The Persian Bay

Regardless of what one might feel about The Pirate Bay’s activities they have today showed guts and decency to support the current Iranian movement against the regime by changing their name to The Persian Bay and change their logo to the green colour! Visit the website for more information:

http://thepiratebay.org/

note: thanks to Mobish

Assar: POP is no longer popular!

In response to the question lately raised in the domestic media regarding his music’s total detachment from POP AliReza Assar, whose new album is due out any day now, explains that the popularity of POP music reached its peak in the aftermath of 2nd Khordad due to the genre’s complete absence from the domestic scene in nearly 20 years! This hiatus built a longing and anticipation, he says. That’s why POP became so popular when revived and singers became POPSTARS, Assar explains while including himself. But in recent decade there has been a decay and decline in the genre due to an inflation of artists and actors, thats why POP is no longer popular and I don’t attend to POP music anymore, Assar concludes.

And it bizzarely came true!lol

Man sometimes I truly suspect myself being Nostradamus!lol

“I can almost hear a campaign song for Karroubi ending with ” … Sasy Mankan Porodakshen!”!lol”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f86f5GJMG54

Rappers on music and election

A week ago I wrote about Karroubi’s pragmatical election liaison with some of the undergrounders. IranNegah has an interesting interview with a couple of the rappers regarding their support of Mousavi, and the social and political aspect of the rap music in an Iranian context. Worth watching for a glimpse into this Iranian sub-culture’s way of reasoning.

http://www.irannegah.com/Video.aspx?id=1217

Note: thanks to Siamak

Collectors’ code

I’m a huge fan of “High Fidelity”, both the novel and the movie adaptation. I am also a collector as you know and all these make me hate the fact that this touching scene was excluded from the movie! His decency and moral code towards a fellow collector brings literally tears to my eyes! I’m NOT kidding!lol

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWQYAHWo09A

Deluxe “Donya”

Arash’s album “Donya” never got any considerable commercial attention in the Swedish market, it has been available for less than $10 in most Swedish stores the past six months. Now the album is being reissued as “Deluxe Edition” with additional tracks in order to try to cash in on the recent EUROVISION performance with AySel. Something I highly doubt will work in Sweden, considering the mild medial reaction to the song and this year’s EUROVISION SONG CONTEST in general. This however will work in East-Europe and Caucasus, Arash’s commercial niche in other words. I just wish they had changed the cover, or at least improved it instead of further ruining it with clumsy artwork alteration!

Track-list: Intro, Donya (Single Version), Always (Single Version), Suddenly (Radio Edit), Miduni Midunam, Pure Love, Kandi, Dasa Bala, Doset Nadaram, Joone Man, Chori Chori, Laf Laf, Tanham, Naro, Pure Love (Mary Angel Remix), Donya (Payami Short Remix), Kandi (Payami Remix), Always (Payami Remix), Suddenly (Topaz Remix), Pure Love (Mintman Remix).

Amir loves you all the way from Sweden!

I’m sure you’ve seen our web-premier of the Sweden-based Amir Poursamad’s video “Dooset Daaram”! Amir is a promising up-n-coming star who is working cross-industrially on a bombastic debut, don’t forget where you saw him first!

Askari postpones due to election

Another postponing on the way, this time Hamid Askari’s “Coma 2″ which will be postponed ’til after the ongoing presidential election. The company is afraid that a release today risks being overshadowed by the election campaigns in media and chooses rather to wait one more month. By the way, a month ago I mentioned in my blog that Benyamin had accused Askari of ripping off his signature style! I am not sure what has happened since then but now he suddenly recognizes the same Hamid Askari as one of Iran’s top five pop artists, which he would use in a dream team!!! Iranian (in)sincerity never seizes to amaze me!lol

Note: thanks to Ahmad

Sadeghi cancels and remakes new album!

Due to unexpected pre-release leakage Reza Sadeghi’s third legal album “Cheghadr Sakhte”, which was due out these days, is postponed until further notice! Reportedly Sadeghi and the producers have panicked and fear a commercial failure due to the leakage. Therefor the album is about to undergo a serious make over and boost before a release date is set. The track list is said to be revised and the title changed to something new.

Underground V/A compilation

Got this press-release the other day, sounds like an interesting project which should be supported!

“Compilation Album of Iranian Underground Music to be Released

London, 19th May 2009 - The first in a series of compilation albums tapping Iran’s
thriving underground music scene will be released worldwide in July 2009.

UK-based Bar-Ax Promotions has teamed up with USA indie record label Bamahang
Productions to release this music series in order to help give worldwide exposure to
the struggling underground musicians in Iran.

Despite the many restrictions imposed by the Iranian government on art in general,
the music scene has been increasingly active and has grown to encompass a wide
variety of music styles including Blues, Progressive Rock, Heavy Metal, Fusion,
Jazz, Rap and Hip Hop.

While most of these bands and musicians are still active in Iran, the government
does not allow them to record, publish, or perform their music in public. This is
partly due to the uncompromising nature of their music and lyrics in tackling social
and political issues. However, even simple romantic themes are also frowned upon by
the Iranian government.

The refusal of these musicians to stay within the undefined red lines of
self-censorship in Iran makes them outsiders to the circle of favoritism and
government backing which a limited number of groups have been able to enjoy in
recent years, allowing one of them to go as far as recording with 80’s pop
star Chris De Burgh with government approval.

This music series aims to introduce Iranian underground musicians to the outside
world and to provide a unique portrayal of what goes on musically and artistically
in basements and private home studios in Iran, in the face of government control and
restrictions.

About Bar-Ax (www.bar-ax.com)

Bar-Ax is an independent cultural organization created to boost the freedom of music
in Iran and to enhance the artistic freedom of its musicians. Our aim is to be a
major knowledge and promotion centre for the contemporary and alternative
(non-mainstream) music of Iran, and to propagate and enhance the position of
Iran’s musical life, both nationally and internationally. Bar-ax also assists
filmmakers and producers from Iran in distributing their work to representatives of
TV stations and festival programmers, and arranging for their participation in
prominent film and documentary events.

About Bamahang Productions (www.bamahang-productions.com)

Bamahang Productions is the leading record label and music production company
dedicated to promoting Iranian alternative and underground music. Relying on its
huge grass-roots network of musicians and music lovers worldwide, Bamahang
Productions has managed to produce and promote many Iranian alternative musicians
and bands, most notably Kiosk (www.kiosk-music.com). In July 2005, Bamahang
Productions released Kiosk’s debut album “Adam Mamooli (Ordinary
Man)” which became the first officially released and copyrighted music album
from Iran’s underground music scene on CD and available for Digital
distribution on iTunes.”