The youth make their musical " revolution ":
Why do the cultural authorities have a restrictive and reducing mink towards those "underground" musical kinds on the Moroccan stage? For what reasons does this music suffer of an endemic lack of means more than the others ? Why don't they have the right to access to radios and national televisions? Several questions can be deducted, but solutions seem feasible with the good will and a sense of the revival.
The Moroccan musical stage during these last years, saw the birth of several musical formations making a revolution in the Moroccan artistic landscape. These last, enjoying a fame by a young and appreciative public, thirsty of local music , represent these modern tendencies, far from the cliché type of bands such " ar-ti-emians " (RTM) or " two-emians " (2M) that make the creativeness impossible.
" underground " musical Formations that affirm their ropes in the different styles: Metal, Rock, Punk, Fusion, Rap, Hip-Hop, Gnawa, Rai … Identify themselves to a very large stage; "literally " non commercial or not recognized by the system of production houses; and this fact permits them to have a liberty of creativity and musical exploitation ,melting Moroccan and foreign influences and also perfection and originality in their creativity.
With inconsiderable means , inadequate rehearsal rooms, too narrow and very often dark ( for the lucky ones lol ) or even non-existent for most of the bands in different cities of the country ; with no production structure, or distribution, these bands have to fight to obtain their instruments and material… which are out of their financial means. Besides it suffers from the bad management of halls and cultural complexes when they have some.
These lasts have no right to exist or open except for a " supposedly" militant poetry or when it's to be a place for political meetings, but never ever for a cultural or art promotion.
This tendency or "politic" contributes only to the costly facilities attrition of which they are endowed, and so, leaving them to the deterioration.
If the state agreed to invest huge capitals there, it is probably to serve our youth and to permit them to express their talents and to contribute, to the promotion of the society for sure, but not to let go mouldy material aforesaid and the so-called facilities, of good quality besides, in the coins soil of these complex.
Examples illustrating this slackness, this carelessness, or in certain cases this nepotism are multiple. The complex Mohamed Zafzaf, in the Ma?rif district to Casablanca, of it is the perfect illustration.
Besides, even the returned homage, to posthumous title, to this Moroccan writer who had dedicated his life to the reason of youth would have can be honoured during his life. Allas, and as usual, the talents are neglected for our valuable men (but once they're dead !)
Mohamed Zefzef would certainly appreciate the fact that the complex under his name would be converted to a cultural and artistic creation area instead of excluding the youth from it and abandon them in the neighbouring streets , exposed to drugs and other sorts of delinquency.
The palliative solutions that would have lighten this situation aren't exploited in their objectives.
It's a matter of participation in the festivals reserved for the men in suit 'n tie, to within exceptions that bring joy to the youth offering a concentrate of original creativity in Morocco.
Particularly Essaouira festivals, Mawazine and the young musician's boulevard . this last event is regularly organized since 6 years by the C.A.E.O ( cultural and artistic education organization ).
An active and dynamic organization in the Moroccan "underground" scene. It carries out a
Basic work in order to offer the bands an opportunity to play on stage worthy of this name in professional conditions.
For its last edition, the young musician's boulevard which lasted 3 days has gathered huge crowds : more than 35.000 fans a day have lived strong emotion and rhythmic moments with a rich program. It was the proof of our youth's potential. This new artistic wave blows a revival wind of artistic and cultural creation in Morocco .
The appeal is made to the producers, event organizers, and patrons, to turn to these young people in order to help them in realizing them, and to make from our country an area of freedom and diversity offering it 1000 halos , and helping these young musicians by making rehearsal halls at their disposal , recording studios and especially places for shows.
We do hope that this step could reach the culture secretary. The two departments have to act And open complexes and to equip them with the necessary infrastructure .
Or else to make use of a plan for restructuring or to put in level the abandoned or forgotten halls, and acting in this sense, instead of waiting for "reality shows" to make their apparition
Such a s a 2M studio or a golden foot which remained good initiatives but far from the real needs, cause we're sure ( what ever the social environment, the city where they're born) that
Our youth are able to flap high their ambitions and tendencies, in spite of the problems of which they're suffering from.

L'ETENDARD N°37 from the 22 th To the 28th october 2004

Written by Nabyl Guennouni translated in English by n0cturnus

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