Ashkan Safapour : “I prefer the original music. Fans pay to hear and watch our music”
Satura has recently drawn attention big time. here we talked to the band’s leader, composer and guitar player, Ashkan Safapour.
Ashkan Safapour interview
Tag: gramatune interview
Pouyan Madadi Interview
“Doing covers is not always bad”
we talked to Pouyan Madadi , 5grs leader, about his work and its ups and downs.
5grs was formed 14 years ago and the current members are:
Pouyan Madadi on guitar, Yashar Mojtahed Zadeh on drums, Aiden Hasanzadeh on guitar and Mohammad halaji Zadeh on bass and vocals.
click here to read the interview in Farsi
Saman Barzegar Interview, guitar player from Varte
Saman Barzegar Interview
Saman Barzegar is the guitar player from Varte. Varte started out their career in 1393 as a progressive band, consisting of Reza Marzban, Aidin Pooladvand and Saman Barzegar.
Their debut album The inscribed tale was released last September which is now available everywhere.
1-Tell me about yourself and how did you make the band?
My name is Saman Barzegar, I started playing classic guitar in 1385 and after 3 or 4 years started playing electric guitar professionally. It was late 1393 that we started our band, “Varte” with my friend Reza Marzban. It’s been 3 years we’re working professionally .
2- How did you choose the name Varte for your band?
We had lots of names in mind. But didn’t agreed on any.One of the guys came up with Varte, we thought for a few days and thought it’s a good one. Since our genre is progressive and we all liked it.
3- What’s your genre?
Our genre is based on Progressive and alternative themes. But most of our earliest single tracks are more alternative. But I could name “Antalcidas”? which is progressive. But on the whole we’re so open about genre.
4- Tell us about “ Inscribed tale” album?
It has 10 tracks which 4 of them are instrumental and the other 6 have Persian vocals. Our album’s main theme is historical.like each song is based on one specific period of Persian history.
5- What is your favorite track from the album?
Such a hard question! We’ve been working on our album for a year day and night. Might be a bit cliché, but our songs are really like our children!
-if it’s that hard you can choose 2 favorite
_Yes I can pick 2, our 8th and the second track.The second one is the most significant song in our album.
6- which musicians inspire you?
There are lots of them. I can say what I mostly listen to. I like jazz a lot. Late 60’s and early 70’s progressive rock bands like King Crimson and Pink Floyd are my favorite. From 90’s bands, I like Opeth, Meshuggah and Tool.
7- what would you do if you weren’t a musician?
If I wasn’t a musician… I can’t answer that! I wouldn’t do anything I guess! Because music is my life an everything.I also spend most of my free times doing music.
8-Do you think Farsi sounds OK on rock music ?
It is I guess, there are lots of great bands who do rock music in their own languages.
Take Rammstein as example, they’ve done great job writing German songs and as for us it’d be so weird to write songs about ancient Iran in English !
9-What’s your plan for the future?
Our album will be out in like two or three months, then we might do concerts in Kerman and Tehran.
Interview with Abdi Ohadi Guitarist Aortae band
Abdi Ohadi Interview
Abdi Ohadi (born 1369 in Kerman), started playing guitar since he was 10 years old and in 1389 formed the band
Aortae with Homayoon Majdzade (Kahtmayan’s leader) and Saeed Piltan as drummer who left the band later.
1- How did your childhood go?
I like my childhood a lot. Playing and watching cartoons and lonely times were my favorite. I was a quiet kid and
sometimes other kids would bully me which made me so sad, so I was happier alone.I’m still a kid inside.
2- How did you form Aortae?
Aortae was the name I had in mind since high school, because of the unusual form of my own aortae . the band was
formed by the time Kahtmayan visited kerman. I composed most of the material through that time. The album
“Schizotherapy” was a series of my repressed emotions after years, I could never form the band without
Homayaoon. Right now us two are the only members of Aortae.
3- How do you write your songs?
Usually in the middle of the night and they totally just happen.I never said ok let’s pick up the guitar and write a
song! You always get good results while improvising.
4- What is your favorite song among your compositions?
I’ve written lots of songs in different genres, “Still Bleeding” is so special to me and I did a cover of “Tide Is Turning”
by Roger Waters which is also my favorite.
5- What do you think about the bands in Iran?
Personally, I think good things are about to happen. Things are getting better everyday. I’m a huge fan of
Kahtmayan and I also listen to other musicians. To me, the most important thing about an artist, is having a
character without technical complications,I seek for deep emotions,be it sadness,happiness,love or hatred.That’s
what appeals to me.Technics don’t quite work out without a nice concept behind.Also I think doing covers is a good
exercise in order to know the musical roots.
6- What would you rather do, if you weren’t a musician ?
An author or a chef! I’m crazy about food! and I love writing a lot. Or I would be a basketball player if I could,or
maybe I’d do food testing.
7- Do you think the meaning of mainstream has changed through times ?
Not the meaning but the place. If you check your Telegram you see everyone is so anti mainstream. Everyone is
looking for unknown artists that nobody’s ever heard of, but I don’t call the everyday musical events as mainstream
This is sad to see people have heard more Amon Amarth than Death and Andy James is more popular than Marty
Friedman. Or hardcore Camel fans don’t go beyond Rajaz and the song Stationary Traveller,or same thing about
Pink Floyd.Metallica is being punched from every side everday by those who cannot bear new different things
happening.They go hard on the album “Hard wired to self destruct” and the performance with Lady GaGa and stuff
like that. I have my own way,I’d rather be eating a fancy meal at some old routine restaurant than having a routine
meal at some new fancy place,I might test the new fancy place and go back to it every once in a while,but my first
choice would always be that one old restaurant.
8- If you could be a Disney character, who would you be ?
It’s the most interesting question! It’s so hard to choose cause I love them all… umm guess I’d like to be Goofy! He
has a cool character with weird adventures. He doesn’t live so logically. He also goes to beautiful places.
9- Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
I’ll be around ! trying to enjoy music more and getting better at it,with my big mind which is getting bigger
everyday.
interview by Aida Zarifian