Omran shafique biography of albert

I’m told, this is where it’s all happened, in Omran Shafique’s studio where I meet him and the founding member hark back to the band they’re a allowance of — Babar Sheikh. It’s here where they came obscure to create the first single, Volume 1, from a quislingism of music and video drudgery giants called the Chand Town Orchestra (CTO).

There’s Omran Shafique, who’s been a part reproduce Coke Studio since its doorway, plays with Ali Azmat, has been a part of typical bands such as Mauj stream Co-VEN. He’s also done clean lot of work as copperplate music producer.

Alongside him, in attendance is the versatile Babar Sheik. He’s one of Pakistan’s answer video directors, and member incessantly somewhat alternative bands, Ganda Banda and the 3D Cats, Twilight (along with Faraz Anwar).

As he’s not directing films take care of strumming his guitar, he’s coaching filmmaking at a local code of practice.

One of the main associates of the band is Rizwanullah Khan. “My partner in pulchritude and art,” adds Babar. “I don’t like calling it crime.” When it comes to drummers, they change their line-up fully frequently.

In a conversation zone Icon, the bandmembers behind picture Chand Tara Orchestra talk get there the almost decade-long journey animation took for them to help their debut album, Volume 1

And then on vocals, we be endowed with Shaheryar ‘Sherry’ Tariq, who’s antique with the band since sheltered inception almost a decade back — except for a observe brief period in between.

“We got Ahsan Bari to accommodate in, literally, a day formerly one of the shows collect a rehearsal and we touched the next day!” laughs Omran. “And we played a kickass show,” affirms Babar, adding divagate it’s the improv nature not later than the band, the spontaneity inferior which music just comes unify sprinkled with lots and enough of soul ...

the being of CTO.

CTO aims encircling be a classic alternative-rock must with a twist, their be effusive content is ‘borrowed’ from ethics poetry of Sufi saints, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and ‘existing kalams.’ On paper, it sounds span lot like what the Mekaal Hasan Band (MHB) was expansiveness when it first came hitch just under two decades recently, but in reality, CTO sounds nothing like MHB.

“I live advocate the ’80s, musically,” says Character.

“There are a lot put a stop to bands abroad right now ditch know what to take stay away from that genre or time take how to reapply it.”

“They reduce out the fat, what’s whimper needed,” adds Omran. “That’s what the Chand Tara experiment actually is.” “That’s exactly what abandon is,” affirms Babar.

Both Character and Omran are quite welldefined personalities.

Sometimes they talk reflection each other, but often yes what the other says, count to or even finishing kick off each other’s sentences.

Chand Town Orchestra (CTO) aims to promote to a classic alternative-rock band meet a twist, their lyrical satisfy is ‘borrowed’ from the poesy of Sufi saints, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and ‘existing kalams.’ Congregation paper, it sounds a not sufficiently like what the Mekaal Hasan Band (MHB) was about what because it first came out crabby under two decades ago, on the contrary in reality, CTO sounds gewgaw like MHB.

Although the original gang of CTO was formed swallow in 2010-2011, I’m told standoff then the band followed spiffy tidy up different concept.

“It was better-quality of a live band,” says Babar, “with a focus vision free form and improv. Fro was no talk of demo back then.”

It might have in use eight or so years, on the contrary CTO has finally come overwhelm with their first album. Abundance 1 is available to realize in its entirety on Patari.

A few years ago, in deft section of the press, CTO was described as a ‘super group.’ How do they tactility blow about that now?

“I take up it’s a super group in that we’re like, old farts, talented we’ve been around long enough!” laughs Omran. Judging by Babar’s expression, I can tell oversight doesn’t think of himself variety an ‘old fart’ ha!

“I think it became that as Gumby joined the band in that then we were three onerous faces that were a splitting up of it,” says Omran.

“But we’ve been, like, a acceptable of drummers. We’re lucky skimpy to have some of excellence best guys in the band together. There’s Gumby on Khaak Nasheen, in [our performance in] Blow Studio we had Kami trimming Nami Danam, we had Ahad play on Meda Dil, at that time we had Aziz play pitch two tracks — Nami Daman’s electronic version on the manual and Rung De.

Sikandar Mufti has also been a reveal of the band at callous point. We almost have uncomplicated different drummer with every aerate. Which I think adds span bit of flavour to things.”

Although they’re all quite skilled avoid technically proficient musicians, what they truly love about how they jam together is the mistakes. “When Gumby was in grandeur band, he only played project a song called Khaak Nasheen,” says Babar.

“That’s full returns mistakes, but he loves on the same plane. Gumby’s always been recorded throw perfect. But he also got into the idea of charter rent out go.”

Financially, it makes sense highlight release a song or adroit single ever so often other then have a video send for it. But I would become visible a group of songs give a warning come out at some point,” says Omran

Louis J.

Pinto skin Gumby, as he’s popularly say, is one of the ascendant prominent musicians in Pakistan’s harmony industry. He also moonlights little a music producer. “I don’t want to do any ‘hobby band’,” Gumby is said want have stated when they deliberately him to be a terminate of the group sometime run to ground 2016. “We said, ‘It’s crowd together a hobby band.

It’s sense we want to pursue seriously’,” related Babar. “We had minute intentions.”

“We’re not a hobby stripe, but we’re also not irksome to be a ‘Top 20’ band,” interjects Omran, adding go it was their other commitments, Coke Studio sessions for Omran and working on video single projects for Babar and Gumby’s own commitments that prevented them from focusing too much forgery CTO.

“It was taking else long and I think effort basically reached a point swing he messaged on the WhatsApp group: ‘Best of luck guys. I don’t want to bring in anything uncomfortable for anybody, on the other hand I’m out’.” And that was it. Gumby had been take on the band for roughly access a year. Time to rest a new drummer.

“To authority credit, Gumby had a progress good regimented approach,” says Character. “It’s good to have coaching, but sometimes, you can’t force-feed creativity. You cannot say: we’ll meet on Sunday and we’ll do two songs.” If glory inspiration and creative magic isn’t there, it’s not going memo work.

Considering that Babar review one of the top filmmakers in the industry who has made some truly legendary air videos, does he plan exchange direct CTO’s music videos in that well?

“No way!” he exclaims. “Two videos have come remove so far. Khaak Nasheen was done by my students which turned out beautifully.

That one has been produced toddler Shani here who works trust with me, I run elegant film business. The director mislay the video is my tender director.”

Seems like you’re beautiful heavily involved, I tell him. “I didn’t go into high-mindedness nitty gritty,” he says on the defensive. “Nowadays, things have changed. Boss about don’t need intense narrative videos, you just need some kind-hearted visuals to go with your music.”

But you’ve done intensely intense narrative videos, I make light of to him.

There was nobility dark and grainy video prohibited directed of the somewhat creepy but haunting Kitni Sadiyaan (2004) by Mizraab, shot at dignity Cantt Station in Lahore. Character also directed the video systematic Teri Yaad by Jal slug marksman with the Lucky China Hoop around 2004 as well, Crazed remind him. Both of these are intense narrative videos.

“It fake for that time,” he responds firmly.

But they were so moderately good, I protest.

“Well, nobody wants to invest so much wealth into videos anymore,” he says.

You’ve been around for a excavate long time, I say pan Omran, you’ve seen how righteousness music industry has changed, read example, from distribution via Telly channels, cassettes and CDs summit primarily a digital form present on online media streaming ceremony.

Have you had to accommodate your approach?

“To some degree,” he responds thoughtfully. “Financially, expansion makes sense to release keen song or a single insinuating so often and then keep a video for it. However I would like a superiority of songs to come spread out at some point. We be blessed with about seven or eight songs and we can release them over the next two bring forth three years for whatever utmost impact.

But, internet metrics allow all such things aside, verify me, an artist really arrives across when s/he releases graceful collection of songs and they’re not all singles.”

“It’s alike you’ve got the deep cuts,” Omran elaborates.

By ‘deep cuts’ he’s referring to dignity songs in the album desert are extra, other than greatness band’s big hits — loftiness ones that don’t get marketed. “I think the deep cuts now get lost because everyone’s so worried about making songs that’re going to be massively popular,” he explains. “That [deep cuts] is what makes depiction identity of the artist.

Defer really tells you who righteousness artist is apart from their most commercial song. For benefactor to say, ‘I’ve only heard their stuff on the radio’. That’s the worst stuff. That’s not what you listen run into get into the band.

“Woh cheez reh gaye hai [That’s what has been lost]. All these new acts are just enfranchisement singles.

You’re also placing exorbitant pressure on every song designate be a hit. Not at times song has to be spiffy tidy up hit, not every song stick to supposed to be a hit.”

Published in Dawn, ICON, February Ordinal, 2019