Coke Studio reloaded: The mystery of Gumby and his cage

As Coke Studio hit airwaves yesterday, one saw Pakistan’s finest drummer Gumby return to the limelight as he played alongside the Coke Studio house band and guest musicians. And this year a gong and a cage marked Gumby’s presence inside the studio. ‘The cage’ is a reference to the glass shield that was built around Gumby’s drum kit.

“The sound of the drums was spilling onto the other mikes,” Rohail Hyatt, the producer of the show had explained. And Gumby also voiced a similar tale. With Coke Studio now in its second year, the show is technically and visually looking and sounding more crisp, clean and sharp. And it took months of preparation to reach this level.

Coming back to the lord of the drums – it was a spectacular sight to see. For one thing, it was the first time since Noori parted ways with Gumby and here was the original line-up coming together again. “Ali Noor and I are adults. So there is no baggage. But it is nostalgic,” Gumby had said back when Coke Studio was being recorded.

Another interesting bit was Gumby playing with Atif Aslam, another first for both. “He is a huge star but there was no attitude. It was great working with him,” Gumby had said about collaborating with Atif for Coke Studio.

If you still haven’t seen the show, watch out for the re-runs or hit the website for updates. Despite drumming from inside a cage, Gumby proves why he remains the most adaptable, groovy and fiery drummer in this land. And he is just one of the many reasons why Coke Studio is a must-watch.