by ARES - Daijiworld Media Network Goa
Panaji, Mar 25: Internationally famed pop and rock singer Remo Fernandes has decided to re-launch his two decade old anti drug rock album, this time free of cost for internet download.
The singer had taken the youths by storm during late 70s and early 80s with his album `Pack That Smack" which took anti drugs stand. Remo, then a student in Mumbai's J J college of Architecture, became inspiration for many youths, to shun drugs.
The rock was equated rock with drug, he says.
"The song was relevant than and more relevant now," Remo said apparently disturbed about increasing drug trade in the state, famous for tourism.
The recent death of a British teenager at Anjuna beach has unveiled a murkier side of the tourism enveloped in vices.
Talking from his house in Siolim, a village next to Anjuna beach, Remo feels that every passing year, the drug problem has increased.
"I will release these songs on internet for free downloads. I want the young generation to listen to them and get inspired," Remo said.
The singer himself admits of experimenting with the drugs like Hashish and Marijuana during his college days at J J College of Architecture in Mumbai. "As a young student during my college days in Mumbai I was influenced with drugs. I used to experiment with Hashish and Marijuana. I tried it out myself," he said.
A die hard rock fan then, Remo conceded that rockers like Jim Henriques, Rolling Stones, Eric Claptain and others glorified drugs through their concert.
"There were some songs which became anthem for drug generation. There were people singing Cocain loudly in the concerts."
And in this crucial situation, Remo launched his own album `Pack That smack' (1987) comprising of songs like "Down
With Brown", which were extensively played during various concerts across Mumbai.
"I remember playing it at the place like Rang Bhavan in Mumbai. The support and ovation was incredible," he recalls.
Remo was also instrumental in album Jalwa, which also made strong comment on drugs.
It was his ``Pack That smack" album that gave him a reputation of a rocker with the message.
The singer recalls that it was the time when chemical drugs were making their entry in Goa and India that the album was released.
The rock music, which patronized drugs later, was used to curb the drugs. "As a singer I am doing my role. Similarly people from other professions like lawyers, journalists, writers should come forward," he said.
The singer is pained with the worsening situation on drug front in Goa. "The situation is getting worst. Now there is a huge police, politician nexus in the trade," he alleges.