Interview with Atif Death

By Rameez Asif

Hi, Atif. How are you? What’s up? How’s life?

I’m fine, thanks. I’m busy with work these days and digging old school rock and roll and classic heavy metal.

Are you still doing music these days or is it all over for you?

These days? I’m not doing any music at all. I haven’t been for a long time now. It’s been almost 3 years since the last gig and there haven’t been any jam sessions. Lots of reasons behind that. Coming to the last part of the question, it’s not over yet. I will come back to haunt some wannabe mother f****** out there. Commercial and so-called “rock bands”-WATCH OUT!

Your major influence which forced you to do music?

Art should be free from Boundaries

- Neha Jain, Sampurn Media

A toy piano has played a crucial role in Aao Wish Karein’s composer-lyricist Xulfi’s life. It was his mastery over that toy piano that made his brothers gift him a bigger keyboard. And Xulfi, a self-taught musician and the ex-lead guitarist of the first Pakistani mainstream rock band Entity Paradigm, made the most of it.

Xulfi broke into Bollywood with ‘Laaree Chootee’ from Ek Chalis Ki Last Local, and has composed music for four Bollywood movies since. The founder of the band Call, and a rebel at heart, Xulfi is excited about releasing Call’s album Dhoom, working in Bollywood and wishing for a collaboration with Linkin Park.

From Jilawatan’s metal rock to Aao Wish Karein’s essentially pop rock, has Bollywood been constraining your music or do you have the freedom of composition?

By

Sadaf Fayyaz

“Sab Tun Sohniyeh” guy shares something new about him and speaks out now and is again ready to rock his fans after “Aatish”,  “Sab Tun Sohniyeh” and “Mantra”. Full of energy and life, he never stops. His music deeply reflects his novelty and arty idiom. Filled with much more energy and charged with inimitable enthusiasm, crème de la crème of Pakistan Pop music with comprising sagacious peculiarities: that is Faakhir Mehmood.

Q1. It’s a long time after Mantra, nothing new from your side.

Faakhir: In fact, I am working on my upcoming album and just back from a concert at Toronto. I am still so exhausted and sleeping a lot. I feel like releasing it when things and conditions are a bit settled, when people are in a mood to enjoy good and colorful music.  I like to give  a gap of about two years in my albums. But it’s almost four years after “Mantra”, this gap is a bit longer.

Exclusive interview with Alan Simon

Sadaf Fayyaz speaks to Alan Simon, the founder of band Taal Karisma, Alan shares something exclusive on his music, so the rhythm speaks itself.

Q1. Tell us something about your band.

Alan: I came up with the idea of a band formation a couple of years back. Taal Karisma was founded in November 2006. It basically means the “madmen in rhythm”.

Q2. When and how did you initially get interested in music?

Alan: Since at the age of six or seven, I used to have a keen interest in music. I used to play the kitchen items like empty cans and cookie containers. There were influences from church and I was passionate about music. I decided to buy a Tabla in 1998. I was in fact, the first student to be enrolled for learning solo Tabla at NAPA. Then, I got training from Ustad Basheer Khan and learnt some drumming techniques from Gumby too. I always desired to be a percussionist.

Interview with Zeeshan Hayat

Sadaf Fayyaz speaks to upcoming musician, singer, song writer and producer Zeeshan Hayat of “Feedback”, about his latest song “Aankhon Mein” and explores some interesting facts regarding his music.

Q1. Tell us something about your background and education.

Zeeshan: I have done my B.com from Islamia College and hold a fine arts degree too. Besides music, I am an interior decorator too and have worked on some official projects as well. Basically I am Urdu-speaking. I have my own café in Defence too. Besides this, I have also worked as sound engineer. I have my own studio too.

Q2. When and how did you get interested in music?