The Rock Star and the Mullahs #48 by carpejuglum

Thanks for sharing your experience. :) Why don`t you write some article about your trip and share it with everyone? It would be interesting.

The Mullah and the Munir Report #162 by veeresh

Saudi Arabia remains a strong candidate for regime change. :) Thanks.

Understanding Sanatana Dharma #644 by omar_r_quraishi

``and by the way i dont think most pakistani musicians are too bothered whether people in india know about their music, other than of course because of commercial considerations``

This is an interesting point. I wonder if Indian market would welcome Junoon and rest of the Pakistani artists with all the patriotic songs they do. As I mentioned at another place, Junoon did a concert here a couple of years back. As usual they were nice enough to let us gather in front of the stage and party. The crowd had a large number of Indians too. Everything was rock n roll as usual till they started a patriotic song “Jazba-e-Junoon”. When they reached the “Pakistan kabhi na bhoolo” part, a portion of the dancing Indian crowd stopped, which was followed by embarrassed looks and whispers. But soon they realized that it was ok and joined the chorus in best spirit of having fun with the music. So if they expand their market to India, would it be a similar case of initial shock, followed by getting to the chorus? Thanks.

The Mullah and the Munir Report #159 by veeresh

Implying that lack of higher education among young Muslim girls (at least in Pakistan) is result of some Wahabi fatwa is a very incorrect assessment. Overwhelming majority of people doesn’t take this fatwa stuff seriously, and wouldn’t even know and care if anything like this exists. I think it is more about priorities and cultural factors. Most young girls in that part of the world are tuned by their families to start thinking in terms of becoming housewives as they start growing up, instead of going for higher education and building professional careers. The trend is shifting though, with increasing industrialization and economic pressures on middle class families. Anyway, speaking of fatwa stuff, I once came across another funny fatwa which said that girls should be taught to read (preferably Quran) and not write, so that they don’t write letters to other men. Thanks.

The Rock Star and the Mullahs #43 by mog

That was the whole point. When you are having a good time and enjoying good music, you often end up leaving your biases behind. Just like the Indian crowd dancing to Pakistani patriotic songs, many of our religious friends are often seen listening to music, although they would give lecture on music being haraam otherwise. :) What’s the thanedaar and Hyundai Santro connection? Thanks.

Understanding Sanatana Dharma #606 by rsridhar

Some pointers for anyone interested in Pakistani music scene:

http://www.bandbaja.org
http://www.umrevolution.com
http://www.pakmusic.com
http://www.muziq.net
http://www.sangeetradio.com

Websites of some bands:

http://www.junoon.com
http://www.stringsonline.net
http://www.karavanonline.com
http://www.mekaalhasanband.com
http://www.mizraab.com
http://www.co-ven.com
http://www.corduroyonline.com

There is a lot more about Pakistani music scene online. But this should be a good introduction. :) Thanks.

The Rock Star and the Mullahs Junoon did a concert here a couple of years back. As usual they were nice enough to let us gather in front of the stage and party. The crowd had a large number of Indians too. Everything was rock n roll as usual till they started a patriotic song “Jazba-e-Junoon”. When they reached the “Pakistan kabhi na bhoolo” part, a portion of the dancing Indian crowd stopped, which was followed by embarrassed looks and whispers. But soon they realized that it was ok and joined the chorus in best spirit of having fun with the music.

Understanding Sanatana Dharma #420 by nikki7777

India is ranked 127th in 2003 Human Development Index report of UNDP. Assuming India is world`s 4th largest economy, these statistics indicate that there is something other than lack of resources which is preventing sustainable development. So where do you think it is going wrong? Pakistan is ranked 144th, and that is pretty much reflected in Pakistani economy as well. Thanks.

The Rock Star and the Mullahs Having seen this documentary multiple times (since I have a recording of it) I must say it was quite interesting. Salman’s dialogue with Mullah Electricity (at end of which, Mullah himself ended up singing something) and his reciting of some Quranic verses in the madrassah while he played a riff on his guitar were the main highlights I think. And why can’t one do that, when the book itself is quite poetic and rhythmic. Even Azaan is recited in some Arabic scale, as Salman pointed out.

MMA has to realize that people didn’t vote them in to ban music, and most of their voters are quite ticked off at their policies. They got all those votes cashing on the anti-American sentiment in NWFP, because NWFP people have ethnic ties with Taliban in Afghanistan. Next time, they are going to be kicked out, because they haven’t delivered on any of their promises. Other provinces didn’t vote for them anyway.

This documentary reminds me of some interesting experiences from the university days in Pakistan. Even the tableeghi people who sometimes walked into my room for their usual tableegh never left without hearing a riff or two on the guitar. They didn’t manage to convince me to join their ranks, but I wonder if any of them picked guitar too. Music is a part of every one of us, and denying it is something unnatural.

Tradition local music in Pakistan seems to be in danger of extinction because classical and folk music doesn’t appeal to majority of the young audience (something which is globally true perhaps). So that void is being filled by the ever-growing rock/pop bands in all major urban centers of Pakistan. But most of these new bands sound quite raw and need a strong music industry (instead of corporate sponsorships) to back them up.

The good thing is that unlike Zia’s 80’s, people are now quite open to accepting music and musicians. Number of public concerts has increased in magnitudes, and TV channels have started giving plenty of coverage to music, including emergence of dedicated music channels. Probably 10 years from now, we will have a strong music industry, driven by the rock stars of 90’s, as they get older and move towards production stuff.

Thanks.

Stout! Did anyone read ``Leaves`` while listening to ``What God Wants`` from the ``Amused to Death`` album of Roger Waters? Nadeem, is there a way to get hold of any Atish Raj recordings? Thanks.

Open Letter to Prime Minister Jamali #75 by Salazar

Third question: Is Shaukat Aziz an alien?

*X-Files theme music in the background*

The Collage of Modern Life Thanks everyone for your comments (especially the negative ones). The allegations of some parts being stereotypical were particularly interesting. I agree that if you read it as news analysis (which it wasn’t intended to be) as opposed to an abstract piece of writing, then some parts of it may seem stereotypical. But then stereotypes are also part of the collage of modern life, so I remain open to all interpretations. :) Peace.

Textbook Questions #150 by veeresh

Veeresh, the rumors are right. Add Jim Morrison, John Lennon and Kurt Cobain to the list as well. All of them are very much alive in CD players of their fans, and they keep inspiring many to pick up guitars and rock. Thanks.

Textbook Questions #145 by veeresh

Veeresh, one can’t underestimate any artist who is passionate about his/her work. The youngsters of 70’s also had no idea of the impact their music was to have. Some of these young artists are creating great music, so you never know how far their ambitions and talent will take them. In the meantime, enjoy their music. Thanks.

Textbook Questions #142 by veeresh

Veeresh, I am talking about today. :) Most of this new wave of Pakistani rock music revolution broke into the mainstream in early 90`s when dedicated music FM radio stations came into play, and it never stopped there. I heard now there are dedicated television music channels emerging as well. The production quality of Pakistani local rock bands is increasingly matching international standards, thanks to brilliant production abilities of people like Mekaal Hasan, who himself is an excellent guitar player. He came up with his first album late last year which was a fusion of rock/jazz and classical. Check out his website http://www.mekaalhasanband.com/. And among the veterans, seven studio albums (excluding live and “best of” albums) later, Junoon are also alive and rocking. Faraz Anwar increased his audience by releasing an album in the USA in 2001 (followed by an album in Pakistan last year). His “Abstract Point of View” was greeted with excellent reviews from US music critics. I order these new albums online from Pakistan every few weeks. You can’t deny the Pakistani rock revolution, so join the chorus. Thanks.

Textbook Questions #129 by veeresh

Peter Gabriel experiments with all kinds of international music. He also used vocals of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan on soundtrack of The Last Temptation of Christ. That doesn’t mean that qawwals are replacing vocalists in rock music. There are countless other examples of such fusion, but versatility of electric guitar as the main instrument in rock music remains unchallenged. I have great respect for classical musicians and traditional instruments, but I don’t think anything can replace a guitar solo in rock music. Check Joe Satriani and Steve Vai live in concert to understand what one can do with an electric guitar.

Your comment regarding acceptability of classical rock in Pakistan is not accurate so I would assume that it was due to your lack of understanding of it. It is not limited to pirated discs of International bands. We have a number of local rock bands, mostly led by some brilliant guitar players of our generation, with thousands of fans attending their concerts and buying their CD’s. Their music is mostly a fusion of classical rock and traditional musical influences. I haven’t heard anything even remotely comparable coming from India in terms of quality rock music. But I am open to reconsidering this position if you could give me pointers to some of India’s finest guitar players. Here is a no-jokes-intended list of some brilliant Pakistani guitar players:

Amir Zaki
Faraz Anwar (Mizraab)
Salman Ahmad (Junoon)
Shallum Asher Xavier (Fuzon)
Mekaal Hassan (Mekaal Hassan Band)

These are just some of the names. You can find music of these artists at any Pakistani music website on the internet or on Pakistani TV channels and radio stations. Many of them tour internationally as well. These are very much in the mainstream of Pakistani music, but you can also find music of Pakistani underground rock bands at various websites, including http://www.umrevolution.com. In terms of Pakistani music, a lot has changed in last 15 years, and unacceptability of music is not acceptable to most young Pakistanis anymore. People in general are also quite open to this change. I can personally testify to that because I used to travel from NWFP to Bahawalpur, often on public transport with long hair and a guitar in my hand. And I certainly was not the only one doing that. We know how to rock! :)

Thanks.