Rest In Peace, Michael

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The king is dead. Long live the king!

"Music has been my outlet, my gift to all of the lovers in this world. Through it, my music, I know I will live forever." - Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009)

The speculation started with a web alert that said he had gone into cardiac arrest. Within an hour, it was all over the news. And then the worst was eventually confirmed by the (uncharacteristically cautious) major media outlets around the world: The King of Pop was dead. Michael Jackson was gone.


The Musician

'Everyone's taking control of me / Seems that the world's got a role for me'

If there was even a whiff of English music around you as a child, Michael Jackson must've been one of the first musicians you would have heard of. And for anyone who had even a cursory interest in music at any time during the last four decades, Michael's songs must've been hard to miss.

When the world first met him as the front-kid of The Jackson 5, there was little doubt that they were looking at one of the most talented child stars ever. For more than a decade, the singer released a host of successful albums both with his band and as a solo artist. Then in 1982, he released Thriller. The album went on to sell more than 109 million copies, becoming the best-selling album of all time, and redefining the music industry in the process.

With his distinctive voice and style, Michael was an unstoppable force at the peak of his career, selling millions of copies of each of his albums and dominating charts around the world. His success continued with Bad (1987), and then into the '90s with the release of Dangerous in 1991, but then his personal turmoil began to overshadow his work. He released two more studio albums – HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1 (1995) and Invincible (2001) – but despite their success, the albums did not perform as well as expected. At the time of his death, Michael was only days away from embarking on a sold-out "final curtain call" tour. When the 50-concert This Is It tour had been announced earlier this year, many had expressed their doubts and thought it was never going to happen. No one had any idea, however, that the reason for its cancellation would be so heartbreaking, and would mark the end of not only the career but also the life of the world's most successful recording artist.


The Person

'I'm tired of bein' the victim of shame / They're throwin' me in a class with a bad name / I can't believe this is the land from which I came'

Before he was the most popular musician in the world, Michael Jackson was a "sad and lonely" child. He claimed that during his childhood, he was "physically and emotionally" abused by his father, and constantly drilled to perfect his performance. As he grew up, it was his peculiarities that became tabloid fodder. Surgeries, change of skin colour, the facemasks, the Neverland ranch. And then the charges, the trials, and the eventual acquittals. At times his life was so bizarre that we almost forgot what an amazing performer he was.

He married twice – first to Elvis Presley's daughter Lisa Marie Presley in 1994 (ended in divorce less than two years later), and then to dermatologist nurse Deborah Jeanne Rowe in 1996 (divorced in 1999) with whom he has two children: son Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., and daughter Paris Michael Katherine Jackson. His third child, Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II was born in 2002, but the identity of the mother has never been revealed. As those close to him have often noted, his children were everything to him.

Over his life, Michael raised and donated millions of dollars for various causes and supported a number of charities. In his later years, he became increasingly reclusive and reluctant to appear in public. And his legal troubles coupled with his lavish lifestyle were also taking a financial toll. At one stage, Michael was one of the wealthiest entertainers in the world, with a fortune of over $750 million. Yet, according to some estimates, he died nearly half a billion dollars in debt.

While some judged him because he was unusual, many still think that he was just someone who never had a childhood, and, as a result, rebelled against being an adult. But despite the fact that he suffered as a result of spending his entire life in the spotlight, he had no regrets with respect to his career: "I've been in the entertainment industry since I was six old," he told AP in 2007. "As Charles Dickens says, 'It's been the best of times, the worst of times.' But I would not change my career." After his death, Lisa Marie revealed that the singer had once told her he was afraid he would end up like her father. "The world is in shock," she wrote on her blog, "but somehow he knew exactly how his fate would be played out some day more than anyone else knew, and he was right."


The Icon

'Well they say the sky's the limit / And to me that's really true / But my friend you have seen nothin' / Just wait 'til I get through'

For nearly four decades, Michael Jackson had an unprecedented impact on the music industry. He was the first international superstar – his music transcended both race and borders. Classics like Thriller, Beat It, Bad, and Black or White set the tone for pop music. He became one of the best selling artists of all time as his music magnetised tens of millions of fans around the world. He inspired countless musicians, and transformed the industry through his music, style, performances, and showmanship. And the moonwalk…who can ever forget the moonwalk!

And then, of course, there were his music videos. Michael revolutionised the concept of music videos, merging dance routines with special effects, and turning videos into an art form. Many grew up dancing to his music, trying to mimic the dance moves of Thriller and Beat It; more than 25 years after its release, Thriller remains the most successful (and most awesome) music video to-date. His videos propelled him into becoming "the first African-American entertainer to amass a strong crossover following on MTV", and he became well known for his brilliant high-budgeted "short films". Thriller was the most expensive video of its time, as were Bad and Scream – the latter, a duet with sister Janet, still holds the record for the most expensive video ever made. From the energy he put into his performances to the effort he put into his music and videos, Michael was in a class of his own. Safe to say that there never was and will never be an entertainer quite like him.


The Legacy

'Every day create your history / Every path you take you're leaving your legacy'

As the world came to grips with the reality of his demise, the very magnitude of Michael's fame started becoming apparent. As fans heard about his death, texting soared all over the world, seeing a record spike in some regions, people all over the world tried to search online for news on the pop legend and even Google News struggled to cope with the massive web-traffic; a number of sites even became unavailable at times. Sales of his albums immediately skyrocketed – the top ten charts almost looked like the MJ discography – and the video of his songs on YouTube saw millions of hits within a day. AOL called it a "seminal moment in Internet history"; "we've never seen anything like it in terms of scope or depth," they added. If any evidence was needed of his "most popular artist in the world" status, then the reaction to his death must've been proof enough.

Whatever the controversies around him, no one can deny that Michael Jackson had an influence across the music spectrum all over the world. From those who witnessed little Michael performing ABC with the Jackson 5, to the starry-eyed kids who discovered pop music by way of Dangerous, Michael provided the soundtrack to many childhoods and saw his music become interwoven with the lives of his fans. Any mention of MJ invariably brings back memories of the era when he reigned supreme; yet his music is in no way dated, and remains as popular today as it was when it was released. And now that he's gone, one can only hope that he will be remembered as a gifted artist, and that his awesome music, not his peculiarities, will become his legacy. We will miss his talent. And we hope that he can now find the peace that eluded him in life.


Michael Joseph Jackson

• Born on August 29, 1958.
• Son of Joseph Walter Jackson and Katherine Esther.
• The seventh of nine children. His siblings are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Randy and Janet.
• Joined his brothers Jackie, Tito and Jermaine's band, the Jackson Brothers, in 1964, along with Marlon.
• At the age of eight, he became the lead vocalist of The Jackson 5.
• The band's first four singles – I Want You Back, ABC, The Love You Save, and I'll Be There – topped the charts in the US; other hits included Dancing Machine and I Am Love.
• Released10 solo albums: Got to Be There (1972), Ben (1972), Music and Me (1973), Forever, Michael (1975), Off the Wall (1979), Thriller (1982), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), HIStory (1995), Invincible (2001). His albums have sold over 750 million units worldwide.
• The Bad World Tour (1987–1989), Dangerous World Tour (1992-1993), and HIStory World Tour (1996-1997) were each the highest grossing tours ever at the time; the HIStory tour is still the biggest tour ever in terms of international attendance.
• His music and videos set numerous records. To name a few: Thriller remains the best selling album of all time; the video of Black or White, released in 1991, was aired simultaneously in 27 countries with an estimated audience of 500 million, the largest audience ever to view a music video; the video of Scream, his duet with sister Janet released in 1995, holds the record for the most expensive music video and reportedly cost over seven million U.S. dollars.
• Won around 200 awards – more than any other artist in the history of music – including 19 Grammy Awards, 22 American Music Awards, and 12 World Music Awards. Was named the Artist Of The Century at the 2002 American Music Awards.
• Purchased the rights to a music catalogue holding thousands of songs, including most of the songs written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney between 1963-1973, for $47.5 million.
• Was diagnosed with vitiligo and lupus in the mid 1980s.
• Was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993 and 2003; the first case was settled out of court, the second resulted in an acquittal on all counts; as a result of the allegations, his health declined, and he suffered from stress-related illnesses and drug dependency.
• Was married twice: to Lisa Marie Presley from 1994 to 1996, and to Debbie Rowe from 1996 to 1999.
• Leaves behind three children: 12-year-old Michael Joseph Jackson, 11-year-old Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, and seven-year-old Prince Michael Jackson II.
• Was close friends with other former child stars, including Elizabeth Taylor and Macaulay Culkin.
• Mentioned in the 2000 Guinness World Records for his support of 39 charities, more than any other entertainer or personality.
• Passed away on the 25th of June 2009. Was taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles after a 911 call from his home after he suffered from cardiac arrest; was pronounced dead at around 2.26 p.m. local time.

– By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 3rd July, 2009

More Than A Thousand Words

cover story

A look at some of the world's most famous and iconic photographs

Let There Be Photography
View from the Window at Le Gras (1826)
Photographer: Joseph Nicéphore Niépce
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce, the inventor of photography, took what is believed to be the first successful permanent photograph, View from the Window at Le Gras, in 1826. The photo was captured using a camera obscura and shows the view from his workroom window on the upper storey of his country house in Saint-Loup-de-Varennes, France. The picture is currently on display in the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin.

Nessie?
The 'Surgeon's Photograph' (1934)
Photographer: Robert Wilson? Marmaduke Wetherell?
In 1934, British surgeon Robert Wilson supposedly took a picture that appeared to show a sea serpent believed to live in Loch Ness in Scotland. The picture inspired a lot of interest in the Loch Ness Monster, making it one of the best-known mysteries in the world. In 1994, however, before his death at the age of 90, Christian Spurling, son-in-law of Marmaduke Wetherell (an employee of Daily Mail, who had been ridiculed in the newspaper), confessed that the picture wasn't of Nessie after all -- it was a staged photograph of a toy submarine with a head and neck made of plastic wood that he claimed he built to help Wetherell get back at the Daily Mail by asking Robert Wilson to offer the pictures to the newspaper. But despite Christian's confession, many still believe that Nessie did/does in fact actually exist. According to some, the picture may be a hoax, but that doesn't mean that the legend isn't true!

The Demise Of The Zeppelin
The Hindenburg Disaster (1937)
LZ 129 Hindenburg, a German commercial airship, started what would become its final voyage on May 3, 1937, on its way from Frankfurt to New Jersey. The Zeppelin was carrying only 36 passengers (half of its capacity of 72) along with 61 crewmembers; the cost of a one-way ticket had been US$400 (which would be equivalent to more than US$5,000 now). Three days later, at 7:25 p.m., when the aircraft was attempting to land, a fire broke out, engulfing the entire airship within 34 seconds; the exact cause of the fire remains unknown. The many journalists and photographers who were there awaiting the Zeppelin's first transatlantic passenger flight of the year, instead ended up capturing images of the destruction of the aircraft and the disaster that claimed 36 (13 passengers, 22 crew, 1 ground crew) lives.

The Ones That Shouldn't Have Been
Atomic Bombings, World War II (1945)
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. August 6 and 9, 1945. Little Boy and Fat Man. 140,000 + 80,000 casualties. And two images that captured the magnitude of the disaster that befell the cities, a cautious reminder of why this must never happen again.
Other famous WWII pictures include:
- Iwo Jima: The picture of American Soldiers raising their flag during the second flag-raising event of the day at Iwo Jima; taken on February 23rd 1945, by Joe Rosenthal
- The Dancing Man: A man, believed to be retired barrister Frank McAlary, dancing on the street in Sydney, Australia, on August 15, 1945, marking the end of World War II and symbolising victory in the war.

Nutty Professor?
Albert Einstein (1951)
Photographer: Arthur Sasse
Albert Einstein, considered to be one of the greatest minds of all time, is remembered just as much for his personality as his intellect. On March 14, 1951, his 72nd birthday, the German-born physicist was returning from an event that had taken place in his honour, and was being hounded by reporters. Tired of being asked to pose for pictures, Einstein, sitting on the backseat of a car, stuck out his tongue instead; the image was immortalised by UPI photographer Arthur Sasse, and became one of Einstein's most well recognised photos.

The Counterculture Icon
Guerrillero Heroico (1960)
Photographer: Alberto Korda
Argentine's revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, who played a pivotal role in the Cuban guerrilla war, is considered one of the most influential people of the twentieth century. Seven years before his death, he was photographed by Alberto Korda at a memorial service in Havana in March 1960, when he (Che) stepped onto the podium and came into view for a few seconds during Fidel Castro's speech. The photograph gained worldwide recognition after Italian publisher Giangiacomo Feltrinelli used it on posters after Che's execution in Bolivia in 1967, and is now believed to be the world's most famous photograph. It was also the basis of Irish artist Jim Fitzpatrick's iconic stylised posters.

Guns & Roses
Flower Power (1967)
Photographer: Bernie Boston
Taken during the October 22 1967 anti-war 'march on the Pentagon', the photograph by Washington Star photographer Bernie Boston shows a Vietnam War protester putting flowers in the barrels of rifles held by National Guard troops. The man was later identified as 18-year-old George Harris from New York, who was on his way to San Francisco. The photograph is considered an emblem of the era and how some people felt towards the war.

Third Rock From The Sun
Earthrise (1968)
Photographer: William Anders
During the Apollo 8 mission in December 1968, the first time humans were put into lunar orbit, astronauts Frank Borman and Bill Anders were stunned by the view of Earth, and despite the fact that photographing Earth wasn't on the mission schedule (they weren't supposed to photograph anything except "high resolution images of the lunar surface"), they took the pictures that came to be known as 'Earthrise' and have since led to reflection on our place in the universe. Borman took the earlier black-and-white frame, while the more popular colour photograph was taken by Anders.

One Small Step For Man, One Giant Leap For Photography
Apollo 11 Moon Landing (1969)
The lunar landing of Apollo on July 20, 1969 marked the first time humans landed on the moon, and the photographs of the astronauts on the moon have become some of the most well known images ever, not only because of the significance of the event, but also because many people don't believe it actually happened! But despite the conspiracy theories regarding the supposed hoax, the pictures are among the most iconic images of the last century. Possibly the best known of these photographs are:
- Buzz Aldrin on the Moon: The photography of Apollo 11 lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin taken by mission commander Neil Armstrong, who can also be seen through the visor's reflection.
- The bootprint: The image of Buzz Aldrin's bootprint on the moon, one of the first steps humans took on the lunar surface; a representation of mankind's venture into space.

The Haunting Eyes
The Afghan Girl (1984)
Photographer: Steve McCurry
During the Soviet-Afghan war in 1984, displaced Afghans sought shelter in refugee camps in Pakistan. Among them was an orphaned girl, around 13 years of age, who was photographed by National Geographic's Steve McCurry at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp and ended up becoming one of the world's most recognized faces. Her picture, which first appeared on the June 1985 cover of National Geographic Magazine, came to symbolize the plight of refugees worldwide. The identity of the girl with the haunting green eyes remained a mystery for nearly two decades in which the photographer made many attempts to find her during subsequent trips to the region; then in 2002 a National Geographic team finally managed to locate her and photographed her for the second time. Sharbat Gula, by then in her 30s, was living with her husband and three daughters in Afghanistan; she had moved back in the early '90s. She had never seen her photograph, had no idea how famous it had become, and according to McCurry, she "travelled 10 hours from her village in Afghanistan to meet us in Peshawar" and "was never photographed before or since the two times I photographed her".

Man versus Machine
Tank Man (1989)
Photographer: Jeff Widener
Following weeks of protests in China calling for political reform, and government crackdown that resulted in hundreds of deaths, the Tiananmen Square became the site of a showdown between protesters and soldiers. A photograph by Associated Press photographer Jeff Widener (who was injured and had the flu at the time, and took the picture from the Beijing Hotel) has immortalized the suppression and come to symbolise protests against oppression. On June 5, 1989, an unknown man stepped right in front of a column of tanks, halting their progress. Video footage shows that the lead tank attempted to drive around the man, but couldn't; the man, at one point, climbed onto the tank and said something to a tank crewmember. The man would later resume his standoff with the tank and was eventually led off by two people as the tanks continued on their way. No one knows what happened to the "unknown rebel" – some believe he was taken away by police and executed; others think he might still be alive and living in hiding.

Hope, Change, and Progress
Barack Obama (2006)
Photographer: Mannie Garcia
This might've been just another photograph of Barack Obama had it not been for the power of the digital age. Hoping to design a poster in support of Barack Obama, artist Shepard Fairey found a photograph of Obama using Google Image Search and spent a day on the artwork. The image, quickly spreading through social media, soon gained an iconic status. But Fairey had based the poster on a 2006 photograph of Obama (the then Democratic Senator from Illinois) taken by freelance photographer Mannie Garcia on assignment for the Associated Press, and used the picture without permission. Now, Fairey contends that he did not infringe any copyright as his use of the photo was protected by the fair use doctrine; photographer Mannie Garcia says that, according to his AP contract, he retains the copyright to the photo; and the Associated Press asserts that "the photograph used in the poster is an AP photo and that its use required permission". The copyright craziness has led to much debate, and has added a whole different aspect to the image.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 26th June, 2009

It's raining books!

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Summer vacation can be a good time to catch up on your reading, so this week we take a look at a few of the year’s best-selling and most talked about books as well as the most anticipated upcoming releases in the hope that some of them might catch your fancy. Happy reading!

New/Recent

The Associate by John Grisham
The latest legal thriller from one of the world’s favourite novelists, The Associate is the story of an idealistic law student Kyle McAvoy who has a secret that forces him to take a job he doesn’t want, becoming "a pawn in a deadly game of corporate espionage". The Associate is a typical Grisham novel, and based on the fact that his books have sold over 250 million copies, this can’t be a bad thing. If you’ve read any (or all -- don’t judge me) of the twenty novels John Grisham has written before this one, you probably know what to expect -- a riveting tale with lots of twists and turns, and a book that, once you start reading, is impossible to put down. Oh and be warned: a movie adaptation of this novel is in the works. And no matter how dreamy Shia LaBeouf may be, we all know what book-to-film transitions usually result in. So read the book before Hollywood ruins it for you!

Paths of Glory by Jeffrey Archer
Did you know that Edmund Hillary might not be the first person to ever reach the summit of Mount Everest? English mountaineer George Mallory may have accomplished the feat in 1924, but whether he made it to the top or not remains a mystery -- Mallory and his climbing partner Andrew Irvine disappeared during the expedition and Mallory’s body wasn’t found until 75 years later in 1999. The topic has been a source of much debate over the years, and in Paths of Glory, a book that was inspired by the story of George Mallory, Jeffrey Archer takes a look at the life of the legendary mountaineer and explores the mystery that has been left behind due to his tragic disappearance.

3 Willows: The Sisterhood Grows by Ann Brashares
A continuation/spin-off of The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants series, 3 Willows is the first of three planned novels about Polly, Jo, and Ama -- three girls who are about to attend the same school that was attended by the original sisterhood (Lena, Tibby, Carmen and Bridget, who found a magical pair of pants that fit them all perfectly). Why do I get the feeling that no one who has a Y chromosome will want to go anywhere near this book?

Tea Time for the Traditionally Built by Alexander McCall Smith
This year, Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series got a tenth volume. The very successful series that not only amuses but also gives a glimpse into the conditions of Botswana, has also made its way to television and radio. In Tea Time for the Traditionally Built, series protagonist detective Mma Precious Ramotswe continues to solve mysteries, including helping the proprietor of a local football team find out the reason behind their losing streak, while also trying to save her little white van.

The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun by J.R.R. Tolkien
It is no secret that The Lord Of The Rings is the purest form of awesomeness. J.R.R. Tolkien was a master storyteller who revived the fantasy genre and has left a lasting impact on the world of fiction. Now, more than three decades after his death, a hitherto unpublished book that he wrote even before The Hobbit has been released. Written by Tolkien during the 1920s and 1930s, and published (with added notes and commentary from his son Christopher Tolkien) earlier this month, The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrun retells the "Norse legend of Sigurd and the fall of the Niflungs" in the form of an epic poem. Mythology fans ahoy!

Upcoming

The Bourne Deception by Eric Van Lustbader
The seventh book in Robert Ludlum’s Bourne series, and the fourth novel by Eric Van Lustbader since he took up the series after Ludlum’s death in 2001, The Bourne Deception picks up from where The Bourne Sanction left off, continuing Jason Bourne’s journey as he fakes his death to find out who is trying to assassinate him. Meanwhile, after an American passenger airliner is shot down over Egypt by what seems to be an Iranian missile, a massive investigation begins, which inevitably ends up intersecting with Bourne’s search for his assailant. Yet another action packed thriller by Lustbader. (And in case Bourne fans are wondering, an eighth book is also being written and is currently under the working title of The Bourne Objective. Expect that one sometime next year.)

The Scarecrow by Michael Connelly
Michael Connelly’s upcoming The Scarecrow is the story of crime reporter Jack McEvoy, who has been forced out of work; in his final days at the paper, Jack starts to focus on Alonzo Winslow, a teenage drug dealer jailed after confessing to a brutal murder, eventually realises that Winslow might actually be innocent, and ends up tracking a dangerous killer. The crime mystery gives reader a chance to hear the villain’s thoughts through its alternate viewpoints, and if nothing else, is likely to someday make a Hollywood executive very happy.

Medusa by Clive Cussler with Paul Kemprecos
Adventure novelists Clive Cussler and Paul Kemprecos have captivated readers with their NUMA Files series that started with Serpent in 1999. This year sees the release of the eighth book, Medusa, which continues to follow the adventures of NUMA’s Special Assignments division team leader Kurt Austin. The new novel involves a rare jellyfish known as the Blue Medusa, a series of medical experiments, an ambitious Chinese criminal organization, and a secret virus that could start a worldwide pandemic. Scary stuff shaped into a suspense thriller that is sure to dazzle NUMA fans.

The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
No book has generated nearly as much controversy in the last few years as Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code. The mystery novel that took fragments of art and religious history, added a sprinkle of conspiracy theories to the mix, and then cloaked the whole mess in a shroud of fiction till you couldn’t tell it all apart, has been criticised, condemned, parodied, and then criticised some more, which might help explain why it has ended up selling more than 80 million copies worldwide. And now, six years after it was first unleashed on the world, The Code finally has a sequel. The Lost Symbol, once again, follows Harvard professor Robert Langdon; this time the story is reportedly set during a 12-hour period in Washington D.C. and focuses on Freemasonry. So come September, expect outrage, even more criticism, and a novel that will grip you, probably against your better judgement.

The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide by Stephenie Meyer
It is the new fantasy obsession of teenagers around the world. It is a captivating story set in a fascinating world that has established a global following and has generated a very loyal and devoted fandom. It is, in short, the new Harry Potter (cue: hate mail from Potter fans). Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series has become a huge phenomenon across the globe, so much so that people are even talking about how much people are talking about it. And capitalizing on the hype, Meyer is releasing The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide, which will provide readers with character profiles, genealogical charts, maps, and new material on the Twilight world. The book does not have a release date yet, so if you’ve read the other Twilight books and want to find out even more about Edward and Bella, you’ll still have to wait for a few more months as the book is expected to be published later this year. (You might also want to keep an eye out for the New Moon movie which is slated for a November release.)

By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 22nd May, 2009

The Circus

album review

Album: The Circus
Band: Take That

One of the many side effects of growing up in the ‘90s was the affinity one developed for cheesy music, primarily as a result of the constant exposure to boy bands, which were manufactured pop groups clinically proven to make teenage girls fall in love with them and consequently shift bucket-loads of records. The craze, however, faded with the ‘90s, and was eventually replaced by other teen fodder and atrocious pop produce that can largely be blamed on Disney (at least that would help to explain why it sounds like children’s music gone wrong). What became of the boy bands? Most of them disappeared into the murky waters of anonymity. Others tried solo careers, and when that went south they attempted reunions with varying degrees of failure. There is one boy band, however, that has actually managed to pull off an immensely successful comeback: Take That.

At the peak of their success, Take That were selling millions of records, thanks in part to the fact that the group possessed everything expected of a boy band: they had the requisite vocal ability (Gary Barlow), looks (Mark Owen), attitude (Robbie Williams), and (break)dance moves (Howard Donald and Jason Orange), and also because as far as pop music goes, they weren’t half bad. They dominated the charts during the first half of the ‘90s and were described as “the most successful British band since The Beatles in the UK”. But then came the end: Robbie’s departure from the group in 1995 led to the remaining foursome’s decision to part ways the following year. While Robbie’s solo career skyrocketed after the break up, the other four failed to find success, which would explain the subsequently decision of the quartet to re-band in 2005. Trigger nostalgia, and what you get is a ridiculously successful UK tour powered by the enthusiasm of their now-grown-up fans. This was followed by the comeback album ‘Beautiful World’, which ended up being a huge success not only because of the nostalgia the group evoked, but also because it really was a decent pop record.

And so, with a successful comeback to their credit, the band has now released The Circus, their second offering since the reunion (fifth studio album overall), and the band’s fans once again proved they still love Gaz and co. by making The Circus one of the fastest selling albums in UK history and sent the album straight to number 1, proving that good old-fashioned pop music can still do the trick.

The album kicks off with the uplifting The Garden, a power-pop epic à la Rule The World, which sees the band members sharing vocals, as does most of the album, in fact – a marked difference from the pre-break up Take That releases which usually saw Gary as the frontman. Mark reprises his jaunty style in the Shine reminiscent Hello and the delightful Up All Night; and with Gary on lead vocals, the first single Greatest Day aspires to be the new Patience. The Howard-fronted What Is Love offers more cheesy goodness, and the somewhat angsty How Did It Come To This sees Jason lamenting the condition of the world, and is surprisingly catchy despite its inclusion of words like “schizophrenic” and “compartmentalizing”. Amid the blissful harmonies, the songs reveal the solid songwriting talent of Gary Barlow; the post-reunion Take That material as well as the songs he’s written for other artists like Delta Goodrem, Lara Fabian, and even Geraldine McQueen (Peter Kay) have been a brilliant showcase of his ability to put together epic ballads/massive pop anthems, not to say that this album comes off as a one-man show; anything but. The quartet are all credited as writers, while the songs nicely display their individual personalities.

All in all, The Circus exhibits what has been Take That’s biggest strength and success: keeping it simple. The current music landscape so often sees pop pretending to be rock or urban or alternative, but the triumph of Take That comes in the ease with which they deliver their tunes with a jaunty, fun persona that offers an almost Beatles-esque catchiness. Even if you aren’t a fan, you’ll have to admit that Take That’s comeback has been immensely successful and surprisingly respectable. And yes, their music may be all kinds of cheesy, but it IS pop music; it’s not going to change the world or bring about world peace, but ultimately, the band sound like they’re having fun, and thanks to them, so are their fans, and isn’t that what pop music is all about anyway?

- By Sameen Amer

Ink Quarterly, May '09

A chat with Tooba Siddiqui

interview

Ink: Tell me about your educational background.
Tooba Siddiqui: I did my schooling from City School Islamabad, and my A levels from UCI, and then I got into modelling and moved to Karachi, and it’s been a great journey so far.

Ink: What obstacles did you have to face to get to where you are today?
Tooba: Actually no obstacles as such. I always believed in myself, and people who I’ve worked with believed in me. I was lucky enough to find good people and very professional people as I started off, and I never had to face any problems or troubles regarding unprofessionalism or something like that. So I’ve been lucky that way.

Ink: How did you groom yourself to become a successful model and actor?
Tooba: Well, modelling taught me a lot because I entered modelling first. I’ve gained huge self-confidence from the industry. That’s how I got into acting as well. And it was a hidden talent; since my childhood I always wanted to be an actor. Since I was always very amused watching the Oscar and Golden Globes and everything, so I always thought one day I’d probably come somewhere close to that.

Ink: What do you think makes you unique from other models/actors?
Tooba: I don’t know what makes me unique but I guess everybody has their own personality. I have my own personality. I am very confident about myself. I guess that’s what makes me unique. I believe in myself.

Ink: Which fashion shoot have you enjoyed the most so far, and why?
Tooba: I’ve done so many shoots, I don’t know, I think I’ve done almost 97 covers in my life. And I’ve enjoyed working with people a lot. There are a lot of designers I love working with – there’s Nomi Ansari, Sonia Batla, Hassan Sheheryar, Umar Sayeed, and many others.

Ink: And what about acting? What’s been your favourite role?
Tooba: I have done quite a few roles up till now, but again I wouldn’t say I’ve done my, as in, I’ve tried my hundred percent but I guess the dream role that I’m waiting for hasn’t come yet.

Ink: What do you enjoy more: acting or modelling?
Tooba: Well, acting is, I think, something I was born with. Modelling gave me a lot of self-confidence, so I guess both. I love ramp; ramps just really take me on some other level, but acting is a completely different medium. In the future I see myself more as an actor.

Ink: Do you have any other activities besides this?
Tooba: Activities, I would not say as such, because I mostly travel a lot for work and I don’t get time off that much. The only time I get off is spent with family and friends. Or I watch movies. I’m a big time movie buff. If I have two days off or three days off, I just rend out films and I just watch films all the time.

Ink: Any films/genres in particular?
Tooba: All sorts of movies. I love movies. The latest that I saw was Slumdog Millionaire, and I saw Rachel Getting Married, and Milk. I want to be a film actress one day very soon.

Ink: Where do you see yourself in the future?
Tooba: I see myself very satisfied with my work.

Ink: Any advice for people who want to pursue modelling or acting?
Tooba: I think you should be very confident and you should be open to learning a lot of stuff, as in professionalism, confidence, the right attitude, no arrogance, and give respect to the seniors.

- By Sameen Amer

Ink Quarterly, May '09

Rock Funda

interview

Providing musicians a means for visually expressing their musical creations while exposing their music to a wider audience, music videos are a vital tool for both expression and promotion for artists around the world. Influenced by diverse styles and visual effects, videos can play a huge part in defining bands and musicians in the minds of viewers. Pakistan, too, has had its share of ambitious and critically acclaimed projects, like Saqib Malik’s Khamaj (Fuzon) and Na Re Na (Ali Azmat), while at the same time there have been countless releases that have gone largely unnoticed. So as Akash release their new video, Rock Funda, we took the opportunity to talk to the band’s front-man Sam, and discuss with him the band’s new clip, as well as the importance and standard of visual media in our music industry.

Akash is:
- Sam – Vocals, lead guitars, song writing, and composition
- Fiz – Bass guitars
- Miki – Rhythm guitars
- Kenny – Drums

Ink: Tell us about Akash. How and when was the band formed?
Sam: Akash came into being in 2001, some six years ago, but our line up wasn’t finalized until around 2004-2005. Initially we didn’t release any audios so that we could concentrate solely on improving and polishing our musical abilities, and at the same time gain more confidence as we saw ourselves and our music grow. The band is basically a blend of four talented young musicians with highly diverse musical backgrounds brought together through our love for music. Having played sessions extensively, I’ve had experience playing with eastern classical musicians. I decided to start my own band with Miki and Kenny after playing professional music for two years. Fiz joined the band in January 2005 as the bassist. While Miki and I both have classical influences in our music, Fiz and Kenny are into hard rock and metal. Coming from different background has helped us in creating a unique sound with a lot of soul and rock feel to it.

Ink: How was the response to your debut album?
Sam: Our debut album, Aks, was released on the 24th of November 2007. It was the first debut album in Pakistan to have 19 tracks on it, and it was one of the best selling albums of that year.

Ink: How has the experience of making videos been so far?
Sam: We have released three videos till now: Ji Liya, Hum Azad Hain, Armaan and we have now released the video for our song Rock Funda. We are planning to release two more videos from our album in the coming months. The experience so far has been good, but in the future we are trying to improve our videos and their quality because we have learned a lot of things from our releases.

Ink: If you could change something about any of the videos you’ve made so far, what would it be?
Sam: I wouldn’t like to change anything about our videos, because those projects had a very limited budget, and in a limited budget we tried to do our level best.

Ink: Tell us about your new video.
Sam: Our new video ‘Rock Funda’ is quite different from our previous videos. The song, like ‘Armaan’, is an upbeat punk-pop track, and I’m sure people will enjoy it. Making the new video was quite an interesting process. We have played the role of mechanics in the video and we shot the video in Master Motors, so we would like to thank Master Motors and especially Shawash Sehgol for letting us use the facility and bearing us for the whole day and night. While we were making the video, police stopped our shoot because of the loud music, as you are not allowed to play music after midnight in the Defence area. We requested them to allow us to do so for shoot, but they did not. And when we started our shoot again, this time on a very low volume, they came again and misbehaved a lot. In short, a lot of bad things happened on the set!

Ink: Why did you choose to director the video yourself?
Sam: Why not? I directed the video myself because I believe that in a limited budget, I can express our music better visually.

Ink: How did you come up with the concept of the video?
Sam: I’ve always wanted to do a colourful video for this song because it’s fast and energetic. Never wanted a big storyboard for it. A performance video with a short concept, an energetic performance, and different style, that’s it.

Ink: Which videos are you planning to release next?
Sam: The videos for Na Mil Saka and The 3-4 Song are in the works and we are going to release them one by one, you can say a new video every month.

Ink: Any director you would like to work with in the future?
Sam: Steven Spielberg of course. ;) Seriously though, I like Saqib Malik’s work and I would really like to work with him.

Ink: How important are videos for any band/artist in our industry?
Sam: Videos are quite important for any artist, especially in Pakistan, because if you have a good video, television channels will give you decent airtime, but there is no room for average or bad videos. Internationally, it’s the record labels that bear all the costs of videos and album production, but unfortunately that is not how it works in Pakistan, and our system is quite wrong.

Ink: Any comments on the standard of music videos in Pakistan?
Sam: The standard overall is very good, but it largely depends on the budget. If the budget is high, then the video will turn out to be a good one, but I think that the audio is more important than the video because in the end it’s the sound that breaks through. But I also believe in good postproduction, because it can change a lot of things for you in video making.

Ink: Do you think there are any other factors that play a role in the success of a music video in Pakistan?
Sam: I think teamwork (between your DOP (Director of Photography), the lighting team and the whole ENG) is very important if you want to make a video that will be successful. And in Pakistan, if a channel plays a bad video with a bad audio, a lot then people here will still start recognizing that video; isn’t that amazing?

Ink: What’s your favourite i) International ii) Pakistani music video?
Sam: I don’t know why, but I like every English rock video I’ve ever seen. For instance, the Foo Fighters’ ‘Best of You’ is among my favourite videos. From Pakistan, I really like the ‘Khamaj’ video because it’s a very well executed clip.

Ink: What can we expect from Akash in the coming months?
Sam: We are working on the second Akash Album. About 70 percent of the work is done, so let’s see when it comes out.

- Sameen Amer

Ink Quarterly, May '09

Kehna Chahta Hoon

interview

Lahore based band Inteha, comprising of brothers Naukhez Javed (vocals) and Nausher Javed (guitars) recently released their debut album. We got a chance to talk to the band and find out more about their musical ventures:

Ink: What distinguishes Inteha from other bands?
Nausher: I think our music distinguish us from other new bands as we believe in giving our own identity to our listeners, not copying the music or style of top artist. Though being influenced is not very wrong and we ourselves are influenced by a lot of artists, but we don’t believe in copying their style.

Ink: And what would some of these influences be?
Naukhez: Umm, like, we are heavily influenced by Nirvana on one hand and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on the other. So you can sense that our mood is our inspiration and our influence horizon is broad.

Ink: What is it about being a musician that you guys enjoy the most?
Naukhez: I always enjoy when I jam with different musician; in that way you can learn more.
Nausher: It’s an old quote that “mosiqi rooh ki ghiza hai”, so listening to music is like peace of mind, and if you are a musician you can let your emotions out easily.

Ink: Is it difficult for new bands to establish themselves in Pakistan?
Nausher: Well the system of our music industry is totally different than that of other countries, because overseas people come on the screen with a whole package – album, video and their sponsors. There is no band that comes up with a single in USA and because of that they are pre-established by the record label, whereas in Pakistan you have to produce your own video, you have to record your own album at your own expense, and whether you have an album or not it’s always about one hit wonders. So yeah, there are difficulties for every other artist in Pakistan to get established.

Ink: Why do you think some albums fail to get noticed in Pakistan?
Naukhez: Several reasons – bad production, bad promotion, lack of good strategies to promote artists, channel wars and so on. Any minor issue can disturb the album.

Ink: Do you think being a two-member band (as opposed to, say, a five membered band that includes more musicians) has its downside?
Nausher: It’s a duo. We have a separate band set up for live performances, and I think two members have an advantage that as a band you can play with anyone, and everyone has a different style of playing and adds to the diversity of the music.

Ink: Tell us about your debut album.
Nausher: Our debut album Kehna Chahta Houn was released a few weeks ago and features ten tracks. Some of the best musicians from across Pakistan have worked with us on different tracks, including Javed sahib, who is the best violinist in Pakistan; Shabir sahib, renowned tabla player from PTV; Hassan Badsahah on flutes - an underground gem; Waqar Ali Khan (EP); and Fahd Khan (Meekal Hassan band) on drums. The album has been produced by Xulfi at Xth Harmonics studio.

Ink: How has the reception to the album been so far?
Nausher: We’ve received an awesome response so far from our beloved listener, which motivates us even more to give our best in our music, and by the grace of God ‘Kehna Chahta Houn’ has been on the top of the charts ever since it was released.

Ink: Do you think it is difficult to promote the album?
Nausher: I think it’s a mutual collaboration between the record label and the artist. And I believe that in Pakistan, an artist can go to any level because we are so dedicated to our albums, and if the record labels facilitate artists then it’s easy to promote the album. But unfortunately the labels in Pakistan do not even know the definition of promotion.

Ink: Tell us about your latest video.
Naukhez: Our latest video is for our song Pyar, the main concept of which is that love is blind and it’s a mystery and no one knows what it really is. The story revolves around a protagonist who is a serial killer.

Ink: What inspires you to make music?
Nausher: Feelings. Expressions should be strong to make good quality music; without them you cannot make anything.

Ink: What has been your most memorable live performance so far?
Naukhez: The most memorable live performance for me so far is my first live gig at Alhamra Cultural Complex in 2005 along with Ali Zafar and Jal. Our first single Dastaan really got a tremendous response.
Nausher: For me, when we performed live at Aurangabad, India in 2008, that is the most memorable performance so far. We were very surprised that even though our album had not been released at that time, people were still very aware of our music and our two songs ‘Dastaan’ and ‘Anjana’ were very popular with them because they were singing along with us.

Ink: What are some of your achievements so far that you’re most proud of?
Naukhez: There are a lot of achievements which have made us proud, like having our debut single at the number one slot on all FM and music channels for approximately six months, Inteha being voted as the most listened-to debut band of the year 2005 on all FM station, and most recently our song Pyar being declared the most wanted song of the week by BBC’s Asian Network which is another feather in our cap.

Ink: Do you think television channels or the print media influence the success (or failure) of a band in Pakistan?
Nausher: They do majorly, but in Pakistan it’s all a PR thing, which should be abandoned because do to that a lot of artist suffer though they have mass appeal.
Naukhez: It’s all about talent. If you have it, you get it and you get noticed by media, but the Pakistani media needs ‘pakki pakai kheer’, otherwise they go with their personal contacts.

Ink: What about the radio? How important is that medium for our music industry?
Nausher: Radio is the backbone of the industry. Music needs to be heard and radio is the medium through which anyone can established himself as an artist – it’s the first step. Without it you are not an established artist.

Ink: What is your take on the Indian music market and Bollywood?
Naukhez: Bollywood is a big market for music, but they know nothing about genres of music. Whatever is popular around the globe, they copy their style, earn money and search for another style. I don’t think they have their own identity.
Nausher: But promotion-wise they are much, much better, and provide a lot of exposure for artists. They know how to promote an artist. I remember one of the renowned directors telling me that if you focus on 16 crore people (he meant Pakistan) then hardly 60 thousand will notice you, but if you target 1 billions people (India) then you will be noticed by at least 1 million people, along with the 16 crore of your own nation, and I think he was right. We have so much talent but we have to follow the Indian industry just to get fame and recognition.

Ink: Do you guys plan to release the album internationally?
Naukhez: Yes, it will be release in India soon; just waiting for the tension to ease between India and Pakistan. As far as the release overseas is concerned, that will be in a month’s time.

Ink: What can we expect from Inteha in the coming months?
Nausher: We will release another video in a month’s time to promote the album, along with launch shows in Lahore, Karachi, Islamabad, and Dubai, and we plan to go on a UK tour this summer. A couple of our songs will appear in Indian movies, and we are working on some projects for the corporate sector; all the details will be disclosed later with time.

- By Sameen Amer

Ink Quarterly, May '09