LIFESTYLE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2014 Music39 & Movies In Pakistan new TV show lifts veil on octor Nadim Uddin Siddiqui sex taboos fixes his gaze on a camera in the Pushing boundaries Dshiny new studios of Health TV Part of the Ziauddin network of in Karachi, Pakistan’s economic hub, and private hospitals, Health TV says its mis- prepares to take the day’s first question. sion is to improve health awareness in a “My husband doesn’t want to make love country where access to a doctor can be anymore, what should I do doctor?” the difficult in rural areas and for those with- housewife asks over the phone. In strait- out financial means. Sometimes religious laced Muslim Pakistan, a new TV show is conservatism can play a part in igno- trying to deal with the delicate subject of rance and poor health: gynaecologists sex and embarrassing illnesses without are known refuse to examine unmarried angering conservatives. Most of Paki- women, who according to them should stan’s 80-odd television stations fill their not be having sex. “In our society, the airtime with cooking shows, soap operas, woman, if she comes from a very conser- cricket and interminable chatshows vative background, someone would have debating the country’s myriad political to take her to the doctor—her mother, dramas. her sister,” says Faizan Syed, the chan- But once a week, for an hour, Health nel’s director. “This (the show) gives them TV does something very different: it that comfort of a hidden identity.” Syed takes questions from viewers on sex. stresses that the channel provides only Or more precisely, sexual problems. an advisory role and people should still “My husband only wants to do it once a visit a doctor if they are concerned. And week, sometimes once a fortnight, and it the channel also offers advice to men. doesn’t last very long,” continues Ayesha “We are living in a conservative soci- the housewife, calling from the eastern ety and we hesitate to talk on such issues city of Lahore. The portly Siddiqui, his with our doctors,” a laptop salesman pearly white teeth glistening under the and Health TV viewer Mehboob Ahmed, studio lights, doesn’t miss a beat. “We from Karachi, told AFP. Other programs call this loss of libido...it occurs when deal with topical subjects like polio, the you have a low level of testosterone. crippling disease still blighting Pakistan You should work on your husband’s thanks in part to Taliban opposition to diet, feed him more fish and push him vaccination. Even sensitive issues like to exercise,” he says. “God willing your abortion and breast cancer are covered. husband will get better.” Each Thursday “There was a time you couldn’t even “Clinic Online”, which began airing a year discuss breast cancer, because women ago, takes dozens of calls on subjects didn’t want to talk about their breasts, ranging from loss of libido and erectile they didn’t want to talk about their body In this picture taken November 13, 2014, Anoushey dysfunction to questions about sexually- because their husband might get upset,” Ashraf, hosts a morning show on Health TV in Kara- transmitted diseases, micro-penises and says Anoushey Ashraf. chi.—AFP photos nymphomania.“Sex is a very difficult Ashraf hosts a morning show where a matter in Pakistan, here it is very difficult cleric, a psychiatrist and a social worker to talk in open forum, in media, in any have gathered to discuss abortion—il- seminar. So whenever you talk about sex legal in Pakistan except to save the With shake- you should be very careful,” Siddqui told mother’s life. The opinion of religious AFP after the show. leaders carries a lot of weight in Pakistan He attributes the programm’s success and can add significantly to a doctor’s ar- ups, AC/DC in part to highlighting issues around guments. What, for example, does Islam sexual diseases, which he says resonates make of abortion? “If anything like this perseveres with album, tour even with the deeply religious, and takes is done to save the life of a mother, then pride in having avoided controversy—so sharia (Islamic law) allows abortion,” says C/DC finally joined iTunes in 2012 after years of far. “I have never seen a single person cleric Shahid Madani. The public appear refusing to do so, but make no mistake, the Aus- who is having any objection (to) me. to agree, if the dozens of calls to each tralian rock band is still old school. “I would like They appreciate me because...if it is a show are anything to go by—though A everybody to buy vinyl again,” guitarist Angus Young disease, you have to treat (it). You must Pakistani channels guard their ratings said in an interview. “That’s my favorite.” He continued try to propagate your knowledge,” he jealously. Health TV knows it is far from with a loud laugh: “They ought to make them portable said. Founded three years ago, Health TV dethroning the biggest national chan- - iVinyl.” AC/DC, which has enjoyed four decades of is something of an odd fit in Pakistan, a nels. But it is confident of quietly grow- success, will release “Rock or Bust,” its first album in six conservative Islamic state of 180 million ing its market share thanks to shows by years, on Dec 2. It is the follow-up to “Black Ice,” which people which saw an explosion of private the likes of Siddiqui and the glamorous sold 784,000 units during its first week in 2008. broadcasters in the early 2000s following Anoushey.—AFP The band has yet to join Spotify, something Young the liberalisation agenda of former ruler Doctor Nadim Uddin Siddiqui answers a question as he gives health tips said is possible. “I guess, if it’s doing a good service. I Pervez Musharraf. on a Health TV show. mean, we’ll certainly entertain the idea, I suppose,” he said, though Cliff Williams followed with the question: “Is it like Pandora? I’ve heard of it.” “Rock or Bust,” which Children’s’ music star has received favorable reviews, is a typical AC/DC album and one the band hopes fans will listen to on record players, in addition to iPhones. It was recorded new plan in May. “You want people to put it on and go, ‘That’s Laurie Berkner Prince AC/DC and no one else,’” Young said. vanishes from social In a recent interview, the two members were full his fall, Laurie Berkner has been on a Music Together. Since starting in the mid- of laughter and good energy as they discussed their mission that likely will make children 1990s, Berkner has written about 140 songs new music and upcoming world tour, planned for and parents happy: making more and has been experimenting with lesson media T rince, whose distaste for the music industry’s conventions is well next year. But the band is in the midst of turmoil and Laurie Berkners. The singer-songwriter, plans to highlight them. Her program offers known, has abruptly disappeared from social media after tenta- tragedy despite its success: Drummer Phil Rudd was who Time magazine dubbed “the queen of suggestions on when and how to introduce recently charged with threatening to kill, and guitarist children’s music,” has been training teachers them, and in what sequence, always mixing Ptive efforts to promote his two new albums. As of late Tuesday, Malcolm Young, who has dementia, left the group in to use her songs in a new music program slow songs and activity tunes up to keep the megastar’s Twitter and Facebook accounts had both disappeared and almost all videos from his official account had been taken off September. Rudd, who showed up late to court in New for kids up to 4 years old. The classes, called things interesting. Zealand this week and clowned around by jumping on “The Music in Me,” are like having a Berkner YouTube. Prince offered no immediate commentary—on social media or elsewhere—on the reasons for the action. the back of one of his security guards, is also charged in the room. “I’m trying to bottle it and pass Comes naturally with possessing methamphetamine and marijuana. it on to someone else,” the musician and “If you don’t follow that natural heart- But Prince’s two latest albums, which he released simultaneously in educator said. While still beat-walking-talking hu- September, remained on the streaming service Spotify. The move puts Prince at odds with most musicians, both newcomers and longtime Rock or Bust in its infancy - a pilot man rhythm, then you’re Young said Rudd was acting strangely as the band program is being used at not giving a 3-year-old stars, who have considered social media a virtual obligation to reach out to fans. A number of stars—most famously Taylor Swift—have recorded “Rock or Bust” and were starting to promote four Manhattan loca- what they need to be it. They plan to go tour without him, he said. Ironically, tions - Berkner hopes it doing at that moment,” criticized Spotify, accusing it of insufficient payouts to artists, but have nonetheless invested sustained energy in Facebook, Twitter and Rudd’s next court appearance is set for the same day can one day go national, she said “They’ll just do that “Rock or Bust” will be released. Young, 59, said his spreading her songs and something else.” Jaclyn YouTube. Prince had entered social media to promote the latest two albums older brother, Malcolm, is doing fine, but couldn’t play philosophy. Dima, a music and move- any longer. “It was progressing further, but he knew he She got the idea after ment teacher who has but had barely disguised his lack of enthusiasm. He advertised a Face- book question-and-answer session after he joined the site but, after couldn’t do it. ... He had continued as long as he could, so many people told her been following Berkner’s still writing. But he said to me, ‘Keep it going,’” Young they were happily using program, marvels at the hours of queries, he responded to just one—an esoteric matter about audio tuning—by offering a link to an article. The “Purple Rain” legend said. her songs like “Victor way the lyrics and melody Malcolm, 61, is being replaced by their nephew, Vita” and “Rocketship stick with kids. “The words is known for bristling at the commercial advice of the music indus- try. Two decades ago, he wrote “slave” on his cheek and changed his Stevie Young, who filled in for Malcolm during AC/DC’s Run” in classrooms, will tell you what to do. US tour in 1988. Stevie also plays on “Rock or Bust.” libraries and day cares. The music will tell you name to the unpronounceable “love symbol” to protest his contrac- tual terms with Warner Brothers. “He’s about the closest who plays like Malcolm and he That got Berkner curi- what to do,” she said. “It knows that style. ous: “If everyone’s using just comes naturally.” That But Prince returned to Warner Brothers for his latest two albums— “Art Official Age” and “Plectrumelectrum,” the latter performed with And for him it’s them, does anyone actu- natural skill was hard-won: natural the way he ally use them the way I Berkner was in a rock band the all-female trio 3rdEyeGirl. Prince was an early propo- plays,” Young said. was hoping they would File photo shows performer that played downtown “Malcolm has that be used? Maybe I should Laurie Berkner of Sprout’s “Sing and an all female cover band nent of the Internet but later campaigned to crack down hard-rhythm solid start teaching some it, Laurie!” arrives at the 2013 when she applied to be a sound and Stevie people how to do that,’” NBCUniversal Summer Press music teacher at Rockefelller on unauthorized use of his songs. Prince released his last ... he grew up on she said. The education Day in Pasadena, Calif.—AP University’s Child and Family that. That’s who program comes at a time Center. album in 2010 on a CD dis- tributed as an insert to sev- he emulated. He of flowering for all things Berkner: Her new “I didn’t know what to do with them,” stuck to that style, musical “The Amazing Adventures of Harvey she said. Berkner learned a lot of folk songs, eral European newspapers. In an interview at the time which is a unique and the Princess” is playing at New York City but “Old MacDonald” just wasn’t cutting it. thing.” “Stevie’s Children’s Theater, she has two CDs - one of “They would run around the room. I couldn’t with one of the newspapers, Britain’s Daily Mirror, Prince personality is very lullabies and a second hits compilation - and control them,” she said. So she asked the much like Malcolm’s as well, and you kind of play how she’s got the animated musical preschool kids what they liked, got them to stand up, declared the Internet to be “completely over” and said you are,” Williams, 64, chimed in. The band members series “Sing It, Laurie!” on Sprout. march around, roar and the song “We Are said they’re extremely happy with the outcome of the But the training program is the thing The Dinosaurs,” her first real children’s song, of digital gadgets: “They just fill your head with numbers new album, especially Brian Johnson’s vocals. “He was closest to her heart as she tries to put into was born. Her philosophy hasn’t changed sounding great from (the) get-go. He was a bit wor- words all that she’s learned at preschools, much since then. “A lot of it is about follow- and that can’t be good for you.”—AFP ried,” Young said. “We were upstairs, but we could hear YMCAs and private music classes. Her at- ing them, but also using the music to let him from downstairs. He was sounding great. He still ... tempt to make a curriculum from songs is them follow it,” she said.—AP sounds rather angelic in a rough sort of way,” he said, part of a trend that includes Dan Zanes and Prince laughing again.—AP