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 sur 
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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 Pakistani Band
Guru’s Trilogy Monday January 22 2007 08:08 IST Three boys, a vision and a market ripe for crossovers, Karachi musicians Guru’s Trilogy comes to India at a time when there is an explosion of Pakistani bands in the country’s music scene. However, the crowd still wants more of that soulful sound. Glenn John, Mohsin Allahditta and Sayyam Rana are in Mumbai to promote their debut album, Aghaaz, a year after its release in Pakistan. Their music is a result of inspirations gathered from their families, thus the band name Guru’s Trilogy. “We are the trilogy, while our fathers and other teachers are the gurus,” says John, the son of renowned Pakistani singer S B John, best known for his track Tu jo nahin hai to kuch bhi nahin hai. The band came into being in 2005 after Allahditta’s concerted efforts to form his own group. Besides musically inclined families, the boys have no formal training. Their spectrum is thus wide and ever-changing. “I grew up listening to ballads,” says 28-year-old Allahditta, the keyboardist. “Glenn was into The Eagles, Bryan Adams, Stevie Wonder, Richard Marx and our families are classically trained. We combined all our influences to create a fusion sound.” While the trio enjoys popularity amongst their fans back home, they seized the opportunity to come to Mumbai knowing well the status of Pakistani bands here. “It’s a give and take of sorts, Bollywood is widely enjoyed by people in Pakistan and the crowd here loves Pakistani bands,” says John, whose claim to fame was the track Tu jo nahin, a retake of his dad’S***, for Mukesh Bhatt’s Woh Lamhe. Although their sound is flexible, the boys are certain that live performances are the way to go. “We hate lip-synching and avoid doing too many recordings. We don’t care much for videos either. Performances have to be energetic and direct, and there is a dearth of live performances in Pakistan. We are one of the few bands to perform live along with Mismar, Strings and Junoon,” says 29-year-old Rana, the guitarist who is a big fan of Indian rock stars Euphoria and Indus Creed. Artists Sonu Nigam, Kaykay, Colonial Cousins and Kavita Krishnamoorthy also figure in their list of favourites, and the boys are obviously open to composing tracks for movies, TV shows and jingles.
Last edited by sur on 23 Jan 2007 23:39; edited 1 time in total
____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#1 23 Jan 2007 00:34
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| Thanks for the useful Topic sur : |
| gumshuda (23 January), taal (23 January), Raja (31 March), ghazal (31 March), king12 (31 March), |
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
| Every once in a while, in a budding, exploding music industry, you come across a band that has true potential. Guru's Trilogy is that band. Three musicians, each with their own inspiration and passion for music, have come together to produce some really good tracks in their very first album, aptly titled "Aghaaz" (The Beginning). Sayyam Rana, Mohsin Allah Ditta, and Glenn John are Guru's Trilogy. They are talented, they are experienced, and they are here to stay! Just listen to their songs "Intezaar", "Deewaron Ko", and "Dastaan" to understand what we mean! Let us introduce you to this talented band in the hope that you will remember our words when they make it really big in the near future! | 
| 1. How would you describe Guru’s Trilogy as a band, in terms of the music you play, and the kind of themes you sing about?
The band describes the passion of music on which we’ve been working hard for the past so many years. All three of us prescribe to different genres of music, so we combined them and brought a new trend of music with feel and energy in it. Our music is entertainment for all ages - from ‘Kahon Tum Say’ to ‘Intezaar’ we’ve shown what we are and what we can do. | | | 2. What were the biggest inspirations for you to enter the world of professional music?
Glenn: It runs in the family. My inspiration to music was my father Mr. SB John. Other than that, I’ve grown up listening to music and at the end chose it as a profession. Sayyam: Music for me is what I feel and cannot explain through words. The greatest inspiration to music was life and the turnovers I’ve been through; it has given me relief from stress. Being an artist, it’s not just what I do as a profession, I am also a communications designer and music helped me grow my skills and creativity. Mohsin: Being a part of a musical family, I’ve chosen music as a profession instead of being a business professional. My inspiration to music was of course my father Mr. Javaid Allah Ditta as I’ve learned a lot from him and for me he is the best institution - of not just music but through out the course of life | | | | 3. How did the three of you come together for forming Guru’s Trilogy? Did you know one another from before or was it a chance meeting?
Sayyam: The idea of making a band was given by Mohsin. He and I were working together for the past 8 years as background musicians for TV plays and other bands. Mohsin offered me to join him on guitars and I accepted because our chemistry for producing music does match a lot. We are very comfortable working together. Later on we were looking for a good vocalist and luckily we found Glenn who used to come to our studio for jingle recordings. Mohsin and Glenn were school friends as well. Mohsin offered him to join the band and he did. That’s how Gurus Trilogy started. | 4. Who came up with the name and what is the background to it?
Sayyam: The idea of the band name was given by Shahzad Khalid who helped us with the compositions earlier when Mohsin and I started up. Shahzad was working in Interflow Communications and did a lot to develop the image of the band in the beginning. He left later on due to his job commitments. Initially the band name was Gurus, but after the addition of Glenn the ‘Trilogy’ came into existence. 5. How long did it take to produce the first album, Aghaaz?
Starting from late January 2005 till the release in January 2006, including many sleepless nights and no tomorrows, we’ve completed the album in 1 year. | 
Favorite things in life: My studio, keyboard, cellphone, playing cricket, hanging out with friends and eating
Things you hate the most: People who disrespect elders and people who use you for their means.
Favorite singer/band: Bon Jovi, Richard Marx, RD Burman, and Vital Signs
Favorite food: Anything chicken, spicy stuff
Hobbies: Listening to music and hangouts
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| | | 6. Which of the songs in this album are closest to the kind of music you all like to play?
If you talk about our personal favorites in the album, it's ‘Dewaroon Ko’ and ‘Intezaar’. That’s the pure kinda’ music that we love. 7. How many live shows have you done and where did you have the most fun performing?
We’ve done a couple of live shows since the album release and many TV shows. We’re not having many shows here in Karachi due to the situation of the city in the past, though we’ve done shows in other cities of Pakistan. Haven’t yet got a chance to go abroad but Insha Allah we’re looking forward to it. Our personal favorite was the corporate show for Telenor dJuice. That was the show where we actually found that we were completely unknown to the crowd and we rocked them all. We loved that show. | 
Favorite things in life: Watching movies, playing the guitar, reading books, eating
Things you hate the most: People who don’t give you respect for what you do
Favorite singer/band: Eagles, Queen, Goo Goo Dolls, Creed, Wonders, Richard Marx, Alicia Keys and Mekaal Hasan Band
Favorite food: Any kinda’ food when I am hungry
Hobbies: beach drives, listening to music, watching TV
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| | | 8. What is it like to be publicly recognized or approached by a fan? Do you enjoy the fame and public admiration?
We love our fans, we’re really thankful to them. It’s because of them that we’ve got so much appreciation. We’re especially thankful to Allah for giving us so much respect by our fans. Still, there is a long way to go! | 
Favorite things in life: Computers, cellphones, music, my car, my home and my CDs
Things you hate the most: Liars! I hate lies and people who cheat you behind your back.
Favorite singer/band: Europe, Firehouse, Bon Jovi, Scorpions, Megadeth, Dream Theater, Hardline, Evanescence, Junoon and Vital Signs
Favorite food: Seafood, Chinese and vegetables mostly
Hobbies: Computer games, graphic designing and reading horror novels and astronomy books
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| 9. Any plans of performing in the US or Canada any time soon?
Probably next year. There is no schedule yet. | 10. What do you think of Pakistani musicians performing for Bollywood movies? Do you think this benefits the Pakistani music industry? Any plans for Guru’s Trilogy to sing a track or two for Bollywood?
Depends on the opportunity, if anyone gets a chance to sing abroad for media they should avail it. Glenn worked for Mahesh Bhatt (Bollywood movie producer) for his movie ‘WO LAMHAY’ and did a track ‘TU JO NAHE HEI’ for this movie. It’s already released but this was his solo project and it was done two years back. If Gurus Trilogy gets an opportunity to work for Bollywood then we’ll definitely do it. | 11. What do you feel about the overall growth of the Pakistani music industry? So many artists and bands have come up in the last few years, is that good or bad?
It’s good that we’ve got so much talent in our country. Our pop music is much better than our neighboring country. But other than that we think that before entering the industry one should be properly trained and learn their licks because soon the filtration process will start in the industry. It’s better to learn before entering into the industry than getting whipped out after a few singles. | | | 12. What message would you like to give to your fans through The Saturday Post? Glenn: Support good music! Sayyam: Define your priorities in life, respect your parents, and give love to others. Mohsin: Life is a gift, don’t lose it! The time you waste won’t come back to you again. Live your life fully and respect others. | |
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____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#2 23 Jan 2007 00:41
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
Gurus Trilogy was talking to 
Aghaaz - Reviewed!
By Omair Alavi
Famed ghazal singer S.B. John’s son Glenn and musician Javed Allah Ditta’s lad Mohsin team up with guitarist Sayyam Rana to come up with Gurus Trilogy’s debut album Aghaaz Chapter 1 — an amalgamation of eastern and western music with the vocals, arrangement and guitars all merging well together.
It features 12 songs — two remixes and 10 original numbers — and kicks off to a splendid start with the quickie Kahoon Tum Se. Daastan is the band’s first song to be made into a music video and it steadies the pace with its rhythmic flute, soothing lyrics and stimulating composition. Saqalbun is a western song in eastern mould where Glenn shines as the true deliverer of raags and rap. Sayyam’s guitar work is at its very best in Jagi Hui Aankhoon where the music completely entertains, overshadowing the vocals and lyrics. Talat Mehmood’s Tasveer Teri Dil Mera, the evergreen 60-year-old non-filmi ghazal, is paid a glowing tribute by Glenn who also gives his vocal chords much-needed exercise and excels.
Pyar Mera is a passable number without which the world would have been the same. It falls flat despite a guest appearance by M. Nasir as lyricist which gives the song an Alamgir-esque touch. Deewaron Ko is also mentionable and is not only melancholic (the mood of the target market being the youth) but also diversified, while Intezar is amazingly brilliant as it starts slowly with Glenn in control all the way. The song moves on a standard pace with Mohsin’s arrangement paving the way for greatness.
Ishq is a Punjabi number for a certain audience hence would be liked by some and fast-forwarded by others. Glenn shows his brilliance in the classic Shaam as he supports the compositions of his fellow band members by rendering his vocals to the best of his abilities. Ustad Amanat Ali Khan’s Aae Watan is paid an awful tribute and it would have been better had they come up with an original patriotic number rather than the remix.
Aghaaz is brought to an emphatic conclusion with Jogiyan De Naal, a Punjabi funky track which is good enough to give Abrar and company a run for their money. The ‘standard and over-popular’ Pakistan Hockey team theme is bound to make one cheerfully nostalgic and makes it a crowd-puller.
All the songs have been written by the promising newcomer Ovais Sohail. As for the brand of music of Gurus Trilogy, it is just as the band members said earlier: “Neither pop nor rock but fused music.”
Courtesy: DAWN, Images
____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#3 23 Jan 2007 01:45
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
| "Neither pop nor rock but fused music." Gurus Trilogy It becomes self-evident the moment you hear them sing the very first note of their debut song, Daastaan, which is a slice of mega-hit delivered with a voice that pins you and music that holds your attention, in the most persuasive of ways, to the wall. Their name is Gurus Trilogy, and they were born to do this. The kind of radio and TV play that established artists can only dream of, there seems to be no stopping these three! The current line-up of the band includes:
- Glenn Silverious John on Lead Vocals & Backing Vocals [Date of Birth: 10th January]
- Ahmed Sayyam Rana on Guitars & Backing Vocals [Date of Birth: 4th April]
- Mohsin Allah Ditta on Keyboards, Synths & Backing Vocals [Date of Birth: 4th February]
Strange but true facts about each band member: - Mohsin can''t loose weight!
- Sayyam loves to sleep no mater what!
- Glenn always gets over excited about things!
Can you tell us briefly about the history of the band? And how the three of you came together… Mohsin always wanted to have a band of his own and was trying since the time when he was in school, luckily found Sayyam who was his neighbor and they both formed a band called ''Aasaar'' and got selected for Pepsi Battle of the Bands (2002) in the top 20 artists of Pakistan which included Mekaal Hasan, Aaroh, EP and others. Unfortunately, didn’t work out that will to reach for the top 10 position. Later on Mohsin started Gurus again with Sayyam and made compositions like Dastaan, Kahon Tum Say, Jagi Hoe Ankhon Mein, Intezaar and Jogiyaan Dey Naal. Glenn use to come to the studio to record jingles with Mr. Qamar Allah Ditta. That’s how Glenn got an offer from Mohsin to join Gurus, back in Jan 2005. And Gurus Trilogy came into existence.
How would you characterize your music? Can you name some influences?
Neither pop, nor rock. Its basically fused music. As far as influences...Glenn’s influences are his father [Mr. SB John], RD Burman and Eagles. Mohsin loves music performed by his own family. Plus bands like Bon Jovi, Vital Signs and composers like Mr. RD Burman.Whereas Sayyam is a big fan of hard rock bands like, Bon Jovi, Europe, Scorpions, Firehouse, Megadeth, Evanescence, Vital Signs, Junoon and Mekaal Hasan.
The nation has certainly been a hotbed for new bands recently. Do you consider yourselves part of this scene? Or do you have an objection with being lumped together with a bunch of other bands based on location?
It’s a good feeling being a part of the crowd and still having a distinct flavor. When did you start recording the album? And how long was the entire process?
Started working on the album in Jan 2005. The first song we recorded was Intezaar... or maybe Dastaan... The whole process of the album recording took around 1 year which includes many sleepless nights but Sayyam never slept in the studio while recording or doing his part of work for the album.
This is your first major undertaking, recording-wise. Was it what you expected? Can you talk about the experience of being in the studio working on a full-length album?
Definitely! When we started working for the album the final results we were getting out of the songs were not as expected. However many things were very spontaneous at the time of the recording which gave it a different sound overall.
Who’s responsible for the lyrics and where do you get your inspiration?
The culprit who is responsible for the lyrics is our dear friend Ovais Sohail. The basic inspirations are events and experiences from our life and what we''ve been through.
How have the reactions to the album been so far? Or is it still too early to answer?
Till yet its good but still it’s quite early to answer.
A few weeks ago you guys played your launch show which wasn’t live except for the last song. The performance itself was very impressive. What was the reason for playing a recorded show when you are all classically trained?
We always wanted to do it live and we tried to convey to the channel that we can do it live, but they were not satisfied with the idea as they have never seen us performing live before. If we talk technically the quality of live sound is not good when it comes on air.
As a band you all have played quite a few shows already. How have the reactions of the crowds been? Till yet its good, while playing, we infact learn a lot through our mistakes and new idea’s comes as well. The crowds enjoy our live performances a lot.
Are there any songs out locally that you''re really hooked to?
Glenn - Jhok Ranghan by Mekaal Hasan Band
Mohsin - Rabba by Mekaal Hasan Band
Sayyam - Alvida by Salman Ahmed and all songs by the Mekaal Hasan Band
What should one expect from Gurus Trilogy in 2006?
Gurus Trilogy going International... (InshaAllah!)
Any shoutouts or shameless self promotion?
We weren''t planning to... errm... this is very tempting...
Gurus Trilogy was talking to
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____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#4 23 Jan 2007 01:48
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
| Tuesday, January 23, 2007 | |
| | | | Pak popstars are new Indian idols | | | | Lalitha Suhasini | | | | Mumbai, June 10: Pop has never been more in sync, as Indian record labels root aggressively for Pakistani pop. In fact, Lahore-based Ali Zafar, the latest voice to cross over, is an RD Burman buff who’s found a taker in Universal Music. “ He’s like the Shah Rukh of Pakistan,” says ad filmmaker Prahlad Kakkar, who once shot Zafar for a Pepsi commercial. Zafar is the third Pakitani artist, after pop band Jal and singer Faakir, to hit Indian shores in the last month. And the record deals have been easy play. All Faakhir did was approach T-Series’ managing director Bhushan Kumar with a copy of his album. “ I heard the album twice and thought his voice sounded sweet,” says Kumar, about the Mahi Ve singer. Zafar came highly recommended by Universal’s UK associates. Sony BMG is in talks with Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s nephew Rahat, made famous by Pooja Bhatt’s Paap. Pakistani music is no stranger to Bollywood, and has delivered hits in all three Bhatt films including Paap, Murder and Zeher. In fact, film-maker Mahesh Bhatt dismisses Indian talent as “emotional, timid and brain dead.” Coming up in his forthcoming films: Atif Aslam, Raahat Fateh Ali Khan, Pakistani playback legend S B John’s son Glenn John, Ali Azmat and Tina Sani. “Pakistani artistes compose their own music and write lyrics too, which makes them different from Indipop singers who are mainly from the playback industry,” reasons Sridhar Subramaniam, managing director at Sony BMG. Come August and Lahore-based EP (Entity Paradigm) enters the market. “I’ve released 15,000 units of Jal’s album and have already received reorder requests,” says HOM record’s Sajid Maklai, which will promote EP. What makes these virtually unknown names exciting is also the fact that they are a “better package” already tested in Pakistan, and complete with music videos. “It brings our costs down and speeds up decisions,” says Manoj Bhatia, associate vice-president at Universal Music, which released Zafar’s Huqa Pani. Ask Zafar what he has that our boys don’t and the painter-turned-singer says, “I think there’s a raw element in our music and we drift away from the same old film music arrangements.” Some companies like T-Series hope if Pakistan can produce an Adnan, then they might strike gold with other pop artistes too. “We’re looking for variation in music that will either make it really big or won’t produce huge losses either,” says Kumar, who has also signed Junoon frontman Ali Azmat and will release his album next month.” Pakistani pop still doesn’t outsell the homegrown stuff. “Shaan’s album sales are 50 per cent higher than Fuzon or Junoon,’’ says Shameer Tandon, country manager, EMI Virgin.” |
____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#5 23 Jan 2007 02:01
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
Favorite things in life: Watching movies, playing the guitar, reading books, eating
Things you hate the most: People who don’t give you respect for what you do
Favorite singer/band: Eagles, Queen, Goo Goo Dolls, Creed, Wonders, Richard Marx, Alicia Keys and Mekaal Hasan Band
Favorite food: Any kinda’ food when I am hungry
Hobbies: beach drives, listening to music, watching TV
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____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#6 23 Jan 2007 02:07
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 taal
Joined: December 2006
Posts: 863
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Re: Pakistani Band
As of Now I haven't heard his songs yet....a promising character I must Say....
Will tap one of my Friend Arman to see if he has any number...If so I will share with u too 
____________ Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic. (Jean Sibelius) |
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#7 23 Jan 2007 10:46
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
Last edited by sur on 01 Feb 2007 10:24; edited 1 time in total
____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#8 23 Jan 2007 15:38
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
| Neighbourhood Notes | | | Purva Mehra | | WONDER if rock bands ever made it to the list of confidence-building measures of India and Pakistan, but musical exchange is on the rise. We swayed to Junoon’s Sayonee. Now a one-year-old Karachi band, Guru’s Trilogy, is trying to blaze a track. Will the three boys, Glenn John, Mohsin Allahditta and Sayyam Rana, find an audience for their debut album Aghaaz? “It is a give-and-take of music. Bollywood is enjoyed by the people of Pakistan while the crowd here loves Pakistani bands,” says John, whose claim to fame was the song Tu jo Nahin in Mukesh Bhatt’s Woh Lamhe. And if they are the trilogy, who is the guru? “Our fathers and teachers are the gurus,” says John, son of renowned Pakistani signer S B John. Live performances are the way to go, says 29-year-old guitarist Rana. “We hate lip-synching and avoid doing too many recordings. We don’t care much for videos either. Performances have to be energetic and direct, and there is a dearth of live performances in Pakistan,” he says. But still Aghaaz has to sell, right guys? |
____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#9 23 Jan 2007 20:06
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
Neighbourhood Notes
By IE Sunday January 21, 02:56 AM Wonder if rock bands ever made it to the list of confidence-building measures of India and Pakistan, but musical exchange is on the rise. We swayed to Junoon's Sayonee. Now a one-year-old Karachi band, Guru's Trilogy, is trying to blaze a track. Will the three boys, Glenn John, Mohsin Allahditta and Sayyam Rana, find an audience for their debut album Aghaaz? "It is a give-and-take of music. Bollywood is enjoyed by the people of Pakistan while the crowd here loves Pakistani bands," says John, whose claim to fame was the song Tu jo Nahin in Mukesh Bhatt's Woh Lamhe. And if they are the trilogy, who is the guru? "Our fathers and teachers are the gurus," says John, son of renowned Pakistani signer S B John. Live performances are the way to go, says 29-year-old guitarist Rana. "We hate lip-synching and avoid doing too many recordings. We don't care much for videos either. Performances have to be energetic and direct, and there is a dearth of live performances in Pakistan," he says. But still Aghaaz has to sell, right guys? ____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#10 01 Feb 2007 10:14
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
MUSIC: The musical proteges
By Ambreen Ishrat
 Gurus’ Trilogy’s debut album “Aghaaz” is a potpourri of diverse musical genres – ghazal, classical, pop, fusion and rock. It would have been great had they excelled at each genre, which, however, is not the case! Kahon Tum Say, an easy on ears prom night song, is a safe bet for an opening number but vanishes as soon as it’s over, unlike Dastaan, which is a marvelous song, serenading all of your senses, through emotive lyrics, powerful vocalising, well-timed flute and piano work. Saqalbun has a shaky start but quickly recovers itself to be a top notch number with impressive vocals and music. Sayyam’s guitar work has simply jazzed up this number and lent it an unsurpassable classy touch. Sadly enough, Jaagi Aankhon mein is where the momentum painstakingly built so far, falls flat on its face. The music, lyrics and vocals are falling all over the place instead of blending in. Pyar Mera tu is another number lost upon these tender ears because of the banal vocals and tritely rhyming lyrics.
Luckily enough, Dewaroon and Intezar are surely redemptive numbers, the mellow sweetness of which would tug at your heart strings. Whereas Ishq and Jogian Dey Naal are two wannabe Punjabi numbers, Tasweer Teri and Aey Watan are tributary songs originally sung by Talat Mahmood and Ustaad Amanat Ali Khan respectively, to which the vocalist and the musician have done full justice. These vintage songs serve as an honest reminder as to why the aforementioned musical icons of the yesteryear still rock.
Thus, the humble verdict is that the Gurus pass with above average marks but no distinctions. Their range is certainly impressive, something that the likes of Ali Zafar have tried in past; yet Gurus need to select and define their signature style and work upon it. They certainly are equipped with talent and brains to make it big.
____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#11 01 Feb 2007 13:38
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
Live at Play TV - 8th Feb 2007
Gurus Trilogy will be performing Live
for Play TV recording on 8th Feb,07
This show will be broadcasted in March. |
Live for AAG - 13th Feb 2007
Gurus Trilogy performing Live for AAG
on 13th Feb with Mizmaar.. |
Dastaan Video Exclusive- 2nd Feb 2007
Video of the Hit track Dastaan which
is remade by Universal Music India will
be Exclusively playing on THE MUSIK
this month starting from 2nd Feb. |
Dastaan - The Big Hit - MTV INDIA
Gurus Trilogy's Dastaan from the album
Aghaaz is The Big Hit on MTV India
all this month of February 2007. |
Aghaaz - Universal Music India
Gurus Trilogy début album Aghaaz
released by Universal Music India in
December 2006. The album was first released
in Pakistan during Jan Year 2006 and was a hit.
Available on www.umusicindia.com
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"I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#12 11 Feb 2007 00:38
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
Shifting sands
Instep takes a brief look at Raeth -- the youngest music sensation making waves in Pakistan and across the border By Maheen Sabeeh | | | Rewind to the past
A few months ago, a song aired on television by the name 'Bhula Do' by a then unknown band calling themselves Raeth. The video was nothing to write home about. It was another performance-based video that showed a band performing and chilling with friends. The song however, was a different story altogether. It was another pop/rock number coming out of the scene but it worked because of its simplicity. It's also a melodic number, not groundbreaking by any means but one of those annoyingly addictive tracks that stuck to your head. This was the beginning of Raeth - a boy band that struck gold with just one video.
|  | | A little while after 'Bhula Do' aired in Pakistan, it was picked up by Indian music channels and was fighting hard against names like Euphoria, Kailash Kher and other Indi pop artists in the countdown. It was an unprecedented hit. And it was all a stroke of luck... |
Who are they?
Raeth is the brainchild of Wajhi Farouqui, (Vocals), Farabi Hasan, (Lead Guitars) and Mustafa Asad (Bass). This is perhaps one of the youngest bands in Pakistan with Wajhi being 21, Mustafa, 20 and Farabi only 18-years old.
All three guys have been interested in music since childhood. If Wajhi was winning singing competitions, Farabi was winning inter-school guitar competitions. Both Wajhi and Farabi were jamming and doing cover songs roughly two years back but it hit them that covers weren't their style. "We wanted to do original stuff," says Farabi. Then, they came across Mustafa and decided to form a band. With the help of their session drummer, Alfred D'Mello, Raeth met Kashan Admani (Mizmaar fame).
Kashan Admani is the CEO of Dream Station Productions – a production house that produces music and is working towards promoting new talent. Interestingly, not only did Kashan produce their self-titled debut album but he also landed them a record deal in India. "I have tied up with Universal Music. The idea is to promote music all over the world and Universal can help us achieve that. Once these guys came in, I sent three of their songs to India to Universal. They were very impressed and decided to release their album." Kashan changed a few things around in their songs and provided this young band with the expertise that one requires in producing an album. The rest as they say is history. Raeth's album has been released in Pakistan and simultaneously saw a release in India, USA and the Middle East through Universal.
The next step
In order to survive in the music industry, the ability of performing live is a must. Fortunately, Raeth has that quality. At their album launch, these guys performed to a packed house and even though they were playing unplugged, they managed to captivate the audience to such an extent that 'Bhula Do' was performed twice.
Even as Raeth is doing very well for itself, there is skepticism in people's minds. Rungg's debut single, 'Hum Na' was an absolute hit but once the hype died down and the album released, it didn't hit the market hard. The only question remains: with so many new bands doing the same kind of music, will this album work? "We've done the best we can and so far, our album is on top in Pakistan and India," says Farabi. Whether their album has what it takes to be as big as Call or Jal remains to be seen but just for now, Raeth it seems has arrived and what an arrival it has been!
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____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#13 19 Feb 2007 01:59
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
instep
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The Josh rush
Instep looks into the band that is Josh. They are out with a funky new video and a new album that is already making way for itself in Pakistan and India...
By Maheen Sabeeh | | | | Josh's latest single 'Mahi Ve' has been playing all over music channels for the past few weeks and it's a hit. The reason is simple: 'Mahi Ve' is melodic; it's neither hardcore Punjabi bhangra nor your average feel-good pop track. It is lyrically almost Sufic while being extremely cosmopolitan in form. Josh is the same band that branched out to Pakistan in 2004 with their second album – Kabhi – (first in Pakistan) and immediately built a connection with listeners. These guys are not just known for their music but also their funky collaborations that range from UK-based Rishi Rich to Sukhbir to Grammy-award winning Nelly Furtado. And now they're back with a brand new album, Mausam... | | | Josh is...
Q and Rup – short for Qurram Hussain and Rupinder Magon – two chilled out musicians, hailing from Canada who call themselves a "desi" band. At 9 in the morning, they are perfectly dressed and ready to take on the media. In a blue tee and denims and silver chains dangling down his neck, Q is a musician to the max. He walks, talks and lives the life. Born in Muscat, Q moved to Karachi and did his entire high schooling here and later moved to Canada. On the other hand is Rup, the man who initiated Josh in the 2000s. Sikh Indian by birth, Rup was born and bred in Canada. He is the mature side of Josh. If Q is playful and funny, Rup is a little more grounded
|  | but his sense of humour can easily match Q as both of them throw in witty punches in between questions. As these two musicians chat about the differences between music scenes all across the globe, one thing that comes out is their level of optimism about the music scene in Pakistan.
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If one were to differentiate between the two, it would be a daunting task. They think alike, say the same things and just have a lot in common with, even though they both hail from very distinct backgrounds. "You're not a morning person," says Rup laughingly (to me) when asked how he managed to look so charged up at so early in the morning. Perhaps the only difference really is how they've managed to amalgamate two sensibilities of music and have created a style to call their own. When talking, Q is the one who makes most of the movement, he looks around, and speaks animatedly. Rup doesn't move around too much, he lets his eyes do all the talking. He looks straight at you and speaks directly and openly.
The beginning
Josh began when Rup and his brother Rik decided to form a band. "We did covers of all kinds of songs back then," remembers Rup. In Canada, if you're good, word gets around. Soon, Q was brought in on percussions and as a back-up singer. In 2001, Josh officially came into being as they launched their debut album, Main Hoon Tanha in India. "We were young and we thought that releasing it in India would mean world wide distribution," reminisces Q to which Rup adds, "We actually had no body here and we had no idea how to go about this." Even though, Main Hoon Tanha was never formally released in Pakistan, it found an opening here through the internet. 2001 was the year when there was no Atif or Jal or Ali Zafar. There was no new band making a wave. Not enough local stuff was being out on the internet unlike today. Consequently, Josh developed a following of its own. This helped the band realize the market in Pakistan and how it could be tapped into. | | | Then came 2004 – the year of Josh. They launched their second album, Kabhi and this time managed to release it outside of India too. Josh teamed up with Sukhbir for 'Ban Farkey' which became a favourite at local parties as well shaadis. Talk about diversifying...
Of course, it was the collaboration with Grammy-award winning Nelly Furtado that made even goras take notice of this mutli-cultured band of desis. "Nelly Furtado is also based in Canada. We approached them but back then, her album was already finished. They gave us a shot and asked us to remix 'Powerless'. We're not Djs, we don't |  | know how to remix," exclaims Rup and continues, "We changed the melody, added words and made it a whole new track," he says mischievously. The risk Josh took with 'Powerless' paid off. Nelly liked what they did and now the song is not just on her album but has been made into a video too. This team-up led to another remix as Josh have mixed 'Promiscuous Girl' for Nelly Furtado's new album, Loose.
Local scene
In our part of the world, musicians tend to take less risks because the market is not receptive to new sounds. But as music is going global, local artists have started experimenting a little bit more. Some do it in form of music structure that is fusion; others do it out and about like Rushk (Sawal), some mix things around EP (Urdu meets rap) and these are just few examples. Josh realizes this better than any band. This realization comes from working under an environment that is on an international level. Working in Canada and making it as a band in their live circuit is just not easy and if you're singing in a language that is not English, it is more difficult. "Being in a desi band, you create an identity if you're good. Josh had already developed a reputation when I came in, even though they were doing covers," insists Q. | | | To Josh, it is not about globalisation at all. "With Pakistan opening up to new media, different sound is now being accepted. But at the end of the day, we released 'Kabhi' as our first official track in Pakistan. It was not a dance number. It's good that upbeat tracks have also found a market but in the end, it is about melody and knowing how to create your own style. We took our time and it worked," says Rup thoughtfully.
The kind of energy that Josh puts in their songs, Pakistan would love to see them live. Last time around, these guys couldn't perform much but this time, they have plans to perform in Karachi. "We would love to perform here but if were to do a full-fledged show, we would need to bring 14-15 people! Even at a minimum, we would want 5-6 people. Promoters and organizers usually are not willing to fly out so many people. It's not Karachi to Lahore but Canada to America or Canada
|  | | to Pakistan," opines Rup. Realising the importance of live music, Josh has planned out a scheme. The solution to this is as Q puts it, "What we're doing now is trying to setup different musicians within different territories. So when we need to go and do a show anywhere, we will have a local setup. We don't want to play the record out the same way. But we pick the most versatile instruments out and use them in our shows. With musicians set up everywhere, it'll be easier to perform more." | | | Josh has been a part of some of our locally held music award shows and has performed on DAT. For a band that has always done live music, this would be a shock but Josh sees the larger picture. "We prefer to do it live," says Q and Rup adds, "A lot of these shows here lack proper sound feed. As a result, when you go live on a show and it is aired on television, it sounds much more worse than it really was," reasons Rup and continues, "Now you have a choice; you either go live for people on the ground and look like crap for millions of viewers or you do it on DAT and manage to look acceptable on television." Now what?
After releasing the album here, Josh has simultaneously released Mausam in almost all parts of the globe including India, the Middle East, Canada and the US.
Despite not having a setup to work with (in Jinnah's land), they're both happy just being here. It is musicians like these who give hope to others. Unlike many who consider India their big and final stop, Q and Rup are of the view that a good song can make it anywhere in the world. They don't compare listeners. To them, each territory has its own identity but there approach has always been, do what you do best and leave the rest to the forces that be. It is a simple way to think and perhaps the only way to keep that success from not getting to your head. Whether Josh manages to grip the nation with their live act remains to be seen, but we sincerely hope that they are at least given a chance to do so... |
____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#14 19 Feb 2007 02:04
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sur
Joined: November 2006
Posts: 10620
Location: Virginia
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Re: Pakistani Band
instep profile
Flying high | |  | | | He is the pop prince of the decade and he's back with a bigger bang.
Ali Zafar talks to Instep about flying, his new album Masty, growing up and silencing his critics... By Maheen Sabeeh | | | It's cool "I always wanted to fly as a kid," says Ali Zafar with a trademark impish grin.
At the age of 26, Ali has realized that he can make his dreams come true. In his new video, he's suspended in mid air, above 200 screaming girls. It may not be the same as flying, but it is definitely the next best option.
After winning hearts with Huqa Pani, Ali is back with a bigger bang and this time, he plans to re-affirm the faith of his fans and the skeptics that come with the territory.
It is rush hour for Ali Zafar. He has a promotional plan to go over, shows to record and interviews to give. Sitting in a meeting with the reps of Fire Records, Ali waves a hand and comes out of a conference room to greet me. He is calm personified as cameras flash around him. | | | On one side are his record label people, etching out a promotional plan, everyone has a thing to say to Ali, then are the photographers who are clicking away, capturing Ali's every mood. It is a little odd when you're talking to someone and you're asked to pose in the middle of the conversation. But Ali handles it like a pro. He understands the concept of marketing himself. He is a person, an artist and a star, but he also realizes that his music is a commodity that has to be pushed out into the market with a mighty shove and a big bang. The big bang is the 'Masty' video that paints Ali in all the aura of a star and superhero.
As music has become the slogan of youth, every musician has to constantly reinvent himself and give the media something new to spin to make his mark. Ali Zafar, the pop wonder of the decade, realizes this better than any of his contemporaries. But just right now in real life with a media circus all around, Ali throws me an apologetic look and stands against a white board, curls his lips into that mischievous grin and stares deep into the lens before sitting down for the interview.
| | | All grown up
Ali is out with a new album but it's not just the album that is new. Ali himself looks different. The boyish charm is still there, but it's hiding behind the man he has become. He seems somewhat stressed out – it must be scary to come up with a new album that has so many expectations behind it. Handling stress like a pro, Ali smiles constantly, has some wisecracks up his sleeves and is ready to talk away.
In the past three years, Ali has progressed tremendously. As a man, he is charming and down to earth. He is friendly enough to shake hands with all those who pass us by, be it the camera crew or the peon. Ali doesn't throw his star weight around, which a musician of his caliber can easily get away with. He is not one of those brooding musicians. His age gives him an understanding of what the youth wants, while his Kishore Kumar style vocals and melodies make him a hit with the older . |  | | generation. Ali knows this fact and plays with it to the max |
The monumental success he gained from 'Channo' was unprecedented. Even as Ali enjoys his share of the limelight, he knows that it is extremely difficult to stay on top. But what separates him from the one-hit wonders of the music industry is the hunger to prove himself to the world at large. That crucial driving force makes him an increasingly savvy musician.
If 'Channo' saw Ali Zafar dancing and jumping, 'Masty', his latest video shows him hovering above a crowd, bodily lifted above them. He picks a girl out from the crowd and dances with her. This video is the epitome of what Ali Zafar concerts are like, just pumped to a hyper real extreme. It is almost as if he is consciously building the Ali Zafar brand.
It's a fantastic video (except for the guitar playing – 'Masty' is not a rock song) that gels well with the track. Not surprisingly, Ali came up with the video concept himself, edited it and was involved every step of the way. The only thing one wonders is why he opted for an Indian director (Shiraz Bhattacharya) when Jami, Saqib Malik or Asim Reza could've pulled off the concept easily.
"I went to an Indian guy for various reasons. Our directors are fairly busy – you need 2-3 months at a minimum. Technically, India is superior to us. They have facilities that we lack. Most importantly for a concept like this, we needed girls. Can you imagine how difficult it would be to get 200 girls for a shoot in Pakistan? Even if we did find them, only 60 would arrive on time out of which, 40 would back out at the last minute because 'meri mummy ney mana kar diya' and I'd be left with 20. It was simpler to go there and get it done," Ali defends his move of opting for Shiraz.
For 'Masty', Ali did the styling himself but Nabila provided him with all the guidance that she possibly could. This was the second time Nabila and Ali teamed up, the first time for the video of the intense 'Ek Pal'. Considering Tariq Amin's involvement in Ali Zafar's first few videos, it is a tad surprising. Ali's theory is simple and logical: "I believe in working with everyone." It is an intelligent way of existing in this industry and Ali has learned how to play his cards right.
"Masty as an album will be a lot more mature." He has come of age and he knows it. | | | Branching out
From songwriting to music to playing guitars, modeling and acting, Ali has tried his hand at everything. He is doing the soundtrack for Nadeem Mandviwalla's Pyar Da Pagal Pan. He also has a Saqib Malik film in his bag, though Ali is currently not sure where the project is really headed. "I had given them dates but it never rolled on schedule. Now I'm busy with the album. I'm not sure what's going on with it."
If one remembers correctly, Ali had also signed on for Shoaib Mansoor's Khuda Ke Liye with Shaan and Iman Ali. Shaan recently criticized him in print for dropping the project very unprofessionally. Ali is honest enough to come out with the truth. "I have a successful career. I do act and enjoy it tremendously. Shoaib sahib is a wonderful director. But the film was a little controversial with its subject. My mother was worried for me and |  | dvised me not to be a part of it. I understood where her concern was coming from. I respected her decision and bowed myself out of it but I wish them well." It was an important project but it came with a risk he wasn't ready to take. He took a well calculated decision.
The buzz word
The music industry can also be vicious. There are rumours that other than the Lux Style Awards; most award shows give out awards under a rather unethical criterion. It is heard that artists are told to perform and if they agree, they will win at least one award. Of course, with no independent and proper music award shows, these anomalies are bound to exist. Is it also true in Ali's case?
"There are lobbies in every industry. Remember Million Dollar Baby's win at Oscars?" Ali exclaims and adds, "I have never been told to perform in order to grab an award nor have I ever been through it. One time, 'Channo' was nominated in the Best Song category and I thought that it should've won. I wasn't given the award but I had four others to my credit. So yes, these things do happen. It's the way things operate," says Ali.
He is an essential part of these awards show. After all, Ali Zafar has mass appeal. Yet, he has been accused of using the same tricks time and again. His routine picking of girls from the audience and dancing with them is a known trait amongst his fans and critics alike.
The element of surprise is important. Ali confesses to this analysis, "I agree that it's becoming predictable. There aren't enough decent venues here. We are not given support from the organizers. I mean, what can you do that stands apart? You have no visual elements to attach to a performance. I try to mix things up to keep the level of entertainment charged up. I have tried doing things differently. I've jammed with different musicians but you need a structure of sorts to get through with every performance with a new angle."
The only solution to this problem is if the collective music industry comes together and takes a stand. When Association of Music Professionals of Pakistan (AMPP) came into being, this was one of their many goals, that is, taking hold of the scene by its pulse. The only question is: is the music industry united enough to do so? Ali thinks it is. "We are united. I call up Ali Azmat and he gives me tips. Just recently I met Ali Noor and we launched into this discussion about mastering and these are just few names. Ali Azmat has met the President and a letter has been sent to him. People are still signing onto AMPP," says Ali hopefully. A hard journey
With fame and glory comes a level of criticism. One criticism drawn on Ali is his inspiration from R.D. Burman. From the day 'Channo' first aired, many feel that Ali copied, some feel that he plays on Burman's melody. "I'm inspired from R.D. Burman," says Ali stroking his chin and adds thoughtfully, "I don't plagiarise. Just because the original song had 'Dhanno' in it and my song is 'Channo' does not mean that it is the same."
Ali Zafar enjoys immense popularity across the border. His visits to India have taught him how to handle himself there. "Some of our artists jump on the opportunity of going to India. I don't because it is not necessary to do everything that comes your way. It has to be the right project," says Ali. It is better to not have a Bolly flick to one's credit than let an original composition being torn apart. With Fight Club ruining 'Channo' with "Gori Gori, Chori Chori," Ali understands the importance of retaining one's compositions and how not to sell yourself. "They took the song, changed it and Sohail Khan approached me and told me to sing it. After doing their trick, they asked me to come on board. When I heard it, I was shocked. They got someone else to sing it but gave me composition credit."
Another criticism that Ali, like most musicians these days, is faced with is that of his album release. The time period between Huqa Pani and Masty is three years. It is too long. Two years is enough for a musician to come out with a new album as well as do international tours. Ali admits to the criticism and says, "I know that three years is long. I don't think I have ever worked this hard on anything in my life. I unlearned everything I ever knew to do this album. I hope that the next time I won't take this long."
These days, Ali is charged. He has new material to perform and it's going to be a tough battle. 2007 will mark releases from all the big guns of the music industry. Ali Azmat, Strings, Fuzon, Jal and Atif are coming out with new albums. Fans will have a lot to look forward to and Ali Zafar, being a firm believer in healthy competition, will face the heat like a warrior. It remains to be seen if Masty will surpass the success of Huqa Pani but from the word on the street, Masty is already right up there!
– Ali Zafar's Masty is out in stores now! |
____________ "I am a dreamer,I collect all the smiles from My yesterday,
Neatly pack them into words and hide them in my heart,
I call them "MEMORIES" Music has no boundary.
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#15 19 Feb 2007 02:08
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