Saadat Awan
Encyclopedia
Saadat Awan is a Washington DC native, by way of Pakistan
and Afghanistan
. He is a member of The Cassettes
, Metropolitan band
, and Thievery Corporation side projects International Velvet and I.C.U. He was also a former member of Travis Morrison
Hellfighters, and has also worked with Lori Carson
, These United States
, Nima Majd and others in the past.
Awan is a self taught drummer, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, and tabla
player. He has been exploring his roots in his work with The Cassettes
, as well as in Metropolitan band
. He sings in Urdu
on a The Cassettes song entitled "Muja Achi Larki Daydo", as well as on Metropolitan band
's "Pakistan International", a song about his trips to, and experiences in, Pakistan
with his family, during his childhood.
Recently Awan recorded with The Torches who feature Stephen Guidry from The Cassettes on Banjo and Vocals. And has been back in the studio to record for a future project with Shelby Cinca, also from The Cassettes, and Nick Kraly. The Band is also scheduled to go back into the studio in the Fall of 2011 for their fifth effort.
Saadat Awan is also a Bhangra DJ with the alias: Beta-G. In 2009, "The U.S. Department of Bhangra" (USDB) began as a way to help charities and non-profits in DC gain exposure and have fun while raising funds for good causes. The USDB has grown to become one of Washington DC's premiere Bhangra parties, receiving some rave reviews in The Washington Post
, Washingtonian Magazine, and other media and blogs. Awan, as Beta-G, has also been featured on a track by fellow Washington DC DJ collective Fort Knox Five
called Bhangra Paanch on which he provides Vocals in his native Punjabi.
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. He is a member of The Cassettes
The Cassettes
The Cassettes are a Washington, DC based "Mystic Country"/Steampunk band formed in 1999.-History:...
, Metropolitan band
Metropolitan band
Metropolitan are a four-piece indie rock group from Washington, D.C., USA.Metropolitan began as a collaboration between guitarists John Masters and Aidan Coughlan in late 1998, and they recorded and released their debut record, "Side Effects," in 1999...
, and Thievery Corporation side projects International Velvet and I.C.U. He was also a former member of Travis Morrison
Travis Morrison
Travis Morrison is an American musician and web developer from the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., United States...
Hellfighters, and has also worked with Lori Carson
Lori Carson
Lori Carson is a singer/songwriter. She has released several solo albums, appeared on many soundtracks, and collaborated with artists such as The Golden Palominos. She performed lead vocals on the song "In the Middle of the Night" on French producer Hector Zazou's album Strong Currents...
, These United States
These United States
These United States is a musical group from Lexington, KY, Brooklyn, NY, and Carrboro, NC made up of songwriter and bandleader Jesse Elliott, pedal steel and electric guitarist J. Tom Hnatow, drummer and vocalist Robby Cosenza, guitarist and keyboardist Justin Craig, and bassist and vocalist Dave...
, Nima Majd and others in the past.
Awan is a self taught drummer, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, and tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
player. He has been exploring his roots in his work with The Cassettes
The Cassettes
The Cassettes are a Washington, DC based "Mystic Country"/Steampunk band formed in 1999.-History:...
, as well as in Metropolitan band
Metropolitan band
Metropolitan are a four-piece indie rock group from Washington, D.C., USA.Metropolitan began as a collaboration between guitarists John Masters and Aidan Coughlan in late 1998, and they recorded and released their debut record, "Side Effects," in 1999...
. He sings in Urdu
Urdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
on a The Cassettes song entitled "Muja Achi Larki Daydo", as well as on Metropolitan band
Metropolitan band
Metropolitan are a four-piece indie rock group from Washington, D.C., USA.Metropolitan began as a collaboration between guitarists John Masters and Aidan Coughlan in late 1998, and they recorded and released their debut record, "Side Effects," in 1999...
's "Pakistan International", a song about his trips to, and experiences in, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
with his family, during his childhood.
Recently Awan recorded with The Torches who feature Stephen Guidry from The Cassettes on Banjo and Vocals. And has been back in the studio to record for a future project with Shelby Cinca, also from The Cassettes, and Nick Kraly. The Band is also scheduled to go back into the studio in the Fall of 2011 for their fifth effort.
Saadat Awan is also a Bhangra DJ with the alias: Beta-G. In 2009, "The U.S. Department of Bhangra" (USDB) began as a way to help charities and non-profits in DC gain exposure and have fun while raising funds for good causes. The USDB has grown to become one of Washington DC's premiere Bhangra parties, receiving some rave reviews in The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, Washingtonian Magazine, and other media and blogs. Awan, as Beta-G, has also been featured on a track by fellow Washington DC DJ collective Fort Knox Five
Fort Knox Five
Fort Knox Five is a Washington, D.C.-based recording artist consisting of Steve Raskin, Jon Horvath, Rob Myers, and Sid Barcelona. They have released their music on their own independent label Fort Knox Recordings...
called Bhangra Paanch on which he provides Vocals in his native Punjabi.
Full Lengths
- Metropolitan "Down For You Is Up" - (2002 Crank Automotive)
- Metropolitan "The Lines They Get Broken" - (2005 Crank Automotive)
- The Cassettes "Neath The Pale Moon" CD (2006 Buddyhead RecordsBuddyhead RecordsBuddyhead is a music "webzine" and independent record label formed by Travis Keller in the summer of 1997 in Hollywood, California. Keller is notorious for outspoken criticism of popular culture and the music industry...
) - Travis Morrison Hellfighters "All Y'all" CD (2007 Barsuk RecordsBarsuk RecordsBarsuk Records is an independent record label based in Seattle, Washington, started and still managed by the members of the band This Busy Monster, Christopher Possanza and Josh Rosenfeld, who created the label in 1994 to release their band's material. Its logo is a drawing of a dog holding a...
) - These United States - "First Sight (A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden)" (United Interests)
- The Cassettes "Countach" Maxi-Cassette Tape (2008) (Chapeau)
7"/EPs
- Metropolitan "Calibos split" 7" (2001 Crank Automotive)
- The Cassettes "Disco Drive split" 7" (2003 Bachelor Records, Germany)
- The Torches "The Torches E.P." 7" / MP3 (2010 Lujo Records)
- The Cassettes "I've Been Gone Far Too Long" 7" / MP# (2011 Flannel Gurl Records)
Compilations
- The Cassettes "Play" Children's Music Compilation (2007 Desoto RecordsDeSoto RecordsDeSoto Records is an American record label based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1989, it is run by Bill Barbot and Kim Coletta, both formerly of the band Jawbox. It was first founded by members of the band Edsel to release their first single. Jawbox next used the name DeSoto for their first EP. It...
) - Track: "Truck On (Truck)" - The Cassettes "Wedding Compilation" (2006 Lujo RecordsLujo RecordsLujo Records is a United States independent record label that was founded in 2001 by Erik Aucoin who was a student at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana at the time. In 2004, Lujo Records relocated to Washington, DC, and Jocelyn Toews bought 50% of the label. In 2006 Aucoin and...
) - Track: "Pioneer Love Song" - The Cassettes "Love And Loathing" (2006 Lujo RecordsLujo RecordsLujo Records is a United States independent record label that was founded in 2001 by Erik Aucoin who was a student at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana at the time. In 2004, Lujo Records relocated to Washington, DC, and Jocelyn Toews bought 50% of the label. In 2006 Aucoin and...
) - Track: "Hey Good Lookin" (originally by Hank Williams Sr.) - Saadat Awan "Songs at the Point" (2002) - 2 tracks: "Just Like That" & "Worth the Wait"
Guest Vocalist Appearances
- Fort Knox Five "The New Gold Standard 2" (2010 ((Fort Knox Recordings) - Track: "Bhangra Paanch Ft. Beta-G"