Drum roll please for the new generation of musicians

It's so tragic, says Louis ‘Gumby' Pinto, Pakistan's premier drummer and the man behind Uth Records, a new reality television show in Pakistan. "Pakistan has so many talented musicians, but many of them have never had a chance to showcase their talent," he says. There is a conviction and assertion in his voice that affirms that the man knows what he is talking about. And rightfully so.

With over 20 years in the music industry, Gumby has toured all over the world, has recorded with famous musicians in Pakistan, including Junoon and Strings, and has been an integral part of one of the most successful contemporary musical initiatives in the country, Coke Studio. However, perhaps the jewel in his crown of achievements is that he is considered a musician's musician. In Pakistan's tiny close-knit musical community, he is the go-to man for drumming, and more recently, music production. It was therefore no surprise that when Gumby had an idea, he thought would revolutionise the music scene, people sat up and listened.

The dream
His idea was to create a TV show that scouted Pakistan's relatively unknown musical talent and provided them with a platform to demonstrate their skills. The show's title, Uth Records (pronounced ‘youth' and also a nod to the sponsor of the show, telecom giant Ufone), highlights the need for the focus of Pakistani music to shift from the handful of older, established acts to the countless younger budding musicians waiting to be discovered.

The idea was immediately picked up by several TV channels and the six episodes from the first season are on heavy rotation in Pakistan.

The overwhelming success and critical acclaim the show has garnered has led to a second season. Nonetheless for the show to work, Gumby insisted on the best. He recruited fellow musician and guitarist extraordinaire Omran ‘Momo' Shafique as a co-producer and acclaimed music director Zeeshan Parwez.

Sounding off
Each 22-minute episode features one artiste or band that has been preselected by the producers based on demo tapes sent during an earlier audition phase. In the six episodes to date, there has been an impressive breadth in diversity, featuring various types of performers (singer/songwriters, bands, etc.), genres (classical, hard rock, acoustic, etc.) specialities (guitar, piano, vocals, etc.), geographies (artistes hailing from Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, etc.) and languages (English, Urdu, etc.).

Gumby says that this is one of the initiatives he is trying hard to push forward. "We have been hearing the same thing for years and Pakistani musicians have so much more to offer," he stresses.

The artistes are invited to the studio where they meet the producers and perform their original songs. They then engage in a series of creative sessions where the songs are dissected. The featured artistes and the producers throw ideas back and forth and during these brainstorming sessions often play together to sound out their ideas. Sometimes other professionals who may add value to the song are brought in.

After the creative sessions, the next step is the recording stage, where each instrument is recorded separately.

With the help of state-of-the-art equipment, experienced musicians and professionals, the recording experience for the artistes at this stage is much more sophisticated than their earlier recording encounters, which usually involved eight-track tape or a MacBook. Once all the instruments are individually recorded, they are assimilated and layered in the ‘mixing' stage. The resulting final product is then aired at the end of the show.

Instant recognition
There is a sense of camaraderie between the artistes and the producers, with lots of jokes, pranks and laughs, but it is very evident that everyone is there for serious work. "There's no reason we can't work and have a bit of fun at the same time," says Gumby.

Aside from the exposure, the show provides artistes with instant recognition and an entry point into a market that is otherwise very difficult to crack.

In the absence of bars and clubs where bands and artistes can perform on a regular basis, this is an innovative and wide-reaching method for introducing new acts.

Uth Records is a project that is very close to Gumby's heart and stems from a strong sense of giving back to the music community. "Being part of the industry for over two decades, I have come to believe that it was time for musicians such as myself, and brands to start tapping into the future of music and musicians in Pakistan. I deeply felt the need to give back. It was also important to have the industry grow in terms of quality and different genres," he says.

"We believe that the show has given a direction to next generation of musicians and it seems like they are here to stay," he adds.