Hardtalk with Ali Azmat
By Ahmed Hayat
Is Junoon really over?
Yes it is.
What makes your solo album Social Circus so different from Junoon albums?
Social Circus is completely my sound, it is completely my music.
So, weren’t you getting to express your sound while being in Junoon?
Not necessarily. Well, we work in a band, we sound like the band sounds. But in my solo effort I make it sound how I want it to sound.
Tell us something about your video with Jami ‘Deewana’, how did it come about?
Deewana was something that we wanted to do something that hadn’t been done before. Wanted to take a chance in creating computer graphics, futuristic cities and car chases and to take the art of video making to an another level. Stuff that noone would do for the next 10 years as it is very time consuming, very artistic and very creative.
Your next video from the album social circus and who will be directing it?
Well we are working on 3 videos at one time; let’s see which video finishes on time. There are different people directing it. There is one video which I am directing myself, one done by Zeeshan Pervez and Raju, Sohail Javed is doing one.
Social Circus has been well received by the critics here, what do you say about that?
I feel really good about it. Its great to see that people relate to my music and my poetry and the things I want to share. It gives me great pleasure.
How has social circus been received in India?
Great it has been doing well. Our live performaces there have been mind blowing. They responded very well. We created a very different sound as to what we use to produce with Junoon. People liked it very well and enjoyed it.
When are you planning to release your next album?
I just released social circus last April and my next will come out sometime in 2007.
Your views on Salman Ahmed’s album ‘Infinity’.
I think it’s a great album but it would have been better if somebody else sang it. None the less he has done a good job with the kind of stuff he is doing.
In a recent interview Brian mentioned that you guys kicked him out of the band. What do you say about that?
Nobody kicked him out of the band, he himself started missing gigs. We took a decision if we wanted to go on. So we sidelined him because he wasn’t performing. We took a guest artist and kept touring.
How is Ali Azmat different in real life than as what media potrays him?
I am not sure what the media world potrays me as but I am a very different person. Every artist has there own do’s and don’ts. I have actually lived my life as how I pleased. I have done what I wanted to do. It might have showed me as completely wild and out of control but I am actually.
On a recent television show you mentioned that all the Zindagi Trust funds collected goes to the pocket of Shahzad Roy ...
It was a joke man, it was a joke.
What are you doing to help the earthquake victims?
We had crisis before but now I think everybody is going along with their lives.
Is your relationship with Vaneeza Ahmed completely over?
Man, this is not a question that I would like to answer.
So was it a marketing gimmick putting Vaneeza Ahmed in 'Na re Na re' video when you know that your fans know about your romantic past?
Well it was a decision by the director, not me.
What are your plans for the future?
Going for a tour to Toronto, India and America.
Would you like to give any message to your fans?
Be yourself as that is the hardest thing to do
Lastly, when is your next hairstyle coming out, its been a long time since a change?
Who knows man, not changing for now. We will see.
link :
http://www.raw.com.pk/interviews/ali_azmat/
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