The Obelisk Questionnaire: Behrang Alavi of Samavayo
The Obelisk Questionnaire is a series of open questions intended to give the answerer an opportunity to explore these ideas and stories from their life as deeply as they choose. Answers can be short or long, and that reveals something in itself, but the most important factor is honesty.
Based on the Proust Questionnaire, the goal over time is to show a diverse range of perspectives as those who take part bring their own points of view to answering the same questions. To see all The Obelisk Questionnaire posts, click here.
Thank you for reading and thanks to all who participate.
The Obelisk Questionnaire: Behrang Alavi of Samavayo
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How do you define what you do and how did you come to do it?
Since 2000 I am now the singer and play guitar for Samavayo. I began more as a singer, because that is where I musically come from and had to play some rhythm guitar but later I developed my guitar playing and the interest for equipment and sound.
In side-projects or other bands I also play guitar without any singing or play drums, but I see myself mainly as a singer and vocalist. I had just met Andreas (bass player of Samavayo) and Marco (ex-lead guitar Samavayo) at my school and was playing some acoustic guitar when they came up with the idea to have me sing in their band and play guitar. That’s how I suddenly came into the situation of playing in a band. Though I already had some major interest in heavy music. At that time I was listening to Body Count, Clawfinger, Metallica and other stuff.
Describe your first musical memory.
My first musical memory is my mother singing at Persian gatherings. That’s a Persian tradition and she was a great singer. She was often asked for singing at such parties.
When I was around 12yrs old my cousins from London gave me my first MCs, among them Michael Jackson, M.C. Hammer, Rick Astley and Paul McCartney. My oldest cousin is also a huge Queen fan, so he played a lot of that on his Piano and we sang to it.
I was 15 or 16 when I started learning playing guitar, my parents told me I can choose and I chose.
Describe your best musical memory to date.
In 20 years there have been plenty of great memories.
So many cool bands we played together and got friends with.
I think one of the great memories is our trip with Samavayo to Brazil 2014. All that excitement of flying a long trip to another continent, being there and playing shows and festivals, getting to know new people, that was amazing!
Same but quite different was our trip to Albania 2013. Besides the show we played we were on the biggest TV show and played our song “Rollin’” and people were so enthusiastic and nice.
I must admit the idea of touring with the band across the countries gives me a very good feeling in general that is why when I think of the last 20 years as a musician these images of touring and clubs and festival stages come in my mind. Definitely playing the PALP festival this year in the Alps on a Col du Lein in Switzerland belongs to the best memories!
When was a time when a firmly held belief was tested?
As a band we’ve done some major things wrong and there were times (around 2010) when I thought maybe quit it and restart with something new. I think as a musician your belief is tested quite often.
Where do you feel artistic progression leads?
It leads to the answer whether there is still something to say. Do I have ideas and output? Is there something I want to try/explore? Do I enjoy expressing what I express.
For me progression is rather transformation or development.
How do you define success?
As a musician I feel success when I have any sort of impact on anybody. Also as a band you set some goals you want to achieve like play that club, play with that band, play that festival and it’s great to be successful to do that.
What is something you have seen that you wish you hadn’t?
Watch my mother die.
Describe something you haven’t created yet that you’d like to create.
I would like to sing on a black or death metal track. So that’d be something I have to learn to do first.
There a some songs I would also like to cover, some great tracks of music history. Also I would love to a track in German or Russian.
What do you believe is the most essential function of art?
To extend people’s minds, to make them step into another world (at times), but I think it is also an essential function to define values. So it depends from what point you look at it. As a musician one essential function of art is obviously to express my self and have good times. As a consumer I want distraction and just a good feeling, being in a mood I like. I enjoy heavy riffs, great melodies, awesome rhythms, but I enjoy them a lot more when I enjoy the values that the lyrics or the band behind that riff is transporting.
Something non-musical that you’re looking forward to?
Our wedding party in 2022 that my wife and me had to postpone 2 times already and the honeymoon!
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