Category: Music

Heavy Metal in Baghdad

Heavy Metal in Baghdad

The first thing to clear up is that Heavy Metal in Baghdad is not, primarily, about heavy metal. It’s about people, and the war in Iraq and the after-effects of it.

Plot-in-a-nutshell: a film crew from a US-based metal magazine travel to Baghdad (and later Syria) to interview the only Iraqi heavy metal band, Acrassicauda. We hear about their family, their music, the regimes they have lived under and finally their flight to another country.

This film isn’t fiction. It’s a very well made documentary by two North American metal fans who travel to Iraq to watch and help host a heavy metal contest in Baghdad. The band members are interviewed about everyday life there, both before and after the war when the crew visit for a second time.

Unlike many news reports, nothing is sensationalised. Plain truths are uttered, and the state of the country after the war is laid wide open to inspection. Did the conflict make any real difference to the people who matter? That is, the family on the street trying to earn a living?

Judging by the fact that, at the time of the film’s release, over 2.5 million Iraqis had fled their country the answer is “no”. They’d rather live in poverty as second-class citizens than risk staying in Baghdad or elsewhere and risk persecution or death. At least they’re free – and poverty seems to be a price they’re prepared to pay.

The pace of the film has been very well calculated. It begins on a high as the original crew take a jokey approach to heading there to see a concert. On their second visit, the tone is much more muted – as is the music. The band unable to play in their home country for fear of persecution. Fans can’t even headbang as it looks too much like Jews nodding at prayer!

Things seem happier when the band all meet up again in Damascus, but as I mentioned they’re now all destitute. They do, however, manage to play another gig and cut a three-track demo. What really hits home is when the film-makers show them the first two thirds of the movie as a “work in progress”. The emotions are overwhelming and the film ends on a very sour note.

Despite the best of intentions, things don’t always end well. But that’s the way it is and that’s why this is such as good piece of documentary.

Don’t avoid it just because it seems to be about music you have no appreciation for. See it because you need to know how other people in this world are being forced to live. And then realise how damn lucky you are.

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Graspop rocked verily

Tower over the info tent
Tower over the info tent

A delay in posting due to spending three days in a field in north Belgium kicking bells out of fellow rockers, plus a day either side traveling to and from London.

Graspop 2009 was probably the strongest overall lineup I’ve seen at the festival, although the headliners were surprisingly weak. Motley Crue were just dreadful, playing guitar-wankery for ages after just the first song. This was followed by a rather tedious and very poorly-performed solo after the third song. Time to head back to the tent.

Slipknot were much better on Saturday, but somehow didn’t capture the magic they once did. This despite a pretty passable fourth album. Perhaps the problem was with the weather which was ridiculously hot all weekend.

 

Awesome mohawk
Awesome mohawk

Marilyn Manson has gone from “God of ****” to “God of **** Off You’re Rubbish”. He certainly lived up to the bad press he received from his performance at Download a fortnight back. If memory serves, he was five songs through before he said anything at all to the audience and that was only four words: “So this is Belgium?”. Between songs, the stage just went black with the audience left just wondering what was going on. We gave him until “Sweet Dreams” then wandered off as we quite like that song and didn’t want to hear him murder it.

The remaining bands put together a great bill, though. Across various tents I watched All That Remains, Papa Roach, Anthrax (my top band of the weekend), Sacred Reich, W.A.S.P., Disturbed, Hatebreed, Trivium, Pestilence, Down, Dragonforce, Lamb of God… Plus a load more I wasn’t familiar with.

A shame Killswitch Engage didn’t play, but I gather the lead singer’s grandmother passed away. I’m sure nobody holds it against them for him choosing to go home.

Band of the Weekend
Band of the Weekend

Hot sun, cold beer, great music. A shame the local council has clamped down completely on the locals selling food and beer to the festival-goers. A big thumbs down to the mayor of Dessel. I don’t fancy his chances much at the next election.

I’m off to rest my weary body and dress my wounds (I’ve got some impressive cuts this year – weird) before getting up in about 4 hours to catch my flight to Bangkok. What a life, eh?

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Maiden: Best British Live Act

Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden

I know I’m late mentioning this but I only just found out. After begging you to vote for them a few weeks back, it turns out that Iron Maiden were runaway winners of this years Brits award as Best British Live Act.

Their acceptance video is below, and I’ve pinched the following text from Metal Hammer. I couldn’t put it better – why they deserved to win.

  1. The award was for Best British Live Act. They ARE the best British live act.
  2. Twickenham. Moonchild was enough to make the toughest headcase blub into his pint.
  3. The Brits committee are paid to represent the best of British music and that’s truer of ‘Maiden than it is of anyone operating in British music. Shame it took them 34 years to realise it before finally nominating them, eh?
  4. Churchill’s Speech. Churchill’s ******* speech! If you don’t get chills from it, you’re not human. There’s not a better live intro tape going.
  5. Bruce Dickinson’s energy. I’m a 25 year old who goes to the gym regularly and he knackers me out just watching him. Hats off!
  6. The ‘Harris guitar/machine gun with foot on the monitor’ routine. If you’re a bass player, you’ll have done this at least at one point in your life. if you’re not a bass player, you’ll have done air-guitar like it countless times.
  7. The ‘Somewhere In Time’ tour. Unbelievable scenes. Woah, Leslie. Aye Carumba. Holy shitballs. Shall we keep going or have you got the hint?
  8. Eddie. Imagine a big, evil looking zombie c*nt popping out behind Chris pissing Martin? Didn’t think so.
  9. Iron Maiden are as relevant in 2009 as they’ve ever been. To be in your fourth decade as a band and to achieve that is something that cannot measured.
  10. Because the finest metal act and one of the greatest bands that the world has ever seen should be recognised in their own bloody country. the rest of the world have got it for long enough, it’s about time the crusty ******* that dish out mainstream awards realised this.
  11. Because they’re Iron ******* Maiden.

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Vote Maiden!

Best of the Beast album cover
Vote Maiden!

Iron Maiden have been nominated for Best British Live Act in the Brits this year. Given that the other acts are commercial ****, do take the time to visit the site, register and VOTE MAIDEN!

You don’t have to vote for any of the Best British Single entrants which is also on the same form. Which is a good thing as every single one is more excruciating than a knitting needle through the eardrum.

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