Being in a Ramadan state of mind - or as close as I can get, I found myself listening to some old Arabic classics (that have nothing to do with Ramadan, but you get the idea) like Oum Kolthoum and some really old قصائد by Fairuz. I found it incredible that Fairuz - who is Christian - sang an entire song dedicated to Mecca غنّيت مكة composed by the Rahbani Brothers, also Christians. I guess those were more enlightened times back when this beautiful song was recorded. My mother tells me Fairuz performed it live on her first ever concert in Kuwait in 1964, and that KTV has a live recording in its archives. Can you honestly see Christians performing a similar song today without some Islamist fundamentalist asshole calling for their death? Is that why KTV doesn't play it at all?
Back to more "secular" music, I really like this cocky new band, Kasabian, from England. They're great fun and when I saw them interviewed on TV, their attitude reminded me of Oasis. So hurry and get them before they self-destruct as well!
Also great fun is Razorlight; a less arty version of Franz Ferdinand (who I'm slowly starting to like too)
check kuwaittimes, they call your blog negative.
ReplyDeleteAgool Purg shaklik mustanis, mo msaddig illa tanshir el 5abar ;)
ReplyDeleteI have to tell him, although am sure he knows. Besides, his blog is not that negative.
ReplyDeleteActually I didn't know, because Kuwait Times is not on my reading list. I sometimes forget it exists!
ReplyDeleteAnd really, do you think I care what that rag has to say? As far as they're concerned, anyone who doesn't sing the praises of the government is "negative".
Besides, bad publicity is better than no publicity
Well check the part where he says that Kuwaities are rich and have computers and internet connection.
ReplyDeletearticle
OK I couldn't resist the temptation. I read the article and it wasn't Kuwait Times that called me negative, it was....... (drumroll) RAMPURPLE!!
ReplyDeleteI'll give her the benefit of the doubt and assume that she was interviewed when tempers got out of control over the whole Lebanon issue last month.
But hey, it makes a great subject for my next post!
hmm, well yeah that is true, I think it was at that time. I read it too quick, I do not like long posts as you know.
ReplyDeleteI am sure there are other parts that would be interesting to post about.
Hey, on the bright side, NOBODY reads Kuwait Times. The only half decent english paper here is the Daily Star, and mostly because it comes with the Herald Tribune, which is an excellent read!
ReplyDeleteUr post is not negative, its real, keep it up!
To anyone who thinks ur being negative about Kuwait, consider this......Fairouz, with all her history and respect worldwide, decided against singing in Kuwait a couple of years ago to avoid the Islamists and their issues, which was a big deal that year!! So we missed a chance for real art because of those backward so called Islamists animals running the country! Fairouz's toenail is worth 1000 times all of them combined!
Zaydoun is not negative, its just a sad time we live in.....and we cant turn a blind eye and live in lala land!
It was not during the Lebanese post.
ReplyDeleteI actually told the reporter a lot more essential points and am disappointed she only highlighted this point which is a matter of opinion. I do find that you criticize a lot. Sure criticising is good but you always make Kuwait sound like it is unbearable... while I don't believe it is. My opinion... and nothing to it. Enjoy your next post.
Q. When was this? Last time she performed here was April 2001 at the depressing skating rink. It was a great show nonetheless!
ReplyDeleteRampurple, that's exactly what I tell my Lebanese friends in Beirut when they won't stop complaining about life there...
ReplyDeleteI think it was 2002, the year following her show when everyone accused her of lip syncing (sp?)
ReplyDeleteZaydoun, your point??
ReplyDeleteBy the way... as for the Rahbani brothers they would still sing songs about Mecca, just like they did about Jerusalem. It has nothing to do with religion. Rahbani brothers believe in art and uniting all arabs through art. They are enlightened people ... in a timeless world.