With Junoon’s 20th anniversary on its way, several local and young artists have been invited to revamp the band’s songs for an exclusive 20th Anniversary Album. The upcoming album will be an opportunity for rising artists to flaunt their signature styles globally through Junoon’s platform. Salman Ahmad, Junoon’s stalwart guitarist, researched and then contacted bands and artists through email encouraging them to contribute to the album.
Back in the 90s, Junoon was the voice of a generation that brought several musical innovations and provided rock anthems which eventually received international recognition. …

Pakistan music industry’s wild child and perhaps one of the most controversial personalities (courtesy of his dagger sharp words) on television, Junoon’s ex-vocalist and the rock icon, Ali Azmat was married on September 10 to Fariha Khan Chapra, a television producer, according to Koolmuzone.com.
The news came as a surprise to his fans who had presumed that the rock star would never settle for something as serious as a full-time commitment. The rumors that Azmat vowed to stay a bachelor all his life, told female fans to …

Pakistan’s music scene reflects many close-knit connections of friends and family, but being related does not always mean mainstream success.
Rock band Noori, founded by brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza, has bassist Muhammad Ali Jafri whose brother is Hamza Jafri — the frontman of Co-Ven. Roxen, which until recently featured two brothers Omar and Haider Halim, also has Mustafa Zahid who is the cousin of former Junoon frontman Ali Azmat.
Family ties within the music industry can provide a unique catalyst to boost one’s career. It eases newcomers’ apprehensions, provides mentor …

Ali Azmat’s latest offering Social Circus has firmly reaffirmed Ali Azmat as the king of Rock n’ roll in Pakistan. Breaking away from the traditional aura of Junoon, Ali has gone all guns blazing in this latest offering of varied moods and personal life experiences. In fact it seems that Ali has tried hard to stay away from traditional Junoon territory and in doing has fallen flat on its face with glaring moments of mediocrity. However, the major portion of Social Circus stands out as original and inspiring musical extravaganza.
Social …

The lead vocalist of Junoon – a radical rock band of the last decade, Ali Azmat, has launched his first solo album titled ‘Social Circus’. The album is released by Sadaf Stereo.
Addressing a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Thursday, Ali Azmat who is famous for his vocal powers and stage performance, said he had been planning to launch this album since the release of Junoon’s last album, Deewar – a flop album as compared to the band’s earlier ones.
Describing his album’s theme, he said it was a …

Ali Azmat was all set to act in Mahesh Bhatt’s Rog last year, but the Indian government denied him a visa. When asked why, Azmat calmly shrugs and says with a devious smile, ‘‘I don’t know why—there’s no because.’’ Maybe that’s why he doesn’t care much about acting these days. Currently in the city to promote his first solo album, Social Circus, the shiny-headed, irreverent and utterly candid former lead singer of Junoon says he actually quit acting seven years ago. ‘‘I’m not going to wait around for five hours …

Yousaf Salahuddin’s Haveli oozes cultural magnificence on this cold wintry evening. An unassuming façade, which could easily be missed from the road, opens into a wonderland of history and tradition. Cradled in the glory of the brilliantly lit-up Fort, it basks in the wonders of two worlds: the traditional, which encourages the use of old oil lamps in a power breakdown as opposed to a generator and the modern, which inspires him to build a comfortable living area in his bedroom and bathroom both. His rooftop springs color for Basant …

Indian film-maker Pooja Bhatt’s latest venture “Rog” has proved a hit in the ongoing film festival in Pakistan. Besides, other Bollywood films like Maqbool and Dhoop are also attracting much crowds.
Starring Irfan Khan, “Rog” is Pooja’s second film in succession that has been premiered in Pakistan, the first one being “Paap”. Written by her father and director Mahesh Bhatt, “Rog” is a tale of a cop falling in love with a woman whose murder he is investigating.
On the occasion of film’s premier, Pooja told reporters that she was looking for …

Pop music is rapidly taking over the Pakistani music scene, despite the moral brigade and diktats of the clergy. “Pop, along with soft rock, is growing in popularity. It has developed in a very short span of time and shows more promise than even Indian pop music,” claims Saadia, 19, a student of business studies. Most of the songs are in Urdu set to western music. There is a lot of talent coming here. Music experts say there are about 15 established music bands and a dozen pop music stars …

It appears as if the floodgates have been opened for foreign entertainment and news channels. The last couple of years have seen an invasion by cable channels, which can be seen wherever you go, from restaurants and homes to shops. This is all part of the phenomenon called ‘globalisation’. Pakistani viewers, noticeably, are losing interest in local channels because of the glitz and glamor of the foreign media. It is easy to see that the majority of images beaming out of television sets are of foreign films and shows. Viewers …