Johnny Khalud Steps Into the Vortex.

The Way Johnny Khalud Back It Up Make Me Wanna Smack It Up

Johnny Khalud is METAL GURU!

special shout out to “unicorn marc.”

Johnny Khalud -in- The Occult Roots of Mormonism

The first Bangladeshi rock star was a fellow by the name of Azam Khan. One of the things in which Arafat Kazi held school was appreciation of Khan’s astounding “Jibone Kicchu Pabona Re.” There was a time, long ago, when the sound of Kazi’s guttural rendition of its lyrics, accompanied by a drum beat slapped out on the man’s stomach, could be heard resounding up Boston’s Commonwealth Avenue like the laughter of Doctor Johnson through Temple Bar.

In the year 2002 (or was it 3?), Arafat summered in Dhaka, and while there, he hunted down Azam Khan. From The Guru himself was procured the sole remaining cassette of the original recording of “Jibone.” This tape was brought to America. I borrowed it (never returned) and made an mp3 of the song in question:

azam khan - Jibone Kichu Pabonare.mp3

While I was looking through my External Hard Drive– a/k/a The Archives– I came across the saved cache of an article that appeared years ago on bangladeshinfo.com. Its subject: Azam Khan. Its author: unknown. Sadly, this masterpiece bears no byline, but is so incredibly overwrought, and thus awesome, that it must be reprinted in full :

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AZAM KHAN: THE LIVING LEGEND

There are many bodily signs of greatness, but none is more consistently found cohabiting in the same body with greatness as plainness of appearance. In describing David Hume, the greatest Empiricist of all time, one of his contemporaries said, “Never before has genius been so uncouthly garbed in flesh”. You would feel the same way about Azam Khan too. Azam Khan is the first, and possibly, only, rock icon of Bangladesh, a true rebel, an honest rocker…but you can just walk by this strictly unassuming rock god without casting a second glance.

The whole tradition of band music owes its very existence to this one person and his charisma. Unlike his western counterparts, Azam Khan has not held onto his bad boy image just because of its marketability. We have seen many an erstwhile rockin’ rebel cast off their rebel image in favor of hipper and more financially viable images (do the names Ozzy and Metallica come to mind?) Azam Khan has failed to earn millions but has been able to keep for himself something more precious - his soul! He has successfully remained the perennial youth that so well befits a rock god and is so lamentably lacking today.

It all started back in 1974 with the formation of Azam’s band Uchharon. Within a very short time the young and restless of Dhaka were singing Uchharon tracks like “Jala jala”, “Abhimani”, “Alal o dulal” and were screaming for more. Uchharon’s music was a clear break away from the prevalent mainstream music. It was fresh, bold and innovative. Words of frustration, disillusionment and alienation were bored into the heart of the listeners by distortion- drenched monster guitar riffs played with abandon and angst. The band’s shows were charged with electricity and fans used to become almost idolatrous. Azam’s Dylanesque voice, propelled by Nayan Monshi’s heavy riffs, turned Uchharon into the Grateful Dead of Bangladesh.

Unfortunately, the band’s line-up changed shortly after this, as Nayan went away to Canada (Nayan died there a few years later in a car crash). But Azam found a worthy successor to his guitar hero in new-recruit Rocket. Azam’s music now flowed in a new direction; the next few albums had a definite spiritual tinge. Songs of this period were inspired by the untimely death of Nayan. Songs Like “Ami jare chaire”, “Eto sundar duniyae” were pregnant with mystical allusions to the temporal nature of life. His music also became more socially conscious. His classic hit “Bangladesh” was all about social inequities which he saw around him. But inspite of his huge popularity, Azam rarely appeared on TV and other entertainment media. Yes, a haircut and a toned down attitude would have made him the darling of the media, but Azam never condescended to doing something for the benefit of the media alone. But even with the minimal airplay his songs got from the media, his influence on the youth of that period was immense. Never before, nor since, has there been any other musician in Bangladesh who could draw his audience so wholly into the mood of the music.

During the 80’s, Azam took an extended break from music. Except for the release of a few compilation albums, the only major musical excursion was the 1987 Flood Aid Concert. Even in the absence of his original band (Ayub Bachhu had the privilege of playing guitar, while Tipu and Vishnu played bass and drums), Azam put on a highly-charged performance and rocked the arena, while 50,000 (it was the biggest concert till date) fans chanted “Azam, Azam.” In the early 90s, Azam and Uchharon became the first Bangladeshi band to perform in the US. The live album off that tour became the first live album in Bangladesh Rock history. After his US tour, Azam released his Anamika album, which showed that far from compromising his unique style to adapt to the music scenario of the 90s, Azam had remained true to his roots. Though the album was not as big a hit as his earlier works, it did receive much airplay and the title track became a hit. In the dying years of the last decade, the Bangladeshi music community recognized Azam’s contribution to rock music in the country. Sargam brought out an Azam Khan Tribute Album. All major Bangladeshi artists and bands covered a number of his hit songs for the album. It was one of the highest selling albums of the local recording industry. So, how does our king of pop keep himself busy these days? The Guru is a fitness freak, he swims and plays cricket and offers swimming lessons at the National Stadium swimming pool. However, there is no need to be disappointed, because the guru has not retired from the music scene. “We have to support the newcomers”, he says, “So that we can be proud of the next generation of band musicians and they can popularise our music outside the country as well.” With that goal in mind, Azam Khan is currently working with a number of upcoming bands and is planning to bring out an album soon. For the thousands of Azam Khan Fans, that is something worth anticipating.

Azam is not your politically correct rock star; in fact, he is not even a star, he is a rocker - a simple and unassuming rocker who pours his heart into every note he sings.

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Special Bonus Material. A recent email exchange between me and Kazi.

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from: Jarett Kobek
to: Arafat Kazi
date: Fri, May 16, 2008 at 10:42 PM
subject: jibonu kichu pabonare

dude what are the lyrics to jibone kichi pabonare

I mean all translated and stuff like they was done in English by the man instead of his native Bangla– like he was SPEAKING TO ME IN MY OWN TONGUE!

Many thanks,

“jarett”

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from: Arafat Kazi
to: Jarett Kobek
date: Sun, May 18, 2008 at 2:03 AM
subject Re: jibonu kichu pabonare

I’ll never get anything out of this life
I haven’t forgotten that thought, HYUH!
I’ll never get anything out of this life
I haven’t forgotten that thought, HYUH!

Come back to me, say you’ll be my mate, and never leave me again!
Come back to me, say you’ll be my mate, and never leave me again!

If you want to go off into the unknown, don’t go alone
Think about what you do before you do it, don’t do it and then think
If you want to go off into the unknown, don’t go alone
Think about what you do before you do it, don’t do it and then think

No, no, no, think about it! Don’t go alone by yourself
If you want to go off into the unknown, don’t go alone

EEEEYAAAAH

I’ll never get anything out of this life
I haven’t forgotten that thought, HYUH!
I’ll never get anything out of this life
I haven’t forgotten that thought, HYUH!