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Faisal and Bilal on stringing together for 20 years
Music strings ’em together
Photo: G. Krishnaswamy
Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsood are not first time visitors to Hyderabad. Yet, each time they visit the city, the crowds gather in anticipation of some good music and want more. They have just been signed up to endorse Gibson guitars and are visibly elated.
“We will be the first group from the subcontinent to endorse Gibson,” says Bilal. In the city for the finale of the Royal Hyderabad festival, Faisal and Bilal soak in the afternoon sun and speak about film andpop music, their new album Dhoop, their band and family, and doing their bit for HIV/AIDS and UNICEF. Sangeetha Devi Dundoo
joins their conversation.
Bilal: Every time we come to perform here, or for that matter any city in India, people love us and we enjoy playing for them immensely.
In fact, I think anyone in Pakistan who can play a guitar wants to take the next flight to Mumbai.
Faisal: I think both in India and Pakistan, people have learnt to appreciate the difference between film and pop music and that helps bands like us.
While listening to film music, you visualise the particular actor in the song. In independent albums though, the listener pictures himself in the situation. The listener relates to the singer even more.
Bilal: Also, performing in India gives us a bigger platform. In Pakistan, you hardly have four or five cities for concerts.
The concert circuit here is bigger – around 25 main cities. You get bigger audience and media and this is good for those who think music is his livelihood.
Faisal: The Hindi film industry has also welcomed us. Sanjay Gupta wanted us to give our kind of music, than music that comes with regular commercial cinema. In that sense, Zinda and then Shootout at Lokhandwala were memorable experiences.
Bilal: After Shootout, there are so many offers we’ve got but we are taking time to decide. We’ve just come out of our hibernation after about six months, while we were working on our new album Dhoop. Dhoop should be released by January 2008 and then we can devote some time for film music. Pop music is our livelihood and our priority.
Faisal: You know, over the years I’ve realised that a band’s life is different. After releasing a new album, we tour the world for it takes us almost two years to finish one round.
In the meanwhile, it is tough to be in and out of studios recording for films.
Bilal: At the same time, as musicians we’ve taken up the challenge. In pop, you don’t need to look elsewhere. Music is a reflection of our thoughts. In films, we are interpreting the director’s vision.
Faisal: After Sanjay Gupta narrated the story of Zinda, I remember it took us just four hours to compose.
Once you get the melody and the ‘hookline’ other things fall in place. I liked the way Sanjay explained to us in great detail. Plus, he had a great team to work with.
Bilal: But Shootout was a different experience since Sanjay had to mediate between us and Apoorva Lakhia.
While composing for films too, we need to keep in mind the image our band has amidst people and take it forward.
Faisal: But that doesn’t mean we won’t work with directors like Karan Johar or Farah Khan.
(Over a cup of coffee, the conversation then steers to their work for UNICEF and HIV/AIDS)
Faisal: Have you ever wondered the impact our work would have on youngsters?
We cannot assess how your opinions to spread awareness towards HIV/AIDS help but I feel youngsters listen when we speak on TV.
Bilal: True, we’ve marked a few days in the calendar to do work for this and the UNICEF. I personally have enjoyed travelling to rural areas and talking to children who have no education and are hence unaware and vulnerable. And you make it a point to talk about such issues in concerts as well. It’s an honour to represent our country for UNICEF meets abroad.
Faisal: Yeah, and this is the work we do for the soul and not money. On another level, I think our success lies in having worked together for nearly 20 years in different areas. We’ve realised we are a team. We took a break for eight years but returned to make some good albums.
Bilal: Absolutely. When we disagree, I stay quiet and you compromise a bit. Perhaps that has helped. Tell me, when we travel for concerts, don’t you miss spending time with family?
Faisal: I do, but I think we are lucky. Because when we are home, we spend all our time with our children. In way, it’s nice not to have a 9-to-5 job.
Bilal: I start from taking my kids to school, picking them up back home and spending a whole week or two with them. These days, irrespective of the profession, parents struggle to make time for children.
By the way, I must say your son will grow up to be a fine musician. He enjoys playing the guitar.
Faisal (laughs): He is barely seven but loves strumming the guitar and imitates you.
What do your children tell you about our music?
Bilal: They know their dad is a musician but have never told me their likes and dislikes in music.
And I’d rather not impose anything on them.
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