QUOTE UNQUOTE
“If we make a comment on any artiste’s music for fun, then I don’t think there is any harm. We also make fun of Ali Azmat and Strings; why don’t they come up and complain and why do the new artistes? The day you enter the music field, you become public property. So anybody can comment on it!
“If the video Directors think that the music industry is being destroyed by our mean comments then do they think of the types of videos they make? When Ali Khan came out with “Saathiya”, the whole world shouted that it’s a copy of a Chinese video. But did that stop him? He is in India, signed to the best record label. These are all directors’ sentiments hence if they are that sensitive then I would advice them not to enter the media.”
– Dino, on whether VJ’s have the right to mock videos
CONCERT: THE REINCARNATION OF THE BEATLES IN THE CITY OF LIGHTS
On a very pleasant Karachi evening, Tee-M gave a salute to the Beatles on the last night of his current Pakistan tour which started in late October. The Beatles inspired him to get into music while growing up in Karachi. Tee-M was joined by a band of local musicians which comprised of Omar Bilal on guitar and vocals, Rahail Siddiqui, bass and vocals and Giles Goveas on drums, fresh from his stint with the play Chicago.
However Tee-M started with a couple of solo songs from his album Earthiotic... "New Orleans" and the bitter sweet "You Go On." He also indicated that the song, which he said was about the journey that is life, has a good possibility of ending up in an independent movie, but knowing Hollywood, he's not celebrating just yet. By about the middle of the song he had the jam-packed crowd at this concert singing along...
After that, the rest of the band walked up on stage and ripped into the very first song from the very first album that started the whole Beatles phenomenon - "I Saw Her Standing There", followed by "Can't Buy Me Love" and "I Want To Hold Your Hand", which Tee-M said he used to play so much that it might still be reverberating in the old neighborhood. And then he flipped the 45 and sang his heart out on "This Boy" with perfect harmonies from Omar Bilal and some tasty guitar work.
Tee-M and the band did some exciting versions of "Anna" a song done by the Beatles on their debut album and written by American r’n’b artist Arthur Alexander, and "World Without Love", a track written by Lennon-McCartney but never released by the Beatles, but a hit for Peter & Gordon. Next up were some impeccable harmonies on "Nowhere Man" and bass work from Rahail Siddiqui and an eerie "Eleanor Rigby" with Omar switching to the keyboard and some very sparse fancy drumming by Giles.
Tee-M also sang "In My Life" from the album Rubber Soul, a song he said he was honored to sing at John Lennon's 25th Memorial at Capitol Records in Hollywood. Before singing, he read an imaginary letter that he had written to John Lennon when he was about 16 years old. The letter "Hey John" was recently re-discovered in an old school book. "Hey John, I know you're trying to bring peace in this world, but there are very few people like you in our world. And I don't think that peace shall ever prevail, until and unless the 'Imagine' dream becomes real. Hey John, I wish that music was the strongest gun, Hey John, I wish this world was nothing but fun."
"Hey Jude" got the crowd waving and singing along but before finishing the Beatles salute, Tee-M, along with the band, did "Make Them Happy" his first complete song, that he sang long ago with his then-band in Karachi, 21st Century. The lyrics to the song were also re-discovered in the school book. The band really cooked on this song and then cranked up "Aao Aao Aao, Suji Ka Halwa" with the crowd going wild and loud with the sing-along. Tee-M finished off the evening with Carl Perkins' song "Everybody's Trying To Be My Baby" which the Beatles covered on their Beatles For Sale album. And as Tee-M was leaving the stage, somebody in the audience shouted "Satisfaction" - so the band obliged the lone Rolling Stones fan with a rousing loose version of the song.
While talking to MAG post-concert, Tee-M said he was very happy that he got to do a full fledged salute to the Beatles, the band that inspired him to pick up the guitar, play, write, sing, dream and do other crazy things while growing up right here in Karachi... Beatles Forever!!!!
WESTERN SPICEBITES
White House Honor for Stevie
Fresh from performing with the Jonas Brothers at the Grammys, wunderkind Stevie Wonder was honored in Washington, D.C., by the very people for whom he's shown immeasurable support - the First Family. President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle Obama presented the 26-time Grammy winner with the Library of Congress' second-ever Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. The award was established to recognize "lifetime achievement in promoting song as a vehicle of musical expression and cultural understanding."
"We honor a man whose music and lyrics I fell in love with when I was a little girl," the First Lady said during the festivities. "The first album I ever bought was Stevie Wonder's Talking Book. Years later, when I discovered what Stevie meant when he sang about love, Barack and I chose the song 'You and I' as our wedding song."
Other guests and performers at the event included India.Arie, will.i.am, Martina McBride and gospel duo, Mary Mary. The Motown legend had a significant presence throughout Obama's path to the White House. Wonder's music often played at rallies, and more importantly, the soul singer performed at the Democratic National Convention, when the
now-president accepted the nomination, and twice during Obama's inaugural week.
Anger Management for Chris
Chris Brown has begun taking anger management classes, according to news reports. "Chris doesn't actually have to go by law," a source informs. "But he believes it will make him look better to the public, and he wants to try to get in a few classes before March 5." Brown began taking the classes after his recently hired publicist, Michael Sitrick, made the suggestion. Brown's first date before a judge to discuss the alleged assault on Rihanna was scheduled for March 5.
Kevin Federline to Design Kids' Clothes—Seriously
The father of four – he has two kids with ex-wife Britney Spears and another two with Shar Jackson - is looking to design a children's clothing line. K-Fed says, "It's a really tough business. I'm trying to take it seriously and make a quality product for kids but not have parents pay like $500 or something ridiculous for a pair of jeans." At the moment, he's in talks for a licensing deal, so it remains to be seen if the designing gig will actually happen. But if it does, will it be any more successful than his rap career?
PAKISTANI TOP CHARTS
1. Inteha - Kehna Chahta Houn
2. Ali Azmat – Klashnifolk
3. Shafqat Amanat Ali – Tabeer
4. Zeb and Haniya - Chup
5. Shehzad Roy - Kismat Apney Haath Main
6. String – Koi Aanay Wala Hai
7. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan - Charkha
8. Jal – Boondh
9. Dino - Suno Zara
10. Ahmed Jehanzeb – Laut Aao
