War, Death, Rock Music, and Afghanistan
The word “war” is always on people’s lips these days. For me, who had always assumed that I lived in peace, wars had never seemed so close to me. However, a voice also reminds me, “wars are happening all the time in corners of the world, unnoticed by people as fortunate as you.”
To connect rock music with war, besides the collapse of the Soviet Union, I have to mention Afghanistan.
Until the fall of the Taliban in 2001, no one could imagine a music festival in Afghanistan. Screaming, clapping, metal salutes, sweat... It would be hard to believe that this rock show, like the rest of the world, took place in Afghanistan’s capital, Kabul, were it not for the headscarves the girls wore as a reminder of their faith.
Women at the Sound Central Festical in May 2013. (UNAMA News)
In 2013, during Kabul’s Sound Central Festivals, more than 500 women gathered for a women-only night of rock and roll. They were indulging in acts once considered immoral, playing and listening to music that was once banned, some even throwing their headscarves off during the revelry. Thankfully, there are no religious police or extremists, just rock fans.
Before the Taliban’s fall, music of any kind was strictly banned. At first, only public performances were forbidden; musical instruments, singing, dancing, and watching music on television were all not allowed later on. The Taliban believed that music was an unholy, treacherous, and corrupt practice, and anyone who dared to play could be jailed. As countless musicians fled their homes or tearfully hid or destroyed their beloved instruments. Silence fell over Afghanistan.
After the US launched the war in Afghanistan in 2001, the Taliban government fell, and Afghans went through the confusion of war and terrorism for 20 years. Cultural restrictions were loosened, and rock music rose along with it, stubbornly blossoming in the hearts of countless young Afghans to fight against religious extremism.
Since 2002, when the all-female rock band Burka band burst onto the scene, Afghan rock music has gradually proved that even in the most repressive and dangerous places, people can seek freedom.
The original Burka Band consisted of just three people dressed in head-to-toe blue burkas, which were compulsory for women under the Taliban. Using cheap, battered guitars, drums, and microphones, the girls play their hit song, Burka Blue. The song’s lyrics are in ironic contrast to the ugly burkas they wear:
You give me all your love,
You give me all your kisses,
And then you touch my burka,
And do not know who is it.
When they performed, the burkas were used not only to denounce religious extremism but also to protect them from being identified and reprisal by terrorists. The girls unwittingly created burka rock that was unique to Afghanistan.
Like the Burka band, many Afghan bands that insist on pursuing music and freedom: Kabul Dreams adopts the style of Britpop. Focusing on dreams and peace, they hope to use music to heal the wounds of war in people’s hearts. Unknown District adds many moments of terrorist attacks and bomb explosions in various parts of Afghanistan to their music video, telling everyone that this is their daily life, which is used to accuse terrorism and call for peace…
Despite all the performances being held under heavy security, Afghan rock music is thriving with the support of its fans. But will rock music still be heard in Afghanistan when the Taliban retook Kabul on August 15, 2021? Will rockers and fans ever get together again? Nobody knows.
But one thing is certain, no matter how religion, war, or terrorism may ravage humanity, the heart of rock and roll will always beat as long as there are people alive.
ARMANGUE, B. (2021, September 22). Under Taliban, thriving Afghan music scene heads to silence. AP NEWS. https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-middle-east-music-arts-and-entertainment-afghanistan-a2ac1095df0568387d6cee15eb82a3b5
Lund, M., & Daugbjerg, S. (n.d.). Article: The Burka Band. Retrieved March 30, 2022, from http://www.lnd.dk/burkaband_eng.htm
UNAMA News. (2013). Sound Central Music Festival: May 2013 [Photo]. https://www.flickr.com/photos/unama/8707675633/