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Abbottabad's rock climber
May 17, 2002
Junoon today is definitely one of the biggest music act of the subcontinent or
lets just call it the biggest ''act''. Starting with a distinctive sufi-rock
style of music, Junoon has made it really big since they started back in late
90''s.
Today, Ali Azmat, Salman Ahmed and Brian O''Connel are not only recognized as
the musicians who revolutionzed rock music in Pakistan, but also as the messiahs
of peace, deliverers of the message and political reformers.
Junoon''s prime vocalist is a jet-set, trend-setting guy, someone who has been
there all the time, seen it all and has earned the reputation of being the fire
of Junoon. Yes, it is Ali, a seemingly hot-tempered, arrogant Junoon vocalist,
who is in fact a really humble, friendly and extremely straight-forward person.
Ali Azmat is nothing less than a demigod for the millions of Junoon fans all
over the country and abroad. The 32-year-old with a unique, fiery style,
charismatic personality and a voice that really depicts the spirit of rock
music, is idolized by people of all ages and from all walks of life. This week
Us brings you an exclusive Ali Azmat interview where he speaks about everything
from his personal life till Junoon''s journey to stardom.
How did you hook up with Salman and Junoon?
I was working with Rohail Hayat before going to Australia. After coming back, I
was sitting in his office one day where Salman and all were fighting about
something. Later, Salman came to me asked me if I would like to make a band with
him. "Yes, of course," I said. "Why not?" So, here we are. We went to Lahore,
sang a few songs and then came to Karachi where we recorded an album in 18 days.
Did you have problems in the begining?
Yes of course. In the begining no one was that receptive. I mean our parents
used to discourage us and all, you know singing as a profession is not all that
acceptable.
Then, when I came over to Karachi, I was around 21 and really alone. I had no
relatives, no friends at all. But that living alone really helped me. I grew
spiritually and mentally. I got really ill for about 21 days once.
What about Sufi rock, how did this come about?
Sufiism came about much later after Salman played with late Nusrat Fateh Ali
Khan. Actually that energy which is there in Qawalliis very similar to that of
rock music. The movements were very similar mesmerising. So, we got into it,
recorded a song and it turned out to be so powerful with the tablas and all that
we were amazed. We instantly knew it would work.
We started going after this sufisism and studied them. The love of God when
nothing else matter, it''s all just a great feeling to have and once you become
a complete sufi, although I don''t believe that one can become a complete sufi,
you feel so different. You feel so less of lust, disgust and all of these
things. Love is for everyone, it is universal.
As we got deeper into it we found more and more soalce in it. We were like
students, novices in the whole thing. Now today, if you go around the world, you
would find many people talking about it, there is a whole lot of force behind
it. This year, I spoke at Columbia University about Sufiism, about how music is
playing a major role in it.
Do you enjoy being labeled as a sufi band?
For the last two years, I have been shying away from all that because I am no
authority on the subject. Yeah, we have done reading and all, but we are nothing
like experts on the subject. And when everybody looks at you like you are a Sufi
band, I feel more like a goofy band or something.
Who are your inspirat7ions in Sufi poetry?
Bulleh Shah. He was an amazing man who recited poetry in Punjabi. He basically
translated from Shah Hussain and Roomi who wrote in Persian and sang in Punjabi
with a sitar. He was this musician with soul and people just came to listen to
his words. It was so pure and peaceful.
Do you think that proper sufiism would have been able to prosper in this age?
No, not at all. Our masses are so ignorant. Besides, they just don''t know how
to appreciate their heroes. Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan died and it was only after
that did the people begin to realize what a great artist he was. There are many
others like him.
Why do you think this happens?
It happens because of the low self esteem of this nation. Especially in the last
15 years, our nation has really developed some strange values. Morally, we are
the worst nation in the world. Take anything for example only money, fame,
prestige and badmashi works.
This is because we haven''t appreciated our heroes and now we don''t have any
hero. It seems as if only Quiad-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal are left. I mean, we
have so many like Wasim Akram and Jahangir Khan who has been the world champion
eight times we just don''t appreciate them the way they should be appreciated.
You people released ''Ihtesab'', it was a bold political message?
Yes, at that time everyone was so confused, scared. Our people, they have always
remained under somebody''s rule or the other they lived under Rajas, then the
Britishers came in and when they left, they gave it to the Zamindars. These
people never shed their slave mentality. Obviously, we were hot headed at that
time and we wanted to do things which could get our nation out of the mess they
were in. We were like the first voice of its kind challenging the political
system.
What do you say to Junoon''s commercialization?
You live in a jungle called Pakistan. There is no record company, very few
channels which have very recently come up. So, only artists who have enough
money to finance all their work were thriving. You are left with corporate world
because they have the money to spend. Earlier, they were sponsoring cricket for
a long time. Now they have this new emerging music industry and so they are
sponsoring it.
Junoon with Coca Cola is different. We haven''t done any commercial for them. It
is just that we do concerts for them and the children who really deserve to see
stuff, get to watch it. Like at schools where there are a lot of children who
are mad about you but cannot go to concerts because they don''t have money.
Through Coco Cola, they get to watch us and I think they are our real audience.
Tell us something about Daur-e-Junoon?
It is basically a live album. In the last two years we played in lot of big
concerts and festivals, at UN General Assembly, New York Central Park, Roskalde
Festival and others. So, all these songs we recorded and we came out with this
live album. Salman wrote a song for Nile Roger''s film called ''We Are Family''
which is also there and we have two other new songs.
What do you say to techno and trance music?
Actually, there is just one song. If you call it Techno you can. To me, it''s
just rock.
You seem to have lost that initial touch you had in your voice, a lot of
Junoon''s songs are kind of ''computerized''?
Yes, my voice is changing because I am growing up. I mean you do change. I still
meet a lot of people who can''t get over that phase when I was young and they
used to say ''oh, what a sweety guy''.
--
Name Ali Azmat
Date of Birth 20th April, 1970 (Aries/Taurus)
Place of Birth Abbotabad
Education Bachelors in Business Administration (Australia)
When did you begin your career?
I started in1987, I was playing drums in a street band. Then I joined Jupiters
in 1988.
Tell ''Us'' about your early days?
I''ve done everything. To begin with, we were like really small-time singers, we
used to sing at every wedding, birthday, basically whatever we got. Now when we
look back, it was sort of fun.
Then when I was in Australia, I did all sorts of things. In fact, I have even
cleaned washrooms. After coming back, I was washing my bathroom one day when my
mother saw me doing so and she was like, "Hai mera bacha!" I told her that I''ve
done it all.
The US News Magazine
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