And so it is...
It's official! Fuzon is over...well, the original line-up anyway.
In a recent press statement sent to Instep (along with the entire
media brigade) by guitarist Shallum Xavier, it was revealed that
Fuzon is coming back with a new album and a new vocalist, Rameez
Mukhtar. Yes, Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan has been replaced. Furthermore,
there was no mention of Shafqat Amanat Ali Khan in the press release
(one of the founding members of the band), no reason given for his
departure and even now, one still doesn't know (after 5 years of
release of Saagar) when the next NEW Fuzon album will be out.
Shallum and Imran aka Emu were unavailable for comment but Instep
tracked down Shafqat Amanat Ali and here's what he had to say...
"I was unaware of this email but if they (Shallum and Emu)
are coming back with a new line-up, they cannot use the 'Fuzon'
name. Even though, there was no legal contract between us, it was
always understood that if we ever called it off as a band, we would
not cash in on the name as individuals. I will take away my compositions
and they can form new melodies." When asked how he felt about
this press statement that did not even acknowledge him, Shafqat
said, "Shallum can sometimes be childish. He gets up and suddenly
decides, 'today, I want to do this' but it doesn't work that way
in the real world. Fuzon was a unit. That's how I saw it but it
seems that's not the case anymore. All I can say is they cannot
use the name. Otherwise, it'll be messy and I need sometime to sort
these things out."
Wrong tactic
Bands break up all over the world. But how many have been able to
make a comeback once the vocalist is out? After Jim Morrison's demise,
The Doors did release an album but it failed even though the music
was still the sound of The Doors.
If one looks at local bands, the biggest example is Atif. After
he left Jal, the band was never the same. This does not mean that
they aren't good but when it comes to commercial standing and popularity,
Jal are simply not a patch on Atif's success. The reason is crystal
clear: a vocalist is not someone who just sings, he is also the
face of the band.
Another great example is Junoon. After Ali Azmat and Salman Ahmed
went separate ways, Ali Azmat has managed to make a strong position
for himself in the music circuit. On the other hand, even as Salman
is performing all across US of A as well as other places, he has
no real standing in our music market.
The way Fuzon has come to a stop is not a pretty picture. A while
back when Emu was interviewed by Instep, he openly confessed that
Fuzon's idea was founded by him and Shafqat first. In the press
statement, its Shallum and Emu. The fact that Shafqat has not even
been acknowledged only goes to show how wrongly the other members
have handled this breakdown.
The big question: will the new Fuzon still work? Probably. In Pakistan,
even as the scene has grown tremendously in the past few years,
it is still relatively small. With more and more channels coming
out, there isn't enough good music out there. And one will give
credit to Shallum and Emu, both of whom are tremendously talented
musicians. But will Fuzon work to the same degree as it did when
Shafqat was a part of it? It's highly unlikely and that's because
Shafqat Amanat Ali appealed to the masses of this country. He comes
from a prominent gharana and brings with him generations of music
knowledge that really very few vocalists possess.
One can say Rameez Mukhtar, who is the new frontman of Fuzon also
has classical ethos. No one doubts his ability. But can he match
Shafqat? That is the real question. And if he is as good as Shafqat
then chances are that he too will be lured by Bollywood biggies
like Shafqat was.
Fuzon reached unprecedented level of success with one album. But
it wasn't just the album that made them one of the biggest musical
sensations of the decade, it was the tight live sets they put up
on stage, it was the soft sweet melodies that Shafqat brought with
him, and the mighty Shallum who shook it up with his guitars and
Emu, who added subtle notes with his keyboards. It takes time for
a band to accomplish that.
As talented as the new vocalist maybe and as well known as Emu and
Shallum maybe, can they repeat the same success as Fuzon, once again?
And finally, will people accept Rameez in place of Shafqat and not
draw comparisons? These are the questions that remain to be answered.
Right now, we don't know where any of the band members go from here
but what we can definitely say is that it is truly a very sad day
for music.
The shocking press release
The biggest musical sensation is ready to hit the scenes for 2007!
Background
The biggest musical sensation to revolutionize Pakistan's music
scene in the past five years; Fuzon has broken boundaries &
records at home & abroad. Their first album 'Saagar' has been
winning awards at every level & has been a blockbuster appealing
to audiences of every age. The brainchild of lead guitarist Shallum
Xavier & producer Imran Momina aka Emu, the band based its roots
on experimentation & collaboration between different sound scapes
& musical disciplines, hence the name 'Fuzon'.
2007
The year 2007 is going to be big for the band. Fuzon will hit the
studio again to finalize their much-awaited second album. The new
lineup will include vocalist Rameez Mukhtar, a seasoned artist surrounded
by much hype at home. The Band has always been in pursuit of fresh
& innovative experimentation in their sound & Rameez's involvement
has brought a reinvention of the Fuzon sound that will be exciting
& new to their fans all over the world.
Meet the members
Imran, Shallum & Rameez
Imran Momina
Emu is a multi-dimensional pianist, who has been playing since the
age of 13. His flair for arranging his own music & experimenting
with melodies made him set up his own recording & mixing studio
- and this is where the jam sessions take place. Technically proficient,
self-tutored Fuzoneer, Emu has a universe of possibilities at his
disposal.
Imran aka 'Emu' is a charismatic keyboard exponent & is a fine
studio tactician whose feeling-based work has been making sweeping
statements for over a decade. Emu has an uncanny knack for orchestrating
memorable music, which is dominant in Fuzon's gilt-edged tracks.
Shallum Xavier
Shallum, the guitar guru harbors the kind of passion that sets him
apart from guitar god's pack. His work encompasses tones in the
direction of blues, rock, jazz, classical & everything in between.
All his influences are focused towards creation of exhilarating,
infectious but most of all moving slipstream music. Shallum is undoubtedly
a studio artist of first water. His art on the debut album dazzles
in sonic inventiveness. Shallum has been producing new talent &
upcoming bands/artists in his studio. He has also been collaborating
with a Norwegian band Fryd & has been performing at several
music festivals all over the globe.
