Dhwanii - Issue 2

Featured Artist

- Umesh

Glenn Perry, a rockstar and a musician who has seen it all, is our featured artiste this month. We chose him, as amidst the war drums that are being heard around the world today, he has been a staunch Peace activist who, in his own unique way has been constantly creating awareness for the need for peace and harmony in the world through his music and concerts that he holds for Peace.

You can visit Glenn Perry's website at http://www.glennperry.net or email him at dubaimusicschool@hotmail.com

Glenn Perry is a musician with a difference. He is one of those rare breed who don't let success go to their heads and are content in spreading the medicine of music to those they come in touch with and use their musical skills to serve the community.

Having inherited his passion for music at an early age from his dad, an Indian jazz legend, it spurred him onto tour the musical circuits in Dubai and the Gulf, playing in all the elite night clubs and pubs and carving an unique niche for himself in the Dubai music scene.

This earned him a lot of fame and money but his restless spirit wanted to go beyond the normal and ordinary. That was when he took a flight to Los Angeles to make it on his own on the world stage.

Struggle and Sacrifice - the path to Stardom

Los Angeles, as he says, was a different ball game altogether. There, he was a totally unknown entity, in an alien land. He kept going, jamming with bands, musicians and singers, forming his own band etc. But his open and helpful nature took the better of him and soon he found himself broke and still without any breaks. In a vocal workshop for aspiring musicians, he narrated how it is not easy and a lot of sacrifices have to be made. Continuing, he said that even when he had cleared out of his hotel room, the thought that he was homeless didn't hit him until evening had fallen. The mood was of hopelessness. He just got onto a bus and jumped out in the middle of nowhere. That night was spent in the bus station and that was where he wrote his MTV hit "Tonight". He spent the rest of the night at a diner, drinking coffee all night long just to pass the night away. Finally, he took his air ticket and decided to get back to the safety and his luxurious life back in Dubai. At the Airport, after he had taken his boarding pass, a voice rang in his head asking him to turn back. A new spirit got into him and he decided to give it one more shot. He rang up one of his acquaintances, who could only offer him sleeping space in the kitchen. Glenn took it without a thought and with renewed vigour started writing songs for a living and playing his music wherever it would be heard. That was when one of his earlier contacts in Los Angeles, who had then joined MTV, London got in touch with him. On hearing 'Tonight', he got excited and soon a MTV contract was struck and two hit numbers followed - 'Tonight' and 'Laila'.

Today, Glenn's Dubai Music School spreads music awareness and more importantly the need for peace through various Peace concerts that are held throughout the year.

On March 21st 2003, Glenn is holding a Music Fest for World Peace for which he has gathered over 100 musicians, singers and bands from different parts of the world, culture and language - a truly universal event. Previously Glenn had also held Peace events like Walk for Peace, Singing for Peace where he sang continuously for a whole day non-stop.

Glenn is also planning to hold a Woodstock kind of event soon as the need of the hour demands it.

Dhwanii salutes this Music Guru of Peace and wishes him many more years of spreading Peace and Love, exactly what the doctor recommends for today!