HeavyHardMetalmania: Kiosk (Persian: کيوسک)

Kiosk (Persian: کيوسک) is an Iranian rock band.

Introduction

Kiosk is a Persian (Iranian) Blues/Rock/Jazz band that was formed in Tehran around 1990. The group was formed by various young musicians gathering together in some basement in Tehran, who shared their interest in music. From its initial formation, Kiosk has never had a fixed group of members: several musicians joined the group for a brief period of time. Kiosk is famous with its Mark Knopfler sounding melodies and its political but humorous lyrics. (Current) Kiosk members are Arash Sobhani, lead singer and songwriter, Babak Khiavchi, guitarist and manager, Ali Kamali, bass guitarist, Ardalan Payvar, keyboardist ,and Shahrooz Molae, drummer. Kiosk is considered the most influential underground rock band after the Iranian revolution in 1979. Their music, indeed, is the “turning point in the modern Iranian music in that the lyrics of their songs are, contrary to the work of most other Iranian rock bands, quite unpretentious, actual and heartful; not to mention the humor that you can sense in them”. Parham Nik-Eteghad

The name of the band, Kiosk, comes from the original formation of the group when its members were gathering together in any possible place to play their music with the fear of getting arrested by the Islamic regime in Iran. Any little part of Tehran could be their Kiosk to get together, to separate from their surrounding environment and to share the ecstatic pleasure of playing together.

Kiosk has never been limited by music style or location. They continue to evolve and experiment by using music and lyrics to express itself and to connect to its worldwide audience. Kiosk’s distinct characteristic is their unique and innovative way of expressing cultural and social problems in a blend of blues, country and Persian music, a combination which creates something original and outstanding.

Kiosk has released three albums, all of which are illegal in Iran. Their first album, Ordinary Man (Adame Mamooli) , was released in 2005 under their own Independent Record Label Bamahang Productions. They released their second album, Amor de la Velocidad (Eshghe Sor’at) on April 1, 2007 by the same company. Both of these albums have received extraordinary praise by young Iranians inside and outside the country as well as worldwide audiences. Their music opens a window to their hometown, Tehran, with sharing the unique experience of growing in an environment with enormous complexities. Their last album, Global Zoo (Baghe Vahshe Jahani), was released by the same company on November 14th, 2008. Last year they were awarded the Best Blues Band of 2008 by the world Academy of Arts, Literature, and Media.

Most of Kiosk members currently live in the US or Canada.

History

Kiosk was founded in a basement in Tehran,the Iranian capital, around 18 years ago. Like many other bands in Iran, they had to set up their studios literally in the underground basements of friends and families, fearing of the Islamic regime’s constant surveillance and strict censorship laws restricting most types of music. In the recent years, in particular during president Khatami’s administration, some laws became looser or dismissed more frequently by the officials. However, in the early years of Kiosk, it was a different story: “there was no music store and even carrying an electric guitar was not something you would want to do on the streets” says Arash Sobhani, lead singer and songwriter of Kiosk.

Every piece of music with either political/social lyrics critical of the government of clergy or prohibited tones would get every member of the band into trouble with the government. So Kiosk, like lots of other groups, stayed underground until they eventually decided to move overseas to be able to continue playing their music, full of political, social and cultural themes.

Kiosk has been based in the US since 2006, with some of its members living in San Francisco and Seattle, where their studio is way on the ground. Their immigration to the US didn’t stop them from talking about the political and cultural problems in Iran. They think, “there is a lot more potential in music for talking about social and cultural problems” says Babak Khiavchi, the band’s guitarist and manager. To them, it doesn’t matter whether they are residents of Tehran or San Francisco, or elsewhere in the world, they feel that they are “ modern day gypsies” with yet the same problems that they used to have as a culture whether in Iran or outside Iran” says Babak Khiavchi.

Their recent album, Global Zoo, is good evidence that Kiosk’s horizon is not limited to the social scene in their home country, Iran.They have plenty to say about our world which they perceive as a global zoo. In this huge zoo, Babak says, “you are captured in a cage and monkeys are running the world”, says Babak Khiavchi.

They dream of a day that they can play their music in Tehran, Arash says.

Discography

Adameh Mamooli (Ordinary Man) 2005

Roozmaregi(Dailiness)

Taraneh (Song)

Adameh Mamooli (Ordinary Man)

Taghseereh Man Bood (My Bad)

Zorbaye Malayeri (Zorba the Malayeri)

Sobh Shod (It's Morning)

Ey Dad Az Eshgh (What About Love)

Ghanooneh Kham Shodeh Blues (Bent Rules Blues)

Jaddeh Khoshbakhti (Road to Happiness)

Eshghe Sorat (amor de la velocidad) 2007

Eshghe Sorat (Love of Speed)

Bitarbiat(ill-bred)

Hame Ragham Mojood Ast (every kind is available)

Afsoos (alas)

Shab Raft(Night has passed)

To Kojayee (where are you)

Kolangi Ghabeleh Sokoonat

Miniboos Sabz (Green Minibus)

Lalaee Barayeh Madarbozorg(Lullaby for the great man)

Amoo Asdollah(Uncle Asdollah)

Zoghal Khoob

Baghe e Vahsh e Jahani (Global Zoo) 2008

Ay Ay 1

Sirabi e Naft

Pragmatism e Eshghi

Agha! Nigah Dar

Kafsh

Livanha,Botriha,Galonha

Gerogangiri Dar Bagh e Vahsh

Chahrkesh e Pooch

Yarom Bia

Ay Ay 2

Media

Eshghe Sorat Album

Adameh Mamooli Album

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kiosk
Kiosk live at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.
Background information
Origin	Tehran, Iran Former USA Now
Genre(s)	Rock
Years active	2002–present
Label(s)	Bamahang Productions
Website	www.kiosk-music.com