The Milestones
Encyclopedia
The Milestones were a Pakistani pop rock
band that formed in Karachi
, Sindh
, Pakistan
, in 1990. The group was formed by lead guitarist, Ziyyad Gulzar and bassist, Ali Tim, who were sooned joined by female lead vocalist, Candy Pereira. The Milestones were one of the pioneer bands of the local pop music scene and during their time they produced some really good singles; quite a few of which even did well at the local music charts. Since its inception, the band only released two studio albums with performing innumerable concerts and gigs, receiving worldwide acclaim.
The band achieved mainstream success with their debut album, Jadoo
, released by major record label EMI Records
in 1993. The album included famous singles like "Baat", "Jan-e-Jaan", "Jeevan" and "Mein". The success of the band's debut album led them to travel internationally to USA, Canada
and Cyprus
quite a few times, whereas to promote their album they also toured throughout Pakistan. After a gap of eighteen months, the band then recorded and released their second studio album, Volume II. The album included many singles from its predecessor and was not as successful as compared to the band's previous album release. Singles like "Aag" and "Aandhi aur Toofan" from the album did well at the music charts.
After the release of their second studio album, vocalist Candy Pereira and bassist Ali Tim moved to Canada
whereas lead guitarist, Ziyyad Gulzar went on forming his own band, Rushk
.
, Sindh
, in 1990 by lead guitarist, Ziyyad Gulzar, who met bassist Ali Tim, at a gig in Ziyyad's basement. Ali Tim was awestruck with the set played by Ziyyad and his band. Although, knowing less about playing a bass guitar
, Ali Tim affirmed playing with Ziyyad as soon as he was offered to be part of Ziyyad's new project. From then, they were all set to begin their musical career and started to call themselves as "The Milestones".
Three months later, the band, while performing at gig, met a female vocalist, Candy Pereira who was highly inspired by the band performance and thus put forward her wish to be part of the band. She was then auditioned by the two band members, Ali Tim and Ziyyad Gulzar, and after a successful audition Candy was recruited and inducted in the band as the lead vocalist
. The trio remained the core members of the band whereas on the other hand the band recruited two sisters, Zoren and Zelena also became a part of the band as backing vocalists for Candy.
The band also recruited session drummer John Louis Pinto, who was later replaced by Allan Smith and then Carl Miranda took over on drums from Allan Smith. These were the only three drummers to have played for the band but were not full time band members. Yousuf Begg was recruited to play as a session musician for the band on keyboards and guitars.
, which was critically acclaimed. The album included famous singles like "Baat", "Jan-e-Jaan", "Jeevan" and "Mein" which achieved the band mainstream success. Soon, the band became one of the top ten mainstream bands in the local music scene as the band had their first commercial success. The success of the band's debut album led them to touring internationally to countries like USA, Canada
and Cyprus
quite a few times, whereas they also performed many concerts throughout the country promoting their album. They toured all over Pakistan
to raise funds for Amnesty International
, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital
and Pakistan Medical Association whereas they performed frequently for their fans in various metropolitan cities of Pakistan. Also in the same year, the band performed in the biggest concert taking place at the KMC Stadium in Karachi
, the concert was headlined by the band and also consisted performances from Vital Signs
, Awaz
and the newly formed Arsh.
After a gap of 18 months, the band then recorded and released their second studio album, Volume II, in 1994. The album included many singles from its predecessor and was not as successful as compared to the band's previous album release. Singles like "Aag" and "Aandhi aur Toofan" from the album did well at the music charts. The single "Andhi aur Toofan" was released as a tribute to Pakistani cricket team
players Waqar Younis
and Wasim Akram
. The album also included a cover song, "Khayal Rakna" originally performed by the legendary singer, Alamgir
.
From 1993 till 1995, the band underwent numerous line up changes at different stages, picking session musicians and permanent back up musicians on keyboards and drums but the trio, Ali, Ziyyad and Candy, remained throughout until their eventual breakup in 1996.
. Ali Tim and Ziyyad Gulzar started working on a new project and recruited Ali Haider
on vocals, forming the band Aakash. Aakash then went on an international tour to England
, Canada and the United States
and then went on releasing the band's self-titled debut album in 1996 through the record label
Sound Master and received a "Platinum Disc Award" for the success of the album. In April, in an interview, Ali Tim mentioned about the Milestones recruiting a new lead vocalist and currently working on releasing the band's third studio album. However, the third studio album wasn't released and Ali Tim moved to Canada whereas lead guitarist, Ziyyad Gulzar went on forming his own band, Rushk
.
, CCR
, Pink Floyd
, Jimi Hendrix
and The Doors
releasing 2 albums in a little span of 5 years with innumerable concerts and gigs receiving worldwide acclaim.
& Cyprus
quite a few times, whereas performed in countless concerts in Pakistan
. They toured all over Pakistan to raise funds for Amnesty International
, Shaukat Khanum Memorial & Pakistan Medical Association whereas they performed frequently for their fans in various metropolitan cities of Pakistan.
The band minus Candy (vocalist) played with Ali Haider
in a line up called "Aakash" & toured in the international arenas of UK, USA, Canada
& Middle East
from 1995 to 1997.
Live albums
Session musicians
Timeline
Pop rock
Pop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band that formed in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, in 1990. The group was formed by lead guitarist, Ziyyad Gulzar and bassist, Ali Tim, who were sooned joined by female lead vocalist, Candy Pereira. The Milestones were one of the pioneer bands of the local pop music scene and during their time they produced some really good singles; quite a few of which even did well at the local music charts. Since its inception, the band only released two studio albums with performing innumerable concerts and gigs, receiving worldwide acclaim.
The band achieved mainstream success with their debut album, Jadoo
Jadoo
Jadoo is the debut album of the Pakistani pop band The Milestones, released in the year 1993. It was released by the record label Visible Changes and was produced by bassist Ali Tim and lead guitarist Ziyyad Gulzar...
, released by major record label EMI Records
EMI Records
EMI Records is the flagship record label founded by the EMI company in 1972 and launched in January 1973 as the successor to its Columbia label. The EMI label was launched worldwide...
in 1993. The album included famous singles like "Baat", "Jan-e-Jaan", "Jeevan" and "Mein". The success of the band's debut album led them to travel internationally to USA, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
quite a few times, whereas to promote their album they also toured throughout Pakistan. After a gap of eighteen months, the band then recorded and released their second studio album, Volume II. The album included many singles from its predecessor and was not as successful as compared to the band's previous album release. Singles like "Aag" and "Aandhi aur Toofan" from the album did well at the music charts.
After the release of their second studio album, vocalist Candy Pereira and bassist Ali Tim moved to Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
whereas lead guitarist, Ziyyad Gulzar went on forming his own band, Rushk
Rushk
Rushk they are also known as RUShk, are a Pakistani band. Their only album was released to critical acclaim but unfortunately got a tepid commercial response...
.
Formation (1990–1992)
The band was formed in KarachiKarachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Sindh
Sindh
Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...
, in 1990 by lead guitarist, Ziyyad Gulzar, who met bassist Ali Tim, at a gig in Ziyyad's basement. Ali Tim was awestruck with the set played by Ziyyad and his band. Although, knowing less about playing a bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, Ali Tim affirmed playing with Ziyyad as soon as he was offered to be part of Ziyyad's new project. From then, they were all set to begin their musical career and started to call themselves as "The Milestones".
Three months later, the band, while performing at gig, met a female vocalist, Candy Pereira who was highly inspired by the band performance and thus put forward her wish to be part of the band. She was then auditioned by the two band members, Ali Tim and Ziyyad Gulzar, and after a successful audition Candy was recruited and inducted in the band as the lead vocalist
Lead vocalist
The lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
. The trio remained the core members of the band whereas on the other hand the band recruited two sisters, Zoren and Zelena also became a part of the band as backing vocalists for Candy.
The band also recruited session drummer John Louis Pinto, who was later replaced by Allan Smith and then Carl Miranda took over on drums from Allan Smith. These were the only three drummers to have played for the band but were not full time band members. Yousuf Begg was recruited to play as a session musician for the band on keyboards and guitars.
Success (1993–1995)
In 1993, the band recorded and released their debut album, JadooJadoo
Jadoo is the debut album of the Pakistani pop band The Milestones, released in the year 1993. It was released by the record label Visible Changes and was produced by bassist Ali Tim and lead guitarist Ziyyad Gulzar...
, which was critically acclaimed. The album included famous singles like "Baat", "Jan-e-Jaan", "Jeevan" and "Mein" which achieved the band mainstream success. Soon, the band became one of the top ten mainstream bands in the local music scene as the band had their first commercial success. The success of the band's debut album led them to touring internationally to countries like USA, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
quite a few times, whereas they also performed many concerts throughout the country promoting their album. They toured all over Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
to raise funds for Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital
Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital & Research Centre
Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre is a state-of-the-art cancer centre located in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It is a project of the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust, which is a charitable organization established under the Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860 of Pakistan....
and Pakistan Medical Association whereas they performed frequently for their fans in various metropolitan cities of Pakistan. Also in the same year, the band performed in the biggest concert taking place at the KMC Stadium in Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, the concert was headlined by the band and also consisted performances from Vital Signs
Vital Signs (band)
Vital Signs were a Pakistani Pop rock band that formed in Rawalpindi in 1986. The group was formed by Rohail Hyatt and Shahzad Hasan , who were soon joined by Nusrat Hussain and Junaid Jamshed...
, Awaz
Awaz
Awaz were a Pakistani pop band that formed in Karachi in 1992. The group was formed by Haroon Rashid, lead vocalist, who was soon joined by keyboardist Faakhir Mehmood and lead guitarist Asad Ahmed...
and the newly formed Arsh.
After a gap of 18 months, the band then recorded and released their second studio album, Volume II, in 1994. The album included many singles from its predecessor and was not as successful as compared to the band's previous album release. Singles like "Aag" and "Aandhi aur Toofan" from the album did well at the music charts. The single "Andhi aur Toofan" was released as a tribute to Pakistani cricket team
Pakistani cricket team
The Pakistan cricket team is the national cricket team of Pakistan. Pakistan, represented by the Pakistan Cricket Board , is a full member of the International Cricket Council, and thus participates in , and cricket matches....
players Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis
Waqar Younis Maitla is a former Pakistani right arm fast bowler in cricket and widely regarded as one of the greatest fast bowlers of all time...
and Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram
Wasim Akram is a former Pakistani left arm fast bowler and left-handed batsman in cricketer and model. who represented the Pakistan national cricket team in Test cricket and One Day International matches....
. The album also included a cover song, "Khayal Rakna" originally performed by the legendary singer, Alamgir
Alamgir (pop singer)
Alamgir is a Pakistani pop singer of the 1970s, who is in fact one of the pioneers of the Urdu pop music in Pakistan. His style of singing is inspired by legendary playback singer Ahmed Rushdi.-Life & career:...
.
From 1993 till 1995, the band underwent numerous line up changes at different stages, picking session musicians and permanent back up musicians on keyboards and drums but the trio, Ali, Ziyyad and Candy, remained throughout until their eventual breakup in 1996.
Breakup (1996–1997)
After the release of their second studio album, the band decided break up when the lead vocalist, Candy Pereira left the band and moved to CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Ali Tim and Ziyyad Gulzar started working on a new project and recruited Ali Haider
Ali Haider
Ali Haider is a former Pakistani singer and actor. He has had numerous hits in the early 90s such as Poorani Jeans. He also had a big hit later in the 1990s with Chand Sa Mukhra. Besides singing, he has acted in numerous TV serials on PTV. Among the successful dramas was Chand Sa Mukhra, which...
on vocals, forming the band Aakash. Aakash then went on an international tour to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Canada and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and then went on releasing the band's self-titled debut album in 1996 through the record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
Sound Master and received a "Platinum Disc Award" for the success of the album. In April, in an interview, Ali Tim mentioned about the Milestones recruiting a new lead vocalist and currently working on releasing the band's third studio album. However, the third studio album wasn't released and Ali Tim moved to Canada whereas lead guitarist, Ziyyad Gulzar went on forming his own band, Rushk
Rushk
Rushk they are also known as RUShk, are a Pakistani band. Their only album was released to critical acclaim but unfortunately got a tepid commercial response...
.
Influence
The band was born out of diverse influences like The BeatlesThe Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
, CCR
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Creedence Clearwater Revival was an American rock band that gained popularity in the late 1960s and early 1970s with a number of successful singles drawn from various albums....
, Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
and The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
releasing 2 albums in a little span of 5 years with innumerable concerts and gigs receiving worldwide acclaim.
Live performances
The Milestones were a part of a series of concerts & gigs all over the world in the 5 years of them in the industry. Internationally, Milestones toured USA, CanadaCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
& Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
quite a few times, whereas performed in countless concerts in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. They toured all over Pakistan to raise funds for Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
, Shaukat Khanum Memorial & Pakistan Medical Association whereas they performed frequently for their fans in various metropolitan cities of Pakistan.
The band minus Candy (vocalist) played with Ali Haider
Ali Haider
Ali Haider is a former Pakistani singer and actor. He has had numerous hits in the early 90s such as Poorani Jeans. He also had a big hit later in the 1990s with Chand Sa Mukhra. Besides singing, he has acted in numerous TV serials on PTV. Among the successful dramas was Chand Sa Mukhra, which...
in a line up called "Aakash" & toured in the international arenas of UK, USA, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
& Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
from 1995 to 1997.
Discography
Studio albums- JadooJadooJadoo is the debut album of the Pakistani pop band The Milestones, released in the year 1993. It was released by the record label Visible Changes and was produced by bassist Ali Tim and lead guitarist Ziyyad Gulzar...
(1993) - Volume II (1994)
Live albums
- Amnesty International Presents: The Milestones Live in Concert
Band members
Original lineup- Candy Pereira – lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
(1990–1995) - Ali Tim – bass, lead vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the...
(1990–1996) - Ziyyad Gulzar – lead guitars (1990–1996)
Session musicians
- John "Gumby" Louis Pinto – drums (1990–1992)
- Carl Miranda – drums (1992–1993)
- Allan Smith – drums (1993–1995)
- Yousuf Begg – rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
(1992–1996) - John Saville – keyboards (1992–1993)
Timeline