1. For those who don't know who you are, give us a little info about yourself?
“As a child I was raised on the works of Surinder Shinda, Chamkila and Kuldip Manak. They are the real desi folk hard core singers. My parents have always supported my music projects, as a lot of parents back in the early days wouldn’t have. Before some parents didn’t really want their sons or daughters to go to the field of music as it was classed as a bad thing to do. I think some parents had mixed views and were stereo typing the level of music. Part of this was to be blamed on Chamkila as he went over the top by not using parental guided Punjabi; he was rude in some songs. Certain families back in our “Pend” in India have always had some sort of connections in the music industry as Dev Raj Jassal is a prime example, my cousin brother who has had many hit tracks that he himself has written for many known and unknown artists. He also is well known for his tumbi and flutes in the UK recordings. From all this strong hold of music back ground it’s grown on me to follow music In the same way and I wanted to be a musician to. All Parents are little fussy as they want their kids to have the best in life but I got to admit my mum and dad didn’t really fuss as they loved and supported me. When I used to finish school and get home I would hear my dad listening to Chamkila and Manak records. My dad would call me and make me sit next to him and tell me to play the Dholki to the songs. “We both sit their having a desi session and my dad would chat to me about things I would be doing wrong in my playing. This would go on for few hours daily until we both had enough of the session. Those people that really know from my child hood my will back this as I must have been the loudest person on my street as we did live in a white area where many Indians weren’t seen that often. After this practicing I have collaborated with the very first bhangra band in the early 80`s called Ajjanna Group and then I was spotted by Kendal Smith when I joined Taz Stereo Nations Band. Soon after that the first ever bhangra known old artist from India arrived named Mahon Mastana who needed local Dholki player, so I joined forces with him and played many shows In the UK for at least three years. Surinder Shinda and Kuldip Manak were people I admired but never even thought I would have the opportunity to play Dholak with them. Mohamed Sadiqe, Sukhwinder Panchi, Sucha Rangeela Rashpal, Moni Rasila, Achanak, Ranjeet Kaur, Parwanna Sangeet, Silinder Pardesi and Taz from Stereo Nation, Tru Skool, Punjabi MC, Kuldip Manak, Surinder Shinda and lately Ranjeet Kaur are just many known in today’s music industry who I have worked with in my recording studio THE COFFIN. I have respect and learnt a lot In my studio working with new and known artists who can really sing and play as this has been good for me, It give me room to Improve my work by learning form such artists".
2. Your Past albums "CURFEW & SLEEPWALKING” Tell us about them?
“My album CURFEW was a tester, as I introduced new singers named PALLY SUPRA, SUKHI ROUHD. I wanted to put something totally different to the test and see how people react. I can assure you we had a mixed good reaction form music lovers and haters, even thou CURFEW was delayed for no reasons by Nachural Records we still pulled it off and made some noise. Album Sleepwalking was the crew’s idea to put out a medium bhangra album for charity. We thought about our name DESI DARK CHILD and decided on doing the project for a Children’s charity. We also decided in setting our label. The reasons for setting our label was not something we ever though in doing, it was the fact we wanted to do this charity project but non of the Indian so called labels supported our idea so we thought we will do it our self so we did as Nachural records who was our label didn’t support our idea. The crew then decided it will be a good start to the label with introducing this project when opening the album on our own label. We wrote most of the material in a shorter time then CURFEW as we had good progressive ideas for the project that was done for the SOS Orphans Children’s Charity. We have raised money from the sales and sent it to the charity, Im not sure of the final figure as we are still selling CD`s. The concept for doing the albums was to show new talent and to prove that you don’t need to be a producer / artists waiting for others to support you and as a producer no need to copy and paste music and then claim that you are a producer as we started most of the tunes on a click track. I my self built everything up as we have everything In place now. Desi Dark Child Crew has been hibernating for 7 years before we decided to release any DESI DARK CHILD products”.
3. What tunes should we watch out for?
“Well lately I just finished doing a single called Blood Ties for the festival of Raksha Bhandhan. This single is dedicated to all families and sisters of those who are missing their loved ones on this special day that falls on the 16th August 2008. Blood Ties is a true hard hitting street version of reality of Asian families living in the UK that have little thoughts about their roots and live a very modern life even thou their roots and feelings come from back home in India. Track1 on the single called SISTER LOVE lyrically is written by G Maan Maholowala. The Song is sang by Pally Supra with his hard hitting fresh voice and not forgetting the new recruit SANDY the Dark Angel who also has implemented her style In backing vocals for the track. Sandy also has a hard hitting album being recorded that hits on life experiences of her own. Track called TRUE RELATIONS is written by Rana Chackwala and is based on true stories of brother hurting a brother and how life is seen in the eyes of other who miss their own brother after either falling out over petty thing or who have lost them totally. This song is about truth regrets”.
4. What about the comments people make on your video’s you have done in the past?
“To be honest videos are something I don’t like doing as it’s become a fashion, but as it now standard thing we will still will do videos to the best we can to set budgets as everyone has a budget they cannot go over. Well a lot of people said things about me wearing a hooded top and playing the dholak this just shows pure F**kin haters for new artists trying out new ideas and creating their own style. This has nothing to do with disrespecting my instrument if any thing I covered my head when I was playing the instrument. I haven’t seen anyone diss and making any comments about N JATT playing a tumbi with leather gloves on as it’s his style and ideas. Far as im concerned it’s just a fun thing not nothing serious so peeps that hate need to shut the F**K up and need to understand and not to take things to the extreme by making ridiculous comments”.
5. Which Rapper / Singer are you rating at the moment mainstream or bhangra?
“Well there is so much competition and so much to look for and it’s hard to just say as everyone is good and very big in their own ways. Some artists are just pig headed and to proud of non achievements of doing sh*t. In the bhangra industry I rate those who wait.” (Good things come in big packages to those who wait).
6. What records Company is Desi Dark Child with?
“I have not signed to any label as of yet permanently as a long term record deal. I have my own record label (DESI DARK CHILD RECORDS) that is for my projects only and when I do sign anything over I will always give most priority to who I work with outside my label and be true and honest producer and will try my hardest to deliver good quality sound and deliver non copied tunes on time regardless about the deal. I feel if you’re a producer or linked in some way as artists you cannot give and release other artists and support them like you should as a label. I have had two major experiences with Cyberphonic Records who was run by Taz Stereo Nation tried ripping me off and Nachural who never supported or invested in my projects properly. They tend to talk big but never deliver, so since I have had these kick backs I have always said I would never sign anyone to my label other then Desi Dark Child productions”.
7. We know you have worked with Punjabi Mc, tell us what he is like to work with?
“Punjabi Mc is a good natured guy and if it wasn’t for him I would have not done what I did in my own studio as he egged me on to get set up. Normally other producers don’t want to help but with PMC he speaks his mind and don’t tell you stuff you just want to hear. I go back a long, long way with PMC and if even today I need advice he is probably the first guy I would speak to about producing and production. I recall him hearing my album and stating he was amazed how quick and fast I had progressed since he last heard from me. So bless PMC, he the one and only king of keeping things running proper in the UK bhangra desi market by introducing Indian singer know and unknown. People that know him will back this”. (HE NOT THE ONLY GUY I HAVE WORKED WITH SEE MY BIOGRAPHY)
8. Tell us bit about Boli Paa tune as Stereo Nation Taz has sang it on album Jawani released this year?
“Boli Paa tune was bought buy me from Tarsem Hier who had a line of singer on his library that he got from India. I bought this tune for my album that was named “POISON” that was going to be released under CYBERPHONIC Records. He basically used the song and ripped it of and breached the terms of the agreement he signed between me and him and then re-sang it getting another singer. Far as im concerned who ever has heard this tune from me back 2 years ago will note is it the original and not the fake stuff Taz has done. In this statement I will say my tune is banging then his so F**ck know what he was trying to prove by doing what he did. Never make enemies if you have friends like this”.
9. Rumors about you and Balwinder Safri falling out, could you please tell us about this?
“Well to be honest I don’t like F**KIN SH** people like him who are jealous of others good work and music talents as most of the musicians will agree with me on this point about him. Balwinder Safri as a singer is a great guy who used to have a high rep but now he has let himself down. Im my case he swore at me so I dealt with this situation as a man to man not artist to artist and asked him straight up why? He agreed and apologized to me and shook my hand and said sorry, I accepted this and left it at that. I am a man of my word. I took respected older generation people who also knew me and him; they attend this meeting at his house in Coventry in the tyer garage where he lives now. I feel that his singing career was good but since he been in the media for his personal family issues he let himself go and has made himself look like a fool by thinking to far ahead thinking he made it big. I always say the bigger you get and the higher you go, but when you got to come down you fall harder and in his case this is just to dam true of what happened to him. People like Lembher and other had no chance when Safri Boys were around as he made Legends single a hit before his main album dropped in the early 90`s. Normally you get haters who would hate you and do this knock down and show no respect but in his case he has done it himself as I think its a shame for someone like him to have gone down that way. I still respect him as a artist, but as a person I wouldn’t really meet with him but if he has any bad vibes with me then I would respect him to come forward and view his opinion as a man".
“My crew doesn’t mingle with any other artists in the UK as its not that we don’t respect them it’s that everyone is so sweet to your face as soon as your back is turned they chat shit about you. So desi dark child keeps well away from politics and will not lick ass, beg and ask for handouts form anyone. We are proud to say we did it our selves”.
10. If there was one artist from the past or present that you would collaborate with, who would it, be?
“If their was anyone from the past it would have to be Mohan Mastana and late Lal Chand Jamala Jatt, he sang about was nothing but the truth and all their lyrics back in the days had big depth into proper DESI PUNJABI lyrically, its totally forgotten in today society by singer and writers. In the present it would be a dream for me to just chill with Gurdas Maan even thou I have met him. He is one other person who today has tried so hard to put the word across about our culture and Punjabi living standards lyrically in his songs. There is no excuse for any artists singing in this music industry to sing weak Punjabi. In India the children study Shakespeare English and speak and write better then us. So why is it that we can’t do the same for Punjabi in the UK to improve our language?”
11. Is there anything else we should look out from you in the near future?
“Im never going to stop dropping my style in the industry no matter how many people buy or download my projects. (F**K THEM ALL)I own my own studio and do everything my self and create my own style, I do not believe in copying anyone. I have my own crew and it will be very rarer if I use any other singer on my products. No one is made as a top singer its, the listeners that have a choice. I believe no one is big out their as everyone has been given a talent of some sort evenly.
12. Finally, do you have a message for all the readers of www.kdsdj.Com?
Keep a look out for DESI DARK CHILD products as we hope only to bring you original new songs on KDSDJ.com and exclusive material so keep logged on this site as you will miss out and pass out if you see what you are missing on guys!!!!!!!!
PEACE!!
DESI DARK CHILD
