A few years ago, our people were crazed with a 'Junoon', that was to turn them all into hysterical Junoonis, rockin', rollin' and giggin' to the upbeat, vibrating rhythms, pulsating new vibes into the otherwise serene and tranquil music scenario of Pakistan. Serenading our senses with a new mystical sound that gradually metamorphosised into a 'Sufiana' pattern. Just take one very wild and 'Junooni' guess!!! Bingo! You got it! It's definitely 'Junoon', the only rock band, also to set this trend and bring it to the main stream music. With their funky style, they entered the musical foray and overshadowed other groups, literally forcing them to oblivion. And it seems, that the mastermind behind this phenomenon is none other than our Dr. Sahib, Salman Ahmad, sporting Samson like long tresses, which seem to hold the secret of his sustained strength, in the field of contemporary music.

  A few years ago, if we try to recall, we are bound to see in our minds eye, a young Salman strumming and picking chords on his guitar, working them up to a haunting, soul searching melody in his composition 'heer', rising and falling, creating havoc within one receptive enough to these aesthetic sensitivities.

  Who would have known, that one day these very 'Junooni' youngsters, after a short sojourn would be representing Pakistan the world over, standing out with the spice of their unusual share of controversy.

  To unravel this intriguing success story and also to take a quick peep into their latest flight of fantasy namely 'Parvaaz', I managed to pin down a very busy Salman, who more often than not seems to be going places, literally, what with the launch of 'Parvaaz' looming ahead, he seems to have grown wings to his feet as well.

  To trace the development and emergence of his latent talent and genius, we will have to travel back approximately three decades.

 7nbsp;"At the age of eight, cricket was my only passion," says Salman reminiscently. "Though when my father was posted to America a year later, there was no cricket on the scene." Definitely dampening the sprightly zeal of a nine year old. "The only mode of entertainment being musical instruments, of which I had no inkling since my lineage can be traced to doctors and army personnel who ruled supreme in my family." Having made up his mind to acquire a guitar for himself, he did a few odd jobs, which enabled him access to his first musical instrument, his prized possession for $235, he still recalls. He could have easily exclaimed 'Eureka' on strumming it lovingly the first time.

   As he puts it, "The day I got the guitar, there was a spiritual connection to it, the moment I hit the string, I knew it was my thing, and I would excel at it some day." Which he did in a very short span of two years, gaining the reputation of being the best guitarist of the school at the tender age of eleven. "I was completely 'Junooni' about playing the guitar," he says reflectively. Though wanting to stick it out in the States, he was bundled up and sent packing to Lahore, Pakistan after graduating from high school, the vigilant parents, fearing their sonny may get hooked by a 'gori', hence it was King Edwards Medical College and the accompanying drudgery of medical studies for him. "Being friendly with the Vital Signs gang, and in my final year of medicine, I was offered to join hands with our Paky ensemble as they were short of a guy. This was around the time of Dil Dil Pakistan, in '89, I accepted their offer and - our very first song became a hit changing my life altogether." How so, I inquire, "We were being invited by the Prime Minister, press, people wanting to know us. It was then I knew music was my life, something Allah had bestowed on we, it was preordained, and yet I was in a dilemma, to chose between medicine and music," says Salman. Being pressurised from all quarters, specially his parents, since this profession has no stability or security, he was loyal to his passion and continued with Vital Signs, though feeling stifled at times. "There was no artistic satisfaction," he recalls. "They just enjoyed being celebrities, staying in the limelight and not working enough," his dissatisfaction evident even now though it has been a long time. If I scrounge my not so rusty memory, I still recall, Salman himself had cited the reason for leaving the group in an interview as he being rock oriented, wanting to steer in that direction, whereas Vital Signs were mild and mellow in music. Hence, they parted ways. "Nobody wanted to interview me then, I was out of the arena as far as the people were concerned. It was then I decided to stand up on my feet, and stand tall." With such conviction and dedication, anything is possible and attainable. "I contacted Ali Azmat, my Lahori neighbour, who people often considered, was raw and could never be a good singer, I countered them saying one day he'll be the best, proving how correct I was. We toiled and worked very hard for four to five years, being short of funds," is how Salman puts it. It was his better half, Samina who we all know as a doctor, a compere and now a singer (we'll come back to that later) who supported him.

  Still on a slightly shaky footing, Salman wrote the song Jazba Junoon in '96 that was to be one of the reasons of their sky rocketing fame. "It was actually the story of my life, that if there is sincerity of purpose and dedication, you can win all. And a song written from the heart can never be ineffective."

After this hit, Salman felt a gradual change in himself. Always being inclined and interested in our great poets, Sufis and their Kalam, to name a few Iqbal, Bullay Shah, Ghalib, Maulana Roomi, etc, he now felt it's influence in his compositions, the first being Saieen. "When I played it for Ali and Brian, they both agreed that it definitely had something very special and later -- the audience also responded enthusiastically to it."

Salman further, furnished them with details of what Sufism is all about. One gets the picture throughout the interview, that Salman is 'know all' and 'do all' of the group, as he claims ninety-nine percent of the compositions as also at times, the lyrics are done by him. What 'Junoon' would do if Salman disappears one day. As Salman says, "Junoon is not my ultimate goal there is lot more beyond it. If I'm not with Junoon at anytime in life, I am confident there are lots of things I am capable of doing. Fame and fortune has never changed me and never will." Presently as to his being with Junoon, he says, "So far so good, I have a good professional team working with me, and am very satisfied with the outcome."

After Saieen it was Khudi and here be interjects, "At the Zee Cine Awards, where the entire film industry was present, when we sang these two songs, the likes of Kajol, Ashwariya Rai, Shahrukh Khan, Salman Khan were awed by our music. So much so, they barged in our rest room during a break and exclaimed, "Where has this music been all our lives," says Salman visibly preening himself and one cannot help but feel, as if this praise had helped them attain Nirvana. As for theirs being a controversial group, he is of the opinion, "In Pakistan we have to open our minds, wars are fought via media and not by weapons only. When we perform outside our country, people feel we are losing our religion, and being coloured by theirs. That is definitely not so. In fact, we are representing our culture and religion there and need encouragement, not the contrary," he says vehemently.

He recalls an incident when Shakrukh Khan, 'a very good friend of mine,' is how he puts it, approached him to compose music for his forth coming film. "He gave me a haphazard story which made no sense to me, and declined, though he persisted and was ultimately offended," he recalls smilingly. Seems Junoon is real hot in our neighbouring country if one is to believe all their anecdotes.

I steer him towards a different course and inquire about their latest venture, "Parvaaz," which he informs me is based mostly on Bulley Shah's poetry, to be launched shortly. "It is the best album so far, with the lead song 'Buleya Ke Jannan mein Kaun' and its equally excellent video by Asim Reza, that will easily counter India's best musical video", he says with confidence.

As of recently 'Junoon' has been labeled a Sufi band, which Salman strongly negates, saying they do not like being categorised. "Call us musicians or Junoonis," is what he says.

His source of inspiration being the guru of qawwali late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Abida Perveen, Western and rock music, Santana and Led Zeppelin. Here it reminds me, wasn't Led Zeppelin, a Satan worshipper, who sacrificed his son to Satan for fame and fortune.

Diverting from music, I inquire about his one time acting stint in a play 'Aahat' after which we never saw him do the same again. "I found the experience pretty boring, and only did it once due to Saira's relentless insistence. I do not plan to act again, if I can help it," he says. Now what is that supposed to mean one wonders. 'Gulls and Guys' on the other hand, as he says, was very interesting and would like to host a documentary on Sufism. "I was also offered to act in a film opposite Pooja, by Yash Chopra, which I declined."

Of his upcoming ventures Jinnah takes the lead, with the theme song being Salman's composition, sung by Ali and wife Samina, she representing the females struggling for freedom at the time of independence.

In the near future, he also plans to produce a film, with obviously his music, though only with Shoaib Mansoor and Asim Reza.

In a nutshell, the life of Salman Ahmad, easily one of the best guitarists around, is cocooned from all sides, with the cooperation of a supportive wife, on whom he depends entirely, rather than the other way round, with three kids, he has managed to successfully strike a balance between work and family, doing justice to both, without either suffering. Being a very private, disciplined and organised Sagittarian we would have seen him as a cricketer if not in the garbs of a Junooni. His parting shot being, he is not effected by fame and fortune, for ultimately 'Mitti mein mil jayen ge,' also the title of his song.