Get Behind Me Satan

album review

Album: Get Behind Me Satan

Band: The White Stripes

This garage-rock duo earned mainstream recognition with their minimalist approach to blues-rock in the form of their breakthrough album 'White Blood Cells' and it's critically acclaimed follow up 'Elephant', rehashing the sound that they offered in their self-titled debut, and second set 'De Stijl'. After four records, you'd be inclined to believe that you know what The White Stripes are all about. But if 'Blue Orchid' - the first single from their fifth album - had you fooled into thinking that the Stripes plan to stick to their tried and tested formula in 'Get Behind Me Satan', then you're in for a surprise. The album might have the same roots, but it branches into something that's totally different from their previous releases.

'Get Behind Me Satan' sees The White Stripes trade their predominantly guitar-and-drum-reliant style for piano-driven melodies, and shows the band experimenting on a whole new canvas. And the results are extremely interesting, to say the least. There might not be a 'Seven Nation Army' or 'Fell In Love With A Girl' on this album, but the chart success of songs like 'My Doorbell' and 'The Denial Twist' has proved that Jack and Meg White haven't lost any of their red, white and black charm.

The album finds betrayal and loneliness running through as the main theme, and retains the band's credibility while showcasing their newfound versatility. There's the Led Zeppelin reminiscent 'Instinct Blues', the bluegrass-tinged 'Little Ghost' (which doesn't come as much of a surprise seeing Jack's work on the 'Cold Mountain' soundtrack and on Loretta Lynn's 'Van Lear Rose'), and the piano-based ballad 'I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)'.

'Passive Manipulation' features Meg on lead vocals and seems to end almost before it starts, although one can (quite convincingly) argues that thirty seconds of Meg's singing are more than enough. 'Forever for Her (Is Over For Me)' goes to show that the marimba can indeed be used to good effect. And even though the absolute randomness of parts of 'The Nurse' might make it sound like a recording session gone wrong, but it is, nonetheless, one of the best songs on the record, and perfectly captures the feel of the entire album: it's raw, it's different, at times it's nothing short of strange; yet, it's weirdly pleasant and doesn't fail to capture the attention of the listener.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 4th August, 2006

The colours of music

interview

In an exclusive interview, Rung vocalist Iftikhar Habib tells Us about the band, their debut album and what they have planned for the coming months.

Current line-up:
- Iftikhar Habib (Ifu) - Vocals
- Sarmad Ghafoor - Lead & Rhythm Guitar
- Zulfiqar-ul-Hassan (Zulfi) - Rhythm Guitar
- Wasim Kamal - Drums

Us: Rung's debut album 'Green' has finally been released. Tell Us about the album.
Iftikhar Habib: Generically, Rung's music is pop rock. The album comprises eleven original tracks plus the karaoke versions of two of our songs. The album features the two hits 'Hum Na' and 'Meri Dunia', and it also includes tracks that are very different from what the audience had heard before the album was released. In terms of song writing, it is a highly versatile album and we take a lot of pride in what we have come up with. We hope people really enjoy it.

Us: The album was originally slated to be out in 2004. Why the delay?
Ifu: Rung had to work with a lot of limitations. The band came into existence as a result of my initiative and then my collaboration with Sarmad Ghafoor. The two of us have always been in two different cities, so the song writing, jam sessions, recording and video making - all came with considerable time intervals in between. We also wanted to pitch in at least three to four videos and then release the album, but unfortunately we took a lot of time to do that.

Us: Any plans for releasing the album internationally?
Ifu: We are already negotiating a contract with record labels in India. Let's see how that turns out.

Us: The band has opted to go with a safe sound on the album instead of trying something different. Why so?
Ifu: The band has opted to write music which is commercially accessible, but at the same time also original. Being a mainstream act is not a negative thing for any band in any part of the world. What is negative is when bands don't sound very original and their music lacks artistic direction. Rung, we feel, has its own characteristic sound, which is more important to us as artists. We do think that we are different in this sense from other bands in the contemporary music scene.

Us: So is the sound what you want it to be? And how would you want it to evolve with the next album?
Ifu: Personally, I am very happy with the way we sound on this album. I don't know how things would be on the next album, because we have two very talented musicians (Wasim and Zulfi) added to our line-up who would bring their own ideas into what we make.

Us: How is the band's current line-up different from the one that played on the album?
Ifu: Like I said, Rung came into existence as a result of the collaboration between Sarmad and myself, which made us just a duo in the beginning. We wrote and recorded the entire album without any other musician being a part of Rung. Of course we had the pleasure of working with various talented artists in the studio while the album was recorded. We later started looking for musicians to complete the band's line-up because we are a totally live act. Hence, we were lucky to find Zulfi and Wasim.

Us: And where did the second 'g' go?
Ifu: It is probably lost in a crossword puzzle - we are still looking for it! (Laughs) Actually, the spellings were changed because the band members jointly agreed that one 'g' looked aesthetically better.

Us: The band's website is still accessible at rungg.com. Why wasn't the URL changed?
Ifu: This is the most unique question I have ever answered for an interview. My management sees to such affairs. I was told that for technical reasons it would be better that we do not change the URL. My only concern is that it should not create any confusion among fans.

Us: But then why not change the URL if you think it might cause confusion?
Ifu: Because if we change the URL, then our website's ranking in the major Search Engines will go down and we didn't want that.

Us: What kind of music do you listen to? Any influences?
Ifu: Personally I have grown up listening to the infamous glam-rock scene from Los Angeles. I was really into Guns'n'Roses, Aerosmith, Extreme, Dream Theatre and a bit of Bon Jovi. As my musical taste evolved I was listening to almost anything and everything that sounded good to me. Sting is an all time favourite. So is George Michael in the latter stages of his career. I have been a huge fan of Chris Cornell and Pearl Jam. I have been into Nelly Furtardo, Matchbox 20, Tori Amos, Incubus, John Mayer, and Coldplay. Lately, I have been listening to Korn. I am also a huge fan of Ustaad Salamat Ali Khan and Mehdi Hasan.

Us: How do you guys come up with your songs? Melody first or lyrics?
Ifu: There is no formula. We wrote some songs that came out as a result of jamming interactively. There were tunes where I had a certain melody in mind for example 'Hum Na' and 'Naye Rung'. Then there were also songs that were written with Sarmad writing the guitar parts first. 'Saath Saath' and 'Tu Mila' are good examples of this sort of output.

Us: Which video will be released next? And when?
Ifu: The next video that will be out is called 'Bin Kahe'. It is going to be directed by Zeeshan Parwez. The video should be on air in July/August 2006.

Us: What kind of training do you go through for your vocals?
Ifu: I follow a routine whereby I start my day early and have a two-hour vocal session with my guru or ustaad. Such sessions mainly focus on the development of my vocal technique, voice-culturing methods within the parameters of eastern classical music and vocal improvisation to develop expression in my singing. I also am a staunch believer of practising the western vocalizing techniques. I have a couple of good books to help me with that plus my vast experience of listening to great British and American singers since I was a kid. Listening to good artists is a great way to learn and improve.

Us: You guys have been using marketing strategies like putting up billboards across Lahore to promote the album. How effective have such marketing strategies been?
Ifu: We have been asked this question in a lot of interviews lately. Such ground level marketing activity is effective anywhere in the world, but it might look a little unusual in Pakistan. You see countless billboards, mega electronic signs and magazine ads in the US, Europe, Australia, India and the UK. All this is done when a new artist is launched, or when an existing artist launches a new album. The only difference is that in more developed markets all such marketing activity is funded by the artist's record label. Here, in Pakistan, our management had to take the initiative and get such activities funded by corporate sponsorships.

Us: How has the response to the Rung StreetTeams [RST] initiative been?
Ifu: The RST idea is actually a fabulous idea. I was personally quite excited to know about it when my management introduced me to the concept. I think that we are actually the first Pakistani band to launch this concept in Pakistan online. Once again it is a rapidly growing idea for all bands and solo artists internationally. It is actually a step further from just having a fan club. In order to get a flavour of this we invite all our fans to visit our official website and log onto www.rungg.com/streetTeams.

Us: What can we expect from Rung in the coming months?
Ifu: There are two main priorities. Playing live throughout Pakistan as much as possible, and shooting more videos with regular intervals of time. We are also looking to release 'Green' internationally.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 14th July, 2006

Call

band profile

Band: Call

Current line-up:

- Junaid Khan: Vocals

- Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan (Xulfi): Guitars/ Backing Vocals

- Sultan Raja: Bass

Website: www.thebandcall.com

“Our visit to India was a lot of fun. From the beach to the cinema, we enjoyed every moment of it. It feels just like home because the people are so warm and helpful,” says Xulfi, the guitarist of the Pakistani rock band Call.

All set to conquer the other side of the border, the band recently visited India to record a show for MTV after being chosen as the music channel’s MotoAlert Artists of the month for May. Call’s brand of alternative rock has already won over a legion of fans, and with the release of their debut album, the band has cemented its status as one of the most popular rock bands of the region.

Call was originally started by three brothers – Khurram, Danish, and Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan – as an experimental rock band in 1994, and continued to perform both original material and covers with different line-ups for nearly 7 years. After a brief hiatus in 2001, Call returned to the music scene a year later, moving from underground to mainstream, and conquering the Pakistani audience with their first official release, ‘Nishaan’. Hits like ‘Pukaar’, ‘Shayad’ and ‘Sab Bhula Kai’ subsequently followed.

2005 saw the release of Call’s highly anticipated debut album ‘Jilawatan’, an eleven-track modern rock set that revolves around the theme of mental exile and isolation, and merges angst-ridden lyrics with slick guitar work. The album offers everything from power ballads in the form of ‘Sab Bhula Kai’ and ‘Bichar Kai Bhee’, to tracks of the more hard-hitting variety, like ‘Shayad’ and ‘Jilawatan’. A venture in the post-grunge realm, Call’s sound falls somewhere between Creed and Lifehouse, a blend of meaningful (albeit self-pitying) lyrics and radio-friendly rock tunes.

Earlier this year, the band had visited India to record their song ‘Kal Hamara Hai’. “Going to India has always been a great experience,” says Junaid, the vocalist of the band. “You get to learn a lot as India is full of culture and traditions, which is the major thing that both the countries share. The people are so friendly, and professionally they really put all their effort into the work they do.”

Call has been quite active in the local concert circuit, and has also performed outside Pakistan. The band has previously had shows in Dubai, Doha and Qatar, and the guys plan to perform in India very soon. “We will be having a concert tour of India in two months time. There will be concerts in Delhi, Mumbai and Calcutta. Nowadays, we are preparing for the tour – practicing and all.” And the band is also planning to venture into Bollywood: “We have almost finalized the deal for a song for an Indian movie,” explains Xulfi, “so you are going to see Call in Bollywood pretty soon. The song is done, and it will hopefully be released with the movie.”

When asked about their upcoming tour, the band says they’re looking forward to it. “We hope to be back in India real soon,” says Xulfi, “Till then, we will carry fond memories of our visit”. “Plus,” Junaid chimes in, “it’s always good to spend some time with your neighbours!”

- By Sameen Amer

JAM Magazine (India) - June 2006

"Uniquely Portable Magic"

cover story

book /buk/

noun
1. a set of written, printed, or blank pages fastened along one side and encased between protective covers;

2. a printed or written literary work;

3. that thing people used to love to read before television and the Internet took over the world.

A long, long time ago - back in the days when rational thought and proper diction still prevailed - reading used to be the world's favourite pastime. But unknown to mankind, somewhere in the vast expanses of the globe, conspiratorial forces - envious of the attention being garnered by those printed words - were hard at work, determined to do away with any interest in all things readable. Sure enough, the bounded sheets of paper were soon replaced by rectangular boxes of varying sizes, boxes that were designed to emit insanely addictive radiation that would enslave anyone the moment they were exposed to it.

As time went by, mankind ended up addicted to technology and trapped behind a pile of work, with little or no time left for reading, and fascination with books slowly started dwindling. While interest in the activity was somewhat revived by books like The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter series, bibliophilia still resides in the endangered list. Most of us might go through an occasional paperback, but the number of avid readers is on the decline.

Not just the mere following of words on a page, reading entails actually processing what you read. Whether it's a piece of fiction, a religious documentary or a historic account, you won't understand it by merely scanning the words, and there's no better way of understanding anything than by actually 'reading' about it. In addition, reading not only enhances your expression, but researchers also claim that it develops the 'ability for concentration and imagination, and enhances culture and civic involvement'.

So here's what we suggest you do: read!

Thou shall read

From classics to contemporary literature, the written world is vast enough to offer something that would cater to everyone's taste. Classic literature includes works by writers like Charles Dickens, Mark Twain, Daniel Defoe, Jane Austen and the Bronte sisters. The vast folds of genre fiction encompass everything from science fiction, which holds books by the likes of Jules Verne and H. G. Wells, to the horror fiction genre, popularised by the authors like Edgar Allan Poe and Bram Stoker. And even though a bestselling paperback might get nothing more than disapproval from critics writers like Stephen King, Jeffrey Archer, James Patterson, John Grisham, and (on rare occasions) even Dan Brown knows how to spin a gripping tale. Also, boasting of prolific names like Mirza Ghalib, Allama Iqbal, Saadat Hasan Manto, Shafiq Ur Rehman, and Naseem Hijazi, Urdu professes a treasure of literary gems.

And if fantasy isn't your cup of tea, then go for non-fiction. Read The Diary Of A Young Girl and see what a teenage girl had to go through while in hiding during the holocaust. Venture into the accounts of history, religion or the world of mythology. Or delve into a biography - the biography of a leader, an entrepreneur, a sporting legend, or even a rock star - and see what made that person great enough to have a book written about him.

Thou shall not judge a book by its movie

Hollywood has become so fascinated with cinematising everything from books and short stories to video games and comic book characters that they fail to see that not all adaptations make good movies. Not to say that all adaptations are bad; while some of the films can be really good, the book is almost always better.

Sure the James Bond movies are hugely successful, but, for many, the Ian Fleming books still hold a lot more charm than the movies. And while Isaac Asimov fans are left to recover from the shock of a mess that was 'I, Robot' (although, it wasn't strictly based on Asimov's work), many of us will be praying that our favourite books never go the big-screen way. Why? Because so much of an author's voice is lost in the book-to-film transition.

Many books have been turned into movies, stripping away the thought process for the audience, and enforcing boundaries to the imagination, whereas a book tries to do the exact opposite. So, sure, watch the movie, but don't forget to take a look at the work of the author who actually came up with the idea. Read how Robert Ludlum penned down the character of Jason Bourne, and what Alexander Dumas chose as the ending for The Man In The Iron Mask. And don't wait for them to transform His Dark Materials to film. Give the books a chance!

Thou shall allow yourself to experience the wonderful world of words

Whether it's the adventures of a silly old bear, the story of a girl chasing a rabbit into the world of endless imagination, an inspired-by-real-life account of football obsession, or a non-fiction cautionary tale of self-destruction, books can take you on a journey like no other medium can. Plus you can always count on a book to be there for you when you need it the most.

So whether you're reading a play by Shakespeare or the works of Ghalib, appreciate the power of language. Whether you read for fun or to write a book report for school, don't skim; peruse. And whether you're reading the works of the greats like D.H. Lawrence, P.G. Wodehouse and George Orwell, or modern fiction writers like Annie Proulx, Charles Frazier or Helen Fielding, allow the words to open the door to your imagination.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 26th May, 2006

Roxen - shining through

interview

Roxen stepped into the spotlight with the release of the videos of their songs 'Yaadein' and 'Sapnay'. The band's debut album is now ready for release and is scheduled to be out this summer. We caught up with the band's vocalist Mustafa Zahid to ask him about the band's music and their forthcoming album.

Current lineup:
* Mustafa Zahid a.k.a. Musti - Vocals, Lyrics and Compositions
* Jawad Muhammad a.k.a. Jodi - Guitars
* Haider Haleem - Guitars and Compositions
* Omar Haleem - Bass

Website: http://www.rox3n.com/

Us: How and when was Roxen formed?
Mustafa Zahid: Roxen was formed in 2004. I used to perform as a solo artist on different gigs and events. I met up with Jodi at a concert and we synchronized together as artists. Then I asked my friend Haider to join the band but since he was occupied with some other projects, he offered his elder brother Omar to be a part of the band. Omar joined the band as a bassist and now Haider himself is a band member too and is on guitars.

Us: Why is the band called Roxen? And who came up with the name?
MZ: Roxen, actually pronounced as Rozen, is derived from the Urdu word Rozen-e-deewar. It refers to the light penetrating into a prisoner's cell. The reason why the band came up with the name Rozen is because the name itself symbolizes hope and freshness and this is what the band's music is all about - liberation and emancipation. The name was decided by my friend Kashan and me.

Us: How would you describe the music that you guys make?
MZ: Frankly speaking, our objective is not to aim at one genre only. The word music and the totality in its range are varied. And this is what our band is determined to achieve. We want to reach out to people with our music on a day-to-day basis. If you see our compositions, they are related to what people go through in life. Music ought to be diverse, and that is what the listeners will get to hear from Roxen.

Us: Some people think that many of the new bands have a very similar sound and aren't offering anything new to the listeners. Any comments?
MZ: We believe that music goes through a timeline, an era. For example, the 70s had a different trend in music in each genre. Similarly, this age features a trend which everybody seems to follow, and especially when you're beginning and taking a start, you like to experiment less, and then, in later stages, you tend to explore your diversities. But it doesn't mean that new bands don't have anything to offer. We think a couple of albums from the new bands will make it clear where everyone is heading.

Us: Tell Us about your upcoming album.
MZ: The album is all set to reach the masses and will hit the market in May, InshAllah. It has been recorded at Xth Harmonic (Xulfi's place). It'll be a blend - with a tint of pop and some shades of rock music as well, and when we say rock, then it's the harder side of rock.

Us: So far, you've released the videos for 'Yaadein' and 'Sapnay'. How was the experience of working on those videos?
MZ: It was great. We learned so many things, and the kind of professionalism both directors showed along with all that friendship was amazing. Can't thank Xulfi and Ahmed enough for making such nice videos for Roxen.

Us: Which video will be released next? Anything you can tell us about it?
MZ: We have another video in the pipeline which is 'Tau Phir Aao". It will be out very shortly with our album, so all our fans out there watch out for that.

Us: How important is the music video medium for any band?
MZ: The music video for any band is the most significant medium. Apart from music, video portrays the vision of the band and their ingenuity towards their intention - to produce good music. For instance, webzines are the best medium for a band when it's underground; likewise, video is the only way to gain the attention of the masses whilst coming to the mainstream.

Us: How hard is it for the new bands to establish themselves in the industry?
MZ: A lot of new and very talented bands are emerging and are trying to etch their way into the mainstream. The stakes are high and everyone is competing to reach the number one position. The only possible way to establish ourselves as a band in the industry is to get out there, be true to ourselves and the music we create, and lastly leave it up to God Almighty.

Us: Were there any difficulties you guys had to face as an upcoming band?
MZ: It has been a great journey so far. Mashallah, we have achieved a lot of things since last year or so when we started. We won't say it was a smooth ride because you have to work hard to achieve something and yeah, there was a lot of leg pulling and useless propaganda against us, but see, here we are, all set to rock the market with our album soon, Inshallah.

Us: You guys are based in Lahore. Do you think location influences or hampers a band's success in any way?
MZ: Success comes from hard work, that's for sure, and that's what we have learnt, too. We would definitely say that yes, Lahore based bands have to suffer because all of the media is located in Karachi, but then again EP is from Lahore, Noori is from Lahore, Jal is from Lahore and now Call is from Lahore too. It's totally up to what you offer to the general public. If it's worth listening to, then even if you are jamming in Afghanistan, people will come and listen to you.

Us: Do you feel that people treat you guys differently now that you're members of a well-known band?
MZ: Funny question actually, we think we've just started the journey and we have a long way to go, Inshallah. Yes, sometimes we receive surprising reactions from people who listen to our music and it makes us feel really good and makes us work even harder to satisfy them with our album.

Us: What kind of music do you all listen to? Does it influence the music that you make?
MZ: We listen to all kinds of music. The music field is vast, even the sounds of fingers tapping can be music to the ears. As far as the international acts go, we listen to Bryan Adams, Vertical Horizon, Joe Satriani, Iron Maiden, Dave Mathews Band, Lifehouse...you name it. Locally, we're into Junoon, Fuzon, Hamid Ali Khan, Karavan and Call mostly. Yes, the music we listen to tends to influence the music we make, because they inspire us to create good music - music that can be heard by anyone and everyone.

Us: What can we expect from Roxen in the next few months?
MZ: Our debut album will be out soon. We have been working hard and have put in all out efforts to create some good pieces of music for the listeners as they will be the ones deciding our fate and will mark our niche in the market as entertainers, so watch out for our album and expect something fresh!

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 19th May, 2006

She's The Man

movie review

'She's The Man' is a teen comedy inspired by William Shakespeare's play 'Twelfth Night, or What You Will', revolving around Viola (Amanda Bynes) who is a tomboy obsessed with soccer. To Viola's disappointment, her school, Cornwall Academy, cuts the girls' soccer team, and the coach of the boys' team refuses to allow her to try out for his team, stating that girls can't play soccer as well as boys can. When her twin brother Sebastian (James Kirk) decides to skip his first two weeks of school at Illyria Academy to perform with his band in London, Viola disguises herself as him and goes to his boarding school, hoping to join the Illyria boys' soccer team and eventually playing against her own school.

In the process, she makes friends with her roommate Duke (Channing Tatum), the captain of the Illyria team, and this is followed by the mess which is concisely summarized in the movie's tagline: "Duke wants Olivia who likes Sebastian who is really Viola whose brother is dating Monique so she hates Olivia who's with Duke to make Sebastian jealous who is really Viola who's crushing on Duke who thinks she's a guy."

So, who will end up with whom? And will Viola's disguise hold? Will she be able to make the team? What will happen in the Cornwall-Illyria fixture? The results don't come as much of a surprise as the storyline is highly predictable (and, at times, ridiculously unbelievable), but the movie is still pretty enjoyable. Amanda Bynes is likable in her role as Viola/Sebastian, and the rest of the cast supports her quite well while bounded by the somewhat hackneyed plot. It might not be as good as '10 Things I Hate About You' (with which it shares quite a few characteristics), but as far as teen movies go, 'She's The Man' isn't half bad.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 12th May, 2006

Sing, sing, sing!

cover story

It was artists like Nazia and Zoheb Hassan, and bands like the Vital Signs, Awaz, and Junoon that gave the Pakistani music industry the much-needed boost that time warranted. And eventually, the mainstream success of bands like Noori and Call has given our music scene a whole new outlook, and inspired many acts to follow in their footsteps and try to make their mark in the world of music.

What?
For decades, it was classical, folk and filmi music that ruled our local music landscape. But even though the seeds of pop music had been planted by the mid-'80s, it wasn't until much later that we saw the pop music industry take proper shape. It was quite a while before Pakistan's first music channel was launched, and bands and musicians including the Strings, Jal, Ali Zafar, and Atif Aslam not only conquered the local canvas, but also earned global recognition for Pakistani pop music. Riding on this wave, many new artists have emerged, some offer a good and refreshing sound, while others offer nothing more than auditory torture. In any case, the Pakistani music industry is expanding at a rate faster than ever before. Our airwaves regularly introduce us to new voices and faces, showing us both the good and the not-so-good results of this development. People are trying to take up music for a myriad of reasons, and are receiving varying degrees of success.

When?
It's hard to identify the exact point that led to this surge, but one can roughly accord it to the advent of music channels in Pakistan. These channels not only served to showcase the already established musicians in the country, but also played a pivotal role in encouraging new talent to come forward, as well as alluring artists that had been resident in the underground for years to join the mainstream.
Perhaps there was a different stimulus that inspired each of these newcomers, but a common precursor that has been identified by musicians, producers and directors alike came in the form of the hype that was surrounding some of the other new talent. Take 'Aadat' as an example. 'Aadat' and the resultant success of Jal and Atif Aslam, led many to believe that it's very easy to gain fame in the music industry, and one can hardly blame them. There has perhaps never been a more powerful debut in our industry. The song and its video not only managed to establish the artists and the director of the video in the process, but also served as motivation for others. "For me it started when I saw the video of 'Chaye Chaye' by the Strings," explains Umar Anwar, the director of 'Aadat'. "That was the day when I was like, 'if Jami can do something so good, then why can't I?' For that, I had to start somewhere, so I tried. One should take risks in life in order to gauge his/her potential, and then leave everything to Allah."

Who?
Kaavish, A.W.S., Roxen, Visaal, Irtaash, Zoak, Needlework, and so many others! "It is amazing to see many new artists finding their way into our music scene everyday," says Iftikhar Habib, the vocalist of Rung. But have the new artists got anything new to offer? "Some of them, in my view, are highly talented while a considerable number, I feel, are not very original, and sound similar to each other. One also feels that at times there is more emphasis on presentation through videos rather than the presentation of quality musical skills. As an aspiring young musician, I just feel that while being optimistic, we also need to be modest and remain committed to the improvement of our musical skills as musicians. Another unfortunate aspect is an unhealthy sense of negative competition amongst artists from all genres of our country. This leaves a poor tradition for upcoming talent. I just think we all need to work on our musical skills as growing musicians because we are all learning. We also need to be more original and try to bring out our own unique sound."

Where?
'Where', you ask? Well, everywhere would be a good approximation. They're on the radio, they're on the tube, most of them have their own websites, and you can even catch them performing live at various venues.
So which medium helps them out the most? The opinion on that varies:
- Some think it's television: "TV, radio, internet and live performance are all important for an upcoming band," says Hassan, the lead vocalist of Xeal, "but the most important of all is video, because TV is the most important medium. Everybody has a television at their homes. In comparison, a very small number of people listen to the radio, so it doesn't have that much importance. Live performance is a good medium too, but it works when you are already on TV and people know who you are. Internet is also important, but the drawback is that the people who don't know about the related websites can't listen to the band, so TV or video is the key medium in my opinion."
- Some lean towards the world wide web: According to Bilawal, "Well, as a new band every aspect of publicity counts, but in my opinion, first of all, the Internet is the basic medium through which a band or artist is recognized because nowadays every new band or solo artist gives their song on Internet to create a hype before the album is released or video is launched, just like Jal. They uploaded their debut song 'Aadat' and later on that song took the country by storm. People from all over the world downloaded that song and liked it very much. So, the same goes for any new band or artist because if people like their song, then it's good for that band. Otherwise they don't bother listening to that song again or buying the band's CD."
- And some think it all comes down to how one uses these mediums: "For us, we consider that all medium are of equal importance," says Nausher Javed from Inteha. "It's just that they should be used intelligently and only when they are required. Like, we launched our debut song 'Daastaan' first on the Internet, then on the FM radio channels, and when we felt that some demand has been created by these two mediums, we launched 'Daastaan''s video on different channels. Live performances are the backbone for these mediums."

Why?
Just why has half our population decided to become musicians? Many reason: talent (of which there is no dearth in our country, and which should be - but generally isn't - the main reason), fame (the most desired derivative of releasing a song), money (the root of all evil, sigh!), trend (and here's where we say hello to our good old friend 'wannabeism'), media (the resultant exposure, and the evolution of the video medium), and freedom of expression (which is, now, a lot more than the last decade).
And then, of course, there's the overconfidence: they all think they can do it. Yes, some of these bands really do know what they're doing, but then there are those whose musical outputs are just as pleasant as the sound of nails on a chalkboard. One can only hope that the former manage to outweigh the latter.

So...
They come with varying levels of skills and potential, but are all trying to make their presence felt in the music scene. And whereas some believe that these new bands will be better and more mature, as they will keep all the previous bands and their mistakes in mind and learn from them, others aren't so optimistic. The general opinion comes down to the fact that 'without basic training, some of them can't perform or play or even sing well'. So if you feel like buying a guitar and jumping onto the musicians bandwagon, here's why you shouldn't quit your day job just yet: music isn't everyone's forte, and it's not as easy as it looks! "This ain't a game or something," warns Xulfi, "It's a serious business. You never step into a business until you know its ins and outs. But, the job of the music producer has become quite weird. Me being one, I think I do more than I should be doing for a band. Even helping the band with melodies and ideas about structures more than I should help," observes Xulfi and adds: "They should know how to play in the studio."
And will these bands be successful? That's one question that only time can answer.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 21st April, 2006