Can music shows thrive in such a hostile environment?.
A particular case in point: popular culture. Instead of celebrating Farjad Nabi and Meenu Gaur’s Zinda Bhaag as Pakistan’s official entry to the Academy Awards, or its excellent soundtrack, we have somehow found a way of minimising its stature as an important film due to reasons beyond comprehension.
When it comes to music, the success of Coke Studio has led to an increased interest in mainstream music from corporate investors. Since 2008, we’ve seen shows like Uth Records, Cornetto Music Icon, Pepsi Smash, Nescafe Basement and Fanta Rocks emerge on to the music scene. It’s a delicate mix of numbers and popularity. Some of the shows need work. Others, though short-lived, create an interesting space for music. The trippy music video for Orangenoise’s Chaser, for example, is still one of Uth Records’ most memorable eclectic moments.
Pepsi Smash may have won fans over, but even that earned mixed reviews from the press. It had its highs and lows, but its biggest selling point was that the show made an active attempt to bring electronic music to the forefront, collaborating with popular acts like Noori, Strings and SYMT. While independent electronic music in Pakistan is gob-smackingly good, it still needs to find a space within the mainstream. Perhaps Pepsi Smash will help bridge the divide as it evolves, piquing curiosity among listeners.
Nescafe Basement, with Xulfi (of Call) at the helm, has hit its second season and, according to the producer, the response has been great. The debate as to whether or not it will take down Coke Studio, or any other show for that matter, is pointless, and signifies the deeper problem of a lack of awareness within the public. One could choose to like the show as an effort from young musicians, or complain needlessly about the fact that covers don’t qualify as original in an era where songs are re-done all the time.
On the other end of the spectrum is an independent show called Lussun TV. A fully DIY effort, it features promising musicians producing original content. Produced from Karachi, it is not backed by a corporate sponsor, and features acts from multiple cities, such as Natasha Humera Ejaz (Islamabad), Basheer & the Pied Pipers (Islamabad) and Mooroo’s Music (Lahore).
As time passes, some shows will pick up on their mistakes and improve. Others might fall into the trap of redundancy. Given the absence of live performances, nonexistent music festivals and the abundance of TV channels that insist on only playing crude item songs, corporate-backed shows fill the void by offering a platform to showcase new music. How well one performs as a producer or a featured artiste depends on one’s ideas, or lack thereof.
In the case of Coke Studio, the show has made a conscious effort to revamp its sound. By the fifth season that ran last year, fatigue wasn’t restricted to just the listeners, but also affected the musicians involved. The recently released sixth season, which now includes musicians from Serbia, Nepal and other countries, is a gradual and necessary transformation. The idea that it should include musicians exclusively from Pakistan is ludicrous. If musicians from Pakistan can perform in other countries and collaborate with other musicians, there is no reason why the same can’t ring true for Coke Studio.
The concept of music shows is thriving across the border with Coke Studio (India), the third season of The Dewarists, and a new show Sound Trek that aired earlier this year.
Comparisons are inevitable, but the need to pull one thing down in order to demonstrate another’s success is disheartening. Coke Studio is not fixated on Pakistan. The sounds from the rich past of this region transcend borders, and when one thinks about it, there’s nothing wrong with that.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 19th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (17)
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Good article. Everything is not a competition nor does one thing have to be bad in order for another to be good. This mindset has plagued the Pakistani nation in almost every field. We hate our cricket team when they lose.. And they become instant heros when they win. Agreed that expressing opinions are everyone's right but passing judgement is not! One regularly finds people saying something is either good or bad when what they really mean to say is that they like or dislike something.. There's a world of difference between the two and some of our 'critics' can certainly benefit from this understanding..
Though I am in favour of freedom of speech, it surprises me that why on earth ET moderators allowed a comment that is obviously trying to hijack the topic. . Mohd Tarekh, Stop pretending to be a pakistani. Muslims are not converted low caste Hindus. Their colour/ facial features show that they came from Turkey, , Iran, Tashkent etc.
@Mohd tarekh: Dude this is pathetic effort to pretend Pakistani, or for that reason a Candian, as I donot believe that candian educaiton system start producing such brainless trolls. any one who is brought up outside the BJP / RSS mental slums of India would definitely have more objective views about the country or even the sub-continent. let's talk about the food, I have met hundreds of Indians over my 10 years out of country, I met 100's and befiriended dozens Indian friends, and i still have to see any Hindu who is non-veg, and they still pretend to be owning Kebab, Karahi, Pulaow, Biryani & Tikka receipies.
It is unfortunate that the popular culture of Pakistan has to piggyback on popularity of US corporate brands. Instead of being promoted as a genre of Pakistani music, it is now just a Coke or Pepsi show. Those who tried to make music as their livelihood on their own are either silenced or sometime even killed. Society should make a claim to its heritage and cherish it. In case of Pakistan the tendency is to reject it not that as its own. Otherwise, it is impossible for such a huge land mass with at least 5,000 years history not to have its own culture. Mohd tarekh was actually speaking about this contradiction. For me Sindhu Raag ( or something local) would aptly denote Pakistan's rich past instead of repulsive Nescafe Basement. These multinational companies are now poaching the culture too. What next, Kathak will hence forth be a Mac.Donald steps and Gazals a KFC voice? Something is really wrong.
@Mohd tarekh: Excellent question. People are making personal attack on this young man rather than answering the question. When one has nothing to contribute they start attacking the person. I think arindom has come very close to answering the question. Desi people may have different religion but have common culture. This is why it is hard to differentiate between people from India, Pakistani, Sri Lankan etc. If you attend a Desi wedding reception food, dance, music, clothing will be practically same. They will laugh on the same joke. This is obvious when you see a grocery store or restaurant in west it will always say Indian, Pakistani grocery store or restaurant. Most liberal people have accepted this bitter truth whereas some conservative people think if you are of a particular religion they have to be different even if it is for pretend.
It's a matter of being proud to be of Hindu ancestry for majority of Pakistanis. We should not disown our past.
@Mohd tarekh:
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka -- all are part of "Desi" culture!
Some Pakistanis are under the illusion they are Arabs (God knows why?!), but never mind them - "Desi" culture is all-encompassing and all-consuming!!
This is a terrible article.
The caption itself smacks of criticism, when the article was about the music films and the success the music shows have so far in the country. Criticizing the critics for no reason doesn't make any sense here, as the article was about the popularity of music shows of different genres in Pakistan and that the shows were a big success here, save some criticism.
@Mohd tarekh: u r already too muh obsessed with indian culture...so keep enjoying that singing dancing bollywood culture...and thanx for letting down pakistanis in front of ur friends by saying that we got OBL and Dawood Ibrahim in culture...u r not worthy of knowing anything about this beautiful country and its rich heritage...
@Mohd tarekh: I will second Ali S comments here, but anyway, Dude, Indian Subcontinent (with all its trees, insects, fishes let alone music, Sufism, leftism etc) is not the whole sole property of Republic of India. Each and every country from Ceylon to Nepal, from Afghanistan to Bangal even Central Asian Republics have made huge contributions to Indian Subcontinent. So, yeah, from Bukhara to Bengal, Republic of India can found a common denominator and vise versa.
So, I'll take it yours were the lucky 0.01% then (pun intended)
Simply, it is flat out nonsense.
regards,
@Mohd tarekh: another oversees pakistani claiming he's above and more precious than the people living in Pakistan. If you were born and raised in a confused environment where people love to bash Pakistan to justify their own decisions of "immigrating" abroad while deep down, still hoping to return to their homeland, all the while making you more misinformed about your tradition, then I am sorry there is nothing I can do.
All I can tell you is to first have an open mind and for God's sake, learn to develop a loving heart for your country rather than that of misery and pain. Learn to have a positive apporach towards your nation instead of accepting what the rubbish you've been fed all your life.
Lastly, the most important thing, travel to Pakistan. There's an excellent documentary by an oversees Pakistani who travelled to Pakistan to learn about her country and in the end, she became a true Pakistani. You can learn something from her. Google Saira Khan Pakistan.
@Mohd tarekh:
What on earth does your rambling post have to do with this article?