“Baradar Bar Dar” by Shahin Najafi dedicated to Kurdish activist, Farzad Kamangar, who was executed on May 8, 2010, and his mother Soltaneh Rezaei.

“300 Goleh Sorkh,” 300 Red Flowers by Dariush and Rojan dedicated to the 8 Kurdish activists executed on May 8th.

The English translation of the lyrics to “Ye Rooze Khoob Miad”: See More.

The fans who are crowded into a basement bar in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, on a chilly Tuesday evening already know the lyrics to the songs, even though none of them have been officially released.

This is not the hottest new British or American band who are hoping to break out of from the underground.

This is Radio Tehran and they are playing a launch gig for their debut album, 88, in London because to do so at home in Iran would almost certainly get them arrested.

The songs were recorded and produced in the Iranian capital, but the band know all too well that it would be impossible to replicate this concert at home.

“For bands like us who play rock music it’s not easy to have a gig in Iran, it’s just something that you wouldn’t even try,” says singer Ali Azimi. Go to BBC.

Ebi performing at the BBC Persian session recording

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One of Iran’s biggest pop stars has used a rare visit to London in time for Persian New Year to give President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad a blunt message.

“Shame on you,” says Ebrahim Hamedi – known to his millions of fans simply as Ebi.

“Get the hell out of Iran and find [another] place, because sooner or later they are going to kick you out of the country.”

Protest songs

Ebi has not been home since before the Islamic revolution in 1979.

He now divides his time between Marbella in Spain and Los Angeles in the US – as well as performing in concert halls around the world.

If you haven’t heard of him, it may be because he sings only in his home language, Farsi.

Imagine, though, an Iranian version of the British singer Tom Jones – Ebi is now 60 – but with added politics.

In London, Ebi recorded an acoustic session for the BBC’s Persian television service, including one of his most famous protest songs. Go to BBC.

Free Iran:  Maybe not today.  Maybe not tomorrow.  But the Iranian people’s victory is inevitable.  They will do away with this failed, miserable regime.  They will gain their freedom, and respect for their human rights.  The following are some posters and music videos – songs of hope, resistance and victory.  Long live the brave people of Iran.

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See More.

A new song, Yek Roozeh Khoub Miad, A Good Day Will Come, from Hichkas.

Hichkas–arguably the best known underground rapper in Iran–sings Ekhtelaf.  This clip is from the movie No One Knows About Persian Cats–a film by Bahman Ghobadi about the illegal underground music world in Iran.

United4iran.com: Where Is My Vote – NY, [musician] Fared Shafinury, and [video director] Simon Ampel teamed up to produce a new animated music video for “Yar-e Dabestani-e Man” (My Grade-School Friend), one of the most beloved Iranian protest songs.  Dating to the 1979 Revolution, this song has become the anthem of today’s Iranian student movement and a fixture at ongoing street demonstrations across the country.  Shafinury and his group Tehranosaurus offer a stirring musical reimagining of this ode to solidarity and resistance, and animator Simon Ampel renders a touching visual story of loyal grade-school friends who live through separation and grief, yet find inspiration and political awakening before they unexpectedly meet again.  This music video is dedicated to the youth of Iran who, in the face of fierce government repression, continue their struggle for basic human rights and for the future of their country.