Faruq Mahfuz Anam (born 2 October 1964), known mononymously as James or Guru James, is a Bangladeshi singer-songwriter, guitarist and composer, also known as a
playback singer
A playback singer, also known as a ghost singer, is a singer whose singing is pre-recorded for use in films. Playback singers record songs for soundtracks, and actors or actresses lip-sync the songs for cameras; the actual singer does not app ...
. He is the lead singer, songwriter and guitarist of the rock band
Nagar Baul (previously ''Feelings''), which he founded in 1977.
He is often referred by the name "Guru"
which means "Master or Teacher".
James was born and raised in
Naogaon
Naogaon ( bn, নওগাঁ ''Nôogã'') is a city and district headquarter of Naogaon District in northern Bangladesh. It is located in the bank of Mini Jamuna river. It is the centre of commerce within the Naogaon District. The area of th ...
, but grew up in
Chittagong
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
city. James rose to mainstream fame in the 1990s as the frontman of Feelings, which is one of the "Big Three of Rock", who were responsible for developing and popularizing hard rock music in Bangladesh, along with
LRB LRB may refer to:
* Love Runs Blind, a Bangladeshi rock band
* '' Lego Rock Band'', a game in the ''Rock Band'' video game series
* Liquid rocket booster
* Little Red Book, quotations from Chairman Mao
* Little River Band, an Australian music act
* ...
and
Ark
Ark or ARK may refer to:
Biblical narratives and religion Hebrew word ''teva''
* Noah's Ark, a massive vessel said to have been built to save the world's animals from a flood
* Ark of bulrushes, the boat of the infant Moses
Hebrew ''aron''
* ...
. Feelings is considered to be the pioneer of
psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a rock music Music genre, genre that is inspired, influenced, or representative of psychedelia, psychedelic culture, which is centered on perception-altering hallucinogenic drugs. The music incorporated new electronic sound ...
in Bangladesh.
James has also led a successful solo career, with hit albums like ''Ananya'' (1989), ''Palabe Kothay'' (1995), ''Dukhini Dukkho Korona'' (1997), ''Thik Achhe Bondhu'' (1999). He sang in four
Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
films, including ''
Gangster'' (2006), ''
Woh Lamhe
''Woh Lamhe...'' ( en, Those Moments, italic=yes) is a 2006 Indian romantic drama film directed by Mohit Suri, starring Kangana Ranaut and Shiney Ahuja in the lead roles. The film is supposedly based on Parveen Babi's life, her battle with sch ...
'' (2006), ''
Life in a... Metro'' (2007), ''
Warning'' (2013).
James won
twice for his performance in the films of ''
Desha: The Leader'' (2014) and ''
Swatta'' (2017).
Early life
James was born in
Naogaon
Naogaon ( bn, নওগাঁ ''Nôogã'') is a city and district headquarter of Naogaon District in northern Bangladesh. It is located in the bank of Mini Jamuna river. It is the centre of commerce within the Naogaon District. The area of th ...
,
Rajshahi on 2 October 1964 to father, Mojammel Haque and mother, Jahanara Khatun. His father was a government employee and worked as Chairman of the
Dhaka Education Board. The family originally lived in Naogaon, but moved to
Chittagong
Chittagong ( /ˈtʃɪt əˌɡɒŋ/ ''chit-uh-gong''; ctg, চিটাং; bn, চিটাগং), officially Chattogram ( bn, চট্টগ্রাম), is the second-largest city in Bangladesh after Dhaka and third largest city in B ...
in around 1958–59, when Mojammel Haque was transferred.
From his teens, James developed an avid interest in music, an interest which his family did not accept or support. He first played guitar with his friends when he was in class seven in 1975. In the early-to-mid 1970s, while learning guitar, James became interested in bands like
the Doors
The Doors were an American Rock music, rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1965, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, guitarist Robby Krieger, and drummer John Densmore. They were among the most controversial and influential ro ...
,
Dire Straits
Dire Straits were a British rock band formed in London in 1977 by Mark Knopfler (lead vocals and lead guitar), David Knopfler (rhythm guitar and backing vocals), John Illsley (bass guitar and backing vocals) and Pick Withers (drums and percuss ...
,
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...
and guitarists like
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
,
Mark Knopfler and
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. Although his mainstream career spanned only four years, he is widely regarded as one of the most ...
.
Following a dispute with his family, James left his house when he was in class eight in 1976. He started living in a dormitory called Aziz Boarding in
Pahartali. He joined Feelings in 1977, as the vocal and the lead guitarist.
Career
Nagar Baul (1977–present)
Nagar Baul current line-up
* Faruq Mahfuz Anam James – lead guitar, vocals (1977–present)
* Ahsan Elahi Fanty - drums
* Shimul Azhar - bass guitar
* Sultan Raihan Khan - lead guitar
* Kakon Chakrobarty - keyboard (2021–present)
After some members left Feelings in 1981, James, Fanty, Pablo and Swapan re-formed the band and started to perform in local gigs. This was the line-up at that time:
* James – lead guitar, vocals
* Ahsan Elahi (Fanty) – drums
* Pablo – keyboards, vocals
* Swapan – bass guitar
He became popular among musicians as "The one who can play
Mark Knopfler with the right feels". After several years of stage shows, they came to Dhaka to record their first album, ''Station Road''. James composed all the tracks, and wrote the lyrics for five of them. Though the album was not a hit, the tracks "Ager Jonome", "Amai Jete Dao" and "Rupshagor" enjoyed moderate success.
In 1993, they released their second album ''Jail Theke Bolchhi'' (Speaking from the Jail). This album was a major hit, and Feelings became a mainstream band.
James sings psychedelic rock and blues music. He has cited
Jim Morrison,
Mark Knopfler, and
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...
as his influences.
Many lyricists have written songs for James, including poet
Shamsur Rahman, Prince Mahmud, Marjuk Rasel, Shibli and Deholovi. Musicians and Music Composers like
Lucky Akhand
Lucky Akhand (7 June 1956 – 21 April 2017) was a Bangladeshi singer-composer. He was associated with the musical band ''Happy Touch''. He composed and gave vocal to songs including ''Ei Neel Monihar'', ''Aamay Deko Na'', ''Agey Jodi Janitam'', ...
, Manam Ahmed, Prince Mahmud and Shawkat have also composed songs for him.
The albums he released with Feelings after ''Station Road'' (Originally titled ''Feelings''), ''Jail Theke Bolchhi'' ,''Nagar Baul'' in 1996, ''Leis Fita Leis'' in 1998, ''Collection of Feelings'' in 1999. His first solo album was ''Anonna'', released in 1989, followed by ''Palabe Kothai'' in 1995, ''Dukkhini Dukkho Korona'' in 1997, ''Thik Achhe Bondhu'' in 1999, ''Ami Tomader E Lok'' in 2003, ''Jonota Express'' in 2005, ''Toofan'' in 2006 and ''Kal Jomuna'' in 2009.
James later renamed Feelings as Nagar Baul. The first and only album under the new name was ''"Dushtu Cheler Dol'', released in 2001.
Bollywood
James has been one of the most popular artists, both as a solo musician and with his band in
Bangladesh
Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million people in an area of . Bangladesh is among the mos ...
and in
West Bengal
West Bengal (, Bengali: ''Poshchim Bongo'', , abbr. WB) is a state in the eastern portion of India. It is situated along the Bay of Bengal, along with a population of over 91 million inhabitants within an area of . West Bengal is the fourt ...
, since the 1990s. He met
Pritam Chakraborty, an Indian Bengali music director and composer working in
Bollywood
Hindi cinema, popularly known as Bollywood and formerly as Bombay cinema, refers to the film industry based in Mumbai, engaged in production of motion pictures in Hindi language. The popular term Bollywood, is a portmanteau of "Bombay" (fo ...
, in 2004. In 2005, James did the playback for the film ''
Gangster''. The song was "Bheegi Bheegi" and it was a blockbuster hit, remaining at the top of the Bollywood Hit List for more than a month.
He teamed up with Pritam again for the film ''
Woh Lamhe
''Woh Lamhe...'' ( en, Those Moments, italic=yes) is a 2006 Indian romantic drama film directed by Mohit Suri, starring Kangana Ranaut and Shiney Ahuja in the lead roles. The film is supposedly based on Parveen Babi's life, her battle with sch ...
'' in 2006 for the song "Chal Chalein", and again for "Rishtey" and "Alvida (Reprise)" in the film ''
Life in a Metro
''Life in a... Metro'' is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language drama film co-produced, co-written and directed by Anurag Basu. Partly inspired from Billy Wilder's romantic comedy film ''The Apartment'' (1960), it features an ensemble cast of Dharmendra, ...
''.
James' last song in Bollywood, titled "Bebasi", was released in 2013, for the film ''
Warning''.
Media
James first appeared in a television commercial for
Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961.
History
Pepsi was ...
in the early 2000s. This commercial was broadcast both in West Bengal and Bangladesh. In 2011, he starred in a Bangladeshi TVC for Black Horse, a brand of energy drinks. James appeared in the Bollywood movie ''
Life in A... Metro'', in which he played the role of a member of a street band, along with
Pritam and Suhail Kaul.
Personal life
James was first married to Rothi. In 2002, he ended his first marriage, and married Benazir Sazzad,
whom he reportedly met during a concert in New York around 1999. James has three children: daughters Jannat and Jahaan, and son Daanish.
Red Dot Entertainment
James, along with Gazi Shubhro and Jewel Paiker, co-owns the production house RED dot Multimedia Ltd. The company was established in December 2005. James is the chairman of its board of directors. The production house was behind the video commercial titled "Beautiful Bangladesh" for the ICC World Cup Cricket 2011. Red Dot Entertainment produced numerous reality TV shows including ''D Rock Star'' (2007), ''Lux Channel I SuperStar'' (2010 & 2014), and ''Ke Hote Chay Kotipoti'' (2011). Red Dot produces TVCs, music videos, TV reality shows, and corporate audiovisuals. They are planning to produce a full-length film.
Photography
James is an enthusiastic amateur photographer. He love to take photos when he travel abroad for his shows. His photos have been used into album covers.The artist is as good behind the camera as he is behind the microphone.
Discography
as "Feelings"
* ''"স্টেশন রোড (Station Road)'' (1987) (Originally known as ''Feelings''
* ''"জেল থেকে বলছি (Speaking from Jail)"'' (1993)
* ''"নগর বাউল (City Baul)"'' (1996)
* ''"লেইস ফিতা লেইস (Lace Ribbon Lace)"'' (1998)
as "Nagar Baul"
* ''"দুষ্ট ছেলের দল (Mischievous Boys' Party)"'' (2001)
Solo albums
* ''"অনন্যা (Unparalleled)"'' (1989)
* ''"পালাবে কোথায় (Where to Run?)"'' (1995)
* ''"দুঃখিনি দুঃখ করোনা (Don't be Sad, Sad Girl)"'' (1997)
* ''"ঠিক আছে বন্ধু (Okay, my Friend)"'' (1999)
* ''"আমি তোমাদেরই লোক (I am all Yours)"'' (2003)
* ''"জনতা এক্সপ্রেস (Peoples Express)"'' (2005)
* ''"তুফান (Typhoon)"'' (2007)
* ''"কাল যমুনা (Tidey Jamuna)"'' (2008)
Film Soundtracks
Album descriptions
''Feelings'' (1988)
Released by Doel Products
Personnel
* James – lead guitar, vocals
* Ahsan Elahi (Fanty) – drums, percussion
* Pablo – keyboards, clarinet, flute, vocals
* Swapan – bass
''Jail Theke Bolchhi'' (1993)
Personnel
* James – lead guitar, vocals, cover concept
* Ahsan Elahi(Fanty) – drums, percussion
* Tanvir Ibrahim– keyboards
* Babu- Bass
''Nagar Baul'' (1996)
Personnel
* James – lead guitar, vocals, cover concept
* Ahsan Elahi (Fanty) – drums, percussion
* Babu – bass
* Asad – keyboards
''Lais Fita Lais'' (1998)
Personnel
* James – lead guitar, vocals, cover concept
* Ahsan Elahi (Fanty) – drums, percussion
* Babu – bass
* Asad – keyboards
''Dustu Chheler Dol'' (2001)
Personnel
* James – lead guitar, vocals
* Asad – keyboards
* Tajul – bass
* Romel – drums, percussion
References
External links
*
Jamesweb page o
Bangla Band
{{DEFAULTSORT:James
1964 births
Living people
People from Naogaon District
21st-century Bangladeshi male singers
21st-century Bangladeshi singers
20th-century Bangladeshi male singers
20th-century Bangladeshi singers
Bangladeshi guitarists
Best Male Playback Singer National Film Award (Bangladesh) winners
Best Male Singer Bachsas Award winners
Best Male Singer Meril-Prothom Alo Award winners