Amit Saigal resides in my house...and I will tell you how! A poster of Jim Morrsion (this is one of Morrison's best picture I have ever come across) framed in a glass photoframe hangs on one of the corridors of our house. Somewhere on the poster is written Rock Street Journal. This poster was part of a cover story on Morrison in one of the late-nineties issues of Rock Street Journal (RSJ) - which I use to religiously read as a teenager.
RSJ is and will be the soul of Amit Saigal - the evangelist of rock music in India.
I grew up in an age where the Internet was not there. I could only lay my hands on the RSJ - as it was the only source for news and stories on rock music and musicians. While it was great fashion in those days to write the names of rock bands on our school bags, I used to fondly await the arrival of every new issue of RSJ so that I could get the posters of my favourite rock stars and paste in on my room walls.
I remember having visited Amit's residence in Hauz Khas, Delhi with my friend, Meema, around 8 years back. Amit was a good host and spent a good deal of time with us passionately talking about his Great India Rock concerts. His house breathed music, just as he walked and talked music - as he introduced us to his several musician guests. I have always felt that these genuine rock aficionados have this rock thing going on in them - you could make out from their mannerisms which are natural but true to a rocker..Amit was one of them...a true rocker but modest.
It was just in November last year that I saw this man in almost-shoulder length hair in a long black kurta and black trousers, walking to have a paan in Prince Paan in GK 1 M Block. I went and re-introduced myself and it was a pleasure talking to him. He told me about those many rock concerts that he is organising and that he is getting many bands from the North East to come to to the forefront. There was a certain sense of calmness and also accomplishment in his eyes that I could recall of my last meeting with him, as we had a brief chat that afternoon.
I have always had a high regard for Amit Saigal - who in a very novel manner took up the responsibility as an entreprenuer to provide Indians a worthy magazine on rock music to read. From a small magazine that started out from Allahabad, Amit Saigal and RSJ came brands in themselves over the years. Under the RSJ banner, we have seen some great live music by bands from India and abroad, in what Amit started - the Great India Rock concert and the Pub Rock concert.
Amit, as I write this to pay You my tributes, You remember of these lines from Pink Floyd's song...
"Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun
Shine on you crazy diamond..."
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