Strings attached
Most girls drool over guys with a certain ‘proficiency’ on the guitar. Combine that talent with a soulful voice, and the concoction is to die for!
Most girls drool over guys with a certain ‘proficiency’ on the guitar. Combine that talent with a soulful voice, and the concoction is to die for!
Essaying the same is Ayaz Ul Haroon, lead vocalist and guitarist of the Delhi-based band, Guruz, who is all set to make the city rock to his live performance at S Lounge and Satva, both in Sector 26, on Friday and Saturday.
The way he chooses to introduce himself is by sharing his composition, Piya, with us. The only question that pops into one’s mind after listening to him is, “Are you in love? Or did someone break your heart?” He laughs it off and says, on a serious note, “I am a south Indian whose father, Zinda Madar, had been the lead guitarist for 20 years for an orchestra. My mom, on the other hand, is a Rajasthani with a rich folk culture.”
“Though my father has always been an inspiration, he never wanted me to become a musician because of some religious issues. But since music was a major part of who I am, I had to do something about it! Hence, the creation of Guruz.”
What is Guruz?
The Delhi-based band, Guruz, consists of Ayaz Ul Haroon (lead vocals and guitar), Danish (bass guitar and backing vocals), Rajesh Thakur (drums), Deepak Maher (guitar) and Harshit Naagar (percussion). The band officially came together in 2011, but these friends have been performing together and individually since 2006. In 2006, these friends got together and toured the whole of Delhi, doing six to seven shows a day (for five days in a row), to spread awareness about AIDS. The group is also associated with United Breweries, CCD, Barista, Efunds International and United Colors of Benetton for unplugged shows, shares Ayaz.
“Guruz is known for Sufi folk music with original compositions. Our vocal and lyrical quality has a touch of Sufism and our music is a blend of rock, pop, classical and western. Our music does depend on the audience we’re playing for. If we’re playing in a college, we play Sufi with heavy music, which includes drums and dhols, but if performing for the age group of 35 and above, our music mellows down,” shares the 27-year-old.
About performing in the city, he says, “I am overwhelmed by the thought of performing for the crowd of Chandigarh, which is known for its die hard party spirit. The director of S Lounge contacted me and said he wanted to change the party monotony of the city. So, here we are!”
