Travis Barker Talks Grammy Performance With Eminem, Lil Wayne, Drake

'I have yet to rehearse,' Blink-182 drummer tells MTV News of his performance at Sunday's show.

By James Montgomery, with reporting by Kelly Marino

Travis Barker is eternally busy. Blink-182. Solo album. Clothing company. You name it, he's probably got his hand in it. That's why you can't blame him if he's not totally up to speed on his performance with Drake, Lil Wayne and Eminem at Sunday's Grammy Awards. Sometimes, these things tend to pile up.

"I have yet to rehearse [with anyone]. I got a call, like, on Tuesday. Everyone found out a day after I did. So, I don't know exactly what I'm doing yet," Barker told MTV News on Friday (January 29) in his Los Angeles studio. "I'm just a part of it. I know I'm playing drums. I know it's a performance with Eminem, Drake, myself and Lil Wayne. I think it might be 'Forever.' "

That seems likely. After all, both Em and Wayne contributed verses to Drake's "Forever," and Barker contributed a blazing remix of the song earlier this year. But the Blink drummer's night won't just stop there. He's apparently also set to perform with Wayne on a version of "Drop the World," from Weezy's upcoming Rebirth album (that track also features Em), which makes it sound very much like there's a medley on tap.

"Yeah, I think we're doing a medley, a couple of songs," Barker laughed. "I think 'Drop the World' is in. Maybe."

And while a combo of Barker, Drake, Eminem and Wayne would certainly rival the"Swagga Like Us" performance at last year's Grammys (which featured Jay-Z, Kanye West, T.I., Weezy and M.I.A. sharing the stage), there's still one big question: Will West — who has been lying low since his infamous outburst at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards — show up on Sunday to perform his verse on "Forever"? Not surprisingly, Barker isn't exactly sure.

"I don't know. Someone said he's in Hawaii, writing an album," he smiled. "I would stay there."

Sweet music therapy to the cure, no more medicines to endure!

Raga Jogiya, Bhairavi, Malhar, Darbari are no longer just music to the ears, but also a form of treatment, recovery, prevention and improvement. Rejoice! The melodious Indian Classical music is being used to affect miraculous cures, for quicker post operative recovery, treating infertility, preventing natal handicaps in new-born as also to develop concentration and memory in youth and children.

Different ragas are used to cure different ailments. Dr Sucheta Rakshit, music therapist practising at a hospital here informs that she studies the history of each patient which includes his living style, the food habits, the medical records and even the astrological signs. The therapy is prescribed accordingly. A woman with a rural background would be preferably advised natural soothing sounds akin to sea, wind and river, she explains.

The ragas of Indian classical music are classified according to `pahar' (the time period of a day), and the therapy mandates hearing the raga in the ordained pahar only. For example hyperactive people are prescribed morning ragas. The morning ragas are those that should be listened to in the morning. These include Raga Jogiya, Bhairavi, Todi, Bilash todi and Lalit etc. The afternoon ragas consist of Soodh Sarang, Jaunpuri, Bhim palasi with Raga Yaman, Bihag, Kalyan and Sudh kalyan constituting the evening ragas. The night ragas would include Darbari Kanada and Adana.

Music therapy is being used extensively in a hospital here for patients of neurology and gynaecology departments with amazing results. Dr Prakash Khaitan, neurosurgeon here says, "We are using music therapy along with medicines and it has been seen that the recovery has been much faster than with just medicines." He recounts recent cases where post operative recovery has been quicker due to music therapy.

"I operated a 60-year-old woman who was suffering from haemaephalagia (half body is paralysed). She was given music therapy along with the medicines and we saw that she regained consciousness, vision, sensations and movement of body parts much faster than in earlier cases. The recovery period came down to nearly half, he recalled." Dr Khaitan mentions another case of an agitated 40-year-old male patient with a severe head injury. "We performed a CT scan on him and as we were preparing for the operation, we played music which had a becalming effect on him. A repeat scan immediately thereafter showed reduced inflammation in brain which implies that music therapy leads to some kind of activation of brain cells. These indications are extremely encouraging," he gushes.

Many ailments can be cured with music only. Raga Bhairavi helps in curing asthma and cold as also sleeplessness. Raga Malhar, Raga Sorath, Raga Jaijiwanti are used to get rid of mental stress. Further, Raga Sarang cures headache, Raga Darbari improves heart condition, Raga Pancham reduces stomach disorders and Raga Shivranjini enhances memory. To energise the body, refresh the mind, to mitigate migraine and even in treatment of psychiatric cases like insomnia, music therapy is very effective. "In severe cases we start the therapy with only instrumental music which is later upgraded to vocal music, informs," Dr Sucheta.

"We recommend that the patient should listen to the music during the advised time period with a headphone. In operative recovery cases, we give the music therapy to patients twice a day (mornings and evenings). Usually each session is an hour long. The room should be dark and if that is not possible then eyes should be covered with a dark coloured eye band. The patient should be comfortable so that musical vibrations seep into the body," she adds.

Dr Vandana Bansal, gynaecologist and IVF specialist, feels that music is the essence of life and has an immense becalming effect on the mind. "I personally, too, believe in music therapy. When I perform operations, I prefer to play a soothing music in the operation theatre. Also after a tiring day I listen to the recommended music and feel rejuvenated," she says.

Music therapy helps cure infertility and autistic children (children born with a handicap). Both these are directly related to mental stress. Music therapy is showing positive results in post delivery and post operative recovery of patients. "We plan to use music therapy in our IVF techniques also," informs Dr Bansal.

With the world's first music therapy programme launched in Michigan State University in 1944, today music is also being used to overcome depression, to enhance concentration and memory in children as also develop intellect and creativity in youth. The seven notes of music may soon turn out to be the seven wonders of the medical world!

A Well Rounded Musical Education Includes Theory

Within the musical community, there is a debate about the value of music theory that will probably never ends. Is it important to study music theory scales, or is it much better to just dive into the music and experience it viscerally. The proponents of learning the theory regarded it as an essential part of knowing how to play music. You can learn by trial and error, they say, but you would do much better to benefit from the knowledge of other people. Not learning music theory when you play music is like refusing to learn arithmetic when you are studying math.

The other side, however, has just a strong of an argument. They claim that music theory worksheets are stifling. The point of music, they argue, is creativity. You should dive into it and experience it viscerally. Learning the theory of music too early on can stifle the imagination. Although it is alright to learn music theory chords later on, it is much less important than having some experience actually playing music.

I used to be on the latter site, but I have recently switched opinions. You see, I learned music without music theory. I didn't even know music colors theory, much less the more formal and rigorous stuff. To me, you see, playing music was almost a physical experience. I could feel the sounds and textures around me. I didn't really need someone telling me what the structures meant. I could tell what they meant with my entire soul.

As I have matured as a musician, however, I have seen the use and the need for music theory. I have even begun to use music theory worksheets, and I hope to understand it pretty thoroughly within the next couple years. You see, the most important thing about theory is that it gives you a good vocabulary to talk about music.

I believe that you can learn to play anything without music theory. What you can not do, however, is to talk to other people about it. If you don't know the names of the chords, the different scales and progressions, and the rhythmic patterns that define various forms of music, how can you tell other musicians what you want? Learning about music is almost as important as learning language if you really want to collaborate with other people. Without it, it is very difficult to express yourself and ask people for what you want. Why make life difficult?

World music, dance come to Abu Dhabi

ADACH to host exceptional world music, dance performance in January, February featuring African rhythms, Flamenco, Kathak.

Habib Koite

ABU DHABI - Featuring the best of contemporary world music and dance, the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) continues its unique initiative World Stage by hosting three exceptional artistic experiences this January and February.

Authentic music lovers will witness an extraordinary performance of internationally acclaimed Malian musician Habib Koite on January 21 at the Cultural Foundation in the capital.

Koite, famous for his exuberant guitar-playing and vibrant African rhythms, and his supporting cast, Bamada, a super-group of West African talent, including Kélétigui Diabate, have graced numerous world music festival stages and won an array of awards for their chart-topping albums.

In January 24 and 25 ADACH will host another breath taking flamenco nights at Emirates Palace Hotel Auditorium by Joaquin Cortes who needs no introduction to Flamenco and dance lovers; he single handedly re-defined the language of Spanish dance when he was only in his twenties. Since then he has embarked on a superstar career constantly pushing the limits of movement and drawing inspiration from his gypsy heritage and contemporary sensibilities. In Abu Dhabi he presents show CALE - his brand new flamenco extravaganza with forty dancers on stage.

Akram Khan, one of the world's top contemporary dance choreographers is partnering with ADACH to present a two-year international co-production reflecting the artistic heritage of the Middle East. His first piece, Gnosis, presents a sublime combination of traditional Indian Kathak dance and contemporary movement with Arab Oud and Qanoon musicians live on stage. The performance has already garnered rave reviews after its recent premiere in London's Sadler's Wells Theatre and receives its Middle East premiere in Abu Dhabi before touring the region.

The show will be staged on February 25 and 26 on Abu Dhabi Theatre (Marina Mall area).