Kiosk's Music: Evoking Memories
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Kiosk's Music: Evoking Memories
17-Oct-2007
Reading the comments to my collections of photographs from the recent Kiosk's concert made me think about the criticisms. There are people who criticize Kiosk for the lack of originality. There are others who think Kiosk will be forgotten within a few years because it is "a third rate rock band at best." To me, though, the most important part of Kiosk's work is not the music itself but all the other things attached to it.
I think what makes Kiosk unique is not the music specifically, but the way Kiosk's songs evoke memories. The lyrics are the story of a generation who grew up during the 1980-1990s. The music might sound like Dire Straits, but even that is a reminder of the type of music people like me used to listen during those dark years. The sarcastic irony of the lyrics, the witty criticism, the deep sorrow, and the anger in the contemporary Iranian underground music says something that I don't think can be ever translated or explained in any other language. To understand "Shahrak emshab ma'moor-baazaare" first you have to know what "Shahrak" and "Ma'moor-baazaar" mean, and then you have to know the horror of seeing a bunch of "Ma'moor" and their "Minibus." To understand the dark humor of "Zoghal-e Khoob" you need to remember the early days of the revolution and all the hope and joy that filled the air, the political repression and mass executions that followed that period, and today's popularity of opium among the same generation who was the most hopeful and the most active during the first years of the revolution.
The same can be said about Mohsen Namjoo. What Kiosk and Namjoo share is not their style of Music --which is very different-- but the mixture of anger, sorrow, dark sarcasm, and suspicion towards everything "sacred" (Yes, what do you expect? Jahanshah Javid is a member of the same generation.) When Namjoo says he is willing to make music with "Sedaaye Sag" he is basically trying to do the same thing Kiosk does with "Fohsh-e Khaar-maadar" in the song "Bi-Tarbiat". "Omri tey namoodim andar omidvaari" in Namjoo's song, "Nowbahaari", is about the the same subject Kiosk's "Zoghaale khoob" is about. It is all about a generation who has a bitter memory of the past, who is deeply hopeless about the current situation, and cannot find a way out of the abyss.
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loven it!
by matty (not verified) on Mon Sep 08, 2008 12:56 AM PDTthis is it ,some thing new .what ever it it,its unique and so deeply understandable!
at least its got some thing in it, that is different.come on it is creativity,and talent!but hopefully we going to have more of this kind of works. that we will know about iran and its system.
i would be great that i can have his photos and his new albom on their website.
Break with the past or a bridge to the future
by SA (not verified) on Wed Feb 27, 2008 09:41 AM PSTWow!! Kiosk's music - read lyrics - really blew me away the first time I heard it. Yes, the style is not entirely original but what amazes me about Iran's music scene in general is how resilient it is. Despite years of suppression of creativity, music and specific arts and denial of freedom of expression, we still have so many genres of art and music. It just speaks volume about our environment, history, culture and
Psyche!
Anyhow, as a first generation Iranian emigrant, I entirely agree with "Yek Kasi" We were suppressed in our own way and had our own maamoors.
I would not give a damn about the shallow criticisms which only help perpetuate massacre of creativity!
Keep up the good work Kiosk!
Freedom of choice
by Mash_Ghasem (not verified) on Wed Oct 17, 2007 11:32 AM PDT"Har ki az maman junesh ghahr kardeh hala shodeh khanandeh" ..
well, yes. Because they are FREE to do so and why not ? Obviously some people (including myself) like their music. It is just a matter of choice.
We exist too
by Yek Kasi (not verified) on Wed Oct 17, 2007 08:19 AM PDTZoghale khub speaks to my generation too. The first generation immigrants who were either broght up in the west or born out of Iran.
Our Identity crisis. Not being accepted fully as Iranians and not being white enough to be khareji. Breaking barriers in our families in issues such as drinking, dating etc. Being deeply attached to Iran without a physical presence. Speaking a language but not being able to read it. Hearing stories, reading articles without living them. Missing family members in Iran etc
My generations disappointment with HEJRAT (even with our accomplishments) enable us to relate to the lyrics as well. You had your maamoor bazar, and we have ours.
''Man Daravordi Music''
by Red Wine on Wed Oct 17, 2007 08:17 AM PDTPufff... In digeh chi chieh ? nah kharejakieh va nah irooni !!!! Hazrat-e Abbasi nemisheh hala enghadar singer jadid nayad va bikhodi var nareh beh music-e ma !!??
Har ki az maman junesh ghahr kardeh hala shodeh khanandeh va aday-e K Yaghmaei va E Clapton baray-e ma dar miareh !!! Baba berid yokhdeh kar konin mesl-e hameh ma,poul-e salem dar biarid !!!