Zafir huq

What inspired you to learn the guitar?

I was spontaneously playing the guitar one day, and I all of a sudden managed to successfully come up with a famous melody line. I was quite surprised to be able to pick up the tune so quickly and correctly, and the  sense of achievement and my curious nature spurred me on to play the guitar more often. The melody that was the beginning of all this was the Mission Impossible theme.

How did you get affiliated with 'Nemesis'?

I used to be a fan of Nemesis just like many kids of my generation before I joined them as a guitarist. I learnt the solo from Nirbashon, at the same time I was performing Nemesis' songs quiet often. Sometime later Ratul bhai called me out of the blue and asked me to meet up with them the following day. When I went there to meet them, they approached me and asked me to join them. It was one of the highlights of my life being asked to join the band that I loved so much.

Who was your mentor?

I didn't have a proper mentor.

What is your dream guitar?

My dream guitar has always been a Les Paul Supreme. The first person I saw playing that was Maher bhai. I have been fortunate enough to be able to also play the same guitar. But, I still believe I have a lot to learn.

Do you play any other instruments?

I also play the keyboard. My musical career started with the keyboard. When I was in school, I played Tabla for a while.

How did you juggle a corporate job and your music career at the same time?

It was a huge challenge. When I first started to work with Grey, I thought that I would be able to manage things easily. But it soon dawned on me that managing these two very important parts of my life will take all the patience and effort for me to be successful at both. I had faced numerous situations where I had a deadline at Grey, but also had to go and practice with the band. Personally speaking it was one of the most challenging times of my life and one I also learnt the most from.

Do you have any upcoming projects soon?

We hit the studios to try and complete our projects. Stay tuned to our Facebook page for updates on our progress and releases

What qualities should an aspiring musician possess?

Mostly importantly, an aspiring musician requires patience. You have to stick to what you want to do. In my experience, patience was very important. The will to strive for perfection is also very important. I had to stick to picking up songs until I could get it as close to perfect as possible. This was highly important as it set a standard where getting it absolutely right was the minimum requirement. You always have to keep on practicing. And listen to all kinds of music. If you are an aspiring musician, you should listen to all kinds of music and practice and learn to play them

What is the life of a musician like?

It's normal to be honest. I'm a musician and I do music. Everything else is just life as it is for most people. The only real difference is we express our feelings through our instruments. I am very lucky to be able to work in an environment that I admire and love.

What is your favorite tour memory?

It was during the Grameenphone Bondhu Garage tour back in 2014. That was the biggest tour for us. We travelled all over Bangladesh, stayed together, hung out and made music. That is probably my favorite tour memory with Nemesis.

What kind of music do you usually listen to?

With time I have learnt to love all forms of music.

Do you have any message for our readers?

I would like to thank my family and friends for always being there and helping me improve as a person daily. I would also like to thank everyone that has ever listened to me play, I would not be the guitarist I am today without all of your love and support.

By Ridwan Intisaar Mahbub