Chasing victory Down Under

After a gap of almost five years, Pakistan cricket team will begin their test series tomorrow against the most vulnerable Australian squad in two decades.

I had been waiting for this test series since April, when Pakistan faced Aussies in UAE for a One day series. Back then, Younus was the captain of the team and there was a semblence of unity that was being developed within the squad.

I was quite hopeful that come fall, we would have gelled well enough to be able to present a more than passing challenge to the aussies but sadly, things didnt really pan out the way i hoped for.

Crisis after crisis struck the team, despite them winning T20 WC and reaching CT Semi-final, and now when the boxing day test is merely hours away, we are yet again in a state of limbo and unsure of our chances.

Although it is useless to cry on what we dont have, but absence of Younis Khan is going to be one key factor which could well decide this series. The current crop of batsmen we have, seemingly dont have the necessary steel needed to counter those brash aussies. Barring Umar Akmal, the rest are just a wee bit timid to me. Which is why i place special emphasize on Younis’s absence, and by extension, Afridi’s.

Despite my absolute hatred for Imran Farhat, he has managed to retain his place due to lack of an alternative, his blessed luck and zero abilities of his own. Salman Butt, if he stops fishing outside off, has a lot of talent which he must learn how to utilise. Yousuf is a proven performer but he has to be more brave and instinctive rather than operating in safety-first mode. Umar Akmal is a shoo in, and so is Kamran.

Thus our batting line up goes something like ‘Farhat, Butt, Yousuf, Misbah, Umar, Kamran’ in this very order.

Now comes the difficult part. We have five slots left and keeping in mind our brittle batting, should we have another batsman, or we go with 3 fast bowlers and 2 spinners. Obviously, having an Afridi would have solved the entire dilemma as he is the most dynamic all rounder we have; or we pick one from Fawad Alam or Shoaib Malik.

Between the two of them Fawad must be given a chance in as i believe Misbah, despite his failings,  is still technically a more sound batsman and can be assured of his spot in the team.

Being a bowler myself, and a firm believer in the adage that bowling win matches, i hope the tour selection committee opts for this choice. It leaves our batting without an insurance so to speak, but then might also give us the desired variety to bamboozle the australian batting lineup which do not have the most accomplished players of spin barring Ponting and Clarke.

The bad luck with Pakistan has been that every time we have faced the aussies during last 15 years [since our tour there in `94/95] .. we have faced the STRONGEST possible team Australia can send out in terms of inform batsmen and bowlers, and every time we were saddled with team bereft of ideas and inspirations [exception being the `99 team which SHOULD have done more than they did]. The neutral tour in Colombo/ Sharjah in 2002, the Aussie trip in 2004, both the teams were without star players and was badly affected with injuries.

And that brings us to the same point again, that this is the BEST chance for Pakistan team to actually put one across the aussies and not just win our first test down under since 1995, but actually to go ahead and win our FIRST SERIES against them. Regardless of what we have or we dont, Pakistan MUST avail the resources in hand and combine together to beat the aussies and make it worth for us pakistanis at home to wake up 5am every morning and going to work/college in the most joyful mood 

Force of five brings the house down

Monday, November 16 By Abid Hussain Karachi

As deafening noise emanated from the auditorium at the end of ‘Raag and Roll Concert’, the concluding event of Shanaakht Festival truly brought the house down with some fabulous music played to the full house, which thoroughly enjoyed the four hour spectacle. With passes running out as early as 10 am on the last day of the festival and waiting list running well into hundreds, it was evident that the event was clearly the hottest ticket in town. Strict checking ensued due to current security situation and arrangements were made to avoid any untoward incident or gate crashing by the hooligans. Once the gates were opened for the audience, the auditorium started to fill up with eager fans in Karachi, who had for long been deprived of any quality concert. If one thing was impressive throughout the three-day Shanaakht Festival, it was that time management was given utmost priority; the same was the case at this event as well. With five bands slated to perform, the event began merely 15 minutes later than the scheduled start as Taal Karsima began the proceedings with their brand of fusion music. The band, formed by four students of National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) with already a successful radio single (‘Ustaad Ji’) to their credit, could not really get the crowd going. Vocalist and lead guitarist Ahsan Bari was certainly not a charismatic figure and he looked somewhat nervous while performing. It didn’t help that the crowd didn’t know much of their music either and looked disinterested. However, things shifted diametrically when Aunty Disco Project (ADP) took over the stage. With a budding fan following due to their released singles ‘Sultanat’ and ‘Nazar’, the band launched into a powerful rendition of ‘Sultanat’, which brought the crowd to their feet immediately. ADP has been (in past) accused of trying too hard and often failing to fulfill their potential during live performances. This time round, lead guitarist Omar Bilal Akhtar aka OBA was far more understated in his performance and onstage antics, and duly delivered a solid set. The camaraderie between rhythm guitarist Ali Alam and bassist Rahyal Siddiki also helped the band to entertain the audience, while their performance was also accentuated with a superlative performance by Darbuka specialist, Yasir Qureshi. The band went on to sing their new number ‘Kitnay Vaday’, which had the same opening chords as that of National Anthem, and the crowd joined the band in singing along. After ADP finished their four-song set, the stage was taken over by Laal. Having performed the previous night to a grand ovation, the band from Lahore delivered a masterful performance yet again. Vocalist Shahram Azhar was on fire, as he began with the heart wrenching ‘Umeed-e-Sehar’ which had the crowd swaying in unison. This was followed by their brand of revolutionary songs that the audience threw themselves forward to enjoy. Despite somewhat mellow numbers in their repertoire, Laal showed how to get the crowd on their feet, shaking off their inhibitions. Lead guitarist Taimur Rahman, despite his limited axe-wielding skills, was a bundle of energy, literally bouncing all over the stage and off it. Laal finished their set with the famous sufi kalaam, ‘Laal Meri Pat’ where a girl was brought on stage by Azhar as well as a psyched up fan who danced and sang with the band, as the audience fully participated in turning up the volume a few notches. Next up was the famous band Fuzon. Ever since the departure of former vocalist Shafqat, the band has clearly lost the edge which it once possessed. Rameez Mukhtar, the new singer, despite his strong vocals is not in the same league and despite singing some of the fabulous numbers from their arsenal of songs, Fuzon could not continue the good work done by ADP and Laal in terms of electrifying the crowd. However, after the culmination of Fuzon’s performance, the buzz in the auditorium was almost tangible. The final act of the night was Noori, the rockers from Lahore with a surprise appearance by Yasir Qureshi from ADP on percussions and darbuka. As the crowd drove forward to catch a glimpse of the Noori brothers who have a massive following in Karachi, the band began with their now famous hit, ‘Aik Alif’ which they debuted earlier this year at Coke Studio. As Ali Hamza broke into the opening few verses of the song, one could hear the entire venue singing along as Noori generated a brilliant, reworked version of this magical song. A nice surprise was thrown in between when the entire team of Citizens Archive Pakistan (CAP) came on stage, and along with Noori and the exuberant audience, sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to CAP president Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy at midnight. Noori continued to belt out their classic numbers, of which ‘Manwa Re’ got a special treatment from guest percussionist Yasir Qureshi. Along with drummer Fahad Khan, the two men kept going in a fabulous percussionists’ duel of sorts, which had the venue reverberating and the crowd clamouring for more. Ali Noor duly delivered, as they segued from ‘Manwa Re’ into the all time classic by late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, ‘Sanu Eik Pal Chain Na Aey’. While Noori were slated to perform four songs, the energy was such that the band ended up singing eight songs before the night was brought to a close by another youth anthem, ‘Dil Ki Qasam’. For an entertainment starved city, this night was unforgettable as the audience got to enjoy five bands. Credit must go to the team of Shanaakht and the artists for putting up a most memorable show.

URL: http://e.thenews.com.pk/mag_details.asp?id=4465

Resilience wins the day

Friday, November 13, 2009
By Abid Hussain

Karachi

When Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP) Oral History Project Coordinator Sanam Maher reached Imperial Garden, the venue of the Shanaakht Festival, at 8am on Wednesday, she was stunned to see the entire back marquee set up by CAP ruined due to strong winds earlier that morning. Within a few hours, however, the resilience and fortitude of CAP volunteers and their “little helpers” ensured that not only was the CAP exhibition salvaged but better arrangements put in place.

“When I reached here in the morning, it was complete chaos as our all exhibition halls were blown away due to the strong wind. The first thought in my mind was to save the precious photographs and the exhibits,” Maher told The News.

Wednesday was the last day of the festival, and it seemed that the organisers were unwilling to breathe easy till the eventual conclusion of the festival, given the controversy that embroiled the opening day of the festival in April. While any event can be disrupted for the most trivial reason in a volatile city such as Karachi, what the CAP certainly didn’t anticipate was that Mother Nature could wreck havoc with the arrangements.

Like the first two days of the festival, the morning sessions were open for exclusively for school-going children. The responsibility of managing over 800 inquisitive minds, along trying to salvage the exhibition, posed a rigorous test of character.

“While we held discussion with our interns and volunteers, the thought of giving up never once crossed our mind. Instead, we decided put up all the exhibitions inside the main auditorium while conducting a show-and-tell session with the children. It was a phenomenal experience as it enabled us to interact with children closely, and see their excitement as they got to learn about the history of Pakistan and learn about it through videos, audio clips and photographs,” Maher said.

What truly made her a believer was the compassion and willingness of students to help. “Despite having over 50 volunteers and our dedicated teams, the task at hand was huge as we had to put the exhibition back up at such a short notice. The children became our volunteers, and offered their help and support to us. It only helped in lifting our spirit and motivated us more.”

CAP board member and Treasurer Fahad Asadullah said that it was merely a matter of dusting off the disappointment, and standing tall once again. “The show must go on. We shook off our disappointment after the last event in April, and we will not let anything deter us again. The important thing was to keep aside all the differences and egos, and work towards a unanimous goal of making this festival a memorable success,” Asadullah opined.

CAP President Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy shared similar sentiments. “The idea of Shanaakht was to unite people from all walks and sections of society, and have them enjoy this exhibitions without any egos, prejudices or biases. The response was fabulous, as over the course of the three days, we had over 6,000 people visiting our exhibition halls and attending our evening events.”

Due to the prevalent situation in the country and the April incident fresh in the mind, the organisers were extremely cautious in making the event as secure as possible. “We had a four-tier security arrangement with assistance from provincial government, city government, Rangers and police officials, who provided us with immense support and encouragement,” said a grateful Asadullah.

Despite small glitches and complaints by visitors who bemoaned the lack of advertisement for the festival and the choice of location, the organisers heaved a sigh of relief at the eventual turnout and eager response provided by the audience.

For Sharmeen Obaid, the lasting impression of this event was the unflinching spirit and commitment shown by everybody involved. “The fact that we managed to return back within span of six months, and make it as big a success as it turned out to be, it is only because of the great dedication of the people involved and testament to their courage to achieve their goal, come what may, because this is our Shanaakht.”

Meanwhile, Asadullah revealed that planning for next year’s event has already begun, with the aim of making the festival three times bigger than this year. “We also aim to take this festival across Pakistan and bring together as many people under one banner, and create harmony amongst us.”

URL: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=208203

The enlightened Noori?

Shot from the video

The enlightened Noori?

By Abid Hussain

Karachi

With the month of Ramazan in full swing, most of the media industry usually takes a break while recharging their batteries and preparing for the packed Eid schedule.

However, a surprise was in store for the unsuspecting.With constant tweeting by brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza over the course of last two weeks, the first hint came when Hamza updated his status to “Recorded a naat that Nano taught me. Extremely rusty. Recorded at Raza’s studio. A new learning experience altogether”, back in late August.

Though this update itself did not create the kind of buzz and anticipation one expects with Noori, the band launched the video of a naat ‘Madinay Main’ recited by Ali Hamza, on the noori website along with host of other social media networks this week, ensuring that even casual fans would sit up and take note.

Boy becomes a man

The year 2009 has been nothing but remarkable for Ali Hamza. For too long, he was under the shadow of his more illustrious brother. However, he truly made his mark for the work he did on the Coke Studio earlier this year and his cult like status since LUMS days – for singing some famously catchy yet controversial songs – has blossomed fully to establish himself as a true star in his own right.

For somebody who had begun his musical journey by reciting ‘naat’, ‘nauha and marsiya’ from a young age, this particular performance was a throwback to the bygone era. From a rock star image to the drastic makeover, the video shows Hamza in a completely different light. With the most serene, fascinatingly beautiful verses recited in his trademark baritone voice, the audience is completely captivated with the power of those verses delivered with passion. From walking through the streets of old Lahore to praying at the Badshahi Mosque, the video only helps in accentuating the spiritual experience.

Western influence?

For mainstream musical acts to dabble in the spiritual, faith based performance there has been a precedent in the western contemporary music. Johnny Cash was the biggest name who sang some of the most memorable gospels in his glitteringly long career, ‘The Wanderer’ being one. U2, arguably world’s most popular rock act, has often written songs questioning faith such as ‘40’ and ‘Tomorrow’ among others. In recent years, ‘Hallelujah’ by the incomparable, late Jeff Buckley remains one of the most popular of hymns of all time.

However, what must also be noted here is that many of these faith based songs weren’t overly sentimental, but they often posed questions and narrated symbolic, spiritual allegories which bordered on controversy, such as Elvis Presely’s ‘He Touched Me’.

The advent of Sufi rock and Islamisation

Keeping in mind the recent history of Pakistani music when there has been a clear influence of islamisation amongst artists, particularly Junaid Jamshed and Najam Sheraz, the question arises what was the idea behind this particular performance?

The band itself gives no answer. The announcement on noori website focuses more on the technology used to record the video, claiming this to be part of a series of experimentation with latest DSLR and handheld cameras, without elaborating much about the ‘naat’ itself except saying ‘This is our Ramazan gift for you’.

In Pakistan, mainstream musicians have primarily stayed away from performing any hardcore religious numbers like their western counterparts. Junoon broke out with their brand of Sufi Rock which catapulted them to unprecedented success, the closest any Pakistani mainstream band went to spiritual side.

However, performing such a recitation can come with a lot of stereotyping. One may expect critics terming this video as a ploy to exploit religious sentiments by releasing it in the month of Ramazan. Because religion is such a divisive topic, collaboration of mainstream musicians is bound to have its fair share of criticism, accusation of hypocrisy or questions whether the band is taking the JJ/Najam route.

Where does Noori go from here?

All of these doubts and accusations can only be dispelled by the band itself. Although it must be emphasised that this was only a solo performance by Ali Hamza in collaboration with Sanjan Nagar Institute of Philosophy and Arts, the association with Noori will automatically lead to queries if this is a path the band wants to traverse?

Ali Noor was quoted post coke studio that after performing with Saeein Zahoor on ‘Aik Alif’, it opened a new world of spiritual, mystic music to him which he certainly wanted to explore.

For Noori to get involved in something as drastic can only be a good thing. Instead of confining themselves to a core genre of music they enjoy, branching out into an alternative path as this shows their adventurous side. If they dare take the risk without actually falling prey to the stereotyping, which happens when music and religion is combined, it can definitely raise their profile in a largely religious nation, to an exalted level.

The fact that both brothers are prolific song writers and phenomenal composers, one can also hope that they will bring a fresh approach to song writing in this genre. Instead of penning the usual dose of flowery verses and cliché infused religious imagery, the band can come up with profound, probing lyrics.

Noori has the opportunity, and the quality, to dare venture into an unchartered territory of a genre of music which can be quite pertinent for the youth of this country which is so confused about religion. Who says music and religion are mutually exclusive?

The enlightened noori?

Kaiser Restaurant — the legend lives on

Thursday, August 20, 2009
By Abid Hussain

Karachi

The city of Karachi is home to some of the most delightfully delicious offering by various eateries operating in the city since past 50 years or so. From the famous Javed Nihari to the wonderful Waheed Kabab House on Burnes Road, choices are aplenty for those who want to indulge in some food that satiates the soul.

However, Kaiser Restaurant – operating for more than five decades at the corner of Light House signal – could possibly be the jewel in the crown among all the restaurants in Karachi. This claim might sound audacious, over-the-top even, considering the kind of competition available in the city, but rest assured anybody visiting the place once will come out promising to return again at earliest.

This is the kind of quality that has been maintained by the entrepreneurs and their team of chefs, which has ensured that this highly underrated, mostly unknown restaurant retain its aura among the loyal customers.

Hands downs, the best mutton leg in all of Karachi is served at this place. The tender yet juicy meat, which is perfectly bar-be-queued [B1]with just the right amount of spice, makes for quite literally a one-dish show which steals the thunder from all the other dishes on offer.

‘Seekh Kababs’ are served piping hot and are of perfect size and texture and taste equally good. ‘Brain Masala’ might gross out quite a few people but for the connoisseurs, it is a divine treat with specialised in-house spices used to cook this delicacy.

For the cholesterol conscious, the restaurant offers variety of chicken and sea-food dishes such as ‘Chicken Tikka’, ‘Chicken Ginger’, ‘Prawn Masala’ and various others. Different kinds of ‘Rotis’, such as Kandahari Naan and ‘Roghni Naan’, only help in accentuating the taste of the main course. For those with sweet-tooth, the restaurant offers the good old ‘Kulfi’.

Comparatively, the prices are slightly lower than the competition as well as the quantity served per dish is more or less adequate for the customers.

Kaiser Restaurant has managed to ensure that the quality of service and food remains of the highest standard, without compromising on aesthetics and interior of the restaurant. Nothing fancy, but an elegantly done family hall upstairs and a wide sitting area for gents on the ground floor provides ample space for customers to visit and gorge on some fantastic local specialties, knowing full well that their money spent will be well worth.

URL: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=193901

God's gift to mankind

When cricket got politicised … in a good way ofcourse

Monday, August 17, 2009
By Abid Hussain

Karachi

Two major topics of “national interest” in Pakistan — cricket and politics — were brought together on Friday, during an exhibition cricket match to commemorate the 62nd Independence Day at the National Stadium, Karachi.

The one-off match, titled Azadi Cup 2009, featured an eclectic mix of professional politicians and professional cricketers. Political rivals were made to work together, while some allies were pitted against each other during the course of the evening.

Off-field rivals, such as Sindh Governor Ishratul Ebad Khan and Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, played for the Governor-Chief Minister Combined-XI (G.CM-XI). The two men were even involved in a small partnership while batting together.

Local Government Minister Agha Siraj Durrani made his presence felt with a prolonged stay on the crease, but in the end, he was probably the only one laughing, since he managed to get only four runs, thus slowing the run-rate to a crawl.

When the match finally began at 9:30 p.m. — two and a half hours after its scheduled time — Pakistan-XI Captain Younus Khan won the toss and invited the politicians to have the first go. G.CM-XI Captain Dr M.A Shah opened the innings along with Salman Butt, and went on to score 15 runs — aided in no small part by some generosity from the national team — after being recalled when he got out in the first over.

The most entertaining partnership of the evening was the one between Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan and Home Minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza. The duo had to face some sledging from the keeper-slip combination of Rauf Siddiqui and Faisal Subzwari, but managed to score 10 and 12 runs respectively. Dr Mirza was the most technically-adept politician player on the pitch.

At the end of 20 overs, the G.CM-XI managed a modest total of 133. Salman Butt was the top scorer with 44 runs, and the butter-fingered wicket-keeping of Rauf Siddiqui provided entertainment and extra runs in equal measure.

When the Pakistan-XI came out to bat, their openers, Saeed Ajmal and Rao Iftikhar, blazed the trail to 85 runs for no loss within seven overs. Even Governor Ebad’s bowling was not spared. This onslaught ceased, however, when the openers retired, giving Faisal Subzwari and Rauf Siddiqui the opportunity to shine in front of the massive crowd.

Dignitaries such as City Nazim Mustafa Kamal, National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza, abd legendary cricketer Javed Miandad were among the more than 10,000 cricket lovers who had thronged the stadium to watch cricket getting politicised — in a good way of course.

The Siddiqui-Subzwari combination was pitted against Agha Siraj Durrani and Zulfiqar Mirza, who employed economical, yet innocuous spells of spin bowling. Despite stout defending, Subzwari lost his middle stump to a low full-toss after scoring seven runs. Eventually, Durrani snared a wicket as well.

Fittingly, Younus Khan scored the winning runs when he hit a boundary to finish the match as Pakistan-XI achieved the required target in 17 overs, at the loss of only two wickets.

Pakistan team:            Governor-CM combined XI

Younus Khan               Dr Shah [capt]

Kamran Akmal             Ishrat ul Ebad

Sohail Tanvir                Agha Siraj

Misbah                             Zulfiqar Mirza

Abdul Razzzak              Muhammad Ali

Shahzeb Hasan              Zubair Khan

Rao Iftikhar                    Manzar Imam

Muhammad Aamir      Salman Butt

Saeed Ajmal                    Khalid Ahmed

Rauf Siddiqi
Faisal Subzwari

Munawwar Abbasi

Ahmed Shehzad

* Some players in the G.CM XI were inducted on the spot because Umar Gul, Shoaib Malik, Fawad Alam and Nishar Khuhro did not play.

URL: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=193432

Teray Liyay Saray Ghum Hain Sahay…

Some ten years ago, when napster was the rage and having 540mb hdd meant you`re a uber-techie … I saw noori’s manwa re on tv and found myself hooked. This was soon followed by their appearance on PTV on a show called Rockin`2000 where they performed Mujhe Roko unplugged and aired the video of Khalla. All of this had the then still infant internet buzzing among pakistanis and noori were in demand. That is when on one of the greatest defunct website of all, I found a treasure trove of rare noori songs, allegedly hacked from Ali Noor’s PC.

Among those, was a song called Saari Raat Jagaa [SRJ], a brilliant song with fascinatingly dark lyrics, powerful yet complex composition with some phenomenal guitar work and drum solos. Since that moment, this song became one that I used to swear by, and in my opinion remains possibly among the greatest rock number from the land of pure.

Over the years, as my association with the band grew and I got to know them, and people closely related to the band, my love for this song kept growing. Particularly when I saw the original, handwritten notes of the first lyrics penned about this song, the intensely violent nature of them, the ideology behind the name, and ofcourse that initial audiogalaxy version of SRJ – all of them created this aura, this mystique about this song which had me drooling and anybody who`d talk about noori – would proclaim this number as among their favourite noori track.

From 2002 onwards, when the noori mania truly blossomed into a full fledged cult, people would clamour to noori concerts and implore the band to perform this song. One of the finest performance that I saw was at IBA concert at now defunct hotel metropole, followed by Noorifantaix concert at Lahore. Both times, the power of this song reverberated throughout the venue and brought the roof down like no other. When noori released their 2^nd album in 2005 – SRJ was considered as the jewel in the crown, the true Pièce de résistance of their record.

Fast forward to 2009 – with coke studio project, noori had an opportunity to perform a few of their best songs and rework them as a completely new entity and show their experimental side. Collaborating with the genius of Rohail Hyatt, and a collection of finest musicians in the country, this was the platform where possibly the most difficult, the most complex noori song, SRJ, would be reincarnated as something magnificent, something extraordinary.

With the house band and noori deciding to break the song into three distinct parts, Vocal and the Drums were the most critical elements as they were the bridge on this the whole transition between parts would take place. The fate of ‘flagship’ song of Coke Studio II, as declared by Rohail Hyatt, depended upon two men who have had their share of ups and down with each other.

As the band prepared to record the final song in their set at the studio, there was this keen sense of anticipation,  this buzz around the arena where everybody was looking forward to how the song will unfold in front of their eyes and if it is going to be an epic fail, or a masterpiece.

To the surprise of audience, Rakae Jamil, began the song with a mellow sitar solo, which caused the first ripple within the audience. The curiosity built as slowly yet surely, a fast paced, intense song took a completely new shape as the sitar solo was followed by traditional eastern instruments, fused with some violin; it created a surreal atmosphere, before actual singing began.

It is quite clear, once you hear the whole song, that Gumby is the rock on which this magnum opus is built. Gumby provided the foundation on which all the other artists could stand on and deliver what could possibly be described as the zenith of Coke Studio. Quite literally, this was the jewel in a very glittering crown of Coke Studio. The very performance  was testament to the skills of musicians involved, it paid tribute to the quality of all the in-house band who were putting on a show for us audience. This song, in words of the producer Rohail Hyatt himself, is the flagship song of the show and undoubtedly, speaks volumes about the genius that Rohail Hyatt is.

From the first transition, starting at 3.40, the journey began towards showcasing the luminosity of all the performers, the wonderful fusion with violin, rhythm guitar and sitar being the most outstanding of all, till the last part beginning at 6.25, where the entourage shifted a gear towards a rollicking final delivery which was based on the original song, this entire performance was a winner by a long distance.

The manner in which every single musician was allowed to contribute was most remarkable feature of this song. All the other songs on Coke Studio II had one standout/guest performer and rest of the house band had a bit and part contribution. On SRJ, the composition was done in such a manner that each and every artist was allowed space to deliver their best, and that is exactly what they did, giving SRJ a completely different identity, for which the entire team deserves a big round of applause.

P.S: One of the observation I made during these coke studio performances, is that the addition of Sitar particularly, and banjo and violin add immense value and quality to noori songs, something the band must consider about during their feature ventures such as albums and live performances.

‘Aik Alif’ – The Individuality …

Every once in a while, there comes a song that takes your breath away. There have been numerous examples where one single that came out and shook the world and created an image which is bound to last forever. Thriller in `82 , With or without you in `87, Smells Like Teen Spirit in `91 , Wonderwall in `95 are some examples.

Having said that, our  Pakistani pop music too  have had its share of instant classics which are never to be forgotten and certain to last generations. Dil Dil Pakistan was the original biggie, followed by Aietbaar, Neend Ati Nahin, Purani Jeans, Duur, Manwa Re, Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar and so many others.

Keeping up with that same tradition, June 14th 2009 saw the latest and arguably among the greatest piece of music from Pakistan see light of the day. Rohail Hyatt, the maestro, yet again delivered what he started off last year with the brilliant Coke Studio, by combining the unique abilities of two most diverse practitioners of music and giving birth to something which is completely, truly, and absolutely MESMERISING.

‘Aik Alif’, the famous kaafi by Bulleh Shah was performed by creating a fusion between contemporary guitar driven sound, vintage banjo, the mystical sufi instrument Ek Tara, and an assorted collection of unique instruments that provided the serene, sublime quality to the music and sung by the enigmatic  Sufi virtuouso, Saaein Zahoor and my FAVOURITE Pakistani band, Noori.

I have been exceedingly vocal about my partiality towards the noori brothers and their music. I have been religious following them since `99 and God knows how i miss the original line up and wish them to come back.

But here i want to set the record straight about my love for this singular performance.

I was fortunate enough to be invited by Ali Hamza, and ended up attending the recording session for noori in March earlier this year at Coke Studio. I honestly feel privileged in the hindsight, that i was witness to the live performance of one of the greatest single music performance with some of the most fantastic musicians in Pakistan.

I saw Aik Alif happening right in front of me, and believe me when i say; it was truly an out of world experience. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime moment when everybody in the room KNEW it that very instant they witnessed something ground breaking.

Although it took a while for the house band, and the main performers to gel together and decide on the arrangement and timings. Repeatedly starts faltered and retakes were done. But once the timing was sorted, and Rohail gave thumbs up for the first full take – the gang just elevated themselves to an entirely another planet. In one fluid motion, the entire place was swept over by the haunting chants of Allah Sayyan, the crashing cymbals, the violins, the rhythm, and ofcourse, Hamza’s banjo.

Believe me when i say, it was nothing short of divine. That single take, that 10 minute long performance, it was straight from heart. You can even see it in the video. By the end of the song, from 5:11 onwards, the smile on the faces of Noor, Gumby, Hamza … and the joyful final chant by Saeein, you could just feel the sensation, the hair raising tingle, that welling up of emotions, you could just feel that it was nothing but divine wizardry from men who were on absolute peak of their powers, who knew exactly that they attained the zenith of perfection in this single performance.

Saeein Zahoor has always been living under the shadow of some very famous sufi music practitioners in Pakistan but thanks to Rohail Hyatt, he has been brought forth in the mainstream media where more and more people are becoming aware of the unbelievable powers of the 72 year old grandmaster who has complete command and ability to maximise his abilities. He literally makes his Ektara weep and sing, his dervish like whirling, his black turban and those deep, intense intimidating eyes, they completely captivate the audience and once he starts singing – that magical voice with power like no other – completely mesmerizes those listening him. I repeat, he was the one who laid the foundation for a great performance with his brilliant opening part where he sang the kaafi, which enabled noori brothers to carry on the good work and take the song to next, an unprecedentedly high level.

Nobody doubted Saeein’s capability, however, when the second part of the song began with Hamza showing his nimble skills on a Banjo, the spotlight was well and truly on Ali Noor, the man with most to prove. Noor have always been accused of being the second best vocalist in his band, and he had the enviable task of ensuring he stands up to the scrutiny by critics, stands up to his own sky high expectations, stands up to Rohail Hyatt’s expectations – and by God, stand up he did.

With that superb performance, where he had to unleash all his vocal might and touch the highest octave and not let his voice break, Noor accomplished perhaps the most difficult task he was given, with flying colors. I`d like to slap them silly if anybody ever, ever dare questions Noor’s capability as a vocalist after his incredible performance on an incredibly difficult part of the song.

And now we come to ‘The Professor’, Ali Hamza – who had the ultimate job to give this song as rousing climax as possible, to deliver the most perfect ending, and Lord, Hamza delivered like he never did before. The Haq, the Taqat, Nayya, Manjhdar … it all just seamlessly melted together, with Hamza’s intense, deeply rich, throaty voice, which provided the perfect closing to this magic called ‘Aik Alif’.

There was this stunned silence in the hall. People had this bewildered look on their faces, knowing full well this was not an ordinary performance, and once it dawned upon them, the magnitude of it all, there was nothing but a standing ovation, which lasted for a good while, for the performers.

Since the first season of Coke Studio, I have been harping about Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar and how it is the single best Paki Pop Song, as well as the best song done on Coke Studio, despite some brilliant performances by Ali Azmat, Ali Zafar and others. ‘Aik Alif’, however, has simply destroyed the competition and set the bar way too high. It didnt matter one bit that Javed Bashir, Zeb and Haniya, Shafqat, Atif, they all performed some beautiful tracks but this one was simply far beyond anything ever done on Coke Studio.

I have nothing, but absolute respect for Rohail Hyatt, for words can’t do even remotest justice to what he has done, or what he is doing with this project. And i won’t even bother with confining the musical genius of the man in mere words – rather would suffice with a bow and another round of applause for bringing together the best of Pakistan Music, and giving them entirely different direction to explore and work some wonder for us deprived souls.

The Most Underrated Songs by U2

At times i wonder why the hell have i named my blog U2ism when i hardly ever write something on them. This, despite their new album released and two singles already out. 

Nonetheless, i will rectify the wrong today and start off on something that i have planned for a fairly long time, but just never got around to do it.

The most underrated songs in the U2 discography that people need to hear, and appreciate what they have been missing out by focussing more on the popular, crowd pleasing numbers and forget the gems that are hidden in their impressive song collection. 

So in first part – i will start off album wise, what in my opinion can be considered as a GREAT SONG, yet not many people have heard it often enough to realise the beauty, the context, and need to pay more attention to that song, as well as check out the real effect when that song is performed live, giving a whole new meaning. 

I will only consider songs from their studio albums and no singles. So here is the list. 

BOY

• Into the Heart 
• The Electric Co.

October

 

• Rejoice
• Tomorrow

 

War

 

• Drowning Man
• The Refugee
• Surrender

 

Unforgettable Fire

 

• A Sort of Homecoming
• Bad
• MLK

 

The Joshua Tree

 

• Running to standstill
• Exit
• In God’s Country
• Mothers of the Disappeared

 

Rattle & Hum

• Van Demien’s Land
• Heartland

Achtung Baby

• Whos’s Gonna Ride your Wild Horses
• So Cruel
• Trying to Throw Your Arms around the world
• Ultraviolet (light my way)

Zooropa

• Zooropa
• Lemon
• Daddys gonna pay for your crashed car

Pop

• Do You Feel Loved
• If you wear that velvet dress

All That You Cant Leave Behind

• New York
• When I Look at the World

How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb

• Love, Peace or Else
• Crumbs from your Table
• Original of the Species

So that is what i think is generally, compilation of most underrated, underappreciated U2 songs from all the albums they have released and those who havent heard, or paid close attention to, they must go back and hear these golden numbers to truly understand the beauty of why U2 is, well, U2. 

And now, for MY favourite songs among those that i ve listed. MY List of the top 10 greatest U2 songs, that do not get the respect they deserve , the songs which actually are part of my all time favourite U2 tracks, they come from this list of hidden treasures of the U2 discography. 

1. Bad
2. So Cruel
3. Running to Standstill
4. A Sort of Homecoming
5. Trying to Throw Your Arms Around the World
6. Whos Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
7. Tomorrow
8. Lemon
9. Do You Feel Loved
10. Surrender 

Well, shake it up baby, now / twist and shout (twist and shout)

 

OH. MY. GOD ! 

What a night. what a crowd. what a band. what a show !!!!

I have been trying to reign in my over-the-top excitement and the overflowing adernaline since i came home last night, i have failed. Simply because, noori performed a show which could easily rank as among the best live show they have done in their entire career. The set list, the crowd, the sound, and the overall band performance was nearly spot on, making it a most perfect concert. 

The show itself was quite a surprise, considering i was messaged only at 1pm by Hamza asking me to “attend and shoot our gig tonight at 9, hot poondi  there”. Quite clearly, he made me an offer i couldnt possibly refuse  

The venue was Royal Rodale, the show was organised by some students of AKU medical college, just one particular batch, with apparently NO sponsors ! Once i got there, it turned out the audience – students of AKU – hadnt reached there as yet. That time was killed by watching Shoaib Akhtar delivering a quite lethal spell of fast bowling, though which didnt fetch him any wickets. 

Anyhow, around 10ish reached the Royal Rodaly audiotrium where the students finally started coming in. Apparently there was some dinner or something due to which the students were quite dressed up and what not. Although i disagree with the poondi factor as there were hardly half a dozen girls who i really liked, but those 6 girls truly kicked some ass [Hamza may or may not disagree with the count] 

This was the first noori show i was attending after the last one at hotel ramada in november 2008,  and i was really looking forward to how noori will deal with the smallish venue and a very small crowd, with just 50 odd people. I though wonder whats up with noori, small crowds and violence ! even the last concert at Ramada, very few people came because of violence in the city and last night too there was some chaos in city.

Kher, as usual, noori fiddled with their lineup with their former durmmer Salman Albert making a return,  lead guitarist Aamir [ who hamza thinks is like Stewie from family guy ] and a DJ whos name i dont remember. 

The show started off with noor singing a karoeke version of manwa re to a student who got engaged a day before,  the band just suddenly shifted gears and opened up with a mighty version of Tum Hans Diye followed by their classic numbers. The set list goes something like this.

1. Manwa Re [Kareoke]
2. Tum Hans Diye
3. Neend Aye na
4. Ooncha
5. Do Dil
6. Kuttay
7. Nishaan
8. Mere Log
9. With or Without You
10. Ghazab ka hai Din / Twist and Shout
11. Yeh Jawani Yeh Deewani
12. Suno Ke Mein Hoon Jawan
13. Manwa Re [full version
14. Gana no. 1
15. Dil ki Qasam

P.s: i think they followed this order, with maybe a few songs agay peechay. 

Now then, as for the performance itself  ….. i dont think i `ll be able to do justice, besides my partiality is too strong which will not allow me to do an objective review. Nor do i really intend to do a review here. This time, i attended this concert primarily to ENJOY the noori experience and let loose and yell out, sing with the band as loud as i could. And i sure did that. With an intimate venue such as this, one can always expect the performers to link up more with the audience and when you have Noori, possibly the most entertaining of live acts in the country, this was meant to be a fiery affair. The boys head banged, the girls swayed and swung to the music, and the band unleashed a performance which was absolutely magnificent ! 

I never ever thought that i`d attend a concert where the performance of  ’With or Without You’ will be overshadowed by somethign else but last night – the impossible happened. Noori’s version of Ghazab ka hai din has always had quite a following but the surprise they pulled out last night was by closing that lovely bollywood song by adding a snippet of Twist & Shout, the beatle classic which i first saw on the movie Ferris Bueller’s day out. My lord, but that performance BLEW MY BREATH AWAY !!! I dont have words to explain how i felt when the band deliverd the most lethal combination of songs, starting off with Mere Log and finishing with Twist and Shout. 

That particular phase, for me, was the TRUE highlight of the show. The brothers were clearly enjoying the performance and with light banter going on between Hamza, who was evoking alot of gay love for the boys of AKU, and the audience. Thankfully, Noor didnt butcher ‘with or without you’ despite all my apprehensions and eventually, pulled off a fantastic version which had the crowd crooning for more, and left me almost in tears and with goosebumps ! . Priceless moment ! cant thank the guys enough for that ! 

The gig was concluded with a superlative performance of Dil Ki Qasam, one song which i am not too big a fan of, that was started off in a semi acoustic mode with slightly altered music, but later climaxed with a powerful rock version which literally brought the roof down.

Spellbound by mysticism

By Abid Hussain

Karachi

Carrying on the legacy of their famous ancestors, the Qavval Bacchoun ka Gharana and their father, the incomparable Munshi Raziuddn, the duo of Brothers Farid Ayaz and Abu Muhammad along with their ensemble provided a night of mystical nirvana to an enthralled audience.

They were performing on Saturday night at a local art school under The Second Floor’s (t2f) fund raising series ‘T2f:Renaissance’.

Although the event was not greatly advertised, the audience kept trickling in before the starting time and after 10pm, the show began as Fareed Ayaz started off with a Raag Bhopali. The ensemble has only recently started to garner popularity as their frequency of performing shows has increased. They still retain a core group of followers who religiously attend most of their shows and this one was no different. With a learned crowd which knew the nuances of the traditional Raags and Taans, the brothers created a fantastical atmosphere where they seamlessly linked the intricate poetry of Amir Khusrau, Bulley Shah, Jalal-ud-Din Rumi and many others.

Providing interpretation of the Kalaams which ranged from Arabic, Hindi, Persian and Punjabi, the Qavvals gave a brief history of the famous ‘Qaul’ of Amir Khusrau, before breaking into a thunderous rendition, with booming chants of ‘Munn Kuntu Maula’ ringing throughout the venue. This was followed by the evergreen, and perhaps the most famous of all Naats, Hazrat Imam Buseri’s Qaseedah Burdah Shareef which created a trance-like atmosphere, with the crowd swaying in unison.

As the clock ticked past midnight, there was no sign of slowing down for the duo which next broke into the rarely performed, but a most powerful Kalaam by Maulana Jalal Rumi, and Hazrat Kamil Shuttari’s ‘Mere Bannay ki Baat na Puchoo’. After a small interval, the crowd regrouped again as the performers then delved into the archives of Khusrau’s masterpieces such as Khabram Raseedam, the classic Chaap Tillak and various others, mesmerizing a crowd which was by that time, completely under a trance-like state.

The night was brought to a close with a rendition of ‘Lal Meri Pat’ and Dhamaal where the Qavvals were joined by an amateur yet supremely talented musician Yasir Qureshi, who played Darbuka (Goblet Drum) with them to give a rousing finale for the enchanted audience and bring curtains to a memorable night.

URL : http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=169909

The Qavvals perform Lal Meri Pat, with Yasir Qureshi at the back with Darbuka

Back on the horizon

After a hiatus of more than five years, the Irish rockers, U2 have returned with their new album No Line on the Horizon. Instep lends an ear… By Abid Hussain

Artist: U2 Album: No Line On The Horizon****

After a hiatus of more than five years, when they last released their 11th studio album – How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb – U2, the Irish quartet finally managed to conclude their labour of love in the shape of No Line on the Horizon which hit racks worldwide earlier this month.  The band was accused of playing safe by making two consecutive records which, although were critically acclaimed, didn’t particularly enhance U2’s already burgeoning reputation.  Critics went on to add that U2 were content with producing popular, crowd pleasing music with no inclination towards venturing into un-chartered territories. However, No Line on the Horizon is the album which catapults U2 back in the limelight – and this comeback is truly magnificent. The album took off two years back when the band assembled in the mystic city of Fez, Morocco with Rick Rubin on board as producer.

Soon, however, Rick Rubin was replaced by the dream team and long time U2 producers, Steve Lillywhite, Brian Eno and Danny Lanois.  Like a jigsaw puzzle falling in place, the four men and their producers went about working on the album with a new found vigour and passion and flew across continents recording bits and parts of albums at different studios with different ideas, and the eventual result is a resounding triumph of music, albeit with its share of flaws. Let me in on the sound To begin with, the first single is perhaps the weakest song of the album too. Bono has been known in the past for coming up with undecipherable gibberish, but this time round, the lyrics are quite diabolical in nature. Case in point, these lines from ‘Get on Your Boots’… “I got submarine / you got gasoline / I don’t want to talk about / wars between nations” hardly drives the point across the listener.  However, if we go by the set list of the album, No Line on the Horizon has arguably the best opening sequence after The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby.  Opening strongly with title track, an invigorating bass line runs throughout the song which allows Bono’s vocals to mesh well with chiming guitar work by The Edge.  ‘Magnificent’ follows next and it is quite simply, the most glorious of all songs. Edge is absolutely on fire. The guitar virtuoso, known mostly for his minimalist technique, indulges himself with a fine solo towards the end of the song which Bono fittingly ends with verses “Only love can leave such a mark / only love unite our hearts”. ‘Moment of Surrender’ is a seven and a half minute slow burner, rivaling Magnificent as the standout epic from the record. Edge is again in fine form with the rhythm section providing a divine like serenity. Bono belts out some of the most poignant lyrics ever penned by him – “At the moment of surrender / of vision over visibility / I did not notice the passers-by / and they did not notice me” – as the song concludes yet again with a classic Edge guitar solo, restrained yet memorable. ‘Unknown Caller’ is a truly Brian Eno number, opening with different musical instruments layering on each other, as the most melodious track of the album takes shape where Bono speaks about speed dialing, restarting and rebooting and finally, freeing up.  Next three songs are technically the weaker ones on the record, but ‘I’ll Go Crazy Tonight’ (the most catchiest of all and possibly, their next single), ‘Get on Your Boots’ and ‘Stand up Comedy’ all have major potential to be the next stadium hit during tours.  This is followed by the last phase of the album where the four men from north side of Dublin combine to stitch together songs which speak of the willingness to experiment and expand their horizons. Bono’s ode to a dying solider in Afghanistan, ‘White as Snow’ is an evocative number which has an eerie quality to it. It stand out among rest of the songs.  ‘Breathe’, the penultimate song on the album is the most ambiguous one. With heavy guitar riffs to start off strongly, Bono joins in with yet another set of nonsensical lyrics where he talks about ju-ju men and cockatoos. This song, besides ‘I’ll Go Crazy Tonight’, is going to have the most divisive effect on audience who will either love it, or hate it. However, credit must be given to real flourishing guitar work from The Edge.  ‘Cedars of Lebanon’ follows in footsteps of ‘White Snow’ as Bono dons the cap of a war weary journalist reporting from Middle East. As the song develops in a brilliant monologue, it is backed by some truly haunting bass line throughout the song which ends with an advice from Bono, ‘Choose your enemies carefully / ‘cos they will define you’. Quite relevant, if one may say in accordance with current times.  Verdict? After giving the album a repeated listen, it seems that despite having some epic anthems in the mould of U2 of old, this album cannot necessarily be touted as the third of the U2 masterpieces, behind The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. Maybe the closest thing – but it seems evident that despite the band striving really hard to experiment and move away from their comfort zone, there seems a slight bit of restraint.  Without a doubt, No Line On The Horizon is not a typical U2 album with straightforward rock numbers which are easy on ears and catchy enough to sing incessantly. This one is more of a grower and will slowly draw the listener in, weaving its magic. There are songs which will leave people puzzled and scratching their head. But what is obvious is that U2 certainly moved away from their tried and tested formula they applied on their two records released earlier this decade.  No Line on the Horizon remains among the most melodious yet experimental of U2 albums, with Edge in absolutely stunning form with his atmospheric guitar work and able support by Adam Clayton’s booming bass and Larry Mullen’s drumming. However, some of the lyrics fall flat slightly, which is rather unexpected, given Bono’s prolific lyric writing abilities as witnessed in past.  In the end, the thirst hasn’t been quenched the way one expected after waiting for five long years, yet No Line on the Horizon delivers just enough for one to eagerly look forward where U2 will go from here. *****Get the CD NOW! ****Just get it ***Maybe maybe not **Just download the best song *Forget that this was made URL: http://jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2009-weekly/nos-15-03-2009/instep/article2.htm

No Hope on the Horizon?

URL : http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=165701

 

NO HOPE ON THE HORIZON?
 

Thursday, March 5 2009
By Abid Hussain

As the tragic incident in Lahore unfolded in front of our eyes on Tuesday morning, the question lurked in the minds of most Pakistanis: “Where do we go from here?”

Cricket remains the most popular sport in the country and it has often been cited as the one factor which can unite our nation. Now with such a horrific incident to our credit and a history of security related concerns that have plagued our nation since 9/11, the future looks rather bleak for the sport.

While former cricket greats have condemned the incident, they have also predicted a dark future for the game in country. “It is a great tragedy. Something like this should never have happened. We talk about foreign teams being provided top security but after what happened today I don’t see any team coming to Pakistan for a while,” Waqar Younis, former Pakistan captain said.

Imran Khan, the premier all-rounder from the country has been quoted in the past as saying: “Countries should come to Pakistan to play cricket as terrorists have never targeted sportsmen.” After what happened in Lahore, however, the great Khan had no option but to express doubts about the future of cricket in the country. “Foreign teams have already been refusing to tour us and this will hurt Pakistan cricket badly. I don’t know what will happen to the World Cup 2011. It is tough to say anything right now,” he said.

Unfortunately, the biggest stakeholders, the common fans, have been left high and dry. Just when cricket was being revived in the country with immense help from the Sri Lankan cricket team and performances on the field, fans have had to endure yet another tragedy.

“In the space of three years, we have hit rock bottom. After the Oval 2006 crisis Pakistan cricket has been in a free fall. Now this incident has sealed our fate for the next decade at least,” said Raheel, a disgruntled cricket fan.

Commentators on the leading cricket website www.cricinfo.com also shared their grief. “A very sad event. No one in their right mind would tour Pakistan now. The PCB has no choice now. If Pakistan wants to play cricket, sadly it will not be at home for a long, long time,” a reader, Hashaam, commented on the website.

A large number foreign cricket fans also commented and expressed support and solidarity with Pakistan and the policemen who lost their lives.

“It was a sad thing to happen. Pakistani security men who gave their lives should not be forgotten. It may look like the end, but it is not. Cricket should move ahead. The Pakistani team should carry on playing. Neutral venues first but slowly and surely bring cricket back home however long it takes,” PS Sidhu remarked.

Another blogger in Australia predicted: “This is possibly the end of cricket being played in Pakistan for a foreseeable future unless the political and security situation stabilises.”

It seems quite obvious that Pakistan will not be able to host any international sporting event, let alone cricket, for a good number of years. Despite assurances from the government to provide VVIP protection to teams, this lapse in security has rendered those promises meaningless.

What remains to be seen is how the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and other authorities deal with the current scenario and the strategy they devise for the future of the team. Fans, however, have already started making plans. Yusuf, a die hard cricket fan said: “I will now plan my vacations to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) because that is where Pakistan will play ‘home’ matches for the next few years.” 

 

She`s gonna dream up / the world she wants to live in …

U2 just released their 12th studio album today worldwide  - and here i am taking a trip down the memory lane towards possibly their most underrated album, even more so than POP, but the most ground breaking album in terms of sound, arrangement and the approach band took while producing this gem.

Zooroopa the song remains for me as one of the hidden treasure of the U2 discography, in line with stunning songs such as  So Cruel, Exit, Do you Feel Loved, and a few others. 

Love this part of the song particularly, which happens to be the last part of the song, a two minute outro where Bono comes up with some fantastic symbolism and weave these lyrics with the most brilliant, yet experimental U2 music – till date. 

Enjoy ! 

And I have no compass
And I have no map
And I have no reasons
No reasons to get back

And I have no religion
And I don’t know what’s what
And I don’t know the limit
The limit of what we’ve got

Don’t worry baby, it’ll be alright
You got the right shoes
To get you through the night
It’s cold outside, but brightly lit
Skip the subway
Let’s go to the overground
Get your head out of the mud baby
Put flowers in the mud baby
Overground

No particular place names
No particular song
I’ve been hiding
What am I hiding from

Don’t worry baby, it’s gonna be alright
Uncertainty can be a guiding light
I hear voices, ridiculous voices
Out in the slipstream
Let’s go, let’s go overground
Take your head out of the mud baby

 

She’s gonna dream up
The world she wants to live in
She’s gonna dream out loud
She’s gonna dream out loud

                                                      Zooropa – By U2 from the album ‘Zooropa’

‘Not terrorised enough’ – Noori rocks Karachi

URL : http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=149980

Monday, December 01, 2008
By Abid Hussain

Noori @ Hotel Ramada

The city was rife with tension on Saturday, with word spreading on the streets about violence, killings and riots. While the violence was confined to certain areas of the city, fear reigned supreme across Karachi.

I was meant to attend a concert scheduled to take place on Saturday night at a hotel near the airport where rock band Noori was to perform. Unsure if the event would take place given the violence, I confirmed with the organisers, who replied in the affirmative. Despite the prevelence of fear, I decided to attend.

The distance to the hotel from my workplace was a good 10-12 kms and, during the drive, I observed that a few petrol pumps along the way had been closed.

Upon reaching the venue, it turned out that the concert, which was supposed to start at 9.30 p.m., was delayed for an hour due to lack of audience. Yet, as things were looking glum, within half an hour the venue started filling up with people.

The band themselves were quite keen on performing to counter the fear and panic and to provide the audience with much needed entertainment. As the concert kicked-off, the crowd responded in a remarkable manner.

Ali Noor, the vocalist, wearing a red shirt reading “Not Terrorised Enough”, was a bundle of energy along with his band members, belting out their famous numbers one after another, keeping the crowd mesmerised, almost leading them to forget the violence and fear outside.

The concert lasted for at least two hours, and, when it finished past midnight, the feeling of fright, present earlier, had dissipated to a large extent.

Honestly speaking, it was good to see a fair number of people turn out at the event and showing that Karachiites know how to have a good time and would not allow dread to dictate their lives.

This feeling was corroborated when, on my way back home after 1 a.m., I saw kids playing night cricket matches at various places, which brought a smile to my face. I thought back to Ali Noor’s T-shirt. “Not terrorised enough” indeed.

and the ‘2nd best Mayor’ award goes to …… LOL

 

Altaf and his love for the '2nd best mayor'

Disclaimer: Before i begin, i must clarify here that as much as i HATE MQM, their ideology, their methodology, and probably anything and everything related to them – I really admire Mustafa Kamal (MK) for all that he has done for the city, as much as he can. More later in the post itself.

 

Okay – now for the past 2 days ever since the ‘most reliable newspaper in pakistan, Daily Dawn‘ ran the story about Mustafa Kamal declared as the 2nd best mayor in the world – it honestly brought this sense of joy and pride. Simply for the fact that all this while, Karachi has been renowned more for being a terrorist’s den and apparently among the most dangerous cities on the face of this world. Reading something as uplifting as that, it was mighty cool. 

And then, the next morning when i head out for university & work – i kid u not, literally the ENTIRE CITY, from north nazimabad to gulshan to sharae faisal to korangi to punjab chowrangi to pidc to I I Chundrigar, EVERYWHERE there were huge white banners congratulating ALTAF BHAI and his chosen Mayor Mustafa Kamal for being the 2nd best Mayor. 

Now you see, as i mentioned in the disclaimer, i like MK. I really do. For all the problems that i have with his party, this man has single handedly done ALOT to continue the good work started by Naimatullah at the turn of the millenium for Karachi.  The problem starts when every damn thing has to be politicised and is related with the Bastard living in London. Now, that man is the single most despicable creature on this planet. I dont even want to call him a man, for he is an insult. 

So basically, the point is – MQM really likes to shoot themselves in foot. The biggest problem i have with, say, America, India, England is that the media assisted propaganda they indulge into. Very simple example being sports where it appears as if rest of the world is worthless whereas they are the demi-gods. All of these three countries are culprit of utilising media in such a manipulative manner that all else seems just insignificant. Ironically, this also shows the amount of control they possess over the communication medium. 

Back in Karachi, MQM holds that power. They have this manipulative control over mediums, through bullying and/or otherwise. You`ll see banners of Altaf Bastard sprouted all over the city. Every new development in the city is associated to the blessing of this hideous man.  And in incidents like these – this shameless, factually incorrect propaganda – is when they are brought down to earth. 

I mean, the news itself is worthy enough. Karachi was appreciated, MK was acknowledged for his good deeds. Why make this sort of hoopla that was made out all over the city. 

This friend of mine thinks that it is government’s ploy perhaps to trick MQM and MK into quitting the local body system and go back to commissionerate system. Now i just want to say here is that all of this mess is simply down to MQM’s own short sightedness and hyper behaviour. Only if their media cell would have been more careful in reading or comprehending the subject matter, this wouldnt have happened. Geo tv, since i work for a sister organisation and i know this first hand, is not necessarily anti-MQM as your purport them to be. I wish they were, but they arent really. The whole organisation is swarmped by people who `d probably die in the name of party. 

It COULD have been GREAT publicity for MQM, and for city, but only for the dumb media cell that they have – this really golden opportunity to bring some much needed good name to Karachi has been lost.  Pity, i tell u.

All in the name of politics and for stoking ego of one bastard. A Shame, really.

Mere Yaar aisay na looto mere Mann ka Qaraar …

I have had this window opened for a long while yet i was unable to type a single word. I was trying to comprehend the song for which i am making this entry. The song, which i heard way back in `92 and fell in love with. A song which i heard again in 2000 and fell in love, only harder.

And as things stand, i heard this song again – in 2008 – and i realised that the circle has completed. This song is complete in every which way. The song, of all the Pakistani music that i have heard in my life which spans quarter of a century, this song is, in absolute terms, the single most beautiful track. EVER. This song, is to me what ‘with or without you’ is… almost. I find it quite surprising that i eventually reached this conclusion after almost 16 years of hearing this song on and off again. This song is uncomparable, unparalleld, this song is absolute ecstasy.

There are songs which bring out the brooding self in you. There are songs which you want to listen while closing your self down from the world and let their haunting melody take over you. The kind of music, whos composition weaves an intricate magic which creates this soundscape, this dynamic sonic atmosphere where you attain a state of vertigo. You realise, you`re dizzy, flying high, in a world of your own where you might be lost, but that seems like the perfect sensation.

One may ask ‘Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar’ came out ages ago. Why do I all of a sudden wake up and proclaim this song is the GREATEST EVER SONG IN PAKISTAN POP. The reason is simple. Of all the description that i gave in the paragraph preceding to this one, was in actuality, meant to focus on the particular version of this already legendary song. Thus, in my mind, the leap of faith i experienced was down to the genius of one man. Rohail Hyatt.

I already considered SKYP as among the most beautiful songs ever, but the treatment this song got at Coke Studio recording simply blew my mind. The version performed there, i assure you, does justice to this song like no other.

The sonic structure, the dhol, the bass, the whole rhtyhm section, the eerie smoothness, yet synchronized guitar work. They all merge in such a fascinating manner, its fusion at its finest. It has this surreal, serenity around the music which brings the listener along with it to a journey towards unknown.

There are alot of songs that has this magical quality where they take me in another world. Where its just me, and the music. With or Without You, So Cruel, Lightning Crashes spring into my mind as examples. Yet, they all have a different flavour to what SKYP has. The fact its in Urdu, the fact that simplicity of the lyrics is quite  remarkable. The fact that this song STILL retains its charm exactly since the very beginning. I confess that i am obsessed about this version.

The title of this post pleads about not taking away the contentment from one’s life. For me, this song(post coke-studio treatment) provided the contentment to my life. Undoubtedly.

Khusboo Teri, Mujhe jo Choo Jaati Hai
Mere Mann mein Kaisey, yeh Deep Jala Jaati Hai
Khusboo Teri, Mujhe jo Choo Jaati Hai
Mere Mann mein Kaisey, yeh Deep Jala Jaati Hai

Mere Yaar aisay na looto mere Mann ka Qarar,
Mere Yaar aisay na looto mere Mann ka Qarar,    WOohhwww ..
Ho gaya hai tum say Piyar ….. Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar – By Strings

Big Girls are Best … fo sho !

In honour of the ‘Big Girl’ …. for everything

Oh Oh Ohhh
Oh Oh Ohhh
Baby

As long as the night is colored
Blue and black
Oh yeah yeah yeah
As long as you’re on your knees
And she’s not on her back
Oh yeah yeah yeah

Avenue Atlantico
Seventeen-oh-two
She’s coco butter
Baby, she’s the glue

She’s got the baby at her breast
She knows big girls are best

We sing it, we go, we go
Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma
We gonna weigh in
Ma ma ma ma ma ma

I’m gonna change like the weather
Hot to cold
Oh yeah yeah yeah
She’s keeps it all together
She’s got the motherlode
Oh yeah yeah yeah

She feels it
Every sensation
She’s got a smile
Like salvation
She’s got a baby at her breast
She knows big girls are best

Oh Oh ma ma ma ma ma
Ma ma ma sexy ma ma mom se ma ma
Ma se ma ma mom
Se ma ma ma se ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma

She’s ellipitical
Also political
All so spiritual
Not superficial
Yeah, she’s tropical
Yes, she’s illogical
Those little girls are a pest
Big girls are the best

Oh Oh Oh
Oh Oh Oh
Baby

As long as the night is colored
Blue and black
Oh yeah yeah yeah
As long as you’re on your knees
And she’s not on her back
Oh yeah yeah yeah

She can taste every sensation
She’s got a smile
Like salvation
She’s got a baby
A baby at her breast
She walk like she talk
Big girls are best

Big girls

Ma ma ma ma ma ma ma ma
Sexy ma ma ma ma ma ma ma
Sexy ma ma ma ma ma ma ma
Sexy ma ma ma ma ma ma ma
Sexy ma ma ma ma ma ma
My mama

Big Girls are Best – U2

Benazir-ism.wordpress.com ???

The way our politicians are cashing on the name of the slain leader, its becoming absolutely ridiculous, and just SAD ! I mean, REALLY – what the hail is wrong with all of them ? tomorrow the road i drive on becomes Bhutto road ? Larkana renamed as Benazir-ana ? Karachi’s tag of city of light turned to City of Benazir ? and the list would just go on !

Point being – Islamabad airport allegedly being renamed, Murree Road being renamed, Gadap town being renamed, Hospital being renamed – GODDAMMIT, WHY NOT RENAME THE ENTIRE COUNTRY ?!?!?!

Oh yeah, and the most remarkable news remains this information that Benazir’s birth place which for the longest time was Holy Family Hospital, is suddenly demoted from that status and the new revelation ( by God knows who ) says that Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was born in Dr Pinto Compound, Soldier Bazar – Karachi. Now then, this is becoming a joke now. Benazir was alive for 54 years. Apparently, the old site has now been demolished and a new Plaza stands there, hence the ’revelation’ to conveniently change the birthplace.

I dont know why she never found it important enough herself to correct this ’significant’ piece of information, nor did she ever went on to rename the country itself on her father’s name despite being in power twice. Maybe she was busy buying jewellery from Harrods or piling up the deposits in Geneva, atleast she didnt nauseate all of us with what her party members, particularly the asskissing PM and other goons.

God save us from this diarrohea of Benazir worshipping – because really IT DOES NOT MATTER AN IOTA where the hail was she born nor any overnight changes will occur if you change the name of just about every landmark here.

Blah. now wheres my atta !

 

As heartless and cruel as can be / she moves away from me …

Ahhh .. so now i finally make an appearance back here, armed with a MOST beautiful song sent to me by a most dear friend of mine. The moment i heard it, though, i knew just then that this is exactly the song that i needed, that i wanted to be there for me, to be my support in this time … pretty much says everything that i have in my mind. Must thank MJ for passing it on, and thank YOU … for its you who this song is for, wishing you just give it a chance, give me a chance – again so that we go on – together...

here it is ..

Well the answer is always the same,
Won’t you please just let it be.
Cause I’ve been there and all I can say,
Is that it slips away from me.
With the memory of yesterday’s grace,
She spins away from me,
So I can go on.

As cold as the void of the night,
The dark’s surrounding me.
She leaves me there every time,
As alone as I can be.
And I drift with the thought of her eyes.
She’s all that I can see,
But I will go on.

Every long night,
Every whisper,
Every song that never saw it coming,
And she says it’s oh so right.

Every cold night,
Every shiver,
Every time I didn’t feel it coming.
She says it’s oh so right.

As heartless and cruel as can be,
She moves away from me.
Still I need to be hers every time,
With all that I can be.
As she calls in the deep of the night,
She takes all I’ve got from me,
So I can go on.

Every long night,
Every whisper,
Every song that never saw it coming,
Baby don’t you know that it’s not alright,
It’s not alright, no, no, no.

Every cold night,
Every shiver,
Every silent scream,
And she never listens.
Well it’s not alright, not alright.

She rides with the gods of the night,
She rules the tides in me.
She crushes the waves with her sigh,
And she…oh lord… becomes a part of me,
But her care is as sharp as a knife.
I’ll say, for how can she step away from me,
How can you just walk away from me?

Every cold night,
Every whisper,
Every silent scream,
And you never listen.
And you say what?…It’s alright,
Well it’s not alright, no, no.

Every last time,
Every shiver,
Every dirty game.
Well it just isn’t right,
It just isn’t right.

She wakes at the dawn of the day,
And takes my heart from me.
Leaves me with nothing to say,
Nothing left for me,
But the fever of final goodbyes,
She spins away from me,
So I can go on…

I can go on Let it be – Kane

Tonight, Tonight

Great song by smashing pumpkin – even better video.

Believe, believe in me, believe
Believe in the resolute urgency of now
And if you believe theres not a chance tonight
Tonight, so bright
Tonight

We’ll crucify the insincere tonight
We’ll make things right, we’ll feel it all tonight
We’ll find a way to offer up the night tonight
The indescribable moments of your life tonight
The impossible is possible tonight
Believe in me as I believe in you, tonight

…. Only if YOU believe in me ….

Tere Piyar Mein …

A song which i had noticed a few times when its video was aired on tv, but truly i came to appreciate it when i was introduced to it by a dear friend of mine who suggested that this song appropriately reflects whats happening with me. Thanks for that =)

That said, I dedicate this song to ‘You’. You know what i want. You know it all. You knowI ll wait. You know i wont let go.

p.s: Zee Khan, THIS song can be the candidate to the best love song of the year

Tere pyaar mein
dil haar kay
mai nay kya paaya
kya gawaaya

Tujh ko chaaha
tujh ko pooja
mai nay tujhe dil mai basaaya
tere liyay aye bewafa
kaisay jiya haye
kya kya kiya

Tere pyaar mein
dil haar kay
mai nay kya paaya
kya gawaaya

Teri yaadein
woh saari baatain
tu he bata kaisay bhulaaoon
kis say kahoon aye bewafa
dil kis tarhaan hai
toota mera

Tere pyaar mein
dil haar kae
mai nae kya paaya
kya gawaaya

Tere Piyar Mein – by Kaavish the Band.

Time has Come …

The moment of truth has arrived. Soon i `ll find out where do i stand. Where will i go from here. Now is the time when everything falls into perspective and the picture will present itself to me. Completely. Hopefully, in my favour.

I wasnt’ Jumping, for me it was a fall / It’s a long way down to nothing at all …

One of the most poignant U2 number, a profound, yet hauntingly melodious track – Stuck in a Moment (and You cant get out of it ) – Its been sometime, yet i am still stuck in the moment and there seems no way i am going to get out of it – importantly – i dont intend to.  If anything, my faith, my believe is going to carry me forward and i STILL pray and hope the tide is going to turn – no matter what – in my favour . INSHALLAH. Here it is, for you, love.

 Stuck In a Moment (And You Cant Get Out of It)
  

   I’m not afraid
   Of anything in this world
   There’s nothing you can throw at me
   That I haven’t already heard

   I’m just trying to find
   A decent melody
   A song that I can sing
   In my own company

   I never thought you were a fool
   But darling look at you
   You gotta stand up straight
   Carry your own weight
   These tears are going nowhere baby

   You’ve got to get yourself together
   You’ve got stuck in a moment
   And now you can’t get out of it

   Don’t say that later will be better
   Now you’re stuck in a moment
   And you can’t get out of it

   I will not forsake
   The colors that you bring
   The nights you filled with fireworks
   They left you with nothing

   I am still enchanted
   By the light you brought to me
   I listen through your ears
   Through your eyes I can see

   And you are such a fool
   To worry like you do
   I know it’s tough
   And you can never get enough
   Of what you don’t really need now
   My, oh my

   You’ve got to get yourself together
   You’ve got stuck in a moment
   And you can’t get out of it

   Oh love, look at you now
   You’ve got yourself stuck in a moment
   And you can’t get out of it

   I was unconscious, half asleep
   The water is warm ’til you discover how deep

   I wasn’t jumping, for me it was a fall
   It’s a long way down to nothing at all

   You’ve got to get yourself together
   You’ve got stuck in a moment
   And you can’t get out of it

   Don’t say that later will be better
   Now you’re stuck in a moment
   And you can’t get out of it

   And if the night runs over
   And if the day won’t last
   And if our way should falter
   Along the stony pass

   And if the night runs over
   And if the day won’t last
   And if your way should falter
   Along this stony pass

   It’s just a moment
   This time will pass

then she makes you watch her from above / and you need her like a drug …

This entry, i made sometime back on my previous blog and just felt this is the right time to re-post it again … for this is the kind of phase i am in these days and i dontknow many songs that can reflect my mood better than this song right now. One of the greatest songs ever, and its a song that is right there in my heart … just like ’You’ are ….  and for this reason i feel thissong is almost true reflection of my state of mind. Perhaps with the exception of the last line of the song when it says “Oh…love…to stay with you I’d be a fool Sweetheart…you’re so cruel” -

 Besides that – this song is my life - the fact that this song remains in my top 3 u2 songs of all time and the fun bit is 2 out of 3 songs, i ve always associated them with myself for some unknown reasons, which now almost have become reality. This is for You … yet this is not the final word. I will not give up. Yet …. All i want is You.

I have been asked a few times listing my top U2 favourite songs and i ve almost always managed to name my top 4 straight ahead. So Cruel is one of them and it surprises most of the people. This Song was recorded on the U2 epic, ‘ACHTUNG BABY‘ and is possibly, the most underrated song of the entire U2 discography, or so i think atleast. Not a most recognizeable song but then as i mentioned, one of the very rare U2 song which talks about relationship and only relationship.

Love/hatred/possessiveness/jeaoulsy/betrayal … all of it is SO evident in this song. Bono wrote one of the most poignant and moving lyrics of his life in this song. They just hit the right chords in such a manner the listener is in a trance, and shaking by the end of song, his body intense, thoughts swirling wildly in mind … this song is coming from a mind which is at its most restless and most volatile and disturbed. Its a dangerous song. and Danger is good. So is this song. This song is Good, or perhaps , much more than that. much more than any amount of words can do justice to what this song is. Next time, play it at 1:30am, switch off the lights and let it go on a loop. Experience the ‘So Cruel’ phase. Its phenomenal. its unbelieveable. its mindblowing.Its stirring. Its nostalgic. Its extraordinary. Its brooding, and above all,  Its painful …. most painful … so mcuh so it makes me cry. Yet, i love it all. the way i love You. So Cruel

We crossed the line
Who pushed who over
It doesn’t matter to you
It matters to me

We’re cut adrift
But still floating
I’m only hanging on
To watch you go down
My love

I disappeared in you
You disappeared from me
I gave you everything you ever wanted
It wasn’t what you wanted

The men who love you, you hate the most
They pass right through you like a ghost
They look for you but your spirit is in the air
Baby, you’re nowhere

Oh…love…you say in love there are no rules
Oh…love…sweetheart…
You’re so cruel

Desperation is a tender trap
It gets you every time
You put your lips to her lips
To stop the lie

Her skin is pale like God’s only dove
Screams like an angel for your love
Then she makes you watch her from above
And you need her like a drug

Oh…love…you say in love there are no rules
Oh…love…sweetheart…
You’re so cruel

She wears my love like a see-through dress
Her lips say one thing
Her movements something else
Oh love…like a screaming flower
Love…dying every hour…love

You don’t know if it’s fear or desire
Danger the drug that takes you higher
Head in heaven, fingers in the mire

Her heart is racing, you can’t keep up
The night is bleeding like a cut
Between the horses of love and lust
We are trampled underfoot

Oh…love…you say in love there are no rules
Oh…love…sweetheart…
You’re so cruel

Oh…love…to stay with you I’d be a fool
Sweetheart…you’re so cruel

You could listen to Achtung Baby every which way. You could turn it upside-down. You could look at it from a dozen different angels. It doesnt matter. No matter what wa you come at it, there is blood on the tracks. And nowhere is this more evident than in the ballad ‘So Cruel’
Introduction to SO CRUEL taken from ‘U2 – into the heart by Niall Stokes’
 

So Cruel …

yet, All I Want is You. and YOU only.

p.s: Thats now 2 posts consecutively for ’you’.

p.p.s: Failure, thats what it is. just got it reaffirmed.

Failure …

Failure to Sustain. Failure to Compete. Failure to Achieve. Failure to Succeed.Failure to Dream. Failure to move on. Failure to IDGAF when you most want to.

When all your life, despite making wrong choices, fighting fate, surviving through bad luck – yet mostly still coming out on top makes you feel like invincible, of sorts – i guess that is when failure hits you, and if you are me – then it hits you three times. in One go. Three killer blows. Three. Killer. Blows.

1.2.3: Bam !

Man, that hurts. seriously, it hurts. Cant decide which one is worse. Cant express which one burns me more.

Blah.

Wish i could IDGAF, i wish i could. But then, i wouldnt be what i am if i could IDGAF any of these failures. But above all, You, only if had YOU to show for my ONE success out of all this mess i am in right now.

God, have mercy. Amen.

What`s Going On, really …

After what all of us saw today happening in Karachi in the name of ‘PUR-AMAN RALLY (peaceful rally) and Judiciary. Neither it was peaceful, nor it was justice. I ended up asking myself, Whats going on, really …. whats going on.

What’s Going On
Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today – Ya

Father, father
We don’t need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what’s going on
What’s going on
Ya, what’s going on
Ah, what’s going on

In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on

Father, father, everybody thinks we’re wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh

Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What’s going on
Ya, what’s going on
Tell me what’s going on
I’ll tell you what’s going on – Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby

- Marvin Gaye

Beaching at Evening !

Moon Series Contd.

Originally uploaded by bono-fan.

Aziz Miyan Qawwal sang in his famous qawwali ‘Bewafa Youn Tera Muskurana’

Chandni Raat / Darya mein Safeena / Hath mein Meena / Sath Haseena
Bhool Janay kay Qaabil Nahin hai …

I went to hawksbay on 3rd of April to spend my evening there – first time i went to a beach after a while and man, it was fantastic ! Made this trip particularly to use it as an opportunity to take a few pictures of sunset. Cloud cover was a bit iffy and such that i didnt really get a good sunset view nor the horizon gave up beautiful colors like it often does , but comes Chanda Mama as a saviour and what a splendid look it gave to the whole sky ! it was Chaudvien (14) ka chaand (moon) and i SO knew why urdu poetry is so full of references to the moon and all the appreciative dialogue about Moon and love and emotions. It was one of the finest sight i have seen and i am so glad i managed to capture them. Thank God for that.

Happy 20th Birthday to JOSHUA TREE !!!!

 So …. This blog is called U2ism. Ever wonder that there is not much U2 stuff put up over here, considering i am a self confessed U2 nut, a U2 freak, anything thats U2 and my friend ring/sms me and tell me about it  and are surprised if i actually dont know the news already. Well … considering i have THAT kind of love for U2, its a bit weird that i dont have regular posts on U2 on my blog.

Well, i am going to put it right today. For the fact that today was the day when 20 years ago U2 came out with their first Master Piece – THE JOSHUA TREE

This album, to me, represents what U2 is all about. This is the album that contains three of my MOST FAVOURITE U2 songs. This is the album, that has the most single most iconic cover. This is the album that surpassed all other U2 albums ever released before or after in terms of popularity and sales. This is the album that created plethora of records for. This is the fastest selling album in U2’s history. This is the album which makes up for 20 % sales of U2 albums in America till date (More than 10 million copies of this album sold out of 50 million of all U2 albums in USA).This album won U2 their first grammy awards. This album brought U2 to America. This album helped U2 achieve whatever they have in their almost 30 year career. This is the album that made people realize what U2 is all about. This is the album which actually converted people into U2ism. This is the album that converted ME into a U2ist.  This is the album that people recognize U2 with. This is the album that made U2, U2 . This album is U2’s legacy. There would be NO Achtung Baby if there was no Joshua Tree. This album is history in itself. This album is for the ages.This album has the song which i love more than ANY OTHER SONG in the world.  This album … for me … IS THE SINGLE BEST COMPILATION OF SONGS …. EVER !

I could keep on going, i  could cite figures and statistics and polls and votes, which place Joshua Tree in the top echelons of music history in terms of finesse and quality and their impact on music over course of time. Rolling Stones magazine is considered the single biggest authority over Music – they rate Joshua Tree as the fourth best album of all time. 

I am not well aware of the technology and skills which are needed to call an album good. I dont have such knowledge, nor do i really care – for Joshua Tree is an album that connects with me in every way. I cant really articualte it in words as to how or why, but really, i have heard alot of songs, alot of music over the course of time but for some reason – nothing can ever come close to what i feel when i hear this album. My most emotional, most energized, most dark, most sobering – this album has the power to bring out so much into me it surprises even. You know, the kind where words really fail to do justice and its the feeling that is all you have.

And if there is one song that makes me feel – its for me the greatest song EVER written. The greatest song ever performed. The song that is just simply … beyond believe. Beyond any imagination of how good a song can be. That song is MY SONG. and that song is WITH OR WITHOUT YOU – the song that makes me cry, the song that can bring me to tears in no time,  let me say it again , this has to be the greatest song ever.

Well – now that i am somewhat done with the emotional outburst for JT due to my extreme attachment to this album – i can now move forward and break down a bit more about it and write about it.

Released on 9th March 1987, Joshua Tree (JT) became an instant hit among fans all over the world. It was recorded in a mansion called Danesmoate House , Dublin in 1986               ( which is now owned by U2 Bassist Adam Clayton who bought it for 380,000 euros). It followed U2’s previous album Unforgettable Fire which had classics like Bad and Pride. U2’s previous two albums (War and Unforgettable Fire ) were overtly political in nature and they had a social theme going in them. With JT, they shifted a gear and moved into the self realization, self discovery mode and most of the lyrics on this album represents such mood of the band. More introspective, more brooding and occasional protests against political injustice, JT became the biggest achievement of U2 till then. Times Magazine placed U2 on their cover calling them ROCK’S HOTTEST TICKET after the release of JT.

Joshua Tree has 11 songs in all and first three songs are often recalled as the most powerful 1-2-3 songs in an album. Who can argue with that claim – the rebellious Where the Streets, the soulful gospel I Still Havent Found , The ambiguous With or Without you

They were followed by the most open denouncement of USA in form of Bullet the Blue Sky, the first song where Edge REALLY unleashed his axe wielding wizardry and skills that changed into the mournful yet most hauntingly melodic Running to Stand still, among the most underrated U2 songs. That had to be most powerful top 5 anyone could come up with. You`d give this album the title of Best of U2 and nobody would argue. It was that kind of album. Lyrically it ventured into places where U2 never went before – it was a journey of self discovery and it was a most passionate one. It was a journey to discover faith and it was a most spiritual one.  The discovered all.

One can just keep on writing about Joshua tree and then never run out of things to say, or otherwise one feels that its plain useless to write anything about an album like Joshua Tree for it wont be able to do justice. As i mentioned previously .. Joshua Tree is not just a mere compilation of songs, its an experience in itself. This album needs to be heard, in one go and given proper attention and only then someone will be able to find whats hidden inside this gem. and then they ll find themselves addicted to it.  I have often been in debate with people who argue if Joshua Tree is better or Achtung Baby. I have almost similar emotions and attachment towards AB and at times, with some songs AB almost seem to take the edge but then primarily for loyalty reasons – JT was my first U2 album i heard and ofcourse – because of three songs – JT remains MY all time favourite album among all that i ve heard. With or Without You, Where the Streets and Running to Stand Still. And there are another 8 most brilliant songs that i chose not to name.

Happy Birthday – Joshua Tree !  =)

…… nothing to win and nothing left to loose / and you give yourself away …  I cant live – With or Without You …