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Bidding for big time again

BIDDU is back with a new compilation, `Shut Up and Dance'

TUNING INTO TRENDS Music director Biddu

Remember Biddu? He was a name on everyone's lips back then. He did come back into public memory in the late 90s and now he is in the news again with his latest offering, `Shut Up And Dance.'

He ran away from India in 1969 to pursue his love, music, in England. Biddu hitch-hiked through West Asia to Beirut, Lebanon. Once in England, he worked in a hamburger joint to save money and release his first record. There was `Kung Fu Fighting' composed for Carl Douglas and `Dance Little Lady Dance' for Tina Charles. In the late 70's his fame reached India and Feroze Khan came calling.

"Feroze Khan asked me to do `Qurbani.'" `Aap Jaisa Koi' and `Laila O Laila' are very much part of Bollywood history now and they also launched the pop sensation of Pakistani origin, Nazia Hassan, with whom he had another chartbuster, `Disco Deewane.'

Biddu's comeback

The disco genre faded naturally over the 80s but Biddu decided to give India a shot again in the mid 90s when he launched Alisha Chinai with `Made In India.' Then he went on to launch Shaan and worked with Sonu Nigam.

Biddu's foray back into India happened right when music channels were taking off. Today Indipop is a big market but he feels that Indian music has a long way to go. `Shut Up And Dance' is away from Biddu's usual genre of music because it is just a compilation of remixes but he says it is with a difference.

"It is a little bit of a departure from my usual work. It is not a pop album, it has melody, its danceable and has a techno vibe to it."

ANAND SANKAR

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