ASJAD NAZIRBy: ASJAD NAZIR
One of the most interesting cover versions of the year has seen Canadian-south Asian rock artist MR.Slade reinterpret Blondie song Call Me.
The singer, determined to break down doors across the globe relating to culture rights through to LGBT+ issues, put his own edgy spin on a much-loved classic, which adds to his growing list of unique songs.
Eastern Eye found out more about the music talent by getting him to select 10 tracks he loves, in no particular order.
A great track capturing the feeling that belongs in the intersection of nostalgia and regret – looking back at your life and reliving the expectations you place on yourself, which you now throw away. I’m a sucker for sad lyrics behind happy melodies.
The lyrics are more like a prayer than a pop song and tend to be my mantra in life. I strive to attain that kind of spiritual bliss and, usually, succeed unless I’m stuck in a line at the convenient store, behind someone picking 50 scratch tickets.
I have such great memories driving around our sleepy suburban town with my friends blasting this track. It has a defiant yet self-deprecating feel to it that always makes me happy, sad, and then happy again. It’s like a time machine to the 1990s.
I was in Goa with one of my best friends, Praty, at a dive bar. We heard this song playing like a million times. It always takes me back to that trip, the beach, daytime drinking under the sun (terrible idea) and amazing friends I met there.
Behind the sugary pop lyrics lie a deep message, in my opinion, about pursuing life and happiness aggressively – that the things you want in life, want you. I have some of the lyrics tattooed on my chest too.
This cover version was the soundtrack to my teenage years. I always remember the yearning I felt listening to this song. The need to get out of the suburban hell I was living in at the time and strike out as my own person. The freedom and promise of creating my own life, they are all there in one song.
I’m a Madonna fan. My friend Praty told me that if I liked Madonna I’d like Alisha, when we were in Goa. She wasn’t wrong. This song was also randomly being played the night she puked into the Disney River. Good times!
This song gets me crazy excited whenever I hear the first few bars. Such an aggressive sexy number. It also has that nerd being cool kind of feel to it, which I feel is totally my life.
Not only is this song killer on a treadmill, but always reminds me of NYE sometime in the mid 2000s. What a great time, before social media. I used to always have a disposable camera with me when out partying with friends and annoy the hell out of everybody snapping pictures. They’re all very grateful for it now that we have a billion souvenirs of that era.
This song never gets old for me. Not only is it a pop masterpiece, I also have the most fun singing along to this song in pubs, whenever I come to the UK. Full volume with pints in hand swinging from side to side, like we’re in the Shire (Lord Of The Rings reference). I’m a nerd, what can I say?
