Kiosk (band)

Kiosk

Kiosk (Persian: کيوسک) is an Iranian rock band.

Introduction

Kiosk is an Iranian Blues/Rock/Jazz band that was established by a few friends in a basement in Tehran in 2003. Like many other bands in Iran, 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 since 2006, with some of its members living in San Francisco and some in Toronto, 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 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 14th, 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 were released in October 2010.

Discography

• Adameh Mamooli (Ordinary Man) (2005)
• Eshghe Sorat (Amor de la Velocidad) (2007)
• Baghe e Vahsh e Jahani (Global Zoo) (2008)
• Triple Distilled: Live At Yoshi's (Se Taghtireh) (2010).

Media

Eshghe Sorat Album

• Music video: "Eshgh e Sor'at" (Speed Lover)
• Music video: "Afsoos" (Regret)
• Music video: "To Kojaee" (Where are you)

Adameh Mamooli Album

• Music video: "Roozmaregi" (Mediocrity)
• Music video: "Ey Dad Az Eshgh"

External links

• Kiosk's Upcoming and Past Concerts, Kodoom.com