Metal Scene in Egypt

Cairo, Egypt- Loud music, teenagers dancing and singing with the music but the hall of wisdom in Al-Saqia Culture Wheel is not full of fans.

This was the reaction of the fans towards “Yesterday Lied Band.”

In a society that doesn’t accept metal, rock music it was very difficult to the band to start. Metal music or bands in Egypt is not widely spread as many picture it as a sin or “devilish music” since anyone relates it to the devil because singers wear black clothes with weird slogans, sing loudly and use inappropriate words.

Yet, the metal scene in Egypt has always been present but there were always problems and debates facing them.

“With the new technology like YouTube and face book the society became more aware and accepting to the metal music,” said Rashid Wagih, guitarist, Yesterday Lied Band.

He added that groups on face book and up loaded videos on YouTube and MySpace helped people to understand metal and that’s not related to the devil groups that appeared in the 1990′s.

The band, formed 2006, is mainly influenced by old school heavy metal bands and that reflects heavily on their song writing and compositions.

“We get inspired by events happening in around us whether it’s political, cultural or anything,” said Wagih. “We composed a song called “first to decay” and it’s about the political situation in Gaza.”

Bands like “Yesterday lied” and other are still unknown for the public. Yet, other bands like “Wyvern” are going international and are producing albums.

WYVERN was the first heavy metal band to play in the SOS Music Festival in November 2006 in-front of 15,000 people. This concert gave Wyvern more popularity and the band became more than any underground band.

In an interview with Rock Era Online Magazine, Marwan Shaaban, Wyvern Vocalist, said that they have always been dreaming to produce a metal album. He added that it took the band a lot of effort and time to produce the album.

The album called “The Clown” produced in 2009 by Wave Studio and it features seven tracks and its available now in stores.

Wagih said that bands like Wyvern, Cairoke and others are taking the underground rock and metal music in Egypt to another level. These bands have participated and performed in international festivals in Russia, Italy and France.

"The Cultue Wheel" is now hosting metal bands to perform to the public.

Consequently, they are exposed to new cultures and music and bring it back here and this develops the status of the bands.

In the 1990′s heavy and trash metal bands appeared in Egypt and playing at illegal places and thus the society refused the idea of metal music and view it as a sin because they wore black clothes, had long hair, drank alcohol and smoked hash.

“1997 was the last time metal was publicly heard until 2004 when the metal bands started to reemerge under independent musical bands,” said Bassam Yacout, freelance sound engineer.

Shaaban said that Wyvern and others are changing the society’s perception and stereotypes about metal and it’s not necessary to wear black and have long hair.

“I always listen to metal music and all my friends don’t like but because I like the music itself I hear it,” said Ahmed Sherif, a metal fan. “Today it’s different than the past I can go to the Saqia or Town Hall and watch a metal band playing. It’s a normal thing now.”

“Today bands are playing legally in authorized venues,” said Wagih. “All venues are very strict in concerts about liquor and smoking especially with metal bands so people won’t get a negative impression about metal.”

The next concert for “Yesterday Lied” is on February 26^th 2010 in Jesuit School. Be there!!!

Undergound Bands doing Albums

Cairo, Egypt- When Ahmed Omar first started playing bass guitar he was sitting on an A’hwa or Egyptian café on Tahrir street with his friends sipping tea and coffee.

Now just ten years later, Omar has come a long way from his days of idly strumming guitar in a café. He is now a popular performer, busily recording songs in a studio or playing with his bands “Wust el Balad” or “El Dor El Awal” in live concerts.

When Independent bands started to appear they lacked support and encouragement in terms of production, venues to play at, and audience to hear them. Until recently, the society started to recognize. Production companies started to produce their music in albums and many places allover Cairo started to invite them to play.

“When we first met, we {the band} just wanted to play music and have fun,” said Ahmed Omar, bass guitarist of “Wust el Balad band” (Downtown).

It’s a dream many independent musicians share but it’s not always easy to accomplish in Cairo. Many production companies avoid signing on independent bands, preferring to stick to those that make more mainstream music. For that reason, many bands have to get creative in getting their music out.

In 2007, “Wust el Balad “the self-titled debut album recorded their first ever CD and cassettes. The album had ten tracks and all songs were composed and written by the band members and produced by Star Gate Company.

Omar said that the tape was the best seller in the independent music section.

“I’ve been listening to these bands for a couple of years and now I stopped and listening to house and trance instead,” said Ahemd Salah, 18, University student. “Most of the bands now are playing similar music and I can’t find something new in it.”

“We never sung a cover and all our songs we make them up,” said Omar. “People hear us because our songs are different from other bands.”

He said that he always been seeing the band as professional because they play and don’t work in another place.

“El Door El Awal” (The First Floor) is the only independent band to recorded two albums “Qarar Izala” (Eviction Notice), and “Aa’tareeq” (The Road) in 2006 and 2009, respectively and produced as part of the Oriental Sounds Project

“It’s now becoming very difficult to practice and rehearse every day,” said Ihab Abdel Hamid “El Door El Awal” percussionist. Bob, as his fans call him, added that sometimes he has to sacrifice outings or important events from his day in order to meet with the band so they can compose new songs.

Part of the problem is getting the right marketing and interest from fans. Salah added that he wouldn’t consider buying an album for any of these bands and he would download the album from the Internet to save money.

“I would pay 20 L.E for Amr Diab but not these bands since they are armatures and not professionals,” said Salah.

To help market their music, many bands are turning to the film industry to spotlight their work.

Video clips, for instance, are a popular tool.

“Video clips are now very important because they help bands to expand audience,” said Bassam Yacout, a freelance sound engineer. “It’s also an advertising tool that is used to make the audience and fans aware of the new songs.”

In the beginning of 2008, “Wust el Balad” launched their first video clip and it was a huge success. The song “Arabily” (come closer) became one of the hits that year and fans went crazy about because of its music.

El Dor El Awal are one of the very few bands to produce two albums.

Abdel Hamid who plays in “Wust el Balad” beside “El Door El Awal said that if the clip is done in a new and unique idea people will like it and buy the tape. He also, added that clips became a necessary part of doing an album that can’t be removed.

Yacout said that it’s becoming essential to independent bands to produce video clips beside their tapes because they are reaching many segments of audiences that probably won’t go to Azhar Park or Cairo Jazz club.

The media blitz seems to be working for Wust el Balad. The band is working on their second album that would be in the markets by summer 2010. They also, recently, won the best musical band in 2009 awarded by Arabic Radio & Television (ART).

Mixing Cultures through Music

Cairo, Egypt- The night club was crowded with foreigners and filled the smell of cigarette smoke. The sound of Latin music filled the air as dancing bodies gyrated to the mixture of Oriental and jazz melodies. 

But this wasn’t a Latin show in Brazil. It was “Resala Band” playing at Cairo Jazz Club in Egypt.

“Resala” meaning “The Message” is one of the first bands to use such a new approach and musical technique in mixing melodies and tunes from different cultures. The band sings their own lyrics but with a Latin and oriental flavor to expand their audience and fans.

“The kind of music we play is very different from what others play or listen,” said Mohamed Gamal El Din, 22, the band drummer. “We compose our own music with its own lyrics and rhythm and this gives it our taste and style.”

El Din said that nowadays new bands pop up every month. But they lack in originality as most of them perform cover songs of famous singers like James Brown and Michael Jackson. But Egyptian music lovers demand more than just the mainstream music.

And that’s where bands like “The Roll up Sleeves” have found their niche.

The band converts house and trance tracks to rock songs.  But they are still not widely known because most of their fan base is among university students who appreciate their original music.   

“Of course I like to listen to house tracks rather than oriental music,” said Ahmed Salah, university student. He added that house and trance are getting popular these days and they appeal to teenagers.

“Bands are still afraid to stick to their own music because they want to succeed quickly,” said Mounir Ghassan, 25, The Roll up Sleeves guitarist. “We play in few places like Ethos café and several private shows.” 

Putting his electric guitar beside him, wearing a French cap, black shirt and jeans Ghassan said that when he hears a house track he visualizes it in his head as a rock song. His main target is to show people “a different view of music.”

Some bands, however, are turning to the international music scene to broaden their audience.

El Din said that his band met a South African band, Freshly Ground, in an international musical event in South Africa. They are now collaborating on a project called Trance Project, which enables the bands to play in each other countries.

Freshly Ground came to Egypt in 2009 and played in the Cairo Opera House and in Camel Bar in Sharm-El-Sheik.

“The purpose of such exchanging events is to get the Egyptian audience exposed to different cultures and have a chance to hear original music,” said El Din.

A common problem the independent bands face is the lack of support from the music community in Egypt. Many mainstream concert venues don’t allow the bands to hold concerts. That’s why independent musicians have created their own venues just to be able to play underground music.

“Bands don’t want to sing their own songs because there is no support for creativity,” said, Youssef El Ouri, 23, guitarist for The Roll up Sleeves. “Organizers always tell us to sing covers because they want people to sing with us so we don’t get a chance to prove ourselves.”

In Cairo there are very few places that allow unknown bands to play their own music such as El Sawy Culture Wheel, Ethos Café in Maadi, and Al-Azhar Park. In addition, only Nile F.M permits bands to send in their music and is played on the radio.

“Although independent music has been for a while we still need a lot support,” said Ghassan.