http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_16-3-2003_pg7_15
Karachi Colours:
By Khurrum Anis
Of late, rumours have plagued Junoon. If it’s not about the band breaking up, it’s about the band about to break up. People seem to be more interested not in what the band is making now, but when it is going call it a day.
They say that since Salman Ahmed, the band’s guitarist, is settled is New York, he will find it difficult to fly back and forth to attend sessions. Then, since Brian O’Connell is now living alone, he is also getting ready to book his return ticket to the States. At the same time, both are going to drop the rod on Ali’s head, and, in turn, Ali wants to because he has his own band in the making. Meanwhile, as we have also learnt “from various sources” that “Sal” and Ali have separately approached a big-name musician in Lahore with offers for his inclusion in their respective bands.
But Junoon’s manager Shehryar Ahmed laughed it off. “You see,” he said of the rumourmongers, “these people are hired by me to keep Junoon in the public eye.
“No, seriously. All this is hogwash, and whoever spread these malicious items, is in my view a crap grinder,” said Shehryar. He said the group is still intact. “The group’s contract with Coke hangs on till 2005, so obviously we are alive (at least) until then.” But how will Salman coordinate with the group all the way from the US? “Sherry” said Salman would come and play with the band when needed. “Salman is (already) spending time between America and Pakistan. He comes back to Pakistan whenever he needs. Like, he’s coming back (on Monday) for the Lux Style Awards.”
Wouldn’t the group’s overall performance suffer if they’re making music only when Salman is around? “That will not happen since everything is planned between Sal and the other members. Sal is making music in America. He’s hiring session’s musician in the States and making basic tracks from drums, keyboards and guitars.
He brings the items back here for Ali to fit in his vocals. Ali is laying down lyrics for most of our songs for our upcoming album. He lays the lyrics and then waits for Sal who comes and lays down the guitar tracks in them. So, it’s like Ali laying down vocals for tracks compiled by Sal and Sal laying down tracks for vocals compiled by Ali,” said Sherry. He quoted Ali Azmat, who appeared on BBC Asia show early last week and said: “Junoon will never break up for as long as we live.”
About that certain gentleman Ali and Salman had approached in Lahore, Shehyar said the two had in fact got in touch with a musician friend of theirs, Mekaal Hassan.
“Mekaal is a good friend and it was at his studio, Digital Fidelity Studios (DFS), where Junoon recorded their two albums ‘Parvaaz’ and ‘Ishq.’ And where we have great respect for Mekaal’s song writing and music compositions, there is no truth that Ali or Salman ever approached him with (separate) offers,” said Shehyar.
He also said that his band had never had any kind of problems playing for other musicians. “Salman wrote and recorded a song in Junaid Jamshed’s last album, ‘Dil Ki Baat.’ If you’ve listened to it, ‘Jag se’ is a Sal composition and it sounds very much like a Junoon track. Even Ali has lent backup vocals to Noori’s latest album, ‘Suno ke mein hoon jawan’.”
Sherry also said that Ali Azmat’s composition of new tracks was not a threat to the band. “Since Ali has written two or three songs for our previous albums, which were appreciated by people, we really want him to play a more active role in the team by writing more songs.”
As for Brian, Shehryar said, he has no plans to quit the band either. Even Brian had earlier stated that he could not imagine leaving Pakistan because it was his home. “Well, I could settle for winters here and summers in the States,” Brian had said earlier.
Giving a brief outline of the band’s upcoming projects, if one dares to call them that, Junoon is finalizing dates for a Jeem Fest 2003. According to news reports, which Shehryar confirmed, Jeem Fest, will feature Junoon, Entity Paradigm (EP) and Noori with Junoon behind the director’s seat for this function. “We want to encourage bands and so we called for these youngsters to play in the festival,” said Sherry.
The group has also released a DVD, which contains all their live concerts. Sherry said that the DVD had been released for the cause of Afghanistan’s reconstruction.
What’s more, “Junoon and Michael Jackson are booked for a gig in Sweden in November,” said Shehryar. We’re also in touch with U2’s Bono for a joint venture, which will hopefully develop into a major concert here in Pakistan.”
How can a group dissolve, with concerts with Mickey and Bono on the cards?