NAMJOO

NOT BAD.......

who knows where the message of video originated from;But one thing for sure....AFTABEH is a genuine Iranian. (hope was not made in china !)  Maziar

Well then...

take your own advice, and if opinions are like bud holes, don't get pissed just b/c some person expressed theirs and it didn't match your level of so called avant-garde  music...Being inspired is very different from plagiarism and singing like a donkey to sell one's poems just to get rich.I don't need to name any one person or group,  what you listen to and what you find artistic is a reflection of who you are and your level of art appreciation, I don't need to educate you, if you have the thirst for it you will find a way to elevate your senses.A good place to start off the top of my head is watching the film: "nobody knows of Persian cats"

MISHI.MISHI

You sound way too opinionated about your knowledge of western, eastern music and art in general, and as they say opinions are like bud wholes, every body’s got one!

Referring to your comment about the many domestic Iranian

musician that are into fusion (why don’t you name a few of

these true originals and enlighten us?) have at one point been

influenced by other western musicians!

That’s how art is, artist are often inspired by other artists, all the

east, west classical fusion music, rock, Pop, jazz and rap that is

coming out of Iran has been inspired by western music, that

doesn’t make the copy cats. It is up to the audience to label

them as original or copy cats!

You are free to act like you are an authority in music and art

and what is original and not, but at the end opinions are like bud

wholes, every body’s got one ;)

FYI Namjo's style of music ORIGINATED in the west

He has no claim over it...high art appreciation is an acquired taste, something you need to cultivate, which is NOT easy... Namjoo's level of COPYING western ORIGINAL style & music  is so low-brow only those too naive who don't know much about the original one  would fall for it,  the same as  those who have an inferiority complex who think anything Iranian copied  from  the west is automatically new & original! Kind of like feeling "so now we have our version of so-and-so and so that makes us  modern Iranians! YAY! Now we feel better about ourself"!!! LOL!   FUSION MUSIC?!! Don't make me laugh! We have many many MANY  young talented Iranian groups and musicians who are making ORIGINAL music NOT even heard in the west...listen to some of them  for a change to elevate your taste..

DK, let's keep in mind.....

Let’s keep in mind that the only part of the video that relates to Namjoo  is his music and poetry  Direction & Script and creative story line for the video is  done by: Mostafa Heravi (don’t know who he is?) and his personal interpolation and expression of Namjoos work.

The video is an OK peace of art, I wouldn’t right home about it ;) And I do agree that if “the director” had done his historian and cultural researchPerhaps the end result could have been easier to digest.

If one is to be blamed for general lack of cinematic quality and respect, it is the director.

Perhaps Namjoo should have taken his time before signing his name off on the video.As an emerging and original Iranian artist, I like his bold style combined with his persona and poetry his music holds the pulse and feel of the new generation in Iran, he is an original, but I like him as I like a zillion other original artists from around the globe…

My original post was my natural response to  mimi.shishi series of negative and hateful comments while I was sipping my first cup of Joe in the morning….the negativity was a bit over kill and over opinioned! 

Khayer Pish

Not a Gladiator...

Not to be picky but this is some variation of a Roman outfit and a Trojan Helmet. I think the spear might even be Conquistador.

Attention to detail and a general lack of cinematic quality and respect that attempts to compete with the more important message of the Song.

Once again, ALL of this has been done before , in a better way, by better filmmakers.

Oh for the day when Iranian filmmakers stop trying to get away with stealing other people's ideas, and find a quiet spot (not LA), sit down, have some chaie (and Hendooneh?) and THINK ABOUT CREATING SOMETHING NEW FOR A CHANGE !!!!

PS Yet another Great song by Namjoo. The homage to the suicidal death-wish phenomenon of Tehran drivers as a sick way to feel merely alive is brilliantly done. Namjoo may well be able to one day fill the shoes of Queen Simin.

PERS66 if Trying to understand Namjoo is a crime ...

Then indeed I am a criminal ! ...

But then while waiting for Namjoo ( who to his credit is producing While Others Keep Dreaming, Promising and Not Producing ) to figure out a way of making me understand his "subtle" Metaphores inspired by European History which he clearly has no grasp of ...

I would like to humbly suggest to him to try and convey one or two accurate things about his own ancient land's history if he wishes to voice the struggle of his countrymen and women back home beyond the Green cloud that seems to blur his eyes from seeing what many fellow compatriots back home seem to be call for :

//iranian.com/main/blog/samsamiiii-22

While Waiting for Us IRANICANS to Get Our Acts Together

But maybe That is too much to ask the IRANICAN community in general !

Besides I said and will reiterate the fact that like the clip in itself from a purely creative perspective.

But I doubt that his goal was to be merely creative but try and convey a message.

Well that message seems to me very misleading. Not because he had malicious intentions but merely because he was too lazy to do his homework on European and Persian History.

Before Launching himself into making such an Ambitious Statement and use of an misleading title he should have consulted some historians with a minimum of knowledge.

Even a Former Monty Python for that matter seems to know more on Iran and the Romans than Maestro Namjoo ...

A Monty Python Visits Persia by Darius KADIVAR

Please ask Your Maestro to forgive us Poor Mortal Ignorants !

Particularly those EURONICANS of the French Kind ! 

Halah maro bebaskheed !

Dorough Chera

Ta Gabre ... Ah, Ah, Ah, Ah  

Nicely done!

A well-executed production (except for the Gladiator's Aldo sandals). In brief, imaginative, surrealistic and daring...my cup of tea.

I am totally lost, HELP!

Total BS!

I agree w/Souri. I do not see any art, music, or poetry in this either. What happens to some of our talented people?

I don't want him singing

He is making his art (i.e Poetry) more accessible so he can SELL more and get rich quick....he also works hard at being controversial for the very same reason, (i.e. it won't surprise me if he would go naked himself in his next video! ) he is a SMART and shrewd businessman in branding himself and selling it to  those among us with inferiority complex  as the Iranian post modern Bob Dylan!!  There is no originality about him, and his voice is ghastly... his poetry is nice however and I think he should save himself from all this disgrace and remain a poet, it's what he does best. I don't want him singing, anymore than I would want Sohrab Sepehri or Moshiri singing.... b/c of the simple fact that the man can't sing!! ( Not to say his poetry is anything  remotely close to the former two poets, but Namjoo's poetry is his strong suit. His voice/music clearly not!)

To those who comment that Namjoo is a poet who sold his soul

Even though in some of his songs, Namjoo screams; which I don't enjoy, but Namjoo's voice is not bad and he has many good songs,  By singing rather than just writing poetry, Namjoo is making his art accessible to more people.  Also, we can not dictate to an artist what form of art they should choose.  That is up to the artist. 

عموجان

I think sirish was used, then again chasb oho does wonders! :)

namjoo

hamid @ houston

We all have our weak moments. Namjoo is no exception. 

For now, his film making licence is revoked. 

khomaini is rolling in his grave, Is that skin

Is this the generation who were born under his watch? Namjoo is great same as the video considering it was produced out side Iran for Iranian and i see some of Namjoo way of thinking in the video. I am glad Aftabeh is plastic, if it was metal (like old times) man that would hurt:(:( any way how did they make it stand up like that?

mimi.shishi, Hisiri. K…

Man you are so full of hate, hasoodi and negativity, you put all this negative energy into writing 3 or more posts on the subject! Disgusting energy you have, I seem like your field of perception is as narrow as the aftaabe mussel.

If you don’t like the westernization of art and east west fusion jump back on your donkey and head back to solooghoon…no need to infect the rest of us with your negative crap.

And what the hell is TRUE art?

You made your point; you don’t like Namjoo, so now  jump back on that donkey and move on.

Khayer Pish

It was better

If Namjo would compare Iranians with their own cultural figures like Babak khoramdin, Apranik, Artemesia, Ariobarzan and many more who stood against their nation's enemies and occupiers.

I think it is Great

Even the low budget Video.   The naked guy, represents the Iranian youth who has nothing but to look at the distant free world through a telescope and an aftabeh to preserve Shoonat Eslami.   As some of you know, IR uses aftabeh as symbol to disgrace our youth.  

Dear mimi.shishi

I hope you realize that I was trying to be sarcastic.

I agree with many things that you say. But I don't go as far as ruling out Namjoo likes. At least he's original of some sort.

Just compare his art with the horde of Tehrangelesi "artists."

MORE FART THAN ART REALLY...

PIONEER?!! Of what really? he is the pioneer of bringing the verb 'reedan' for the first time in an Iranian song?!!My hats off to Namjoo, what a great accomplishment! Pinoeer of horrible screams he is for sure...and pioneer for those who fall into his trap to fame and fortune, those who think positive nodding to absurd confusion makes them post modern!! If Namjoo was American he would have been laughed at for sure! Unfortunately some of us Iranians have a cultural inferiority complex and  think whatever has western influences is more valuable, no matter how poorly it has been adapted from the west...failing to realize that having been copied from the west, it lacks any credebility or originality required for TRUE art.

Wow!

A watermelon can be cut in many different ways. That's the message of this video. I'm not sure about the message of the song.

Mohsen Namjoo is a pioneer. I think I heard the verb "reedan" in this song among many words that we thought should not be uttered in public and in mixed company.

Mohsen Namjoo has changed our perception. We can disrobe a veiled woman to show underneath she has no clothes but a watermelon (Was that the message? I'm not sure). I wonder how our veiled sisters would feel about this not so new but exciting concept? But what the heck, they can go to... They are in the pastoo anyway and their oppressors would not let them watch such videos.

This is art pure and simple! I hope we will see more Iranian artists start to disrobe and why not? Who doesn't want to look at beautiful naked bodies?

It might actually help the sales too!

Slight confusion between Gladiators & Basijees Praetorian Guards

If There is a parrallel Drawn between Gladiators and Basijees it only proves some lack of knowledge.

Gladiators Were Slaves ( therefore themselves victims) so to assimilate them to oppressors like the Bassijees is a distortion.

Spartacus :

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5W8NpyYI0M 

It would have been more subtle to assimilate the Bassijees to the Roman Pretorian Guards ( An Elite aimed at Protecting the Emperor like our Immortal guards):

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffmvdEKIyZM

but then No need for me to add that comparing the Bassijees to the Persian Immortal Guards would be an insult to the memory of those brave Men slaughtered by those in Power today:

//iranian.com/main/blog/darius-kadivar/javidan-shahs-imperial-guard-dies-during-attack-khomeini-guerillas-1979

But well Your Know ... IRANICANS confuse Alot of things due to lack of Knowledge, Historical feedback or lack of clear Political Insight ...

You know the saying :

When in Rome do as Romans Do !

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHS7EyzszeU

So I won't Ask nor demand Too Much from the IRANICAN Mindeset!

LOL

Good attempt anyways. Will do better next time !

In the meantime Well Like Farrokhzad all I can say is :

Hamrazmanam :

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_R6bY--BGc

Sarbaz -

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTdb1qtYKTc

VIVE LA RESTORATION !

NAMJOO IS NO GENIUS BUT A SMART MAN...

and the reason is: he always collaborates with other 'quality' people, be it as a guest ( Golshifteh) or using video artists to make his shrieks more endurable to sensitive ears! :) The weak artist always needs crutches.

I have yet to see a really horrible ( in quality ) video of him, but he has plenty of low quality music and psychotic  shrieks under his belt...

 For the sake of humanity ( and our ears) I hope he gets rich fast so he'll  relax, sit down and write his poetry like  all poets should...but I bet even then he'll find some other controversy/propaganda to keep the money coming...he's the poet who sold his soul..

I like Namjoo

The video is OK.

Poor Mohsen Namjoo

Hijacking his music for crappy art like this.

NO FAN OF NAMJOO BUT THE VIDEO WAS BRILLIANT!

I hate Namjoo, his voice & his brand of music. To me he is an attention seeking fad-musician who grabs any controversy following the rule: "Any publicity, is good publicity", I think he is a good poet though if he would only spare humanity from his horrible voice and just  write his poems in silence...but since he wants to get rich fast, and poems don't sell, we have to endure his piercing screams.. May Simon Cowell help us all!

The video was brilliant though, two thumbs up...thought to decode some of the elements for you:

Gladiators: basijis with their anti-riot garb which resembled gladiators from the movie 300.

Gladiator charging at the naked man: symbol for rape.

Naked man with telescope: Iranian intellectuals.

Watermelon: Symbol for Yalda, the longest night of the year, pointing at the current state of Iran, going through it's darkest night.

Naked woman: Symbol for Iranian women and Iran itself.

 Aftabeh hanging on the guy's loin: forbidden sexuality

those in SF Bay Area, catch this!

I just found this from Stanford Lively Arts in my email box:

 Mohsen Namjoo

April 10, 7pm at Cubberley Auditorium, Stanford, CA  Price: $60 (Student and Senior Rates Available)

Visiting Fellow for the Hamid & Christina Moghadam Program in Iranian Studies and the Music Department 

See you there! 

You're welcome, yolanda

Embarrassed with me? You should never be. Whenever you felt more at  ease, just ask me. I promise I'll be honest, polite, and will try to be authentic. 

is that Golshifteh doing background vocals?

Nice song, beautiful girl in video.. however I'm confused about the message it's supposed to convey.

.....

Thank you,  میرزاقلندر ,

   I have a feeling I may be too embarrassed to ask about the "red" thing...

I agree with you the green is popular!

Thank you!