"It's not easy getting visas to the United States when you're from the Axis of Evil," confesses Raam, vocalist for Hypernova, which broke out of the Iranian underground in 2004 and set about making its fortune in the already packed American soundscape. No easy feat, for sure, but it beats laboring in obscurity. Or worse, jail.
"The consequences of being a rock musician in Iran are so ridiculous that you would have to be crazy to pursue such a career over there," Raam concludes.
So far, Hypernova has been doing a fine job rocking America with a potent dose of dance-inspired crunch. It was snapped up by kindred spirit Sisters of Mercy as an opening act for its fall tour, which kicks off in Philadelphia on Halloween and wraps in Los Angeles on December 2. Meanwhile, Hypernova's debut effort Through the Chaos is on tap for a 2009 release. Everything is going well.
Now all the band has to do is cross its fingers that the presidential candidate who sang "Bomb Iran" to his supporters doesn't actually win the White House. Listening Post traded thoughts on the disconnect between America and Iran, as well as religion, rock and much more, with Hypernova's Raam, who tried his best to make sense of our shrinking global village. That, and iPhones.
Wired.com: How long did all of you live in Iran?
Raam: We all were born in Iran. I was the only one who lived in the States – Eugene, Oregon, to be exact – for several years during the '80s when I was a kid. I eventually moved back to Iran. The rest of the gang had never been to the States before. Kami and I met at a military camp in the year 2000 and started the band. At first we were just a bunch of crazy kids who had a dream of one day coming to New York. Doesn't every artist have the same dream?
Wired.com: Yeah, but I'd argue that it's easier to break into the American music scene when you actually live in America.
Raam: Right. After several years of playing in the underground, we realized that we could only go so far in Iran. There were limited resources and we always felt confined in what were doing. It's not easy being a rock musician in the Islamic Republic. In fact, the consequences of being a rock musician are so ridiculous that you would have to be crazy to pursue such a career over there. But there are many underground artists pouring their hearts and souls into their work. Now I know why the caged bird sings.
Wired.com: So, how did you make your way back to America?
Raam: We kept working, improving our skills and upgrading our equipment whenever we would get the chance. Eventually, we got the opportunity to come to the U.S. thanks to a chance submission to the South by Southwest Festival in 2007. It took awhile to get our visas though; it's not easy getting visas to the United States when you're from the Axis of Evil. But we were very fortunate to have the help of a New York senator.
Wired.com: Any thoughts on Iran from the outside? Are Americans missing the big picture?
Raam: I think a lot of people over here are unfortunately misinformed about the realities that exist in Iran. Not to be an apologist for the current regime there, but Iran really is not as bad as they make it out to be in the media. Iranians are amongst the most hospitable and compassionate people in the world. I'm astonished how afraid people are of a country they can't even locate on a map. I think that everybody in the world has to put a little more effort into understanding other cultures. Thanks to the internet and the free flow of information, the world has shrunk and we are moving towards a more global, universal culture. Now, whether or not that's a good thing is still open for discussion. Already we have seen some side effects of this clash of civilizations. But we all have to play their part in bringing us together.
Wired.com: Is that universal desire part of the band's mission, so to speak?
Raam: Yes, Hypernova represents the universality of all human beings. We came to the U.S. to show the world know that rock 'n' roll has no boundaries. The kids back home in Iran enjoy the same things that American kids enjoy. We are all one and in this cosmic mess together. We hope that our music can help bridge the cultural divide that exists between our respective nations. Music really does transcend all barriers.
Wired.com: What are your thoughts on Iran's future?
Raam: Well, I'm no politician, but I have extensively traveled throughout Iran and met all sorts of people. I even lived with a group of pastoral nomads for awhile, just to get away from technology. But as the cliche goes, the grass is always greener on the other side. Religion still plays a huge role in our society, as it does over here in the States. Do you consider America to be a secular country? I highly doubt it would be possible to be the president of the United States and not be a Christian.
Wired.com: This is true.
Raam: Over 70 percent of Iran's population is under 35. The younger generation is much more educated and globally conscious than it has ever been. I have complete faith in our youth. They will steer our country into the right direction. Just like any other movement in the world, Iran's reform and change requires time. The fate of our country should be decided by the will of its own people.
Wired.com: In other words, people are people. It's their governments that suck.
Raam: I think the governments in the U.S. and Iran are very similar. They use the exact same kind of tactics to run their countries. Ideologically, they are fundamentally the same. They just believe in different gods. But neither of them seem to be making much sense nowadays. It's up to the people to knock some fucking sense into them. I've always considered myself to be a citizen of Earth first, then the random boundaries which I am defined. How hard can it be for all of us to get along? Haven't we reached a higher state of global consciousness?
Wired.com: Listening to your music, I can see why Sisters of Mercy picked Hypernova as an opening act.
Raam: Funny story: When I was a kid, my dad used to play the Sisters of Mercy in the car all the time. He didn't even know who they were, or maybe he did. He just had a bunch of tapes that he would always play. Fifteen years later, I meet Farhad Mohit, CEO of Dostspots, Shopzilla and Bizrate in Los Angeles, and we became really good friends. One of the main reasons Farhad fell in love with our music was because we reminded him of Sisters. So he reintroduced me to the band's music and sent me its entire discography. And now we're going on tour with the Sisters of Mercy. The universe really does work in mysterious ways.
Wired.com: What a head trip.
Raam: This tour is more than a dream come true. There's nothing better than traveling the world with your best friends and playing your music to different crowds. And to be able to do so with such a great band makes it even more rewarding. We have been through so much to get here, a day does not go by that we do not thank the universe for treating us so kindly.
Wired.com: What's Hypernova's relationship with tech like these days?
Raam: We started off as a simple rock band, but now we're delving deeper and deeper into electronics. I think you can only go so far with a simple setup, so we're continually spicing things up by adding effects and pedals, and we are still thirsty for more. We've been researching gadgets, keyboards and samplers, so I think our next album will be heavily influenced by electronic music.
Wired.com: Who's got the iPhone? Almost every band I've talked to lately has at least one member with an iPhone.
Raam: Before we came to the States, I never owned a cellphone in my life. Now I can't live without one, or the internet. I've turned into everything I've always dreaded! Kodi has an iPhone and thanks to its GPS we don't get lost anymore.
See also:
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