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The Un-interview with Band 127
For several years now I’ve been a groupie. I’m well into my thirties (I look 25, okay?) and have, for at least three years, been wanting to throw my toneek-e at the stage on which Sohrab Mohebbi sings. I’m being facetious. I never did understand that odd act by hysterical women, seen crying and clutching their under-garments at Elvis and Beatles’ concerts. I’ve never gotten into a traumatic frenzy due to my longing for someone of the opposite sex, despite his degree of sexiness. But I do find Sohrab of Band 127 very attractive.
I’m a groupie with substance. Yes, I find Sohrab attractive because he’s handsome but there are other things that stand out about him:
1--His incredible band!
2--He’s a poet.
3--The way he walked around very matter-of-factly, barefoot on the stage at the Arezzo Wave music festival in Italy.
4--He looks completely different in every video (I prefer his hair long, however).
5--He’s political. And smartly so…
6--He told me in an email a year ago to stay out of politics.
7--He never gave me the interview I asked for. He sent the photos but would not speak other than to say he wants to be in Payam-e Ashena. (Maybe he’s afraid of what the government will say/do when he returns to Iran?)
8--Sohrab lives in Iran, where he probably has tons of groupies with whom he has terror sex, while hiding his rock-and-roll promiscuity from the Islamic Republic’s standard-bearers of morality. (Also, please note that I cannot return to Iran due to family affiliations. I am, therefore, an evil Westernizer and Sohrab does not want to move here, where he is considered Evil).
9-- I have commitment issues (see my story “A Bed of One’s Own”) and we can’t be in the same country let alone the same bedroom if we married.
Yes, I’ve proposed to Sohrab in an email before. This was while I was still very naïve to the reasons why I fell on so many deaf ears while I was an editor at Rolling Stone magazine, whichrefused to write even two sentences about Band 127, even though they were featured in a Swedish documentary (January 2005) and a British documentary, called “127, an Iranian Band,” which aired on channel 4 in June of 2005. Yes, I have the dates memorized for gayid-e’s sake!
No, Rolling Stone couldn’t feature 127 but they did feature silly Iranian-American guys, in crappy bands they’d thrown together, wearing silly mohawks without even knowing what punk really means. And if you, gentle reader, don’t know what punk means, just listen to the songs “Nobar” and “Man Kiam” and you’ll understand.
This all brings me to the main reason I am a groupie of 127 Band. It is because Sohrab is a Persian Leonard Cohen were Leonard Cohen to learn Farsi and sing in Farsi while on speed.
He is the quintessential rockstar but his band, according to the Iranian government, anyway, doesn’t even exist. It’s like my book, which I wrote before it disappeared (Sohrab and I have things in common, like our invisibility and our cuteness.). In the band’s words to the press about this paradox of not being able to be the rockstars they are: “127 has not released any records yet because of the country's situation. The band is now seeking for the permission to release its first record.”
Their first album, Khal Punk, with its hilarious cover art, is just a tiny taste of the strangeness we’ll soon see unfolding back in the homeland (my prophecy).
Enough said.
Now, a little bit about the band (and my Beloved Sohrab):
Founded in 2001 by a group of young Tehran artists and art students, 127 has found itself at the center of progressive cultural change in Iran. The band's music melds Iranian melodies and jazz with an alternative sound. The band's lyrics tell of the frustrations and the joys of life, somehow managing to speak of their cultural time and place, while simultaneous reflecting universal frustrations about isolation and hope. 127 is a six-piece band consisting of guitar, piano, trombone, bass and drums.
The group has become a lightning-rod for international media attention. Through humorous articles and broadcasts in the Western media, the group's website receives thousands of hits a month from a growing international listeners. 127 has also composed the original sound-track of the French/German Television's Arte production "Emamzade Internet"- a documentary directed by Reza Haeri- with the song "Digital Divide."
127 Band’s music has hit radio airwaves all around the world, and has been covered by major print media from Germany to the UK and US.
The band was invited to perform at 2005 SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas but somehow they had to miss that opportunity! 127 recently has performed couple of gigs in Italy amongst Arezzo Wave Festival on July 15th 2005 at the main stage and gained a notable attention among audiences and press.
On October 2005, after performing in New York, Washington and Cambridge, 127 is officially the first Iranian rock band to ever tour the United States. Also, on March 16th 2006 127 performed at 2006 SXSW in Austin TX at the Caribbean Lights as a part of All Music is World Music showcase.
Bareekallah! Mashallah!
Band Members: Sohrab Mohebbi, Alireza Pourasad, Salmak Khaledi, Sardar Sarmast, Shervin Shahamipour, Yahya Alkhansa
Influences: dylan, davis, parker, radiohead, alizadeh, nazeri, chet, carver, iggy,
127 U.S. Tour Dates
Note: Due to delay in getting visa, the band didn't make it to their first leg of their tour. They started their performances from March 15.
Mar 6 2008 10:00P
Brasil Houston, Texas
Mar 7 2008 11:00P
Dean's Credit Clothing Houston, Texas
Mar 8 2008 10:00P
Super Happy Fun Land Houston, Texas
Mar 9 2008 10:00P
TBD San Antonio, Texas
Mar 11 2008 8:00P
Friend's Bar Austin, Texas
Mar 12 2008 1:00P
Peacock Lounge Austin, Texas
Mar 13 2008 1:00P
US Art Authority Austin, Texas
Mar 13 2008 9:00P
Habana Annex Austin, Texas
Mar 14 2008 1:00P
TBD Austin, Texas
Mar 15 2008 1:00P
The Rhisome Collective Austin, Texas
Mar 16 2008 1:00P
DMI Headquarters Austin, Texas
Mar 16 2008 1:00P
Friends of Sound Austin, Texas
Mar 18 2008 10:00P
TBD Denton, Texas
Mar 19 2008 10:00P
TBD Denton, Texas
Mar 20 2008 10:00P
TBD Forth Worth, Texas
Mar 21 2008 10:00A
TBD Dallas, Texas
Mar 22 2008 10:00P
Club Dada Dallas, Texas
Mar 23 2008 10:00P
TBD Dallas, Texas
Mar 27 2008 8:00P
Vault350 Long Beach, CA
Mar 28 2008 8:00P
Fat City San Francisco, CA
Mar 30 2008 8:00P
Blake's Berkely, CA
Mar 31 2008 8:00P
Elbo Room San Francisco, CA
Apr 2 2008 8:00P
The Fun House Seattle, Washington
www.127band.com official web site
127@127band.com
www.myspace.com/127band 127@myspace
www.youtube.com/127band 127 @ you tube
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