BBC World Service - Witness History, Baghdad heavy metal (original) (raw)

Baghdad heavy metal

In the late 1990s, a heavy metal band called Acrassicauda formed in Iraq, when the country was under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein.

Over the next decade, the pioneering band found themselves on a collision course with the dictatorship militants and the west.

The band was able to get inspiration from various bootleg tapes of heavy metal's greatest acts.

Acrassicauda performed under Saddam's regime, but because of censorship restrictions, they had to write a song that praised the dictator.

Johnny I'Anson speaks to bass player, Firas Al-Lateef.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

Recent episodes explore everything from football in Brazil, the history of the ‘Indian Titanic’ and the invention of air fryers, to Public Enemy’s Fight The Power, subway art and the political crisis in Georgia. We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: visionary architect Antoni Gaudi and the design of the Sagrada Familia; Michael Jordan and his bespoke Nike trainers; Princess Diana at the Taj Mahal; and Görel Hanser, manager of legendary Swedish pop band Abba on the influence they’ve had on the music industry. You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the time an Iraqi journalist hurled his shoes at the President of the United States in protest of America’s occupation of Iraq; the creation of the Hollywood commercial that changed advertising forever; and the ascent of the first Aboriginal MP.

(Photo: Acrassicauda perform in Iraq in 2004. Credit: Getty Images)

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