Peter Gabriel Offered Salman Ahmad To Record Complete Album
The “Rock and Roll of Fame” Peter Brian Gabriel, an English singer, musician and songwriter who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock group Genesis was so touched by the Pakistani Sufi rocker Salman Ahmad‘s voice and composition of “Open Your Eyes” that he has offered Salman to record a complete album with his Real World label next year. He has sold over a 100 million copies which shows the height of his excellence.
Peter Gabriel opened the doors of Real World Records to Salman. Real World Records has been a platform for musicians from all over the world for the past 20 years.
Salman says,
“Last week, we (Salman & Samina) were invited by Peter Gabriel to attend a gathering of artists and social entrepreneurs in New York at the Chelsea towers for his Global “Witness” charity event with Sheryl Crow. Samina and I went primarily to thank Peter for his support of Pakistan but he greeted me with an unexpected bombshell of inspiration! Peter said that he was so touched by my voice and composition of “Open Your Eyes” that he’s offering to record an album with his Real World label next year!”
He further exclaimed excitedly,
“God is Great! I had been searching for a new musical direction after publishing RRJ and Gabriel “opened my eyes” to a long cherished dream!”
He said,
“He’s (Peter) invited me to London in early Jan to discuss the shape and sound of the new songs.”
Real World Records is a record label started in 1989 by Peter Gabriel to record and produce world music. He created the Real World Studios and record label to facilitate the creation and distribution of such music by various artists, and he has worked to educate Western culture about the work of such musicians as Yungchen Lhamo, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Youssou N’dour. The label grew up alongside Peter Gabriel’s exploration of music from other cultures, and helped push world music into the general public’s consciousness during the 1990s.
Many of the label’s releases are recorded at Real World Studios. Artists as diverse as Kanye West, Jay-Z, Beyoncé Knowles, Muse, Laura Marling, Take That, Sade, New Order, Tom Jones, Starsailor, Stereophonics and Kylie Minogue have used the studio complex.
Many of Pakistan’s top Qawwal musicians and groups like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Sabri Brothers, Niazi Brothers and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s nephews Rizwan & Muazzam had been signed to Peter’s influential Real World record label.
Salman and his wife (Samina) have been busy doing SSGWI flood relief fundraising across North America and have partnered with other charities like Islamic relief and others to raise funds for Pakistan since August. They’re also discussing making a short film on Pakistan featuring American musician and singer Alison Sudol of A Fine Frenzy.
