One thing sets the band called Sign apart from the multitudes of garage rock hopefuls that have come before them: This group has been formed by teenagers in Kashmir, the fiercely disputed region that overlaps the borders of India and Pakistan. Kashmir is about as likely to produce nuclear Armageddon as it is to turn out a new generation of three-chord wonders; so click through the gallery of band photos to see what all Sign’s peace, love and unity noise is about.
Photo: Fayaz Kabli/Reuters
Composing a Band Identity
Just like in suburban family bedrooms anywhere in the world, four teenagers have gathered to combine the power of electrified musical instruments and attitudinal haircuts to form a rock ’n’ roll band. The armed revolt against India’s rule in Kashmir has killed tens of thousands of people since 1989. But with time, the militants’ hold over daily life has lifted, a single cinema has reopened, and traditional theater and music are being revived.
Photo: Fayaz Kabli/Reuters
Practice Shred
Born into a region where the boom of guns and bombs has drowned out all other sounds for almost 20 years, Kashmir’s war-weary youngsters are now turning up the volume on a cacophony of melodies from guitar and drums, amplifying a message of love and peace. The four members of “Sign - the signature of music” were all born at the peak of the conflict and are now 17 and 18 years old. The members say the purpose of their music is to try to erase the scars of war.
Photo: Fayaz Kabli/Reuters
Promo Shot
Members of Sign—(L-R) guitarist Zahoor Qadir, 18, drummer Muneeb Khan, 17, and guitarist and lead singer Qassam Dar, 18—pose after a jamming session in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Indian-administered state of Jammu and Kashmir. Overall violence has ebbed in Kashmir since India and Pakistan, which both claim the region in full and rule in parts, began a peace process in 2004. Still, on many days stability and a lasting peace seem to be more than a song away.
Photo: Fayaz Kabli/Reuters
The Calm Before the Gig
Lead singer guitarist Qassam Dar reads a book after recording a song in Srinagar. Sign, its members mostly dressed in western outfits, performs shows for NGOs, government agencies and charities in between their studies.
Photo: Fayaz Kabli/Reuters
A Show of Purpose
Sign performs onstage at a college in Srinagar. Sign began performing in 2008 to small audiences. A rise in people attending their shows correlated with a fall in violence. Encouraged by the response, the multilingual band—which performs in English, Hindi, Urdu and Punjabi—claims to have gone professional.
Photo: Fayaz Kabli/Reuters
Peace Is the Song They Sing
Guitarist and lead singer Qassam Dar poses in front a placard after a jamming session in Srinagar. Kashmir has been blighted by years of violence and a ban on entertainment by separatist Muslim guerrillas. The sound of a rock band, even a relatively inexperienced and isolated one, is a soothing antidote to the decade of killing and repression.
