IRANIAN ROCK GODDESS
Travis Beard
Cutting her teeth with the finest musicians in Tehran, Maral (23) has become somewhat of an ambassador in what is an almost outlawed modern music industry. Resisting the laws of her government that forbid citizens playing Western music, forbid women singing in public and forbid women singing alone to an audience, Maral has a short but extensive career. At 19 her taste of Western music was with a Metal band she used to play bass guitar in. She then moved over to Trip Hop and began writing her own songs. Last year she was invited to sing at the infamous and illegal Karaj Concert. After the religious police closed it down, arrested 100s of people and they splattered the government controlled papers with articles titled: “The Devil Prayers Meeting”. Maral was lucky to be released without charges, while other main players were held for up to 3 weeks and had to pay fines in the facinity of $20,000. Maral decided to get away from all the heat and moved to Abu Dhabi to sing with a covers band, but she only lasted 6 months before she was fed up with the uncreative aspects of playing other peoples songs. Back in Tehran she formed the Trip Hop band: “The Plastic Wave”. She also took over as vocalist for Thrash Metal band: “5 Grams” after their last female singer left because of the government’s intimidation of female singers. Maral has recently joined the only existing rock band in Kabul, Afghanistan: White City and they have just returned from a successful tour of Tajikistan. Now she is off to Armenia with 5 Grams to bang heads with the best of Caucus metal bands. 1000 word Article Available. Images and Text by Travis Beard and James McLeod-Hatch
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178615 White City guitarist Archie and Maral work on a song together
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178613 White City drummer Andeas gives Maral tips on how to play
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178614 The White City Practice room is always relaxed and fun.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178616 Maral playing the drums.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178610 Maral with her band "The Plastic Wave" Practicing in a tehran studio
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178601 Maral with her band "The Plastic Wave" Practicing in a tehran studio
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178579 Maral with her band "The Plastic Wave" Practicing in a tehran studio
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178578 Maral with her band "The Plastic Wave" Practicing in a tehran studio
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178612 Maral with her band the drummer from the band 127 practicing in a Tehran studio
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178581 Behind closed doors the women's veil comes off and the listen to music and comtimplate its meaning.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178586 Maral and fellow White City band Member Travis discuss a song they are writing together.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178605 Maral and fellow White City band Member Travis discuss a song they are writing together.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178607 Maral writing songs in her room in dushanbe
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178608 Maral writing songs in her room in dushanbe
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178606 Maral with her band "The Plastic Wave" Practicing in a tehran studio
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178603 Maral poses for the camera while at a jam session in musical museum in dushanbe
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178604 Maral plays with a tou gun in a appartment in dushanbe
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178599 Portrait of Maral in Tajikistan
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178602 portrait of Maral in Tehran
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178596 portrait of Maral in Dushanbe
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178609 Maral with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178589 Maral with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178597 Maral with the Kabul based band "White City" in a disused factory on the tajik/afghan border.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178598 Maral with the Kabul based band "White City" playing guitar on the tajik/afghan border boat.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178588 Maral with the bass guitarists from Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178587 Maral with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178584 Maral singing with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178591 Maral singing with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178592 Maral singing with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178600 Maral singing with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178590 Maral singing with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178585 Maral singing with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178593 Maral singing with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178580 It is illegal and punishable by death for a female to sing in public. At this concert maral was arrested and detained for 3 days before being released without charges.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178595 Maral singing with the Kabul based band "White City" on a tour of Tajikistan.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178611 Maral with her former bass player practicing in a tehran party
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178582 The only place where Iranaians can play their music to audience is at private parties. Musicians what instruments or other objects they can find and make improvised jam sessions. Alcohol bought on the black market is common at these parties.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178583 The only place where Iranaians can play their music to audience is at private parties. Musicians what instruments or other objects they can find and make improvised jam sessions. behind closed doors the women's veil comes off and they enjoy the music like most women would.
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Travis Beard / Argus / Picturetank BET0178594 portrait of Maral in Dushanbe
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