From hip - hop, reggae, Arabic to trance, the flourishing club scene offers every genre of music to keep one stuck to the dance floor. Amid an unlimited array, emerged a new genre of music - Indian-pop and the invariably popular “Remix”. Whether it is the music score of Bend it like Beckham, the Chura liya remix or Mundiya tu bachke rahi, the artist who is credited to have started the trend of funky dance tracks is to this day a celebrity DJ traveling the globe.
“The Godfather of Bhangra” and “The Master Mixer”, Bally Sagoo gave us sizzling numbers like “Chura liya” and “Chandni raatein,” along with “Dil cheez,” “Noorie," "Aapki nazron ne samjha” and “O sathi re” from the golden eras of Indian cinema. His music coupled with his cool - DJ look have worked magic. Bally Sagoo has appealed enormously to the young folk and the older generation alike and his compositions top the must-play lists at every club and party.
Born Harpreet Singh Sandhu into a traditional Punjabi family in Delhi, Bally Sagoo moved to the UK when he was 6 months old. He now resides in Birmingham, UK, but his roots remain strongly “desi”. Playing to packed houses at every performance, he is rumoured to be the highest paid Indian DJ in the world. The first to revamp old Bollywood hits and fuse them with hip-hop and other contemporary genres, Bally Sagoo is one of the pioneers in making what modern Indian music today is. He brought about the explosion of the “Bhangra Pop”, with albums like “Rising” from the east and Bollywood Flashback. This marked a milestone in Indian music as hundreds of such works have hit the music scene since. Ishq Records, Bally Sagoo's own production company has launched many a new talents and manages artistes like Bobby B. Kenz, Rishi Rich, J12, Bohemia and the Dub Factory. Besides having worked with Indian legends such as Amitabh Bachchan and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Bally Sagoo has worked with the Pakistani pop singer Hadiqa Kiyani as well. Another facet of his musical talent shows in his compositions for movies such as Phir Bhi Dil He Hindustani, Hera Pheri and Kartoos.
The artiste who introduced the melodies of the yesteryears to the youngsters back in the eighties was in Mysore city recently and gave a rollicking performance at Planet X. “Star of Mysore” Correspondent spoke with him and here is an excerpt.
Did you always want to be a DJ?
I grew up in a predominantly black neighbourhood and with music such as Kizomba, Mbube and rap. But my parents coming from a traditional Punjabi family were more into our desi Bollywood music. Familiar with both music forms, I wanted to hear Indian music play with a western touch. I began to fuse different kinds of music and introduced western elements into desi music. By the mid - 1980s, my works were playing full force in clubs. DJing just happened to me. In fact, when I started to play fusion, the name was not a “DJ”. That concept came much later, but I was already a DJ. In my times, there was no DJ for me to say "I want to be like him."
How do you define your art?
My art is making music. I am a chef who makes my own music and I was the first of the kind to do westernized Indian music. From Punjabi and Hindi to Spanish, French and Latin, I make music of every sort and in every genre. But I know my roots well. I am very keen to do Kannada, Malayalam and other regional stuff as well. All I need is singers who can work with me on these languages.
How different is composing an album from making music for a movie?
It is not very different because at the end of the day it is MUSIC for me, whether it is making an album, a movie or a musical rendition like the one I did with Amitabh Bachchan. In Bollywood, they term it a “Music Direction”. So I am a Music Director and a DJ. I broke boundaries when I combined Punjabi with Hindi. My remixes were a big success. Chura liya topped the charts.
How challenging is it being a DJ?
The music scene is huge globally. We DJs can do better than a doctor or a lawyer. A western DJ gets paid handsomely, about 40,000 dollars for 2 hours. It is very challenging considering the competition. Clubs and Pubs are the best places where one learns what people dance to. But it is important to keep reinventing yourself so you can outdo the others in the field and survive.
What is the focus group for your music?
Music today is not just for a small or local market. It is global and I make it for everyone. There is no particular section that I target.
What do you aim to contribute to the music industry through your production company Ishq Records?
With music, you can wind your windows down. Indian music did not have a particular baseline when I started work. Now the scene has changed and Indian music has shattering baselines. I have put Indian music on a western platter and through Ishq Records, I wish to give a new genre of music and new artistes to the industry.
How did the Punjabi movie Sajan ve Sajna happen?
The Director approached me with the role of a character who is brought up with racial tensions, has an arranged marriage and who is into music, yet with a true Indian feel. He was also looking for someone who can do a soundtrack in Punjabi. I guess I fitted into the groove perfectly.
So what is the real Bally Sagoo, a better actor or a better musician?
You should tell me that. But I did immensely enjoy doing the movie, as much as I enjoy doing music. Both are interesting and a lot of fun.
Do you have other offers from Bollywood on the pipeline?
Yes, I have a lot of offers in Bollywood for item stuff and remixes as well. I would love to do South Indian too but as I said, all I need is for someone to introduce me to good singers on the regional front.
What initiatives do you have for the near future?
I plan to start a DJ Academy where we train DJs and music producers. People often ask me questions on how to create music. My Academy, under the Bally Sagoo banner, will teach people how to make music, how to use the right software, computer skills and studio techniques. My record company has already launched many new artistes. The DJ institute which I plan to set up in Delhi will make stars of tomorrow.
Which is the best place that you have played in India?
It is impossible to pick one. I loved Bangalore and Hyderabad, but Mumbai remains the best. You can never get enough of Mumbai.
Considering that new DJs are born by the day, what is the “one thing” that is essential to keep a DJ competent and give an edge?
“Read the crowd”. It is important to play what the crowd wants and not always what a DJ likes. I have a huge music collection and I spend thousands of pounds to keep myself updated on the latest happenings and to get new ideas. I study the leaf and the video of various artistes to see the effort that has gone in. I am now living the dream that I dreamt and have opened the doors for someone to say "I want to be like him."
Ashwini Nagaraja
Courtesy: Star of Mysore
