Having performed in India over the last 10 years, Faisal Kapadia of the Pakistani pop band Strings isn’t just glad he’s part of the Aman Ki Asha initiative, he believes he deserves to be part of this Indo-Pak peace venture.
“We’ve been ambassadors of Pakistan, we’re among those who represent Pakistani music in India, and through our concerts we meet the youth, the common man on the streets in India… We’ve had a consistent interaction with the people of this country,” he says.
Strings is performing with Indian Ocean in Ahmedabad on February 20, and Faisal also points out that the connection through music that Aman Ki Asha, a joint initiative by the Times of India and the Jang group of Pakistan, attempts to establish between the people of the two countries should be extended to other fields as well. “There is a lack of connection in everything else — trade, entertainment, student exchange,” he says. “And that’s unfortunate, considering that the people of India and Pakistan have so much in common— their culture, their language.”
As a pop singer, though, Faisal has the satisfaction of connecting to the youth of both the countries. “The older generations carried with them the baggage of a turbulent past. But the youth— those born in the 90s or after that – aren’t familiar with that past, they do not relate to the divisive ideology. And I think as musicians, we have an important role to play in bringing them together and communicating the message of peace,” he asserts. “When we are on the stage, music takes over. You don’t realise then where you are performing – in India or Pakistan. The love of the audience, the way it responds to you, is what matters then. And if you ask an Indian singer who goes to Pakistan to perform, he’ll have the same thing to say,” adds Faisal, who rues that post 26/11, things between India and Pakistan went off track and a lot of plans that Strings had for Bollywood couldn’t reach their proper conclusion.
But Bollywood, avers Faisal, has also played a vital role in bridging gaps. “When a Bollywood movie releases on Friday, there’s as much anticipation for it in Pakistan as there is in India: people queue up outside theatres or rush to grab a DVD. And through films and Indian TV channels, there’s a great deal of exposure that people in my country get to India,” he says. However, there’s no such medium for Indians to get to know of their Pakistani counterparts. As Faisal puts it, “As of now, the only Pakistani import to Indian entertainment is music, and though it may not be as wide a canvas as films or television, we hope it changes the perception people here have of those across the border. When someone goes back from our concert, we hope he thinks of Pakistan in a different way.”
Read more: Strings-Indian Ocean to perform together – The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/music/news-and-interviews/Strings-Indian-Ocean-to-perform-together/articleshow/7515823.cms#ixzz1EgEwtQaz
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Strings recently performed a series of concerts in Hyderabad and Delhi in India. Hyderabad has been a regular venue for the band ever since their comeback album, Durr, released a decade ago. The band enjoys a massive fan base in that city.
This time round the opening venue was the Asian School of Business with a crowd of over 5,000 fans cheering for the band as Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood belted out Zinda, Najane Kyun, Anjaane, Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar, Koi Aanay Wala Hai, Aakhri Alvida, Chaaye Chaaye, Dhaani and Mera Bicchra Yaar.
The second show was for a bank. The young corporate Indian crowd grew up listening to Strings as students, and they are now spreading a positive word about Pakistan throughout the country.
Strings then took to stage on the rooftop of the Jolly Rogers Rock Club in New Delhi. The last time the band performed in the city was at the Saarc Festival in January 2010 in which Strings represented Pakistan. After 26/11, there had been a halt in the cultural exchanges between Pakistan and India and many a music deal and gigs were called off.
Faisal recalls, “After the release of Dhaani, we used to perform in India at least twice a month. But, after 26/11, things were political ly very changed. Every month, we used to turn down two to three concert offers because the visa process takes so much time that it’s actually impractical to perform that often.” So how different was it this time round? “After performing, we realised that things are moving in the right direction and the reaction of the audience and the Indian people towards Pakistan has changed quite a lot. And here, I am talking of a common Indian citizen, because people who come to our concerts are our fans and always want peace. But, one gets to know the real reaction from a common man who doesn’t follow our music. And, I must say, it has been a very positive change,” said Bilal.
How does music bridge the gap between the two countries? “Music is so powerful that when it is played nobody cares which country the artiste belongs to. People are mesmerised by Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali, Abida Parveen and Ghulam Ali in India. Similarly, Rahat Fateh Ali’s and Atif Aslam’s songs in Indian films prove that Pakistani musicians are playing a very important role in winning the hearts of the Indian audience. Also, Ali Zafar featured in an Indian film just recently. Music is all about positivity,” said Faisal.
Strings’ songs have been a part of Sanjay Gupta’s film’s soundtracks such as Zinda (Yeh Meri Kahani) and Shootout at Lokhandwala (Aakhri Alvida). “Our fans will surely be listening to some Bollywood projects by us this year,” disclosed the band. And on why doesn’t Strings feature more often in film music? Bilal said, “It’s because we don’t do playback singing. We only do it when the theme of the movie goes with our music.” FInally, Strings also visited Mumbai and hung out with friends John Abraham, Javed Akhtar and Diya Mirza. — Shahzeb Shaikh ¦for Dawn Images.
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Strings plan to kick off the new year with the release of another patriotic song and a possible US tour. PHOTO: FILE
KARACHI: Band member Bilal Maqsood spoke to The Express Tribune about the band’s current projects and upcoming tours.
How do you feel about Strings’ upcoming tour to India?
We are really excited about going to India. Insha Allah we’ll be performing in Hyderabad Deccan, Delhi and Mumbai. India is always fun. We always come back energised and full of fresh ideas.
What is lined up for the coming year?
We are currently in the studios recording another patriotic song. Hopefully we will release it in January 2011.
Which places do you plan to tour in 2011?
We are in the process of finalising a tour of the US. Plus Dubai and India are always on the plate.
How was your latest song and video “Ab Khud Kuch Kerna Paray Ga” received?
As much as we wanted to record and release the song, we were equally unsure about the response it would receive. Since the message was from the heart and hard-hitting, it struck the right note with the audiences. The response was overwhelming. Apart from a small section of people who thought the video should have been more positive, everyone just loved it and thought it was very inspiring and motivating. We just wanted to let the anger of our system out but in a constructive way. We believe this video got us a lot of new fans who see Strings in a different light.
Strings has also performed at a number of charity concerts recently. What was the band’s motivation behind the move?
We have been blessed. By the grace of God, Strings has been around for a long time. It has been 20 years since we released our first album, in 1990. We see bands breaking up, musicians quitting music, friends losing their jobs, relatives being shot and robbed, our country being torn apart, but somehow we still manage to survive. In the darkest of times in our careers, we have seen light – a hope to keep on working no matter what. We want to give back because we believe that is how we keep going. The more you give, the more you get back. It might sound a little selfish but it’s true.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2010.
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Musical difference: Strings keep the flood victims issue alive
They visited flood affected areas, consciously started doing concerts for the benefit of flood victims and went up to London to perform at a philanthropic black tie affair to raise money for and awareness about the ongoing disaster
Shahzeb Shaikh
Karachi
Newsweek termed Pakistan as the bravest nation recently. And why not? Even the natural calamity of the devastating floods has failed to destroy the patriotic spirit this nation possesses. Amidst a fragile economic situation and questioned credibility of rescue organizations, there is no dissimilarity
between the enthusiasm of people which one witnessed at the time of 2005 earthquake. If the magnitude of the calamity this time around is tenfold, so are the efforts of the rescuers. Musicians all across the country are showing their jingoistic spirits with involvement in a myriad of flood relief activities. One such act is renowned band Strings, comprising of Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood. The duo has always been vigilant whenever the need has arisen in critical times. In the same spirit, the band has planned a series of charity concerts for the fund-raising campaign for flood victims.
“We are massively involved in the initiation of a concert series for flood relief victims. It will be a three-concert series which will start in November in various cities of Pakistan in which many artistes will join hands,” said Faisal Kapadia while speaking to Instep Today.
Strings opened up their fund-raising ventures in the form of a livewire performance in The City School, Lahore. It was a hit event where throngs of youth gathered and sang in unison which portrayed the harmony and love amongst the nation. Perhaps, their performance at the launch of the British Pakistan Foundation in London could be considered one of their most acclaimed efforts for the fund-raising campaign. The band was especially invited to perform in a glittery event. It was a black tie affair, attended by a glitzy assembly of the who’s who of Britain’s Pakistani community and their friends.
Founded and led by the British Pakistani entrepreneur, television personality (from BBC’s hit series Dragon’s Den) and philanthropist James Caan and Community and Friends of Pakistan at a critical moment in Pakistan’s history, the British Pakistan Foundation (BPF) is dedicated to improving the socio-economic condition of the people of Pakistan. Its unique approach aims to encourage and support philanthropy amongst the British Pakistani diaspora and to collectively use its intellectual and financial capital to improve and change Pakistan. According to its founder, the foundation was motivated by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi – along the lines of the American Pakistan Foundation that he had earlier encouraged in 2009. The event was a high profile one with the presence of Pakistani Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, British Foreign Secretary, William Hague, Pakistani ambassador, MPs of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats and many others. The event raised over 200,000 pounds for flood relief.
The floor literally jolted as the crowd welcomed the duo on stage amid massive applause. Their mood was subtle as they belted out their hits like ‘Koi Aanay Wala Hai’, ‘Duur’, ‘Dhaani’, ‘Sohniye’, ‘Najane Kyun’ (dedicated to flood victims), ‘Kahani Mohabbat Ki’, ‘Mera Bicchra Yar’ etc. To add patriotic flavor to the proceedings, Strings also performed ‘Sohni Dharti’ and folk artist’s Allan Fakir’s cover ‘Itne Bare Jeevan Sagar’. It reaffirmed the fact that we are the most jingoistic nation in the world. Strings also enthralled the audience with a medley tribute to Pakistani pop legends with songs like ‘Disco Deewanay’ by Nazia Hasan, ‘Dheere Dheere’ by Zohaib Hassan, ‘Tum Duur Thay’ by Vital Signs, ‘Kehdena’ by Alamgir, ‘Bolo Bolo’ by Sajjad Ali, ‘Purani Jeans’ by Ali Haider and ‘Dosti’ by Junoon. Strings performed for over an hour and left the audience hypnotized.
Talking to Instep Today from London, Bilal Maqsood merrily shared the experience of performing in a charity event, “We have been performing on stage for the past 20 years. But what I feel is that whenever one performs for others, one feels extra special. This country has given so much to us and its time we paid back.”
Upon their return, Strings visited various flood-hit areas of Sindh in Thatta district. A medical camp was set up by Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE. Since, Strings are the brand ambassadors for the state-run airline; they were invited to distribute presents and items amongst the children and affectees. I asked the band about how big the calamity was? “It is massive. Millions of people have been affected and it will take a long time in the rehabilitation process. Unlike the 2005 earthquake, this calamity has been spread far and wide. The problematic point is that people still haven’t realized the magnitude of the disaster. In the earthquake, only a limited area was affected and the rehabilitation process began right after the tragedy.
The biggest challenge at this point is to bring the affected people back to their homes and resume their businesses. This is a very difficult task and will require a lot of time,” replied Faisal, in a thought-provoking tone. About the performance of UAE government, Bilal said, “It is a big step taken by the UAE government. When foreigners can be so dedicated, each one of us must also come forward to help our brothers.”
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Oct 26 2010
Filed In: Misc
Indus Valley hosts another concert that leaves the crowd asking for more
KARACHI: The Indus Valley School of Arts and Architecture (IVSAA)organised a musical night this Saturday which featured performances by up and coming bands leading up to a two-hour show of Strings.
While new bands like Seiene used this platform to make their debut with songs like Europhia’s “Maeeri” and Ben E King’s “Stand by Me”, another new band, SYMT, took the plunge with “Pyar Ki Ganderi.” The crowd was thoroughly entertained during their wait for the much awaited performance by Strings.
The crowd maintained a level of relative calm until the duo set foot on stage, but the moment Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood were spotted, the audience leapt to their feet and welcome in the two with a standing ovation. Kapadia and Maqsood are old hands at getting the mood going and soon the audience was singing along with well known tracks from the bands older albums.
Prior to their first act, Kapadia greeted the students of the arts college, “IVSAA is one of those special places where we love to perform, not only because Bilal has studied here but the crowd too is a strong element. This, I believe, is our third performance so far at the school.”
The duo kick started their performance with “Koi Aanay Wala Hai,” followed by “Na Jaanay Kyun,” a moving track from the second sequel of Spider Man. The band then picked up pace with “Dhaani,” moving to “Zinda Hoon” from the soundtrack of Bollywood movie Zinda.
With Strings well thought play list, the crowd went wild with loud cheers for “Durr” and “Sar Kiye Yeh Pahar”.
Maqsood said that the climax of the event “was when we played the James Bond theme and people went crazy, that was surprising! So was releasing the balloons in the air as we played the song ‘Titliyan’.”
Strings performed 17 songs in the two-hour show including other memorable songs such as “Anjanay”, “Bichara Yaar”, “Hai Kohi Hum Jaisa”, “Kahani Mohabbat Ki”, and “Ab Khud Kuch Kerna Parayga”, which were all met with cheers and applause from the crowd.
The pair also took this opportunity to pay tribute to Allan Faqir and sung “Ho Allah.”
“We had a wonderful time, [there was] great energy in the crowd,” said Kapadia.
Maqsood later thanked the crowd, “It was very energising to perform with such a responsive crowd but a special thanks to our young drummer, Aahad Nayani, because of whom our live sound has become really good. Nayani is probably considered one of the top most drummers in Pakistan.”
The event was specifically organised to help collect funds for the dilapidated Nussarwanjee Building that remains a vital asset to the school and is in desperate need of repair and maintenance.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 26th, 2010.
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| ‘Ab Khud Kuch Karna Parega’: Strings and Atif Aslam join forces with an awareness drive
Shahzeb Shaikh
Karachi
Have you ever wondered why Pakistan is considered an impoverished, almost failed state worldwide? Foreigners are challenging our sovereignty, violating our boundaries, calling us names, terming us as terrorists and what not. Are we, as a nation, this fragile? The answer is a blunt no! And here is why: Pakistan is the 27th largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power, and the 45th largest in absolute dollar terms, is the first Islamic nuclear power and has the fifth largest army with half a million strength, is the fourth largest producer of cotton and the list goes on. However, due to a myriad of factors, the nation is facing a critical time at present with challenges from home as well as abroad. The reasons for this tough scenario are aplenty and well known to people and for that reason it is futile discuss them here.
And this is why when Strings collaborated with Atif Aslam on the song ‘Ab Khud Kuch Karna Parega’, the song caught on like wildfire. This is the time when the Pakistani public is responding well to the songs that speak about problems that hit us in the face everyday. And as a result, various bodies are being formed to take promote awareness.
As Strings and Atif sang, the bottom line is that we will have to do something on our own to get ourselves out of this turmoil. That’s where initiatives like Azme Alishan come into play. Azme Alishan is a national awareness drive to celebrate the true values of Pakistan in her 70th anniversary year. The Azme Alishan pledge is simple: it’s to affirm amongst ourselves and send a message to the world that we will define our own future as a people and a nation. The drive has been noticed and joined by throngs of young enthusiasts as well as people of other ages. Some of Azme Alishan’s achievement to-date include the largest ever street cleaning initiative in Lahore named Sanwaro Pakistan engaging more than 30,000 people cleaning up their communities, planting trees in local schools, a National Song Competition television show where 30 songs were selected from a long-list of initial entries received from young and talented singers, a new digital library for Pakistan – Manzare Pakistan which invites Pakistanis at home and abroad to send their images, audio and video clips and stories of Pakistan to the website to celebrate the best of Pakistan and most important of all, a Flood Relief drive in the affected areas.
Azme Alishan received a major boost recently when top guns of Pakistani pop-rock domain, Strings and Atif Aslam donated their highly acclaimed inspirational track ‘Ab Khud Kuch Kerna Parega’ in a jam-packed press conference in the city of lights. The track will be treated as Azme Alishan’s anthem and promoted through a special 45-second television video where the artists endorse the movement and call on fellow Pakistanis to join in.
Indeed, a true show of patriotism on the part of Strings and Atif Aslam. On a critical basis, one witnesses the similarity of the theme between the song and the drive’s initiative. The song’s title ‘Ab Khud Kuch Kerna Parega (Now We Will Have to Do Something on Our Own)’ is synonymous with a part of drive’s motto. The magnetism which the personalities of the three musicians possess will be very beneficial in propagating the message of the patriotic drive.
In his speech, Faisal Kapadia of Strings thought-provokingly said, “The country needs a positive approach at this crucial time. The song speaks out the heart of the common man that we will have to something on our own.” About the campaign, Faisal said, “since the campaign launched in March, we’ve seen it make a real difference by giving a voice to the silent majority and by taking action to genuinely make life better for people in our nation.” Bilal chipped in with the following words, “no one will come to improve our conditions. We will have to something on our own to make things better.” And added, “Azme Alishan is all about bringing people together and encouraging them to commit to building a better future for Pakistan.” Atif Aslam looking smart in a trendy hat also showcased his views in the following lines, “as a proud Pakistani, I would like to see more positive things bringing all Pakistanis together as one nation – to make Pakistan better. I agree with the Newsweek that we are bravest nation in the world!”
The trio answered various questions thrown by the media persons. One journalist inquired if there were plans of the trio of getting into politics and lead the nation. Bilal intelligently replied, “We are musicians and our job is making music. If we can inspire people by music, then I think it’s the best we can do.” When asked if the song is political in nature, Faisal calmly answered, “We haven’t spoken of politics. We have conveyed a message that it’s high time that we quit relying on others and did everyone thing on our own. And for that, we will have to improve even our small actions.” Another question was about the imminent collaborations with other artistes on a similar project or if the trio would team up with bands/artistes if the latter so desired. Bilal was quick to respond, “If any artiste wants to collaborate with us for a similar project, he/she is most welcome. In fact, every artiste must come out with such inspirational numbers. “
However, the most striking point of the event was the live acoustic rendition of the track by the trio. To my surprise, the song sounded heavenly and more polished than the studio version.
Atif’s improvisation was terrific as he went from low to high notes commandingly. Faisal as always was captivating on vocals while Bilal showcased his flair with mellow guitar waves. |
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Sep 23 2010
Filed In: Misc
You must have not seen Strings, (lead vocalist Faisal Kapadia and composer/guitarist Bilal Maqsood), the popular Pakistani rock band, perform very often in India after the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai. Since then much has changed between the two countries, the aftermath has not spared even music.
Presently the band is busy scheduling concerts in various parts of Pakistan to raise money for the flood affected victims. Amidst the frenzied law and order situation of the country, music seems to be doing good in lifting spirits.
“First, the law and order condition and then, the floods. It wasn’t safe for us to organise many concerts. But despite all of this, the common man of Pakistan is always positive. He only needs a medium to express himself and bring about change. I think at the moment music has become one of those mediums,” says Faisal.
26/11 did a major turnaround for Strings and many other Pakistani singers and rock bands. Faisal says, “India is like our second home. But for even a small performance, every thing depends on the visa. Earlier if there was a college concert, we would just arrive within days. Now the visa application takes 2-3 months to clear. And it’s not a one-time process. Every time we apply for a visa to India, it takes the same amount of time. A lot of things changes in three months.”
Faisal believes that India is not the only country suffering from terrorism. He says, “26/11 attacks did a lot of damage in Mumbai. But you must also know that there is a 26/11 happening in Pakistan every week. In such circumstances, people need a lot of inspiration. The whole region is suffering. It’s easier said than done. But if we can think alike, we believe we can bring about change in circumstances between the two countries, for the whole world to see.”
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GuestSpeaker
“Pakistan cricket needs overhauling”
– Strings’ Bilal Maqsood speaks out on the current cricket scenario
Bilal Maqsood
Even if the Pakistani team is proven not guilty, which seems very unlikely at the moment, we all know that they all are a bunch of shady people who play only for themselves. Their punishment should be exemplary.
In spite of losing, God knows how many matches in a row, they get half a million each from the PCB for winning the Oval test match.
Question: Aren’t these guys paid money to play and win? Some of them get up to 800,000 rupees per test match. So why pay them extra for doing what they are supposed to do? Or….were they paid their cut for losing the first two? Hmmm?
Look what’s happening in Pakistan. On one hand we are begging the world for money and on the other hand we are throwing away money as if we own the World Bank. 500,000 to each playing team member and 250,000 to non-playing at the Oval test. Why? Everything seems like a big scam. Well, it has to end now.
PCB and the Pakistan cricket team need overhauling. I’m sure most of you will agree that there should be no international cricket at all for the next two years in Pakistan. As it is no team wants to come to Pakistan, so why do we need to travel such long distances only to get humiliated?
Suggestion: For the next two ye ars we should just train a fresh new lot. Nurture them mentally, physically and socially under the supervision of a brand new PCB. PCB free of any old baggage. No Ex cricketers, no ex PCB’eers.
To find the right people for PCB I suggest four people who I think are the best in what they do and are devoted and passionate Pakistanis too. They are normal people like us and do not have any political connection or agenda. These people should hunt for the right office for the new Pakistani team, a team that will emerge from first class cricket and other cricket workshops in the next two years. These four are Mr. Sarfaraz Rehman (CEO Engro Foods), Mr. Khalid Alvi (Vice President ICI), Mr. Asad Jaffer (CEO Philips Pakistan) and Mujahid Hamid (Ex-Chairman Lever Brothers China).
They should sit down, brainstorm, and find the right people for PCB. Then very quickly PCB should take up the task of finding the most talented young cricketers. These young boys should be taught social etiquettes, art of communication and leadership, patience and planning and above all should be injected with an ultimate sense of patriotism. They should be like robots with human emotions.
After two years or three, no matter how much time this overhauling takes, when these boys step out into the ground for the first time, our entire nation will stand together to support them. Till then, please no cricket.
– Bilal Maqsood is a member of pop band Strings |
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