GADFLY: a Homa interview: "someone who talks harshly about authority"

I first met Homa, guitarist and singer of GADFLY, at Sunrise Records in Metrotown. The store sound system was playing this cool, creative stoner metal  -- that's what it sounded like to me at the time, and sometimes still does -- and I walked up to the counter to ask who it was, and was a bit surprised when the person at the counter told me it was her band. 

Gadfly at Green Auto, April 13, by Allan MacInnis (all pics are)

That was about four years ago, we figure, and I only just caught them live last week, so it took me awhile to get around to seeing them (though I do have a pandemic as an excuse for a stretch of that). Catching them last weekend at Green Auto, I was impressed with their energy and chops, disappointed they had no t-shirts that would fit me, and intrigued at the youth of the audience: I'd figure the average age of the (very fullsome, enthusiastic) crowd was about 23 (though it might have gone up a couple of years after I got there): "So this is where the kids are when they're not at the Red Gate."

Reading a Discorder interview with them, I learn that Homa is in fact an Iranian refugee and that the band is named for an Irish novel, The Gadfly, about -- quoting Homa from Discorder -- "a group of socialists in Ireland. A character uses the name ;Gadfly’ to write really harshly about the government so they never get caught. That’s what I thought I would name the band after." Even more intriguingly, she was turned onto the novel (translated into Farsi) by her Iranian grandfather, who was one of the people who encouraged Homa to make music. 

Women are not generally encouraged to make music in Iran, leastways music like this. 

I should note: while I am not much of a fundamentalist in any respect, I am very partial to Iranian culture. While no expert, I've had Iranian coworkers, classmates, students, seen maybe a dozen Iranian films (my favourites probably being Kiarostami's Where Is the Friend's House? and a rather dry comedy about masculine behaviour called Men at Work). 

Homa indulged my overly elaborate email questions, below, including a couple that have more to do with Iran and Vancouver punk than GADFLY per se (thanks, Homa, for putting up with them!). Thanks also go to Noelle of the Black Lab for advising me to try black and white as a way of negotiating the lights at Green Auto -- worked pretty well!  

Allan: I know there are bands that "sound like stoner metal" (Japan's Church of Misery, say) that hate the label. Do you identify with it? The Discorder interview talks about "punk" a lot but the music of yours I've heard does not sound especially punk. Maybe "Gadfly" the song is punk... the spirit might be punk... but I would describe this maybe as "artful stoner metal with a Middle Eastern influence," I guess...? How do you pigeonhole yourself when people ask what kind of music you make?

Homa: Yeah, to be honest I don’t know what we are. We do whatever at the time of our creativity sounds good, so I usually just say the genre the interviewer wants to hear. Everyone will perceive the sound differently so it’s up to the listener.

Allan: I do not know the book that you're named after, Ethel Voynich, which I gather you have a Farsi copy of from your grandfather. I'm finding it fascinating to be learning about an Irish novel because of a Farsi translation of it owned by a punk/ metal musician in Vancouver. That's a convoluted way to learn about a book! Tell me about YOUR history with this book? Was it especially famous in, or relevant to life in, Iran? Did your grandfather attach special meaning to it? How did you end up with it? Was it, like, just a source of an idea for the band name or is it a book you really like, or...? (Do you reference other things in it in your lyrics?).

Homa: Well, it was my grandfather's favourite book and it kinda became a nickname for me since I was always against every fucking thing happening in the city, country , school and even family so he started calling me Gadfly or kharmagas, magasi in Farsi which was supposed to mean someone who talks harshly about authority and its always angry or unhappy with the situation.

Allan: Any insight into this shirt? I ran after these people to ask them about it, and it turned out it was an Iranian family I ran into in the Skytrain. It's a famous gig in Vancouver punk history but how it ended up a t-shirt worn by an Iranian man I have no idea. They were very puzzled about how excited I got. 

Homa: haha well I think probably either a friend, cousin or Value Village for the shirt.

I remember back in Iran it was the first day of school I was just transferred to a new high school and I saw this kid with a Nirvana shirt so I got really excited I tried to talk to her but she had no clue what I was talking about .

So I would say probably saw it somewhere and thought it looked cool. There are underground scenes in Iran and they can be really fun. Iran's scene its really interesting you’ll be surprised, its not as big obviously but people would know very obscure and rare stuff but only in the underground and art scene.

Allan: This is definitely obscure, rare stuff. Vancouver punks don't have this shirt so it was bizarre to see it on the back of a guy from Iran. He said he got it over there, too! 

Allan... but that brings us to another Vancouver punk question: are Iranian punks aware of THIS Vancouver punk classic, "Firing Squad" by the Subhumans (about their disappointment at the Iranian revolution of the 1970s). I wonder if you feel like it is presumptuous for Canadians to be commenting on the Iranian revolution? Are you sensitive about other people voicing their opinions about such things? I have no idea how this song would look from an Iranian perspective... 

Homa: Well, I feel like not that many people know about Iran since the media makes us the enemy. I don’t see anyone really even supporting the women's life freedom movement, so I do like seeing people who know even a little fact about Iran that is not stereotypical.  As long as they are not shaming Iranians for wanting freedom and trying to have a voice. It doesn’t effect me I like share my culture and history to whoever is interested.

And yeah, the revolution in the 70s didn’t go as planned. It was supposed to make us a socialist country but it kinda went sideways and got ruined.

Allan: Tell me about the art for "Spine Stabber?" Who is the artist, and what's going on there? It seems like a very literal interpretation of some of what's described in the lyrics... who is the guy with the knife? Why is he emerging from the prisoner's back? What's the ball and chain? What is the prison? What is the song actually about?

Homa: Well, I was really frustrated with the metal scene for the lack of femme figures and not being really open and welcoming to newer bands so I was bitching to Nigel and he wrote the song to show me how easily we can do a stoner metal song and be a metal band. But its a really fun song to play and sing if I’m being honest.

For the art work I can reach out to the artist and ask them about it. Their instagram is sellout.garbage they’re based in Vancouver such a talented person you should check out their work.

Allan: What is the sample at the start of "To the Depths of Abyss"? Who is that? What is he talking about? (I am listening to that now for the first time and I love it -- but I don't have a sense of the whole story. I'm transfixed, though).

Homa: It's a mix of one of friends doing poetry and [drummer] Nigel talking about what you need to do if you eat spicy food to get relief and some other stuff that I don’t even remember hahaha... our sound engineer recorded that secretly and the next day showed it to us hahaha.... it was a jam so we were kinda just doing whatever.

Allan: A metal band whose sound I like, that also brings in some Middle Eastern influences, is Melechesh... but they're about the only Middle Eastern Metal Band I know (Assyrian, by way of Jerusalem): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQNvqbN8GVA ...wondering what Middle Eastern metal or punk bands someone should know about to appreciate YOUR musical inspirations?

Homa: I personally like Jucifer and Taqbir and Aurat and also System of a Down haha

Allan: Were you able to be active as a musician in any sort of underground way in Iran? 

Homa: I tried to be but my family was a bit strict so I didn’t have that much of a freedom but when I lived with my aunt she would let me be more active.

Allan: What music were you listening to over there -- from anywhere -- that you credit as an influence? Was it difficult to access?

Homa: To be honest I got really into some Australian bands right before I left Iran like Stonefield.

It was hard to find music there. I would download music videos over night and such and listen to them the next day.

My influences change consistently, I kinda used more of my traditional Persian music for the first album but now they’re also different. I had good collection of traditional Persian music since my grandpa was a known musician before the revolution.

   

Allan: Can I ask about your status? I work with refugees occasionally but I'm not entirely sure of the process. Do you have Permanent Resident status, or citizenship, or...? Are you secure here? Is Vancouver your home base now? (Are you liking it here?). Not sure you can explain it, but why on earth did the people who processed your refugee status put you down as a Christian Band?

Homa: Well, I was a “Christian” refugee and I started GADFLY during the processing period and it got put on as a Christian band.

I currently have my PR status now waiting for my citizenship.

I don’t know if I’m secure here or anywhere to be honest who knows what can happen is anyone secure anywhere. Vancouver is my home base for now.

Allan: Do you have to be worried what you say or do, in terms of consequences for yourself or family back home? (I know some immigrants DO have concerns about that). Does your songwriting ever have intended targets/ audiences in Iran, or are you writing for your audience here, or...? Do you ever have to censor yourself?

Homa: Yes, I don’t censor myself tho and I try to write for whoever care to listen and be a fan.
1

Allan: What do you love and what do you not-love about the Vancouver music scene?

There’s a lot of beautiful souls here and also a lot of people who are full of themselves.

Not enough spaces for venues which is tragic. But from what I’ve heard Vancouver always been like that.

Allan: Who is the lineup of the band, currently?

Homa: I’m Homa I play guitar and do vocals and then there’s Nigel on drums and vocals and we write the majority of the material together and Raine the most awesome bass player you’ll see.

Allan: What shows are upcoming? 

Homa: We're playing on May 23rd with Down the Lees [Bandcamp here] for their album release. We are a bit busy with festivals and such but OUR album release will be on July 6th, we will post the poster soon for it.

Allan: I kinda loved your t-shirt design; tell me about that? 

Homa: Our friend Ciao (Unsure Studios) does all of our shirts, either his artwork or mine. We give him complete artistic freedom and he just kills it, I love the design and the color work, I think it represents our new sound very well.

Allan: By the way, I put up a couple of clips from the gig the other day, here and here... 

Homa: Nice! The first one its called "Rapture" from our first EP and the second one is called "Mother Buzzer," which will be on our upcoming album. 

Thanks to Homa, Nigel, and Raine of GADFLY. See you at the album release...!