By GMA's Afghanistan correspondent Abdul Basir Shakeri


"From the underground up to the street’s concerts"

You were hearing the sounds of music from the seams between the walls in Herat in 2005. Yeah! It was ANTz who are the first Blues Rock band and one of the real underground bands in Afghanistan.

Antz, are a group of musicians who were recording their music and vocals inside their car and a small studio inside in a house in Herat, they started out by deciding to establish a band in order to play new music for the new generation. They are Antz, because they are hard-workers, honest and always doing the heavy stuff like the real ants..

Antz removed their skins like snakes twice from 2005 and up to 2013, some changes are good but as Masoud Hassanzada (one of the band's founders, song write and guitarist) states: "I discovered my love of art during the Taliban rule, when music was forbidden" he confesses. His texts deal with issues like dreams and problems facing the Afghan youth. "There is a whole generation that has never known peace".

"Minority Report" the first album by Antz with 8 tracks was released in 2007. It was called "Minority Report" because the album is spoken from the viewpoint of a minority, it talks about the socio-political situation in Afghanistan. It means most of the songs were critical and the content was based around social problems such as war, corruption, elections, social chaos, lack of memories, history, foreign troops, the Taliban, mullahs, liberals and assorted bribery, etc.

Shekib Mosadiq is the vocalist and founder of the band alongside Masoud Hassanzada. The reception of releasing the album in the first few days was unprecedented. We could make about $300 USD by CD from our online eBay store per week and in all local radios our songs were aired, meaning we became known and famous amongst the Persian-Iranian singers Hassanzada said.

Performing in different Cafés, festivals, events and thrice at the Sound Central Festival in Afghanistan is just a part of their achievements, but the latest performance was at Orange Café, a street concert for public people which was stopped by police.

Antz are still playing, performing and working on a new album "Militarism" with 9 tracks poised to be on it, the album will be released in around 2 months time.

The music is very diverse and different on this album, like some of the tracks are quite rocky, some more blues-orientated and a few others are "Gypsy Blues". In terms of content, the lyrics are more radical than the first album. In terms of regulation, it will be unprecedented in the history of country music. This album has a couple of other musical instruments (an accordion for example) which were added. This album is more critical in terms of content viewing and features a more spirited critique of the war in Afghanistan and the failure of Western democratization in Afghanistan. Simply put the atmosphere of the songs are totally satirical.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Antz-Band/121837017850499

_US rockers Rival Sons have been confirmed as the main support act for Guns 'N' Roses for two shows in Europe this summer.

Rival Sons will be playing with GNR at  the Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands on June 4th, and then at the Warsteiner Hockey Park in Mönchengladbach, Germany on June 8th.

Rival Sons guitarist Scott Holiday was very excited:

"What a great, great opportunity to get these shows supporting Guns N' Roses!  Germany has been great to us, and this will only help us reach out to so many more people over there.  As far as Guns goes... I remember the first time those guys were ever on MTV, me and my best mate were watching.  A total shock to the system, and to me and my friends' lives.  We were really young little dudes, but we already loved our rock 'n' roll, and Guns just reeked of reality and grit... I mean they were literally very dirty.  And we LOVED it.  They ushered in a lot more 'real' and dirtiness to a scene that had become way too fruity-pants.  As a wee guitar-playing lad, I couldn't get enough of Appetite For Destruction and Lies.  Ready to see and hear some of those first tunes played live!"

Tickets for the show at The Ahoy in Rotterdam, Netherlands can be purchased from Live Nation here

RIVAL SONS TOUR DATES

May 18 - St. Catharines, ON - Barracuda Pretty
May 19 - Columbus, OH - Rock on the Range
May 20 - Grand Bend, ON - Motorplex
May 28 - Landgraaf, Netherlands - Pinkpop Festival
May 29 - Lille, France - La Peniche
May 31 - Leffinge, Belgium - Zwerver

Jun. 01 - Nuremberg, Germany - Rock im Park
Jun. 02 - Nürburg, Germany - Rock am Ring
Jun. 03 - Den Bosch, Netherlands - W2
Jun. 04 - Rotterdam, Netherlands - Ahoy (w/ Guns 'N' Roses)
Jun. 06 - Aarhus, Denmark - Voxhall
Jun. 07 - Sölvesborg, Sweden - Sweden Rock Festival
Jun. 08 - Mönchengladbach, Germany - Warsteiner Hockey Park (w/ Guns 'N' Roses)
Jun. 10 - Castle Donington, UK - Download Festival
Jun. 12 - Hamburg, Germany - Stadtpark (w/ Evanescence)
Jun. 14 - Dortmund, Germany - Westfalenhalle (w/ Evanescence)
Jun. 16 - Bulle, Switzerland - Ebullition
Jun. 19 - Prague, Czech Republic - MeetFactory (w/ Eagles Of Death Metal)
Jun. 20 - Zagreb, Croatia - Tvornica
Jun. 22 - Milan, Italy - Gods of Metal Festival
Jun. 23 - Roeser, Luxembourg - Rock A Field Festival
Jun. 24 - Dessel, Belgium - Graspop Metal Meeting
Jun. 30 - Owen Sound, ON - Big Music Fest

Jul. 05 - Sundsvall, Sweden - Sundsvall Festival
Jul. 06 - Turku, Finland - Ruisrock Festival
Jul. 14 - Joensuu, Finland - Ilosaarirock Festival
Jul. 17 - Uppsala, Sweden - Katalin
Jul. 19 - Tonsberg, Norway - Slottsfjell Festival
Jul. 20 - Tromso, Norway - Bukta Festival
Jul. 21 - Njordfordeid, Norway - Malakoff Rockfestival

http://www.rivalsons.com
http://www.facebook.com/rivalsons
http://www.myspace.com/rivalsons
http://twitter.com/rivalsons

RHYS STEVENSON