Homage to Fearless Iranians from Hell!

There’s always an idiot on the internet. But this time, they were kinda right–KINDA. A lot of people have been commenting on Taqwacore videos around the internet, saying that we aren’t the first to do this. Although Taqwacore as a whole was not influenced by these guys, Kourosh from Vote Hezbollah was definitely rocking these guys when he created his band, as was I. Now, you should rock this shit too (if you aren’t already)….

From their first record (with Iranian singer), “Foolish Americans”

From the 1987 record, “Die for Allah”

Recognize the picture? Some of you may have shirts of this album cover. Kourosh was wearing a backpatch of it in one of the earlier news articles:

In short, the created the terrorist schtick. They exploited people’s fear of Iranians after the ‘79 Revolution and the devastating Iran-Iraq war and made joke about it.

Enjoy.

Planet of the Arabs

Why has everyone forgotten about Iraq?

Just to give a little statistics behind a more in-depth post I’m thinking about posting in a few days, I thought I’d give a little background into why it’s bullshit that everyone has forgotten about the war in Iraq.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the war in Afghanistan is not an important humanitarian crisis, and I’m definitely not saying it’s not violent. Indeed, since it has spilled over into Pakistan, it IS threatening to destabilize its neighbors. However, it is suspicious, though, that the focus of the entire American press is centered square on the country, meanwhile largely ignoring the larger war in Iraq. In fact, 251 times MORE so….

Here are some numbers:

At least 753,399 people have
been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq
since the U.S. and coalition attacks, based on lowest credible estimates.

Most recent update: September 11, 2009. This page is updated about once monthly.

About 251 times as many people have been killed in Afghanistan and Iraq than in the ghastly attacks of September 11, 2001. More than 108 times as many people have been killed in these wars and occupations than in all terrorist attacks in the world from 1993-2004. The 2004 report showed terrorism at an all-time high, and after numerous experts suggested that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were fueling the increase, subsequent reports have remained classified.

Sources and methodology Notes about varying casualty counts cited elsewhere

# Casualties in Afghanistan:
Afghan troops killed [1] 11,152
Afghan troops seriously injured [2] 33,456
Afghan civilians killed [3] 7,589
Afghan civilians seriously injured [4] 13,660
U.S. troops killed [5] 746
U.S. troops seriously injured [6] 2,238
Other coalition troops killed [7] 551
Other coalition troops seriously injured [8] 1,653
Contractors killed [9] 75
Contractors seriously injured [10] 2,428
Journalists killed [11] 6
Journalists seriously injured [12] unknown
Total killed in Afghanistan: 20,119
Total injured in Afghanistan: 53,435

# Casualties in Iraq:
Iraqi troops killed [13] 30,000
Iraqi troops seriously injured [14] 90,000
Iraqi civilians killed [15] 697,523
Iraqi civilians seriously injured [16] 1,255,541
U.S. troops killed [17] 4,343
U.S. troops seriously injured [18] 31,156
Other coalition troops killed [19] 318
Other coalition troops seriously injured [20] 10,821
Contractors killed [21] 933
Contractors seriously injured [22] 10,569
Journalists killed [23] 163
Journalists seriously injured [24] unknown
Total killed in Iraq: 733,280
Total injured in Iraq: 1,398,087

Source: http://www.unknownnews.net/casualties.html

Maybe I just don’t get it… I’ve always been against these wars because I don’t like to see innocent people killed. And that’s exactly how they try to frame the conflicts when convenient, but then also conveniently ignore Iraq when it no longer fits the current adminstration’s agenda.

The fascination with the war in Afghanistan in the media really begs the question if it is simply a propaganda victory the US is searching for, or if “human rights” and “democracy” are truly the goals. The media keeps harping on the imminent danger of the war in Afghanistan and the conflict in Pakistan, but what’s going on in Iraq?

If that were the goal, then why don’t we talk more about refugees than the number of suicide-bombing victims? Because in addition to the above statistics, there are much less scientific counts of how many homeless refugees the Iraq war has created in neighboring countries throughout its course. So many, in fact, that suddenly upset demographic-shifts have created drastic housing shortages and inflation amongst other things, which have somewhat destabilized those countries as well.

Just because American troops stopped going on patrol and pulled out of the cities, doesn’t mean that the war isn’t happening anymore. Although they are no longer in danger, or putting themselves on the line, the average Iraqi is far from safe in “liberated” Iraq. Unless, of course, that implies liberating them from their lives….

But it’s not just about Iraq, because there are a few other conflicts that are much larger, more dire humanitarian crises that are being blocked out of the public’s conscience, like the Zaydi (Shia’) rebellion in Yemen, for example. But since there are no major American interests at stake, humanity suddenly become less important.

As for the possible explanations why this is happening, I’ll leave that for a post at a later date. But for now, I just wanted to make sure the Iraqis aren’t abandoned in your thoughts.

Middle Eastern Punk Bands!

I don’t really want to say too much in this post, except that these are some bands that i think need some much needed attention. Recently, there was a post about rock bands from Pakistan and their plight, so here’s to the kids that are dodging the secret police (mukhabarat) just to play some punk:

DETOX– This band female-fronted band from Lebanon rips. I’ve written about them before, but I think I need to reiterate how awesome they are…

MAZHOTT–This is a relatively new band from Damascus, Syria, whose name means “Diesel” in Arabic. They’re a little poppy and a little angsty, but it definitely works for them.

Creative Waste–Saudi ripper grindcore with early death metal influences. Need I say more? We’ve been talking about collaborating with them, but it’s still in the works…

Creative Waste MySpace

Slumpark Correctional–From Lattakia, Syria, the stronghold of the Baath Party, these kids play some thrash-influenced stuff. Unfortunately, the music on their Myspace doesn’t work, but you can probably find their music elsewhere. Also, their song was in the Taqwacore documentary, last I heard.

Slumpark Correctional

Of course, there are more. I wish I could make a comprehensive list, but I’ll probably just post shit in the comments when I come across links that are of interest…

-Marwan

p.s. Oh, and of course, you should never forget to check out my friend, Usama’s film, “Nice Bombs.” He’s definitely creates Taqwacore film in terms of his more experimental films, although it’s not about “taqwacore” itself. This film, however, is about him going back to Iraq for the first time in 2004 after 20+ years away.

Redefining Punk, My Way

Real punk is gutter punk, the kind of punk where you go dumpster diving for your next meal, are straight edge until you find a the tail end of a joint on the ground to smoke, and wear the same black jeans and metal studded jean vest with black and white patches of your favorite extinct 1970s crust bands. This is what real punk is supposed to be, right? Live in the streets, fight in the streets and died in the streets. We don’t vote, we believe in anarchy. We don’t give a fuck, we are punk rock.

I always found this contradictory because to me, the people I saw in punk spaces were primarily white. Contradictory because to me, white people epitomized privilege. And how real could ‘gutter’ punk be, if they were white?

When I first started going to punk shows, I thought the music was wild. I was in my teens, it was the late 90s and ska/punk fusion was just about to blow up in Southern California. It was right before OC punk manifested into OC punk, back before Warped Tour became pop and back when Incubus, Hoobustank, Dashboard Confessionals and Blink 182 were opening acts to Homegrown, Goldfinger, The Ataris and Save Ferris. Back when Fat Wreck Chords was the only label I bought from and Travis Barker was still the drummer for The Aquabats.

She has been a Riot Grrrl, without knowing it.

Originally written on 09.09.09 by Yumna Sheikh

I have an assignment to do right now, in sociology, but I rather want to write about my bursting mind. This type of knowledge is a burden, but a key. A journey of struggle and the achievement is a state of comfort.

When I was in my early teens, I used to have crazy thoughts about women wearing hijab and nikab playing hardcore on the stage.

Well, then you would be more Muslim than following some stupid kind of traditions at home. ”Traditions are important to take care of. Think more than 100 times before you do anything (so you forget what you actually wanted to do!). Think think think, what will they say?”

Film Review // Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam

The writer wishes to remain anonymous.
‘Taqwacore: The Birth of Punk Islam’ recently had its world premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival. Four years in the making, Montreal-based director Omar Majeed follows the birth of a new music subculture entitled “Taqwacore”, a combination of the Islamic concept “taqwa” or God-consciousness, and the “core” of hardcore — otherwise known as Punk Islam. From its inception in an underground novel entitled The Taqwacores penned by writer, convert, and American Muslim Michael Muhammad Knight, to its massive growth into a music scene bringing together an array of bands and fans across North America, the film weaves together excerpts from Knight’s book and documented footage of the bands as they meet, play together, and generally just stir shit up. Sifting through the stories of individual band members as well as their travels across North America and into Pakistan, the movie is grounded by Knight’s own narrative. A remarkable on-screen presence with a rare level of depth and honesty, the film chronicles Knight’s youth, his conversion to Islam in his teens, his early years of studying conservative Wahhabi Islam in a Saudi-funded mosque in Pakistan, and his eventual disenchantment with an Islam that seemed to have lost all space for the creative that led him to write The Taqwacores.

Straight outta Oakland

If it was written, I hope for a trick ending. Just two months ago, we were in Oakland at the Stork’s club with Mujahideen Bernstein Affair, Micro Pixie, Sarmust, and Prop Anon. The day was special, I had spent most of my time in Khalifornia with my old friend Umair.

Umair, Imran, some kid named Ali and I first met in a band we formed in Lahore called the Dead Bhuttos in 2006. Our only recorded song was Teri Aisi Ki Taisi, a song we tracked and recorded over two weekends. We were hot together, Ali and Umair went out to get some of that strong bin laden shit, while Imran and I sat together and wrote our verses. The song kind of defined my time in Lahore.

Christians Sing About Allah Too

The first time I blogged about The Kominas and The Taqwacores at Sepia Mutiny I made the mistaken comparison that the “Muslim Punk” of The Taqx was akin to the Christian Punk scene. In high school, my best friend was this crazy blond Christian listen to nothing but Christian punk songs. She was my association to the space. But it is a comparison for which Basim from The Kominas has never let me forget and one that I realize now is far from comparable of the two genres. I get it. I get it.

Christian Punk as a genre usually preaches the godliness of God through the music of punk. The Taqwacores, is barely “Muslim Punk” in that sense. It’s more a space for people to explore, debate, and discover the spiritual, political, and cultural contexts having a Muslim identity and that often can be mutually exclusive, or ridiculously muddy. Or on the flip side, it’s a space to explore what it means to be punk within the context of identifying spiritually, politically or culturally as Muslim or brown or curious. I get it. I get it. And now that I’m looking at Taqx from the inside out, I really see how no definition can succinctly capture what it means to be Taqwacore because it is constantly morphing and changing person to person, band to band. Taqx, unlike Christian punk, is the intersectionality of identity politics at it’s finest.

That being said…this month’s The Atlantic profiles a Philly based Christian post-punk band called me without You signed onto the Christian rock label Tooth & Nail.

last night i dreamt i was a shark

by sena hussain

my girlfriend and i went to cabbagetown in toronto day before yesterday, and she saw this south indian grocery store so we went in to buy some stuff.  in the back was this little seafood counter with lots of these different big fish on ice.  i got a little curious cause the grocery store was so small so it seemed strange that it had this whole tiny fish section.  my eyes scanned through their selection, and since none of them were labeled, i realized i had no idea what types of fish they were.  one of the giant fish caught my eye and my head did a double take.  i took a step closer and my heart stopped.  it was a two-and-a-half foot shark, i didn’t know what kind of shark, but it was a shark.  i turned around and ran through the store to tell my girlfriend about it. she came to the back with me to check it out, it was a real fucking shark.