With the Taliban’s disagreeable view extended to all musicians alike and the group known for beheading performers and banning music during their rule in Afghanistan (1996-2001), it’s no wonder that an invitation to perform at the second ‘Sound Central Asia’ festival in Kabul this month might have had bands hesitating to accept – but the [...]

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Lankan rock in Kabul

Gearing for the release of their first album Sri Lankan metal band Paranoid Earthling performed at the Sound Central Asia festival in Afghanistan
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With the Taliban’s disagreeable view extended to all musicians alike and the group known for beheading performers and banning music during their rule in Afghanistan (1996-2001), it’s no wonder that an invitation to perform at the second ‘Sound Central Asia’ festival in Kabul this month might have had bands hesitating to accept – but the guys from Paranoid Earthling weren’t too worried. “We knew it was a risk but we’ve taken risks before,” says Mirshad Buckman, lyricist, vocalist and guitarist for the band.

The gamble paid off – the festival was a success, not least says Asela Bandara, Paranoid Earthling’s bassist, because it featured the likes of Rameeka and Sasoun – Afghanistan’s first ever female rap artists.“Girls are really pushing it out there,” adds Mirshad, approvingly. Organised by an Australian named Travis Beard, Sound Central is about giving local Afghan audiences a chance to explore alternate culture – it featured not just live bands covering the spectrum from Hip Hop to Heavy Metal, but artists, DJs and filmmakers as well. Asela says that the two stages set up at the venue drew an estimated 1,500 people over three days – a good number for such an event in Kabul. “They never thought they’d have a crowd like that when they started,” he says of the Afghan bands that performed.

For musicians there, events like these promise a renaissance and an opening up of Kabul to the world. “If you take Sri Lanka 12-13 years back, that’s what the rock industry there is now,” says Mirshad, “the music is raw, the ideas are new, so people go crazy.” Some of the musicians they had performed alongside had received death threats and were the focus of intimidation from religious fundamentalists, but had kept playing and performing anyway. “It’s a risk they take – there you can get killed doing what you do.”

Paranoid Earthling was actually invited to play last year, but hitches in their travel plans prevented them from going. This year, they stopped by Delhi before ending up in Kabul for the festival. Between year one and year two, Sound Central’s organisers seemed to have gained a little more confidence. The first time around, you could only get in on an invitation but this time, the event was thrown open to the public. The city was plastered with posters – none of which named the venue. That was only released the day before as a security measure.

Kabul itself was dry and dusty, and the band says they got a kick out of checking out the infamous ‘Poppy Palaces’, mansions built with drug money that seem ridiculously over the top and out of place. Constant fluctuation in the electricity supply meant equipment was always vulnerable, but such logistical issues aside, they enjoyed seeing something of the country in the week they spent there. “The people are very nice, but it’s a very suppressed society,” says Mirshad, adding, half seriously, “You might think Kandy is conservative but it’s much better here.”

This year has been a busy one for Paranoid Earthling, particularly because they’ve been building up to the release of their first full length album. “Fans know what’s coming,” they promise, saying they’re working on recording the 15 odd tracks they’ve written over the last decade of performing. One of the few bands still boasting their original line up, the group says they’ve evolved together. They’ve been encouraged by their growing number of fans, many of whom come from outside the big cities. The metal community in Sri Lanka is now very active online, says Mirshad, explaining that that’s where the action is. Fans now turn up in buses from places like Kurunegala and Matara to attend a concert – “it’s just beautiful,” says Mirshad. Find Paranoid Earthling online at http://paranoidearthling.com/




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