They're new, they're hot (yes girls, hold your hearts), they're budding with talent (they're definitely different) and have a Junoon to release it. No, we're not talking about Pop Tarts, the food or the Spice Girls, because this band has 3 members, (not 5, or 4) and they manage to produce quality, meaningful music, not "trashy" jargon that only the immature amongst us can translate. So, you're dying to meet a band of boys who make sense and look good while they're doing it, then meet Junoon:

Salman Ahmad - Guitar and Backing Vocals

Salman was born in Lahore. His early childhood was spent journeying around the world. While in New York he happened to see Led Zeppelin "live" in concert and the image of Jimmy Page bathed in red, blue, and green lights playing "Stairway to Heaven" fuelled the passion within him to become a musician. In 1982 Salman returned to Pakistan to fulfill his parents wish; for him to become a doctor. It was during this time that he met his wife Samina. Salman is a restless soul, she is the calming influence in his life. He has a deep interest in spirituality, world politics and people. Apart from his musical career, he has also appeared in many Pakistani dramas.

Ali Azmat - Lead and Backing Vocals

Ali is a pukka Lahori. Before exploding onto the music scene he studied business in Australia. He is one of Pakistan's greatest live performers of rock and pop as anyone who has experienced a Junoon concert will testify. He has the presence of Freddie Mercury and his voice reminds one of a fusion between Robert Plant and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. He has just as much personality in conversation as in concert and is described as "The life" of a party. He is also the only member of the band who is still single, and he has no plans for marriage....(that's what they all say).

Brian Thomas O'Connell - Electric Bass and Backing Vocals

Brian is a native New Yorker who picked up the guitar when he was only eight. After High School, Brian studied music in Buffalo, New York. He then went onto a career in Human Services working with developmentally disabled people. Adventurous as he is, before joining Junoon, he had never even visited Pakistan! However, he found that it suited him well and he dove into the culture head first and sprouted his roots in the East when he married Super Model Ayesha Alam. In 1996 they were blessed with a baby girl whom they named Rachel Christine O'Connell. Brian is a shy person who enjoys photography and computers.

Coincidentally, all three members of Junoon were previously in different bands. Salman formed part of "Vital Signs"; the foursome that scored a smash hit with the patriotic single "Dil Dil Pakistan", yet he left them at the height of their success. He then contacted Brian whom he went to the the Zee Tappan High School with. They had even formed a band called "Eclipse" and in those days it was the hottest in their neighbourhood. Brian accepted his offer and moved to Pakistan. Ali's musical career began with the "Jupiters" where he acquired a lot of popularity. So why did you leave your respective bands? According to Salman: "Vital Signs had a very different style of music; it was popular yet did not fulfilled the Junoon inside me. I was aiming to achieve a lot more with my music." Ali added: "When I met Salman we both felt we had more to offer. We could sense something potentially great was possible through our teaming together".

Their hard work all paid off when Junoon scored it's first mass hit with the song "Jazba-e-Junoon" (The spirit of passion) which became the official song of the cricket world cup hosted by Pakistan. That same year they released a superb album titled "Inquilaab" (Revolution). It features the devotional rock-qawwali hymn, "Saeein". The title is a Sindhi word meaning variously "sir", "my friend" or "God". This is now one of their most popular songs.

The band have been around for more than seven years now, and during this time they have attracted a whole spectrum of fans from all over the world and are now one of Pakistan's biggest. They sing in Urdu, mostly in a style, blending Western hard rock with Sindhi, Punjabi folk and qawwali deriving inspiration for their lyrics from the mystic Islamic poets of the middle ages. Salman says that they are "channelling powerful poetry through the medium of pop music". Their music is thought provoking and often controversial. Their single, "Ehtesaab" (Accountability) tackled the topical issue of corruption. The hard hitting words of the opening line are "The answer to all our problems, accountability, speak up for accountability". The video of which shows Pakistani children working in backbreaking menial jobs, juxtaposed with shots of fictional politicians gorging themselves at five star hotels. In one memorable scene, a politician spills greasy curry down his shirt front, wipes off the stain with a thousand rupee note and then hands the note to a waiter as a tip. This aroused much debate especially among the politicians as they felt it would destabilize the country before elections and subsequently it was banned from being shown on Pakistan Television. But in true Junoon style, as they have said themselves, "Hai jazba, junoon to himmat na haar", their perseverance paid off when 10,000 lower middle class people flocked to Nishtar Park in Karachi for Junoon's free Ehtesaab concert. There was no violence and the crowd roared "Ehtesaab bas ehtesaab" (accountability, only accountability) when Salman asked them whether accountability should come before elections.

Their latest album, "Azadi" (Freedom) released on 14th August to mark the silver jubilee of Pakistan's independence has been a mega success, not only in Pakistan but Worldwide. Salman commented: "The greatest thing about music is that it transcends all boundaries". An ideal example of this was on their recent tour to India. "Following the nuclear blast there was a lot of hostility between the two countries, yet the people seemed amazingly detached from this. In Delhi and Lucknow, we had a turnout of over 50,000 as the fans stormed the barricades around the stage", he added. When asked about his opinion of the nuclear blasts, Salman replied: "Why is there a need for a nuclear arms race. If there is a race required in this region it is to provide shelter for the homeless, education for the illiterate, jobs for the unemployed. I know that both the countries will inspire each other". "Azadi" is also number one in India and "Sayonee" is their first Indian hit.

The band now continues on their tour around the World. Having just finished the two venues in UK in association with Zee TV they are now going to the US and then to the Middle East. A Junoon concert is the ultimate experience whether you're a total Pakistani or you can't speak a single word of Urdu and just wanna have fun. A strong undercurrent of burbling tablas and other percussive instruments leavens Salman Ahmad's expert but often high fructose guitar work; the end result is a highly enjoyable unpretentious confluence of East and West.

The band have come a long way since their first album with it's lust laden lyrics that was perhaps inevitable for a band that always wanted to grow out of the straightjacket confines. Since then they have explored many seroius issues and now their inner revolution seems to be coming to a full circle. Brian's concluding words were: "We believe very strongly in the message of our music. Our message is peace, love and brotherhood and as outdated and as corny as these three topics may sound in this day and age, there has never been a greater need for them". This perhaps summarises the band and their message.

Venturing a prediction, I'd say this band is going to be around for a while. They have great songs and a great live act. Most importantly they have junoon. Infact they are Junoon. Enjoy!!


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