My Pod with Dipps Bhamrah

By Asjad Nazir.

BEING a DJ, music producer, radio host and son of a legendary singer means Dipps Bhamrah has been constantly surrounded by music from a young age. That passion for diverse music was evident when Eastern Eye got him to select 10 songs he loves.

Yeh Vaada Raha title track: There are not enough words to describe how much I love

this song. It’s perfect from every angle. The groove, composition and music of RD Burman

is phenomenal. The vocal delivery from Asha Bhosle and Kishore Kumar projects the

emotion of love.

Dil Mera Legayi by Heera: Meeting, interviewing and asking Kuljit Bhamra (no relation)

to sign my copy of Jag Wala Mela was a young lad’s dream come true because this album

was the first to have a profound effect on my world. Dil Mera Legayi as the opening

track set the tone for the whole album.

Nashe Diye Band Bottle by DCS: There will ever be only one generation of bhangra music

fans who will fully know and experience what the 1990s had to offer. The song Nashe Diye

Band Bottle summed it all up. The intro from Shin, double tempo beat, crowd involvement

and the chorus was groundbreaking.

Dhol Jageero Da by Panjabi MC ft Master Saleem: Only two things will make me get up

and dance. One is the emotional blackmail from family members and the other is Dhol

Jageero Da. Whenever this track drops, I jump up like a meerkat, shout out ‘back in a bit’ and dust off my moves.

Dil To Pagal Hai title track: My first international tour with Apna Sangeet was in December

1997 and the only thing being seen on TV and billboards at the time was the promotion

for Dil To Pagal Hai. All I did was listen to the soundtrack repeatedly while on the road.

Is Tarah Aashiqui Ka from Imtihan: The first Bollywood song I learned to play on keyboard

to impress the girls at school. This song still has a big place in my musical life. The signature Kumar Sanu vocal intro, guitar riff, pianos and composition, come together beautifully.

Saat Samundar Paar from Vishwatma: The 1991 tune holds up even today. This song has

some of the qualities I need for a tune to create an impression; the lyrics paint a picture,

the compositions make you sing along and it has great vocals.

Dil Da Mamla Hai by Gurdas Maan: The great Gurdas Maan has inspired my life on so

many levels. He was the all-round Punjabi superstar of the 1980s and his re-recorded songs from the film Dil Da Mamla were fantastic. My love for this track made me do a remix to it around eight years ago.

Parda Hai Parda from Amar Akbar Anthony: Listening to the soundtrack repeatedly, this

classic stood out and got me to ask ‘why is this track different?’ It was the qawwali inspiration. The music and the percussion section made me want to sit next to Rishi Kapoor and clap along.

Wannabe by Spice Girls: It was my genuine love for the Spice Girls that inspired me to

buy my first English album. Wannabe captured mine and the attention of the world.