Faisal Rafi speaks on Kaavish, music production and more

While Mekaal Hasan takes a step away from production (to concentrate on his music), Faisal Rafi is taking young artists under his wing and as it turns out, is working on a plethora of records at his Silent Studio (rather silently).

Faisal Rafi is no stranger to the music industry and with has jumped into urban pop music production alongside his other classical projects. In the contemporary music scene, the most prominent record that has Faisal Rafi’s stamp includes Kaavish’s Gunkali, which remains the talk of the town.

The record is a litmus test for Faisal, who is flying solo as a “music producer” with this record. But Kaavish’s Gunkali never seems to make it to the market. Speaking with Instep Today, Faisal Rafi said, “The album (Gunkali) was finished and handed to FireRecords over a year ago. It’s been pending release with them for a very long time, the video itself was shot in November last year. What’s being recorded is some new experimental Kaavish stuff, out of concern for the “up to date ness” of the first album since its been stuck with the record company for so, so long; some re-mastering was done. No re-recordings for the older album.” But Kaavish aren’t the only young acts in townworking with Faisal. Another one is Raeth, the boys who remain famous for the pop ditty ‘Bhula Do’. Speaking on some of the upcoming records and their progress, Faisal said, “Raeth’s album is done and pending release with Fire Records. Maryam’s (Kizalbash) album is already out. Ayesha Omar’s album is currently under production.”

After Zeb and Haniya, Maryam and Ayesha should make for interesting additions to the music industry. Like Strings’s Koi Aanay Wala Hai, where Faisal played engineer to some tunes, he may be playing a similar role for Karavan.

“A lot of the tracking and recording for Karavan’s album was done at our studio. Assad Ahmad is a childhood friend and it was a pleasure working with them.” Faisal is also working with Arieb Azhar and Taal Karisma.

“We just finished Arieb Azhar’s new album. It’s currently in post-production and features the poetry of Arshed Bhatti among others; as well as performances by Aamir Zaki, Jaffer Zaidi, Mannu, Raheel Manzar, Alan Simon, Fahad aka Freddy, Irfan Khan and myself.”

Speaking on Taal Karisma, the band that comprises of young National Academy of Performing Arts students, Faisal said, “Under production is Taal Karisma’s debut album, which will be a ground breaking musical effort from these extremely talented NAPA students. And all this in tandem with Shahi’s (Hasan) and my ongoing classical and folk music preservation and archiving effort, which will last till we live.”

So there we go. While concerts may have become rare, one thing is for sure. Some interesting young acts are coming up and they sound promising. And with Faisal Rafiworking round the clock, one won’t be wrong to assume that some of this music is bound to release sooner than later.

As Overload and Mekaal Hasan Band release their records without the backing of a record label and pull it off without a glitch, Instep takes a look at the burgeoning music scene, record label battles and how the Internet just might be the way out

By Maheen Sabeeh

Throwing out the blame

Internet. The inescapable term that has become an intrinsic part of our lives. We tweet through our phones; share pictures and at times send pointed (albeit indirect) messages to people on Facebook… and that is just one small example. According to the CIA Fact Book, Pakistan had an estimated 17.5 million internet users in the year 2009. So if music sales are going down at stores, which they very much are, we can guess that fans are downloading and sharing albums online instead.

The music industry is on a collision course as record labels struggle to make a profit in the face of an economic recession that has seen corporate sponsorships for music and musical events go down as well. Meanwhile artists are waiting for their albums to be released. The current scenario isn’t while my guitar gently weeps, it’s more while my guitar gently sleeps…

The industry that seems to have come to a virtual standstill seems to be in desperate need of a new business model. The Internet has come as an alternative music platform. It is one that the West took on years ago. Nine Inch Nails, REM, Travis, Coldplay – no one is immune to its power. Exclusive and special releases and artwork, discounted rates and global easy access makes the Internet a real alternative to the conventional buying of a physical CD. Musicians like Butterfly Boucher, Tegan and Sara, The Raconteurs, Kate Voegele, Paramore (and quite a few names of the Twilight OST) shot to international acclaim via their MySpace pages and Internet downloads. YouTube tells us that Ali Zafar’s ‘Dastaan-e-Ishq‘ for Coke Studio has over 85,000 hits. It’s really that simple and accessible.

Our music industry itself is going through a metamorphosis of sorts. On one hand is the question of copyrights with musicians blaming record labels for taking them away and on the other there are the record labels saying ‘Well why did you sign the deal?’. One can understand musicians’ concerns though. In a country where holding a big concert has become almost impossible because of security concerns and the Taliban threat and corporate sponsorship has been curtailed by economic recession – generating revenue for musicians comes through album sales and record deals. But the cut in album sales only applies if the artist has not sold off all his rights to a record label.

This debate has been ongoing for some time now and the direction remains unknown.

Get up! Stand up! Stand up for your right…

The last few months have been submerged in controversies. On one hand are the artists who are happy with their deals and their releases. Shiraz Uppal’s Ankahi has hit markets and he is incredibly happy as are Hadiqa Kiyani and Jal, all of whom have signed up with Fire Records.
“I am very happy with my deal with Fire Records. They are a pleasure to work with,” said Shiraz to Instep while speaking about his album release. Fuzon – who were with The Musik Records – have now joined the Fire bandwagon and will release their next record with Fire. These artists are doing okay.

On the other hand are artists like Mauj and Kaavish, alternative bands who have been hit hard by the economic recession with their albums releases still pending for over a year. It’s a waste of time and money: make videos, release them, watch them ride up the charts, while there is no album in the market to benefit from this exercise. Both Kaavish and Mauj seem to be caught between a rock and a hard place. That’s true for any musician who isn’t deemed to be commercially viable in a market that favours pop and bhangra over anything else.

The sentiment is of resentment and there have been casualties. Fire Records own the rights to Mauj and Kaavish’s debut albums. Both records are still not out despite being signed up with Fire Records. They signed up over a year ago. These young acts are now stuck.

Speaking with Instep, Jaffer Zaidi, lead vocalist of Kaavish said, “After over a dozen prior release dates given to us by the record label, the last date for Gunkali’s release was December 2009, we’re pretty much a part of Fire’s backlog. The hold-up apparently, is that the label can’t find a suitable sponsor for the album because it lacks all the ‘masala’. I think before they signed us up, they knew that this album was solely a ‘music oriented’ album and they felt it was one of it’s kind. In this country I guess it’s only a matter of time that a label realizes that what could’ve been the biggest hit, and was supposed to be the future of music, 10 months ago, is worth just a show piece on their shelf now.

“We had had issues with the master of the album around the end of last year (December 2008). We got it fixed early January this year (2009), and that was the last time the album got mastered. I guess when the record label needs to hide it’s own flaws, it starts to play the blame game.”

Omran Shafique of Mauj holds a similar view.
“I have not been given a valid enough reason. It’s usually that the ’situation’ in the country isn’t right right now. Maybe if I go into politics, rise to power, and fix all the country’s problems the ’situation’ in the country might be good enough to expect an album release? The things you have to do to get a release date!”
Defending the continuous delays, Dr Akbar Yezdani, CEO of Fire Records told Instep, “When we release an album of one artist, we make sure that something different is released with it so one artist shouldn’t take cut of the other artist. Shiraz Uppal’s album (Ankahi) had been ready for about two years and it was just released. Kaavish’s album was completed some six months ago and the video was also made, but then the bomb blasts happened and then the long march, so we put it on hold. We’ve made an investment in Kaavish and Mauj so we will release them, hopefully by December.”

Whose right is it anyway?

The biggest name that keeps coming up is of Fire Records who have signed up some of the most prolific as well as young, fresh names in music in the last two years. It would be safe to say that there is a monopoly situation in the music industry, with artists having no alternative but to sign up with Fire. Barring Ali Azmat, most artists, according to Fire, sold their copyrights in return for lump sum payments. These include Ali Zafar, Atif Aslam, Zeb and Haniya, Shehzad Roy, Shiraz Uppal… anybody and everybody has willingly signed the contract that they complain about.

“We do not dictate the producer of our choice on any artist to make sure that they are comfortable with the producer. We have spent a lot of money on production. Now naturally we need to recover our money,” says Dr Yezdani “We are not a charity organization. With a population of nearly 180 million, why is there only one mainstream record label even though the music industry has expanded? It’s not like we are forcing anyone to work with us or sign with us. We provide them with the options and then they say that we have their exclusive rights.”

For some time, this model (signing over your copyright for a lump sum payment) worked. There was no other model to follow and no licensing system was in place. Songs aired for free on channels and radio stations. As Fire Records grew, they started utilizing the copyrights they own. They created uproar in the music industry when they demanded that the MTV Music Awards pay Fire Records for playing the songs of their artistes.

“Music is content and its not free,” maintains Dr Yezdani. “With rights lying with us we can tell channels not to play our song because we have the rights unless they pay us. The sum of royalty per song is nothing. But when it accumulates, it is then that we can recover our cost. It’s our dream that all the artists should be united. All the channels are retaliating because they feel we now have the monopoly. We don’t want to be a monopoly.”

However, this strategic business move triggered a chain reaction in the industry with musicians becoming more aware of their own interests. Atif and Ali Zafar are researching business models. Speaking with Instep, Rohail Hyatt revealed that he is planning a record label as well.

“Necessity is the mother of all inventions,” said Rohail who firmly believes that no record label can own copyrights in return for a bulk payment. Rohail’s view is simple: Put the content out there.

“There is no such thing as a contract for life. Just because an artist has signed an unfair deal, it doesn’t give the label the right to own those songs forever. Take for instance Zeb and Haniya. They sold their rights to Fire. Now just because they’ve sold the rights, it doesn’t mean that they are not the original creator of the content. A contract is a mutual understanding between two people and as long as those two people are willing to stay on the terms of that contract, it is valid. You can terminate it whenever one part does not wish to continue with it any longer. It’s not slavery.”

However, it remains to be seen when and if Rohail Hyatt’s record label is launched and what business model he will employ to generate revenue. In the here and now, as awareness grows, one thing is clear. Musicians – at least some of them – now want to own copyrights to their music. Karavan have signed up with The Musik Records without losing their copyrights.

The label will distribute their album and the lump sum payment is only partial. It’s the same deal Ali Azmat struck with Fire Records earlier, giving the label just the distribution rights. Of course, Ali didn’t make as much money on lump sum but that was the price he was willing to pay. As a result, he can play his songs at any concert, on any channel, and do whatever he wants with his music. Truth be told, Ali Azmat was the only one who took a stand and is sitting pretty while everyone cribs about a contract they signed.

“It takes two to clap. The artist is as much responsible as the label,” says Rohail Hyatt. “If the artist wants to continue and not believe in a fair system, then they’ll go on in the same way things are happening now. But in order for a system to come into place, they need to re-think as well. If they are willing to take the risk and say ‘no, I won’t take x amount of money’ and ‘I want to believe in a royalty system or for any future earnings, I want to own my own rights’, then it’ll change. Artists also need to do that. There’s no point in crying after the deal. You should be careful in the beginning.”

The alternative is online

One thing Rohail Hyatt is right about is that necessity is the mother of invention and each and every musician in Pakistan seems to be launching himself in the virtual world while waiting for release in the real world.

Mauj released their record digitally weeks back. The record, colourfully titled, Now in Technicolor, can be digitally downloaded, legally (i-Tunes, Amazon, Napster) or illegally (through Torrents). But the consequence is that the songs have become slightly stale. We’ve heard them over and over except the there is no legal copy of the album in the market. When the album is released, who is going to buy it now?

Meanwhile two bands have taken the alternative route that is common in the West, i.e., going independent. Overload’s Pichal Pairee is available for download on the band’s website while Mekaal Hasan Band’s Saptak has released on CDbaby.com. Overload’s Pichal Pairee has no mainstream label behind it and the band has not released the record physically. In other words, there is no cassette or CD in the market available.

Speaking with Instep, Farhad Humayun of Overload explained, “After our release over the Internet, labels have been approaching us. When we went to them earlier, they had nothing to offer. If we get a good deal even now, we may release it or we just light reject them for fun!”

Mekaal Hasan Band have a slightly different game plan. Their second album, Saptak, which released on October 10 over the Internet via CD Baby and is also hitting Amazon and iTunes by the time this article goes in print.

Speaking about releasing without a record label, Mekaal Hasan said to Instep, “Why should I? I create my own content; I make my own videos and produce my own records. Before this album came out, I played the record out on almost every channel before its release. We road tested before making any decisions.” And Mekaal is in talks with The Musik Records whereby the record will hit markets later this month but Mekaal Hasan Band will retain all rights to their songs.

From ground zero…

It sounds too complicated but it’s really that simple. Record labels are big business, but globally they have taken a severe hit in the wake of digital outlets and are rethinking their business model. With recession and the changing dynamics – Musicians in the West make millions of dollars through their concerts – independent labels are the ‘in’ thing. From Jay-Z to Justin Timberlake, indie labels are all over the place. And they are filling in a void mainstream labels are unable to.

In Pakistan, the context is similar. With rumours of a Union for Pop/AMPP in the making and the licensing of musical content, the industry is waking up to global trends and picking up on it. Atif Aslam has joined Facebook. He is not an Internet person but he realises its potential. Twitter has become the latest fancy of the music industry. MySpace has Zeb and Haniya, Mauj, ADP and countless others, connecting to a broader fan base.

The very public debate (or musical spectacle as I like to call it) over the never-ending moved release dates of Mauj and Kaavish’s albums (blogs, forums, fans and music industry insiders all talk) have proven to be a catalyst. Moving past the blame game, it is clear that the monopolistic era of the record label is over. The Internet is inescapable.

“I don’t think many people want to watch music channels or listen to radio stations to check if any new music is out.” – Sajid Ghafoor and Zeeshan Parwez speak on the recent Peshawar blast, the adverse affects on the music industry and more…

Maheen Sabeeh

Instep Today: The recent blast in Peshawar led to countless deaths. How is the situation there now?

Sajid Ghafoor: Numb, just like the rest of Pakistan. But since we are facing this back lash on a more regular basis, we have become more numb than the rest of our fellow Pakistanis living in other cities. It’s so ironic. I can see all of us suffering from a mass general depression.

Zeeshan Parwez: An hour back, we experienced an earthquake, the second one in a week’s time. Something is definitely not right in this country. We have lost too many innocent lives. And for what? In my limited knowledge, I don’t recall our countrymen being so insecure and terrified ever. Here in Peshawar, we’ve been talking about these issues amongst our friends for almost two years now. Not an evening goes by when someone doesn’t talk about the current situation. I have had excellent memories of my childhood in and teenage years in Peshawar and to recollect them is becoming difficult with every passing day, because of whatever’s happening, I can’t relate to them anymore. I can just hope and pray to God that our country and its people are always safe and happy Insha Allah.

Instep Today: As musicians, how difficult is it operating from Peshawar?

SG: We still haven’t had a single concert in Peshawar since Sajid and Zeeshan were formed. That fact speaks for itself.

Instep Today: Bomb blasts throughout the country have put everything on a halt. How is this affecting the music industry in your view?

SG: Greatly. Respect and appreciation for the performing arts usually comes in when your basic needs are fulfilled. We already have wheat and sugar crisis. People are losing loved ones in the blasts. I don’t thinkmany people want to watch music channels or listen to radio stations to check if any new music is out. In short, if the demand falls, so will the supply. Having said that, at the same time music can play a very positive role, as it naturally uplifts the soul.

ZP: The music industry is just one of the many departments that have been hit. In these depressing times, no one wants to go out to concerts or listen to music too much, and that includes me as well. So you’d expect the public to lose interest in a lot of things. Organizers nowadays usually cancel their shows a few days before it’s actually taking place. If I put myself in the audience’s place, I understand I’ll have to think three times before deciding whether to go out to a concert, knowing that our major cities have been hit by bombs. Even if there are new album releases, musicians are not getting any shows (the only revenue generating option in the country) so thus, this affects their ability to chip in media related material, which costs money.

Instep Today: Your debut album, One Light Year at Snail Speed, released in 2006. Are you still planning an English album?

SG: As mentioned before in previous interviews, yes, and we’re almost done with the second album now.

ZP: Yes, our second one is going to be in English as well. We have been at it for the last two years. Our recording strategies remain the same, laid back and relaxed, but the production feel has changed dramatically. So I hope people like our sophomore album. It’ll be great if it’s largely appreciated by majority of people and they can somehow see the hard work put in it.

Instep Today: How far along is it and is there a tentative release date in mind?

SG: It’s almost ready and the tentative dates? I’ll let Zeeshan answer that.

ZP: It’s almost three weeks away when I can finally say “Thank God, it’s finally done”, because we have been working on it for such a long time. At times you want it to get finished as soon as possible so people may listen to it. I can’t give a date because we still haven’t gone to record labels with the album. The plan is to visit various record labels and check out what they’re offering. Otherwise, go to plan B that is to release it ourselves. I know it’s an English album so we’re not expecting much.

Instep Today: Are you planning on releasing it (legally) online via mediums like iTunes, Amazon, Napster etc?

SG: Sounds like a good plan, thanks for the idea (smiles).

Instep Today: Zeeshan, what other videos are you working on?

ZP: There is one music video for me in the pipeline; it’s a song by the Islamabad based band Irtaash. This video is currently in its post production stage. And the other upcoming ideo would be the back-breaking/animated ‘Waris Shah’ from Mekaal Hasan Band, which I finished last summer. I think it’ll hit the airwaves this winter. But apart from all this, I’m narrowing down my concentration to one place – and that is our (Sajid and Zeeshan) videos, after the album is ready, I’ll jump on it the next day. I have some crazy ideas so let’s hope it all goes well.

Overload are all set to release their new record, Pichal Pairee in Europe and Pakistan

Maheen Sabeeh
Karachi

The men of percussion are making a comeback after their phenomenal self-titled debut album. It’s been over two years since one heard a new record from the band and the wait might be worthwhile after all. After the instrumental debut, Overload’s upcoming record will be called Pichal Pairee. If you think the name is strange, that’s pretty accurate. But it’s also incredibly intriguing.

More interesting is the fact that this album will not release with any major record label but via Riot Records – which is Farhad Humayun’s label.

According to Overload drummer Farhad Humayun, “For Pakistan we’ll either release the album on our website and publish some CDs on Riot Records. Riot Records is my label for artists who don’t accept being pushed over!”

As for promoting the album, Farhad says, “We’re funding all recordings, videos and promotions ourselves.”

The album will release in Europe at the Oslo Festival on August 14. The record will then release in Pakistan once Overload wrap up their Scandinavian tour.

But before the album releases, teasers will be seen in forms of videos that the band is planning on releasing from early next month. Among the videos is one for the title track ‘Pichal Pairee’ which has been directed by two NCA students, Khizer and Hassaan.

Farhad himself has also taken the role of director for two more Overload videos – ‘Saath Mein’ and ‘Mela Kariyay’.

As for the record, there are quite a few changes in the line-up and in the overall sound of the band. For one thing, they’ve added vocals. Currently Overload includes Farhad Humayun (drums and percussion), Sheraz Siddiq (keyboards and synthesizers), Mahmood Rehman (guitars), Meesha (vocals) and Nasir Sain (dhol). Meesha will not just sing in English but also in Punjabi on this record. As for those who are still wondering where Pappu Saieen is, the answer is… not with the band.

“Pappu Saieen doesn’t play with us. It’s been over two years. Pappu had severe health problems and couldn’t travel. That’s just one of his issues. Overload has much more to offer than just dhol, which people are free to experience at the shrine where he plays alongside Jhoora Saieen,” says Farhad.

“Nasir Sain and Kaala Sain have been doing dhols with us ever since and we have a bigger following than we ever did with Pappu. Nasir is young, more energetic, a kick ass performer and a better musician who allows others to play their part on stage and in the studio,” concludes Farhad.

The timing of this album is surely interesting. With no records from Ali Azmat, Shehzad Roy, Strings, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan – the time is ripe for younger acts to step in place. And Overload is a mighty name to follow.

Farhad Humayun and his crew realize that the market for instrumental music is small. But Overload have managed it because of their fiery live shows. With this album and the entry of Meesha on vocals, the band will have more room to play around and a bigger following to boot. Overload are not planning on singing in just English.

Overload may have moved on from Pappu Saieen but the band is threatening an interesting return. More instruments, a vocalist and very funky videos, Overload have never disappointed us. So until the album releases, we will wait.

The Travolta extortion trial declared a mistrial

Of all things possible, John Travolta and his wife (actress, Kelly Preston) didn’t expect a mistrial (over the extortion trial) that the couple has faced in the wake of their teenager son’s death in the Bahamas earlier this year.

John and Kelly (who had been secluded for most of the year ever since) have been active in the extortion trial, which ran into trouble last week due to a rumour that eventually caused the ‘Travolta mistrial’.

“A Bahamian politician has said he was repeating a rumour when he prematurely announced the accused had been cleared in the John Travolta extortion case. Picewell Forbes’ declaration at a party conference – covered by live TV – came before the jury, finished deliberations, causing the judge to order a retrial” reports BBC News.

The accused in the case are Pleasant Bridgewater and Tarino Lightbourne, who have are accused of trying to extort 25 million US dollars from John Travolta. Bridgewater, a former Senator, and Lightbourne, a paramedic, have been accused of blackmailing John Travolta over signing some documents involving the death of Jett Travolta (16), in January ‘09 due to a seizure disorder.

BBC reports, “It is claimed he threatened to sell stories suggesting Travolta was at fault over Jett’s death. A form, signed by Travolta after his son’s death, would have released the ambulance driver of liability had Jett been flown to the US from the Bahamas for treatment, as the actor had initially wanted. However, the 16-year-old ended up being taken to a local hospital where he later died.”

Supreme Court Justice Anita Allen, who presided over the original trial, has ordered a new one “in the interest of justice” and because of her concern about the fact that there might have been “communication” and jury misconduct. But this is not what John or Kelly hoped for. Mike Oss, John’s attorney says, “He was upset as he wanted closure. The family wants to privately begin the long and difficult healing process – as well as to properly honor Jett’s memory – without the cloud of this litigation over their heads.”

John, says Oss, will continue to help the authorities. According to reports, while the trial has been difficult for Travolta and his wife, Kelly, it’s the loss of his son Jett that is immeasurable. But John and Kelly are staying strong. Promoting their new movie, Old Dogs, which features John, Kelly and their daughter Ella, is helping them together.

“It’s Ella’s first film and it’s a family affair,” says Ossi. “She is very excited, but John and Kelly are even more excited. They are very proud.

But unlike most John Travolta movies, which involve heavy press promotion, Old Dogs will see limited press promotion from the actor.

“He will do as much as he can,” says a source. “He’s trying to stay busy, and that helps them cope.”

– Maheen Sabeeh

-With information from BBC News and People magazine.

Mekaal Hasan shifts gears from producing music to making music.

“I’m not doing that much production right now. I’m tired of it. I want to concentrate on my albums.”
Mekaal Hasan

Maheen Sabeeh
Karachi

Mekaal Hasan is one of the most sought-after music producers in Pakistan. In between gigs, recording, mixing and mastering countless records, Mekaal Hasan has also been busy for the last few years, working on his own band’s highly-anticipated second record, Saptak. With the release of the their spanking new video ‘Chal Bulleya’ with a fully-loaded star cast and an equally gripping song, Mekaal Hasan Band are back. If Sampooran was the first step for MHB, Saptak will further increase their success and strength as a band. Instep Today catches up with Mekaal to find out more…

Instep Today: ‘Chal Bulleya’ has an all-star cast. How did it come about?

Mekaal Hasan: Everyone was so cooperative. Ammar Belal (who did the wardrobe) has been a friend for years. I’ve known Aaminah Haq since we were kids. Ahmed Ali Butt and Fawad Afzal Khan (of EP) are friends. Except for Moammar Rana and Meera, I knew every from before.

Instep Today: Tell us about Meera and Moammar Rana. A taste of Lollywood…

MH: Meera was very generous. There were two rooms in which we were shooting and the sequencing had to be right. We shot the bath tub sequence in Meera’s bathroom! And she was a complete sport.
Moammar Rana is a really nice guy. We shot for four days straight – right from 11 am till 4 am in the morning. There were many versions of this video. It took us six months for editing and now it is on air.

Instep Today: ‘Chal Bulleya’ is an arresting video. Do you fear that the all-star cast will take away from the song?

MH: Not at all. If anyone understands the song, then no. I see the video as a black comedy.

Instep Today: The seven sins – it’s an interesting idea…

MH: Bilal Lashari came up with this idea. In the song, we’ve used Bulley Shah’s poetry alongside another poet called Bhagat Kabir. If you listen to the song carefully, it is about the sprituality of Bulley Shah and how his faith is under question. It is about being selfless and being less critical. Envy is the gateway to sins that are indulgent to the senses. It is all about you. But this song is not about you. It is about everyone else. I won’t call it religious but it is theological in a sense. We emptied our brains on it.

Instep Today: ‘Jhok Ranjhan’, ‘Huns Dhun’ and ‘Andholan’ were released as singles. You were releasing Andholan (the album) as a follow-up to Sampooran. Is Saptak the same record?

MH: No. We signed up with EMI Virgin in India for Andholan. They couldn’t digest that record. So we are doing two albums with them. One is Saptak, after which Andholan will follow. We wrote some new material and now we have a two-album deal with EMI. As for the other three singles released in the last two years, which were intended to be on the next MHB record are on Saptak. That means proper mixed versions of ‘Huns Dhun’, ‘Andholan’ and ‘Jhok Ranjhan’. After these two records, we are done with EMI Virgin.

Instep Today: Has Saptak released?

MH: Yes, it released on October 10 via CDbaby.com from where the CD can be purchased. Meanwhile we’re also releasing Saptak on iTunes, Amazon, Napster, MySpace – the full works. Internationally we will earn revenue through this.

Instep Today: But what about making the album available in the market? How will it be distributed?

MH: The same distributor that is used by record labels will distribute our CDs. But it isn’t available just yet due to the obvious security situation. With a record out, you want to do shows.

Instep Today: Did you tie up with a record label locally?

MH: Why should I? I create my own content; I make my own videos and produce my own records. Before this album came out, I played the record out on almost every channel before its release. We road tested before making any decisions.

Instep Today: Saptak supposedly refers to “series of seven notes”. Will that be the theme off this upcoming record?

MH: No, that was Sampooran. Sampooran focused on Shah Hussain’s poetry. Saptak is focused on Bulley Shah. Saptak is musical octave.

Instep Today: You were also doing a video with Zeeshan Parwez?

MH: Yes, the video is of ‘Waris Shah’ and it will be animated.

Instep Today: Besides working on the two MHB records, are you working on anything else right now?

MH: I’m not doing that much production right now. I’m tired of it and I want to concentrate on my own albums for the moment.

Unchained melody

Shiraz Uppal is back with Ankahi, his magnificent follow-up to the sonorous Jhuki Jhuki. And once again, Shiraz doesn’t disappoint.

By Maheen Sabeeh
Artist: Shiraz Uppal
Album: Ankaki****

Amongst the many releases this year that include Hadiqa Kiyani’s Aasmaan, Amanat Ali Khan’s Kohram, Rahim Shah’s Mamma Dey, Laal’s Umeed-e-Sahar and Overload’s Pichal Pairee (to name a few), one artist whose return is surely welcome is Shiraz Uppal. It’s not because of his arresting videos (although ‘Jhuki Jhuki’ was magnificent) or the over-styled glamour that sometimes comes with being a pop star.

Au contraire, it is Shiraz Uppal’s music that makes him so appealing.

A far cry from 2001’s Tu Hai Mera, Shiraz’s latest, Ankahi, is his finest. It must have been a challenge though. Jhuki Jhuki is a masterpiece and matching its success is difficult. With his fourth studio album that is Ankahi, Shiraz has proven that he ain’t no one-hit wonder. That urban-meets-rural feel – a staple of Shiraz’s music – is palpable throughout this record. There is a fine balance of melody and slick studio work and an understanding of the overall soft pop sound.

His comeback video, ‘Rabba’ with its ‘man falls in love with woman’ story is nothing to write home about but the song is something else. At first hear, it sounds interesting. And with time, it grows on you with the same charm that ‘Roya Re’ did. With fragile flute sounds and fleeting glimpses of past and a grandeur musical arrangement, it makes for a worthy listen.
Most of the songs on Ankahi are love songs but Shiraz knows how to do them with perfect instrumentation. There is no overplaying of guitars or any other instrument. It’s the collective sound that echoes that makes Ankahi impressive. The tone of the album stays true to its theme – love ballads. But the beat is not monotonous. This isn’t an electronica experiment like Overload. But the melodies remain powerful and that keeps them from getting monotonous. The record is not drenched in darkness but neither is it loud and garish. It’s the perfect blend of soulful pop and some grungy rock. There are tablas, flute and dholak, giving the record an feeling of slight tradition mixed with modern sounds of flirting guitars and tormenting piano.

Ankahi, which also features Shiraz’s Bollywood hit, ‘Roya Re’ has finally released after months of speculation and he lives up to all the expectations that were set by Jhuki Jhuki (2005).

The version of ‘Roya Re’ that we’ve all heard has music and vocals from Shiraz Uppal but the lyrics were written by Indian lyricist Saeed Quadri. Shiraz has smartly put the original version into the album as well. And while the melody is more or less the same but the original ‘Roya Re’ version is bluesy with guitars forming the backbone and is less filmi in sound. The lyrical change, in places, also gives the song a raw, unnerving and mournful feel. “Sochta Hoon Hum Tum Mein Hum Mein Pyar Kyun Na Raha/Thi Tumhari Ya Meri Bhol Jaaye Khata/Roz Jalta Hai/Dil Pigalta Hai/Yaad Karta…” – it accentuates the emotions running through the song.

The title track, ‘Ankahi’ flows beautifully like a soft, moody ballad. Zeb and Haniya step in for backing vocals, giving the song a striking, hum-like character. The vocals soar but never go aboard and the sound shapes nicely from sharp guitars to subtle piano.

Shiraz sings with sincerity as he say, “Aisa Bhi Nahi/Key Jo Dil Kah Wo Na Keh Sakay Zuban/Do Lafz Hain/Teray Liye/Meray Liye/ Dono Jahan” – it just gives a feeling of liberation and quietly grows on you.

The gradual crescendo that builds right up to the end with Zeb and Haniya joining Shiraz makes this tune a clear cut winner. It’s exactly the kind of magic that one head on the spellbinding record that was Jhuki Jhuki.

‘Nadaan’ drenches of passive-aggressive emotions, from resignation to moving ahead with some eclectic riffs and sexy basslines from Amir Azhar
‘Pehla Pehla Pyar’ is all about falling in love, the mills and boon brand of love, the unshakable kind, but the song has such a festive feel that it instantly commands a second listen. It’s not so much the melody but Shiraz’s voice that channels such a varied range of emotions that it is hard to forget.

‘Mann Laga’ has a rustic, slightly trippy feel as it opens and has a semi-classical qawwali harmony going for it. AR Rahman remains a huge influence on Shiraz Uppal and this song has a trace of that influence.

Most of the songs on this record may be lovelorn but it’s done with experience, panache and a skill that cannot be missed and judged.

Coming back to the record, one finds Shiraz on a more introspective note on ‘Terey Bina’. A rough guitar riff runs through while the protagonist sings with an air of mournfulness of the loss of a beloved and the infidelity of walking out.

The addition of the English verses such as (For You/I Did/Whatever I Could Do) ruins this otherwise decent ditty. There was no need to add these gimmicks.

A slew of electronic effects, lush guitars enter with ‘Kabhi Kabhi’ where the uncertain path of life can be a blessing. Shiraz sings with viguour and passion and that makes all the difference.

On ‘Tum Hi To Ho’, Fareeha Pervaiz duets with Shiraz. With its thudding beats, flourishing flute, it sounds like a song straight out of a Yash Raj Film. One can just picture floating saris and green earth around. The song is neither here nor there.

And so…
Shiraz Uppal is not just a good singer – he is a great singer. Ankahi is not a record to be missed. It is a well-crafted, coherent and sonorous record, which will further strengthen his star. It’s classic Shiraz Uppal and he is as much a singer as he is a composer. Most of the ditties on this record have Shiraz’s stamp on them and Shiraz has also produced this record. This is a trend that is common around the globe. Artists produce their own records but where many need expertise, Shiraz Uppal does fine just by himself. The wall of sound is not too eager to sound “different”. The fact that the songs are slicker in sound, lyrically rich and Shiraz’s command on his vocals have gotten stronger only goes to show his maturity as an artist. The sound is layered and has a clear texture.

Shiraz is not a marketing wizard when it comes to selling himself but he is learning with time. Ankahi also marks Shiraz’s entry on the Indian scene. He is releasing Ankahi in India and has already signed up with a record label. Indians lapped up ‘Roya Re’. Ankahi should make Shiraz a coveted name sooner than later.

– Maheen Sabeeh
*****Get it NOW!
****Just get it
***Maybe maybe not
**Just download the best song
*Forget that this was made

Yousaf Rizvi & Nauman Bari on new record & music industry

“We make music because we like music but you have to keep in account people’s reactions.” – Nauman Bari

Yousaf Rizvi and Nauman Bari discuss their new record, the music industry and more…

Maheen Sabeeh, Karachi

After debuting on the music scene towards the end of 2006 with the beautiful ballad, ‘Dil Nahin Manta’, Yousaf Rizvi and Nauman Bari are back with ‘Aa Jao’ – their latest single off their first record. Instep Today catches up with Yousaf and Nauman and discusses the new album and more…

Instep Today: After the success of the single, ‘Dil Nahin Manta’, you guys disappeared. And now you are back with an album and a video. Will videos be consistent as they remain a memorable marketing tool for the artist?

Nauman Bari: Yes, we are planning to come out with the video of ‘Nostalgia’ because it’s a very young and fresh song. We’re also listening to people and what video they think we should release because we’re getting great feedback from people. For example, the market for ‘Nostalgia’ includes anyone who understands college life and has graduated and has entered professional life. People relate to that. Then ‘Aik Ajnabi’ is for the young teenagers cause it’s a very pop/rock song so people like that a lot too. We’re just waiting to see the reaction of the target market and then we’ll see how to go about it next. We make music because we like music but you have to keep in account people’s reactions and what they like or dislike.

Instep Today: What is your target market?

Nauman Bari: The song ‘Mein Tere Qurban’ is an old kaafi. We made a new version of it, so naturally the market we’re looking at is between the age group of 15 to 35 years…

Yousaf Rizvi: It could be 40. I wouldn’t go above 40 because it’s a young album, one that people above 40 might not enjoy as much.

Instep Today: The licensing of music has begun, slowly but surely. As new artists, where do you stand on the issue?

Yousuf Rizvi: The question to ask is: who is gaining out of this? If it’s the record label, then it’s completely wrong. As artists, we put in a lot of effort and it’s not cheap to record a song. A good recording studio like Mekaal Hasan’s takes a lot of money. We still come from a good financial background but someone who doesn’t and who needs money; imagine how much he will suffer. If the deal is to get royalties, then it is a good deal. If your song is good and people are demanding it, then naturally you will get royalties. But it should go to the artist as well.

Instep Today: Concerts are rare and corporate sponsorship is also limited…

Yousaf Rizvi: Yes, it is difficult to generate revenue as an artist in this market. Everyone wants artists to do something like you do this for me and I’ll do this for you then. There is no liquidity and no transparency. It’s up to the artist to survive on his own. And the media says that the artists shouldn’t go to India but where do we go or what do we do then? India is a big avenue but what happens is that people end up going there and they sign deals that do nothing for them in the long run.

Instep Today: Is India on your agenda?

Yousaf Rizvi: Yes, it is. I would say why not? We have the same language, same kind of people, then why not? We’re looking at it right now and we’re talking to all our friends and references, but nothing concrete as yet. We’re looking at it.

Instep Today: Are their any shows in the pipeline?

Yousaf Rizvi: We don’t see it happening but gigs are happening. We are doing gigs with televisions channels and we are also going on radio channels. We thought that since we signed with The Musik Records, we won’t be going to Aag because they are a part of the company that also owns Fire Records. But no such thing has happened. I think as long as the music is good and people are demanding your video, you get airtime. We are looking forward to live concerts and we would love that, but acoustic is what we love doing.

Nauman Bari: I mean, we would love to sing ‘Dil Nahin Manta’ with acoustic guitars if the opportunity opens up. It’s very unfortunate and I wonder what avenues of entertainment our youth has. Coke Studio, though, is a huge success. We would love to be a part of it.

ROCK NEWS!

U2 still not making profit on tour

They maybe the most consistent rock band (amongst the few names that have survived a break-up despite being together for over twenty years) but this hasn’t helped the Irish rockers in 2009. As newer bands like Kings of Leon and The Killers make waves across the board, the Joshua Tree men are suffering a serious financial crunch. Out with their twelfth studio album, No Line on the Horizon, which released earlier this year, U2 are apparently losing money while touring.

The latest U2 tour called ‘360′ has yet to earn them profit despite the fact that U2 have performed in 32 stadium shows in Europe and America already.

Paul McGuinness, U2’s manager has spoken out stating that the mammoth overheard is the reason behind the loss. Speaking to Reuters, he said: “The tour’s engineering problems are enormous and costly.

We had to find a way for it to be aesthetic and figure out a way of doing video.”

Despite insisting that the ‘Magnificent’ rockers’ latest concerts will eventually turn a profit, McGuinness was careful about predicting future earnings from the shows.

He added: “[It won't] exactly [be] gravy, because whether we’re playing or not, the overhead is about $750,000 daily. That’s just to have the crew on payroll, to rent the trucks, all that.”

Kate Moss to make music with boyfriend Jamie Hince

Kate Moss has always been a rock chick. In her days with Peter Doherty, Kate Moss sang on Babyshambles’ records, Down in Albion and the brilliant Shotter’s Nation and also co-wrote songs with Pete. They may have broken up but Kate hasn’t given up on music.

The story of her return to music is rolling after rumours surfaced that Kate Moss has joined PRS For Music, the organisation that collects music royalties for musicians, prompting rumours that she is set to release music with her boyfriend, The Kills’ Jamie Hince.

According to Britian’s The Sun, the supermodel has a strong desire to release new music and Hince is “tempted” to agree. The newspaper quotes an anonymous source as saying: “He’s so used to hearing Kate sing, at home and in karaoke, that he’s tempted to give it a go. She makes no secret of wanting to record more stuff.”

And it looks like this may be more than just a rumour. A spokesperson for PRS For Music was quoted as saying: “Kate has co-written some songs with Pete Doherty and she will now be able to collect her share of the royalties. Both Pete Doherty and Jamie Hince are members. We are glad to welcome Kate too.”

Of course Jamie Hince is no Peter Doherty but The Kills still enjoy fame in the UK and with Kate Moss in tow, they just might break onto the international scene with more fervour.

Radiohead’s Thom Yorke forms a new band…

No… Radiohead are still very much together. But Thom Yorke is forming a new line-up to perform some of his solo material. This new band will include Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea, REM collaborator Joey Waronker, Brazilian, multi-instrumentalist Mauro Refosco, and long-term producer Nigel Godrich to perform his solo material live.

Yorke’s new outfit have announced they will play two Los Angeles shows at the Orpheum Theatre on October 4 and 5.

“In the past couple of weeks I’ve been getting a band together for fun to play The Eraser stuff live and the new songs etc, to see if it could work!” the singer wrote on Radiohead’s Dead Air Space blog.

He added: “We don’t really have a name and the set will not be very long cuz… well… we haven’t got that much material yet! But come and check it out if you are in the area.”

Yorke had been considering names for his solo career from comedian Adam Buxton, with Thombola, Thomosexual, The Duke Of Yorke and T.Homme – all under consideration. Yorke has spoken out time and again about his personal desire to bring the multi-layered Eraser to the stage, but so far his solo performances have been restricted and always feature him as a lone figure with an acoustic guitar onstage. That should change with this new, nameless band. And for fans of Radiohead… there is some good news. The band has re-released their classic records Kid A, Hail to the Thief and the bizarre Amnesiac. It’s a collector’s edition with live, unheard recordings. Of course, the bonus discs are not easily, available especially in this part of the world but the re-mastered tunes can be purchased or downloaded online.]]

Aerosmith are not parting ways

Joe Perry, Aerosmith lead guitarist gave fans quite a scare last week when he stated to the media that he hadn’t spoken with vocalist Steve Tyler since Tyler’s stage fall in South Dakota brought Aerosmith summer tour to an indefinite stop. But thankfully, the age-old iconic band is nowhere near calling it off. Rumors of an inevitable breakup for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame group quickly began circulating, but Perry calmed fans down by revealing to the Boston Herald that he doesn’t think this is the end of Aerosmith.

“Maybe we have three more records in us. Maybe we have five and seven years of touring,” Perry told the Herald. Perry added “Aerosmith is taking a breather” and that he hopes the band will reconvene in late spring to begin recording their next album and plot out a tour for next fall. Even though Perry and Tyler haven’t spoken in the last month and a half, Perry doesn’t see the radio silence lasting that much longer. “That day will come. Whether it’s him calling me or me calling him, it will happen,” Perry said.

As for his comments that he and Tyler hadn’t penned a song together in the same room for over a decade, Perry recognized that was partly because they’d outsourced that task to other songwriters. While he said that technique has been successful, Perry noted he fears outside writers deviate from the classic Aerosmith sound (‘I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing’, written by Diane Warren is one example). “I don’t mind using outside songwriters but I’d still like to see an Aerosmith where the core of the music comes from the guys in the band,” Perry said. Perry is not just putting up a show. The band is all set to travel to Abu Dhabi within a month – if the papers pull through – and will perform alongside Beyonce Knowles, Jay-Z and maybe even Kings of Leon.

– With additional information from NME and Reuters

Coming of age and into their own

The musical journey of Ali Zafar and Atif Aslam
Looking back and to the future of the brightest stars in Pakistani pop…

By Maheen Sabeeh
With every generation comes a change.

If music is a barometer, then this generation will be defined by two men. Both are young, daring, different, vulnerable and ultimately icons. Their names are splattered across blogs, forums, magazines and billboards. Songs they sang years ago still live on in memory even as they are incessantly repeated on television. They’ve charmed us collectively with their respective voices that stay in our heads long after the strains of their melodies fade. They have conquered hearts and minds of Pakistan in way that Uncle Sam never can. Those men are Ali Zafar and Atif Aslam.

Pakistan loves them because we have witnessed their journey from boys to men. We woke up to their talent with Ali Zafar’s cheeky ‘Channo’ and Atif’s intense ‘Aadat’. One set our feet tapping, the other resonated deep within us. Both melodies worked their way into our heads and we new that a new kind of music had arrived.

If Alamgir, Nazia and Zoheb Hassan defined the eighties, Vital Signs and Junoon were the voices of the nineties, than in the same vein, Ali Zafar and Atif Aslam who surfaced in 2003 and 2004 respectively are the stars of the new millennium.
Instep looks back…

Then and now: Atif Aslam
The story of Atif Aslam is an inspiring one. Atif was middle-class boy who came out of nowhere, blew onto the scene with one song (‘Aadat’) credited to a band called Jal which no one had really heard of and miraculously never looked back.

As the ‘Aadat’ phenomenon grew (it was the era where Junoon was on the rocks and Noori and Strings were really the only ones making cutting edge music Atif parted ways with Jal (namely Gohar Mumtaz). There was one consequence: his debut album was shrouded in controversy. There were beautiful songs…’Jalpari’, ‘Dil Haarey’ and ‘Aadat’ but we listened to these songs in wonder. And because of their popularity, the controversy grew.

Who wrote it, really? Jal’s debut consisted of exactly the same songs. We, the press, kept grilling the issue because it was interesting. A certain level of cynicism is allowed in Pakistan… and could anyone be certain? No, the real truth lies with Atif Aslam and former band mate Gohar Mumtaz. But that was a long time ago. And since then, Atif has proved his credentials time and again as a star and a talent to be reckoned with.

And he did it on gut instinct alone. Atif ventured into India where doing songs for B-grade films didn’t bother him. It was his way of reaching out to another audience, one that could choose to not welcome him. But Atif was always confident… he would do it or die trying. Whether it was Kalyug or Zeher, bad club mixes of Atif’s haunting tracks or Emraan Hashmi killing the visuals, Atif didn’t stop.

He went one step further with Doorie, his second album. The album was a super hit although it was painfully commercial stuff that sold on the shoulders of Atif’s unmistakable voice. It wasn’t coming from him, though. There was no ‘Kinara’ there. In an interview after the record, Atif had said, “It’s more difficult to do commercial music like Doorie because it is more challenging in a sense.” He was right. And at that point in his career Atif wanted to sell records.

He believed that getting a fan base would allow him to do what he really wanted to do later and he admitted that Doorie was music to sell and not necessarily good music. Indeed, in his pursuit of fame and fortune, Atif was as unabashed as the Indian superstar Shah Rukh Khan who was the first star to openly claim that he would dance at weddings for money. We may have criticized Atif for selling out, but we could never call him a liar. Even back then, his honesty was endearing.

Then came Meri Kahani on which Atif teamed up with the Overload guys Farhad Humayun, Mahmood Rehman and others. It didn’t have the magic of Jalpari. And Atif’s vocal experiments in the studio didn’t have the same effect. The record was, at least honest. And that was Atif returning to his roots. Under heavy firing for his weird sense of style (which has gotten better with time), unapologetic for his not-so-inspiring tunes in his early days, the star of Atif Aslam continued to rise.

In the music industry, Atif’s reputation even took a hit because of his brother and manager Shabaz Aslam. Initial fashion disasters (Shabaz is behind Atif’s wardrobe) weren’t the only reason. The brothers developed a reputation of playing good cop and bad cop. There were umpteen complaints about how pushy and demanding a manager Shabaz was, but he obviously did a good job.

Now, this reputation has slowed down as Atif is coming in to his own. One example: Coke Studio.

As Atif Aslam joined the ranks of Coke Studio this year, the haze around him disappeared altogether. Shahbaz didn’t even go on the sets and Atif for once gave in completely to the joy of making music for music’s sake. The musician in him danced and charmed, inspired and experimented with some of the finest musicians this country has produced and the rest is history.

Then and now: Ali Zafar
Ali Zafar’s story is equally interesting and intriguing.

He came and leaped at us as the blue-eyed boy in the entertaining ‘Channo’. It took Ali three years to work on that record. He modeled on the side and worked his way up and worked with names like Tariq Amin, Nabila and Khawar Riaz in his early years. To see him in his element, you have to see Ali Zafar at a concert live. He changes sentiment from song to song, singing both with his heart and his head. But before we saw Ali Zafar mesmerize Pakistan with ‘Allah Hoo’, he was the boy who made us dance and clap along with the spring in his step and the twinkle in his eye and a voice that reminded us of Kishore Kumar.
The record Ali Zafar debuted with was called Huqa Pani and it took influences from the Arabian nights, Western beats as well as Eastern roots. It was a fun album to be taken with a pinch of salt, yet masterfully executed. And there was no doubt that Ali’s voice was eastern and beautiful and its purity would be reflected throughout his music in the coming years.

In 2006, Ali Zafar released the playful and soulful Masty, his follow-up to Huqa Pani. 2006 is (ironically) also the year when Atif Aslam returned with his third record, Meri Kahani. Doorie had elevated his star power tremendously and Atif was arriving on its trailing coat tails. It was an exciting year. For the first time, Ali and Atif were going head to head. But Atif took the glory often because of his self-confidence and the fact that he had three albums in a span of three years to his credit and Bollywood was now calling out with more than B-grade offers.

Ali Zafar, on the other hand, was always a little more torn and vulnerable. His career may have started like wild fire but he had seen the firing of critics just the same. His career moves were also not as gutsy as Atif’s. He was always concerned about his image and what people would think – refusing a role in Shoaib Mansoor’s Khuda Kay Liye because it was too controversial.

Ali (along with his then-girlfriend, now-wife Ayesha Fazli) was abducted last year in Lahore and was released after paying a hefty sum of 2.5 million rupees. It was a fearful situation that compounded his fears of being a superstar. Ali’s refusal to talk about the incident led to further conspiracy theories. These events did effect Ali but he is held his head high.

The very fact that Ali Zafar walked the line between fashion and music was intriguing and often questioned. Ali Zafar has always been measured and careful. While Atif just did it and justified it, Ali Zafar always wanted to do it right so he did hold back.

Self-doubt in an artist is not all that uncommon. The front man of one of the biggest bands in the world (Chris Martin of Coldplay) came to doubt himself in the wake of international criticism over their 2005 record X and Y. Indian actor Shah Rukh Khan is another example. The man never thinks he’s done a good job. He always passes the credit to the filmmakers. Aamir Khan wears the coat of method acting and avoids publicity unless his film is comes out. He walks a thin line.

Ali Zafar is walking the same thin line. One conversation with Coke Studio co-producer Umber Hyatt comes to mind.

“He changed on that floor… it began last year with ‘Allah Hoo’… Ali is searching for something,” Umber had said. And she hit the nail on the head.

The floor Umber referred to was of Coke Studio where Ali stunned last year with his vocal dexterity and soul on ‘Allah Hoo’. He belted out some of his most popular numbers like ‘Rangeen’, ‘Chal Dil Meray’, ‘Janay Na Koi’ but ‘Allah Hoo’ was Ali Zafar’s arrival on a radically different and welcoming note all over again. This year, like Atif, Ali joined Coke Studio and like Atif, he shone for entirely different reasons.

Two is better than one
Atif and Ali are not two peas in a pod. They are similar but not the same. They are both musicians but they both are still finding themselves. They are just in their twenties. Neither of them released an album this year. They are both working on their next offerings with more effort, zeal and passion than ever. They refuse to divulge information and they don’t play games either.

The situation in India can’t stop them either. In the wake of Mumbai attacks, neither Atif nor Ali Zafar were going the Bollywood way. And strangely enough, the timing was perfect in a sense. Coke Studio season two was beginning and the two joined in. The collective goodwill behind the show translated to our pop stars.

“They were reserved but the guard came off, slowly. Atif and Ali are like my young brothers. They are superstars. They can throw their weight around but they didn’t,” remembers Rohail Hyatt fondly.

Come to India and as the situation is getting better, Atif and Ali are going back again.
Atif recorded a new tune for the Ranbir Kapoor-Katrina Kaif starrer Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani and Ali is traveling to India frequently but refuses to give out information. He did however mention that he dropped the lead role in Mahesh Bhatt’s Jashnn and we’re really glad he did… but the real point is not Bollywood. It is the ability to recognize their own potential and they are both doing just that.

We have seen them the entire summer right up till Independence Day with Coke Studio. Atif paid homage to Michael Jackson in the experimental ‘Wasta Pyar Da’ and went forward with Ustaad Riyaz Ali Khan on ‘Kinara’. He released the thought provoking and rocking ‘Humein Kya Huwa Hai’ and it was an honest piece of Atif’s music. It is coming together for him, it seems.

Ali Zafar did just the same. Taking the ‘Allah Hoo’ step forward, Ali wrote ‘Dastaan-e-Ishq’ with Baqir Hussain and flew sky high. His folk tribute to the original creator of ‘Yaar Dhadee’ – Ustad M Jumman – didn’t go unnoticed either. These were honest moments of music and it was the Coke Studio environment that helped.

In later conversations, both Ali and Atif maintain that it is important to realize the worth of our own music and treasure it. It’s this frame of mind that didn’t stop them from working with the likes of Saeen Tufail Ahmed (Ali Zafar) and Ustad Riyaz Ali Khan (Atif Aslam) without any musical hangover of the West. Discovery, intrigue and self-realisation struck inevitably and we saw some incredible music from both of them.

And that is not all they are doing this year.

Atif and Ali are both trying to understand the economics behind the business of music and they are both trying to figure it out, as individuals and as artists who are hoping to create a united front. Amidst the stories of a Union for Pop (in the pipeline), Ali and Atif are researching how the business of music works internationally. It is a necessary effort, one that hasn’t fully blown into effect but one that just might change the stakes.

The business of music is changing rapidly. The medium of releasing music is changing. It’s the digital age and we just can’t deny its reach. Spending one day on the web googling Atif and Ali is a daunting task. From fans to foes, they are all there… writing, commenting, reading and downloading Atif and Ali Zafar.

Irrespective of what the world assumes about them, they are both actually friends, even though the cynic in most of us, refuses to believe that. Atif jammed with Ali Zafar and many other musicians at Ali’s house earlier this year without hesitation. He was invited to Ali’s wedding and he showed up. These guys are genuinely friends, perhaps because they have risen together to be in the same position which no one else can really understand as well.

And despite being two of the biggest stars, neither carries a diva-like attitude. Ali has come to let his self-created guard down with time. He is more open and receptive to the media now more than ever. Atif is learning to take criticism with a pinch of salt and that is as valuable as understanding the importance of media. They are more comfortable in their own skin and that reflects in their brilliant songs at Coke Studio.

From Gumby to Zeeshan Parwez, Assad Ahmed to Rohail Hyatt – all describe Ali and Atif as decent, down-to-earth guys. The many conversations that led to this final draft don’t need too much recap. Atif and Ali Zafar are who they are. They have made some mistakes, they have suffered through criticism but they are still here. They shine through their songs and performances, shows and their own individual path that is as much a mystery to us as it is to them. And that is how it should be.

Ultimately they’re etched in memory because of their talent. Their music entertains, delights and sometimes enlightens us and if any artist manages that and has his feet rooted firmly in the ground; it is an admirable way of being.

So here’s to a new chapter in Pakistani pop… thanks to these two, the future’s looking bright.