Your new release The Story Of UMI is a remix album which claims to have one original song ‘Yalla yalla...’ Why the need for an original song in a remix album?
Simply because I needed a break from remixes. (Laughs). Just joking. On a serious note, The Story Of UMI is a compilation of of my earlier remixes from the four volumes of the UMI 10 series. We felt it would be a good idea to put in an original song in a compilation of remixes. That’s how ‘Yalla yalla...’ happened. It’s a racy number, done in a remix style, with lyrics by Dev Kohli. Sunidhi Chauhan has sung it and the video of the song is being played on all the channels. Thankfully, the song has caught on.
But ‘Yalla yalla...’ doesn’t seem original. Also, one has heard a similar song ‘Aanewala pal...’ in Plan, which has music by your big brother Anand Raaj Anand.
I agree. It’s inspired from an international hit. But I have only picked the first line of the original song, the rest is all mine and lyricist Dev Kohliji’s.
As for the similar song in Plan, it’s possible that a song can make an impact on many. And you know how it is in films, where producers insist that a music director use a particular song. As a result, you have one inspired number in umpteen films.
Why did you want Sunidhi Chauhan to sing ‘Yalla yalla...’ instead of your favourite singer Shaswati?
Each singer has his or her own speciality. Sunidhi’s voice suited the breezy number, which is not your typical Hindi film song. Also, now that I am seriously planning to get into film music, I wanted to work with a playback singer.
Come to think of it, shouldn’t the album have been titled The Story Of Harry Anand instead of The Story Of UMI, since it captures your success story with all your hits from your remix albums down the years?
Well, that would be great, but seriously I don’t think I deserve that much importance. I owe my success to my music companies, and UMI has a big hand in it. The album was titled thus because it compiles the hits from Vol. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of UMI 10, and UMI here stands for Universal Music India. In a way, it is Universal Music India’s success story of remixes, and the title is apt.
You have done hit remix albums with both, Universal Music and T-Series. With whom has the success ratio been higher?
I have given hit albums with both companies. If there was ‘Sehri babu...’ and ‘Kaliyon ka chaman...’ with Universal, then there was ‘Kaanta laga...’ with T-Series. Both the music companies have been equally encouraging. I have also done some remix albums with Venus and Tips.
Besides Bally Sagoo, you are among the early musicians in India who started the trend of remixing. Does that make you proud?
Bally Sagoo can be termed the pioneer of remixes. He started the trend with a remix of ‘Chura liya...’ in 1994. I too started doing remixes at around the same time, for Venus and Tips, but there were no videos made for my albums. As a result I wasn’t noticed. It was in 1999 that I first made an impact with the remix of ‘Sehri babu... from UMI 10 - Vol. 1, which had a very slick video. After that, with other UMI albums and more happening videos, my remix albums clicked in a big way and I won my share of fame.
Earlier, when I did shows abroad in UK, Holland or Dubai, my name was mentioned as pop-singer Harry Anand. Today, when I do shows, my name is written in big, bold letters as ‘Remix King’ Harry Anand. My organisers say that I have become a draw to pull in the audience and sell the shows. That’s something to be definitely proud of. (Smiles happily).
| Seven remix albums, released almost back-to-back, and all of them superhits, with the remixed songs ruling the music charts. That’s remix song-maker Harry Anand’s enviable track record which has rightly earned him the sobriquet of ‘Remix King’. But the composer-singer feels there’s more to him than just remixes, and hopes that somebody would tap his original talent for an original film score. For now, Harry has just released his latest album with Universal Music titled The Story Of UMI, which has a compilation of hits from all his earlier UMI 10 volumes. The only supposedly “original” song from the album ‘Yalla yalla...’ has caught on, and Harry is sure he has another hit on his hands... | |
Hey, we see you beaming and completely satisfied.
Seven hits in a row is quite an achievement for a young musician like me. At the same time, the creative urge in me is not at all satisfied. I am eager to show my talent in original composing. My success story can’t be limited to just remixes. I have a lot of dreams to be fulfilled, the major one being to compose an original hit score for a film. All I need is a filmmaker who has faith in me.
With the bouquets there are also brickbats. What do you feel about remix musicians facing constant flak and being criticised for “mauling” evergreen melodies and being labelled as “non-creative.”
Remixes are not bad and they are definitely not illegal. The day the government bans remixes, everybody will stop doing it. I am aware that many feel remixing is not a creative job. But think a little, and you will know that a remix musician is doing a risky job because he has to take care to maintain the sanctity of the golden oldie, and at the same time present it in a jazzier way for the new generation. How you go about remixing is what counts. Which is why in a 100 remix numbers at a time, only a couple stand out.
Also, in defense of remixes I would like to point out that the present generation, which is not aware of great singers like Shamshad Begum or Noorjehan, and the golden oldies, are in touch with them through the remix versions. Atleast ‘Gen-X’ is singing ‘Saiyyan dil mein aana re...’ And why the hue and cry when complete credit is given to the original composer, the lyricist and the film? I am not taking the credit for composing, but only for re-creating.
Recreating is surely not all that satisfying?
I agree that I get a readymade song to work on, and that it is somebody else’s hard work. But still I am working on it to present it anew. When I got the MTV Award recently for ‘Kaanta laga...’, it was Bappi Lahiri who presented me the trophy. It was an honour for me and I touched his feet because it was his song ‘Kaliyon ka chaman...’ that got me fame. Taal unki hai, tadka maine lagaya hai. (The tune is his, I have spiced it up). I have the utmost respect for all our veteran composers and I very well know I am not being highly creative.
It’s amusing to find VJ Lazarus of Universal, which has made all your remixed albums, be a part of the delegation which goes to Delhi and meets Dy. Prime Minister L.K. Advani, seeeking a ban on remixes. Doesn’t it strike as being odd?
What can I say? VJ Lazarus is also a part of IMI (Indian Music Industry), and he was a part of the IMI delegation which went to Delhi. As the chief of Universal, I don’t think he has any issues since its very legal to do remixes.
Why don’t you come up with original pop albums to prove your detractors wrong?
It’s my dream to do something original. But for that I have to prove myself and remixes is one way to do that. People have noticed me through remixes and I am getting offers for composing. In the present music scene, pop is totally out. None of the pop albums, even by well-known artistes, are working. Remixes are ruling the roost and music companies want to cash in on the trend because that’s what is raking in the moolah. And all the companies are into remixes, including IMI-approved companies like Saregama. If music companies want me to do remix albums, I can’t refuse becaues I need work.
You did two pop albums, but both didn’t make much of an impact.
My first pop album Ittefaqan Pyar, which was in Hindi, sold four lakh copies according to T-Series. My second pop album, which was in Punjabi titled Naveshu Hai Rabba and it was at number one in the UK charts. That’s pretty good. I am working on two more original albums, and composing for three albums of other pop singers.
I am keen to do original work, but the industry here works on a package basis. If I get a chance to compose an album, and a big singer to sing for me, and big actors to do my videos, then my album will be a guaranteed hit. But if I compose good music, and my songs are sung by a newcomer and the video done by amateurs, it will not work. Karan Johar too needs a huge starcast to make a hit. Even I can make a Deewana if I get Sonu Nigam. Jitni badi album utni badi hit hogi. The overall packaging should be good.
| “In the present music scene, pop is totally out. None of the pop albums, even by well-known artistes, are working. Remixes are ruling the roost and music companies want to cash in on the trend” | |
What about singing for films? After your hit songs in Bichchu we haven’t heard you croon?
Yeah, the Bichchu songs were hits, but nobody has asked me to do the playback after that. Maybe because I am Anand Raaj Anand’s brother. But I am more eager to compose for films and I have got a few offers, but not accepted them because I don’t want to work with interfering producers. I want to do my music in my style.
Coming back to remixes, remixing recent songs like Bappi Lahiri’s is acceptable. But how did you think of remixing immortal hits like Shamshad Begum’s ‘Saiyyan dil mein...’. Didn’t you think it was sacrilegious?
No, on the contrary it was a challenge since no one had thought of it. Shivaji Gupta of Universal Music suggested that I do some remixes of Shamshad Begum or Suraiya songs, and I thought it was interesting. I wasn’t scared because I was confident I would do a neat job of it, and I think I have. ‘Saiyyan dil mein aana re...’ has been appreciated by one and all.
With the remix scene hotting up, a whole lot of DJs and remix musicians are on the scene. Are you scared of the competition?
I have no reason to be scared. I think my remixes make their mark and stand out. When a music company tells me that the public response is better to the remix albums when the name Harry Anand appears on the inlay cover, it makes me happy.
Lastly, what do you have to say about the logic being given that remix albums need vulgar videos?
I don’t think so. The ‘Saiyyan dil mein aana...’ video was not vulgar, nor is the ‘Yalla yalla...’ video.
As a composer, my job is to compose. I don’t have any say in the videos. It’s entirely the music company’s decision.