Happy Music

This is why I have hope for Iran. No matter how bad things get, there's always some young people enjoying themselves, and in doing so creating stuff for us to smile and shake our hips at:

1. the new clip of Eendo:

2. Here's a little home-made track by Naeim Meschian, our resident funkmeister and sound-technician.

Gladiators

So...

Over a month has passed since my last post. Our Green Timeline exhibition is still up, as the exhibition after it was cancelled. So if you're in town, do drop in, before we pack it up and ship it out. Also, here's the new clip my friend Mostafa made for Mohsen Namjoo:

http://zamaaneh.com/movie/2010/03/post_199.html

Back again

So, did we win or did we lose? Even a week after Bahman 22 it's too soon to tell. The protesters are at home licking their wounds, the bullies are sharpening their knives and going over tactics.

What's definately brewing is discontent among workers. Though a public statement by the Tehran bus-drivers in support of the green movement turned out to be false, there is a definite sense that the economic mismanagement of this regime will push workers in the arms of supporters.

Here's just a few of recent items to be found on the subject:

Iranian power industry on the verge of collapse: http://www.zamaaneh.com/enzam/2010/02/iran-power-industry-on-th.html
Ahmadinejad upset with oil minister for disclosing grim numbers: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/babylonbeyond/2010/02/iran-ahmadinejad-gunning-for-his-own-oil-minister-for-disclosing-grim-numbers.html
Hormozgan residents suffer from poverty: http://persian2english.com/?p=7073

Not that we should be happy that the country is suffering from economic woes, but it should be obvioius that the opposition has a much stronger case when it not only protests human rights abuses that are a somewhat abstract claim for many of Iran's residents, but it appeals also to the empty pockets and bellies that are legion.

This government is made out of thieves dressed up as pious protectors of the faith. And to support them is to support the misery caused by inflation, joblessness and hunger.

And now for some music, here's a little rap Evin and Tapesh 2012:

Concert Tonight

There's a nice concert performed tonight in the grand "de Doelen" hall in Rotterdam. The Tehran Symphony Orchestra will perform the "Music for Peace" composition. Only people invited by the Iranian embassy will be able to attend.

Wow, if this is how our government behaves when they want peace (they executed 2 dissidents this week, and many more will probably follow soon) I just fear the moment they want war.

Luckily many of my friends will go to Rotterdam to protest this atrocity.

More info to be found here: http://www.payvand.com/news/10/jan/1296.html

News update

One of the interesting things to witness in the past few months is to see how mature and professional certain people and media have become. People are producing better work and are teaming up with others to create.

For instance, after three years Radio Zamaneh started publishing English material. Sites such as Persian 2 English moved from blog to a full on site.

Also artists, fueled by a sense of urgency, are more active. Have a look at the video that Mostafa made for Faarjam: http://vimeo.com/8692409

My own happy discovery is this little programme produced by Voice of America. Sorry for not having it subtitled, but it's a Daily Show kind of programme, showing shocking news in a funny way:

There be music here

I'm in Belgium to check out a mini Iranian Film Festival here. Until my next post I want to share my discovery with you. Some boys and girls in Canada started this online radio station just after the elections in Iran. The site is not being updated, but the tracks are still online. Have a look at Rebel Radio:

http://radioarazel.com/

Happy rebelling.

You are an enemy of the regime, if you are...

I would like to add a few names to the enemies list the Iranian government gave out. Of course this is far from complete, but you are definately an enemy of this regime if you are:

a woman
a journalist
a christian
a filmmaker
a baha'i
a student
a university professor
a Kurd

By the way, Khamenei gave a call last night. He was pissed off that I had posted Ahmadinejad's rap song and not his own. I'm sorry dear leader, we'll rectify the situation immediately:

Soundtrack of a Revolution (pt. 2)

Before we continue our talks of how to unhinge the regime, it's time for some articles and music.

United 4 Iran translated the list of institutions that the government accuses of waging a "soft" war with Iran. The usual suspects are present: Radio Farda, Zamaneh and BBC, Freedom House. But also HIVOS and Yale?
http://united4iran.com/2010/01/the-enemies-list-institutions-that-frighten-the-regime/

An interested argument of how acting without thought, even outside Iran, can hurt what's happening inside:
http://www.dailyniteowl.com/wordpress/index.php/2010/01/05/if-you-cannot-help-iranians-please-dont-hurt-them/

And as I promised you music, here's a video from a United 4 Iran event, starring Branko Galoic's Skakavac Orkestar, guest starring Stefanos on the violin and myself on the darbouka:



But to think that only the good side can make clips, here's some gangsterrap starring the President himself. MTV, when are you going to call this guy?:

Soundtrack of a Revolution

So, what's a revolution if there's no songs to go with it? Here's a few good songs to get you in the spirit. Here's the first videoclip of Mohsen Namjoo, recorded in Amsterdam and dedicated to those who got killed in the June protests:



Next up is a little song called Freedom Glory Be Our Name, featuring lyrics by Shamloo:



Fight For Freedom:



More to follow!

Mohsen Namjoo releases his first video clip

Check it out, Mohsen Namjoo releases his first video clip. It's dedicated to the people of Iran:

http://zamaaneh.com/movie/2009/07/post_172.html

This guy is a freak, but my kind of freak.

Oldest instrument found

After all the depressing news I need something nice every once in a while. Here's a message that cheers me up:

Human beings were making music as early as 35.000 years ago. Furthermore, music might have been why we outlived the stronger Neanderthals, through music we socialized much more. That's my answer from now on to any religious nutter who thinks music comes from the devil:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8117915.stm

Here's some intense flute playing that really goes nuts (especially in the middle part)

Pirates join the fight!!

How can we lose the fight if even pirates are on our side? The famed hacker-nerds of the Pirate Bay have renamed themselves Persian Bay in support of the people of Iran:

remember the old black logo with the skull and bones? look at their logo now:

http://thepiratebay.org/

Now, for some comic distraction. This is great if you speak Persian. Otherwise, here's it's just a rap with a nice flow:

Caspian Hat Dance

Remember the funky Gypsy-Klezmer-Chaos-Tambourine band I used to play in? Well... the violinist just had a baby. And they're heading off to Rumania, Hungary and the US. If you want to catch them play before they leave it would be wise to visit their show in the Badkuyp this Saturday.

In the meantime read the official Caspian travel report of their last tour in the UK:
(Just so you know, most likely they don't know anyone named Fiona or Mabel)

---

Our trip to England was smashing indeed.

After we arrived in Dover we encountered MABEL having a chat and a visit
with FIONA at the latter's house, where we joined them for some CUSTARD PIE
and VINEGAR CRISPS.

We went on to Oxford where we played a show with the bloke and bird from
EXPERIMENTAL DENTAL SCHOOL. Later on we went home and did a smash-up job
making some badges with a rangle-tangle new BADGE MACHINE.

SILVI remained in Amsterdam, waiting for her wee lad to swim out of her
belly and into his life.*

MISTER JOSEPH perfected a new form of rhyming slang so complicated that we
couldn't communicate with him any more.

FISH wanted to head to Scotland Yard for a cup of tea with the INSPECTOR and
discuss clues in the ORIENT EXPRESS murder case. We had to remind him that
Scotland Yard was closed on Sunday, that the Orient Express case was solved
long ago and was in any case NOT REAL, and that if he kept staying stupid
things we would put him straight in the BADGE MACHINE for a nice mash-up and
bang-to.

In Brighton we were quite busy playing and dandying about. There was no time
even for the old in-out, as we spent most of our free time taking turns
standing in a patch of sunshine.

Cowbell said, "Have we enjoyed ourselves, lads?"
"We most certainly have, luv!", said Valentine.
"See crash willy crystal not on the ROCKS, eh?", said Mister Joseph.
"Bugger me sideways, he's gone off again", added Goblin. "Perhaps we should
have a dip in the pond".

And despite water cold enough to freeze the bollocks off a Boer, we managed
to have a refreshing drip drip and splash-about.


* Olín Guillermo, born last week, healthy & rosy.

Super-Duper Birtrhday Music

It's my birthday! Yoohoo! And to celebrate here's my favorite song of the moment. Thank you Lenie for mailing me this:

More Musical Genius

Remember ThruYou, the Youtube mashup musical project? Now there's this site, with pieces sent in to create a song together:

http://www.inbflat.net/

Very nice.

Russian Animations

The Azeri lullaby that I posted earlier this week is part of a Russian series of animations based on lullabies from all over the world. You should check them out, they are really good. Some, if not most, can be found on YouTube.

More info on the project can be found here:

http://www.lull.ru/eng/index.html

Azeri Lullaby

This is extremely cute! A beautifully animated Azeri lullaby...



Thanks to Danial for allerting me to this video.

Some more Self Promotion

It's not that I've lost interest in the world, but I think some of the stuff I'm involved in is interesting for a some of the people out there. So again, not an update about the sexual revolution in Iran, the plight of the bloggers worldwide, or even new creative outbursts of people other than myself. There's a few new songs on the myspace site of my band "Babak-o-Doestan". Check it out:

http://www.myspace.com/babakodoestan

Kostas rocks!

Kostas is a great Gypsy Swing guitar player. He also lixes to experiment in a fusion setting. I met him in our cafe a few years ago, and was always happy when he walked in with his guitar. Have a look at and listen to his new MySpace site:

http://www.myspace.com/kostasgiannakopoulos74

Wow

I am speechless... This is, finally, the creativity of the 21st century. This is amazing:

http://thru-you.com/