Kiosk (band)
Encyclopedia
Introduction
Kiosk is an underground Iranian music band founded in 2003 by Arash Sobhani in Tehran. Like many other bands in IranIran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, they had to set up their studios 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. From its initial formation, Kiosk is famous with political but humorous lyrics. Every piece of music with either political and social lyrics critical of the government of clergy or prohibited tones would get members 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 and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
since 2006, with some of its members living in San Francisco and some in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, 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.
Current Kiosk members are Arash Sobhani, lead singer and songwriter, Ali Kamali, bass guitarist, Ardalan Payvar, keyboardist, Shahrouz Molae, drummer, and Tara Kamangar, violin.
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".
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
Kiosk
Kiosk is a small, separated garden pavilion open on some or all sides. Kiosks were common in Persia, India, Pakistan, and in the Ottoman Empire from the 13th century onward...
to get together, to separate from their surrounding environment and to share the ecstatic pleasure of playing together.
Kiosk 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.
Works
As of 2010, Kiosk has released four albums, all of which are illegal in Iran. Their first album, Ordinary Man (Adame Mamooli), was released in 2005 and became the first underground music from Iran to be officially released on iTunes.They released their second album, Amor de la Velocidad (Eshghe Sor’at) on April 1, 2007. Both of these albums have received 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 third album, Global Zoo (Baghe Vahshe Jahani), was released on November 14, 2008. They were awarded the Best Blues Band of 2008 by the world Academy of Arts, Literature, and Media.
Their fourth album, Triple Distilled: Live At Yoshi's was released in October 2010.
Albums
- 2005: Ordinary ManOrdinary Man (Kiosk album)Ordinary Man is the debut album by Iranian rock band Kiosk, released on 15 July 2005.- Tracklist :#Roozmaregi - 5:14#Taraneh - 4:56#Adameh mamooli - 4:23#Taghseereh man bood - 4:54...
- 2007: Eshghe Sorat (Amor de la Velocidad)Eshghe Sorat (Amor de la Velocidad)Eshghe Sorat is the second album by Iranian rock band Kiosk, released on 1 April 2007.- Tracklist :#Eshgh e Sorat #Bitarbiat #Hame Ragham Mojood Ast 4.Afsoos...
- 2008: Global ZooGlobal ZooGlobal Zoo is the third studio album by the Iranian rock band Kiosk. The album was produced and published in 2008.-Track listing:# Ay Ay 1 - 2:45# Sirabi e Naft - 2:46# Pragmatism e Eshghi - 4:43...
- 2010: Triple Distilled-Live At Yoshi's (Se Taghtireh)Triple Distilled-Live At Yoshi's (Se Taghtireh)Triple Distilled-Live At Yoshi's is the 4th studio album by the Iranian rock band Kiosk. The album was produced and published in 2010.-Track listing:#Zoorba-ye-Malayeri...
Music Video
Eshghe Sorat albumAdameh Mamooli album
External links
- Official website
- Kiosk music & merchandise
- Kiosk's Upcoming and Past Concerts, Kodoom.com
- Setting Things Right, Tehranbureau, PBSPublic Broadcasting ServiceThe Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
.