Fawad’s hectic acting schedule and Waqar’s shift to Islamabad are cited as the reasons for the split. “To be honest, with Fawad’s acting career on the rise, his commitment came to a point where he thought he should bow out and Waqar has moved to Islamabad,” says Ahmed Ali Butt, who will now be the new frontman of the band.

Hence, the band is trudging on with a rearranged line-up that will include Salman Albert on guitars, Hassan Khalid on bass and Butt on vocals. The transition reminds one of the time when EP, initially comprising of seven members, first made their breakthrough from the underground rock scene in Lahore. Later, the band was reduced to five members and now there are just three left.

“Music is in our blood,” says Butt. “There will be a different sound now because I am going to be on vocals; the band is going to have a very New Age look to it.” Butt adds that their latest single “Ajab Tamasha” will depict what’s happening around the world by highlighting issues of how the media and news channels dominate people’s lives in Pakistan.

Good old days

Meanwhile, while recalling the legacy and purpose of the band, Albert explains, “Till date, no other band has the guts to be as crazy, experimental and unique as us. We’ve always had a small fan base because of our style of music but I feel one EP fan is equal to a thousand fans of any other artist.” He further adds, “Of course, things change with success — from your car to your equipment, everything changes. But EP members have always been a bunch of great friends and will remain so.”

Speaking of the change in the line-up, Albert states that EP had always been keen on releasing new music but because the band members started changing their priorities, certain things had become inevitable. “The band members grew so much as individuals that everyone got busy in other things as well. That slowed down our pace. It was kind of evident that Fawad would leave and the band has no reservations whatsoever,” says Albert. “Sometimes the band suffered because of Fawad’s shooting schedules and sometimes Fawad’s shooting schedules were also disturbed because of the band. But every experience is a lesson, so now, our main focus is the band and we’re not going to neglect it.”

Meanwhile, Waqar, who recently visited Peshawar to play for Ali Azmat at a gig, explains that it seemed like the right time for him to depart from EP. “It’s been 12 years and it seemed like the best time to move on,” says Waqar, who is continuing his career by ‘freelancing’ for other bands.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 20^th, 2012.

The album titled Noori Live at the Rock Musicarium, which was recorded during their concert at the Rock Musicarium, a concert venue in Islamabad, revisits the classics while also bringing the formal launch of their latest track “Taaron Se Aagay”. Live albums, despite their long tradition in rock music in the West, are rare in Pakistan. When asked how they came up with the idea, lead member Ali Noor says, “It’s just one of those wacky ideas that we came up with randomly.”

Recording an album live is certainly not a piece of cake as concert spaces are sporadic and sound systems are mostly average or below average. “We worked harder on this than we worked on any other album. It was actually a lot of responsibility,” states Noor to which Ali Hamza adds, “We were up working for three nights.” Recording at the Musicarium in Islamabad required a certain set environment in which the sound, video and other recording-related things could be perfected. “It’s a venue built for rock music by a rock musician,” adds Hamza.

The concert, which took place in February, was a great success but had its fair deal of travails. Noor explains that issues with the sound recording meant that they were considering axing the project altogether. This is when Kashif Ejaz, a sound engineer, came to their rescue. “When you put out an album, people want to listen to it again and again and if it’s raw, it has to sound good enough to make people want to listen to it,” says Noor, crediting Ejaz with a ‘critical role’ in making the album possible.

One of the best parts of the concert was the inclusion of Sajid and Zeeshan’s Zeeshan Parwez as well as famed rocker Faraz Anwar in the line-up. “There is a lot of tolerance and maturity; we are learning to understand each other and to respect each other,” explains Noor. He further adds, “The lines are really blurring. Noori has become very different, now we don’t know who does what and we don’t separate it that way anymore.”

The album consists of 11 tracks, each of them redone with a totally different take from the originals such as “Meray Log”, “Kuttay Te Tho Uttay” and so on. Noori Live at the Rock Musicarium is the band’s second production with the Believe in You records, and will be distributed throughout the country so that it’s available to the Noori fans at all the main urban centers of the major cities.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2012.

“I am going for something different,” said Pervez, who admits she has been trying to break the monotony in her music. “In the past, I focused on catering to the tastes of the audience but it had become a little monotonous and now I hope to experiment and try different things.”

The singer’s latest track “Jhoom Ja” provides a glimpse into the evolving sound that has been coming into Pervez’s music. The video of the song shows Parvez going on a shopping spree with friends — Mishi Khan and Sasha Zaidi — but it’s the sound of the song that is significantly different. With a 90s western pop rock feel to it, the song exudes a sense of youthfulness. “When people from different genres come together, it can do wonders,” said Pervez who also wrote a few lines of the song.

In the hope of expanding her music horizons, Parvez has recently taken up numerous challenges. For instance, she started training in classical music and has been practising thumri and ghazal regularly. The versatility allows her to perform tributes, ghazals( pop and even in Pashto), Pervez explains. “I always preferred singing live and it’s my dream to record in a live environment,” adds the singer, who recently started to release videos from her home studio with a live band. “In order to improve musically, you have to constantly struggle and put in your best effort to make good music.”

In the pipeline

Other recent projects include her collaboration with Nouman Javaid for the song “Tere Naina”, which is scheduled to be released soon. She said Javaid’s unique musical background gave the song an added oomph. The song was recorded at Bari Studios in Lahore.

“It’s a fascinating love song with a beautiful melody,” adds Pervez. “It’s interesting because Nouman really tries to follow Gulzar when penning down lyrics.”

Although, the singer has no plans to release an album any time soon, she reinstates that her focus will be on recording and releasing new material that will showcase a diverse array of sounds and ideas.

When asked if she would like to work in India — a fast-growing trend among musicians in Pakistan these days — the singer replied, “I have never been against the idea, it’s just that I never pushed for it,” she said. Although she has becone experimental in her singing, Pervez does not deny the possibility of acting in the future. “You never know, I always have liked the idea of acting and doing a couple of my own productions or sitcoms.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 17^th, 2012.

After facing several challenges, the teaser, which was showcased to the local audience, revealed why the troupe, Theatre Wallay, has been selected from 37 different countries for the London’s Globe to Globe festival scheduled for later this month.

Although, acclaimed actor Nadia Jamil, who was due to play one of the lead roles (Kiran), fell ill at the last minute, the production found a savior in Maria Khan who agreed to replace Jamil for the premiere. The production provided a progressive outlook on theatre, characterised by its bold structure and overall scripting of the play. To add to the mood, rock band Mekaal Hasan Band provided live background music.

Localising it

“The Taming of the Shrew”, which is widely believed as one of Shakespeare’s more misogynistic plays, has been cleverly adapted to suit the local audience. Translated in Urdu, the adaptation took nearly four months to complete. “The original play had elements of misogyny, so what we have done apart from adding local flavor is that we have created an interesting dynamic in which both the male or female characters are shown strong and neither of them is expected to bow in front of the other,” says Osman Khalid Butt who plays the role of Hasnat, a rich, flamboyant boy in the play.

The story revolves around a father who wants to marry off his two daughters. While Kiran, the elder daughter, is shown as a stubborn and independent-minded girl scaring off many potential suitors, the younger daughter, Beena (Karren David), is seen as a catch: attractive and submissive. As is the case in many local families, the father, Mian Bashir (played by Salman Shahid), doesn’t allow the younger daughter to get married until Kiran is married first.

This is when Umair Rana steps in. Playing the role of Rustam Khan, a Mianwali Pathan who is willing to marry anyone for money, he decides to marry Kiran. This scene cleverly depicts how certain biases about men and women are embedded in the society. This addresses the issue that it’s completely acceptable if a man decides to marry a girl just because of her money but when a woman does the same, she is looked down upon. “There are harsh expectations from women in our society; they are expected to be obedient to their husbands, fathers and brothers and then the society also imposes religiosity and morality on them,” says Rana.

As the story builds up, Rustam is shown forcing Kiran into becoming an obedient wife. His cruel attitude towards her — he refuses to give her food, clothes — leaves Kiran in an isolated place where she has no choice but to become subservient to her husband. Hence, the play seeks to question the role of a wife and the sacrifices she is required to make to survive in society and make her marriage work.

Overall, the thematic overtones combined with the talented cast allow for the story to develop and adequately show the potential richness of theatre in Pakistan. “Theatre, which is done not just for commercial purposes and is of good quality, is welcomed,” says veteran actor Salman Shahid while adding that, “it’s always very important to promote theatre.” Equally impressed and moved by the performances, producer Susannah Harris-Wilson stated, “With talent like this, there must be a national theatre company in Pakistan.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 12^th, 2012.

Dressed in ragged, torn clothes, the actor was not only able to connect with the younger audiences, but also received a resounding applause by leading actors and theatre veterans present in the auditorium.

The play, written and directed by the popular playwright and poet Sarmad Sehbai, was a thought-provoking exercise, questioning the deteriorating situation of the country. The way the script has been written, Shakeel’s character is shown engaged in a monologue, during which he tries to explain the nuances of life and the everyday issues of growing up.

One of a kind

Although solo performances have been done before, none have come even close to this one, which stood out due to the abstract nature of the dialogue.

Entering the stage with a bowl of bird food, Shakeel plays the role of an elderly man who has lost his memory and tries to reconcile with the world through his imaginary conversations. These conversations see him talking his heart out with a host of imaginary characters such as birds, people and the surrounding environment such as the sky. The conversation tries to understand how the country’s great principles and ideas are slowly decaying.

For instance, the dialogue highlights how, in olden days, life was simpler and people cared and friendships were not determined by wealth or greed. However, things have changed and now greed, intolerance and terror are widespread in the country.

“I don’t think that a solo performance of this nature has been done before,” said Shakeel. “I was just thankful that I had a chance for the role because when I read the script I was immensely inspired,” added the legend.

Paying a tribute

Following the play was a tribute to Shakeel’s 45-year-old career in the form of a video presentation featuring his acting clips from various TV dramas and films. In his youth, Shakeel was a bona fide superstar, known not just for his acting but also for his good looks. Despite having been typecast as an actor known for playing Casanova roles, Shakeel made sure that his acting talents were constantly challenged and the diversity of his skill set was proven by his portrayal of the famous character Uncle Urfi in the PTV drama “Uncle Urfi”.

When asked why he decided to return to theatre after such a long gap, Shakeel replied, “I always said that I wanted to see the zinda dil Lahore and the support I received during the performance was very inspiring. “The play is abstract and not typical and the audience was sophisticated and understood the underlying message,” he added.

Meanwhile, speaking about the play, the eminent Urdu fiction writer Intezaar Hussain, said, “It really was a learning experience because the way the script was written and the acting was done, it brought forth something I have never seen before.”

It wasn’t only Hussain who was taken aback by Shakeel’s acting. Famed screenwriter Asghar Nadeem Syed also looked stunned at the performance. “This sensibility and timing that Shakeel brought delivered an amazing performance,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 10^th, 2012.

Meet the band

Fiddler’s Feast’s recent line-up comprises of Andrew Clermont, Marcus Holden and Liz Frenchman. The band recently came to Pakistan to perform on Australia Day functions and sat down with The Express Tribune after their performance at the Avari Hotel on May 4.

The members say that fiddling does not require ‘rocket science’ and one just needs to have good aural skills to pick up the tunes they hear. “A lot of kids who take part in the choir already know fiddling but people still assume that one needs to be professionally trained in an orchestra to continue,” says Clermont, who was one of the founding members of the band. Holden and Clermont are also the directors of the Golden Fiddle Awards while Frenchmen, has her own cult following in the music scene in Australia.

Frenchman, who is playing with the band for the first time, played the double bass as well as contributed vocals to the band’s performances. When asked why she chose to come to Pakistan, Frenchman says that her main goal behind this tour was to find a way to connect with people. “It’s an incredible feeling when one gets to play with different people for different people,” says Frenchman. “I think that music is like a conversation, in which both the musician and listener speak, so the biggest thing for me is to reach that point of connection.”

Clermont says that musicians who love music often derail from the regimented mainstream pop culture, which sometimes sounds too cliched and imposed. He says that his band makes music that sounds good to them, which is why they don’t get labeled as mainstream musicians. “When you look at mainstream music you feel that it is being imposed on listeners, but for musician what matters more is to actually love the music they play,” says Clermont who is also known as the “master of all instruments”. The musician showed his skills by playing an old violin, which was made on the gold coast of Australia and a unique instrument which was created out of water pipes.

Violin playing versus fiddling

The word fiddle comes from English/Scandinavian language, while the word violin has French and Italian roots. When explaining the difference between playing the violin and fiddling, Holden states that a violinist reads compositions and then translates them into tunes. A fiddler, on the other hand, picks up on tunes that are passed on by one generation to another by word of mouth since there are no written composition.

A gift for Pakistan

During their trip to Pakistan, the band also managed to learn the tunes of Pakistani national anthem. The band’s frontman, Holden explains that western music is generally divided into two schools: Jazz and classical – therefore the musicians fused the anthem with jazz and classical melodies. “We go on the beauty, fun and resonance of a melody or tune because that’s what makes it alive,” says Holden, who is visiting Pakistan for the first time and hopes of picking up a sarangi. “Whatever we do is extremely special to me. Fiddlers like me, who grow up in a multicultural fiddle setting, try to look at the audience and see how it reacts to our music.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2012.

“This phenomenon had much to do with Lahore’s inner-city culture,” explains famed musician Ustad Badaruz Zaman, who has been honoured with a Pride of Performance Award for his contribution to music. “This was a musical environment created by enthusiasts and lovers,” adds Zaman, who for much of his life shared the stage as a vocalist and harmonium player with his brother Qamar. On April 28 this year, Lahore-based NGO Jadeed Foundation announced that a music school will be named after the 73-year-old to honour him for his accomplishments in the field.

Zaman’s foray into music was deeply connected to the old city culture in which neighbourhoods were seen as amicable and vibrant environments in which entertainment was integral. “The best thing about this culture was that it catered to everyone and brought people together,” says Zaman. In every neighbourhood, there would always be one or two houses where people would gather for a musical night, recalls the musician with a nostalgic smile. “We are proud of it because this later became the launch pad for great singers like Mohammad Rafi Khan, Noor Jehan or Ghulam Ali,” adds Zaman, who, back in the day, converted a large room in his father’s house into a baithak. The room, he adds, easily accommodated around 100 to 200 people who came from surrounding areas.

Rise and fall of

The surprising part of the then burgeoning culture was that it developed from an amateur form of interest for music, pushed by local thirst for entertainment. The tradition then expanded outside of the city into local musical halls and during this process, the audience for this kind of entertainment grew rapidly. The increase in the number of shows was complemented by the success of Radio Pakistan, which in turn provided a platform for a multitude of classical artists.

“It was a very unique period for music,” exclaims Zaman, who has been recording and singing for shows on Radio Pakistan for 53 years. During this time the radio booked artists from various cities including Lahore and Karachi where they could interact and discuss the music in greater detail.

The culture thrived until the 1965 war following which, Zaman exclaims, the aesthetic sense of people began to shatter. Later, when it finally started reviving, it was hit by another blow — the 1971 war. “We all had this deep passion for music and we used to invite artists from all over Pakistan to play so that music would be heard at our place the whole day. However, things changed during the war. That was the start of a decline of this culture,” states Zaman.

Currently, Zaman’s efforts revolve around imparting knowledge, ensuring that the newer generation understands the deep link between music and the Pakistani culture. “I’ve written several books with the hope of passing knowledge or at least starting a debate,” he states conclusively.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 5^th, 2012.

Now, in an exclusive interview with The Express Tribune, the band’s former vocalist discusses the irreconcilable rifts that made him leave unobtrusively, the reasons behind band’s manager Asad Haroon resignation and Taimur Rahman’s alleged favouritism.

How did you and Taimur meet?

As an undergraduate at the Lahore University of Management Sciences (Lums) I took a couple of courses with Taimur during my freshman year in 2002. We developed an intellectual bonding because it was obvious that both of us wanted to change Pakistan. Even before the formation of Laal in 2008, Taimur and I used to go to working class quarters in Lahore and sing revolutionary poetry to inspire workers towards change.

What was the concept of the band?

The idea was simple: use music, art, and poetry as means of furthering the cause of workers’ rights in Pakistan. We took inspiration from the Progressive Writers Association and the great Marxist thinkers and intellectuals that changed the course of social and political action. Music would become the medium through which we took revolutionary poets like Jalib and Faiz’s message to the masses.

What is the Laal Brigade and how did it fit into your plans for politics?

While Taimur was away in the UK for his studies, I decided that it was time to consolidate whatever work the band had done in the form of a youth organisation. The youth organisation, Laal Brigade would be a socialist platform dedicated to the emancipation of the working class. I wrote the charter, the programme and the document for the Laal Brigade and invited students to become a part of this organisation in Islamabad.

You are predominantly known as the original voice of the band, why are you no longer the lead singer?

My reasons for disassociating myself from Taimur stem from the philosophy that drove me towards Laal. The philosophy of the band, as I saw it, cannot be understood without understanding two things: 1) It was not just another musical band, and 2) It was not just about us.

In 2010, I had to go to the US to pursue doctoral studies in Economics so we decided that I would travel back and forth between the US and Pakistan during my summer and winter breaks. This arrangement was not new for us since there was a time (from 2008 to 2009) when Taimur was pursuing his PhD in the UK and I was in Pakistan and we agreed to the same settlement.

However, once I had left for my PhD, Taimur began producing a series of music videos with his own vocals. In summer 2011, I planned a three-month long trip to Pakistan and emailed Taimur some ideas for our second album beforehand. Taimur replied saying that he had struck a deal with Times of India regarding the second album and wanted to “give his vocals a go”. The cross border deal made it apparent that the original plan of galvanising a youth movement had been shelved. It was frustrating to see “Neend Aati Nahi” replace “Jaag Mere Punjabi” as Laal’s latest release.

Additionally, the members of the Laal Brigade were treated like subordinates and a patriarchal system was forced on them rather than invigorating their potential and urging them to speak up. The brigade members were converted into cheerleaders for the band.

We had promised to play our part in rebuilding girls’ schools in Swat. We had also decided that any funds we would get we would use them to promote Laal Brigade and its objectives. However, much to my dismay, thousands of dollars were devoted to increase likes and fake popularity of Laal’s Facebook page.

And only recently I discovered that Taimur has removed my name from the band’s Facebook page and Wikipedia. I don’t understand even if there were differences between me and Taimur, why couldn’t there to be two Laals?

Asad Haroon recently resigned from Laal. He accuses Taimur of favouritism and bias. What is your take on these allegations?

Asad Haroon joined Laal at a time when I was in the US. I did not know that he had volunteered himself to the cause after having been inspired by the revolutionary message. Asad is only one of hundreds of people that have become disgruntled by the difference between what is preached and what is practiced.

What are your plans for the future?

I continue to perform here in the United States for various charity events. I am going back to Pakistan next month and have various plans for the summers as well.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2012.

“During a visit to India, I was asked why there is this form of militancy and protest in our poetry as compared to other countries,” recalls Jan. “The reality is that it’s the need of a society that generally defines its culture and poetry. And because there has been suppression, dictatorship, violation of human rights in our society, the outcome has been in the form of resistance poetry like in Palestine.”

No pain, no gain

Jan, who wrote his first poem while he was in seventh grade in school, has always been closely associated with the struggle against oppression. The poem “Main Baghi Hoon” was written before martial rule began in 1977 and later became a staple in popular culture due to its revolutionary tone. “This poem was used in underground protests as a weapon against Ziaul Haq.”

Jan had been the leader of a student group called the Eagles, which was protesting martial rule. However, as Joseph Stalin said, “You cannot make a revolution with silk gloves”, Jan also had to undergo his share of harsh times for the cause he was fighting for. During a protest in which an effigy of Zia was burned, Jan’s legs were severely beaten to the extent that he was hospitalised.

However, ironically this incident, apart from bringing pain and permanent scars, also brought him good luck. During his stay in the hospital, some underground activists who had been running a magazine called Struggle, decided to publish “Main Baghi Hoon”. It was through this magazine, which was published in Holland, that the poem was later found in the hands of Pakistan’s future prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who recited it publicly many times.

Power of the pen

Apart from that, Jan has written extensively in both Urdu and Punjabi. His books tend to critique society and the social issues plaguing the country. His latest book of poetry Ishq Khuda tries to address the concept of religious fundamentalism in the hope of promoting love and humanity. At a grassroots level, poetry still remains an important cultural activity and Jan asserts: “Some people don’t have to go to big universities or big schools to learn; there is a thing called folk wisdom. Even today, especially among the working classes, revolutionary poetry and songs are very prevalent.”

Additionally Jan believes that resistance poetry is now more commonly being done in the form of songs by popular mainstream musicians (like Shehzad Roy), who are trying to be direct while referring to political and social issues. “This music may not have been looked at as poetry 25 years ago but things are changing and it is now,” says Jan.

The role of media

Meanwhile, while talking about how mass media has helped the process, Jan says, “The difference between then and now is that people are now openly speaking about these poems through social media platforms such as Facebook. Because the world is so interconnected, the authorities can’t silence you anymore.”

Published in The Express Tribune, April 27^th, 2012.

Mauj, which initially included Mohsin Atif as the bassist and co-lyricist, now has a different line-up including the Co-Ven boys Hamza Jafri, Sameer Ahmed and Sikander Mufti. The new line-up, which has been performing under various banners in the past, will provide a unique identity for the band, says Shafique. “I don’t think that the process of making music ever stopped; it’s an ongoing process and we hope to bring good music again,” says the guitarist.

For the love of music

While explaining his passion for music, Shafique pointed out that he was settled in Texas, America, but decided to move to Pakistan only to pursue music as a career. “I wanted to move back at the time to see what I could contribute as a musician,” says Shafique.

The guitarist, who has over the years made a career as both a session player and  producer for shows like “Uth Records”, maintains that the band will be a creative outlet since it has never been intended for commerciality.

His announcement comes as a big surprise for the music industry, which has struggled to find any originality of late. While most bands these days avoid investing in an entire album, Shafique intends on working towards a 10-single album but is not yet sure about the details of how the album will be released. “I am a creative person and various songs routinely play in my head. I probably have five to six albums planned in my head.”

Shafique explains that the band’s philosophy is to try and produce music that’s new and has never been made in Pakistan. “The band’s identity has always been its name which has two meanings; a wave and the second one is a reference to something fun,” says Shafique. The guitarist further adds that his experiences (stints at “Coke Studio” and “Uth Records” as well as working with music giants like Ali Azmat) will shape the outcome of the album to a great extent. “For this album, the goal is to do something more experimental and fun, something that has a new sound and has not been done in Pakistan.”

Meanwhile, while speaking about the current music scene, Shafique said he is pleased at the fact that several young bands such as Poor Rich Boy in Lahore, Orangenoise and Mole, have stepped up and are creatively adding a different sound to the rock scene in the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2012.