The Record Music Magazine

Three young musicians come together with solid musical chops and a healthy dose of enthusiasm to form Pakistan’s newest sensation Raeth. The band should be hitting Indian shores soon, but in the meantime we spoke to them over the phone from Karachi to bring you seven things you must know about this promising act.

1. They Are Old Friends Who Bring A Wide Range Of Musical Influences To Their Songs.
The oldest member of the band is 21 and the youngest 19, but they have all been playing their respective instruments since their early teens giving them a solid musical background. Says bass player Mustafa Asad, “We all studied in the same school, and we used to play at concerts there as well. Slowly we started writing our own songs and people began appreciating it. In 2002 we decided to form Raeth. Now we have this platform and we want to rock this world!” He explains the sound of Raeth saying, “We are a pop-rock band that is fusing eastern melodies with western pop and rock. That I think sets us apart from other bands here. Everyone here in Pakistan is doing different music actually. Our album has a lot of flavours in it and that is thanks to our producer also actually who has a really strong musical background. We all worked our own favourite genres into our album so we like to mix eastern melodies with western grooves and have a mix of blues, new age rock, old school rock and many more influences in it.”

2. They Chose Their Band Name After A Lot Of Consideration.
Mustafa explains, “We chose ‘Raeth’ because it has a uniqueness and because it has all the elements in it namely ~ sand, water and earth. Also no one can keep a grip on raeth so we like the implication of that. And finally, the sky is the limit for us but we also want to always stay down to earth. So the name really feels appropriate.”

3. The Video For Their First Single Bhula Do Had An Eventful Shoot.
The band found out early on that unpredictability is a big part of showbiz. While shooting the video for their first single Bhula Do, things screeched to a halt thanks to a power outage. Recalls Mustafa, “While we were shooting, the first thing that happened one day was that the lights went out ~ and we had no backup plan! [Laughs] So while waiting for it to come back on we were sitting around with the director, having a cup of tea, and we had a little impromptu acoustic session right there. The director even thought we should make another video from the experience itself. By the way, the power blackout happened when my shot was supposed to happen. [Band laughs] These things always happen with me. I think I am a lucky person for the band.”

4. They Greatly Appreciate The Music Scene In Pakistan.
Pakistan has consistently spawned hit bands whose music has been successful both at home and in India as well. The music scene is clearly conducive to creativity and Raeth is grateful for the opportunity. Says Wajhi, “Our industry is growing day by day. People have worked really hard so it’s good.” Adds Mustafa, “It’s great now. Pakistani musicians are working really hard and there are also lots of collaborations with India as well, everyone seems to like our music and that feels good.”

5. They Made Sure To Earn Family Approval For Their Choice Of Career.
You would imagine that a group of teenagers wanting to forge a career in a field that is highly unpredictable would clearly face some parental resistance. Confirms Farabi, “Initially it was like that. But we all were always good students so our parents never stopped us from playing music. And now we are doing well so they see that we are working hard at the music, the music scene in Pakistan is really good and our album is doing really well. I am not saying it is # 1 yet but it is a best seller. So our parents are really happy and supportive now that they see that we are serious about it.”

6. They Thrive On Live Performances.
Lip-synching is totally out of the question for this trio since they absolutely love the experience of playing their songs live. Recalling some memorable gigs, Mustafa says, “One of my favourites was this acoustic session that we once performed ~ I love this kind of atmosphere, a great crowd of music lovers and us playing our songs…it’s amazing! Another time was a gig at Farabi’s house, which was a launch actually with media people, and we rocked the show. There was also one gig at a college in Karachi where we performed in front of thousands of people and we sang four original tracks and people loved it. The best part was that they were singing along with us.” Adds Farabi, “This was even before the launch of our album. So to see people singing along to our tracks was really amazing. It made us feel very good.”

7. They Are Looking Forward To Playing In India.
The entire band is excited about bringing their music to India. Says Farabi, “I have been to Bombay a few months ago with my family. I got to see a lot of the city that time. And I love the chaat at the beach. I will come back for more of that! [Laughs]” Adds Mustafa, “We are coming as soon as we get our visas and we really want to rock India!”

You can read the rest of our New Artist Alert for Raeth in the September 2006 issue of The Record Music Magazine available at your local newsagent.

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