Although use of the sitar and sitar-like riffs in rock are most closely associated with George Harrison, doesn’t Ray Davies claim that The Kinks‘ use of sitar-like guitar tunings in “See My Friends” is rock’s first foray into Raga Rock? Who am I to argue? I’m sure there’s a rock nerd around here who can cite an obscure rock single from 1961 that first used a sitar. What I want to talk about is Raga Rock itself.
I thought about doing this as a Last Man Standing piece, but that could go on forever and serve no real purpose. Rather, I’d like your thoughts on some of the following issues, among others you’re sure to bring to the table:
- Do you typically look forward, whether sincerely or in hopes of getting a laugh, to rock artists’ attempt at this style?
- What’s your favorite Raga Rock song?
- What band/artist – that did – would you have least expected to record a Raga Rock number?
- What band/artist, to the best of your knowledge, would you have most expected to record in this vein – yet has not?
- What variations on the Raga Rock approach have you found most impressive?
As for this last question, The Rascals‘ “Stop and Think” has always been one of my favorite overlooked Raga Rockers. I like the way they bring their soulful sounds into what’s usually a style of rock song that brings out the reediness in a band.
Excluding garage rockers of all decades and The Byrds, it’s not often that American musicians try their hand at Raga Rock, is it? Steve Earle‘s excellent “Transcendental Blues” is one example of truly American rock ‘n roll calling on this approach that comes to mind.
Do hard rock/heavy metal dudes beside Led Zeppelin ever look to the East?
Hate to do the old P-N on you, Mr. Mod, but it was “See My Friends” that was the Kinks song that allegedly introduced Raga Rock. It did come out in 1965 & was a Top 10 UK hit, although it didn’t do anything here.
Another practitioner of Raga Rock in the ’60s was Donovan starting w/”Sunshine Superman”.
Corrected, diskojoe. Thanks for pointing out the error of my ways!
Also there are no actual sitars on “See My Friends,” just guitars played with sitar-like chords and/or tunings.
Elastica, “Indian Song.”
Anything else ANYBODY would like to Pince Nez me on? 🙂
I’m going to have to have a talk with my personal research staff.
I would like to direct your attention to a file I uploaded to Gmail some time ago, entitled “The Vox Wah Wah Pedal.mp3” because, as they point out, you can use it to sound like a sitar.
Enjoy, if you didn’t already hear it.
Just added it to The Main Stage, cher, as an RTH “ad.” Thanks for the reminder!
Warren Zevon used sitar on “Bad Karma”, but said it was for comedic effect.
“What band/artist – that did – would you have least expected to record a Raga Rock number?”
John Hiatt used one on Like Your Dad Did.
Not to add a P-Nez on a P-Nez, but I thought The Yardbirds “Heart Full Of Soul” introduced Raga Rock.
I guess the descendant of raga rock would be Bollywood-influenced stuff like Cornershop (whose Brimful of Asha was an irresistible pop hit in the late 90s) and the Buddha Beats series of compilations.
And to state the obvious, which is part of my job here, the reason the British take to this influence more readily than Americans is that their colonial history has meant a large south Asian population in the UK for many decades.
It’s not raga rock because he was a Punjabi Sufi Muslim from Pakistan, but Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan has been on my virtual turntable a lot lately. The crossover album Michael Brook produced for him called Mustt Mustt is very good.
cdm. “Your Dad Did” is a good example of an unexpected artist working in this style.