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Rocking in Punjabi
Apr 25, 2002
Banned in Pakistan for mocking politics and their long hair, Junoon's album
outsold international stars at home and in India and has earned praise in
Britain
THEY are banned by the Pakistani government, but lauded by leading British music
rag Q as "one of the biggest bands in the world".
Come next month, you can catch Junoon, a three-piece Pakistani rock outfit of
Van Halen-fires-up-world-music proportions at the Kallang Theatre, as part of
the Fight For Literacy charity concert, organised by the Singapore Pakistani
Association.
They were responsible for the smash hit Jazba, which became Pakistan's official
song of the 1996 Cricket World Cup, co-hosted by Pakistan and India.
Banned by authorities in their homeland for having long hair and mocking
politics, Junoon went on to win the Best International Group prize at the 1998
Channel (V) Music Awards.
Their album Azadi outsold everyone from Madonna to Mariah in Pakistan and India
that same year, selling more than 15,000 copies in the first four weeks.
In 2000, they played at the Roskilde Festival outside Copenhagen, Denmark, which
is the premier summer European Rock Festival, along with Pearl Jam, Iron Maiden
and The Cure.
The group sings mainly in Urdu and Punjabi, but their smoking riffs borrow from
1970s rock icons like Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix.
The Fight For Literary charity concert is on at the Kallang Theatre, May 18, at
8 pm. Tickets at $50, $70, $125 and $195 are on sale at all Sistic counters.
Call 6348-5555 or visit the Sistic website at www.sistic.com.sg for bookings.
The Straits Times (Singapore)
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