Faakher

One of the local pop scene's top neo-filmi-pop-meets-rockabilly band, which eventually broke-up in 1999 after the act's two mainstays, vocalist, Haroon, and synth-player/composer, Faakhir, got into a clash of egos and "creative differences". However, after Haroon released his debut solo effort in the form of last year's eclectic and excellent pop effort, Haroon Ki Awaz, the fan following that Awaz had formerly enjoyed, and the local pop press were left waiting for Faakhir's solo ambition. Faakhir had already to an extent made his presence felt in 2001, by releasing three songs/videos, and two of which were not only solid hits, but (especially "Dilruba"), also managed to give Faakhir a whole new batch of applause as a solo artiste, thanks to a Spanish groove and the much played video funded by Pantene. Well. This year, in mid-Febuary, the wait was finally declared over when the debut full-length solo album called Aatish hit the market.

So then, what about Aatish? To begin with, during my 12-year-career as a pop-music-critic, at aleast four albums have been made right in front of my eyes: (1) The Vital Signs' melodic FM-Pop chestnut, 1995's Hum Tum; (2) Junoon's mainstream breakthrough sufi-rock cracker, 1996's Inquilaab;(3) Much of Haroon's 2001 boiler, Haroon Ki Awaz; (4) A bit of Faakhir's Aatish .... and apart from, of course, a number of EPs by the scene's mid-'90s "underground-rock" bands.

What I'm trying to suggest is that, minus the Signs (who were always rather lazy with regard to recording albums), all the other acts I've mentioned above (including Ali Haider, Sajjad Ali & Nadeem Jaffery), are like work-horses when it comes to making music in the studios. And Faakhir is no different. As a matter of fact, while trying to work-up enough money to record his solo effort the man composed and recorded jingles for various advertising agencies to take care of both sides of the divide: i.e. home and album.