"Chaen Ek Pal Nahin" : Salman in Times of India to

Funoon · Junoon Joined: 03 Jul 2004 Posts: 56

Chain Ek Pal Nahin...

TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ MONDAY, AUGUST 09, 2004
Cricketer to doctor to guitarist to ambassador of peace... with no strings attached. Salmaan Ahmad, lead guitarist and song-writer of the Pakistani band Junoon, is always on song because he strums past jarring notes with the same spirit as he pitches for life's rhythm divine . Purnima Sharma tunes in...

Patiala peg, large : It was the fantasy land of my childhood. I was brought up on stories on Patiala, thanks my mother and nana who hail from this city. When I finally visited Patiala, the impact was far more powerful than any of my fantasies. The city inspired me to create Ghoom Tana . For the vocals, I zeroed in on Shubha Mudgal because I wanted a traditional voice. Actually, her voice and mine are disparate but the harmony that we create is so unique that the song has turned out to be a spiritual experience. It's a musical metaphor for a journey that has been used through the centuries by Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs. The video of the song has Naseeruddin Shah, Shubha Mudgal and Nandita Das.

Zeenat Aman, Parveen Babi ... whew! Crushes were part of growing up. I was quite besotted by Zeenat Aman and Parveen Babi. Then came Nazia Hassan, who later became a good friend. Guess what her reaction was -- 'You idiot, why didn't you tell me?' Unfortunately, it was too late by then!

A poet by default: In Pakistan, external expressions of romance are frowned upon. As teenagers, boys often become love poets because, though they can't really date girls, they can write poetry on girls! Yes, couples do meet on the sly behind trees and, because of this, their poetic sensibilities develop even more. Guess what, marriage is uppermost in the minds of kids there right from the age of 12!

Doctor DoLittle, that's me : I was never a great student. But right from childhood, my mother drilled it into me that I must become a doctor. Feeling I must realise her dream, I graduated from King Edward Medical College. But, somewhere down the line, I put down my stethoscope and picked up the guitar. My mother was wild. 'Mera beta loot jaayega' , she said. I had to prove that I would be respected as a musician -- as much as a doctor is. Now, no one's complaining. I'm a doctor of music now.

Girls, all for a song : I was still at college in Pakistan when, with fellow medical and engineering students, I formed a music group called Vital Signs. Together, we came up with a song titled Dil Dil Pakistan -- it became a huge hit. Imagine, we were college students and became celebrities overnight. There I was, someone who had never approached girls before being noticed by girls everywhere I went!

Sameena, my dil ka doctor: I fell in love with Sameena the day I saw her at medical college. It was probably that very day that I told her I wanted to marry her! I got slapped -- well, verbally. Soon, I proved to her that I loved her and we subsequently got married. While I've opted out of the profession, she is a practising doctor.

America, a culture shock : The music bug bit me hard when I was in New York. My father, who worked for an airline, was posted in New York and the family had to move too. It was quite an experience! I remember when the teacher would walk into the class -- I'd be the only one to stand up while others would continue to sit around with their feet up on the table. One day, the teacher asked me if there was something wrong with me!

A garage band for starters : I learnt how to play the guitar while in New York and soon became part of a garage band -- because that's where we played all the time! I never had any formal training in music. I grew up listening and learning from the music of Shiv Kumar Sharma, Ravi Shankar, Abida Parveen and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. My ideal was Carlo Santana. I feel music can't be learned, it comes from the mind, heart and soul. Look at the Beatles, they couldn't even read music.

Mr Two Left Feet? Main hoon na! My first date was in New York. In Pakistan, one wouldn't dream of asking a girl out. In NY, I picked up courage and asked this girl out to the prom. I was in a tuxedo and she, a gown. Once there, it hit me that I'd soon have to dance with her. Since I'm awful at dancing -- I can do stuff with the guitar on stage, but that's it -- I kept stalling the moment when we'd need to hit the floor. Finally, she told me that if I wouldn't dance with her, she'd go and dance with someone else. Well, I remember stepping on her toes twice!

An open marriage with my band : Dil Dil Pakistan might have made me a celebrity, but I wanted something more. I needed to feel I was an artiste. I left Vital Signs and got together with Ali Azmat, my neighbour, and Brian to form the band Junoon. This was in 1991. Now, though Brian has left the group, Ali and I are still together. Junoon is like an open marriage.

Cricket, my other junoon : I've played first-class cricket for Lahore and even represented Pakistan on a tour. Wasim Akram and I started playing together. I have even made 90 against Imran Khan once. And yes, I was Rameez Raja's opening partner..

No LoC for music : Being a musician and having performed on both sides of the border, I can say that if Indians and Pakistanis are allowed to meet freely, the future of both countries will be bright. Indo-Pak friendship will be the biggest achievement of this century. When Junoon performed in Chennai recently, I was amazed to see a crowd of 8,000 get up and cheer when we played the Pakistan national anthem. Likewise, when India won the final ODI match in Lahore, I saw Indian flags all over the city. At the Liberty Market, Pakistanis were doing the bhangra with a group of Indian tourists. It's my mission to promote peace between the two countries.

suprajunooni · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 9:43 am Post subject:

grr8888888
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zeejay · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:11 am Post subject:

wow
thanx funoon
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The most loving parents and relatives commit murder with smiles on their faces. They force us to destroy the person we really are: a subtle kind of murder. -Jim Morrison

suprajunooni · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 10:20 am Post subject:

welcome
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thesould_paki · Azadi Joined: 02 Jul 2004 Posts: 1317 Location: Toronto

thanx for the article ....

suprajunooni · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 1:17 pm Post subject:

yao
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hunter · Inquilab Joined: 29 Jun 2004 Posts: 969

cool..... zabardast hai...
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-= The Biggest Salman's Fan =-
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Spock · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 2:28 pm Post subject:

Anna · Talaash Joined: 24 Jul 2004 Posts: 396 Location: Khi

kaafi din lagay parhnay main
but...
its good!!
thx
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ye hay imtihaa..tera yahaa..tu khoya kahaa
uth chal!!

junoonist · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 3:53 pm Post subject:

lush push !
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Jahan Manzil Hai Mere
Kabhi To Woh Dunya Dekhon Ga
Mujhe Kaise Hai Jeena
Dekhon Ga .....!

Rahoon Main Na Rookay
Mujhay Koi Aasman
Mera Dur Sitara......!
Main To Yun Hi Theera
Sadiyoon Se Yahan
Hai Mera Yahaan Kya.....?

zeejay · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:12 pm Post subject:

JUNOONI_BALI · Posted: Mon Aug 09, 2004 4:49 pm Post subject:

Last-Artist-Alive · Junoon Joined: 09 Aug 2004 Posts: 38 Location: Islamabad

pakistani anthem
and indian flags in liberty market
really impressed me
good job
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IF Nobodys Perfect... I Must Be Nobody

zerocool · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 12:33 am Post subject:

koool man .
good job Junoon Smile

n good luck for future !

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Hai Jazba Junoon to himmat na haar~~Justajoo jo karay woh chooaey aasmaan~~Mehnat apni ho gee pehchaan kabhi na bholo~~Sab ki nazron main Pakistan

junoonist · Posted: Tue Aug 10, 2004 1:48 am Post subject:

YEh !
_________________
Jahan Manzil Hai Mere
Kabhi To Woh Dunya Dekhon Ga
Mujhe Kaise Hai Jeena
Dekhon Ga .....!

Rahoon Main Na Rookay
Mujhay Koi Aasman
Mera Dur Sitara......!
Main To Yun Hi Theera
Sadiyoon Se Yahan
Hai Mera Yahaan Kya.....?