Many people claim to live for music, but how many of them would be ready to die for it? Well, that I am aware of, at least four.
Acrassicauda, four metal heads from Baghdad, touched hearts of many yesterday at the Amnesty International Action Centre in London. In the documentary "Heavy Metal in Baghdad", by Eddy Moretti, the Iraqi heavy metal band shared the most intimate details of their passionate love for what they do best : heavy metal!
Victimised by the war and having nowhere to go, Acrassicauda bring the viewers on an epic five-year journey, along with their struggles to be the only heavy metal band in the war-torn country.
All Firas, Tony, Marwan and Faisal dream of is to become "like one of our heroes". In their rehearsal room, posters of Metallica and Slayer are hanging from the walls, just like in any other house around the world where a metal head lies.
The difference? They have no freedom.
No freedom to grow long hair. No freedom to play loud music. No freedom to play a gig without going through passports check, equipment check, curfew (at 7pm) and being obliged to dedicate songs to "their" leader (Saddam Hussein) – with the only alternative being either not playing the gig or going to jail.
Acrassicauda lyrics are speaking the truth in which these four musicians – and hundreds of other Iraqis – truly believe in : "They want the war and you want peace". Firas, bass player in Acrassicauda, explains how hard it is to live behind the disengaged attention of global media, fake propaganda and politics. In this world, where there is no hope for him to see a future with music, he feels "hopeless. Firas adds : "I'm ready to die".
Reporter Gideon Yego, who firstly encountered the band when covering a different story for MTV, is shown in the video living and following the band for a few days a year, around Baghdad and Damasco (Syria).
His first reaction about being a metal head in Baghdad is captured on video : fear! "You are an instant target," he says, while travelling with an escort of up to 12 shooters.
Firas and his band mates are best friends. They share something beyond special. Their bond is real, strong and unique. Nonetheless, they haven't seen one another for as long as 12 months.
I don't know about you, but I could never think about not listening to the voice of my friends for longer than a couple of weeks. I would go crazy!
Acrassicauda played six shows in five years. The first one in 2002, the 4th one in 2003 – before the war. During the documentary the viewers will hear many shocking events and witness to many outrageous facts.
One of this for me was the recounting of Acrassicuda gig, back in 2003, when they recall being kicked out after three songs into their set because someone was HEADBANGING. I mean, can you imagine heavy metal being played in your local pub and being kicked out because of head-banging? It's just an innocent way to show our appreciation for heavy metal music. And these guys are not even allowed to do that.
"Where is the freedom?"
At the end of July 2006 their practise space was bombed. A civilian building was bombed : "It was all we had" said tearfully Acrassicauda, like in an encore.
While they share their sad truth with journalist Yego, sitting in a park, somewhere in Baghdad, you can so clearly hear mortar shells fire in the background, but still Acrassicuda went out from their safer homes, down in the streets of Baghdad in - yet another - attempt to talk loud and clear to the world about their story : true and genuine passion for heavy metal music.
"We have to deal with death and fear everyday"
Towards the end of 2006, the band became Rock 'n' roll refugees in Damasco.
The problem? There is no metal in Damasco. No space for Iraqi refugees, who are also living with a aching awareness of having left their families back in Iraq, a land devastated by war, fear and death.
Acrassicuda are, unfortunately, portrayed also while facing the same problems as other 1.7mil displaced Iraqis who have sought refugee asylum in Syria. No jobs, no houses, no money, no health cover. "In Baghdad you are zero, here you are less"
"Is it a crime (that) I'm Iraqi?" asks a 19-year old pupil of Tony, lead guitar in Acrassicauda.
MORE TO COME [ SORRY EVERYBODY BUT I HAVE TO FINISH THIS POST AT SOME OTHER TIME.. PROBABLY TOMORROW!]