waiting for a revolution (just a small one yaar)

People often say military rule will straighten everything out. And us liberals always of course fight with them - as we should.

But sometimes I feel like imposing military rule only on the entertainment business - because look what it did for Pakistan, man!

Thanks to a friend I've been watching a show called Coke Studio - which is a sort of Unplugged or Studio Sessions type show with Pakistani bands/musicians. Some of the stuff is super fabulous and I felt frustrated again that in a country the size of India we rarely have - or come across - anything particularly exciting in the world of pop music.

The normal response to that is that film music is our popular music. But I don't know - over time it has, like so much else, become so homegenised that although we hear a few good songs, they are all so similiar. Of course there are exceptions but just look - it's a country of over a billion people and so many languages and seemingly so little. A lot of singers in the film industries are really skilled singers - but with the exception of Oye Lucky Lucky Oye and to a lesser (much lesser actually) extent Dev D - haven't heard stuff that feels individual. There must be artists around the country but they don't seem to come to widespread attention.

I HAVE been listening to a lot of older Punjabi pop music lately and I think there's much more life and excitement and observational detail there, irreverence also - but Punjabi pop too has become so numbingly same now, you can get up and dance, but you're unlikely to really listen to much of the stuff (although again, many singers are very skilled).

There are so many singing contests on TV - but nothing that encourages originality of music and even HIGH individuality of performance. The need to stay in a dunlop-y comfort zone seems so strong. The obedience of it all!

It's a familiar grouse of course - that alternative culture, or commitedly independent world, doesn't seem to gain much traction in India. Everything gets sucked up into Bollywood in the end. But people need to think! What'll they do when Gulzar dies?!

I tried to watch some episodes of Launch Pad but I can't say it did a lot for me. The winners, Fardikot, can be listened to here

http://www.faridkotonline.in/audio

For me, it's a bit ho-hum - I'm hoping they can parlay their talents into something more unique or at least ringing with truth.

I know there's a few good bands like Soulmate for instance. I still am interested in whatever Rabbi does next - I've liked both his albums.
Perhaps I need to look harder - so if you know ways to correct me and inform me, please please do.


Meanwhile three tracks I really liked on the Season 2 of Coke Studio



This is supposed to be Pakistan's first girl band - two Pathan girls from a services background (oh that military motif) although they studied in the US. The song is in Dari and Pashto apparently and means - Bring me the glass that I may lose myself/I am in love with the intoxication of my beloved's eyes.

This collaboration also worked for me


I loved it when they guy from Noori sings Jo na jaane Haq ki Taaqat/Rab na deve usko Himmat/ Hum mun ki dariya mein doobe/Kaisi naiya, kya manjhdaar?

I'm trying to think of an Indian pop song recently that even casually has a thought like that in it - the declaration that everything is not cleverness and carefulness.

And this song many in India know - since Fuzon's album was very successful here and the Kagaz ke Phool type music video featuring Mr. Hotness, Shan played a fair bit on the music channels. But this version is lovely...


Of course there are those who'll say I am just blinded by the beauty of these boys. Who am I to contradict you?

On and by the way, for the sincere who happen to read this - I don't believe in military rule. It's an expostulation, not a recommendation.

Comments

Banno said…
Lovely tracks. In our singing shows, even the little originality there may be, is soon squashed with makeovers in all departments -voice, movements, dress, etc, etc. A R Rehman though does surprise us every now and then.
parotechnics said…
True about AR - thing is commerical considerations obviously matter everywhere, because Ali Zafar who is also in the sessions on youtube is great but previously I've only seen him sing some lightweight pop. I had no idea he could do this sort of thing. But the lack of a really big mainstream helps for other things to exist perhpas
chamcham said…
well...isn't this a part of us that we've lost? I grew up in Afghanistan and still stumble along in dari - so if you listen to the girls, you can hear that they're singing in a language you know quite well. "Chashm-e-maste-yaar-ast-am" (I am my beloved's mast eyes)...

It's the gentleness and beauty of Central Asia that we've lost, a place I still see in my mind as devoted to roses, the rubab, poetry and music. Not the Taliban.

In Afghanistan, people really love music and poetry in a way that can't be communicated. It seems to be part of the unbelievable landscape. And people seldom sing and perform solely for gain. I remember there was a new wave of Soviet-backed, highly paid Pashtu singers in the !980s and that they were generally disliked and resented for the terrible quality of their music rather than anything else.

(And pashto is totally different from dari.)

I think the only difference in this "alternative" culture is still having a human soul that can be touched by music, poetry and a deep love of nature.
You have to go there, stand at paghman and just feel it!
Riddler820 said…
Coke studio is breath of fresh air for us (Pakistanis) too... the man behind all this "Rohail Hyatt" was the band member of famous Pakistani band Vital Signs ... he is a very talented guy, thanks for giving appreciation ...
parotechnics said…
Chamcham - hello - long time! And yes I agree, allowing your soul to be touched.

Riddler - thanks for that info, I didn't realise the producer was from Vital Signs which of course is the Pak band we all know before Junoon even, no?

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