As a response to the accusations against him Mohsen Namjoo has on his official website published a short note in which he explains that this issue has been long solved with the authorities, to whom he had submitted an open letter which was never published. However he will in near future follow that up in a press release on his website. At the same time his brother has according to Aftab News defended his brother’s action and right to do so by explaining that the leaked recording was merely a private experiment which was never intended for public broadcasting. He has also stressed the fact that in many Muslim countries holy words are sung to rhythms and melodies that are not commonly used by Iranian men of the cloth, so just because something is not practised by Iranian Muslims doesn’t make it heretic or blasphemy! The brother also mentions Mohsen’s past as a reciter of Quran, taught and led by their father in a religious family. Therefore the short demo was not intended as a disrespect, on the contrary! According to him his brother was to fuse Arabic musicality with the world’s, but forgot the original Arabic lyrics at home. While in the studio he decided to replace the lyrics with words of the holy book which he had memorised since childhood.
You can download and watch the controversial IRIB program SHOCK’s first episode about the Iranian RAP movement and its danger for society! Rappers are associated with Satanism and drug addiction! This is a MUST WATCH program!
all 3 parts must be downloaded and joined before watching:
The owner of one of Tehran’s many music stores on the verge of bankruptcy complains about the dire state of the industry and the crashing sales numbers. He claims that everyday many potential customers visit his store for new releases only to hear him saying that there have been none! And those that do get released are so underwhelming in terms of quality that the customers are put off and sent home to search the internet for good music, he says.
In an attempt to get readers writing, a week ago I welcomed everybody who blogs to contact me and submit links to their blogs. I also promised to share those I found interesting and suitable with fellow readers. The first blog I intend to share and recommend is our dear forum member and my good friend Pedram’s blog. Pedram has just started blogging but already made me a fan of his writing, he shows a lot of potential to grow as a blogger! Feel free do check out “Pedgy Drama’s Blog”:
Rumour has that Jahan was seen at Beethoven Music Store in Tehran last year before its bankruptcy, looking for albums of late Banan! And that remakes are to be found on the new album. I dont know how much of this is true but the new album is now released by the title of “Lahzehaaye Aasheghi”:
Following Ershaad’s call to a stand against “unhealthy music” as a national threat channel 3 of the state television (IRIB) is about to start a new program series called SHOCK, aiming to present RAP music along with Satanism and drug addiction as one of the destructive temptations and forces in society! The trailer for the program depicts Felakat in action:
According to Fars News Agency, Ershaad claims that no permit has been issued for Chris de Burgh’s scheduled concerts in Iran since there has been no application submitted for one by anyone! And thereby rejecting ARIAN’s manager Mohsen Rajabpour’s claim that a verbal agreement has been reached with the ministry.
I just heard that the renowned lyricist/poet/writer Tooraj Negahban has passed away! Neghaban was a prominent member of the legendary “Golhaa” show in Iran and written numerous lyrics for artists such as late Hayedeh, Mahasti, Banan, Delkash and Googoosh. Among many others! In recent years he hosted cultural TV-programs in Los Angeles. May his soul rest in peace!
I’ve always enjoyed Shahrzad Sepanlou’s music and respected her integrity as an artist. A highly (by our industry) underappreciated talent, unfortunately! Its been years since her last album but now she is back with new independent songs on her myspace. In a collaboration with the Italian composer/producer Giampiero Scuderi. I must say that I find the style of the French songs reminiscent of the French diva Helene Segara’s music. Love it!
Shahrzad is also (to my knowledge) the only Iranian singer who blogs and has recently taken up blogging again after a longer break. In her blog she writes sincerely about herself and things that affect her! I’ve been reading her blog ever since she started blogging and let me tell you that its really hard not to get charmed by the lady when you read her thoughts!
Yet another set which to me surpasses its content! This is the Swedish Limited Edition of the National Treasure movies which come in beautiful and relevant packaging. This is perhaps the most exported Swedish set of the year!
Mehran Shiravand from the Office of Growing Artistic-Cultural Educations stated in a press release that all musical institutions and private tutors without a licence from Ershaad break the law each time they offer a lesson, especially behind closed doors!
Watched the new HellBoy movie the other day and loved it! Needless to say afterwards I just had to get my hands on this well-crafted beastie! Unfortunately the exclusive figure with an alternative weapon aka “Big Baby” is long sold-out on pre-order (even though its to be released in April 2009!!!), but I’ve put myself on a long waiting list hoping that someone would cancel her/his someday! …highly unlikely but fingers crossed!!
I am not only a blogger but I am also a blog reader. I avidly follow the posting in blogs of my favourite bloggers. It can be celebs of any kind but also random people out there who have interesting things to say! Blogs are clever medium for conveying of individual insight and personal experience. A complement and companion or challenge and alternative to the general information streamed by the grand channels of the media! One thing I have noticed though is that there is lack of interesting blogs written by Iranians, whether in Persian or English, that touch our popular culture! Sure we have hundreds or even thousands of blogs devoted to illegal distribution of Iranian music but none which reports or discusses it in a more serious manner! At least none that I’ve found written on regular basis or lasting. If you are a blogger who do write about non-personal issues and mainly popular culture please email me and let me know! I love to visit and if I find your blog suitable I will gladly share it with your fellow readers in my blog. Now it can very well have a personal twist to it, like my own blog for instance, but preferably blogs with a major theme of popular interest. Looking forward to read your blogs!
Safar Herandi of Ershaad urged all enforcement forces to aid the Ministry of Culture and Guidance (Ershaad) in its fight against what he chose to label as “unhealthy music”! He said that it has grown beyond a cultural threat to an acute matter of the state!
In recent days a low quality recording featuring someone who sounds like Mohsen Namjoo reciting the Quran to the strings of setar has surfaced on the internet and infuriated many rightwing bloggers who have all damned the artist, reported the recording to the authorities while urging all faithful Muslim bloggers to take an active stand against such blasphemy!
In the music business most things go in trends, they disappear and reappear in a loop. There are very few things that have actual expiration dates and one of these things is a phenomenon called BOY BAND! Especially those with the word “boy” or “kid” in the group name, but even worse are the ones with an image of “boys”! Recently (in my Incredible Hulk blog) I mentioned desperate comebacks by boy bands, but never could I imagine a second come back attempt by the first boy band per modern definition and one to such extent desperate! As if nothing has changed during the past 20 years, these soon-to-be middle-age men reappear as the kids they no longer are and try to pull off a full-fledged boy band image once again in their career!
The million dollar question however is: who are they targeting this time?! Because neither the teenage girls of the 80’s who are all by now grown-up women, nor the teenage girls of today are interested in men old enough to be their husbands and dads pretending to be teenage boys! This bizarre event is perhaps the biggest miscalculation I’ve witnessed in recent years! If insisting on a comeback the kids should have taken a look at the British Take That for a more subtle and suitable return of a former boyband. Because as much as some might wish to, time doesn’t stand still and there are certain things you just cant repeat or revive indefinitely, at least not in its original form!
Hami recently refused to perform a scheduled solo concert at Sa’ad Abaad in Tehran due to the organizer’s refusal to pay the profit to charity, as it was initially agreed on according to the singer. The organizer however has rejected all accusations in an interview with Fars News Agency and referred to the signed contract where nothing of the kind has been brought up. According to this person whose identity isn’t revealed by FNA, Hami is only a pawn in the hands of the music mafia reigning in the country and trying to ruin his (organizer’s) career!
I just heard that the renowned lyricist/poet/writer Tooraj Negahban has passed away! Neghaban was a prominent member of the legendary “Golhaa” show in Iran and written numerous lyrics for artists such as late Hayedeh, Mahasti, Banan, Delkash and Googoosh. Among many others! In recent years he hosted cultural TV-programs in Los Angeles. May his soul rest in peace!
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