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Punk Devotion: A Conversation with Al-Thawra’s Marwan Kamel

Samples of Middle Eastern music, voices of poised intellectuals and angry children, heavy guitars, and growling apocalyptic vocals from punk rock band Al-Thawra produce an effect as jarring as the imagery of Orientalism, war, and repression. Described in terms of a seamless cultural crossroads, eastern and western fusion, and multiculturalism, Al-Thawra (meaning “revolution” in Arabic) has been associated with Taqwacore, a musical scene centered on the seemingly irreconcilable realms of hardcore punk and Islam.

Formed in Chicago during the Iraq War, Al-Thawra reflects far more than identity politics; the music’s themes reflect the band’s engagement with issues ranging from the Iraq War to Gaza to Orientalism in a post-9/11 America. This earnest engagement is at a crossroads of aesthetics, imagery, and voices, where current representations of war, repression, and otherness are delivered.

In a conversation with Al-Thawra vocalist and guitarist Marwan Kamel, Aslan Media contributing writer Nahrain Al-Mousawi discussed the importance of being earnest, Taqwacore, Islam, Kamel’s Syrian roots and his thoughts on the current situation unfolding in his country.

Jailed Moroccan Rapper Released: A Case of “Long Live the Makhzen!”?

The controversial trial of anti-monarchist Moroccan rapper Mouad Belghouat, who performs as El Haqed or “The Spiteful,” ended on January 12 with a prison sentence and a 500-dirham fine ($57 USD). With demands such as establishing a constitutional monarchy in Morocco, creating an independent judiciary, and cracking down on government corruption, his following amongst Moroccan youth has only gained momentum since last year’s Arab Spring. Labeled as the singing voice of the Moroccan revolution, his scathing lyrics tell his listeners to “wise up,” and in channeling the widespread youth cynicism over nation-wide corruption and unemployment, his popularity has many monarchists worried.

#Jan25 Through 25 Music Videos That Gave it Voice, Part 3

Hope, change, unity, anti-corruption, freedom, dignity, social justice - these are not just words; they are concrete goals protesters in Egypt demanded almost a year ago and are still fighting to fulfill today. And in a revolution that is almost inseparable from its music, they are also the themes that dominate the country’s protest songs, in lyrics that are confrontational, confident, even reflective of music’s place in Egyptian society.

As we end our three-part series on music videos that came out of Egypt’s revolution, we chose this last installment to highlight lesser-known videos that speak more to Egyptian issues post-Mubarak. Observant, insightful, and still full of hope for a renewed future, these videos also take a sharp eye at the Egyptian people, reminding them that if they want to see the revolution through, they need to keep strong in their unity and remember that change doesn’t come by waiting; it comes by action.

Revolution in the Key of C: One Year Later, Tunisia Celebrates Victory at the Kennedy Center

Last week, Washington DC's Kennedy Center hosted the US premiere of “Hannibal Barca,” a symphony by Jaloul Ayed that pays homage to the famed, eponymous military figure of yore. This reference to an epic past marked the one year anniversary of the successful Tunisian revolution, which continues to have repercussions in the Mideast region; as such, the event was more than just a musical recital.

And, Ayed is an unlikely composer, better known around the world as the former Finance Minister for Tunisia's post-Ben Ali interim government. And while he characterized himself as a "humble, modest, and amateur" composer, the stunning performance of “Hannibal Barca” on January 9 belied any notion that the work of a novice was on display. Aslan Media attended the event, where the symphony, performed by 25 Tunisian musicians and the Kennedy Center's house orchestra, did not disappoint.

Throughout the three movements of “Hannibal Barca”, titled The Pride of Carthage, The Long Crossing, and The Glorious March, Ayed’s compositional skills not only enchanted audiences with the story of Barca himself, but also with the story of Tunisian renewal. Planning the evening around a symphonic piece that retraces the victories of Carthaginian military commander Hannibal Barca was no diplomatic accident. Barca, who was born in modern-day Tunisia, and often regarded as the greatest military strategist and negotiator in European history, not only fought numerous successful battles against the Roman Empire, but his tactics against Roman occupation have been carried forward by numerous military commanders in the modern era. To present this symphony in his name also sends a message about the impact of the Tunisian revolution as well as its rippling effects on surrounding countries.

“Hannibal Barca’s” presentation as an act of cultural diplomacy was cemented with remarks by both Ayed as well as the Tunisian Ambassador to the United States, Mohamed Saleh Tekaya, before the start of the performance. Tekaya mentioned that presenting ”Hannibal Barca” in D.C. was no accident, but a deliberate expression of friendship by Tunisia to the US. The composer himself also spoke to this point when he reminded the crowd of roughly 2,000 that the amicable relationship between Tunisia and the US has been sustained for over two centuries [with a brief interruption during 1980s and '90s over PLO and Gulf War-related issues]. Indeed, the American Friendship Treaty with Tunisia was signed in 1799.

The night was also filled with references to the Arab Spring and the Jasmine Revolution. Ayed described the joy he (and other Tunisians, by his account) felt when President Obama, in a speech delivered last year to the State Department, compared the Tunisia's revolution to America's own revolution more than 200 years ago:

#Jan25 Through 25 Music Videos that Gave it Voice (Part 2)

Last week, we released part one of our three-part series The Soundtrack of Revolution: Celebrating #Jan25 Through 25 Music Videos that Gave it Voice. While most of the eight songs featured in our first installment focused on the contagious Hope that permeated around Egypt’s overthrow of dictator Hosni Mubarak, this week’s set focuses instead on the rage that blew his 30-year grip.

The following 9 songs, some set against graphic footage, represent the spectrum of anger that simmered in the years leading up to Egypt’s historic 2011 protests. Their varied messages are just as much about mindfulness as they are about support. With forceful, even uncomfortable lyrics, each one reminds viewers that the only way forward past the end of the revolution is to stay united as a people.

“Egyptian Revolution” – Kareem Abd El-Wahab

“Egyptian Revolution,” by Cairo-based music arranger/graphic designer/visual effects supervisor Kareem Abd El-Wahab, is a strong fusion of his original electronic music and protestors chants, accompanied by stop-motion video of lesser-viewed scenes and footage from the revolt.

The Soundtrack of Revolution: Celebrating #Jan25 Through 25 Music Videos that Gave it Voice (Part 1)

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a song is worth a million, and a video gone viral is worth even more.

Since protests ran aflame in Egypt’s Tahrir Square, taking down the 30-year dictatorship of Hosni Mubarak, we’ve all be witness to the country’s triumphs, its setbacks, its challenges, and most importantly its contagious hope for freedom through peaceful protest.

Over the next several weeks, as we approach the anniversary of Jan 25th, our three-part Music series will highlight the grassroots role music played alongside the organic movement of defiant idealism that had nothing to lose but its own voice.

“We are Egyptians” - Hannah Magar, featuring The Brothahood

Hannah Magar, an Egyptian Muslim student in Australia who describes herself as “not a professional,” felt compelled to contribute to the movement through her music after watching the media coverage of Tahrir Square demonstrations. “Watching the brave people of Egypt in awe these last couple weeks, I feel they certainly deserved a song,” she wrote on YouTube. “It was the absolute least I could do.”