BY BRITTANY MARKS
Meeting at Treesound Studios, you can’t help but notice the records on the wall from the talented artists that have recorded there. Brothers, Fazal (Foz) and Abid (Bid-lo), are each talented in their own right, however.
Foz, the eldest, is a self-taught guitar player. From the young age of 15, he played and practiced constantly. His brother, Abid, reminisced “I used to fall asleep to him playing all night, all day.” That amount of dedication may partly explain Foz' musical success. He is currently with the Atlanta based band Rehab, which was nominated for the Wide Open Video of the Year at the Country Music Television Awards. Throughout his career, he has worked with a plethora of well named artists such as Kid Rock, Fall Out Boy, Blink 182 and Hinder to name a few.
Bid-lo is following in his brother’s musical footsteps. He is establishing a name for himself as an American-Indian Fusion Hip-Hop artist. Early on he says, “My mom would always have me sing at family functions.” His talent and ability to use words and music to express himself is a passion he harnessed very young. When asked to sing a couple of lines during the interview, he gladly accepted. The lyrics flowed and rhymed so well, you would have never thought it was an impromptu performance. Bid-lo writes his own lyrics and embraces many opportunities to perform alongside the band Rehab. These opportunities allow him to continuously grow and mature as an artist.
When asked what they perceived to be their greatest challenge in the music business, they both agreed that most difficulties arose from being a minority in an industry dominated by non-Indians. This challenge has now created opportunities for the brothers in other ways. As musicians and artists both Foz and Bid-lo are looking to continually grow and enhance their musical style. Having a strong tie to both the American and Indian culture, their goal is to combine qualities from the two cultures and blend them together to create something unique and their own. They hope to bridge the gap between Indian and American cultures through their music. “Music is one of the few things in the world that regardless of race or religion, is universally understood. It inspires feelings in people that can’t be described in words”, says Foz.
With the growing success each have experienced thus far in their careers, their future in India and America is sure to be an exciting journey to watch!
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