Ali Noor, is a trained lawyer, while Ali Hamza, is an Economics graduate from the top business school in Pakistan (LUMS). By moving away from the typical professional paths which society expected from ‘well educated Pakistanis’ like them, the two brothers decided to follow their passion for music. What they ended up doing was to set a precedent for so many others like them, who would usually not even consider pursuing their passion professionally.
The band of two brothers is considered one of the pioneering forces behind what is dubbed as the '21st Century Pop Revolution of Pakistan'.
History
Early years (1998-2002)
The name of the band, Noori, is not derived from Ali Noor, lead vocalist and guitarist. Noori is a Persian word which means “light” and the concept behind the band was the light which shows you things with a different perspective. Noori’s songs are about young people.Noori started 7 years before their first album "Suno Ke Main Hun Jawan" which came in 2003. Before Noori, Ali Noor and Muhammad Ali Jaffri worked with co-VEN and released an EP called “Not in your world”. Noori has been famous for their live acts and they performed their very first concert in 1998, at Sacred Heart School, Lahore. Their second album was released in 2005.
Mainstream success (2002-2005)
Noori's debut album, "Suno Ke Main Hun Jawan" had developed a cult following before the album's release in 2003 through leaks on the internet. "Suno Ke Main Hun Jawan" offers a complicated mix of sounds, starting from a folk-like "Manwa Re" that was actually written for a Pakistani film, to hard rock anthems to youth like the title track. Noori’s debut album created whirlwinds across the Urdu speaking community all over the world. A first of its kind, it introduced the genre of pop rock music to the Pakistani mainstream. In addition the album was also a departure from the beaten track of chummy love songs and focused instead on inspiring the youth of Pakistan to take up the responsibility of doing something worthwhile for themselves and others. Thematically with songs urging listeners to change the world, that life is beautiful and professing women empowerment. Their album was about youth, their innocence, their dreams and how they feel about life. After their album release in 2003, they performed a duet, Nayan Jahan, with Anaida which was a success. [2]Their second album was a follow up on where "Suno Ke Main Hun Jawan" left off. It talks about what happens when the ever so energetic and hopeful youth grows up and faces the realities of the world. The discontentment and suffering which arises in this growing up, creates an indifferent and self-centered individual, who finds escape routes in things like drugs and other short-lived pleasures. Noori's second album, "Peeli Patti Aur Raja Jani Ki Gol Dunya", on the other hand, starts off in a somewhat hopeful mood and then travels through bitter experiences and ends up with resigned despair, peppered with taunts.The album deals with a variety of subjects ranging from the problems and consequences of drug use to the collective apathy we all have descended into as individuals and as a society. [3] Over a span of 6 years the band has put out two albums, they have performed over 400 concerts, self-produced 10 music videos and won 3 major music awards.
Recent years (2005-present)
In 2005 Muhammad Ali Jafri, who was playing bass guitar for Noori, left the band and started his own business. In 2006, Noori parted ways with John Louis Pinto (aka ‘Gumby’), the band's drummer, as he was busy doing side projects with other bands as a session player, and unable to give much time to Noori. For now on Noori has two band members and they are both blood brothers, Ali Noor and Ali Hamza.In 2008, after a hiatus of almost 2 years Noori came back with their new single "Do Dil". It is the first song ever composed by the band. In fact it is this song after which the brothers decided to start the band. The video is directed by Mandana Zaidi. It begins with the actual footage from 1996, of the first attempt to record the song. The video has clips of some of those that have been a part of the Noori's journey in one way or the other.
In 2009, they performed at the Coke Studio Sessions along with artists like Atif Aslam, Zeb and Haniya, Ali Zafar, Saeen Zahoor and many other successful musicians.[4] They performed a duet with Saeen Zahoor, "Aik Alif", a sufi rock song which was huge success.[5][6] They also performed in the third episode of Coke Studio Sessions with their song "Jo Meray" which was performed in the format as it was originally composed by Ali Hamza in 2000.[7][8] They performed "Sari Raat Jaga" on the fourth Coke Studio Session.[9] On 14 August 2009, Noori performed "Kedaar" from their upcoming album at the last Coke Studio Session.[10]
In 2010, it was reported that the band has filed for copyright infringement against Linkin Park in the International Court of Piracy and Copyright in Geneva, Switzerland. Lead vocalist Ali Noor claimed that Linkin Park copied several guitar riffs and vocal melodies from the band, calling it “cheap, lame, and unoriginal.” He also said that his band was following in the steps of Call, who managed to win a $3 million dollar lawsuit late last year. “It’s sad that American bands have no creativity and resort to copying our musical style. They walk away with the money, the girls, the awards, and leave nothing for us. It’s fucked up.”[11] On May 15, 2010, the lineup for Coke Studio confirmed that Noori will feature in the third season along with many well known artists and bands like Entity Paradigm, Aunty Disco Project, Karavan, Abida Parveen and many other successful musicians.[12] On June 20, 2010, Noori performed a duet "Tann Dolay" with Zeb & Haniya at Coke Studio third season the second session, 'Will'. On July 10, 2010, Noori released the studio version of the single "Tann Dolay" which also featured Zeb & Haniya. On July 18, 2010, Ali Noor and Ali Hamza did a live interview with Abdul Rauf and Maria Memon the weekly morning show, 'Geo Pakistan', on Geo News. On July 26, 2010, the Noori brothers did a collaboration at the fourth Coke Studio session 'Form' for the song "Hor Vi Neevan Ho" with their mother, Noor Zehra Kazim, an accomplished player of the Sagar Veena, an instrument developed by her father, Raza Kazim at the Sanjan Nagar Institute for Philosophy and Arts.[13]
Currently, Noori is working on their third album and that album is going to be out in September 2010. Noorie has contributed their famous song with Saieen Zahoor for the latest BBC production "West is West" starring Om Puri.The Film is a sequel of now cult film, East is East made ten years ago by the same team.
Discography
- Studio albums
- Suno Ke Main Hun Jawan (2003)
- Peeli Patti Aur Raja Jani Ki Gol Dunya (2005)
- Singles
- Do Dil (2008)
- Sherdil OST (2008)
- Nayan Jahan with Anaida (2003)
- Mujhay Roko
- Jhoom Lay (2010)
- Dil Ki Qasam (2003)
- Ghana #1 (2004)
- Sunno Ke Mein Hoon Jawan (2006)
Awards
- Noori won the Award for the Best Rock Song for "Do Dil" at MTV Music Awards in 2009.
- Noori was selected as "Picked Artist Of The Month" on the Pakistani music channel called "The Musik" in June 2006.
- Noori has won the Best Rock Song Category Award for "Nishaan" in Indus Music Awards 2006.
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