Awaz
Encyclopedia
Awaz were a Pakistani pop
band that formed in Karachi
in 1992. The group was formed by Haroon Rashid
, lead vocalist, who was soon joined by keyboardist Faakhir Mehmood
and lead guitarist Asad Ahmed. Awaz were one of the pioneer bands of the local pop music scene and were highly skilled and talented musicians, producers and composers. The band's skill at composing and producing was often overlooked and the focus was on their good looks, glossy videos, catch songs and wild stage performances. Awaz are also regarded as one of the most successful band in Pakistan having sold more than 2 million albums worldwide.
Awaz achieved commercial success in Pakistan
with the release of their self-titled debut album, Awaz
, in 1993. The single "Janeman" from their debut album was an instant hit as they became the first band from South Asia
to appear on MTV
in April 1992, composed by lead vocalist Haroon Rashid and written by Sarmed Mirza. Their second studio album, Jadoo Ka Charagh, released in 1995, which included hit singles "Jadoo Ka Charagh" and "Shawa". The album proved to be better than the first studio release and stood up to everybody's expectations. In 1996, the band went on to record and release their third studio album, Shola
, which included their biggest hit song "Mr. Fraudiay". Their third album comprised elements of western music and less traditional eastern music unlike the previous albums had.
After the release of their third studio album, the band fell apart due to the differences among the three members, vocalist Haroon Rashid and keyboardist went on to pursue a career as a solo singer and lead guitarist Asad Ahmed went on to forming his own band, Karavan
.
, during his college years at Washington D.C., thought of the name "Awaz" for the band and after graduating with a degree in Business Administration from the George Washington University
he returned to Pakistan
. First, he recruited keyboardist and friend Faakhir Mehmood
and then the former The Barbarians lead guitarist, Asad Ahmed, whom he met at a performance in Marriott Hotel, Islamabad
, in November, 1992. Awaz was formed in December of that year.
After performing at a few concerts, the band decided to record an album and release a music video
. But first felt the need to be signed by a major record label and later on were signed to EMI (Pakistan)
. The band went on to make a video for the single "Janeman", from their self-titled debut album, on a shoestring budget of Rs. 15,000 sponsored by a private company based in the capital, Islamabad. The band sent the video to all local TV stations and record labels but the overall response was very negative and nobody showed any interest. Says Haroon "They responded by saying ‘stick to your day job.’ but I was stubborn and decided to send it off to MTV Asia to see what happens" and the song "Janeman" became the first ever Urdu
/Hindi
pop song to air on MTV on April 20, 1992. The song was composed by Haroon himself when he only 16 years old, and the lyrics were written by Sarmed Mirza.
for a year; the contract was later renewed till 1997. In March, Asad left college and dedicated himself to making money by playing music for the band. In May, Awaz released their self-titled debut album, Awaz
, which included hit songs like "Janey Kaun Thi Haseena", "Diya", "Oh Girl" and "Janeman".
Later the same year, Awaz along with Vital Signs
went on tour to England
, United Kingdom
. During this time, Rizwan-ul-Haq left Vital Signs to join Awaz and was replaced by Aamir Zaki
by his former band. Aamir Zaki, before the tour, also left Vital Signs and then the band asked for Asad Ahmed, lead guitarist of Awaz, to play on their third studio album, Aitebar
.
After the success of the band's self-titled debut album, the band were started to be known as the "Take That
of Pakistan" as the three member band came out with new, electrifying music, that made a great impact in the Pakistani music industry. The band went on to record their second studio album after the success of their debut album. And in January, 1995, Awaz released their critically acclaimed second album, Jadoo Ka Charagh, which shot the band to more success during that year with the release of the hit singles "Jadoo Ka Charagh" and "Shawa". The album proved to be better than the first studio release and stood up to everybody's expectations.
In August 1996, Awaz went on releasing their third studio album, Shola
, which included the band's biggest hit single of all time "Mr. Fraudiay" along with other songs like "Shola", "Mela", "Soniay" and "Hoga". Their third album was slightly different from the previous album releases and it did not sound like the traditional Awaz music. The album comprised elements of western music and had less traditional eastern music unlike the previous albums had. Later the same year, drummer, John "Gumby" Louis Pinto and former Vital Signs
rhythm guitarist, Aamir Zaki
, joined the band for an international tour.
, thus returning to his rock origins. Also, recruiting already an established solo singer Najam Sheraz
on vocals and Allan Smith on drums. In September, Awaz released another single, this time a patriotic song, "Aai Jawan". The video of the song only featured Faakhir and Haroon.
In November, Asad, with his band, released its debut album, Rakh Aas
. Later the same year, Gumby and Aamir Zaki
left the band to work on Najam Sheraz's second solo studio album, Roop Nagar, released in 1999. Also in December 1999, Karavan went on releasing their second studio album, Safar
.
, songs were written in both the English and Urdu languages, but since then the band has only written songs in Urdu, with the only exceptions being "Shine" and "Never Get Away" from their third album Shola
and the unreleased single "Believe In Love", recorded in 1995. Haroon
in an interview have said that he prefers writing lyrics in English, but when releasing an album he thinks from an Urdu perspective.
, writer of most the band's lyrics and music scores
, says that most of his inspiration for Awaz's songs from The Beatles
music. Songs like "Oh Girl" and "Janeman" (from Awaz
) are example of this influence. Other songs, such as "Diya" (from Awaz), "Shola" (from Shola
) have elements of rock music
, and some others, like "Janey Kaun Thi Haseena" (from Awaz), "Jadoo Ka Charagh" and "Shawa" (from Jadoo Ka Charagh) have elements of classical eastern music
.
On the other hand, Awaz has also been noted as a source of inspiration for other bands. Most notably, Pakistani underground rock band Flam! have performed Awaz's hit song "Jadoo Ka Charagh" in many different concerts. Bollywood
music director Usha Khanna
copied the Awaz's single "Janey Kaun Thi Haseena" music and lyrics for the film Sanam Harjai, released in 1995.
and Nazia and Zoheb
. Awaz's music has also been compared by some critics with the likes of Take That
.
Since the release of their debut studio album, Awaz
the band's music has been based on classical eastern traditional music blending with western music. Their third studio album Shola
comprised elements of western music and less traditional eastern music unlike the previous albums had.
Awaz were highly skilled and talented musicians, producers and composers. The band's skill at composing and producing was often overlooked and the focus was on their good looks, glossy videos, catch songs and wild stage performances. Haroon was renowned for his ability to sing live and perform break dance moves at the same time. Awaz was the first band from Pakistan or India to appear on MTV
on April 20, 1992 with the song "Janeman", composed by Haroon when he was only 15 years old, and written by Sarmed Mirza. Their biggest hit was the song "Mr. Fraudiay", a tongue in cheek satire on corruption in Pakistan
.
Compilations
Session musicians
Timeline
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
band that formed in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
in 1992. The group was formed by Haroon Rashid
Haroon (singer)
Haroon Rashid , popularly known as Haroon is a British-Pakistani pop singer, composer, musician and producer...
, lead vocalist, who was soon joined by keyboardist Faakhir Mehmood
Faakhir Mehmood
Faakhir Mehmood is a Pakistani singer and music composer. He started out his career in a Pakistani musical group called Awaz. However to conflicts of interest the band split and they all went to become solo artists. The band Awaz also consisted of well known musician Haroon.Faakhir has produced...
and lead guitarist Asad Ahmed. Awaz were one of the pioneer bands of the local pop music scene and were highly skilled and talented musicians, producers and composers. The band's skill at composing and producing was often overlooked and the focus was on their good looks, glossy videos, catch songs and wild stage performances. Awaz are also regarded as one of the most successful band in Pakistan having sold more than 2 million albums worldwide.
Awaz achieved commercial success in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
with the release of their self-titled debut album, Awaz
Awaz (album)
Awaz , is the first album released by Pakistani pop musical group Awaz. The album was released in 1993 by EMI...
, in 1993. The single "Janeman" from their debut album was an instant hit as they became the first band from South Asia
South Asia
South Asia, also known as Southern Asia, is the southern region of the Asian continent, which comprises the sub-Himalayan countries and, for some authorities , also includes the adjoining countries to the west and the east...
to appear on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
in April 1992, composed by lead vocalist Haroon Rashid and written by Sarmed Mirza. Their second studio album, Jadoo Ka Charagh, released in 1995, which included hit singles "Jadoo Ka Charagh" and "Shawa". The album proved to be better than the first studio release and stood up to everybody's expectations. In 1996, the band went on to record and release their third studio album, Shola
Shola (album)
Shola is the third and final album released by Pakistani pop music group, Awaz. It was released after Jadu Ka Chiraagh, the band's second album. This album was released in 1996 by Lips Records Limited and BMG Records Limited....
, which included their biggest hit song "Mr. Fraudiay". Their third album comprised elements of western music and less traditional eastern music unlike the previous albums had.
After the release of their third studio album, the band fell apart due to the differences among the three members, vocalist Haroon Rashid and keyboardist went on to pursue a career as a solo singer and lead guitarist Asad Ahmed went on to forming his own band, Karavan
Karavan
Karavan is a rock band from Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, formed in 1997. The band is founded by former Awaz lead guitarist Asad Ahmed with the help of his friend bassist Sameer Ahmed, who were soon joined by drummer Allan Smith and lead vocalist Najam Sheraz. Karavan are regarded as one of the most...
.
Formation (1992)
Haroon RashidHaroon (singer)
Haroon Rashid , popularly known as Haroon is a British-Pakistani pop singer, composer, musician and producer...
, during his college years at Washington D.C., thought of the name "Awaz" for the band and after graduating with a degree in Business Administration from the George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
he returned to Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. First, he recruited keyboardist and friend Faakhir Mehmood
Faakhir Mehmood
Faakhir Mehmood is a Pakistani singer and music composer. He started out his career in a Pakistani musical group called Awaz. However to conflicts of interest the band split and they all went to become solo artists. The band Awaz also consisted of well known musician Haroon.Faakhir has produced...
and then the former The Barbarians lead guitarist, Asad Ahmed, whom he met at a performance in Marriott Hotel, Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
, in November, 1992. Awaz was formed in December of that year.
After performing at a few concerts, the band decided to record an album and release a music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
. But first felt the need to be signed by a major record label and later on were signed to EMI (Pakistan)
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
. The band went on to make a video for the single "Janeman", from their self-titled debut album, on a shoestring budget of Rs. 15,000 sponsored by a private company based in the capital, Islamabad. The band sent the video to all local TV stations and record labels but the overall response was very negative and nobody showed any interest. Says Haroon "They responded by saying ‘stick to your day job.’ but I was stubborn and decided to send it off to MTV Asia to see what happens" and the song "Janeman" became the first ever Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
/Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
pop song to air on MTV on April 20, 1992. The song was composed by Haroon himself when he only 16 years old, and the lyrics were written by Sarmed Mirza.
Success (1993-1996)
After the release of the music video, Awaz started to gain success as the song made a great impact locally. This was the band's initial breakout and after that many record labels and local TV stations called the band with several offers. By January, 1993, the band were signed to PepsiPepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
for a year; the contract was later renewed till 1997. In March, Asad left college and dedicated himself to making money by playing music for the band. In May, Awaz released their self-titled debut album, Awaz
Awaz (album)
Awaz , is the first album released by Pakistani pop musical group Awaz. The album was released in 1993 by EMI...
, which included hit songs like "Janey Kaun Thi Haseena", "Diya", "Oh Girl" and "Janeman".
Later the same year, Awaz along with Vital Signs
Vital Signs (band)
Vital Signs were a Pakistani Pop rock band that formed in Rawalpindi in 1986. The group was formed by Rohail Hyatt and Shahzad Hasan , who were soon joined by Nusrat Hussain and Junaid Jamshed...
went on tour to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. During this time, Rizwan-ul-Haq left Vital Signs to join Awaz and was replaced by Aamir Zaki
Aamir Zaki
Aamir Zaki is a notable Pakistani prolific guitar player, playing jazz, blues, classical, rock and alternative rock.Beginnings...
by his former band. Aamir Zaki, before the tour, also left Vital Signs and then the band asked for Asad Ahmed, lead guitarist of Awaz, to play on their third studio album, Aitebar
Aitebar
Aitebar was the third album of the Pakistani band Vital Signs.-Track listing:All music arranged, composed and produced by Vital Signs. All songs written by Shoaib Mansoor.-Personnel:All information is taken from the CD.Vital Signs...
.
After the success of the band's self-titled debut album, the band were started to be known as the "Take That
Take That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
of Pakistan" as the three member band came out with new, electrifying music, that made a great impact in the Pakistani music industry. The band went on to record their second studio album after the success of their debut album. And in January, 1995, Awaz released their critically acclaimed second album, Jadoo Ka Charagh, which shot the band to more success during that year with the release of the hit singles "Jadoo Ka Charagh" and "Shawa". The album proved to be better than the first studio release and stood up to everybody's expectations.
In August 1996, Awaz went on releasing their third studio album, Shola
Shola (album)
Shola is the third and final album released by Pakistani pop music group, Awaz. It was released after Jadu Ka Chiraagh, the band's second album. This album was released in 1996 by Lips Records Limited and BMG Records Limited....
, which included the band's biggest hit single of all time "Mr. Fraudiay" along with other songs like "Shola", "Mela", "Soniay" and "Hoga". Their third album was slightly different from the previous album releases and it did not sound like the traditional Awaz music. The album comprised elements of western music and had less traditional eastern music unlike the previous albums had. Later the same year, drummer, John "Gumby" Louis Pinto and former Vital Signs
Vital Signs (band)
Vital Signs were a Pakistani Pop rock band that formed in Rawalpindi in 1986. The group was formed by Rohail Hyatt and Shahzad Hasan , who were soon joined by Nusrat Hussain and Junaid Jamshed...
rhythm guitarist, Aamir Zaki
Aamir Zaki
Aamir Zaki is a notable Pakistani prolific guitar player, playing jazz, blues, classical, rock and alternative rock.Beginnings...
, joined the band for an international tour.
End of fame (1997-1999)
In January 1997, after foreseeing a disintegrating Awaz, Asad Ahmed established his own studio. Simultaneously, he joined hands with his friend Sameer Ahmad, forming his own rock band, KaravanKaravan
Karavan is a rock band from Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan, formed in 1997. The band is founded by former Awaz lead guitarist Asad Ahmed with the help of his friend bassist Sameer Ahmed, who were soon joined by drummer Allan Smith and lead vocalist Najam Sheraz. Karavan are regarded as one of the most...
, thus returning to his rock origins. Also, recruiting already an established solo singer Najam Sheraz
Najam Sheraz
Najam Sheraz is a Pakistani pop singer, musician, composer and comedy actor. He is most prolific singer; indeed he is a household name in Pakistan. Many of his songs have become anthems all over the world. His latest album, eight in his career, "Najam" has been released recently both in India and...
on vocals and Allan Smith on drums. In September, Awaz released another single, this time a patriotic song, "Aai Jawan". The video of the song only featured Faakhir and Haroon.
In November, Asad, with his band, released its debut album, Rakh Aas
Rakh Aas
-Personnel:All information is taken from the CD.Karavan* Asad Ahmed: lead guitar* Najam Sheraz: vocals* Allan Smith: drums* Sameer Ahmed: bass guitarsProduction* Produced by Asad Ahmed* Recorded & Mixed at Asad Ahmed's Studio in Karachi, Pakistan...
. Later the same year, Gumby and Aamir Zaki
Aamir Zaki
Aamir Zaki is a notable Pakistani prolific guitar player, playing jazz, blues, classical, rock and alternative rock.Beginnings...
left the band to work on Najam Sheraz's second solo studio album, Roop Nagar, released in 1999. Also in December 1999, Karavan went on releasing their second studio album, Safar
Safar (album)
-Personnel:All information is taken from the CD.Karavan* Asad Ahmed: lead guitar* Tanseer Daar: vocals* Allan Smith: drums* Sameer Ahmed: bass guitarsProduction* Produced by Asad Ahmed* Recorded & Mixed at Asad Ahmed's Studio in Karachi, Pakistan...
.
Music
Language
On their debut album AwazAwaz (album)
Awaz , is the first album released by Pakistani pop musical group Awaz. The album was released in 1993 by EMI...
, songs were written in both the English and Urdu languages, but since then the band has only written songs in Urdu, with the only exceptions being "Shine" and "Never Get Away" from their third album Shola
Shola (album)
Shola is the third and final album released by Pakistani pop music group, Awaz. It was released after Jadu Ka Chiraagh, the band's second album. This album was released in 1996 by Lips Records Limited and BMG Records Limited....
and the unreleased single "Believe In Love", recorded in 1995. Haroon
Haroon (singer)
Haroon Rashid , popularly known as Haroon is a British-Pakistani pop singer, composer, musician and producer...
in an interview have said that he prefers writing lyrics in English, but when releasing an album he thinks from an Urdu perspective.
Influence
Haroon RashidHaroon (singer)
Haroon Rashid , popularly known as Haroon is a British-Pakistani pop singer, composer, musician and producer...
, writer of most the band's lyrics and music scores
Sheet music
Sheet music is a hand-written or printed form of music notation that uses modern musical symbols; like its analogs—books, pamphlets, etc.—the medium of sheet music typically is paper , although the access to musical notation in recent years includes also presentation on computer screens...
, says that most of his inspiration for Awaz's songs from The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
music. Songs like "Oh Girl" and "Janeman" (from Awaz
Awaz (album)
Awaz , is the first album released by Pakistani pop musical group Awaz. The album was released in 1993 by EMI...
) are example of this influence. Other songs, such as "Diya" (from Awaz), "Shola" (from Shola
Shola (album)
Shola is the third and final album released by Pakistani pop music group, Awaz. It was released after Jadu Ka Chiraagh, the band's second album. This album was released in 1996 by Lips Records Limited and BMG Records Limited....
) have elements of rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, and some others, like "Janey Kaun Thi Haseena" (from Awaz), "Jadoo Ka Charagh" and "Shawa" (from Jadoo Ka Charagh) have elements of classical eastern music
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
.
On the other hand, Awaz has also been noted as a source of inspiration for other bands. Most notably, Pakistani underground rock band Flam! have performed Awaz's hit song "Jadoo Ka Charagh" in many different concerts. Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
music director Usha Khanna
Usha Khanna
Usha Khanna is an Indian music director. Regarded as the first established female music director in the Indian film industry, she remained active for more than 3 decades from 1960s to 1980s. She is still active making some music for some movies and television-serials, more than 40 years after her...
copied the Awaz's single "Janey Kaun Thi Haseena" music and lyrics for the film Sanam Harjai, released in 1995.
Musical style
Awaz performs of western music and classical eastern traditional music. Their music has been defined as having catchy tunes and are majorly based on love. Their music has been one major force which has truly kept the national spirits high amidst the prevailing social woes which have surely worsened in the last few decades. Songs like "Mein Bhi Pakistani", "Watan Kahani" and "Aai Jawan" are examples. Their music has been captivating to the Pakistani youth for over ten years and have been the only saving grace of Pakistani music internationally after the departure of groups like Vital SignsVital Signs (band)
Vital Signs were a Pakistani Pop rock band that formed in Rawalpindi in 1986. The group was formed by Rohail Hyatt and Shahzad Hasan , who were soon joined by Nusrat Hussain and Junaid Jamshed...
and Nazia and Zoheb
Nazia and Zoheb
Nazia bakhsi and Zoheb were a Pakistani pop group from Karachi, Sindh formed in 1980. The group consisted of two siblings, Nazia Hassan and Zoheb Hassan, who were a singing sensation and pop icons in Pakistan and all of South Asia. They are also regarded as pioneers of the Pakistani pop music scene...
. Awaz's music has also been compared by some critics with the likes of Take That
Take That
Take That are a British five-piece vocal pop group comprising Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange, Mark Owen and Robbie Williams. Barlow acts as the lead singer and primary songwriter...
.
Since the release of their debut studio album, Awaz
Awaz (album)
Awaz , is the first album released by Pakistani pop musical group Awaz. The album was released in 1993 by EMI...
the band's music has been based on classical eastern traditional music blending with western music. Their third studio album Shola
Shola (album)
Shola is the third and final album released by Pakistani pop music group, Awaz. It was released after Jadu Ka Chiraagh, the band's second album. This album was released in 1996 by Lips Records Limited and BMG Records Limited....
comprised elements of western music and less traditional eastern music unlike the previous albums had.
Awaz were highly skilled and talented musicians, producers and composers. The band's skill at composing and producing was often overlooked and the focus was on their good looks, glossy videos, catch songs and wild stage performances. Haroon was renowned for his ability to sing live and perform break dance moves at the same time. Awaz was the first band from Pakistan or India to appear on MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
on April 20, 1992 with the song "Janeman", composed by Haroon when he was only 15 years old, and written by Sarmed Mirza. Their biggest hit was the song "Mr. Fraudiay", a tongue in cheek satire on corruption in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
.
Discography
Studio albums- AwazAwaz (album)Awaz , is the first album released by Pakistani pop musical group Awaz. The album was released in 1993 by EMI...
(1993) - Jadoo Ka Charagh (1995)
- SholaShola (album)Shola is the third and final album released by Pakistani pop music group, Awaz. It was released after Jadu Ka Chiraagh, the band's second album. This album was released in 1996 by Lips Records Limited and BMG Records Limited....
(1996)
Compilations
- The Best of Awaz (1997)
Band members
Original lineup- Haroon RashidHaroon (singer)Haroon Rashid , popularly known as Haroon is a British-Pakistani pop singer, composer, musician and producer...
– lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
(1992–2000) - Faakhir MehmoodFaakhir MehmoodFaakhir Mehmood is a Pakistani singer and music composer. He started out his career in a Pakistani musical group called Awaz. However to conflicts of interest the band split and they all went to become solo artists. The band Awaz also consisted of well known musician Haroon.Faakhir has produced...
– vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
s, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
(1992–2000) - Asad Ahmed – lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
s (1992–1997)
Session musicians
- Rizwan-ul-Haq – rhythm guitars (1993–1995)
- Aamir ZakiAamir ZakiAamir Zaki is a notable Pakistani prolific guitar player, playing jazz, blues, classical, rock and alternative rock.Beginnings...
– rhythm guitars (1996–1998) - John "Gumby" Louis Pinto – drums (1996–1998)
Timeline
External links
- Haroon Official Website - includes biography and complete discography of Awaz
- Asad Ahmed Official Website
- Faakhir Official Website