Meesha Shafi and Mahmood Rahman are both in trouble for allegations against stealing equipment from Farhad Humayun’s studio, what some online sources say is probably a vocal processor. The Lahore court has even issued a warrant on Monday against these two former-members of Overload. However, Mahmood is in denial of any such legal action against the two of them saying, “The report is completely false”. Some sources, however, say that they have confessed to their guilt of doing such an act.

Farhad still maintains that this is the case, but he would not like to make a big fuss out of fear of giving bad reputation to Overload’s former band members. Despite apparently showing a soft corner for Meesha and Mahmood, he used strong words saying:

“I guess the word got out because the court issued a statement. It usually does when criminals don’t appear for the hearing.”

The reason the band split up over a year ago in the first place was due to disagreements between Farhad, the band’s drummer and Meesha, the lead vocalist and Mahmood, the lead guitarist over personal and creative differences. Now they have taken their feuds to new level of legal action. Already there is an infringement claims by Meesha Shafi against Overload copying her song “Dhol Bajay Ga” without her prior consent.

To settle things strictly, Meesha got a restraining order against Farhad from the court. However, the song is considered to be the property of Overload for they released it under their banner despite it being owned by Meesha legally or at least creatively. Hence, it is a joint-property of both. The creative and intellectual property rights have a long way to go for development in Pakistani music industry.

The story has another twist in it, that being about the ownership of the claimed stolen object. It has been reported that particular vocal processor actually belongs to Meesha who brought it Farhad’s studio when she was still part of the team of Overload. One cannot steal something that already belongs to him or her. In this way, Meesha and Mahmood are in no way “criminals” as put in words by Farhad.

The matter should further be investigated properly as to who is the rightful owner of the stolen equipment in question. Never the less, the warrant has indeed been issued and now there is in fact a criminal record against Meesha and Mahmood. The former is currently in India for shooting her new movie. Meesha is also playing a role in Paktisan’s most anticipated feature film “Waar”.

Read more at: Lahore Court Issues Warrant against Overload’s Former Band Members, Meesha and Mahmood

Neray Aaah is Overload’s second single of 2011. Its a work of art that showcases the band’s adventurous side after having done spells of serious studio & live music. Originally sung by Pakistani singer Saira Naseem for Syed Noor‘s hit film ‘Choorian’ , the song was meant to be released as a solo single by Farhad Humayun.

After the video of Overload’s ‘Batti’ (found on the band’s facebook page) Sheraz Siddiq, the band’s dynamic composer suggested Farhad should do the song with Overload since he was now the lead singer of the band.

Directed by Armughan Hassan who also directed the band’s first video Cursed, the video boasts the radical wardrobe & art direction of Pakistani designer Ali Xeeshan of Crimson.

Based on characters and concept design by band leader Farhad Humayun the video features theatre & tv veteran Navid Shahzad, supermodels Sabina Pasha & Amina Haq, Pakistani designer Ammar Belal, Models Nomi Qamar, Abdullah Mohammad, Urouj Ahmed, Sadaf Kanwal, Alyzeh Gabol, Amna Babar and Gloria Jeans waiter Akash (dancer) and singers Haroon Shahid of Symt and Quratulain Balouch (QB) with Farhan Ali on Bass and Faisal baig as the Dj. The video is an assurance of the band’s serious crowd pull and acclaim in the Pakistani Entertainment industry.

Watch this punk-styled and adventurous music video of Overload – Neray Aah :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pwj1RZTEdUw

Read more at: Overload – Neray Aah (Official Music Video)

Overload teamed up with Club Caramel covering Adele’s Rolling in the Deep.

Vocals: Kiran Chaudhry

Guitar: Adnan Sarwar

Drums: Farhad Humayun

Keyboard: Shiraz Sadiq

Bass: Farhan Ali.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUDiSL4J9Io

Read more at: Overload feat. Club Caramel – Rolling in the Deep (Live at the Apartment)

Playing an original tune VICHAR GAI from their acclaimed 2009 album ‘Pichal Pairee’. The song became a solid hit for the band overseas after the release of the album in Norway & remains very close to Farhad & Sheraz as one of their most accomplished & mature musical pieces.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nG_9QyPvrM0

Featuring the maestro Ustad Jaffer Hussain on Clarinet
Engineered, Mixed & Produced by Farhad Humayun at Riot Studios, Lahore
Camera work by Mohsin Khawar & Fahad Mahmood
Directed & Edited by Hassaan Ashraf
Overload is Farhad Humayun – Vocals & Drums & Sheraz Siddiq on Keys

Umair Nadeem on Guitar, Farhan Ali on Bass, Ken Xeerick on Drums.

Read more at: Vichar Gai by Overload Live at The Apartment (Watch Video)

Babe I’m Gonna Leave You” is a folk song written by Anne Bredon (then known as Anne Johannson) in the late 1950s. It was recorded by Joan Baez (credited as “traditional”) and released on her 1962 album Joan Baez in Concert, Part 1, and also by the English rock band Led Zeppelin, who included it on their 1969 debut album Led Zeppelin. The band was inspired to cover the song after hearing Baez’s version. Both, guitarist Jimmy Page and singer Robert Plant were fans of Baez.

Recorded at Riot Studio on 02-Jun–2011Farhad Humayun – Vocals/Drums
Sheraz Siddiq – Keyboards/Backing Vocals
Haroon Shahid – Guitars/Backing Vocals
Hassaan Ashraf – Guitars
Farhan Ali – Bass

Watch now the live performance video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEM-ZR2Cidk

Read more at: Overload – Babe (Live at the Apartment) [Video]

“One” by the Irish band U2 is the third track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby, and it was released as the album’s third single in March 1992.

Recorded at Riot Studio on 13-May-2011

Farhad Humayun – Vocals/Drums
Sheraz Siddiq – Keyboards/Backing Vocals
Haroon Shahid – Guitars/Backing Vocals
Shahzad Hameed – Guitars
Farhan Ali – Bass

Watch out ONE cover by OVERLOAD – Live at the Apartment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhCHG6Dl-0I

Read more at: Overload covering ‘ONE’ by U2 Live at the Apartment

‘Maybe Tomorrow’ by the Stereophonics, taken from their album ‘You Gotta Go There To Come Back’

Musicians lined-up:

Farhad Humayun – Drums / Vocals
Sheraz Siddiq – Keyboards/ Backing Vocals
Haroon Shahid – Guitars/ Backing Vocals
Shahzad Hameed – Guitars
Farhan Ali – Bass

Watch now the their first video episode for more information and a cover song they played:

Read more at: Overload Band ‘Live at the Apartment’

The ex-lead vocalist of the band Overload and Coke Studio’s Jugni Jee fame singer Meesha Shafi is all set to complete and release her own album – a debut music album!

Revealing the news to the media, Meesha Shafi (original name: Meera Shafi) & Mehmood Rehman(also former Lead Guitarist of Overload) told that she along with her husband Mahmood Rehman is working on her new album which will be out hopefully by the end of this year 2011.

Mehmood Rahman on the occasion said ‘I am planning to do a recent project – Meesha’s album – which will be out later this year and hopefully our listeners will get to hear something new in it’

The female singer, who just departed from a band overload, quite optimistically said,  ‘I am all wired and ready to go as far as making new music is concerned.  My husband who is a talented young musician is producing my album and we are working on some wonderful new stuff’.

When Meesha was asked What are you trying to do with your new album? She told, “The idea is to Bring both the things together:  to make a commercial product which is popular and can get to the masses ; and is also high quality, as far as audio, content and lyrics are concerned.” Meesha also hoped that people will really like her new album.

Read more at: Meesha Shafi working on debut album with her husband Mehmood Rehman

8th April 2011 is the original date it was written, now being published.

It’s been a while now we heard the news that the loudest band of Pakistan Overload is split and re-shuffled again and Meesha Shafi – ex-Lead Vocalist of Overload & Coke Studio’s Jugni fame – and her husband Mehmood Rehman – the lead guitarist of the band – were no more a part of Overload. Consequently, we are now seeing the effects of it in the form of complete disagreement, legal fight over songs’ rights and indeed taking off the Official Video from Youtube.

A few days back, Overload released its brand new music video song ‘Batti’ which received an overwhelming response from the fans. The video brought Farhad Humayun into limelight as Lead Vocalist, while Shahzad Hameed and Fahad Ali (Call band sessionist) were featured in the music video.

Soon after it got some good response, the video was taken down by YouTube on a copyright claim. The claimer of the content was none other than Meesha Shafi (Meera Shafi) who is now of the view that the song is her intellectual property and the band Overload can’t use the compositions in their videos. We also heard that Meesha Shafi had taken a ‘stay order’ from court and a notice was also given in some newspaper regarding the use of the compositions.(we don’t really know which newspaper was that). Here is the screen shot of that copyright claim:

‘Batti’ – a remake of ‘Dhol Bajay Ga’ ?

Now if we look back, this track ‘Batti’ was included in Overload’s second album Pichal Pairee as ‘Dhol Bajay Ga’, which was released ONLINE for FREE under Overload’s Banner. Now the question here arises, If once a band member departs from the band, does he/she get any rights over the song which were made mutually while the band was united?

In Pakistan, most of the bands emerge just because of their mutual understanding and their passion about Music. They become friends and then make a band and run it without giving it a legal cover. But things start to get worst when these bands start getting some ‘recognition’ and ‘success’ in the music spheres.

The Owner of the band Overload says…

Being the Owner of the band, Farhad Humayun – the drummer and now lead vocalist- claims that All rights are reserved with Overload and those who have departed have no rights over songs of Overload. Makes Sense? Yeah somewhat, but we will have to see some other things as well like, Overload was may be working professionally but the question arises here are:

Did the Band(Overload) sign the contract papers with Meesha when she was given the lead position in the band?

Mehmood and Farhad are relatives and probably first cousins, but was there also any legal relation between them?

If there was nothing and things were going informally between them, this controversy will remain controversy for years to come. But if the terms and conditions for members were provided and signed in a contract, the case will go into courts (which in our information is already pending before the court) and we can expect a judgment in not less than a year (I guess).

What is this ? My personal opinion:

In my opinion, this controversy will remain controversial. Here in Pakistan laws such as Intellectual property and Copyright Protection are not properly applicable. Going for a legal battle and then expecting a decision within a matter of time, is not really a good decision and approach.

The best Farhad-Meesha-Mehmood can do is: to solve this issue outside the court. Some of their relatives and seniors closed to them should also do some efforts in this regard to patch up this matter among them. If this doesn’t happen then ‘note my words’ both the parties are looking for ‘shortcut to success’. The same way we have seen Atif-Goher, Roxen-Omer and some others claiming the fame. The maxim goes something like:

All Publicity is indeed publicity OR negative promotion is also promotion

While being controversial there are so many benefits, such as:

1.       You remain in the news;

2.       You attract the masses, as conflicts and controversies are always worth following for many; and

3.       You enjoy your ‘fans’ and ‘haters’ comments who don’t leave a single platform to fight for your rights and spread words about you.

So If these two parties(as they are split better call them parties) are approaching for this kind of ‘Negative Promotion’, they are seriously seeking for a ‘Quick Success Scheme’. I might be wrong, but trust me this is all happening and some are trying to ignite this fire EVEN MORE.

Let me know in the comments below how are you guys seeing all this ?

Read more at: Meesha Shafi turns off Overload’s ‘Batti’, what’s this?

Watch out Overload’s Brand New Music Video ‘Batti’ formerly known as Dhol Bajay Ga , now done by the drummer and now Vocalist Syed Farhad Humayun

Read more at: Overload’s Batti (ex Dhol Bajay Ga) [Official Music Video]