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The strumming strings
They were there when the new wave of Pak pop was breaking on the local media beachhead, post-Nazia-Zoheb, post-Alamgir and post-Shyhaki. They were there when music videos, in their most primitive form, started creating a commotion in the local music industry, changing the way music was listened to forever. They were there scoring hits, playing shows and signing autographs, fully enjoying the lifestyle of post-’80s pop stars. Then, it seems, they disappeared from the face of the pop universe.
After a lengthy gap, they returned with one of the biggest records Pakistan has heard in the last ten years, almost erasing the memory of their period of hibernation with a string of jangly, synthesized hits and snappy videos. Now, they are back with a brand new album that features their familiar groove: playing it safe with their signature, sanitized adult contemporary pop sound. They are, of course, Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia – collectively known as Strings.
Dhaani, the duo’s fourth album came in quick succession following their smash Duur. This was breaking with their own tradition, according to which the twosome took about eight years off between their second album and Duur. Why the change of strategy this time around?
‘The demands of the current music scene are different. Once upon a time, even if you released an album once every four years, that was all right. There were dinosaurs that ruled the industry and nobody could move them. But now, with the media boom and the development of satellite channels, you can’t sit idle. If you don’t innovate and bring new things into the market, you’ll end up nowhere,’ Bilal Maqsood explains the band’s newfound pragmatism
“The demands of the current music scene are different. Once upon a time, even if you released an album once every four years, that was all right. There were dinosaurs that ruled the industry and nobody could move them. But now, with the media boom and the development of satellite channels, you can’t sit idle. If you don’t innovate and bring new things into the market, you’ll end up nowhere,” Bilal starts off explaining the band’s newfound pragmatism.
He also explained the game plan for the new album, saying that it was pretty much chalked out at the time Duur broke big.
“We knew what direction we wanted to take at the time of Duur as far as melody goes. Melody has always been the forte of our music and our arrangements revolve around our melodies. Our method of working is a little different than what most singers here do. People concentrate more on the groove, coming to the melody later. That’s the trend. To us, the melody is primary and everything else follows.”
Going on to talk about the new record, which the duo perfected during a sabbatical in Murree, Bilal Maqsood says that he wanted to move beyond the sound that was formulated in Duur.
“I can’t really define the sound of Dhaani. We just didn’t want to ride the waves of Duur. We wanted to try out different things. It’s definitely a step forward from the previous record. We have used a lot of acoustic guitars, live flute, and percussion. There is also a slight dance music element. On this album we haven’t used too many keyboards, whereas in Duur, the album was drenched with them,” the band’s guitarist and sometimes vocalist says.
“As for where we are headed, we definitely wanted to move forward because with Duur, we had a successful formula, but one can’t rest on one’s laurels. You can’t stay in the same place forever. But then again, we didn’t want to try anything radical; we just wanted to grow within our music,” says the up-till-now quiet Faisal.
According to Bilal, since they have incorporated a “dance” element in the record, they are jamming with a disc jockey to try and present a new synthesis in the group’s live performances. As far as performing live goes, the duo has a slightly different view than what may be doing the rounds in younger circles. Their preferred set-up is sequenced drums and keyboards along with live guitar and vocals.
“We have experimented a lot with live music on stage. We’ve had up to seven musicians jamming away but I was never comfortable with that. The Strings sound is very compact, compressed and electronic. It’s a very processed sound. Although there is a rock element, we do use a lot of drum loops. That’s why we’ve started using sequencers. After Duur was released, we formed the live band, because before that when we first stared performing, we had the drums and bass sequenced. But with the live set-up, I was not satisfied because we weren’t capturing the right sound. Now we’re heading for a club rock type of sound. The next album we’re going to release will be heavily inspired by this sound,” he revealed, signalling a return to the band’s roots as far as live performance is concerned.
Learning about the future was all dandy, but what was the reason for the gruelling eight-year hiatus the band took after their second album and before the launch of Duur? Faisal answered.
“When we recorded our first two albums, we were still in college. We didn’t have the approach that was required as we didn’t think this was going to be our profession. We just did it because we liked playing music. Then we made the video for Sar Kiya Yeh Pahar because I was going to America for further studies. I decided to stop over in Hong Kong because MTV Asia had just been launched from there. This was back in 1992. I gave them the cassette and proceeded to the States. While in the US, I got the news that the song was a success, but we couldn’t capitalize on it because I was away while the rest of the guys were in Pakistan. When I returned, it took me a few years to get back into the scene, hence that’s why we took so long between albums.”
But if one remembers the band’s old videos clearly, there were more members plugging way at the instruments. Where’d everybody go?
“For Duur, we offered the others to come back and start up again. Rafiq, the keyboard player came back, but then had second thoughts while Karim, the bassist, said thanks but no thanks on the phone,” Bilal Maqsood said quite frankly.
Keeping it all in the family, the band decided to have the lyrics written by Anwar Maqsood, Bilal’s father, as according to him, the elder Maqsood writes in very simple, visual Urdu that fits their brand of pop like a glove. The new album’s debut video, Chaaye Chaaye, also in keeping with one of the band’s tried, tested and true traditions, is directed by Jami. Though bearing the director’s trademark slick, edgy touch, it is a wee bit on the darker side if compared to the lovey-dovey lyrics of the song.
“Just like Abbu, Jami is a safe bet for Strings. Nobody understands our image better than he,” Bilal admits.
The new album’s standout tracks include the aforementioned Chaaye Chaaye, the original version of Hai Koi Hum Jaisa (which is miles better than the kooky track that was released for the cricket World Cup, yet the sponsors rejected the band’s first take…) and Bolo Bolo, a duet with Indian pop singer Hari Haran, which has the potential to become a cross-border smash.
“We recorded the song and thought that Hari Haran would be ideal for it as he’s a great singer. He heard the song, really liked it and everything worked out,” says Faisal.
“I think the timing is perfect. The relationship between India and Pakistan is getting better. I hope this album works as a bridge between the two countries because it also features (Indian songbird) Sagrika on the track Pal. If you read between the lines, Bolo Bolo is an ice-breaker,” adds Bilal.
With a few new tricks and much of the same, bankable material of old, Strings are looking to top their previous success. Will they succeed? That depends on whether the local listener is content with what they have to offer. But knowing Strings and their penchant for kicking commercial tunes mom and dad would gladly let you listen too, one is sure they don’t have much to worry about.
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