Reason

a page of my diary

We all came into this world for a reason. Or at least we would like to think we did. How do we know what that reason is? How do we know if we aren’t just traveling down the wrong path? How do we pick our battles? How do we define our victories? How do we tell apart our foes from our friends? How do we choose who to trust?

Do people come into our lives only to go away? Do they even realize that they all leave a mark on us? Why do people go away? Can we make them stay if we try? If we really really try?

Is there any such thing as normalcy? Who defines the range of normal functioning? Who decides when the line is being crossed? How can we tell between the good and the bad? And what about the ugly?

If we do something right, can it still feel wrong? Should we apologize for something we didn’t do? Should we forgive and forget? Do we really have to forget?

How do we know when to wait and when to go for it? When to speak and when to remain quiet? When to laugh and when to cry? When to hold on and when to let go? Should we go with the flow or make a statement? Sing along or march to our own beat? Be a part of the crowd or be different and risk being termed a freak?

Should we prefer silence over noise? Solitude over company? How do we know if someone is genuine or fake? How can we tell if someone cares?

Does anyone care?

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 14th January, 2005

2004 - A musical retrospective

cover story

National

Bands. Splits.
We could hardly have predicted most of these splits. Some of them even left us wondering why...
- Jal: After the success of their very first song 'Aadat', the members of Jal parted ways, both sides giving their own reasons for the split. Atif released his debut album 'Jalpari', which was soon followed by the release of Goher's band's album 'Aadat'.
- Aaroh: Vocalist Farooq and bassist Khalid split with guitarist Nabeel and keyboardist Kamran, and both sides ended up claiming the rights to Aaroh. As a result, one side (Farooq, Khalid, Jason and Haider) released the video for their track 'Na Kaho', while the other (Nabeel, Kamran, Rahat, Sameer, Qaisar and Shehzad Mughal) recorded a new version of 'Sawal' and went to Mumbai to perform their track that appears on the soundtrack of 'Rakht'.
- Junoon: After playing with the band for over a decade, Junoon's bassist Brian O' Connell left the band. Guitarist Salman Ahmed cited Brian's unraveling personal life as the reason for the parting of ways. The band performed with Mekaal Hassan on their Summer of '04 tour and the Mekaal Hasan Band was the opening act for some of their shows.
- Noori: Mohammad Ali Jafri announced that he was leaving Noori to pursue 'other ventures'. Ali Noor, Ali Hamza and Gumby are continuing with the band and are currently working on their second album.

Us and them
The fame of Pakistani pop truly reached far and wide this year.
- Strings: The duo recorded the track 'Jeet Lo Dil' with the Indian group Euphoria, which was the official song for the India-Pakistan cricket series. Their song 'Najanay Kyoun' was featured on one of the versions of the 'Spiderman 2' soundtrack and the video for the track was filmed in Mumbai. The Strings also toured India and released the video for their track 'Bolo Bolo' which featured vocals by Indian singer Hari Haran. Their album 'Dhanni' was crowned number one on the India pop charts. The year also saw the Strings nominated for the 'Most Stylish Person In Music (Male)' award for the MTV Style Awards and the band won the 'Best Band' award at the first Sangeet Awards that were held at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
- Junoon: The video for Junoon's track 'Ghoom Tana' featured appearances by Nandita Das and Naseeruddin Shah and included vocals by Shubha Mudgal.
- Fuzon: Two Australian filmmakers filmed a documentary on the alternative music scene of Pakistan and shot Fuzon recording their new album. The team then went to Delhi with Fuzon where the band played at a concert called 'Sarhadon Ki Jugalbandi' aimed at promoting peace and cultural exchange between Pakistan and India. In India, Fuzon shared the stage with Indian filmmaker Gulzar, sufi singer Kailash Kher, fusion band Indian Ocean, Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and poet Ferhat Shah. And the video for Fuzon's song 'Deewane' featured Indian actress Urmila Mantondkar.
- Noori: The band released an online demo version of 'Naya Jahan', their duet with Indian singer Anaida. Noori, that just might have set a record this year by performing 110 concerts in 42 days, launched their online record label 'Lighthead Records' with the international release of their debut album 'Suno Ke Main Hun Jawan' because of the heavy demand for their music by fans living outside Pakistan, especially in the US and Europe.

Sound of the underground
Some underground bands could be heard in the mainstream this year. Album releases, videos, gig...quite a bit happened.
- Call: After more than a decade as an underground band doing English music, Call switched over to Urdu and began work on their first album 'Jilawatan'. The band also released the videos for their songs 'Nishaan' and 'Pukaar'. Entity Paradigm: A merger of two underground bands, EP enjoyed success as a mainstream band and released the videos for their tracks 'Waqt' and 'Hamesha' this year.
- Corduroy: Islamabad based band, Corduroy, released their album, 'The Morning After'. The album launch took place at The Civil Junction, where the band had been performing for about a year.

International

Knot. Tangled.
Some walked down the aisle. And some thought once just wasn't good enough...
- Britney Spears:
Wedding number 1:
Date: 3rd January.
Venue: Las Vegas.
Groom: Her childhood friend Jason Allen Alexander.
Annulment: 55 hour later.
Wedding number 2:
Date: 18th September.
Venue: A Studio City home.
Groom: Kevin Federline, father of 2 with actress Shar Jackson.
- Jennifer Lopez: Five months after breaking her engagement with Ben Affleck, JLo married Marc Anthony at a secret ceremony that was held at her Beverly Hills home, less than a week after Mark divorce his wife. JLo, 33, married Ojani Noa in 1997 and Chris Judd in 2001. Mark Anthony, 34, previously married Miss Universe Dayanara Torres in 2000 and has two sons and a daughter.
- Travis Barker: Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and former Miss USA Shanna Moakler tied the knot on the 30th of October in Santa Barbara, California, and the family will be doing a reality show for MTV, titled 'Meet The Barkers' next year.
- Brandy: Robert Smith revealed that he was never legally married to Brandy and that the couple just played the part to maintain Brandy's image, and a few weeks later, Brandy announced that she was now engaged to NBA player Quentin Richardson.

Breaking up is hard to do ... or is it?
And then there were none. Or four in the last case.
- Sixpence None The Richer: After playing together for nearly a decade and achieved mainstream success with their hit single 'Kiss Me' that earned the band a Grammy nominated, Six Pence None The Richer broke up.
- Creed: The band split up after releasing three highly successful albums, the sales of which summed up to more than 30 million. The band was together for eight years. Creed guitarist Mark Tremonti, drummer Scott Phillips, original bassist Brian Marshall and former Mayfield Four singer Myles Kennedy formed a new band, Alter Bridge.
- Janes Addiction: Considered as one of the most influential acts of the last two decades, Janes Addiction decided to call it a day. The band had been inactive for ten years until they reformed in 2002 and released their album 'Strays' in 2003.
- Westlife: Bryan McFadden left Westlife to work on his own stuff and spend more time with his wife, ex-Atomic kitten and 'I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here' star Kerry Katona, and their two daughters Molly and Lily Sue. Later this year, Bryan and Kerry split up.

Oops!
Someday, they'll look back at these incidents and laugh. Or maybe not.
- Ashlee Simpson: During her performance at Saturday Night Live, Ashlee came onstage to sing 'Autobiography', the title track of her debut album. Instead, a pre-recording of her singing 'Pieces of Me' began playing while she was holding her mic to the side. This lip-synch debacle saw her thrashed with criticism and some of those who had bought her album ended up trading it for other records. As for 'Autobiography' which was scheduled to be released as her next single, well, it wasn't!
- Janet Jackson: Just before the released of her album 'Damita Jo', Janet Jackson's supposed 'wardrobe malfunction' exposed the singer during her performance with Justin Timberlake at the Super Bowl in February, and resulted in CBS' twenty stations being imposed with a $500,000 (£269,359) fine.

Guns, roses and velvet revolvers!
We waited for 'Chinese Democracy'. We waited...and waited...
- GNR: Guns N' Roses' 'Greatest Hits' album was released. Axl Rose and former members Slash and Duff McKagan took legal action to prevent the release of the greatest hits album, but the legal claim was rejected. The band's last studio album 'The Spaghetti Incident' came out in 1993.
- Velvet Revolver: Former GNR members Slash, Duff McKagan, Matt Sorum joined forces with Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland and guitarist Dave Kushner to form the band Velvet Revolver and released their debut album 'Contraband'.
- Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains: GNR guitarist Buckethead quit the band after four years during which no new material was released and formed a new band, Colonel Claypool's Bucket of Bernie Brains, featuring Primus bassist Les Claypool, Parliament/Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell and GN'R drummer Brian 'Brain' Mantia.

And they're still not sure why he won ...
George W Bush was reelected as the US President, but that isn't what most of the musicians wanted. Well, at least they tried!
- Eminem: Em called George W. Bush 'the real weapon of mass destruction' in his single 'Mosh', the animated video of which was released just before the US presidential elections. The track appeared on the rappers album 'Encore' that was released in November.
- A Perfect Circle: APC's album 'eMOTIVe' was released on the US Election Day and features 10 political themed cover songs. The band released an anti-Bush video for one of the two new songs on the album, 'Counting Bodies Like Sheep To The Rhythm Of The War Drums'.
- Punk Voter Coalition: US punk rockers united to form the Punk Voter Coalition that aimed to stop George W Bush from being reelected, and included bands such as NOFX and Anti-Flag.

Hail to the thief?
And just where were the security guards?
- Elvis Presley: The Elvis Presley museum, Elvis-A-Rama, was robbed and stuff including rings, a gold-plated pistol and other belongings, worth over $300,000 (£180,000), were stolen. A pair of the Kings 'blue suede shoes', however, was left untouched.
- George Harrison: The former Beatles' lyrics and photographs were stolen from his sister Lou Harrison's car while she was donating memorabilia to a library.

Idol
And India got its first taste of the Idols phenomenon this year.
- World Idol: Norway's Kurt Nilsen won the World Idols competition that featured the winners of the various Idol shows that have been carried out all over the world. Kelly Clarkson from the US came in second, Belgian Peter Evrard was third, Heinz Winkler from South Africa fourth and Britain's Will Young finished fifth.
- American Idol: Fantasia Barrino, the 19-year-old single mom from North Carolina, won the third season of American Idol. She beat 16-year-old Diana DeGarmo by a margin of just over one percent.

And the winner is...
- Usher!! The R&B star scored the biggest album of the year and four number one singles. 'Confessions' sold 1.1 million copies in the US in the first week of its release, which became the highest first-week total for any R&B artist! He was also a major winner at the award ceremonies that were held this year and picked up four awards at this years American Music Awards ceremony and 11 trophies at the Billboard Music Awards.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News, 17th December, 2004

Har jaga hai jal

interview

With the release of their song 'Aadat', Jal became a major hit and one of the most talked-about bands on our music scene, and now, almost a year later, after going through a split and subsequent lineup change, the band has release its debut album, also titled 'Aadat'. So we caught up with the guys who have given Us the hits 'Dil Harey' and 'Lamhey' to find out what they've been up to!

The band members are:
- Goher Mumtaz - Composer, songwriter, lead guitarist and vocalist
- Farhan Saeed Butt - Lead vocalist
- Aamir (Shazi) - Bass guitarist

Us: How did the original members of Jal get together? And how was the current lineup formed?
Goher: Well, the new lineup is all about new talent. Shazi, the experienced bass guitarist who was previously a member of the Jupiters and then did some projects with some underground bands, used to come to our jams for playing bass before joining Jal, and now he has joined the band. After the ex-vocalist left, I was looking for another vocalist. And that was when Sultan (of the band Call) told me one day that there is a guy Farhan in his college who had sung 'Aadat' and was appreciated by people a lot. So I thought why not try him out. Then I met him and did a gig with him, and after that things just worked out!
Shazi: And if it's a question of being original, I must say that the original Jal is what it is today. After the video of 'Aadat', Goher required a band setup, and he contacted me for the bass guitars. Initially I joined as a sessionist, but soon we both realized that the band and I suit each other and this is how we got together.

Us: How did 'Aadat' come about?
Goher: 'Aadat' was none other than a feeling of the pure heart. I never knew that I could write, but I did write because I really wanted to make a song! And that was my first attempt. When I was in college, my friends made fun of the lyrics and they were like 'oh come on Goher...it doesn't make any sense' ("ab to aadat cee hai mujh ko"). And now I'm making fun of them!

Us: And then there was the breakup... what happened?
Goher: I never thought that it would go this way. In my view, it was all preplanned to try to kick me out of my own Band and the writer of this story was none other than Atif's brother, who wanted to be the manager and had his own unprofessional way to talk to people who were interested in concerts. I gave him a warning, and then I told Atif that we should change the manager. But he preferred his brother over me, and said leave my band. He thought he will hire someone else and forgot who was the brain behind it. I think he should not have given preference to his brother and continued to work with me in a professional way.

Us: So do you regret the way things went? Or do you think it was all for the better?
Goher: Initially, yes!! I had that regret after the breakup, but when I found Shazi and Farhan. I realize that it's in the interest of the band and of course things aren't in our hands. It's Allah Almighty who makes the changes... maybe He wanted to see me more comfortable with this lineup and I'm really happy with them.
Shazi: Why cry over spilt milk, especially when you aren't even sure it is spilt!

Us: Farhan, after all the hype that 'Aadat' had generated when you weren't a part of the band, was it initially tough for you to fit in?
Farhan: I thought that it would be tough, but the way Khurram Bhai (our manager) managed things and consoled me at every point, it wasn't difficult at all. And above all the support of our fans was the key to where I am today!

Us: Your debut album 'Aadat' came out a few weeks ago. Tell Us about the album.
Goher: Yeah, the album is out and we really worked hard to make it the best. The songs like 'Teri Yaad', 'Ik Din Aaye Ga', 'Panchi', 'Bikhra Hoon Mein', are the big hits and sustain the charm of 'Woh Lamhay', 'Aadat' and 'Dil Haray', because we are getting a lot of feedback from the fans about these undisputed new songs.
Farhan: The album has 11 tracks on it, out of which two are karaoke and many people have the misconception that they are instrumentals! And all our amazing critics who pronounce themselves as experienced writers should know this difference...I saw a review about our album a few days back and that guy didn't know the difference between instrumental and karaoke!
Shazi: We can tell you 'how it was done', but 'how it is' is something only our fans can tell.

Us: The name of the Band isn't mentioned on the album cover. How come?
Farhan: We don't want to do anything against the law. We have all the rights and InshaAllah we'll be coming through the proper channel and don't want to go against the decision of the court.
Goher: It will be on the cover soon.

Us: How did you find working with Meekal Hassan and the guys from EP on the album?
Goher: That was a nice experience. Meekal Hassan is a nice producer and there are only a few people in Pakistan who really know their work. As far as the drumming on the album is concerned, it was done mainly by Salman Albert and by Waqar Khan (who played in 'Bikhra Hoon Mein' and 'Manchala'). And we had a great time working with them. Xulfi, who recorded and produced our album, is a great guy. Although he has a new studio setup, I think he is not less then any professional producer of Pakistan. It was a nice experience working with him too.
Farhan: It was great. Meekal Hassan really enhanced 'Aadat' with his extraordinary skills. And EP, they are all very helpful, but Xulfi the lead guitarist and composer of EP is a gem of a person. It was so much fun to do the album with such a talented, intelligent and passionate guy.
Shazi: Working with different artists is always a healthy experience, and yeah, it was great!

Us: Any personal favourites out of the tracks on the album?
Shazi: Yeah sure. Mine are 'Teri Yaad', 'Bikhra Hoon Mein' and 'Panchi'.
Goher: 'Teri Yaad' and 'Panchi' are my favourites.
Farhan: And 'Teri Yaad' and 'Bikhra Hoon Mein' are my favourite tracks on the album.

Us: How has your experience of performing live been so far?
Goher: Awesome. It's like food for my soul! We have performed around 50 concerts in different cities of Pakistan and we have enjoyed every single bit of it.
Farhan: It's been amazing the way the crowds have supported us throughout. The way they sing with us, they really push us to perform with our full energy and it's been such an amazing experience MashaAllah that we never want to perform on DAT.
Shazi: I have been performing live for 10 years since I started my career, and I always love it.

Us: The influence of music channels on our industry: good or bad?
Shazi: It's good of course.
Goher: Of course good! New channels are coming, which is a good sign, and people do watch TV for any new thing that can only be possible through TV channels.
Farhan: I think music channels are a platform for new talent and it's really been helping a lot in the recent past. But one thing that they should avoid is being biased. They should promote good music and good artists.

Us: Any particular reason for choosing 'Dil Haray' and 'Lamhey' for the first two videos?
Goher: No particular reason. It's just that we had to make them because people were demanding their videos.
Farhan: 'Dil Harey' is one of the powerful tracks of the album and same is the case with 'Lamhey'.
Sahzi: 'Dil Haray' is catchy and 'Lamhey' is touching.

Us: Will there be any more video releases from this album? If yes, then which one is next? And how soon can we expect to see it?
Farhan: Yes, InshaAllah we will be making videos of our powerful tracks for our fans.
Goher: The next video is 'Ik Din Aye Ga' which will be released on Eid and will be aired on various TV channels InshaAllah, and many other videos are in the pipeline too.

Us: What do you guys have planned for the next few months?
Shazi: Concerts, videos and a lot of jams!
Farhan: Rest in Ramadan...then concerts, videos, maybe new album.
Goher: Touring abroad and then will come back and do some gigs in major cities of Pakistan. Plus we are upgrading our website (www.jaltheband.com).

Us: Any message for all your fans?
Farhan: Keep listening to good music. We are here because of you and we are nothing without you. If it happens then it must be possible, so make things happen. Good luck!
Shazi: We are here till you are there, so stay cool and ready to rock... we love you!
Goher: Thanks for supporting the truth and the original Jal. Whatever you want to do, just believe in yourself and remember that everyone has some creativity. Just come out with it and express it to people. Love you all!

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 26th November, 2004

Desi grunge

album review

The first Corduroy track I ever heard was 'Leeway', and two words immediately sprung to mind: Pearl Jam. Since then, everyone I've talked to about the band, and who hasn't actually heard their complete album yet, has generally had two words to say: Pearl Jam. So is Corduroy nothing but a Pearl Jam imitation? Not quite.

The comparisons with Pearl Jam, though quite inevitable because of the undeniable similarities at places, are not completely fair. True their vocalist sounds a lot like Eddie Vedder and the band is indeed called Corduroy (which happens to be a key track on the PJ opus, Vitalogy, although the band have repeatedly denied any connection), and, yes, at places you do hear the sprit of PJ echoing through the music; but if you manage to get past the oh–they–sound–like–PJ phase, you'll see that the band has a lot more to offer. Yes, there's a reflection of REM and the Stone Temple Pilots in there too!

With their first full–length album Corduroy have tried to bring the post grunge alternative sound to the Pakistani audience. Risky. And they've ventured out into the English music territory. Very risky. With the 'success' other local bands singing in English have had so far - Junoon's noodlings generally getting the fast-forward treatment in most boom boxes, and Coven morphing into Noori – one does wonder if it was a wise choice. But rooted in wisdom or not, The Morning After is what the band has come up with, and so far, the reaction from both the critics and their fans (the band has quite a following due to their live performances) has been pretty good. And if nothing else, the band at least deserves credit for doing everything from the production to the pressing and distribution of the CD themselves.

The album kicks off with 'Your Song' (which, thankfully, has no relation to the Elton John track of the same name) and ends with 'Aas', the only Urdu ditty on the set. In between is an amalgam of musings on the self and the society, ranging from the mellower tracks, like 'Wide Awake', 'You're Everywhere' and 'Prologue', to the more hard hitting 'Goddamned', 'Blue Chip' and 'Dystemper'. And it is this variety that keeps the album from becoming monotonous or even trite. But personally, I think the power ballads, though fine as such, aren't the band's biggest strength, and it's the heavier stuff that brings out the best in Corduroy.

As for the lyrics, well, at places, the lyrics have similar characteristics to those displayed by the early 90s Seattle scene. But, surprisingly, they don't always agree to what was said by the aforementioned:
Nirvana's 'Sliver': "Grandma take me home/I wanna be alone" Corduroy's '[end]': "Why don't you bring me home/I don't like being alone"

Yeah, maybe I just think too much. Sarcasm aside, the lyrics are probably the most powerful asset of the disk. The underlying themes are dark and, quite often, depressive and despondent. Some of the tracks appear to be light and radio friendly as long as you don't pay attention to the lyrical content, which is mostly angst–ridden and deep, and at times downright satirical. Sample this:
"I wish I had the numbness I crave/ Just close the door and let me find a vein," sings Moby, the vocalist and songwriter of Corduroy, in 'Dystemper'. 'Blue Chip' includes the rather murky "My/ Everything you wanted why? / Till the last red sunset dies / On your furrowed conscience/ I just wanna fade". And this is how 'Your Song' starts off: "I got a way to join this fan club/ Just slit your wrists and jump right in". Get the flow?

So whereas I have no complaints with the lyrical department and quite applaud the efforts put into the composition, I feel that the underlying music, however, is something that the band needs to work on. At places, the music (especially the drums - I really don't have any issues with the guitars) doesn't do justice to both the lyrics and the composition and sometimes the song ends up suffering because of this. Take 'Goddamned' as an example. Now mentally put the power of, say, the SOAD crew behind it. Maybe not a very good example, but I'm just trying to make a point here. The thing is not to make it sound heavier, but more dynamic and powerful. Add this element to 'Goddamned' and you'll get a song even an established rock band will be proud of.

The reason the band is well known for their live performances could quite possibly be the live music, which is something they haven't been able to capture on this disk. Other than that, the bands first offering is a fine appetizer for all that's yet to come, as it is quite apparent that Corduroy has the potential to come up with even better stuff than what they've displayed on The Morning After. For now though, let's just wait and see if this album is able to make a dent in our industry and whether Corduroy succeed where so many others have failed.

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 21st November 2004

The morning after...

album review

Album: The Morning After…
Band: Corduroy

Our music industry has seen a sudden surge of rock bands in the last few years and, surprising many, bands like EP and Mizraab have managed to gain mainstream recognition. So it appears that the timing is right for underground rock acts to come forth…and Corduroy have done just that by releasing their debut album ‘The Morning After…’.

The band builds on the early 90s grunge sound and actually does a good job at it. (Yes, you have to hear it to believe it.) The album kicks off with the catchy ‘Your Song’ and goes on to reveal tracks like ‘Ground Zero’ that display the more alternative elements of the bands sound. The powerful vocals on ‘Dystemper’ and ‘Blue Chip’ add to the blend of angst-ridden lyrics and some great guitar work, and the lyrical ability to relay emotions shines out in ‘[end]’. The band has even managed to come up with a power ballad in the shape of ‘Prologue’, but ultimately it’s tracks like the Pearl Jam reminiscent ‘Leeway’ and the hard-rock-ish ‘Goddamned’ that offer the best moments of ‘The Morning After…’.

Corduroy not only wrote and composed all the tracks on the record but also produced and engineered the whole thing. (Major DIY enthusiasts, no?) Plus the CD was pressed and distributed independently…and that in itself says a thing or two about the band.The vocals are very powerful throughout the disk, the lyrics swing between deep and downright sarcastic, the album is loaded with some great riffs and guitar solos, and all these things actually complements each other (amazingly enough). But the best thing about ‘The Morning After…’ is that there are no fillers on the album. And although ‘Aas’, the only Urdu track on the set, isn’t exactly something I’d rave about (despite its relative popularity…yeah, maybe it’s just me!), but one thing’s for sure: this little underground band has the potential to make it big. If you like post grunge alternative rock with an edge, then this album is a must buy. And if you don’t, well, buy it anyway. ‘The Morning After…’ will grow on you with every listen.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 15th October, 2004

All rock, no roll

interview

The Band
Corduroy, the rock band from Islamabad, has developed a considerable fan following through their live shows. The guys have just released their debut album 'The Morning After...' - a set consisting of ten English songs and one Urdu track. You can visit Corduroy's website at www.corduroyonline.com.

The Members
- Mubashir Noor (a.k.a Moby) - Vocals & Songwriter
- Sarmad Faraz - Lead Guitar
- Ahmed Siddiqui - Bass
- Ali Qamar - Rhythm Guitar
- Ameel Zia Khan - Drums & Percussion

Q&A
Us: How and when was the band formed?
Mubashir Noor: The band was formed around three years ago...just a bunch of friends jamming until we decided to try our hands at making original stuff and actually enjoyed it. It just went on from there. Right now, the original and permanent members of the band are me, Moby, on Vox; Sarmad on Guitars and Ahmed on Bass. We've had a rotating cast of rhythm guitar players and drummers over the years. Presently Ali is on Rhythm and Ameel plays the Drums and Congas

Us: Why 'Corduroy'? And who came up with the name?
Moby: Our old bud Nomi, original rhythm guitarist. He came up with it out of the blue. We were about to play our first gig and the up till then moniker, Rust, seemed kinda too Babar Shiekh-ish for us. So he had an epiphany and voila! We were Corduroy! It's grown on us over time; the fabric being rough-hewn, like our music.

Us: How would you describe the sound of Corduroy? And in what genre would you classify the music?
Moby: Somewhere between confrontational and hilarious! It's rock music, true, but covers a whole lot of ground genre-wise from pop/rock to pseudo-folk

Us: Tell Us about 'The Morning After...'.
Moby: 'The Morning After...' is our debut CD, and the first independently produced, distributed and marketed album in Pakistan. 11 anthems of angst and alienation await you! I know it's very deja-heard but trust me its not nu-metal!

Us: Do you guys have any personal favourites out of the tracks on the album?
Moby: Yep, mine's [end].

Us: The album launch took place in Islamabad a couple of days ago. How did it go?
Moby: Yes it was on September 11. Pretty good actually. We've been gigging around the area for almost 2 years now so we knew we had a little following. Did not expect the 400 odd that turned out though, a lot of them sneaking in from underneath the tents. We sold around 300 odd CD's at the spot so we're pretty satisfied.

Us: Local bands coming out with English music haven't really been a success story so far. Where does a band that doesn't sing in Urdu stand in our music industry?
Moby: ...at the edge of a cliff looking down to see how down down actually is. If we were looking for immediate gratification, we would've sold 'pan supari'. As it is, we're building up a grassroots following though extensive gigging, and trying to show all our fellow 'undergrounders', for lack of a better word, that you can make things happen on your own if you're determined enough.

Us: What do you think about the current underground scene in Islamabad?
Moby: I'd say it's the most vibrant in the country. We have a small number of bands but they're very well knit together and InshAllah, considering the quality of talent we have here, the Islamabad Underground will explode onto the national stage within a year.

Us: Are there any plans to release 'The Morning After...' internationally?
Moby: It'll be available on the net shortly off our website for those living abroad.

Us: Any video releases on the cards?
Moby: Yep, the video for 'Leeway' is in the works, to be directed by Xulfi of E.P.

Us: Why did you guys choose 'Leeway' for the first video?
Moby: It's our signature song, one of the first ones we made, and perfectly fits our image. Serious, yet sarcastic. Of course a lot of people won't get the humor in this so they can just go to hell! :)

Us: What's more challenging: recording in the studio or performing live?
Moby: They both have their moments, but I'd say an album is just an excuse to tour!

Us: Corduroy has been performing quite frequently at CJ. How helpful is it for underground bands to have a proper place to play at regularly?
Moby: Very. We developed our sound, playing and chemistry by playing weekend after weekend for eight months. Of course the added advantage of developing a hardcore following converting one person at a time is an added bonus.

Us: How have music channels influenced our music industry?
Moby: Well...along with a lot of crap, some very talented artists got their mugs in front of an up till then ignorant audience. Change is always good; ensures survival of the fittest.

Us: Do you think the music that you listen to influences the music that you make?
Moby: Yes it does. We listen to everything from Pearl Jam to Van Halen, Joe Satriani to REM, and I think those shades are obvious in our aural palette.

Us: Where do you see the band in the next five years?
Moby: If lady luck decides to tango, the Billboard Top 40. Otherwise, your nearest dive. We love playing music; and as long as there are people who think we don't suck, we'll be around.

Us: What can we expect from Corduroy in the coming months?
Moby: Loads more gigs hopefully!! And a distribution network covering the entire country. Bhurewala, here we come!!!

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 24th September, 2004

True Colours

interview

The band:
The pop-rock band Rungg broke onto the music scene last year with their first song 'Hum Na'. The video for the track was directed by Sheryar Haideri, and the ballad became the bands first number one hit. 'Hum Na' was followed by the more upbeat 'Meri Duniya' a few months later, and like its predecessor, 'Meri Duniya' also did well on the charts. The band has performed at various venues all over the country, and their debut album is expected to come out soon. You can visit Rungg's website at www.rungg.com.

The members:
- Iftikhar Habib - Vocalist
Influences: Sting, Steve Perry, Guns n' Roses, Aerosmith, Dream Theatre, Bon Jovi, Skid Row, Mohammad Rafi and Mehdi Hassan.
Has also played in: Once (recorded an English album 'Words Unspoken')
- Sarmad Abdul Ghafoor - Guitarist
Influences: Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Tori Amos, Dream Theatre and Tool.
Has also played in: Still
- Zulfiqar-ul-Hassan - Rhythm Guitarist
Influences: Chris Cornell, Extreme, Queensryche, Dave Matthews Band, Dream Theatre, Steve Vai and Jeff Beck.
Has also played in: Surface Tension
- Wasim Kamal - Drummer
Influences: Deep Purple, Nirvana, Dream Theatre and Audioslave.
- Raheel Joseph - Bassist
Has also played in: Wet Metal, Music Math, Paras and is working with Jawad Ahmad.

Q&A
Us: When was Rungg formed and how did the band start off?
Iftikhar Habib: Rungg was formed about three years back by Sarmad and myself after our chance meeting in Islamabad followed by a very productive jam session in Lahore.

Us: What does the name of the band refer to?
IH: The name just popped up when we were thinking of various options. We initially thought of a name in English: 'True Colours'. This was later changed to 'Two Colours', and eventually got translated and squeezed to a simple name, 'Rungg'. Rungg as a name for a pop-rock act, we feel, is reflective of verve, colour, musical energy, creative diversity and life itself. These are the very attributes that our music has, hence the name.

Us: Tell Us about the videos that the band has done till now...
IH: We have two videos out so far for two very different tunes. The debut was of course 'Hum Na', a ballad, and the follow up is 'Meri Duniya', a hip n' alternative rock song. Both songs did really well on most charts. Significantly, both have topped the IM charts.

Us: So how important is chart success in your opinion?
IH: Chart success is reflective of general public opinion. Being number one at any stage is a great honour. It has earned us a substantial fan following in not just Pakistan but many other parts of the world.

Us: When is the album coming out?
IH: The album should be out by October-November InshaAllah.

Us: How do you like the experience of performing live?
IH: Performing live is a musician's high. We dig the experience. Every time!

Us: What's more fun: recording in the studio or performing live?
IH: Both situations have their own charm. You always learn and one always has a lot of fun in both the cases. But there is no comparison to how one feels when you're singing a song on stage and every one sings with you cause it's their favourite song.

Us: What do you think is more important: the lyrics of a song or its musical composition?
IH: Both lyrics and composition are equally important. It's the balance in creativity that brings out a great song.

Us: What role, do you think, have music channels played in the music industry? And has it been good or bad?
IH: Music channels have given talented people a great outlet for their creativity in Pakistan. It has raised the standard of quality music in our country. It's amazing to see so many channels flooded with budding artists.

Us: What's lined up for the coming months?
IH: The coming months have a lot lined up. Our manager has a long list...shows and video shoots primarily. See you guys on the road!

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 27th August, 2004