A Quote by Devendra Banhart

Dad had four world records, and they happened to be Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Ali Farka Toure. I tried singing like these people, and it didn't work. — © Devendra Banhart
Dad had four world records, and they happened to be Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Ali Farka Toure. I tried singing like these people, and it didn't work.
It is really disturbing to see that every Tom, Dick and Harry starts singing compositions of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan and Farrukh Fateh Ali Khan as there is no one to claim it.
I belong to this family: Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's family. Since my childhood I have always wanted to sing and learn music. Whenever I saw Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan play, I felt inspired to be like him.
When I came home my parents were listening to Pakistani Qawwali music, like Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, they're listening to music from Mali, like Ali Farka Toure, they're listening to Brazilian songwriters, like Gilberto Gil, to opera, to Neil Young even, things you don't hear as a kid in Caracas. I love all the music they turned me onto.
I love sufi music and that's the reason why I'm such a big fan of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.
Kishore Kumar is the voice of India, M.D. Rafi taught me to sing romantic numbers, while Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's live recordings helped me prep for stage shows.
Pakistan never valued Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan saab until English songwriter Peter Gabriel started collaborating with him. After that, the country suddenly realised that they have an amazing talent. This is the story of a lot of artistes there.
Many have paid tribute to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in the past and they will probably continue to do so in the future as well. However, this year marks 20 years since he passed away. This is a special moment for us and his fans.
Speaking for myself I have influenced with lots of John Coltrane, Van Morrison, Joanna Newsom, Mississippi Records compilations, Simon & Garfunkel, Duncan Browne, Judee Sill, Sublime Frequencies releases, Ali Farka Touré, John Fahey, Flower Travellin' Band, Sagittarius, Toumani Diabaté, Philip Glass, lots of different stuff.
I was like, 'Prince, prince. Prince Ali. People know that from 'Aladdin.' I'm a big fan of Muhammad Ali. I can't be Muhammad Ali. I'm looking up royal - Mustafa. Mustafa's a royal name. Prince Mustafa, OK fine.' Prince Mustafa Ali came from that, and it's an easier name for people to remember, too: Prince Ali.
Sugar Ray Leonard was as close as anyone came after Ali to being Ali, but he wasn't Ali.
My song 'Afreen Afreen' which I performed with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was the most international heard track and it received over 93 million views. So, with every new season Coke Studio is doing a great job.
When I was young, I used to watch videos of Ali boxing, with my dad. It set me on the road. I wanted to be like Ali. I wanted to have my own Nicki shuffle and everything.
I brought Muhammad Ali to North Korea in 1995. I tried that once. It didn't work out quite that well for me as it did for Dennis Rodman, but I brought Muhammad Ali to Pyongyang, North Korea, as part of a big wrestling event called the World Peace Festival. It was a two-day event that drew over 350,000 people.
I have worked with producers like Saif Ali Khan and Salman Khan, and there have never been any complaints about my late-comings.
As my grandmother Shamshad Begum was a noted classical singer, who had settled down in London, we used to receive several people from the music, film and literature fraternity at home. People like Bade Ghulam Ali Khan, Mehboob Khan, Khwaja Ahmed Abbas, K. Asif etc., used to visit us regularly.
Muhammad Ali was a god, an idol and an icon. He was boxing. Any kid that had the opportunity to talk to Ali, to get advice from Muhammad Ali, was privileged. He's always given me time to ask questions, although I was so in awe that I didn't ask questions.
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