RamLal: Naughty Boys

RamLal’s creative eccentricity sets them apart from anything you have heard on Pakistani air waves.

KARACHI:


The season finale for Uth Records saw two talented musicians come to the fore with a unique sound and a fresh perspective on, well, everything.

RamLal, the brainchild of Muhammad Sibtain and Mohammad Agha, has been in the making for the past many years. Through sheer resilience, the band finally got to showcase its talent on television with their debut single “Naughty Boy”. The boys shared their experience of working on the show with The Express Tribune.


How was your experience at Uth Records?

It was fantastic! There was great energy in the studio, the crew was easy to get along with — the creative process came naturally. Gumby and Omran aka Momo have been terrific throughout the season and we’re happy we got the chance to collaborate with them.

You’ve been playing music for quite a while. What took RamLal so long to break into the music industry?

We had been working together on RamLal for a while but during the time we were also pursuing other projects. Also, in Pakistan, there are very few channels through which aspiring artists can break through to the mainstream. Uth Records is one noble effort in bridging the gap between aspiring artists and the mainstream, but there are still scores of skilled musicians, looking for a break, who can bring a number of skills and practices to the industry. Radio, television and record labels have to do more to unearth Pakistani talent — the result will be mutually beneficial.

Is your music influenced by any specific style or genre?

Bollywood! (chuckles). Although there is some inspiration from Bollywood music, we wouldn’t like to limit ourselves to any one particular style or genre but, for the sake of simplicity, our sound does tend to lean more towards a mix of blues, rock ‘n’ roll and some elements of punk.

Does RamLal operate with a certain type of philosophy? What is the purpose of your music?


Well, music is our profession — it is our bread and butter. But, beyond this obvious layer, our purpose is to simply entertain. Give people something to indulge in, smile or laugh about, so they can take a break from the current trials faced by them and our country.

Do you agree that musicians have become more reliant on music videos to be recognised in this industry?

Absolutely, television is bigger than record labels and radio stations combined. Making a music video would be the obvious way to be recognised, it’s just the way it is in Pakistan.

Where does RamLal go from here?

Forward, hopefully, and fast! Our stint with Uth Records has given us the momentum to pursue our pending projects more diligently. We are currently working on our first album and we are also conceptualising a music video for one of our singles.

The Finale

The first season of Uth Records has come to an end with its sixth episode and it may have been its best one yet, musically speaking. This last installment brings forth the collective talent of Sibtain and Agha, a musical duo that goes by the name RamLal.

Their featured track, “Naughty Boy”, is an up-tempo song that brings together a wonderful blend of sound that is quite unorthodox compared to the commercial music prevalent in Pakistan today. Its quirky lyrics coupled with funky riffs and finger snapping beats provide the perfect backdrop of the story that it entails of a colourful character wooing a woman in vain. Nabi Jan and his asserting trumpet take the track to a whole new level but it is Agha’s intricate guitar solo in the end that will leave your ears aching for more. The whole song has a care-free vibe to it with elements within that will strike a nostalgic chord reminding you of the ‘swingin’ sixties’ with a Bollywood twist.

Musically, the episode was phenomenal but when it came to video, there was a lot to be desired. Throughout the season, the show has been tumultuously inconsistent in many different aspects especially in the realms of direction and video editing. The flow of the episode seemed erratic with incoherent changes from one shot to another. The camera was shaky, the effects were lazy, the narration lacked personality and the humour felt dry.

The second season should hold a lot of promise for viewers and aspiring artistes alike, but without competent camera work, the show can not merely rely on the talents of undiscovered gems of the underground music industry.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 4th,  2011.
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