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