MUMBAI: At the The 5th Jack Daniel’s Annual Rock Awards 2009-10, legendary music producer Biddu will be presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The event is to be held at Mumbai’s Hard Rock Caf?© on 5 February 2010.
Born in Bangalore, Biddu started his career as a teenager in the 1960s, first in his home city and then in Mumbai, playing in pop groups whose influences lay in the classic repertoire of bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones. Following his early success, he decided to head west and make his name on the international scene.
His early days in Britain were typical of many, working in a hamburger joint by day and writing songs at night. Biddu struck gold when he signed the unknown singer Carl Douglas and produced the nine million selling Kung Fu Fighting…. It went on to become no.1 in every country in the world. This was followed by a series of hits for himself as the Biddu Orchestra, with songs like Summer of 42… and Rainforest…. He also wrote and produced a string of hits for Tina Charles and soul legend Jimmy James with I Love to Love…, Dance Little Lady…, I’ll Go Where The Music Takes Me… and Now Is The Time… among others.
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During this period Biddu received four Ivor Novello awards, including best instrumental for Rainforest…. He then wrote the music for two successful movies, The Stud… and The Bitch…, both becoming platinum selling albums. Biddu also had a number one hit in Japan with his song The Look That Kills… recorded by top Japanese artiste Akina Nakamore.
Biddu’s involvement with the Hindi music scene started in 1979 with the massive success of the Nazia Hassan song, “Aap Jaisa Koi…, which he composed for Feroz Khan’s iconic film Qurbani. He followed this up with Disco Deewane…, once again with Nazia Hassan, which went on to became the biggest selling pop album in Asian history, and the first Indian album to top the chart in fourteen countries. In 1995 Biddu wrote and produced the 3 million selling Alisha Chinoy album Made In India…. He was also involved in the early successes of singers ranging from Shaan to Sonu Nigam. To date Biddu has sold over 38 million records worldwide.
Biddu who lives in London and Spain is currently in India for the launch of his autobiography Made In India…, which is being published by Harper Collins. His first novel will appear in September 2010. Early February will also see Biddu publicly perform in India with his own band for the first time in more than 40 years. He will be playing concerts in Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai.
The JD Rock Awards is based on popular votes and the recommendations of a jury made up of some of the country’s leading authorities on rock music. A total of 15 awards will be given in nine categories including Band of the Year, Song of the Year, Lifetime Achievement Award, Emerging Band of the Year, etc. Giving out the awards would be music luminaries and celebrities.
The evening will also feature concert performances by some of India’s leading rock musicians including The Whirling Kalapas fronted by Uday Benegal and Mahesh Tinaikar, Tough on Tobacco, and Anushka Manchanda’s band Shkabang. Actor, musician, VJ and Rolling Stone magazine contributing editor Luke Kenny will host the evening.
