'A Novel with Real Rockstars Instead of Superheroes!'

Book: রক যাত্রা (Journey of 'Bengali' Rock)

Writer: Milu Aman

Genre: Historical-Fiction

Target Reader: Adult

Publisher: Pearl Publications (Book Fair Stall#353-356)

1st Published: February 2017

©: Writer

Dedicated to: Rock Music Lovers

Cover: Imtiaz Zenin

Price: 135/- (At Book Fair: approx.100/-)

ISBN: 978-984-495-252-2

The writer calls it a 'novel', which to an extent it is, but it walks straight on a tight rope between fiction and non-fiction. Like the name suggests, it is the journey of Bengali Rock Music but seen through the eyes of a young boy who is a crazy fan of the world rock music.

One can easily guess the timeline of the story that's being told as it starts with the guitar legend of Bangladesh Niloy Das being alive. But his friend, yet another legend, Happy Akhand, being no more and his multiple references to the change of 'Metric Examination' to 'SSC'. However, the writer, all through the 'novel' hops around frantically between different musical eras of the Bengali Rock Music Scene starting from the 60's (then East Pakistan) till the popular Bengali rock band 'Souls,' finally ending up with Partha Barua as the Vocal.

This is important information regarding this book since this specific band was created in Chittagong, and not Dhaka. In fact, Chittagong witnessed the creation of the most number of 'super-hit' musicians -- Kumar Biswajit, Tapan Chouwdhury, Ayub Bacchu, Nakib Khan, Pilu Khan, and of course Nasim Ali Khan. And I kid you not, the names that I just dropped are only a few that play a role in the book.

Azam Khan, Nayan Munshi, Firoj Shai, Maqsoodul Haque, Omar Khaled Rumi, Fuad Naser Babu, Sekander Ahmed Khoka, Shaikh Shahed Ali, Popsi, Selim Haidar, Ahmed Fazal, Lucky Akhand, Rocket, Hablu Ferdous, Hamin and Shafin Ahmed, James, Komol, Reshad -- and so many more including Mr Murad and Mr Kabir of the- 'Legendary Rainbow Music Store Era' and even the legend Imtiaz Alam Beg 'The Band' Photographer made the list.

Although, this book full of historical facts, starts with a boy (the narrator), Milon's yearn for a guitar, and his music loving yet pious and well-educated family of seven children, in the middle they somehow vanish from the scene, and returns later. In a nutshell, the book revolves around a rather 'factual' Journey of Bengali Rock Music.

As a 'fiction lover' I was slightly disappointed, but countless anecdotes about real life Rockstars kept me reading the book with no complains! I believe, that would also be the same case for Bangla music lovers.

However, I missed the stories of forming BAMBA, an account of some stepping stones on how the 'Band Music' industry turned to an 'acceptable culture' from a 'degenerate culture', the bad boys' playground i.e. concerts turned to a place for all, etc. But again, this book gave me a ride to my nostalgic days- secretly listening to band songs, saving money for cassettes and exchanging them among friends, covertly going to concerts, and how a concert pass to us was more valuable than the Golden Ticket to Charlie's Chocolate Factory!

I personally thank the writer for 'Rock Jatra' (what beautiful word-play) and request the contemporary, young, established and budding musicians to buy and read this book. One would definitely get tot know the struggles and fights against the then mainstream-mughals by the same legends whom some of you consider backward and mere oldies!

Anik Khan is a Poet and Journalist.