Pakistan’s Spicy Sound of Metal: Takatak

Typically when one thinks of Pakistani music they think about classical, sufi, ghazal, folk and qawwalli, not metal. Here to break the mold is metal band, Takatak, a name that fits them very well. Takatak means, a spicy meat dish prepared on a griddle by banging special utensils to create vibrations giving the meat a unique and flavorful taste. Just like the dish, Takatak, the band, is unique and flavorful.

The band consists of six members, Yusuf Ramay(drums), Daud Ramay(drums), Zain Peerzada(guitar), Ibrahim Imdad(guitar), Isa Najam(bass) and Shahzore Bhatty (vocals). After being a band for two and half years, Takatak released two singles, Breakdown and Walls They Collapse. However, their big break came recently. Acclaimed record producer, guitarist and songwriter Mekaal Hasan recorded their third single at Digital Fidelity Studios, which is set to release in early July.

One of Takatak’s greatest challenges has been cultivating an audience since only a fraction of Pakistan’s population listens to and accepts metal. Due to this, the band relies heavily on social media to get their music heard. According to bass guitarist, Isa Najam and guitarist Zain Peerzada;

“There isn’t really a local market for our kind of music, only a select few listen to it. That’s why we’ve always relied on the internet as a medium to showcase our music globally. We advertise all our events and other promotional campaigns through Facebook. Without a Facebook page, a band cannot even think of getting noticed. Now, it’s so easy to share our music with people, as it only takes a few clicks to share it. We also get all our covers and live performances out through our YouTube channel and our Reverbnation page and hopefully in the near future we’ll be selling our album on iTunes and other websites.”

Their presence in social media proved helpful when Mekaal Hasan reached out to them. This was the first time that a metal band in Pakistan recorded and produced at a commercial level.

One of the reasons Takatak has also been able to build a fan base so quickly is because they find their inspiration from various current and relevant sources. It can be anything from a new movie, to a painting, or to the different music currently out there. They do not force inspiration, it just comes to them. Lyrically, a lot of their influence comes from the country conditions of Pakistan. Being Pakistani, they constantly are surrounded by the troubles the country faces. Takatak has learned to translate their anger for Pakistan’s current socio political and economic situation into their art, which makes for the brutal sound of their music.

Although Takatak is still an up and coming band, with the help of social media they have been able to reach a large scope of people. People have posted about them on places such as, Reddit, WordsPress and UrbanDictionary. As well as catching the attention of The Guardian and Pakistan Today. In the next five years, Takatak hopes to continue making music together and get their music heard by as many people as possible.

By Noor Ramay on tigerstartups.com

  

Takatak: the quintessence of metal in Pakistan

Lahore - In a vast musical landscape dotted with frequent bursts of brilliance, especially over the last two decades, it is truly difficult to produce something that hasn’t been done to death already. Equally challenging is taking on a genre that isn’t widely listened to in Pakistan, and usually evokes a lukewarm response and subsequent dismissal as ‘noise’.
It is perhaps not unwarranted that musical taste in our country has changed so drastically in so little time. Within two generations, we have gone from solid classical crooning to bouncy pop and moved on to gut-wrenching, metallic sounds that anyone from 15 years ago would be loath to endure. Perhaps those of us who grew up in the 2000s didn’t have the luxury of quiet roads with occasional cars, little construction activity and tree-lined streets full of chirping birds to boot. Our music is a product of our environment, and hard rock/heavy metal music is perhaps the best and most melodic representation of the sounds we have absorbed growing up. A defiant answer to the vast ugliness that surrounds us, if you will.
None of the musicians active in this country today has epitomised that answer as well as the Lahore-based heavy metal band Takatak. In this early stage of its existence, limited to some demo recordings and in the middle of its first professional studio recording, this band has put together quite the musical milieu.
The most immediately noticeable fact about them is the obviously advanced level of skill every musician in the band possesses.
When I say advanced, I mean these kids could play alongside the likes of Lamb of God and probably steal a few of its fans by the time they are done.
The singer’s gruff, intense growls are nothing to sneeze at either. Growling is something that sounds extremely ugly if not done right, but becomes a very powerful mode of expression if executed well. In this case, it combines with the instrumentalists’ skills to convey a deep, deep sense of foreboding. While that sounds fairly ominous, it is not without a distinct feeling of sorrow that I acknowledge that a band comprising young men from Pakistan could hardly express something other than foreboding at this point in time. If you have been living in Pakistan for the last six or seven years, you probably would not disagree and you most certainly do not need an explanation.
But I digress. Or maybe not. Their lyrics definitely address this amply. It is plain that these are intelligent, sensitive individuals seething with anger and sorrow at the state of affairs as they currently stand, and up to their neck in a desperate desire to change things. Artists don’t shoot guns, and Takatak makes a good case for why they don’t need to.
Musically, I will refrain from pegging them to one single sub-genre of heavy metal, and here’s why. Pigeonholing isn’t my thing, and in any case these guys make just as good an argument for Thrash Metal with one lick as they do for Speed Metal with the next. Every so often, traces of Black Metal and Death Metal creep in so nonchalantly that it is frankly unnerving. Unnerving in a strangely good way, like the music rudely ripped the control you have on yourself from your grasp and left you jerking uncontrollably with every beat of the snare and every hit of the guitar. Let’s just say they probably owe me some money for a visit to the orthopaedist to fix my poor neck (see: headbanging).
What is most fitting about this band is their choice of name, in my opinion. For music stuffed full of exquisite chops and cuts, Takatak is probably as good a name as any, and certainly better than most for one simple reason: it hasn’t been nicked from a dusty old Urdu dictionary in an effort to seem intellectual, as many bands here are wont to do.
So, I invite you to buy a seatbelt if you don’t already have one and attach it securely to whatever your choice of seating is, because if Takatak is what you plan on listening to, it is going to be one hell of a ride. Also highly advised: neck braces.

Pakistan Today 12 June 2012 


Pakistani English Music Industry 

Adil Omar Breaks New Ground in Hip-Hop

For mainstream hip-hop fans used to hearing lyrics about East-West rivalries and other American concerns, Adil Omar rhymes in unfamiliar territory.

The Islamabad, Pakistan, native gives a shout-out to cricketer Shahid Afridi and riffs on his country’s traffic jams and weather (“You wonder why I’m cocky, ‘cos I stay burning hotter than a summer in Karachi”). His lyrics are punctuated by shouts of “Islamabad, get up! L.A., get up!” He also plays up his outsider status (“I’m a foreign damnation at your borderline waitin’,” from “Paki Rambo”), while mocking the globalization that facilitated his rise (his song “Ten Thousand” ends with a skinny vanilla latte order).

The 21-year-old got his big break in 2008, when Cypress Hill rapper B-Real came across his music online and invited him to Los Angeles to collaborate on his album “The Harvest.” Two years later, Mr. Omar released a track online, “Incredible,” and followed it with another single, “Off the Handle,” featuring L.A. rapper Xzibit and produced by Fredwreck, who is known for his work with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

Mr. Omar is now working on “The Mushroom Cloud Effect,” an album slated for release this year that will feature Westerners such as Xzibit, Everlast and B-Real as well as Pakistani singer-actress Meesha Shafi.

He spoke with the Journal about Pakistan’s hip-hop scene, working with Xzibit and what he listens to in his down time.

The Wall Street Journal: How did you get started in hip-hop?

Mr. Omar: I’ve been writing since I was nine and recording since I was 13. I don’t remember how I started exactly, but it’s always something I wanted to do and be a part of. I grew up listening to everything, but hip-hop is what spoke to me most and what I enjoyed writing most.

Who are your musical influences?

Trent Reznor/Nine Inch Nails, Everlast, Johnny Cash, Neil Young, House of Pain, Cypress Hill, Kool G Rap, Big Pun, Tupac, Eminem, Kid Rock, Limp Bizkit, Marilyn Manson, Dr. Dre, the Beatles, N.W.A., the Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Wu-Tang Clan, Motorhead, Gang Starr, Nas, Rakim, Ice Cube.

Why do you rap in English rather than Urdu?

I grew up with English as my first language. I was educated in British and American schools and born to a mother who grew up in the U.K. and only spoke English with me. I’m pretty whitewashed. I do love my culture, but me rapping in Urdu would sound forced. I’d rather leave that to good Urdu and Punjabi MCs. I also work in English because I write in English and I’d rather reach a wider audience than limit myself just to Pakistan and India.

What’s the hip-hop scene like in Pakistan?

It still hasn’t really developed. There’s some promise, but a lot of garbage too. I don’t say this with some sort of elitist attitude. It’s cool that kids have dreams, but if you’re in it for the glory and not putting in the hard work and sacrifice, then step out. If you can’t be yourself, then step out.

How did your collaboration with B-Real come together?

[We] either chatted online, or he discovered me through MySpace four years ago, I don’t really remember. He told me he was working on a mix tape that was almost complete, and that if I came out on a specific date I could be on it. Of course I didn’t hesitate, so I stayed in touch and went out to L.A. myself to record the track ["Takeover"] for him.

I don’t like the song we did. I sound really nervous and hadn’t really tapped into my own identity yet, but it opened a lot of doors for me. B-Real introduced me to a lot of people who ended up helping me over the years in terms of putting me on projects, promoting me online. B-Real and I have maintained a friendship over the years and done other songs together as well, one of which will be on “The Mushroom Cloud Effect.”

And Xzibit?

During the early stages of my album, I already had plans for Fredwreck to produce the first single with a video shot by Matt Alonzo. I initially met Fredwreck through B-Real back in 2008 and stayed in contact with him over the years. He also gave me a lot of friendly advice, and we’d hang out whenever we’d overlap in Dubai. When we started discussing the single and brainstorming, the idea of getting Xzibit on it to generate some buzz came up. Fredwreck and Xzibit have been close friends and have been working together for over a decade, so he connected us, we booked a studio session in L.A., and it evolved from there.

What’s next for you?

I’m finishing up “The Mushroom Cloud Effect” and “Star Power,” another single and video I’m in the middle of shooting. After the album’s done I’ll go on tour and start focusing on two projects I’m releasing in 2013: a collaboration album also titled “50 Feet Tall” with fellow rapper Hard Target, now managed by Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, as well as a project with Greydon Square titled “Serpents of Eden.”

Who do you listen to today?

When I’m not working on or listening to my own stuff, I listen to a lot of the music I enjoyed growing up: Nine Inch Nails, Everlast, Johnny Cash.

–Edited from an interview with Sonya Rehman  India Real Time

English Music Industry Of Pakistan News

Co-Ven:Pakistani Rock band making waves in international media

Co-Ven- the Pakistani Rock Band- which consists of Ali Hamza , Sameer Ahmed & Sikander Mufti is getting hype in international media these days. Coven actually stands for Company of Vicious Earth Navigators. Coven is a Lahore based band who does music on political, social & environmental issues.

Last week , when the band was interviewed by Declan Walsh & it was published in world’s leading newspaper Guardian, people came to know about the Band & ultimately about the true Pakistan & her musicians.

The story became more crispy when hamza Jaffri – the lead vocalist of the band – said, “There’s a lot of foreign pressure on our government to attack people in the tribal areas,” & further added “We are taking dictation from you guys.”

These words were definitely noticed by western readers , & now the band is being discussed in UK & as well as in US publications.A new article is just written in NEW YORK TIMES BLOG where the writer Robert Mackey completely focused on Co-ven the band & reviewed not only band’s live videos but also the facebook group page.

The track “Ready to Die” which is creating buzz now, was uploaded by the band last year on youtube. It was not a video, just only an image on which lyrics of the song & Pakistan’s map is visible.The controversial chorus(for Americans only) were written in URDU language , but the NY Time’s blogger watched Ready to Die live video in which english sub titles are included. I guess these subtitles were the only reason , he decided to write on this topic.

Ready to die is supposed to be included in the third album of Co-Ven the band. The two albums which have been released earlier are :

1. Not in your world

2. The Raj – Volume 1 & 2Â (was uploaded on our forums with CD scans)

In Pakistan , the bands who sing in english are not popular usually and remain underground & unsigned for a long period. Reason being most of the Pakistani music listeners like to listen Indian songs & some who are attracted towards Pakistani music only give time to established pop stars.

I wrote my first post on Co-ven back in 2007 & since then i am a huge fan of the band’s music & videos. All The Videos released by the band are conceptual & worth watching.

Conclusion:

Co-ven is definitely a band that should be recognized at international level. Their music, compositions , lyrics & inspirations are all fascinating & creative. The band can easily entertain music listeners of the whole world & as we know music has no boundries we believe & hope that One day Co-ven will rule the hearts of whole world. they just need to be consistent and passionate about their work!

Pakistani English Music Industry News