Re: letter to Adnan Sami
Heres another from Yahoo. looks like apart from a few bitter people in the industry (probably scared of hitting the has-been list) everyones open to the idea of cross-border talent.
New Delhi, Feb 7 (IANS) The Indian music terrain is proving to be a huge draw for Pakistani bands, thanks to big money, fame and Bollywood prospects. And Indian listeners who find their music soul stirring are certainly not complaining.
Shallum Xavier, the guitarist of Pakistani band Fuzon, said: ‘The size of the country also matters a lot. Pakistan is much smaller in size as compared to India and there are so many places where we can perform.’
He also said that more than six rock or pop bands are formed annually in Pakistan and no less than five perform in India every year. Some of the well-known bands include Jal, Junoon, Suroor, Fuzon, Mekaal Hasan and Strings.
For many, a hit rock album can prove to be the ticket to Bollywood and global acclaim.
‘A hit rock album or performance can give us an entry in Bollywood. In turn the band gets a wider audience and global acclaim since Hindi films are extremely famous across the world. It helps the artistes grow,’ said Xavier.
‘Quality lyrics are missing in most Indian rock bands’ songs because professional lyricists are mostly consumed by Bollywood while the Pakistani film industry is not very big. Also, compared to Pakistan there is less piracy in India,’ added Joshi.
So be it Sufi, Rock or Pop music, Pakistani musicians have a large following in India who listen to them, simple demand and supply, whether the big ‘gurus’ like it or not.