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As the sickening news of the young peacemaker being shot in Pakistan emerges, the beacon of hope that is Qayaas, the Pakistani progressive rock band, becomes an ever increasingly important light in what seems to be a darkening situation.

This situation must be testing the endurance, belief and hope of a nation. Read more HERE

When we interviewed Qayaas recently, it was before this news broke. Since doing the interview with Umair, their lead vocalist and lyricist, we have discovered that YouTube is banned in Pakistan. I am ashamed to say that I did not know that.

Qayaas have a desire, dedication and passion to create music in a culture that does not support rock music and they are the hope of the younger generation there not to give up on their dreams. This comes across in the interview.

I personally had not appreciated how extraordinarily hard this is to do. My respect for Qayaas has grown exponentially as I see that their voice truly matters... the liberation through music of minds and hearts... and the hope they offer in this situation seems to be hugely important.

We'd like to know more about this and please do comment and contact us if you know anything.

Meanwhile, we present you with Qayaas and ask that you do all you can to support this band as they reach out to the world, representing a future that the youth of Pakistan clearly needs.

Thank you.

Thanks to Jason Gastrich for the news content. Jason is HERE  

"We'll die trying, Guns n Roses, dreams, bombs ..."

Umair Jaswal:

00:34 being in the studio;1:10 their music 01:20 Coke Studio 01:30 a Second album and an album in English 01:52 being a "superman band" 02:35 "I love the way you sing ...I love the way you scream", 03:10 fans and respect; 03:40 The News, Pakistan and fusion music 04:10 the biggest hit and one year in the national charts; 05:05 being on the top of the charts "it feels fantastic and trying our best" 06:20 crazy dreams - opening for Guns n Roses; 08:20 international releases 09:50 sucking at being a geophysicist 10:50 being willing to "die trying" 11.40 "fake it 'til you make it' 12.20 "can you please tell me how you sing and how you scream" 13:00 slow and steady "I want to believe for the rest of my life "people thought our band was useless" 13:40 nominated for best album of the year 13:45 "there is so much music inside me and the band" 15:25 bomb blasts while recording 17:00 "we're screaming right now". 

More on Qayaas HERE (Including when they were Song Of The Day) 

Light at the end of Pakistan's dark tunnel.

They mean it.

MORE INFO on Qayaas.

Winners of the Prestigious Jack Daniel’s Award for the Best Rock Band in Pakistan 2010.

In Jan. 2012 Awarded Gold for Best Rock Band, Umair Jaswal Best Rock Vocalist, Best Rock Song for Shehrezade in South Asia, also honored with Silver Award for their video Pukaar and voted by their peers as Best Act in all genres at IndieGo. April 2012 Awarded Best Global Rock Band and Rock Song and Bronze for Umair’s Vocals 50 Countries competed. May 2012 Qayaas premiered on the famous Coke Studio Pakistan Season 5, the video with Atif Aslam went viral with over 1 Million Views within weeks.

Nominated for Album of the Year for USS PAAR at the Prestigious Lux Style Awards 2012.

1st Band In Pakistan to be invited to USA’s Biggest Festival South by Southwest. Their songs will soon be included in two Movie Soundtracks.

Qayaas is the first progressive alternative rock band from Pakistan, a country where traditionally music has been looked down upon rather than being celebrated as an art form. This gives our music a sense of rebellion and a rallying cry for pathos.

Qayaas literally translated as “deliberation” is not only the name of our band but the essence that encapsulates the entire philosophy behind our music. The idea or feeling taking birth in one band member’s mind is developed and brought to fruition by collective deliberation or Qayaas by the whole band. Five different people, their different moods, outlooks and music philosophies harmoniously blend?to form compositions that reflect the true spirit and creative energy of our band;unadulterated in this wondrous journey by commercial concerns or other shortcuts.

"Our music tends to explore emotions, specific moments, certain relationships and particular events which resonate powerfully as we try to understand ourselves and the world around us. We do not aim to have a large body of musical compositions but only put through quality pieces governed by unique ideas and techniques. Each melody is a different journey, starting with something personal and then refining it to create a certain mood. As a whole, Qayaas is an accumulation of musicians from quite diverse backgrounds. All members have been, and still are, part of various other projects that serve as a vent for musical expression.

We realize that while on the surface the situation in the country threatens art disruption, it is also breeding ground for rebellion. Historically, some of the most poignant criticism of war and violence has come from rock musicians and songwriters providing an outlet for the sentiments of public at large. The cathartic quality of rock music that has given voice to the anguish and torment of generations finds a most fitting context in our country. Music can be used as a motivation for the advocacy of a common cause. Our singles “Umeed”, “Tanha” and “Inquilab” do exactly that. They utilize the ability of music as a potent medium of communication and a form of political activism. We feel that music can go a long way in healing the heartache of our war torn nation and emphasize the importance of unity and keeping a positive outlook in times of struggle (Umeed meaning hope), Anguish (Tanha meaning alone) and the way forward (Inquilab meaning revolution)."

Qayaas is Unadulterated Rock Music embracing Hope in the face of Anarchy. 

Contact Qayaas via Eva Dowd at eva@evadowd.com