:: Various Artists - Rock The Kasbah

Various Artists

As the title implies, this is a unique tribute to former Clash front man, the late Joe Strummer. Joe had written the original “Rock The Casbah”, one of the iconic songs of the punk era. He wrote about the music censorship in Iran at the time. Now, all these years later, the blending of Middle Eastern musical influences comes together by virtue of today’s popular artists of the territories. Included are Rachid Taha (whom we have featured with his own album recently), Al Madfai, Asian Dub Foundation, and Cheb Mami, to name a few. Rachid’s “Rock El Casbah” version contains the Algerian influence while “Lela” is given the Egyptian treatment in eclectic style. Much of the Middle Eastern music has remained largely unheard by westerners and, upon listening to some of the experimental sounds, will be surprised at the quality and clever nature in how music makers dealt with political and social struggles, particularly civil wars. These tracks are the result of much of this expression and, through the efforts of Joe Strummer, stand much taller today.