The Gods
If in Cricket there is only one God among many highly ranked mortals, then even in music, there has only been one band which could lay claim to the status of being Greater than Jesus. You already know the 2 people I am talking about, Sachin Tendulkar and The Beatles. The similarities dont only end here, lonetivity of their art is another common factor joining them. If Sachin is being nominated for the Cricketer of the Year in his 22nd year of playing, then a look at the playing stats of last.fm would give an idea as to the Numero Uno status of Beatles almost 50 years since their beginning.
If Sachin’s word was considered as final in the Sydneygate, then there’s an incident related by Pattie Boyd, about a party hosted by Rolling Stones which she and George Harrison were attending and (as expected) there were drugs going on, but it was only after the two left the party that the Police raided the venue, signifying the respect even the police had for the “Tops of the Pop”
The Trouble Children
The man who flaunted his bare chest in the Lords pavillion, who got under the nose of even the hard headed Australians, who was the first Indian to have the eye for eye attitude for anything thrown at him, the guy who is perhaps the most hated and loved one in recent indian cricket history could find no other comparison in music world other than The Rolling Stones. You wouldnt be hard pressed to find occasions when Saurav Ganguly crossed the line, similarly instances abound when The Stones were presented before the court for their unruly behaviour.
The Ones who Changed it all
Kumble came with his flipper and the bounce and pace, weapons unknown for a leg spinner and flummoxed batsmen all around, forming the holy trinity of bowling with Murali & Shane Warne. While Dylan came along with his baritone voice, the acoustic guitar, the harmonica and became the spokesman of people in the most eventful decade of the century again forming the Holy Trinity of Classic Rock with Beatles & The Stones. Both of them lacked the usual talents required in their field of choice(Spin/turn for Kumble, Good voice & music for Dylan) yet no one can deny the fact that Kumble is the man who won India most no of test matches and at times can only be considered second to just Sachin in stature while most of the music magazines put Dylan at the second pedestal just after the Beatles.
The Closest to Gods
Led Zeppelin are at times called the Beatles of 70s, their effect on the music scene of 70s and thereafter if not greater than Beatles, is almost as good as them, while the only regret The Wall would ever have is, had Sachin not been his contemporary, he might have a shot at being considered the best India ever produced.
The Special Ones
While Clapton was the one who defeated Harrison in a guitar duel, Very Very Special Laxman is the only batsman of the current generation whose batting can at times overshadow Sachin’s when it comes to the sheer beauty with hardly any people ever coming close to the celebrated duo. While Layla will forever be remembered as the only song to chart in 3 different decades and as perhaps the best example of romantic ballad in Rock History. The epic 281 in Kolkata will forever be remembered in annals of Indian Cricket as perhaps the best Innings ever played by an Indian. The beauty with which a ball way outside outside off is flicked through midwicket can only be matched by the enthralling solos which Clapton has managed to produce over time.
Honourable Mention:
The Golden Oldies
While Elvis’s shot to fame was the fact that he was a white man producing the kind of music only associated with blacks (Blues were the preferred genre of white musicians back then), Kapil Dev was the one who brought fast bowling into India a land known primarily for its stylist batsmen and menacing spinners. If Kapil Dev had both the boxes ticked in form of Batting and Bowling, then The King of Rock & Roll, was almost as famous for his movies as for his music. If the King, with Hips that swivelled from Africa to America made performing sexy, then the Haryana Hurricane with his power hitting was the one who brought excitement into a country filled with technically sound yet somewhat dull batsmen(read Gavaskar and likes).
Parting Shot
Geniuses on fire
You never knew what Hendrix would do with a guitar in his hand, and the same goes for Sehwag with a bat in his hands. They just blow everything away in a storm of their show
Ye Meri Life hai... 