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

The evolution has begun

interview

Since they first emerged onto the music scene, EP has managed to carve a niche for alternative rock in the Pakistani music industry. With a critically acclaimed album under their belt, the band has established a solid fan following in the country. We caught up with the guys to find out what's been happening in the Entity Paradigm camp...

EP is:
- Ahmed Ali Butt - Rap/Backing Vocals
- Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan - Lead Guitars/Composition
- Fawad Afzal Khan - Lead Vocals
- Hassaan Khalid - Rhythm Guitars
- Salman Albert - Percussions/Backing Vocals
- Sajjad Ali Khan - Bass
- Waqar Ahmed Khan - Percussions

Us: Your debut album has done quite well since its release. Were you guys expecting the success?
Hassaan: Initially everything was a bit uncertain, as we were trying to bring a revolution in the music industry. We were not quite sure if people would be accepting our music or not. We were not expecting that much, but in the end things turned out to be quite satisfactory. The evolution has begun.

Us: Is an international release of 'Irtiqa' on the cards?
Sajjad: Yeah definitely, we are in the process. You will soon hear about the international release InshAllah.

Us: Do you plan to go down the same path next time round or try something different?
Hassaan: You guys might see a huge change in the next album. I won't be telling you much about it; just wait for the blow.

Us: Now that you have an album out, do you think that the Battle Of The Bands has, in any way, shaped the sound of EP or affected 'Irtiqa' in any way?
Hassaan: BOB did not shape the sound of EP or affect the stuff; it is based on our influences and what we actually wanted to do in the album. I think there is no doubt that the band rose through the Battle Of The Bands, which we consider one of our achievements so far, along with our debut album 'Irtiqa'.

Us: EP went from the original eight to seven members last year...what happened?
Ahmed: Well it wasn't something we planned on; there was some debate over this issue and people's priorities towards the band. Anyway Ali (Khan) is still a good friend and we wish him all the best toward his future projects.

Us: Give Us one word to describe each member of the band...
EP: According to the making of 'Aghosh' and Ahmed Ali...
Xulfi: Endogenous
Fawad: Tool
Hassaan: Romeo
Sajjad: Dear
Waqar: Must
Salman: Cooler

Us: EP's sound is very different from the others. Did you intentionally set out to do something different? Or is it natural?
Hassaan: I would not say that the sound emerged naturally. A lot of work has been done on the production. I guess that's where we have spent more time while doing the album. As I said already, it's based on our influences and we actually produced exactly what we had in mind.

Us: What do you think about this latest inclination of our music industry towards more experimentation?
Hassaan: During the past two years, quite a number of bands have emerged in the music industry. Some of them have been seen experimenting and maturing with time providing a wide variety of music as compared to the past. Bands are coming up with good sounds, high quality productions, and interesting concepts, which means increased competition. New music channels have been launched, providing a platform for the upcoming bands to show their work, which was missing previously. High budget and good concept videos are also being seen lately. As I said the evolution has begun, the music industry has, I think, made its way to a respectable level, and will soon be making its way to the top.
The entire scene depends on our audiences. We need all the encouragement to get to the top. I think now people are more aware of the fact that music is not just entertainment, it's also a form of expression, a way of communication, a way of educating people.

Us: You guys have been performing at various venues all over the country. How do you like the experience?
Waqar: It's really great! Mostly we have fun performing and going to different places, hanging out. But yeah we have had our good and bad experiences. But the most important thing with different venues is different kinds of crowd. So it's interesting performing in front of all types of audiences. Up till now, we have been touring just Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad. But we are looking forward to performing in other places as well, so...organisers/promoters, do something!!

Us: Is there any performance that stands out from all the others, something that you all will never forget?
Salman: Well, we've had loads of good experiences but I think that none of us can ever forget the Battle Of The Bands. I mean, it was our first experience together and the first ever EP performance...so as a new band, and especially a 'hard to digest' band, we enjoyed on the stage, performed to our extreme, and lost by 0.5 points...hehehehehehe...

Us: EP has been at many shows with various other bands...any band that you particularly like performing with?
Waqar: Well, performing along with other bands is great. Not just about having fun there but you actually learn a lot. And this learning applies in every way, not just playing and performance but other things as well like management, sound, etc.As for bands with whom we like to perform, I think that would be Noori. Every time we have done a show with them, the crowd is always on their feet, screaming and going bonkers. It's like a 'vs.' sort of thing! (Laughs) So it's a jam-packed full hyped up sort of scene with them. And, not to mention, Noori is a great band, and Gumby, is one of my all time favourite drummers. Other than that we recently did a show with Fuzon in Islamabad. That was great.

Us: Are there plans to release any more videos from 'Irtiqa' after 'Waqt'?
Sajjad: We have just released 'Waqt'. It's exclusively on air on The Musik. 'Hamesha' is in the pipeline now and is going to be directed by Kamran Yar.

Us: Comparisons to Linkin Park and Tool: flattering? Or do such comparisons tick you off?
Ahmed: Well I don't know about the others, but I find it very flattering. I look for inspiration everywhere and yes some of these bands have inspired me in a lot of ways but at the end of the day what we make is our work alone which comes from the heart.

Us: What can we expect from EP in the coming months?
Salman: You can expect a lot of energy, a couple of new videos, some nationwide and international tours and some head bangin'...and maybe tattoos on my body! :)

Us: Any message for your fans?
Ahmed: Sure, why not! Respect and tolerance is the key baby! Learn to give it to others and do your best.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 6th August, 2004

Maazi, haal, mustaqbil

interview

With the release of the band’s latest album ‘Maazi, Haal, Mustaqbil’, Mizraab has become a well-known name in our music industry. We caught up with Mizraab vocalist/guitarist Faraz Anwar for a little chat about the band…

Us: How did the band start off?
Faraz Anwar: Mizraab was formed in 1998. It’s always been my band. For the first album, I took Khalid on bass and Akhter Qayyum. Now with the second album, the band has Jamal on Rhythm guitars, Irfan on drums and Faraz Arshad on bass. I remain the lead vocalist and guitarist and the composer. Hopefully these will be the final members now.

Us: What does the name of the band signify? Who came up with this name?
FA: Mizraab is the thing that one wears while playing the sitar. My father suggested the name.

Us: How would you describe the sound of Mizraab?
FA: It is alternative progressive rock.

Us: Are there any personal influences that reflect in the sound of Mizraab?
FA: Yes, all the songs are based on my personal experiences, on my feelings and thoughts.

Us: Your album ‘Maazi Haal Mustaqbil’ has been released. Tell Us about it…
FA: Alhamdollillah, the album is doing very well in the market. Our fan following has increased a lot. The album has been released only in Pakistan but it has been appreciated all over the world. A lot of people who don't even understand Urdu like the music and are requesting for the English version of the album.

Us: Do you guys have any favourite tracks on the album?
FA: For me all songs are equal, but yes the members enjoy playing ‘Aag’, ‘Panchi’, and ‘Insaan’. ‘Kitni Sadiyaan’ is also one of their favourite.

Us: Tell Us about the video for ‘Kitnee Sadiyaan’…
FA: It was shot in the month of March at the Lahore Railway Station. We had a wonderful time there as the band went by train to Lahore along with the song director Baber and the camera crew. I was not feeling well in those days but still enjoyed the train journey due to Baber’s jokes. He kept us all laughing throughout. The song is basically a commercial number, showing the touch of love and happiness in ones life.

Us: Will we see the videos for any other tracks on ‘Maazi Haal Mustaqbil’? If so, then which ones? And how soon can we expect the next video?
FA: Inshallah! We have plans to do videos of ‘Maucee’, ‘Panchi’ and ‘Muntazir’, but first we are looking for sponsors. We will try to give at least one video by the end of September.

Us: Mizraab has also done some live gigs. What do you like better: recording tracks or performing live?
FA: Of course performing live, as that's where the people can judge a band's performance. Recording and playing live are two very different things. For the market, a recorded album is better and for the concerts, ones performance should be hundred-percent live.

Us: Faraz, you were on tour with Ali Haider. How did that go?
FA: Yes, I manage the guitars for Ali. The UK tour was ok but I did not enjoyed much this time as I was not feeling well throughout the tour.

Us: What do you think about this latest inclination of our music industry towards rock music and more experimentation than we have seen before?
FA: First of all, it's a relief! At last people has started to listen to rock music and to count it as music. Our music industry is not so much supportive towards rock and alternative kinda stuff but at least they are playing the heavy songs now. Media plays a very important role in improving the listening of the local public. The changes are good but we need more rock shows and publicity to let people know more about metal and stuff.

Us: What can we expect from you guys in the imminent future?
FA: Nowadays, we are all busy jamming as we hope to have lots of concerts and yes, InshAllah, Mizraab will be performing on the 29th of May in Karachi. We also look forward to performing in other cities. We have plans to get some sponsors and do new videos. We are working on our website as well and have plans to bring out some merchandise stuff. And there are many TV shows and recordings.

Us: Any message for the readers of Us and for all the Mizraab fans out there?
FA: First of all, we would like to thank the readers for liking Mizraab and voting for the band (in the music poll that Us conducted last month). Mizraab has fans all over the world. Our album ‘Maazi Haal Mustaqbil’ revolves around the life of ‘insaan’ so we want to give the message of peace and strength to everyone. Today’s life is very tough. One faces a lot of tensions and grief but remember always ‘maucee gunah hai saans hai to zindagi ravan hai’. Stay cool!!

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 4th June, 2004

Rockin' Us!

music poll - results

Yes, it's result time for our music poll! We asked you guys to vote for your favourite Pakistani artist/band and we would like to thank all of you who participated! Let Us give you an overview of what we saw. On the average, bands got more votes than solo artists. Rock music, in its many forms, seemed more 'in' than any other genre. And there's a tiny little thing that I couldn't help but notice: not even a single vote was cast for any of our female singers...not that I'm complaining, but, well, it's a sign!
So, before we give you the top five, here are some bands that deserve a special mention for coming oh-so-close:
- Aaroh
- [eP]
- Fuzon
- Jal
Should we get to the results now? Yeah, I could go on with my gibberish all day, but I'll spare you guys! Here are the top five Pakistani acts, as voted for by all of Us!

5. Junoon
Probably the biggest rock act of the sub-continent, Junoon have come a long way since they started off in the early 90s. With Ali Azmat on vocals, Salman Ahmed on guitar and Brian O' Connell on bass, this 'Sufi Rock' band from Pakistan is not only respected nationally but has also gained international recognition. And now, seven studio albums and multiple awards later, the group is still going strong. Here's hoping they keep making such fine music for many years to come.

4. Strings
With the release of 'Strings 2' (the follow up to their 1990 debut 'Strings') in 1992, the album that hosted the hit 'Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar', the Strings managed to make an impact on the Pakistani music scene, and even though the band disappeared for many years, their comeback in 2000 was more than noticed; it was felt. And now Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood are among the most valued musicians of the country.

3. Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar: singer, songwriter, artist, model, actor; this multitalented young lad has established himself in the industry in a very short period of time. His debut album 'Huqa Pani' has been one of the most successful albums to hit our music scene in the recent past and I've lost count of the number of weeks for which it has reigned the album charts. At the peak of its sales, the album was selling ten copies for one copy of any other Pakistani album! And, yes, Ali Zafar has been placed at number three according to all your votes. Here's what the very modest star had to say:"Third out of 1.3 million, I'm content :)"No wonder you all love him so much!

2. Mizraab
Faraz Anwar (vocals, guitar), Jamal Mustafa a.k.a Jamie (rhythm), Faraz Arshad (bass) and Irfan Ahmed (drums) make up Mizraab, one band that sure has a very loyal fan following. Upon being placed second in our poll, Faraz Anwar said, "We are very happy...it's great news!" and Jamie added, "That's good news for us I guess. What else can I say. I'm surprised. Since no one really wants any thing to do with us from concert promoters to TV channels. Not bad."Yeah guys, not bad at all!

1. Noori
And the winners are *drum roll* Noori!! Ali Noor, Ali Hamza, Mohammad Ali Jafri and John Louis 'Gumby' Pinto, the foursome who have been rocking this country since the release of their hit debut album 'Suno Ke Main Hun Jawan' have been crowned as your favourite Pakistani act according to all your votes!So we told the lads they'd won our poll and here's the word we got from the noori camp:"All we can say is that it is a great feeling...we must thank all our fans or rather our greatest supporters and we hope to make music that will win their hearts for all times to come...InshAllah."

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 7th May, 2004

12 memories

album review

Album: 12 Memories
Artist: Travis

'12 Memories', the new Travis album, is not just a logical follow up to their previous CDs. It is the result of the happenings of the last two years. Incidents like Neil Primrose's near-fatal accident (which was almost the end of the band) and the war in Iraq have clearly influenced the album - the album that nearly didn't happen - making it a whole lot darker and downright depressing...especially if you listen to it at three in the morning when you can't sleep and your head hurts...

Anyway, the album is loaded with dark lyrics and themes. 'Re-Offender', a song about domestic violence, is sandwiched between two antiwar tracks: 'The Beautiful Occupation', the acoustic version of which can be heard on the War Child album 'Hope', and another antiwar song, which features Celtic fans singing out the chorus. 'Walking Down The Hill' and the hidden track (or the 12th memory rather) 'Some Sad Song' are both mellow, and, well, sad. And 'Quicksand' and 'Mid Life Krysis' are just as cheerful as their titles suggest!

'Love Will Come Through', which was featured on the 'Moonlight Mile' soundtrack, is probably the song that sends out the most positive vibe. The track was also released as a charity single after Neil's accident and has been announced as the next single to be taken off the album.

Being a Travis fan doesn't ensure that you'll like this CD. '12 Memories' is clearly different from 'The Man Who' and 'The Invisible Band'. At first listen you might write this off as another average album, but this is one set that grows on you with every listen and once you acquire the taste, you'll see how you can relate to so many things Fran is singing about and hear those melodies that'll make you want to sing along too!

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 30th January, 2004

Natural Selection

album review

Album: Natural Selection
Band: Fuel

Natural Selection: the struggle for survival; the process by which those less adapted to their environment tend to perish...but if 'Natural Selection' has anything to say about it, then Fuel have absolutely nothing to worry about.

With hits like 'Hemorrhage (In Your Hands)' and 'Bad Day', Fuel's sophomore set 'Something Like Human' was a big success. Following a hit record with a new album is always tough and usually leads to one of two things: either a record that sounds exactly like the previous one (trying to stick to the "winning formula" ... in other words, a major slump!) or one that is solid and consistent. Thankfully, Fuel have gone down the second road and created a record that totally rocks!

Three years after the success of 'Something Like Human', Fuel's new release 'Natural Selection' has twelve tracks...and all the elements of a hit record! The album kicks off with the hard-hitting 'Quarter' and goes on to reveal some excellent tracks like 'Down Inside Of You', 'Million Miles' and 'Luck'. 'Running Away' and 'Most Of All' drive on melody without loosing the Fuel edge. 'Die Like This', 'These Things' and 'Days With You' see Fuel moving around without a hitch in the familiar territory of power ballads.

The album also includes the single 'Falls On Me' as well as the 'Bring You Hell Remix' of 'Won't Back Down', the track that originally found home on the Daredevil soundtrack. With Kevin Miller on drums and Jeff Abercrombie on bass, Brett Scallions' powerful vocals perfectly complement principal songwriter/lead guitarist Carl Bell's angst driven lyrics.

Capitalizing on the seasoned guitar riffs, Fuel have also added a touch of piano and cello to this album. The tracks flow smoothly from one to the next and each track is good in its own right. If you're a Fuel fan, then there isn't even a single track on this CD that you'll want to skip.

A well-rounded effort, 'Natural Selection' is a rock solid album that has something to offer from start through to the end. If Darwin's theory is anything to go by, then rest assured that Fuel ain't going nowhere!

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 23rd January, 2004