The New RocknRoll Kid - Orianthi

Her break to stardom started when Micheal Jackson chose her to play the lead in his "This is It" tour. Even though that tour met its tragic end before it could begin, footage from rehearsals started the buzz. She's played on stage with Carlos Santana, ZZ Top and Prince.

But this one (click here) is my favorite, going neck to neck with Steve Vai and his typical playful style. RocknRoll!

Coke n' Roll people! It's that time of the year again...

Two thumbs up to the Coke people and Rohail Hayat for proving once again that we too have a history to up-keep... of Arts and Culture and all that wows the senses in ways unimaginable before... through the mist of bad politics and a failing economy, there's little that is left for us to scrape our pride off the rusted archives with... and what better way to show off what was once rich and pure about us than to bring it to our younger selves along with faces they know and relate to...

I know it gets tough to slice out each element through the explosion of stimuli that are orchestrated in each performance, and the best way is to probably sit back and let it all in... wait for the re-runs to experience a different texture or a flavor... But what I'm personally looking forward to is the new addition to the house band: Asad Ahmed. Now, Omran Shafique, though young, has not proved to be any less qualified (with his mild touches of swing and blues to the original compositions in the last season)... but it will be fun to see another twist on the respective performances from a Pure Rock guitarist's perspective.

Mannu and Gumby form this juggernaut of the rhythm section that shows how seasoned musicians could make every note matter with their own mastery of accents and off-notes. And since they are confident that the men up-front are capable of holding up to the storm, they get to be themselves for a change (Yeah!).

Also, can't wait to see Javed Bashir's renditions to this project, since he's probably the only ustaad who can stands on both sides of the line. With years of training in traditional music and an extensive portfolio of collaborations with mainstream, Indian and western folk artists; he may be most comfortable with fusion music, and that's where an artist truly thrives, where being great comes naturally... musicianship is not in question anymore... and artistry gets to explore newer dimensions.

Picture courtesy: Madiha Syed, Coke Studio, Gumby's official website

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate...

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate... Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, talented, powerful?... Actually, who are you not to be? Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you... And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same...

- A Return to Love - Marianne Williamson

Kolachi Quartet - Swingin' the Karachiites at Shanakht Festival

Jazz, to me, would be any genre that I don't really get... but perhaps it's time to be inspired and educated by our very own Gumby, Khalid, Immu and Abbass Premji... coming together every year or so, under the name Kolachi Quartet, to test our taste buds with a serving of their very own "Contemporary Western Jazz with Ethnic Folk" hot plate.
I saw their live session on TV (Shallum also joined the gang for this one) but didn't know this would turn out to be a regular thing. These guys are pros, and all they do is a jam or two to bring together a whole new set. Now we have a chance to witness these maestros once again, Live on the last night (12th April) of Shanakht Festival here in Karachi. Hoping to score the tickets. Long live Rockn'Roll... err... or should I say Raag n' Roll...

Picture courtesy: Madiha Syed

"I Sold My Mercedes to Build a Village with 60 houses"

I just watched this inspirational story of an English millionaire Dylan Wilk on TV, whose Phillipino friend once said to him that she felt guilty for buying a first class ticket when people in her country were dying in slums... and this was the guy who after six weeks of buying his Ferrari had gotten tired of it and thought that if this doesn't make me happy, then what will...

" I learned to know the difference between pleasure and happiness"

Soon enough, he sold his software business to help an NGO Gawad Kalinga working to eliminate violence and poverty in the country.

“My story is a love story of the rich to the poor. We have to rise to the challenge and be heroes”

Global Election - Make a difference with a Flick of a Switch

VOTE EARTH: YOUR LIGHT SWITCH IS YOUR VOTE

Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.

WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009. This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.

VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.

Saturday, March 28, 8:30-9:30pm.

How You Can Help...

My World

They say, " You must immerse yourself in an unfamiliar world to truly know your own"

And so now, I'm not afraid to claim mine...

Bon Voyage!

Grammy Night Fever... Plant goes POP!

1. Victory of a Greater Loss:
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss grabbed five Grammys, including the night’s biggest award, Album of the Year for Raising Sand. “In the old days we would have called this selling out, but it’s a good way to spend a Sunday,” Plant said while accepting the show’s final honor. The Led Zeppelin front-man and bluegrass singer also won Record of the Year for “Please Read the Letter” and Best Pop Collaboration for “Rich Woman,” both tracks from Raising Sand.

I haven't heard the album, but the live performance, frankly, was a disappointment... the guitar player-cum-producer guy screwed up more than a few chords... and Plant didn’t show off any of the vocal dynamics that he so used to be known for. Plant also thanked Krauss for "...Teaching me how to sing in straight lines rather than all that twirly stuff...". And this used to be the vocalist that even Sebastian Bach (Vocalist: Skid Row) once found hard to cover!
2. Rockn'Roll!:

Dave Grohl (Vocalist: Foo Fighters, Ex-Drummer: Nirvana) wowed the audience by rocking the drums one more time, and this time behind Sir Paul McCartney on a Beatles' Rockn'Roll track “I Saw Her Standing There” that was an absolute delight!

3. Livin' It Large:

Miley Cyrus did a little acoustic number with Taylor Swift… lending the higher notes to the latter’s soft tone… A bit teensy for me, but more importantly, both show promise of some good stuff as they mature.

The Jo Bros rocked out with Stevie Wonder… and although they aren’t as mature musicians to pull off such a big live set, and one of them did freeze just for a sec, but all was forgiven by the audience who definitely got one of the fun-nest performances of the night.
4. Vivi-La-Pirate?

Legendary guitarist Joe Satriani filed a lawsuit against Coldplay… before their Grammy win for the Best Rock Album (well… arguable, but still respected in their own right) and Song of the Year… with alleged stealing of parts from his song “If I Could Fly”. Apparently, the hook to “Viva” is almost exactly the same as the guitar lick in “If I Could Fly”.

The Rain Song

Part of growing up is learning to deal with grief. And to understand, that sometimes we need to go through certain emotions to see things in life that we would have otherwise passed-by laughing.

If there's one song that truly defines the worst nostalgic feeling that I'm glad to have had, it's "The Rain Song" by Led Zeppelin. Composed and produced by Jimmy Page in response to George Harrison's (from the Beatles) comment that they never made any ballads, and as a tribute to Harrison the opening notes were taken from one of Harrison's own ballads. Finally, Plant added some lyrics to it, keeping the mood intact. Throughout the song, nothing is rushed through, Page takes his time with every chord and arpeggio, with John Paul's keyboard and the violin effects pushing the slightest breeze in the background, and Plant, with his rare quiet demeanor in this song adds just enough so as to not over do it:

I've felt the coldness of my winter
I never thought it would ever go
I cursed the gloom that set upon us...
But I know that I love you so.

These are the seasons of emotion
And like the winds they rise and fall
This is the wonder of devotion-
I see the torch we all must hold.
This is the mystery of the quotient-
Upon us all a little rain must fall.
Just a little rain?
Ooooh, yeah yeah yeah!

I am a Rapist ...

War is when two armies fight... but when unarmed civilians are targeted from a distance like cowards... it's not a war, it's a Mass Murder... How cold have the hearts of these soldiers become that they strike without remorse... how cold are the the world leaders that are on holidays or conveniently quiet when they hold the power to stop this animosity... and how cold are our hearts that we see minute by minute updates of this rape of humanity on CNN and then switch to the movie channel before snoozing off in our safe, cozy beds... are our hearts any less cold than those carrying the weapons? This is the world that we live in... and I am ashamed to say... that I am a rapist... and so are you!

Heroes

I'm one of the few young adults in Pakistan who have been privileged with a university education (as opposed to those who couldn't afford it), have an understanding of the current affairs (as opposed to feudal slaves that follow blindly) and who are disgusted with the economic and political situation... and in fact the resultant social behavior as a whole... but for some reason continue to live here, keeping our distance to all that's wrong around us with our wall of luxuries... with a dumb expression that I don't have time for all this dirty politics...

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In an un-related story, I saw the movie "Reign of Fire" last night and there was a scene in which Matthew McConaughey had just killed a dragon in a foreign country (losing three soldiers) and the city was celebrating... He addressed the crowd:

"Envy a country that has Heroes?"

[The crowd cheers in applause]

"Well I say... Pity the country that needs them!"

[Silence!]

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Makes one kinda think, eh?

Rock On!

The story of every other rock band out there... and not just here in India and Pakistan. Some of the sacrifices that musicians make for their passion are highlighted here. Having a family that doesn't support you... lack of finances... record label's atrocities... things that suck the creativity out of an artist's heart... they're all too common...

Shankar-Ehsan-Loy are big names in the Indian music industry. They're what you might call 'Commercial' musicians. But if you listen closely, their music shows influences of standard blues and rock music (a studio named after Hendrix's famous track 'Purple Haze' should also be a hint ;] ). And the sound production (quality and clearity of the over all recorded music) is ten years ahead of any Pakistani musician, well... the studio equipment that they're working with has more to do with that, but none-the-less, it's good. Also, I especially love the bass grooves that they worked out. Its ironic that an instrument that often gets overlooked in our music scene is one of their strong suites (Indian cinema as a whole), since bass is responsible for filling up the gaps and bringing out the feel.

The music they produced for the featured band named Magic was more pop-ish rather than what you'd expect, especially with the actual underground scene in India bursting out these days (with Farhan Akhter's melow vocals, although he didn't fail to impress in the final concert with the song 'Tum Ho' : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfc5kOGjoyI&feature=related ). But I think it's somewhat of a forgive-able sin, since some of these underground acts were tactfully placed throughout the movie and the background music in the movie was also great. I guess educating an audience in music couldn't be done overnight and this seems to be a good effort in feeding them in small chunks.

There were a few forced instances in terms of direction though, just to make it all come down to the main story board. But overall I'd say it's a good watch, and would help bring out the underground rock musicians to a mainstream market.

Scar

A million miles away... she was loved and she was warm... with the earth soft under her feet... and the sky was like new born... But then came the cold-dry-winds... with darkness and evil within... her smile became so crooked... her face grew pale and grim... never seen these colors before... she flew along with the drift... and for a moment's bliss... she lost her only gift... but then the winds were gone... dry skin and messed up hair... her body felt so heavy... few steps she could not spare... gone all the tears and hope... she sits there wise but lonely... for now what she has learned... is a useless burnt scar only...

Hurt

what have I become? ... my sweetest friend
everyone I know ... goes away, in the end
and you could have it all ... my empire of dirt
I will let you down ... I will make you hurt…

- Johnny Cash

To Write Or...

Gone are the days when I used to stay up reading… and sometimes, writing… I’d be sleepy as heck, dozing off, and suddenly I’d stand right up to switch on the light and find a piece of paper. Most writers would relate to the fact that you could have a thought in your mind one second and lose it the next…

They say that writing is good for increasing your brain activity (so the level of dumb-ness that you will grow with age might be slightly reduced). But that’s not motivation enough for me. Neither have I ever kept a journal. But when I'm going through a thought or a feeling, and get distracted and lose it... then it’s a small part of me lost forever... and I might never get to rediscover it from the old archives of my mind or share it with those who care about what I think.

And so, I write again… Bon voyage!