The magical spell of Faakhir

interview

Us: From Awaz to ‘Mantra’ – how has the journey been?
Faakhir Mehmood: Tense, exciting, nerve wracking, exhausting, yet immensely satisfying.

Us: Tell Us about your latest album.
Faakhir: The album contains 12 tracks. I have experimented a lot in this album; each song carries a different mood. I have done an 8-½ minute musical which is called ‘Mantra’; this was done for the first time in Pakistan. The most interesting part of this album is the way our own eastern scales, such as bilwal thaath, pahari, darbari etc, are fused/blended with east European, Mediterranean and bluesy scales in a very simple and subtle way. The choice of instruments is very rich, classy yet extremely contemporary wind instruments, saxophones and brass section eastern and western string instrument, rhythm section, violin and viola orchestras are all recorded live and are a treat to the ear. Arrangements are least predictable, the production is slick and I feel the melodies are soulful.

Us: What’s your personal favourite from ‘Mantra’?
Faakhir: ‘Jiya Na Jaye’.

Us: Your latest videos have been getting a mixed response from the viewers. Do you focus on any target audience while you’re working on your videos?
Faakhir: My music and videos are not targeted towards a particular audience. Rather, it is meant to cater to people of all ages and backgrounds.

Us: In your opinion, how much importance do the videos hold in moulding a musician’s career?
Faakhir: I believe having good videos is important. It adds a visual element to the song and helps the viewers identify more with the song, thus making it more popular. But at the end of the day it is the song and the melody that determines its success.

Us: Out of the videos that you’ve done so far, which one’s your favourite?
Faakhir: ‘Mahi Ve’.

Us: What’s your opinion about the current Pakistani music scene?
Faakhir: There are a lot more opportunities now…Pakistani music channels have helped a lot. I have always believed Pakistani artists have terrific potential. Some of them are making great music.

Us: Conquering the Indian audience has gained high priority for our musicians, hasn’t it?
Faakhir: Very much so. It’s a bigger market with far more opportunities

Us: What kind of music do you like to listen to? Any favourite artists/bands?
Faakhir: No particular type…I listen to all kinds of music from rap and hip hop to ghazals etc. My favourite musicians are Nusrat Fateh Ali, Mehdi Hassan, Jean Michael Jarre.

Us: Do you give more importance to the lyrics of a song or to its musical composition?
Faakhir: Being a composer myself, I put special effort in the compositions of my songs. The lyrics and musical composition go hand in hand. For a song to be good, the lyrics and composition must complement each other

Us: Now that you have been so successful as a solo artist, would you ever consider reuniting with the members of Awaz for a project if such a chance ever comes up?
Faakhir: No I wouldn’t. Being a solo artist gives me the opportunity to experiment and explore my creative side, which wouldn’t really have been possible in a band as a consensus has to be reached regarding the direction in which the band wants to move.

Us: Any message for the readers of Us and for all your fans out there?
Faakhir: To my fans I want to say that have the courage to follow your dreams. Good things happen to those who work hard.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 19th August 2005

Club 27

A look into the intriguing deaths of famous music stars at the age of 27

"Hello candy cane children. I broke my finger, three breaks, car wreck, horrible left turn in front of me, no chance of escape, air bag, the air near my fingers, devil in my left hand, doctors say no way, lots of pain, typing with one finger, made it through year of rock n' roll death, got off with just a warning."

So went the post on the White Stripes' website by the band's frontman after he was involved in a car crash that left him with a fracture in his left hand. The accident happened on the 9th of July 2003 - the star's 28th birthday.

While Jack White has been lucky enough to live beyond his 27th year, many other musicians haven't, unwittingly becoming members of a rather exclusive group, for Club 27 is one club that very few would like to join willingly. Some of the most prolific musicians of recent times have died at the age of 27, the 'year of rock n' roll death' as Jack puts it, and Club 27 refers to this very group. To add to the intrigue, most of these deaths have been surrounded by controversy in one form or the other.

Lewis Brian Hopkin-Jones (February 28, 1942 - July 2, 1969)
The original lead guitarist, backing vocalist and one of the founding members of The Rolling Stones, Brian Jones played many instruments on various Stones records and also worked with a myriad of other musicians including Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, and the Beatles. A big influence on the '60s London fashion scene, Jones started off as the band's creative leader but because of his drug abuse ended up getting sacked from the group in June 1969.
Around a month later, he was found dead in his swimming pool, seemingly under the influence of alcohol and sedatives, even though it is believed that he had stopped most of his drug use towards the end of his life. All of the reports collected from the many people there at the time contradicted each other, and while the coroner's report stated 'death by misadventure', his girlfriend Anna Wohlin claimed that he had been murdered by Frank Thorogood, a builder they had hired for renovating their house, who had been staying with them. Thorogood is said to have confessed to the murder on his deathbed but passed away before a confession could be recorded.

James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970)
American guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer, Jimi Hendrix is widely considered to be one of the best guitarists in the history of popular music, so much so that the Rolling Stone magazine has named him the number one guitarist of all time.
Hendrix was found dead in the basement apartment of the Samarkland Hotel in London after he reportedly took nine Vesperax sleeping pills. His girlfriend Monika Dannemann claimed that Hendrix had been alive when placed in the back of the ambulance, contradicting police and ambulance reports that state that he was dead when they arrived on the scene, the apartment itself empty and the front door wide open.

Janis Lyn Joplin (January 19, 1943 - October 4, 1970)
Blues-influenced rock, R&B, and soul singer, Janis Joplin is best remembered for her offbeat style, lyrical themes and distinctive voice. Janis fronted the Big Brother And The Holding Company before forming various backing groups. While working as a folk singer around the mid '60s, her drug use began to increase. She was a heavy drinker throughout her career, and occasionally used heroin and other intoxicants, the very thing that would become the reason for her untimely death. She passed away due to an overdose of heroin in a Los Angeles motel room.

Jim Morrison (December 8, 1943 - July 3, 1971)
Jim Morrison, the lead singer and lyricist of The Doors, shot to fame with the success of his band's self-titled debut album. Under the pressure of fame, he ended up becoming an alcoholic, and then moved to Paris in March 1971 to concentrate on his writing and to quit drinking, where he died a few months later. Conspiracy theories about his death ensued, ranging from speculations of a possible drug overdose, to the possibly of assassination by American government authorities. Some fans believed (and still do) that Morrison faked his own death in order to escape from the spotlight. The official report, however, listed the cause of death as a 'heart attack'.
After the deaths of Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison is quoted to have said "I'm number three".

Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 - April 5, 1994)
The lead singer and guitarist of Nirvana, and the force behind the popularity of grunge music, Kurt Cobain struggled with the massive success of his band after the release of 'Nevermind' and felt persecuted by the media. Cobain battled with depression and pain due to a chronic stomach condition for most of his life and self-medicated by the use of heroin, ultimately becoming addicted to the drug.
His body was found on the 8th of April, 1994, three days after he is believed to have died, in a room above the garage of his Seattle home by Veca Electric employee Gary Smith who was there to install security lighting. Though Cobain is legally documented to have committed suicide with a shotgun bought for him by his best friend Dylan Carlson, the unclear circumstances surrounding his death have inspired a multitude of alternative theories. According to toxicology experts, the amount of heroin injected into his body was over three times the lethal dosage even for an addict and would have been more than enough to kill him. Other factors, like the angle of the wound, the absence of fingerprints on the gun, and the doubt over the authenticity of the last four lines on what is considered to be a suicide note, have led some to believe that his wife Courtney Love had something to do with his death.
Kurt Cobain's mother, Wendy Cobain O' Connor, while referring to her son's death at the age of 27, said the following words to a news reporter: "Now he's gone and joined that stupid club. I told him not to join that stupid club."

To this date, the reasons behind these deaths still remain uncertain. And the number 27 is perhaps nothing more than a mere coincidence. But even in the short time they were given, each of these musicians has left a lasting impact on the world of music - and that is one thing that no one can ever have any doubts about.

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 14th August, 2005

58!!

Celebrating 58 years of Pakistan

It's Pakistan's 58th Independence Day ... and here's what our musicians have to say about it:

Ahmed Ali Butt (Entity Paradigm)
It's a shame we couldn't make it for the shows but Inshallah one day we will come and play for our fans, and then all hell will break loose! Pak zindabad!

Ali Zafar
Our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Long live Pakistan! May this year be the best for all the Pakistanis around the world and the greatest year for Pakistan ever. Love to all.

Atif Aslam
For me, 14th August has a lot of memories associated with it. Badges aur small flags milnay ki sab ko khushi houti hay but mujhay zyada khushi houti thi when my brothers also gave me something, like small flags to decorate our house with. In college life, I represented my college PAF Lahore in Sargodha and we took the first prize in the national song competition. Us brothers also used to go out on the streets of Lahore to celebrate the evening of 14th August with the lively Lahorites. I would like to convey a very important message in this regard to youngsters: do celebrate your independence day but don’t do motorbike wheelies or anything that is risky. Your loved ones are waiting for you at home, so please don’t do anything which thrills for a while but kills in the long run. I’m a humanist first and then a nationalist. Respect your motherland, as it is sacred to you. Alhumdolillah we are better than many nations of the world. We must keep in mind that we should not misuse our motherland if somebody is not watching us. If we misuse it we are disrespecting ourselves, as this land is our identity.

Fahad Khan (Call)
Happy Independence Day! Make your country proud. This is our homeland. We are its name, so lets all celebrate our independence with peace and harmony. Pakistan zindabad!!!

Farhan Saeed Butt (Jal)
On our recent US tour, when we had to stay there for over a month, I realized that no matter how good or bad we are, we are Pakistani and we are representing our nation when we are out of Pakistan. We can make a bad image of our country and a good one too. We can never be anyone but Pakistani. Realize that and make this country the best. I love Pakistan! And I’m proud to be a Pakistani.

Goher Mumtaz (Jal)
I wanna convey a message that everyone has to think that what have we done for our country? This country can give a lot of respect and identity to us if we do something innovative...so believe in yourself and come out with your talent which everyone must have, and serve your country with all your potential. May Allah bless Pakistan. Peace.

Iftikhar Habib (Rungg)
As I grew up listening to some of my favourite rock bands from the USA, I sometimes saw superstars like Axl Rose (Guns 'n Roses) standing on stage, performing in front of 100,000 people and having the American flag wrapped around them. As a musician I want to see our stars doing that (wrapping the Pakistani flag around them) not just in Pakistan, but also when they perform abroad. This would be done in the true spirit of national pride. 14th August is a day of great patriotism, but the patriotism should follow through to every single day after that as well.

Junaid Khan (Call)
14th August has always been a day of inspiration for me. The efforts and the blood we have given to become a nation to represent a Muslim power somehow seem to have died out. My message is to think for Pakistan first then anything else. Recognize your nishaan your pehchaan, it’s Pakistan.

Sarmad Ghafoor (Rungg)
I never celebrate 14th August because I think we haven't achieved what Pakistan was made for...we have a long way to go before I start celebrating it.

Shazi (Jal)
I am proud to be a Pakistani and am a great admirer of Quaid-e-Azam. I have full faith in this country. We, as Pakistan, should always be together as one. Always. Love you all.

Sultan Raja (Call)
I never knew the meaning of azadi till I got into college. During my school days I was someone who remained to himself and was scared too. As soon as I got into college, I felt freedom and realized that freedom is a blessing. Our Quaid-e-Azam got us this country and we have taken it for granted. It’s a moment of pity. We, as a whole nation, must make this country, and we haven’t done much for Pakistan.

Wasim Kamal (Rungg)
14th August is a very normal day for me. I get excited because it is a holiday. I don't think Pakistan's current situation as a nation is cause for celebration.

Xulfi (EP, Call)
Jau chahoon agar mein banoon roshnee
Jau chahoon tau kismat likh daaloon nayee
That’s what we should believe in, and make that belief drive us to attain even bigger things in future.

Zulfiqar-ul-Hassan (Rungg)
When I was younger, my friends and I used to buy flags and paste the little paper 'jhandis' all over our houses. I miss that, as now I am too busy and don't get the time to celebrate the day or have any affiliation with it. The only thing I get excited about is the 14th August march, which symbolises the great unity and power of the nation.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 12th August, 2005

Managing success

interview

Khurram Jabbar Khan, the man behind the artist management company Jilawatan Productions, is better known to the masses as the manager of Entity Paradigm, CALL, Jal, and Roxen. He started off as the original drummer of CALL, but has since given up the drums to devote all his energies to management and has established a powerful empire on the music front. We caught up with Khurram Jabbar Khan to ask him about the music industry and artist management, and to find out more about the person behind the persona.

Us: What's it like managing some of the most popular bands of the country?
Khurram Jabbar Khan: I have always been a manager, and by the grace of Allah Almighty and with the prayers of my family, I have done a pretty decent job at it. And even though these bands are among the most popular ones now, there hasn't been much difference - the bands that I manage and the environment we have created is quite humble and they have not made me feel like they are big or have any kind of attitude problem at any time. We are all a big happy family.
With the passage of time, from a one-man management show, I have developed a proper network of my company, Jilawatan Productions, throughout the globe that now helps me to do my job more effectively. Personally, I believe that there is no limit to what a man can do if he does not care who will get the credit...this is what my father always tells me and this is the reason I have been able to make an impression.

Us: How and when did you step into artist management?
KJK: Actually, I had never thought I would ever end up managing bands. It was just that Xulfi, my baby brother, and the rest of the EP gang asked me to help them out during their initial times after the Battle of the Bands, when they decided to go on to make an album. I, at that time, had come back from the US and was quite eager to start CALL as a new band. The thought of managing bands and then actually doing it really got me into it, and then there was no stopping. Now, it's like I can't live without it. It's addictive.

Us: Out of the four bands that you are managing right now, which one do you think is the most promising?
KJK: All of them. And sometimes I feel scared that I am creating competition within. I am, on the other hand, happy to have the cream of the bands with me.

Us: Would you like to add more bands to the Jilawatan fold?
KJK: Definitely, but with talent. And my adding a band means they have to go through a rigorous path that I will design for them and it won't be that being with Jilawatan will give them instant success. It's not true, because I won't sign anyone who is going for a short time thing. It has to be a long time penetrating approach.

Us: Why did you choose to be a part of the bands' online forums actively?
KJK: Well, sometimes I do, and sometimes I don't feel like responding. I love all the fans on the forums, but there are other 'anasar' who are just there to irritate and to make me react. Sometimes they succeed and I feel like I should not actively be a part of the forums. I am only there to keep the fans updated with the current happenings.

Us: There has been some controversy over some of your posts on the forums. Any comments on that issue?
KJK: I just want to laugh at the whole thing. Some people, not the fans of course, want to gain importance on the forums by placing misleading facts in front of the naive fans to gain advantage or to degrade me or the band members, which after sometimes gets unbearable and so I decided to react. Actually, in our forums we have given liberty to people to say whatever they want - whether it's in favour of the band or not - whereas none of the other forums do, and even the irritants who are moderators do not allow anyone to speak openly or against any issue in their respective forums. And some people started insulting and degrading band members. When this had gone beyond tolerance, I started banning all such culprits and decided to stick to certain levels of acceptance.

Us: And what was the whole Mizraab incident about?
KJK: Mizraab is one of those bands that have tried to make a difference in the rock scene/music industry of Pakistan. They are and will remain one of my favourite bands in Pakistan. Faraz Anwar will remain the best guitarist of Pakistan and I adore his playing. Jamie, who was in Mizraab, is like my younger brother. He was with my brother Danish J. Khan in NCA, and because of him I have promoted Mizraab whenever and wherever possible. Unfortunately, instead of promoting Mizraab or Faraz Anwar, some of the Mizraab fans always try to get into comparisons and start insulting other bands, which indirectly hurts the band (Mizraab), not anyone else.
The same incident happened on the forums when some guy degraded EP and said Mirzaab stole the Islamabad show, which certainly didn't happen. They are a good live act, but not better than EP, as the crowd is always with the band that has mass appeal. To that comment, I replied that Mizraab didn't steal the show but they stole our bass guitar gig bag instead. Actually, Faraz Jr. took the bag by mistake and when he realised this, he gave it to someone at the gate, who he thought was an organiser, and the bag then ended up lost. My expression was only a sarcastic reply to the guy who had posted the comment on the forum. After this incident, I decided that I would never reply to such elements on the forums who want to create controversies by insulting others. My message to them is this: do not harm your band - it has the potential to be at the top, but fans like you are only doing the opposite.

Us: What do you think is the best and the worst thing about our music industry?
KJK: The best thing is that the industry is blooming and there are lots of opportunities for real talent, and the worst is that every one thinks they can do music and they want to be famous within days.

Us: Any advice for bands that are trying to make it onto the music scene?
KJK: Don't be scared of failure. Just keep on trying with full faith. You will be able to do it. Remember that going through the shaft gets the grains. This industry will soon be quite competitive, so mastering your instrument will become real important. Best of luck, and always obey and respect your elders and stay away from drugs. This is not only a part of music learning, but should also be a cornerstone of life - not following this will take you guys straight to hell, both in this world and the hereafter.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 12th August, 2005

Hail the new kings!

interview

The music scene in Pakistan is undergoing a lot of changes with many new bands coming up and making their presence felt. In this scenario, the emergence of two Peshawar based singers who sing only in English is definitely noteworthy. 'King of Self' is the first good English song the country can boast off! Sajid and Zeeshan have become quite the rage in a very short span of time, and are doing amazingly well on the charts. Their songs have been getting regular airplay on both radio and TV channels, and the guys have even bagged the best alternative song award for 'King of Self' at the 2005 Indus Music Awards.

Sajid Ghafoor: Vocals, Backing Vocals, Guitars, Harmonica, Lyrics
Zeeshan Parwez: Bass, Synthesisers, Breakbeats, FX and Effects, Production

Us: When did each of you decide that you wanted to do music? And how did you both get together?
Sajid Ghafoor: Well, in a way I was into music, or more like doing music, way before we made it public. But then I guess the time when I really decided to go public with it was after I had a little talk with Zeeshan and felt that he wanted to do something similar, and so we made a little plan for a project and went on with it and basically that's exactly what we're on to at the moment. As for how we got together, well Zeeshan was Sarmad's friend (Sarmad is my younger brother, and guitarist for Rungg) and I knew Zeeshan's elder brothers and our parents knew each other as well, so it was more like a family thing plus friendship, though the main thing being that we both appreciated each other's music and the understanding of it.
Zeeshan Parwez: Ahem, my turn! I always wanted to do music since I was a kid. I started learning keyboards at a very early age. I actually wanted to follow what one of my elder brothers was doing with his workstation. I got to meet Sajid through Sarmad. Even though our families knew each other very well, we hadn't met ever. One day Sarmad came to me and told me that Sajid's band, 'STILL', which Sarmad was a part of as well, needed a keyboardist for their upcoming concert back in 1999. I did a few jam sessions with them, and that's how Sajid and I got together and I've known him since. The reason I'm doing a project with Sajid is because I felt that there was never a communication gap between us. He's been very open to my ideas as much as I've been open to his thoughts. He's understood the kind of things I want from the project, even though he has not been familiar with those genres of music, he still holds a keen ear towards new ideas that I present to him. Last but not the least, he's a brilliant songwriter and guitarist, I consider it a big deal to be doing something with him.

Us: How did 'King Of Self' happen?
Sajid: It usually happens when we close our eyes and let ourselves drift away on a calm comfortable night into sleep. But then consciously we have to do more than just that to truly be the 'King of Self'. It was Zeeshan and me, and we were in his room and were just talking about music related things and then Zeeshan just said let's jam and try to make some new song. That was the idea and so I just started playing the riff for the song and Zeeshan liked the way I could see it progress, so I started writing the lyrics and basically wrote the song in 20 to 25 minutes and then we just recorded it within 45 minutes and that was it. It all sounds too simple but then sometimes it isn't really just easy to put all the pieces together and sometimes it just happens.
Zeeshan: 'King of Self' happened in less than an hour, believe me. I told Sajid we have to work on a House track together with a consistent guitar part being played throughout the song, 'looped' that is. After a bit of jamming, we selected two little pieces from the whole 20 minutes jam session and based everything on it. Then I programmed the beats and bass lines and the arrangements. The production (mixing and mastering) was done in a couple of days.

Us: Why did you guys choose to do vocals in English?
Sajid: I felt I could lyrically and vocally express myself much better in English. I did write a couple of songs in Urdu and did record them too, but I donít plan to start on the Urdu project until I feel I can enjoy the same level of freedom in expression as I do in this current project.

Us: So you would consider doing Urdu vocals too?
Sajid: Yes, I certainly would want to at some point.

Us: Where does a band that's doing English music stand in our music industry? And what's the future of English music in Pakistan?
Sajid: English music in Pakistan isn't a big attraction since the listeners are a very small percentage of all the people who actually listen to music. We are aware of the fact that our music won't get or might not get the same kind of exposure we would want it to have. But then the question of reason pops in, which is, why we want to do this. Is it to make money and make a business out of it? Well, the answer for that surely is no. Not that we won't want to get paid for what we do, but the motive surely isn't business. It is something we really want to do and do it with our hearts into it. Having said that, we all pay the price for the things we want. The future for English music in Pakistan, in the long run, isn't that bad, but I still believe it will take some time before we can really say that it has a future.
Zeeshan: I believe it is slowly catching up with the rest, but you have to acknowledge the fact that it is going to take some time for that to happen. How long? No one really knows. I mentioned this at an interview before this that our audience is a very limited one, but that doesn't discourage us in anyway. Success and heavy listenership come if you follow market trends and capitalise on a formula, which we don't intend to do. You have artists/musicians like Hash, Corduroy, and Coven etc. in the country who have amazing stuff. Seriously, I've heard a few songs of all of the artists/bands mentioned here, and I can tell you without any doubt that it is 100 per cent up to international standards.

Us: How soon will the full-length album be released?
Sajid: Hopefully soon, because that's all we're doing these days.
Zeeshan: The production work is near completion. We can't say when it's going to be released; that depends on whether we land a deal with a label, but we'll definitely complete it in less than two months time, Inshallah.

Us: What kind of music do you guys listen to? Any favourite artists/bands?
Sajid: I listen to every kind of music except country music and some rap. I like Coldplay, Keane, Counting Crows, Maroon 5, Doves, Hendrix, Led Zep, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Marillion, REM, James Brown, Bob Marley, The Police and Small Faces. Basically the list is a never-ending one.
Zeeshan: I listen to a lot of New Order, BT, Cinematic Orchestra, DJ Shadow, Radiohead, Chemical Brothers, Brian Eno, LTJ Bukem etc. It's pretty much electronic music to some extent, but diverse in sub-genres.

Us: Your songs and videos are available for download on your website. What's your take on music downloading?
Sajid: I'd say, if it's legal, download it. And since we ourselves uploaded our music on our website for the general public at www.sajidandzeeshan.com, it means itís for everyone to download and enjoy.
Zeeshan: I support it, but to some extent. I believe in an idea that an artist/band should release either one of their main tracks or a B-sides single through the net, for the purpose of gaining traffic and being known to the masses. But the downloading should stop after sometime when that artist/band signs itself to a label and releases it's own album in the market. Our story is that we've released three of our main singles and two B-sides singles on the Internet because seriously, we did not know that it was going to go that far. I used to get nightmares sometimes thinking whether we made the right decision, releasing 'My Happiness' officially, because that's the track which normally no one would want to invest in as his/her second single and video; it's too experimental in nature. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that 'My Happiness' got more coverage than 'King of Self'. Downloading has surely helped us very much in a lot of things.

Us: Any comments on the ongoing piracy issue?
Sajid: It's a problem and I'm glad finally someone is doing something about it. Pakistan, for that matter, isn't the only country facing such problems but then in this country the artists really can be damaged to a greater extent since artists such as musicians are still struggling here. It's a good thing now that Pakistan has woken up to tackle this problem.
Zeeshan: It's a fragile issue seriously. It has its ups and downs. I can't say I totally support it nor can I say that I'm against it as well. If piracy laws are implemented in the country, there is a big chance that foreign labels will enter the industry. Music acts, both mainstream, diverse and underground (if it still exists in this country) will probably get signed to these labels, get their rightful share of earning through them (more than what they've been receiving from Pakistani recording companies) and also, if lucky, their albums will be released internationally.
On the other hand, if this thing happens, many websites are going to lose their charm because they won't be free to share songs on the Internet anymore. Radio stations probably will have to pay royalty fee to these companies to play their songs (that's how it happens in some countries abroad), DVDs and CDs will become expensive (the average person wonít be able to afford it), television channels will actually have to pay to use copyrighted material on their segments etc.

Us: Zeeshan, you also have a show called 'On The Fringe' on IM. How is that coming along?
Zeeshan: It's coming along very nicely, Mashallah. Other than being a music show, it shows artists/bands being interviewed in a manner never tried before. We also try to link music and its impact on our society. To be honest, we don't know how many people actually watch the show. That's because we're doing everything from Peshawar and we donít know what's happening in the other parts of the country, where music is discussed as if it were a British Parliament Session. The only feedback we get is from people we know on Orkut (yeah yeah, we use Orkut), the feedback we receive is excellent, we have big smiles on our faces on Mondays. We have earned the respect of a limited audience and that feels very nice, because the topics and the manner in which things are discussed are quite away from mainstream outlook programmes. And the humour we use in the show is totally deadpan and black, which sometimes people don't get so easily. But that's what Fasi and I enjoy the most, sometimes explaining to people that there is no intellectuality in the fifteen seconds intellectual film of the week (one of the segments of the show); they shouldn't search for any hidden meanings.
Like my project with Sajid, 'On The Fringe' is the other part where Fasi and I work to death to get everything done, that's why it's so dear to us.

Us: Do you see music channels (television) as a positive or negative influence on the music that is being produced?
Sajid: Well, the introduction of music channels in this country is/was a good move. It does help all the musicians to bring out their act on the main screen for the public, so it certainly does help. But then at the end of the day we're left with good music and music which isn't that good. Which is something that only the listener should have the right to judge, since it could all be based on the difference of taste. Though where ever quality is in question, I think the music channels should insist on some level of quality because if they allow otherwise, they'll only be feeding the public with something which won't last for very long, which also means losing viewers and that's something they really wouldn't want.
Zeeshan: Of course the music channels have a positive influence. We need music shows with good concepts, proper music journalism and ideas that are original. At the end of the day, whatever is produced comes down to the same old routine that producers have been following for some years now.

Us: What about the radio? How important is that medium for our music industry?
Sajid: Radio is responsible for sound without images and therefore is a very important medium in the music industry, especially for artists related to the music field, since it can access those areas where the television or cable cannot. Radio plays a major role.
Zeeshan: The radio and the net are probably two mediums that give underground musicians (who can't afford to capitalise on a music video) a chance to showcase their stuff. Otherwise, the television is pretty much dominated by big names and sponsored flicks. Radio stations in this country are doing a very good job, some of them have excellent play lists to offer. Let's step away from music for a minute ñ the concept of community radio stations with social awareness programmes is being introduced in this country and journalism departments are also trying to establish FM radio stations to showcase their educational segments.

Us: What can we expect from Sajid and Zeeshan in the coming months?
Sajid: Effort, devotion and hopefully the results.
Zeeshan: You can expect an album. Inshallah, some more videos, some shows on the way, and some surprises for all the people who've been following our music.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 29th July, 2005

In need of some Band Aid

review

Someone needs to tell Hadiqa Kiyani that she isn't Mariah Carey. Aamir Zaki needs to be reminded of the great things he's capable of. And can someone please tell Dino that being a great VJ does not mean he's a great singer?

We've hardly ever seen any artist-collaborations in our music scene, but as far as the rest of the world is concerned, the concept of collaborations isn't a new one. And between some of the finest charity singles ever and those absolutely awful group performances they have during the Idol result shows, the 'various artists' label has produced some very interesting, albeit not always good, results.

So it was inevitable the trend would eventually make its way to Pakistan. But even though having a dozen or so vocalists and musicians do a new version of Najam Sheraz's 'In Say Nain' sounds like a good idea theoretically, reality has shown us that the goodness of this idea is purely theoretical. Yes, some of the best artists from our music industry, and Dino, did get together to do a new version of the song. And yes, it's almost as bad as the Idol collaborations. Oh, who am I kidding? It's much worse.

Marking Najam's ten years in the music industry, the song is perhaps a tribute of sorts to the singer. 'In Say Nain' originally found home on Najam's 1996 release 'Khazana', and now, almost a decade later, the song sees a revival through his new album 'Menu Tere Naal', and because the original was so well liked, the nostalgic value is perhaps the biggest asset of the new version, as it has little else to offer. There are too many vocalists and hardly enough lines to sing. The underlying music is too weak and at times it seems like everything has been patched together in an attempt to make a lot of incoherent noises pass off as a song. But it's not just the song that's a complete mess. The video falls in the same category too.

Still, seeing all the controversies that are plaguing our music industry, it's a bit of a wonder how they got so many artists to work on the same song. But there's something even more peculiar than this about the track: it doesn't appear to be sponsored - not even by a certain brand of tea - though considering subliminal messages, one can never say for sure. Yeah, no more 'Josie and the Pussycats' for me.

As for the artists, one can roughly divide their performances into three groups: the good, the bad, and the inexplicably weird.


The Good:

It comes as no surprise that Najam's vocals are among the better ones on the track. After all, 'In Say Nain' was his song to begin with. And I'm anything but an Ali Haider fan, but keeping the rest of the song in mind, I think his vocals were pretty good. Gosh, I never thought I'd be using 'Ali Haider' and 'good' in the same sentence, but I never thought I'd see so many of our artists working together either. It's hard to believe they don't have even a single court case between them. At least not so far.

Fuzon's Shafqat Amanat Ali was good as always, as was Aaroh vocalist Farooq. And both Shallum and Asad's guitar solos weren't bad either. As for the Strings, well, they weren't a part of the project. Good for them.


The Bad:

True they were given little to work with, but still, some of these people have been in our music industry since, like, forever, and you'd expect them to make something of it. Take Hadiqa for example. She's one of the very few female vocalists of Pakistan who can actually sing, but it looks like she's paying more attention to her appearance than to her music, and, frankly, isn't doing too well in both departments. And in the song under discussion, she comes off as nothing but a Mariah Carey wannabe. For someone with her talent, her vocals on this song are appallingly bad.

The same goes for Zoheb Hassan. Nazia and Zoheb's contribution to our music industry stands unparalleled. And it's no secret that Zoheb is immensely talented. But listening to the lines he sang on this song, it doesn't even sound like the same guy. And someone seriously needs to take that outfit and those dance moves back to the '80s and leave them there.

Danyal and Saleem Javed? Well, the less said the better. But coming to Tanseer, even though he is brilliant with Karavan, this song just didn't suit his vocals. The guy does rock vocals quite well, but Najam's brand of pop just doesn't sit well with him.

And Aamir Zaki...he's an excellent guitarist, but what on earth was that?? To begin with, his solo seemed like it had been forced into the song. And besides not fitting into the song, the guitaring hardly went with the beat of the track. Which brings us to another issue: drums. They have half the music industry on there but couldn't find a drummer?


The Weird:

There is a reason why Ali Azmat, and not Salman Ahmad, has been the vocalist of Junoon for more than a decade. If only someone would tell Salman Ahmad what this reason is and put him out of his misery. Or put us out of our misery rather - the misery that comes with listening to him trying to sing.

And Dino. Dudo, you can't sing. Period. Do yourself a favour and stick to VJ-ing. If 'Pari' wasn't enough torture, Dino returned to the studio to record various out-of-tune phrases so that they could put them all over the song in order to make it even more unbearable than it already was. Brilliant.

So, to sum it all up, the new version of 'In Say Nain' comes off as an audio/visual example of the phrase 'too many cooks spoil the broth'. But now, enough about the song. Tea anyone?

- By Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 26th June, 2005

Hopes & fears

album review

Album: Hopes And Fears
Band: Keane

Riding on the success of their hugely popular singles including 'Somewhere Only We Know' and 'Everybody's Changing', 'Hopes And Fears' is the twelve-track debut by Keane, the three-piece from Sussex who specialise in piano-driven ballads. The album was even nominated for a Mercury Award and proves that a band can indeed survive without a guitarist!

An indie crossover of sorts, Keane has often drawn comparisons to the likes of Radiohead and Coldplay. True, singer Tom Chaplin's voice is somewhat similar to that of Thom Yorke and the band's overall sound is at times reminiscent of Coldplay, but what Keane lacks is the edginess - the very element that makes Radiohead great and Coldplay so critically acclaimed. The album offers absolutely no surprises and sees Keane stick to the same sound as the singles, which is probably why half way through the set the monotony factor starts to set in.

The current formulaic pop vibe that can be heard on tracks like 'Bend And Break' and 'Can't Stop Now', even though fine as such, would have been more effective if the band was willing to take a bit more chance and not bind the structure of their tracks to that one blueprint. While the easy-listening aspect works for the band in most parts, but its this same factor that makes the album quite predictable and repetitive.

The tracks from a standalone view are all nicely done piano filled anthems, but the album does not have as powerful an impact as it should have had. That said, 'Hopes And Fears' isn't altogether bad. It's a better debut than many bands can even dream of, and if you like the singles the band has released so far, then you're very likely to enjoy listening to the album too.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 27th May, 2005