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Published in the Times of India on 18th Nov, 2008 and written by VISHWAS GAUTAM

The Indian band Euphoria have good news to share – they’ve cut an album with a Pakistani music label, in collaboration with a Pakistani band, and also recorded India’s first ‘green song’, on global warming.

The Indian band has teamed up with leading Pakistani rock band Noori for an album by one of the largest Pakistani music labels, Fire Records. Confirming this, Hitesh Madan from Euphoria says, “We met Noori at the music awards in Pakistan earlier this year, in June.”

Noori comprises brothers Ali Noor and Ali Hamza, and the band has been credited with bringing underground music into the mainstream. Euphoria’s lead singer, Palash Sen, is excited about the two tracks they’re doing together. “One track is called Woh Kasme, and it’ll be shot partly in India and partly in Pakistan. We were blown away by the kind of reception we got in Pakistan and also Noori’s talent. They came to India in August, and we sat and chalked out the tunes and lyrics. We’ve recorded the song and sent it back to them to record their part. It’s our second collaboration with a Pakistani band after Strings.”

The song is about the harmony between the two nations. Ali Noor from Noori says, “Our experience has been fabulous. The bands have a unique relationship. We were intrigued by their music and it was refreshing to see a popular rock band performing, as we get to listen to only Hindi film music back home, and Pakistan has a rich rock culture. Plus, Palash is an amazing singer, so it was an instant connect. We’re quite similar – in fact, we share our birthdays,” he says, adding, “We had written a song and they had another. We showed our songs to each other and now the one we wrote has been recorded. I have hardly seen any big label releasing an Indian rock band’s album back home, so I’m sure it’s the first development of its kind.”

A lawyer by profession, Ali has been coming to India quite often. “I would come to Delhi because of my association with the Sanjan Nagar Institute of Philosophy and Arts. Both my mother and grandfather were classical singers. I’ve seen a lot of good rock bands in Delhi and I was impressed but frankly, I haven’t made up my mind on Hindi film music. I do like the work of Rabbi and Kailash Kher, though,” he says.

Meanwhile, Euphoria are full of dhoom about their ‘green song’. “We also have recorded India’s first song on global warming, whose video has already been shot in McLeodganj. It’s for Oxfam,” says Palash. Priya Pillai from Oxfam International adds, “Our idea is to generate awareness and mobility on issues like poverty and climate change. The video that has been shot aims to do just that, and it’s come out really well.”

link to the article.