Ali Noor’s latest Blog Entry: Coke Studio & Gumby – An interesting reunion

April 5, 2009

Coke Studio….Gumby…an interesting reunion

Heeeeelloooooo,

Its been a month since I wrote here.

But if you recall, the last post was titled “Kuch Kaam Ho Jayay”

…and its true that since then I have worked so much that saari phoonk nikal gayee!!!

It was impossible to even come close to a laptop…let alone write a blog

Well for starters work on the new Album is in full swing so that might excite a few…

had some concerts….

But the most exciting thing of all was the Coke Studio….

Although I have been strictly prohibited by the PR company to divulge any information about the content and working of the coke studio but I can surely talk about our very interesting re-union with Gumby….

Well as you all know that in 2006 we parted ways with Gumby. We wrote a long essay on our website explaining why and then only realizing an hour later, after hitting the “publish button”, that it was nothing but an emotional piece of crap we’d written.

Obviously it was an absolute disaster and what a hefty price I’ve had to pay for it. Not only every noori fan hated us…the media was disgusted…and most of all Gumby was resolved that if their is an evil person that exists, it has to be Ali Noor. Well he was right as our act was inexcusable. Even though he still attributes every thing to me…whereas Ali Hamza was the one who wrote all the nice English…Hamza always gets away with his masoomiat!!

The real reason why we had parted ways was very simple and it was that we were under a lot of financial stress due to lack of concerts and Gumby being the only bread winner in his family was finding it very hard to stay committed to noori. He said he’d do other shows and also play with us but after a while when we had to call him and ask about his schedule before every interview, concert or TV appearance…the woman in me obviously started reacting to this violation of the possessiveness that she had enjoyed for so many years. So slowly and slowly I started sending out vibes of my displeasure and one fine day right after a concert I told him that it was time to part ways.

It was like a divorce that took place……and what was written on the website was just the bitterness of a self proclaimed wronged wife!!!!

I know some people are going to make fun of me for writing the preceding sentence …..but am pretty used to it so Fuck off!!!

Khair time passed…their was absolutely no communication between us and Gumby…in the whole scenario, he chose to be the sensible one and kept quiet….whereas we just avoided any conversation on that front. Thank God we did not turn this into any Atif-Jal controversy.

But after a while I started to feel the burden of my mistake. Please understand that I had no regrets about not being able to work again with Gumby and missing out on the greatest drummer…but the hurt that I had created was killing me. I knew that I had to apologize and make sure I am forgiven by accepting any punishment I may have to undergo.

I finally got my opportunity on TMA’s in 2008. We were called in to rehearse a day earlier. I heard that Gumby was coming to play with Ali Azmat. So I waited for him .When he did come the whole hall had quite a few notable musicians and celebrities. As soon as the finished his rehearsal I just rushed and grabbed him saying “Hey Gumby!!” he was obviously taken aback with my frankness and replied with a very cold “Hello”….

“You have to forgive me!!!”

He was shocked…

“What is there to forgive!!!…man I’ve moved on”…he had a a very bitter smile on his face

“NO you have to forgive me” I grabbed his hand again…

“Dude there is nothing to forgive…” he tried to pull his hand away..

“NO…you have to forgive me” I pressed his hand even harder…

“ALI NOOR LET GO OFF MY HAND!!!!!”

….he was very loud…… everyone turned around to look…their was silence

Holy cow this was theeeeee most embarrassing time for me…

I had 2 options…either to just walk off and hold a new grudge for this public humiliation ….or to persevere and accept this as the first installment of the so rightly deserved punishment…..

I chose the later….

I pestered and begged him to at least come outside and have a word with me. He refused initially but after a bit of man handling and a hundred “pretty please’s”…he finally agreed to at least save me the pinnacle of my embarrassment…we came outside.

I still remember like yesterday that we were standing next to his car in the entrance road of the Expo centre Karachi.

Gumby finally spoke his heart….

“Do you have any clue how much you hurt me!!”

“Do you know what my mother said when she read your statement”

“My friends….the media….you stabbed me in the back man”

I stood their with my head down…with my hand on his shoulder saying “I know”…”I know”

and then he said

“The way your parents treated me…the way I lived at your house…man we were like family!!!”

I was just dumb struck….it really hurt….

and then I gathered my strength and said to him..

“Yes we were like family and I guess I behaved that way only because I was hurt just like how a brother is from another brother…even if it is unjustified……it is only your closest one who stabs you in the back…I have no excuse for what I did….but I know that I can’t live with this burden on my chest….you will have to forgive me because even you know that what I have done is not like how an enemy does it…you know I am not your enemy”

I was in tears when I was saying this and it took a lot to make sure that he does not think that I’m some sissy!!!

At that moment I felt helpless and at his mercy….

By then Ali Hamza and Mandana had also joined in and Jaffer (kaavish) was also there…Hamza threatened to molest him if he did not forgive me!!!…. Mandana emotionally blackmailed him…….I guess poor Gumby was not given much of an option so at the end he had to give the forgiveness hug!!!

I felt slightly relieved but I knew that this was just the beginning ….

I was spaced out for the next few days….I wanted to meet his mother and apologize to her as well so I called him, but never got around the meeting, as we were too caught up in work…

After that we did not speak at all…..quite a few months passed

and then came a call from Rohial Hyat for the Coke Studio….I knew that Gumby was going to be there and we were going to play together again….

I felt weird……but was very excited as well….

When I got their for the first rehearsal my heart was pounding when I saw him behind the drum kit playing away….he had that fairly grim professional face..

As soon as he got off I went and grabbed him just like the old times…and thank GOD he responded….he had softened a bit….

in the next few days we hung out a bit…but unfortunately there was not much musical interaction…the whole house band for the coke studio were swamped in work….they were overworked as hell…. even the rehearsals we did were very short and to the point…mostly focussed on the rest of the musicians.. i was nothing like the way we used to work in the past…

Then one day when I came to rehearsal, I saw Gumby sitting with ALi Zafar having a bit of a chat so I just joined in. Ali was saying something about not being able to complete some writing…so i curiously inquired and he told me that he was writing a testimonial for Gumby’s website and that Gumby had asked all those who had worked with him in the past to write testimonials….so like a besharam I said “mein bhi likhoon ga!!!”….Gumby just laughed and said ” jaisay tu nay teen saal pehlay likha tha!!!!!”

…..Ouch that hurt….2nd installment of the punishment!!!!

Ok…i continued with my besharmi and said “nahin is dafa acha likhon ga”….

“Tu rehnay de….” it was very obvious that he was very clear in his mind that he did not want me write anything….and rightly so….

But I am Dheet….so I said “Likhoon ga to mein zuroor…” … and just then I decided that I was going to write this blog entry….

The Gumby that I have known for years…is not the easily forgiving type….he has had a lot of friendships…. very few of them survive to date and we have been privy to quite a few of his debacles… he is a very sensitive person and gets upset very easily…but at the same time he is a very simple person and most importantly he is very good at heart….

He has been family to us and there is no doubt about that …our relationship was not about professionalism and we enjoyed our time as noori just like 3 brothers…even though he spent his entire life like a professional with the rest of the world….. I know that he knows deep inside that it was a lot more than that with us….

I guess hum ko nazar lag gayeee…..there is no one evil here…and that is why my heart tells me that some day we’ll be together again…..

I told Jaffer to take this pic…and i think it safely vouches for the nature of our relationship!!!

L to R: Gumby, Ai Noor and Ali Hamza

L to R: Gumby, Ai Noor and Ali Hamza

I know that a lot of people think the once I fuck up….. I apologize and get away very easily….but this is the way I have learnt everything in my life and that is what I call growing up….

I have been taught to face consequences and take the punishment….. as cleverness here, can only be fatal……

I know nothing can be undone here and neither can anyone attempt to revive what is lost….

But in the end the world can surely know that Gumby is the good guy and I the bad one!!!!!

Ali Noor

P.s. Now i feel relieved…..

Source: Ali Noor’s Blog