Scotland's Dark Angels take over Williamsburg, Brooklyn along with a little Nowegian Wood

It was an amazing weekend: back to back, balls to the wall rock n' roll with 3 of the finest bands out there right now. On Saturday night at the Music Hall of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, I saw Scotland's latest and greatest import, Glasvegas, with Sweedish popstress Ida Marina as the opening act. On Sunday, it was Primal Scream. God save the Scream! They were just awesome. I've never been to a louder show! My ears are still ringing from that shit!

Opening for Glasvegas was Ida Maria. I have never been to a show where the opening band had such a command of the audience with great songs and riveting showmanship. She came on with nothing and everything to prove, forcing the audience to take notice and no sooner having everyone cheering her on and singing lyrics like, "I like you so much better when you're naked, I like me so much better when you're naked!" It was like Bjork fronting the Pretenders. The songs had this jittery energy with strong, quirky melodies, beautiful pop hooks and great tribal rhythms. She's been making waves recently and the whole band was incredibly tight keeping up with the pace of their disheveled and charismatic frontwoman. And she plays a Strat, which is pretty badass! Here's a clip courtesy of our lovely Grace:



Next up was the band I was just dying to see: Glasvegas. They're just so fucking cool! What else can be said? Their sound is borrowed from the past but also unmistakably from the future. They came on like a biker gang from the 50's, all clad in black, with pompadour flare. Lead singer Jim Allen is a dead ringer for Joe Strummer, and his gigantic voice is earnest, passionate, and vulnerable all at once. Their drummer, Caroline McKay, is straight out the Velvet Underground/Jesus And Mary Chain handbook. She plays two drums and two symbols standing up. You would be amazed at how loud and yet so intimate this can be. Lead guitarist and also the lead singer's cousin, Rab Allen, provided incredible fuzzed out melodic atmospherics while losing himself with bassist Paul Donoghue, the skinniest of the bunch, but you just know he is that guy you wouldn't want to mess with cause he would come at you like a bad surprise and kick your head in. The highlights were "Geraldine", "Flowers & Football Tops", "Go Square Go", and of course "Daddy's Gone." This tune was the last of the evening and the band stopped for a second to hear the house chanting in unision "He's gone, He's gone, He's gone, He Go-On, OH-OH-WO-OAHHH!" Just brilliant. Here's a clip of Glasvegas opening with my favorite, "Geraldine," courtesy of Grace once again. Notice the two douchebags in the front fighting. Jim Allen comes out and kicks them apart and motions to the bouncer to yank the long haired hippie who started it. KILL ALL HIPPIES!!!




And that brings me to the weekend closer with a killer set by Primal Scream. Also from Scotland, but these guys don't cross the pond that often because its tough for them to attain a visa, apparently due to their drug-related issues of old. I felt lucky enough to catch them this time around and it was just pure class, pure badass, and man was it loud! I've never been to a louder show! They came on with that Stonesy swagger. Lead singer Bobby Gillespie (who was the standing drummer for the Jesus & Marie Chain back in the day) had that waifish Mick jagger vibe with a Dylanesque snarl, clapping the audience into tribal submission. He cared, but knew he didn't have to and could care less about who thought what, as long as the music was sounding alright, which of course it was. Bassist Mani, originally of that "seminal pop group" from Manchester, England, the Stone Roses, was pumped, constantly going up to the audience and inviting them to join the party. Touring guitarist Barrie Cardigan was just pure Kieth Richards, circa 1970's Rolling Stones during Sticky Fingers or Exile On Mainstreet (Two of my favorite records of all time by the way). But the real beast was guitarist Andrew Innes. I was stage left where he was playing and it was just atrociously loud!!! I was thinking afterward, when I could still hear his fuzzed out tones ringing in my ears, that he probably has to play that loud cause even he must be close to deaf. I wanted to tell the sound man to turn his ass down! But the boy can play. He was just awesome, despite making everyone's ears bleed. Drummer Darren Mooney was tight as hell keeping up with the dance rhythms and samples while keyboardist Martin Duffy was chillin' behind Andrew Innes. All you could see of Martin Duffy was his fedora creepin' out behind the wall of sound that could only be Primal Scream. They played the best songs from another one of my all time favorite records, the politically charged "XTRMNTR." They opened the show with "Kill All Hippies." They did rousing versions of "Shoot Speed, Kill Light," "Accelerator," "Country Girl," "Rocks," and of course "Movin' On Up." Primal MotherF'ing Scream everybody:






Peace,

Din

Drumming Bollywood in Morocco

Here is some video from last week of a drum workshop I did with the awesome kids at the Dar Lekbira Association. Many of the kids at Dar Lekbira were street children and some are orphans. No matter where you go, be it in India, Brooklyn, or Africa, one thing is for sure, music makes the world go around. Enjoy the vid. More to come from Morocco. My music arts initiative is going well, but the 5 hours of Arabic a day is kicking my ass. I miss NYC too. Miss playing with the band, but I am excited to hear how well our new album is coming along and I am aching to play BAM in June.

HERE IS VID OF DRUM WORKSHOP:

HERE IS VID OF WALKING THROUGH OLD CITY OF RABAT:



To read more about whats going down in Morocco or to see more vids check out my blog: http://dangerville.wordpress.com/
Pics from Morocco here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/talesfrommaroc/


Your Kid
Mo

zerobridge featured in The Indypendent

The Indypendent has just featured an article on us last week. Stephen Nessen was the reporter and a very cool guy with a keen interest on South Asia, especially with the Kashmir issue. Mo had been talking with him last fall and invited him out to our show the last time we played at the defunct Club Rehab (sad. very few rock clubs left in Manhattan.). After the show I remember talking with him for a while and I saw him again at the Kashmir panel discussion Mo organized at NYU late last year. The article turned out pretty well but there are of course some corrections and shout outs I have to note:

1) E-C-K-E-L-M-A-N!!!! Greg Eckelman has been and is our esteemed bass player, colleague, and road dog since we started taking the stage in NYC back in '04. We would be in serious trouble without him. Paolo Arao has just joined us on keys. Jay Barclay has lent us his guitar hero virtuosity (and I'm not talking about the video game!) since 2007.

2) Mo's very impressive and emotionally charged photo documentary was done in the Spring of 2003 , a year and a half or so after our trip in December 2001 that inspired many of the songs off our first record. I was working on the album in NYC while our kid was doing his thing in Srinagar.

3)Anayatuallah Bhatt was the name of the Kashmiri musician, son of a local baker, who was shot and killed by Indian Security forces outside his home. He was 26 years old and is survived by his mother, father, younger brother and sister. We were in Kashmir again during the summer of 2006 and protests were going on over Anayatuallah's death. I had read the article and immediately asked that my brother and I visit the family and get their story. To this day there has been no inquiry about the incident or against the Indian army who carried out such a heinous act with impunity. In January of 2007, two weeks after my brother and I got back from Mecca for Hajj, we organized a benefit concert with a bunch of NYC bands that we knew. It was a great success and we played to a packed house. All the proceeds went to the non-profit, CHINAR, in Anayatullah Bhatt's name.

Despite those points, it's a fine article that represents us very well and pretty accurately. We're totally psyched to be in the Indypendent! If you get a second let us know what you think.

Peace.

Din

Phil Spector, when not in court, is taking the time to sell our EP on Ebay!!!

Well, not exactly. Turns out someone is auctioning off our 2007 EP, "Havre de Grace" on Ebay. He's a top seller who goes by the name of PSpector. Don't know whether to be flattered or a little annoyed. Bidding starts at $8.99! We were selling it for $5 at our shows before we....uh... started giving them away for free. You can get it for the same price on iTunes. This Pspector character is making more money than us off our own record! Oh well, Whaddaya gonna do? Happy Bidding!


Din

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Wow. The new single from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs new record, It's Blitz, is pretty incredible in my opinion. Karen O is just awesome. Check out the video here.


Din

Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) making pop music again!!!

Yusuf Islam, better known as Cat Stevens, is getting back to what he does best, writing good pop music! I wasn't too keen on 2006's 'An Other Cup' but a new record is already on it's way called 'Roadsinger (To Warm You Through The Night)'. "I was absent from my audience for so long, people thought another album would never come," said Yusuf of the new record. " The 2006 album was a surprise. With this new album, the distance is much less. I'm back to doing what I do best – painting pictures with music and storytelling on a very human, positive, intuitive level through lyrics and song, so I can help people feel good again."

On a personal level, growing up as a Muslim and being into rock n' roll or just music in general always seemed to pose a problem in the community. It was confusing to say the least to find a talent, love and passion so innately part of my being and have the religious figures, community, and overall culture frown upon it, using every absurd excuse to put it down. Artists in general were never given and still don't get their due respect in the Muslim community, although there are signs now that hint of that narrow minded attitude may be changing. It's a huge issue that needs more attention and a bigger discussion but Muslims may finally be getting it. Especially in the times we live in presently, art and music are major players in bridging the gap between Western and Islamic cultures, caused by so much misunderstanding and ignorance. Music is truly a gift and universal language irregardless of race, religion or creed.

For me there was no role model or public face to relate to. When I discovered Cat Stevens, even though as a kid he seemed a bit too folky, it was still cool to know that here was a Muslim who was at one time considered to be one of the great rock n' roll songwriters, up there with Dylan or the Beatles. When I heard that he stopped playing, I resented him. Sure it might have been snot nosed and arrogant, but for a 15 year old kid who loved music so much to the point of pursuing it as a career (God forbid!) and was equally proud of his religious heritage, hearing that the one person I could relate to on that level had stopped making music because of our religion was disheartening. As I matured and grew into my own as a songwriter, I rediscovered his music and found a new respect for his work as an artist, as a humanitarian and as a Muslim. Who knows if his new work can match up to his classics. From the sound of it he's going back to his roots and that's a good sign. I'm just so glad he's pickin' up the guitar and singin' songs again! He's still got the goods as far as I'm concerned. Check out his recent performance of the classic "Peace Train" on Jools Holland.

Alhamdulillah.

Din

P.S. At 2:51 I think Johnny Borell of Razorlight was quaking in his boots! But they suck anyways.

The Kids in Morocco Dig Zerobridge

Here is a photo of a boy dancing to Zerobridge at a center for orphans and street children in Kenitra, Morocco called Dar Lekbira. The kids are brilliant and strong, despite having suffered immense abuse and exploitation. The staff are equally inspiring. Check out darlekbira.org. 

P.S.

They dig on 'Nazr' off of the E.P, 'Basement Tapes'. 

Cheers from Morocco,

Mohsin

God Bless John Stewart!!!

On Thursday March 12, John Stewart interviewed CNBC analyst and host of Fast Money, Jim Cramer, on The Daily Show after a week long media feud between the two tv personalities. Stewart rips Jim Cramer and the rest of CNBC to shreds for being disingenuous about their reporting of the financial market and being part of the shenanigans perpetrated by Wall Street that has fucked up our economy. Now I am no financial expert in the least, but I know a snake in the grass when I see one! Stewart was visibly pissed and emotional. Cramer got served big time and was at a loss for words for once, unable to shake off Stewart's attack. Check it out for yourself here.


Din

Ahhh... New York

On the way home the other night, I witnessed a total Seinfeld moment live on the street. Two cars were competing for the same parking spot. One was backing in while the other was trying to pull in from behind, just like that old Seinfeld episode. People surrounded them and even the cops on horses showed up. When a passerby laughingly asked the cop to do something he said, “Let ‘em beat the shit out of each other!” It was the guy pulling in from behind that eventually won out, which I disagreed with but I wasn’t about to tell him that. That dude was on roids or something, cause at one point he even got out of the car and threatened to break the other guys neck. You gotta love NYC.

Din

Lessons with Lady GaGa’s vocal teacher

Last night I scheduled singing lessons with prominent vocal coach, Gordon Grody. He’s taught Alicia Keys, and has recently been training Lady GaGa over the last year and a half. Not that I plan on turning into Din the Diva or singing like those two lovely ladies but it’s still pretty cool. He’s also sung with John Lennon & Yoko Ono, David Bowie, Blondie, The Talking Heads, and countless others. I guess Gordan will be another degree of separation for us from the Thin White Duke and Lennon after Earl Slick. My first lesson is next week so we’ll see how it goes.

Recording vocals for these sessions has been a pretty grueling experience so far. It wasn’t a case of not singing well or not hitting the right notes, but more about being under the microscope and trying to sing differently and avoiding bad habits that detract from the tune. Being in the isolation booth for 2 1/2 hours or so, trying to get just 2 lines right just totally sucked. But also the really cool thing is that I’m learning how to sing better and can feel and hear the difference. We sent him an mp3 of How Long and he loved it! Surprisingly he said the vocal was already strong and almost there. He’s basically going to teach me how to sing my own song better. So it’s pretty exciting and hopefully I’ll get to realize the possibilities of what my voice can really do.



Din

Oh yeah......

E-C-K-E-L-M-A-N!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Out of Place, Out of Time

So this is the start of something new. zerobridge has finally joined the the ranks of cyber hipsters and every other band on the planet. Today is the start our new official blog, "No Epiphany." For all you trainspotters, you know where that title stems from, and give us about 10 Grand and we might even break that number out for you in our next set...or not. So we're back in the studio, recording our new record and it's sounding fantastic. We recorded basic tracks at the famed Power Station in Connecticut, just before Mohsin left for Morocco in early January. Now, just when the weather is getting nicer, we're huddled up in a studio in engineer Jon D'uva's Brooklyn apartment doing vocals, overdubs, and fine tuning everything. His lovely cat, Muck Muck gives us the much needed TLC throughout our days of hard work. We have a new official member, Paolo Arao, who plays keyboards for us. Jay Barclay is lending his guitar hero shenanigans as well. The result is something majestic, unique, poptastic and just pure rock n' roll. The album will be more or less a diary of zerobridge in our 5 years as a band hustling it out in New York City, the greatest and toughest city of them all. The goal is simple: to be the toppermost of the poppermost and make Coldplay, the Killers and the Kings of Leon think twice about their day jobs. We will keep you posted on the daily happenings of zerobridge from NYC to Morocco and beyond....

Tracks I love right now:

U2- "Magnificent"

Glasvegas- "Geraldine"

The Gaslight Anthem- "59 Sound"

Honorable Mention-

John Lennon- "Mindgames"

The Cult- "She Sells Sanctuary"

Peace,
Din