjee

Is an entrepreneur of a very small Biotechnological organization

Music: music that is wide-ranging but only confined to good western music and Cassini’s Division has gotten lots of influence in it

Is a CD Freak because:

I have been taken in by the notion that they'll strike it rich someday and trust me, its not far from now. Enough of foodlessness and remuneration-less-ness because of their sailing against the wind. Its ripe time to strike back!!!

I foolishly went on buying spree. I bought numerous rocks, raps, reggaes and a closet full of jazz, blues and R&Bs. How could I have been so stupid? The music was soon gone to the staggered folders of my laptop and I was back to my old Cassini friends for music, as every now and then they are researching and impeccably creating new sound with proportionate instrumentation, meaningful lyrics and versatile singing. I have learned an important and very old lesson: money doesn't always buy truthful entertainment.

However, I can still vividly recall their rehearsal days during summer. At those hot, humid and disease infested months, the lack of "air condition" is a health risk to all of them and as well to their guitars/instruments, nonetheless they earnestly continued their drudgery for a sweet, well balanced and completely new genre of music.

Finally a month ago I experienced a tremendous exposure through their new demo that was recorded and mastered by truly professional Australians and the songs are awesome!!! But getting this demo copy hasn't been the best idea. My desire always wants to have internationally recognized state of the art albums and North American gigs from Cassini's Division.

May god bless them with fame and dime (trillion $$$$s)!!!

THE FREAK MUSEUM 2007

DECEMBER

sharmila nandy

Is a student

Music: Sufi music [to be specific] and rock of course

Is a CD Freak because:

Okie so its me - Sharmila - a head-banging, string-strumming, rock-crazy Cassini's Division Freakazoid.

I'd like to see you utter the word 'Cassini' in my vicinity and make an attempt in proving my sanity --- u will fail miserably!!!!!! Because i am lost without them. For me life has become a whole new 'URBAN PHENOMENON' ever since i came to realise the fact that the letters 'CD' don't mean 'compact disc' to me anymore. They say u only fall in true love with a person but i don't think so ,You can fall in love with da word 'cassini's' ,with da sound of Sukanti da's fingers on the strings, with the noise of ludo da's sticks moving away from the drum, with the sight of Rahul da's hand clutching at the microphone and John playing his sexy guitar... and to top it all the smell of the smoke at Princeton club when CD plays.

You can write CD fifty times in a wide variety of designs at any place u get and still admire the effect of the two ink letters and think if u should proceed with your artwork?

You could run wild along the school corridor in the morning, shouting to yourself that u will be going to a CD gig that night until your math teacher pulls u and asks you in a lethal tone to get straight back to class.
You could jump up and down on the stage at Vidya Mandir, tears in your eyes cause CD is at that point of time, on that very stage, performing at your schools fest.
You could clutch at your shaking heart and whisper to your friend [who can barely hear u ---- ''Man ,our CD ROCKS!!!!!!!!!''

yeah 'our CD'. U can make it yours, and i have done that. I have been to every possible gig this band has performed [except for once when my father threatened me with physical violence. I have held a full grown man by the collar and growled, ''who the horrid hell do u think u r huh?????' 'just coz he said, ''I am not very fond of the cassini's division !!'' CD do make me feel 'HIGHER'. It makes me go wild and let my hair down. It makes me giggle and cry and giggle again for no particular reason and I LIKE IT LIKE THIS. I hope u guys live for ever. I hope the drum beats on, the guitar goes on playing and the voice continues singing just as Saturn's ring will have no end. I hope u guys rock us forever like u do now coz CD is a habit, my way of life. it makes me enjoy love and it makes me live. AND I AM A CD FREAK!!!!!!!!!! ROCK ON CD !!!!!

shreya sarkar

Is a student

Music: Hard Rock

Is a CD Freak because:

Wow WoW WOW.........!!!!!!!! It didn't ever cum in mah internal brain that i'll be writing bout CASSINI'S DIVISION out here.

Well I often discuss and growl there music and headbang with mah friends in school. Those who know them they enjoy but those who are unaware about them they stare at me in a strange way and comment call me a MANIAC!!!

Its a must for me to attend every gig to see what new look jboi [john da] has to offer, the new songs that they are releasing, even if my exams are on the next day!!! CD play a good role in my life. I actually didn't know anything about rock music 8 to 9 months prior. My favorites were Western Classical, some Bengali rock numbers.

I had just hoped in SPE to grab hold of a beer and to see what was going on .Then i saw weird people in the front headbanging like anything. I found 4 men on the stage completely different from each other. One was growling, another full of attitude and interacting with the crowd, one was giggling and beating up his drum kit and the guitarist with a satisfied smile was quiet and playing his instrument. Then I came to know from one of my friends that they were Cassini's Division.

I quite liked their music but honestly could not understand a single word of what Rahul da was singing on the first few days. So to understand I became regular for their shows and met many SWEET AND SOUR people like Dadabhai [prasanna da], Amit, Nayantara didibhai ,Bantoo, PJ [Protijyoti], Soddy, DC ... and da army list goes on. And when i headbang with them new people find me Weird. Huh!!!!

But the funniest part is when i come back home i go to my room and sing and growl. my father's room is next door. He listens to some classical Bengali numbers sometimes. Actually two generations reside under one roof. haha !!!! Funny, but even my father loves CD and then my mom thinks that both of us are NUTS. Can't help it. CD's like that.

Now let me tell u all something about me. i am a very selfish person. I love myself and i want to enjoy every part of my life which now starts and ends with CD. So it is obvious that to keep me happy u people HAVE to ROCK ON !!!!!!!!!!! But don't u think that it is high time that u all know my favorite song ?????? Well it starts with DROWN and ends with THE URBAN PHENOMENA and to sum it all up i am a CD freak !!!!!!!!!!! LALALA LA LALA LAI LAI LAI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!CHEERS!!!!!!

NOVEMBER

amit goel

Is a software professional

Music: Metalhead

Is a CD Freak because:

"Calcutta... a rock band with English originals... Headbanging... Naahhh"

That was my reaction when Prasanna first told me about Cassini's Division over the phone. Being in Bangalore, I had seen other Indian rock bands down south - and these bands rocked like anything. But a quality rock band in the City Of Joy?

I could not believe him until the day I shifted back from Bangalore to Calcutta. The very next day after landing down here, I was at the Sunday Alter Jam at SPE where Cassini's were playing.

"Living in the void void..." - and I was welcomed to the party.

From that day onwards, I waited for every Sunday evening eagerly. And I tried my best to follow Cassini's wherever they played... I had become so hooked to them.

In my opinion CD are a band who understand their music well. Their song lyrics are simply awesome and they take over your mind and touch you deep inside your heart. And their musicianship is sheer class. Ludo's power on the drums, the guitar riffs of Sukanti, the passion of John on bass, and Rahul's fantastic vocals mixing growls and rap are enough to drive anyone nuts - and what follows during their show is hours of continuous insane headbanging.

And these guys are just not known for their music, but their closeness with their fans. I still remember Rahul stopping a show because one of the fans was turned out of SPE by bouncers, and the show started again only after that fan was allowed back inside. I have seen these guys practicing their music regularly, and what makes me feel awestruck is that even after being so well known, they are still extremely down to earth and do not have any airs about them.

In a nutshell, Cassini's Division rocks and now i do say...

"Calcutta... a rock band with English originals... Headbanging... YEAH!"

It's Cassini's Division.

OCTOBER

arijit mukherjee

Is a B.Tech in Computer Science and Engineering, presently working as Software Developer

Music: I have these phases when I am stuck wid a perticulay kindda music, presently stuck up wid alt rock as in punk, goth, nu-metal, etc

Is a CD Freak because:

Infectious, oozing with energy, crazy yet practical, therapeutic, with a cause … are just few of the phrases that come to my mind when I think of Cassini’s Division and their music.

I was introduced to the band by a friend of mine with whom one Sunday evening I just went to have few drinks and a good time at Someplace Else, The Park, Kolkata. But there was a band playing there, the first thing that struck me was the very friendly, warm and down to earth nature of the band members. Then they took stage, the show rolled, and the music was gripping, on stage, the raw energy was harmoniously mixed with great melody of composition. Till today am yet to find a ‘FAN’ of the band….because there isn’t any, and the people who follow CD music all are friends of the band. After that Sunday it was each Sunday and the next Sunday and the next…. it went on and on.

Kolkata unfortunately is a place where change is not immediately welcomed. Cassini’s Division started with a vision a purpose to fulfill, as they wanted to break-off from the image of regular rock bands in the city who are alive on singing covers and their music are nothing more than part of managerial policy to sell more beer in city pubs. But Cassini’s walked the path they believed in, they went original, a dare just a hand full in India will do. The path was rocky and still is but these 4 crazy people believe so strongly that the dots will connect down the road that they are giving their life and soul to the cause.

CD originals are so much awesome. They have such variety in their music that it’s really hard to define their genre. Mostly into alternative modern rock Cassini’s songs have lyrics as a very important part of it. It makes you stop and think. The phenomenon called CD has been a role model for many city bands. People are starting to think apart from singing other’s songs. These people have not only created a musical revolution and brought about drastic improvements in the city rock scene but are also responsible for giving Kolkata a honourable place in the modern original rock circuit in India.

I am so grateful that I ever met these guys. I have so many lovely memories of being at Cassini’s Division’s gigs and other personal gatherings which can give just one feeling to anyone present there – ALIVE. You are just as if transformed from this world to some other place and you don’t wanna come back.

I wish all the luck and all the best, with all my heart, that CD deserves.

And CD can deservingly say:

"I’m the life and the death of the party”
- Voivoid (Justice for Jessica) - Cassini’s Division

shreya sanghani

Is a  Student/Freelance writer/Activist

Music: Varied, especially Alternative (Hardcore punk), Grunge, Metal, and Classic Rock

Is a CD Freak because:

When I first saw a Cassini’s Division show, I was immediately intrigued and not a little awe-struck. In an individual song I’ve always valued the quality of the lyrics and their originals were astounding in that regard. As a matter of fact, not only the lyrics, the overall energy, music and originality clicked so well with me that I kept coming back. They talk about things that touch something inside me, and that is enough reason for anyone to be as crazy about their music as I am.

This immensely talented quartet with their awesome stage presence and original music are definitely very different from any other band I’ve ever seen in this part of the world. A lot of people have talent, and a lot of people can put their message across in a song. That’s easy. But to put the message across so succinctly, and in such a hard hitting and memorable way is a difficult job, and one that they manage with a great amount of gracious yet elegant style.

Over the time that I’ve visited their shows, I’ve come to know the band personally. At first I have never expected such warmth and friendliness from a band so popular and talented. Slowly I realized that they are very approachable and admirable human beings. Although all the times head banging at SPE during Sunday shows are missed, I’m confident that wherever they play, they will always leave their mark.

And I, as a CD freak, will always be there to support them – because these guys believe in their music, believe in the things they’re saying through their music, and I believe in them.

Thank you CD, and love you.

SEPTEMBER

devika arora

Is a Film Student

Music: Progressive Rock / Funk Metal such as Deftones, The Doors, Tool, Opeth, Incubus, Rage ...

Is a CD Freak because:

Cassini's Division stands for a progressive step ahead not only in the Calcutta rock scene, but India 's as well. I was introduced to the band one and a half years ago by a friend, and soon became a regular thereafter. Needless to say, I was hooked.
Most Indian bands stick to the status quo, especially the classic rock genre in this town, but this foursome broke that stereotype regardless of the repercussions.

As a songwriter myself, I believe that a band can only really be judged by their own compositions. CD's singles are fresh and fast, sometimes slow and deep - but still always strike a chord somewhere close to home. They do the job, just right.

Aside from the music, the musicians themselves envelop a robust amount of energy and passion - with just the right bit of attitude and style. I know the band personally, and as a fan - both of which are absolutely splendid.

The atmosphere generated at a CD gig is wild, crazy, and at the same time leaves you with this feeling of completeness and warmth. Practically all us CD enthusiasts are friends, and we're just like one big happy family. Drunk, mostly.

To me, Cassini's Division is the best band this city has seen, because of their music, talent, and most of all - what they stand for.

x

akshita chugh

Is studying Business Administration

Music: Varied

Is a CD Freak because:

Why am I a CD Freak? Is that a question? People need reasons to be a CD freak? Really? Well, if I must, then I will be stating the obvious!

CD is the light of day and the darkness of night! Or the other way if you please!

The first thing that struck me about their music was the intensity that got me hooked at once. It is not often that I take to a song in the first instance, but with CD one does not have to keep listening to them to like them! You just jump into the eddy called CD and then there is no looking back! It's not only about listening to their music, it's about feeling it, about being in a daze while it takes over your being!

Something that is rarely seen in a band is their ability to play for the people not like performers but like they are a part of the manic mosh pit!

In other words: out there, there’s no one like them!

AUGUST

avik kumar maitra

Is a Comics Artist

Music: Varied

Is a CD Freak because:

I've always been a fan of old Bengali and Hindi soundtracks. Peppy contemporary numbers were taboo in our house, and while growing up in the 1980s, the only chance of catching some foot-tapping tunes was during the Durga Puja, when every local club and its mother would play their latest cassettes non-stop.

Then I grew up. But my musical taste didn't.

Until one fine evening, when my corrupt elder brother Prasanna Singh (I don't think anybody here knows him, but that's okay) whisked me off to Someplace Else for a few pegs and the sound of a band called............ Cassandra's Division (it's time for a collective "LOL!" now, folks). And it was time for a new addiction. Being a virgin in Rock, at first I was a little put off by their "loudness". But slowly, as I got to listen to the words of their songs, my attitude changed. Yes, I can confidently claim to be a CD Freak now, although I don't headbang (I'm a physically inert person). My favourite songs are 'Caesar', 'Voivoid' and 'Urban Phenomenon'.

And apart from the music and the band members themselves, another incentive for me to attend a CD show is the excellent crowd it attracts. Young, lively, interesting - and full of a manic energy that's quite infectious. The good friends I've made from among them are a big bonus, of course.

Finally, I have this to say to the CD family (quoting Mr. Spock): "Live Long And Prosper!"

aveek bhaduri

Is a little man with big dreams

Music: Musical Chameleon

Is a CD Freak because:

walk out into sunlight even if it's only for a while'
I'm a new fan. New being a relative term because there are fans who have stuck with the bands for a really long time and its not hard to figure out why. Cassini's Division shares a chemistry with their fans which is to be appreciated and respected. No airs and graces for a band that is so damn good, they're down to earth and really take time out to hear their fans out and to relate to them on a level that transcends relationships normally seen between musicians and fans.

'i need to get this high, yes, oh that wicked chemi thrill'
You can not but help be enchanted by their devilish beats, maniacal riffs and the lead singer's hypnotic growls. I love the way they play and the raw passion for the love of music shows. The energy level in their sunday night is mindblowing and contagious and usually leads up to a few broken bones (just kidding!) but on a more serious note, kudos goes to the band for keeping us rocking throughout the evening, week after week.

'Fake, don't you know we're so completely fake'
They hit you with stuff you don't really want to hear and yet you stand entranced for the two hours that they play for the simple reason that they speak the truth. Be it about life, love, war and just about anything, there's always something to relate to, there's always something to think about long after the band has stopped playing and the curtains have drawn to a close.

JUNE

nayantara mazumder

Is a student

Music: Varied

Is a CD Freak because:

Miles Davis had once said "Don't play what's there, play what's not there".

I could hardly think of any other bands, in my knowledge, which have done, and been successful at, what Davis advises, apart from Cassini's Division.

For me, it all started with "Urban Phenomenon". I had no idea who Cassini's Division were. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time one particular pleasant (in retrospect, definitely so!) Sunday evening. I heard CD perform "Urban Phenomenon". And I was hooked.

I do not know what to say about them, which has not already been said before. What their music does to me, and to the numerous others who have been fortunate enough to hear them, is unfathomable. Be it their lyrics, their tunes, their stage presence or their empathy with their audience, it leaves me with a million things to say which just don't get voiced because I'm so tongue-tied. Their music doesn't just get to me; it becomes a part of me. It doesn't just catch one off guard; it breaks walls. It doesn't labour to attain reactions; it does so effortlessly. It doesn't just make my every Sunday; it gives me a big reason to keep going throughout the week. :)

Their sound is so completely different from anything I've ever heard before. I'm far from being the last word on music, but in all honesty, my vision and knowledge, regarding the brand of music CD plays, were blinkered, till CD happened to me. I'd never been exposed to too much alternative/punk rock before, and whatever I'd heard I did not like. CD not only changed that, they also helped me broaden my horizons. As clichéd as it may sound, I'm a lot more broad-minded today because of them.

Needless to say (its been enumerated by most of the preceding Freaks) the band consists of human beings par excellence. No "rockstar" attitude; no snobbish behaviour; no "I'm-too-good-for-you" treatment meted out to the fans. Just four awesome people who have the balls to do what they want, play what they love, and are courageous enough to give a flying fuck what covers-and-unoriginality-loving people in the city might think of them. I feel good knowing them. I feel good listening to them. I love them.

Correction. I'm fanatical about them. :)

abhirup chakrabarty

Is a Engg. student

Music: A Rock and Metal Freak!!!

Is a CD Freak because:

Early this year, one fine Sunday evening I was introduced to the music of my main reason for frequenting Some Place Else - CD (that's Cassini's Division for the uninitiated). The first day they simply blew me away. Their on-stage intensity, the lyrics, the band chemistry & tightness, the fresh & the mind blowing original music is something for which you crave for here in Kolkata, where majority of the bands are busy growing up just playing covers of well-known classic rock bands.

Since that first day, I have been a regular to the CD shows & can proudly proclaim that I have not been disappointed even for a single second. The electrifying ambiance, the crazy mosh pits (actually, I had my specs flying away during one such eccentric mosh pit & hola, I got them back after the show all in one piece!! HAH!!) and the mass euphoria that CD can conjure is magnanimous & all these factors combine to make my Sunday evenings even more special... making me long for even more.

The down-to-earth attitude of the band members is another factor which makes them a fan favourite. Their sturdy vision, the iron determination & the urge to go on about their usual business without giving a damn about what those faceless (& somewhat conservative) critics say makes them special. Although the path they have chosen (lets accept the truth... here in Kolkata there is very little scope for original English music & more specifically in the genre which CD works on) is a difficult one to tread, the CD army wishes them "All The Best" for all their future endeavours. You guys have already proven that you are the best & will remain so.

To conclude, in CD lingo, "Each day we prove another point" & "Now we've got to get higher, higher than we've ever been before"!!

MAY

samita chatterjee

Is a Corporate Slave

Music: Varied

Is a CD Freak because:

I’ve drafted and redrafted this write up more number of times than all the wretched audit reports I’ve had to draft for a whole year. There is so much to say, I’ll probably not be able to put into words half of it. Should I tell you how much I love them as musicians or how admirable I find them as individuals? The line has kind of blurred for me.

There's something very unusual that’s been happening on Sunday evenings. 6pm, Someplace Else; the weekly haunt of a deviant bunch. You'd forget you're in a society where mediocrity is celebrated, a place where whenever something remotely new comes up, gets copied till you want to smash every radio set in earshot. You'd find four musicians who've created something more than just music. You'd find yourself in the middle of a creed that has formed around Cassini's Division. It is not just a bunch of fans anymore.

And it takes more than musical talent to create something like that. It takes vision and conviction; and in a country like ours, a hell lot of courage to be doing this. I love their music, I find them inspiringly talented, but of all things what I love most about them is their courage to have given up everything to make original music. By creating this great music they have not just created an audience for their kind of music in the city, but this is an example for future bands. Their story is an inspiration; and at this point, whatever other success that may come, what has already been achieved is to me sensational.

All progress depends on the unreasonable man, this one brilliant man had once said. But that progress does not come without a price; that unreasonable man has to pay that price so that the world may adapt to him. And what Cassini’s Division has achieved through all the struggles that they have had to go through, and are going through, is the price that they pay so we may be inspired and entertained.

So, hey, thank you!

APRIL

abra (prabudha sinha)

Is a Student of Engineering

Music: Metal, Rock, Jazz, Blues, Flamenco, Indian Classical (instrumental - speedy tabla recitals mainly), etc.

Is a CD Freak because:

Inspiration! A dedication to eliminate the delicacy when one was decamping from the difficulty, trying to survive against the nostalgia, demolishing the barriers for a new revolution. Cobain chose mortality, Picasso had sex, Dali used to sleep in order to capture his dreams in surreal art, and Ken Kesey indulged in LSD. Whatever they did, they did to prevent the dreaded writer's block that attacks one unwittingly, but surely. For inspiration is life – and there is no point living if you can't feel the life. Almost all artists have gone through these phases. Some last & some lost!

But the greatness of any great music is its universality and its uniqueness – the uniqueness is what you give to what you listen; the originality that can motivate “The Huygens’ Orbit”, that can tribute one’s Void soul, that can promise to gift smiles to all… and this is what I love in the music of Cassini’s Division.

The music of CD cannot be really classified as Nu Metal/ Punk Rock/ Alternative/ Modern Rock/ Grunge… it is in short, a mix of a nice-soothing rhythmic “NOISE” contained with catchy lyrics. They are not a run-of-the-mill type of band concerned with performing only monotonous over-played covers. They are a band that welcomes the dawning of a new day and have successfully cultivated the NEW.

My time spent with the band has been wonderful – and I wish to experience more of their experiments to cluster my enjoyment and to breath the fresh-air that they had already introduced to our City Of Joy’s music scenario.

MARCH

anisha ahmed

Is a Student of English

Music: This is a toughie, I listen to anything that I can lay my hands on <heh> Umm, rock and metal (sub-genres included), indie, alternative, eclectic music and some jazz. Mostly, off-beat/ non-mainstream stuff.

Is a CD Freak because:

Cassini’s Division. Well, I’ve been to only two of their shows, I don’t head-bang, I don’t sing-a-long too often and I tend to panic a little in a mosh-pit. Don’t quite fit the “fan” stereotype but I’m allergic to the word anyway so I shall stick to friend.

My first brush with CD was on a personal level with a band-member, then at SPE and finally I walked into their rehearsal at Liberty Hall, uninvited but welcome. The vibe in the “oven” was astounding!

When it comes to music, CD has stuck to their brand of original music refusing to pimp themselves out. It is pointless trying to categorize them, their marriage of melody and lyrics cuts across all genres. Their tracks are marked by an intensity that gets underneath your skin and breeds there, spreading.

Besides the music, what is amazing about the band is their ability to shred the audience-performer barricade. You don’t listen to their music, you become part of it. They aren’t “studio artists” but performers with the capacity to make you sit-up and take notice.

FEBRUARY

dipanjan biswas

Is a Student of Engineering

Music: All flavours of rock and metal and a bit of the blues as well.

Is a CD Freak because:

The reason I love Cassini's Division so much? Well, in one line - I love the band becoz of their sound, lyrics, the originality in their compositions, their on-stage energy and becoz of the love and happiness they share with their fans while performing their songs and whilst doing their thing on stage.

Cassini's Division is a band that have mastered the art of blending melody with NOIZE to make mature compositions. And their lyrics are so similar and close to our daily life experiences thatI feel real good - their songs make me feel different and yet they are about stuff which we encounter everyday!

The band members are real warm and friendly and extremely nice people and yet they are also serious and have a steel determination becoz the path they have chosen to tread is very tough. Becoz being in a modern rock band in the kolkata rock circuit is difficult - where most people respect and listen to only classic rock bands and are more happier listening to only covers on the live rock circuit in this city, performed by bands who happen to play the sme classic rock tracks year after year!

Cassini's is the 1st band in Kolkata (and one of the very few in this country) who are experimenting and trying out a new sound, and this is making them popular on the Indian rock music scene.

I feel so thrilled when I hear their new songs and I do hope Cassini's is going to be one of the most popular bands in India... not just in India but also around the world - and I shall forever remain a fan and a CD freak as long as they exist in musicdom!

JANUARY

prasanna singh

Is a IT Professional

Music: Metalhead

Is a CD Freak because:

Why am I a Cassini's Division freak?? Hmmm.

I've been asked this question many times and I've always told everyone the same old story. So I guess I should stick to it to avoid any discrepancies - I certainly don't want people to start thinking that "oooh, CD is featuring him so he's making up some cock-and-bull shit to impress the ladies"

And its pretty simple actually:

Cassini's Division are the only band in the City Of Joy who have got the formula for success right:

1> They compose excellent songs with thought-provoking lyrics (if you're a fan of: "You are my samosa, you are my masala dosa - don't tell me bye bye" - then CD isn't the band for you!).

2> They have incorporated a cutting edge heaviness to their music that no band in this city has managed to do. And not too many bands have kinda sound in India as well. And needless to say - I LOVE THAT SOUND!

3> They have a vision and they have stuck to it - despite their path being strewn with thorns and other obstacles... and that alone has earned them my respect a 1000-fold.

4> Each band member is down to earth and downright approachable - and if they weren't I wouldn't have been much of a fan now would I? - CD aren't like other bands in the circuit. They truly care about their fans and well-wishers. There isn't an aura of "artificiality" around them, something that I find most rock bands in this city to have - "Hey I'm a rock star, so don't bother me mister!"... CD aren't like this at all.

Anyway, the sum-total of all the above reasons has made me what I am today - a Cassini's Division freak. Sounds pretty boring doesn't it?

But the truth generally is. In fact most hard-core fans out there will pretty much give you the same reasons that I've listed above... and that would reiterate my points now wouldn't they?

WELCOME TO THE PARTY - and it's only just begun!!.