Imran Muhammad Akhoond
{{Short description|Pakistani guitarist and music producer}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{Autobiography|date=March 2024}}
{{BLP sources|date=March 2024}}{{Notability|1=Biographies|date=May 2024}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Imran Akhoond
| alias = Imran Muhammad Akhoond
| image =
| image_size = 250px
| caption = Imran Akhoond in Coke Studio (Session 7)
| native_name =
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Karachi, Sindh Province of Pakistan
| birth_name = {{Nastaliq|عمران محمد اخوند}}
| death_date =
| instrument = Vocals, guitar
| genre = Blues rock
| occupation = Musician, guitarist
| years_active = 1990–present
| label =
| current_member_of = Shehzad Roy, Awaz, Strings
| website = http://imranakhoond.com/
}}
Imran Muhammad Akhoond is a Pakistani guitarist and session musician. He is best-known as the lead guitarist (1998 to present) in the band of Pakistani pop/rock singer Shehzad Roy.{{cite web |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/935024/rockstar-anonymous-imran-akhoond/ |title=Rockstar Anonymous: Imran Akhoond |website=The Express Tribune |first=Hasan |last=Ansari |date=9 August 2015 |access-date=27 March 2024}} He has performed with various other bands, including Junaid Jamshed, Strings and Vital Signs.
From 2013 to 2017, Akhoond was a member of the house band on Pakistani music show Coke Studio, before switching to act as a mentor on Pepsi Battle of the Bands in 2018.
Early life
Imran Akhoond was born in Karachi, into a Gujarati-speaking family.{{cite news|url=http://www.dawn.com/news/1450245 |website=Dawn |first=Shehzad |last=Roy |date=9 December 2018 |title=My journey in education reform |access-date=7 May 2024}}
Music career
Akhoond entered the music business in 1997 as the guitarist in the live backing band of Junaid Jamshed,{{cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1925324/4-coke-studio-guitarist-fears-safety-receiving-threats/ |date=8 March 2019 |title=Coke Studio guitarist fears for life after receiving threats |website=The Express Tribune |first1=Sajid |last1=Rauf |first2=Rafay |last2=Mahmood |access-date=7 May 2024}} who he met through Nadeem Jafri. He also performed as a session musician with Awaz, Hadiqa Kiani, Ali Zafar, and Strings.
Akhoond became a permanent member of Shehzad Roy's band in 1998, having met him while on tour with Awaz. In 2013 he performed with Shehzad Roy alongside guitarist Slash and drummer Matt Sorum of Guns N' Roses at a charity event in Los Angeles.{{cite news|title='Music never starts a movement, it only supports it' |website=The Express Tribune|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/610227/music-never-starts-a-movement-it-only-supports-it/ |date=27 September 2013 |first=Saadia |last=Qamar}}
He released his debut solo single "Madhur" in 2012, and his second single "Inside Love" in 2015.{{cite news|title=Imran Akhoond releases 'Inside Love' |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/971675/imran-akhoond-releases-inside-love/ |first=Hasan |last=Ansari |website=The Express Tribune |date=12 October 2015 |access-date=27 March 2024}}
Television work
Akhoond was the guitarist in the house band on the music show Coke Studio, from season 7 until 10 (2014-2017),{{cite web|url=http://www.cokestudio.com.pk/season10/imran.html?WT.cl=1&WT.mn=Artists%20-%20House%20Band%20-%20Imran%20Akhoond |website=Coke Studio Season 10 |title=Imran Akhoond |access-date=27 March 2024}} which were produced by Strings.{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/Hindi/TV/News/Pakistani-band-Strings-to-produce-Coke-Studio-Pakistan-Season-7/articleshow/41110576.cms |website=The Times of India |title=Pakistani band Strings to produce Coke Studio Pakistan Season 7 |date=28 August 2014 |access-date=27 March 2024 |first=Piyali |last=Dasgupta}}
In 2018 he moved to work with Shahi Hasan of Vital Signs as a judge and mentor on seasons 3 and 4 of Pepsi Battle of the Bands.
Other ventures
In 2020, Akhoond appeared on "We Are One", a collaborative song made by artists from seven countries as a message of hope during the COVID-19 pandemic, produced by Kashan Admani.{{cite news|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/tns/detail/659290-one-love?fbclid=IwAR3YHczMOnJghGqIwIt3BcpGOU4XDrmXOVg-U6Fc32dsWQa_HN0jBTwY8Sg/ |first=Maheen |last=Sabeeh |title=One Love |date=17 May 2020 |website=The News International |access-date=7 May 2024}}
Influences
Akhoond is a fan of Bryan Adams, and cites as his guitar influences Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Eric Johnson and Larry Carlton.{{cite web|url=http://www.cokestudio.com.pk/season7/imran-akhoond.html |website=Coke Studio |access-date=27 March 2024 |title=Imran Akhoond}}
Personal life
Akhoond and his family are long-term residents of Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi.
Akhoond performed Hajj, along with Shehzad Roy, in July 2006.{{cite web|url=http://www.pak101.com/c/celebrities/bio/185/Singers/Shehzad_Roy |website=Pak101.com |access-date=27 March 2024 |title=Shehzad Roy}}
On 16 January 2019, Akhoond was stopped by unknown persons while driving with his family in the Buffer Zone district of Karachi. The assailants threatened Akhoond, stating that his music television work was considered haraam and against the spirit of Islam. Following the threats, Akhoond was reported to be avoiding social engagements out of fear for his life.
Discography
- 1999 – Shehzad Roy Teri soorat Album
- 2002 – Shehzad Roy Rab Janey Album
- 2005 – Shehzad Roy Buri Baat hai Album
- 2008 – Shehzad Roy Qismat Apne Haath Mein Album
- 2008 – Shafqat Amanat Ali Tabeer Album[http://jang.com.pk/thenews/jul2008-weekly/nos-20-07-2008/instep/mainissue.htm Imran Akhund attended with Shafaqt Amanat Ali in his album (Sept 2008)]
- 2008 – Strings Koi Aany Wala Hai Album Strings Song – Koi Aanay Wala Hai
- 2010 – Atif Aslam & Strings Ab khud kuch karna paray ga
- 2011 – Ali Azmat Josh-ejunoon
- 2013 – Rahat Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Malaal ( Movie Song )
- 2014 – Ali Zafar – Nahi Maloom ( Movie Song )
- 2015 – Moor(film) Guitar Scoring Background & Songs ( Produced by Strings )
- 2016 – Actor in Law Guitar Scoring Background & Songs Produced by Shani Arshad )
- 2017 – Shehzad Roy PSL Official Song Balle Balle )
- 2017 – Shehzad Roy PSL Official Anthem Dan Dhana Dhan )
- 2018 – Shahi Hasan Song Maula Pepsi Battle of the Bands Season 3 Episode 8 )
- 2018 – Shehzad Roy PSL Official Song Lo Phir Se Miley )
- 2018 – Shehzad Roy Karachi Kings Official Anthem Song De Dhana Dhan )
- 2019 – Shehzad Roy Karachi Kings Official Anthem Song De Dhana Dhan )
- 2019 – Shehzad Roy Official Song Socho Phir Se Zara for Supreme Court Symposium Produced by )
- 2020 – Kashan Admani Enlisted top musical talent from all over the world for a new song 'We Are One'[26] features 40 musicians from all over the world including Grammy Award winners Global Collaboration
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://images.dawn.com/news/1176349/the-making-of-coke-studio-a-deepika-wannabe-the-atari-on-set-and-other-fun-facts "The Making of Coke Studio"], Maliha Rehman, Dawn News (2 October 2016), featuring contributions from Imran Akhoond
- [https://newslinemagazine.com/house-band-rules/ "House band rules"], Zahra Chughtai, Newsline (22 September 2017)
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Akhoond, Imran Muhammad}}
Category:Pakistani pop singers
Category:21st-century Pakistani male singers
Category:21st-century Pakistani singers
Category:Pakistani Sunni Muslims