Back From The Brink

Description

The only legitimately licensed anthology of the Iranian Psychedelic rock legend. 28 page full color booklet with an extensive, first-person treatise by Kourosh himself. 21 fully restored tracks from Kouroshs original master tapes. Contains rare photos and ephemera of Irans 70s rock scene, many never before seen. Now-Again Records is proud to present Back from the Brink, the only legitimately licensed collection of the godfather of Iranian psychedelic rock, Kourosh Yaghmaei. Known within the Iranian diaspora simply by his first name, Kouroshs Pre-Revolution recordings were thought lost after Islamic fundamentalists took control of Iran. They werent: Kourosh had protected them along with key ephemera from the 70s. Their collection here – spread over 3LP bolstered by Kouroshs first person recollections of Irans 70s rock scene and its death after the Revolution, tells the story of an immensely talented artists desire to persevere in the face of terrible adversity. Kourosh Yaghmaei and his brothers Kamran and Kambiz were amongst the few inspired Iranian musicians determined to change Tehrans musical landscape in the late 60s and early 70s. The trio, armed with rented, second-hand instruments and records by The Ventures, The Kinks, The Doors, merged Western garage rock, psychedelia and Iranian folkloric music to create a sound unlike anything that came before them. Later, inspired by the unlikely duo of Elton John and James Taylor, Kouroshs music took a sophisticated turn, and he churned out funky, progressive rock that is as imminently enjoyable as it is impossible to categorize. His star on the rise was knocked off course by the Revolution, and its backdrop of Islamic fundamentalists burning record companies and harassing musicians. But while most Pre-Revolution musicians including his brothers fled Iran in 1979, Kourosh stayed, loyal to the country of his birth. He has suffered a performance and recording ban for twenty-two out of the last thirty-two years. Yet he remains stoic and resolved to continue bolstering Iranian musical tradition. Kourosh still lives in Tehran and is pleased that his story and his glorious 70s recordings will finally spread the world over. This essential piece of Irans musical history is also accompanied by a full color book and contains never-before-seen photos and ephemera.