Black Cats (band)

Black Cats (in Persian بلک کتس) is a Los Angeles based Persian pop group founded and produced by Shahbal Shabpareh.[1][2] The band was originally formed in Tehran, Iran in the 1960s and other than Shabpareh, the members have been constantly changing every few years. Some of the most popular members have been Ebi, Hassan Shamaizadeh, Farhad Mehrad, Shabpareh's brother Shahram Shabpareh and Kamran & Hooman.[3][4]

Black Cats band
Black Cats in 2009
Black Cats in 2009
Background information
OriginLos Angeles, California, United States
Tehran, Iran (1960–1979)
GenresPersian Pop
Years active1960–present
LabelsCaltex Records, Taraneh Records, Avang Music
MembersShahbal Shabpareh
Hazhar Saleh
Past membersFarhad Mehrad (1967–?)
Ebi (1967–1979)
Shahram Shabpareh (1964–1979)
Pyruz & David (1992–1999)
Kamran & Hooman (1999–2004)
Kamyar & Hakim (2004–2008)
Sami & Eddie Attar (2008–2009)
Edvin (2013–2016)
Jordan Daem (2018–2019)
Milad J (2019–2020)

Background

The group was originally formed in 1966 in Tehran, Iran as a rock band with members Hassan Shamaizadeh, Shahram Shabpareh, Farhad Mehrad,[5][6][7] Shahbal Shabpareh.[8][9] In the 1990s, the band was relaunched in Los Angeles as a pop group. While the band members and singers changed frequently over the next three decades, Shahbal Shabpareh has consistently remained the group's main musician, producer and manager.[10] Shahbal's brother and ex-member, Shahram Shabpareh, who originally played guitar for the band, became a very popular Persian singer after leaving the band in the 1970s.[11]

Ebi, one of the most popular Persian singers, was part of the group Black Cats from 1967 to 1979 before starting his solo career.[12]

Hassan Shamaizadeh, who played the saxophone for the band, also ended up being a very popular solo singer as well a song writer for many popular artists such as Googoosh.[13]

From 1992 to 1999, Pyruz and David were the members, who were very popular. From 1999 to 2004, Kamran and Hooman were also very successful members, who ended up separating and starting their own very popular group called "Kamran & Hooman."[10][14]

Kamyar & Hakim were the main members from 2004 to 2008. Kamyar Ahmadzadeh, who was influenced by Stevie Wonder, also became successful on his own.[15][16] This iteration of the band was known as Black Cats Next Level.[17]

In 2008, Shabpareh recruited two new members Sami and Eddie and recorded an album called "Dimbology".[10]

In 2013, the new iteration of the band was named Black Cats Ultimate, with the lead vocalist Edvin. Edvin was an X-Factor contestant based in Dubai who got the gig by contacting Shabpareh via email and then auditioning. He has since moved to Los Angeles.[17]

Over the years they have had at least 43 members.[18][19]

Style

The band's music is traditional upbeat style of Persian pop, but are also known to blend in Jazz, R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Rave and Rapcore influences into their music.[15] Most their beats and timing is in traditional Persian shesh-o-hast format, meaning 6/8th, but often songs switch back and forth from 6/8 to 4/4 rock or pop format. Shabpareh calls it "rock dambuli." [20]

Discography
Title Year Label Vocals
Pool 1992 Taraneh Records Pyruz, David
Fever 1993 Caltex Records Pyruz, David
Afsoone Gorbehaye Siah (Spell of the Cats) 1996 Caltex Records Pyruz, David
Cinderella 1999 Caltex Records Kamran, Hooman
The PopFather 2003 Caltex Records Kamran, Hooman
Scream of the Cats 2006 Caltex Records Kamyar, Hakim
Dimbology 2009 Caltex Records Sami, Eddie Attar
Rise of the Cats 2019 Avang Music Hazhar Saleh

References
  1. "۱۷۲۱ - ... گفتگو با شهبال شب پره". Javanan Magazine (in Persian). Archived from the original on 2021-03-02. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  2. "شهبال شب‌پره: با دهمین نسل بلک کتز همچنان در صدریم". BBC News Farsi فارسی (in Persian). 2016-03-23. Archived from the original on 2016-03-26. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  3. "تریبون آزاد هنری". Javanan Magazine (in Persian). Archived from the original on 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  4. Zarghami, Mohammad (2002-04-07). "Pop Music in Iran". Iran, Daily Newspaper. p. 5. Archived from the original on 2010-01-08. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  5. "رادیو زمانه | آهنگ زمانه | خوانندگان ایرانی | آنچه از خواندن یاد گرفته‌ام، مدیون فرهاد است". zamaaneh.com. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  6. "جمعه‌های فرهاد؛ مستندی درباره فرهاد مهراد". BBC News Farsi. 2012-12-12. Retrieved 2021-10-17.
  7. "(Farhad, an endless story) فرهاد، قصه ای بی انتها". irna.ir (in Persian). 2019-08-31. Archived from the original on 2019-08-31. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  8. "Starting with Shabpareh – Iranican". iranican.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
  9. "Farhad Mehrad's Official Website". farhadmehrad.org. Archived from the original on 2019-10-22. Retrieved 2016-01-06.
  10. "Black Cats Biography - زندگینامه". honaraks.com. 2016-04-04. Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  11. "بخشی از گفتگوی متفاوت با شهرام شب پره باحضور فریدون قراگزلو و محمد ایزدمهر". Javanan Magazine (in Persian). Archived from the original on 2021-10-18. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  12. "خوانندگان پاپ ایرانی با بیشترین فالوئر اینستاگرامی + لیست". vananews.com. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  13. "Googoosh: Iran's daughter speaks her mind". Fairfax County Times. 2018-03-02. Archived from the original on 2018-03-02. Retrieved 2021-10-19.
  14. "KAMRAN & HOOMAN". Javanan Magazine. Archived from the original on 2021-10-18. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  15. "بلک کتس - Kodoom". Kodoom.com (in Persian). Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  16. "Kamyar Ahmadzadeh 'KamyR'". parstimes.com. Archived from the original on 2011-02-06. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  17. "با شهبال شب پره رهبر و خالق گروه بلک کتز در جوانان رادیو گفتگو کردیم". Javanan Magazine (in Persian). Archived from the original on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  18. "بلک کتس - معنی در دیکشنری آبادیس". abadis.ir. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  19. "بیوگرافی بلک کتس". starbino.com (in Persian). Archived from the original on 2019-10-18. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  20. Hemmasi, Farzaneh (2020-04-10). Tehrangeles Dreaming: Intimacy and Imagination in Southern California's Iranian Pop Music. Duke University Press. ISBN 978-1-4780-1200-9.
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