Posted on 08/04/2007 5:21:41 PM PDT by freedom44
Iranian police arrested 230 people in a raid on an underground rock concert close to Tehran, amid a growing crackdown on behaviour deemed contrary to Islamic law.
Large quantities of recording equipment, alcohol, bootleg CDs, revealing female clothing and drugs were seized at the concert in the city of Karaj just west of the capital, in Tehran province.
"Two hundred and thirty people were identified and arrested in a 'rock party' in the Mohammadshahr district of Karaj," Ali Farhadi, the prosecutor for Karaj, said, according to the website of state broadcasting.
"An investigation is in progress and soon a verdict will be issued for the main elements of the satan-worshipping instigators and all these people will be punished."
He said that people from Britain and Sweden were among those arrested, without giving further details.
Rock groups in Iran are only allowed to perform with a licence from the ministry of culture, although this has not prevented numbers of underground formations sprouting up in recent years.
Iran is currently in the midst of one of its tightest moral crackdowns in years, which has already seen thousands of women warned by the police for dressing that is deemed to be un-Islamic.
Women must cover their heads and all bodily contours in Iran while the consumption of alcohol and mixed-sex parties are strictly illegal.
Police have recently also been targeting men whose dress is deemed "satanic" or overly Westernised.
Over 110 of the participants in the "rock party" have been transferred to the local Rajaieshahr prison while the others are in custody at the judiciary after being allowed bail, Mr Farhadi said.
He said that the young participants in the concert, mostly from well-off backgrounds, had responded to an invitation published on the Internet.
"Special cards had been distributed to the participants so they could gain entry. Nobody could enter without a such a permit."
The last thing the world needs is Rock. It’s hideous and evil. There’s plenty of real music we could flood Iran with.
Name a few of these "real" musicians, please. I'm trying to get a handle on what angle of our culture you're coming from.
Secondarily, do you think they would be accepted by Iranian youth, or Iranians in general?
True. But Rock music is very destructive. Probably surpassed only by Rap “music’.
Rap isn't music. At best, some of it is street poetry over a drum machine. Most of it is unlistenable violent drek. But with a sufficiently powerful low-end amp (such as in the cars that have outrageous stereos), it might indeed be destructive.
Hahahha! Yeah, then he took a potty break on the wall of Imanutjob's house ;)
Rock and Roll will save your soul!!
Do you mean hard rock, or that easy listening crap that passes for rock? If we sent Motorhead out there, they’d crap their pants and surrender. I consider them metal, and I like metal. Good music to scrub walls and windows to ;-)
George Olsen. Paul Whiteman. Ben Pollack. Jesse Stafford. Gus Arnheim. B.A. Rolfe.
I guess when the government said it encourages getting stoned, this wasn’t what they meant.
LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ray Parker song!
they are a little behind the times...we thought Rock was satanic and our downfall in the 50’s ...ha/.
Yeah, let's all play classical music coming out of those phonographs.
Rock will wound Iran. Hip-hop and Rap will kill it.
Instead of bombing them, we should flood their airwaves with MTV.
If they were dancing to Trixter, then it was a perfectly legitimate use of state power.
But you have to admit Elvis wiggling his hips drove the parents overboard.
” revealing female clothing “
No doubt one saucy lass had on one of those burkas that allows her face to be seen.
“The last thing the world needs is Rock. Its hideous and evil. Theres plenty of real music we could flood Iran with.”
Wow! My grandpa has come back from the dad and found me online!
>> Name a few of these "real" musicians, please. I'm trying to get a handle on what angle of our culture you're coming from. Secondarily, do you think they would be accepted by Iranian youth, or Iranians in general?
> George Olsen. Paul Whiteman. Ben Pollack. Jesse Stafford. Gus Arnheim. B.A. Rolfe.
Ah, so. Excellent and worthy artists all. Their heydays were mostly before my own time (I was born in the early 50's). The King of Jazz, the King of Swing,... you have invoked some very powerful names there.
Unfortunately, I don't think the music those titans created will hold the same power to revolutionize the youth of Iran, as the more catchy rhythms of modern rock-n-roll. But I appreciate your response, and I understand and respect where you're coming from. Thanks.
Lots of folks say that about yer sister, too.
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