Nickname: I have way too many.
DOB: 13th Sept 1985
Favorite quote: I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious. Albert Einstein
Inspirations: Many people inspire me because of their special qualities. E.g.
- Steve Jobs for his obsession towards attention to detail.
- Christopher Nolan & Steven Spielberg for their signature style of choreography & direction.
- Andrew Kramer for his contributions towards the After Effects community.
- Mark Tremonti for his god-like guitar skills and music compositions.
- Linkin Park for their diversity in music.
- And the list goes on.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Computer Systems Engineering from UET Peshawar. I also have a Masters Degree in Digital Design from Queensland College of Arts, Brisbane Australia.
I am currently settled and working in Brisbane, Australia as a Web Developer.
Tell us a bit about yourself?
I am from KPK … Nowshera to be specific. My dad was in Armed Forces so I have lived in quite a few cities throughout my life. I love technology, especially computers. I also love science and astronomy. Along the way, I realized I have a passion for not just listening to music but creating my own as well. I met Nazeef Maqsood in university who inspired me to learn guitar. Later down the track, I accidently met Naseer and formed Naseer and Shahab … one of the best things that ever happened in my life.
Looking at your page/portfolio one is always shocked and wonders that how many skills/talents are packed inside this guy. Why don’t you tell us about those skills/talents packed inside you?
My favorite quote would be the perfect answer to this question. I am not sure from where I get the drive to learn so many things at once. It started when I first starting using computers back in 4th grade. Think of me as the kid who would tear apart his toys to see how the internal mechanics worked and then put them back together. During early college years, I got into hacking … which intern inspired me to learn programming. That’s where my love for science and technology kicked in for real. I would learn something and master it … then hop to another. The learning sequence is quite bizarre actually.
How did the journey of Naseer and Shahab start?
I met Naseer Afridi on Facebook. We were both commenting on the Facebook page of “Guitarists of Peshawar”. We just joked about creating something funny in Pushto music. One of us sent the other a personal message and asked if we really wanted to do a parody song in Pashto. But the more we started to talk and interact, the more we realized how we much potential each of us had to come up with actual good music. So we decided not to waste time and experiment with “real” music.
We did our first song “Rise On Your Broken Knees” which received mixed reviews. It was a 90’s Linkin Park inspired song, which as you know, isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. However, we enjoyed working together and decided to continue collaborating. After the immense love we received with the release of “Za Pukhtoon Yam”, we officially decided to work as a two-piece band. The rest is history.
You and naseer started your music scene by putting out a pushto and rock-ish sort of track, what made you guys do this experiment and you did guys had any idea that, that song would be a hit and would top the charts?
The answer to this is kind-of included in my answer to the previous question. We both were feeling the void when it came to versatility in Pashto music. We might be the first Pashto alternative/punk rock band but certainly not the first ones in the general rock category. Amazing work is being done by Sajid & Zeeshan and Yasir & Jawad in Pashto rock. I must also mention here a Peshawar based band called “Marg” which happens to be a Pashto metal band. However, we wanted our own spin on the Pashto rock genre. We also wanted to present a positive image of pushtoon culture, especially after the military operations in KPK and bad PR in international media.
We did not expect it to be a hit. I uploaded the song to YouTube at midnight and went to bed. The next day, our song was at 9000 views and it kept getting approx. 6000 views per day for the next few weeks. It was amazing!
Not only Naseer and Shahab you are also part of a band called Avid the band, tell us a bit about it?
I formed Avid with a friend Nazeef Maqsood when I was in UET Peshawar. We were both inclined towards creating some heavy rock stuff. Our aim was to introduce and promote rock music in KPK. We got featured in Instep magazine, which motivated us to take the band a little more seriously. We have done several songs, most notably “Ankhun Mein”, “Chal Para” and “Saray Mil Kay”. We have a bunch of other stuff as well which can be found on Youtube.
Avid’s output has been slow for some while because of the professional lives of its members. But we aren’t dead … we will keep coming out with fresh stuff … slowly but surely. Meanwhile, Nazeef is collaborating with musicians all over the world … got to love the power of “online” . I am glad I met Nazeef otherwise; I would have never explored the “music-side” of my life.
Any upcoming projects from your bands?
We will soon be releasing the music video our song “Ghalti Mein Shta”. The video has a lot of special effects (time consuming process) so a definite release date isn’t confirmed.
We are also working on another song “Born A Dead Man”. I am planning an interactive 3D video for this one, which will be built using a gaming engine. Naseer is currently finalizing the composition.
What separates you or your band from other bands in Pakistan?
For me, it’s the freedom. We record, mix and master in our home studios. We also make our own videos. So any creative constraints or sponsor pressures do not limit us. We also don’t care if our music isn’t commercial. We easily turn down offers by major sponsors if they dictate us something, which isn’t according to our taste.
Musically, it’s the diversity. We have done songs in 3 languages and genres.
Collaborating while living thousands of miles apart is a challenge. The way we get across it also something, which sets us apart from other bands.
If you had to choose one interest as a full time profession, which profession would you choose photography, video making, audio production & web designing?
I have already chosen Web Development as my full time profession. I think I enjoy it the most. I also love academic research and lecturing. I might choose to do PHD and become a professor in a few years. You never know.
Since you are residing in Australia how hard is it for you to coordinate with your band members and work on the project your band starts working on?
Honestly, it’s not easy. It’s the mutual understanding that makes it even possible for us to collaborate. This might surprise you but we hardly talk on the phone or Skype. Our collaboration is 100% based on Facebook messages. I think what makes it possible is the similarities in our taste of music and how we perceive music. I met Naseer for the first time after we had already released two songs. We instantly became great buddies in real life as well.
Where would you prefer to live Pakistan or Australia?
I would love to come back to Pakistan if I am given the same opportunities and workplace respect as I am given here. I am a highly career oriented person and very open about it.
Thoughts on:
Naseer Afridi
He is not just my band mate but also a very good friend. Its amazing how well things work between us. He is one of the best vocalists I know. He knows his stuff from inside out and has unparalleled song composition skills. Always fun to be around with kind of guy.
Shaheer Shahid
Extremely down to earth and disciplined. Very Smart and a good listener. Makes heart-felt music. Has a good sense of direction. Blessed with creativity. A very good friend as well.
Shamoon
I haven’t met Shamoon in person but I have heard his music and seen his videos. He music is quite soulful. Always looking forward to more work from him.
Umair Jaswal
I haven’t met Umair in person as well. I think he is the best Urdu heavy rock vocalist out there in Pakistan. I am a huge fan of Qayaas and would love to see them perform live someday.
Any message for your fans?
You guys are awesome! You are responsible for all the great things we have achieved so far. Thank you for believing in us. \m/
Thoughts on Lespectra?
You guys are doing a great job. Please don’t stop promoting local talent. Mad props to the Lespectra team for giving exposure to indie artists.
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