This story was written by Emerald freelancer Hannah Golden.
The excitement of pre-Halloween parties on Friday night was contrasted by the hypnotic rhythm of South Asian music. The University of Oregon hosted world-famous Pakistani singer and guitarist Salman Ahmad for his performance, “Rock ‘N Roll Jihad” at the Beall Concert Hall on campus. @@http://calendar.uoregon.edu/EventList.aspx?fromdate=10/19/2012&todate=11/17/2012&display=Month&type=public&eventidn=1545&view=EventDetails&information_id=8036@@
Once a key member of the band Vital Signs, as well as the leading sufi and progressive rock band Junoon,@@http://www.junoon.com/home2.htm@@ Ahmad now works as a solo artist, on tour for his 2005 album “Infiniti.”@@http://www.last.fm/music/Salman+Ahmad/Infiniti@@ Ahmad is also a writer; his autobiography “Rock And Roll Jihad: A Muslim Rock Star’s Revolution” came out in 2010. He also boasts, among numerous other titles and awards of acclaim, roles in two documentaries: “It’s My Country Too” and “The Rock Star and The Mullahs,” exposing how the governments in many Middle Eastern countries repress musical culture. @@http://www.amazon.com/Rock-Roll-Jihad-Muslim-Revolution/dp/1416597670@@
Ahmad’s own music was banned multiple times in Pakistan for political reasons. Benazir Bhutto, in her repressive rule during the 1990s, deemed Junoon’s strong lyrics — which spoke out against the Indian nuclear power test — politically corrupt and insidious to the public. @@http://www.benazirbhutto.com/@@
Ahmad’s performance on Friday was accompanied by his backstory, as he explained the kind of trials he went through as a musician to overcome the nationwide ban against him. He also touched on how his music, as well as his activism, seeks to raise awareness about serious issues such as HIV and the how Muslims live their lives in the United State post Sept. 11, 2001. Often referred to as the Pakistani equivalent of U2’s Bono, he not only performs at endless benefit concerts worldwide, but also serves as the UN Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS.
The story of Ahmad’s life comes through in the power with which he performs. A strong vocalist and composer, he succeeded Friday in captivating his crowd. The audience clapped in time, mesmerized. Ahmad’s soaring vocals powered through the room as he played both his originals as well as The Beatles’ “Imagine.”