Ocean of emotion

http://www.iranian.com/Music/2005/March/Iyad/index.html

Googoosh songs and splendid voice manage to invade my very heart and mind
Iyad ReemMarch 8, 2005iranian.com unedited
Dear Lady, Dearest Diva, Most Splendid Voice, Prettiest Face, Dearest GOOGOOSH,
I'm not crazy enough to believe that amongst all that flood of get-well-soon messages from the millions of your fans around the world, these modest lines of mine will have the chance and the privilege of being read by your own beautiful eyes. Yet, I'll proceed with them as if you are reading them. As I'm writing them, your splendid voice is resounding in my house, singing one of my favorite songs of yours, "Ayeryligh", and God knows all of your songs are my favorites.
Dearest Diva,
Please grant me the honor of presenting myself to you. My name is Iyad, a Jordanian man 45 years old, who discovered you Diva at a very young age, almost 17, and has ever since been fascinated by both your beauty and the splendor of your voice. That was in the late seventies, while you were on a visit to Jordan. I still remember you were the guest of honor on a Jordanian TV show, you performed some of your songs. you even sang a song of our Fairouz, "Zoroni koli sana mara haram tensuni belmara" which won the admiration of the Jordanian public. Ever since your beautiful image and your sublime voice became printed in my mind. I tried hard to find any album of yours to no avail.
Few years later, and to be precise, in late 1979, I left to France to continue my higher education. There I had the chance of getting to know an Iranian girl, we studied French together. I remember among the very first things I asked her about was, GOOGOOOSH. The next day she was kind enough to offer me a cassette of yours. On it there were some of your very nice and highly romantic songs like "Daryeyee", "Manam", "Ayeryligh" and others. (Few lines below you'll learn, Dearest Diva, how I managed at last to write the titles of your songs correctly).
I kept playing the cassette over and over again in my flat and very loud, I admit, until a French lady, a neighbor of mine, asked me one day ( and I still remember her very words), "who is that lady with a nice voice you keep listening to?" I gave her the cassette to listen to, but couldn't separate myself from it for more than 2 days. Needless to say you won her admiration too.
Long years, almost 14, passed by like a thief, I returned to Jordan, the cassette got tired from my playing it repetitively ,but not my ears,and how can they ever get tired of listening to the angelic voice of the Diva???!!! Both during my happy moments and whenever I feel down I find refuge in your songs. Your voice and your songs have become inseparably associated with past happy moments of my life. Whenever I listen to them they simply bring back to me very happy souvenirs I dearly cherish until this day.
Although I don’t understand a single word of Farsi, still your songs and splendid voice manage to invade the very heart and mind of me, and make me react, oftentimes with tears in my eyes. That is why I prefer to listen to your songs when I'm alone. I don’t even need to know the meaning of your songs' lyrics to appreciate the ocean of emotions you convey in them through your angelic voice which transcends all language barriers. I would write whole pages about this, but I'll spare you that trouble. For I know that I've largely exceeded the reasonable amount of your time allowed to none but one amongst millions of your fans.
So, to cut a long story short I'd say that by inadvertence, some parts of the your songs on that cassette -- which I still treasure after 25 long years- got erased, and you cannot imagine how frustrated I became when I got used to being cut off while enjoying your songs. This frustration went on for almost 9 years, I could find yr songs nowhere.
Until by pure chance I discovered the existence of fan groups of the Diva on the internet. I bothered many of their members (whom I should call "My sisters and brothers in admiring and loving the Diva") by asking them to help me finding the specific songs I had on my cassette. I found no means to help them in that errand except by writing some couplets of each song as I hear them. They did a very nice job. They even gave me the exact titles of those songs, that's why I managed to mention them correctly above. So far I managed to get back 3 of those nice songs and I still hope to get the others soon.
Dearest Diva
I end this long letter by calling upon the Almighty who endowed you with that lovely face and that exceptional angelic voice, to grant you his healing. And may you stay healthy and wealthy for decades and decades to come, and be able one day to receive from your fans a happy 100th birthday cards instead of get-well-messages. May the love of your fans all over the world unite to form a healing force for you.
Get well very soon Dearest Diva, for we all need you to keep on singing love and romance, spreading joy and hope wherever your voice is heard, in an era where nothing but the sound of hatred and fanaticism is resounding. Best wishes of health and happiness.
Your admirer for ever
Iyad Amman/JORDAN

Appreciate our superstars

http://www.iranian.com/Letters/2005/March/march5a.html

In response to Peyvand Khorsandi's "Beg to differ":
Dear Peyvand,
I can't believe how you could use a few paragraphs completely irrelevant to each other to justify Aghdashloo's sick behavior on TV the other night regarding Googoosh. It does not matter if she had actually recieved that Oscar last year, but she has done something really below her dignity, totally irritating and on purpose to draw blood.
-First Googoosh has never wanted to be a God or anything that you may have in mind. Actually she has repeatedly said that "I am just a singer and actress and will always remain so." Her coming back to the stage back in the year 2000 was by no means "caving in to her craving for adoration" as you suggest. It was a long forsaken love for the stage and performing that had been suppressed for more than two decade. And in that wonderful adventure she was not alone. Thousands of Iranians who filled sport arenas embraced her with open arms. Crowds that no other artist could ever gather before. She did not want to live in her fans' imaginations, she wanted to be there with them, although people like Aghdashloo prayed day and night that she would never come out of isolations. But she did to major disappointment and chagrinof Aghdashloo and the like.
-Secondly Aghdashloo has been systematically attaching Googoosh for some unknown reason. She is just looking for something to pick on her whenever she is in front of Iranian TVs. No matter what has the interviewer asked her,she would always find a way to point her sward to Googoosh for a few minutes. If you had seen the interview that night you would see for yourself that the question put forward ot her was totally unrelated to the answer given by her. And what makes her behavior more disgusting was that the interviewer was the same guy who had inflicted so much pain on Googoosh. In fact she was interfering into a legal battle in which she had no authority but at the same time issues a verdict to please the other party.
And what is so irritating in it all is this word SAVAD. Oh my God, she never stops reminding us of all those class she has taken and the unknown degree she has. Just search for her interviews on the net or see some her talk show appearances. Almost in all of them she talk about her education. Ok Ms. BASAVAD. SO WHAT?
GOOGOOSH'S CAREER
In your opinion, "in career terms, Googoosh has already spent her best years". Would you please tell us on what information are you giving us this childish remark? Would you please tell us your authority to decide whose career has ended and whose has just begun? Who are you to decide about the career of a megastar who still is the number one artist of that country. Something admitted by friends and foes.
Did you know that the role on the "House of Sand and Fog" was first suggested to Googoosh but she refused it? Ask Ms. Aghdashloo herself and she will tell you.
The writer of the book who was aware of the legend of Googoosh, and had mentioned her name in his book several times insisted on having her but Googoosh did not accept that. As long as I know for two reasons, first she had started acting on the primary role at the age of 8 and would never act as supporting actress to anyone, and second she would never go for screen test and saw it below her dignity. SHE SAID NO TO HOLLYWOOD. The same Mr. Amirghasemi had told this story on his TV so many times too before breaking up with Googoosh and turning into an enemy.
Did you listen to her new songs or have you been to one of her come-back concerts? If so can't you see her voice is stronger, more delicate and beautiful than ever? Her choice of words, music and arrangements are truly amazing. She gives birth to a new masterpiece with her phenomenon talents whenever she creates a new song. I know one American Jazz artist who follows her career and knows her and respects her. If you seach for Googoosh on the net you will see things like these happening many times.
Did you know that Googoosh's latest album was printed 22 times just after one month of release and it broke the record of Iranian albums ever? Did you know that Googoosh had a contract with Universal in her pocket before signing with Caltex? Why do you think an American reputable company , Nederlander does not want to leave her alone? Do you know that her fee in the present contract with Nederlander is $ 150,000 for each gig? Do you know Gypsy Kings gets only $75,000. But she still does not want to go ahead with that contract until the two charlattans are out. How much do you think are the wages of other superstars like Dariush and Ebi? Now tell me Who has spent her best years.
Do you know the depth of her popularity? Do you know how many websites and weblogs are dedicated just to Googoosh? Just start searching her name in Google or other search engines and see for yourself. There are actually sites dedicated to "Googoosh Links". Do you know how many photos of Googoosh are there on the net. Or in the scrapbook of Iranians from all ages and all walks of life? Or posted on their bedroom walls? Do you know that anything with her name in it will sell in a jiffy? Just tell me who is going to remember Aghdashloo ten years from now?
And as for Aghdashloo's jealousy toward Googoosh, you admitted to it when you said "Perhaps history might at least credit Aghdashloo with tickling Googooshís disciples -- over which she has no control". Yes Aghdashloo has no control over her feeling toward Googoosh. It is that feeling of heaviness in her throat that makes her voice harsh, and her eye sparke with rage whenever she thinks about the diva. Just thinking that what may happen if Googoosh does not say no to Hollywood next time, brings tears to her eyes and makes her palms wet. Baby this uncontrolale feeling you have mentioned in your letter is called jealousy.
And history has already decided about Googoosh. She is one of the only four Iranians whose life story can be found on Encyclopedia Brittanica and book like "House of Sand and Fog" have admitted her legend, actresses like Aghdashloo should play an 8 minute role, acting as a woman whose only idol in life is Persian Diva Googoosh.
There is sad feeling deep inside me that tells me what have we Iranians done to be so miserable? Why can't we have superstars like the free world and enjoy and appreciate them? Why all Iranian artists die of hunger? Why some people like Aghdashloo should think Googoosh was much better if she had stayed in the darkness of her house and rotten there?
Gari Gardner

Aghdashloo simply being arrogant

http://www.iranian.com/Letters/2005/March/march3a.html
Aghdashloo simply being arrogant
In response to Peyvand Khorsandi's "Beg to differ":
I simply do not understand the point that Peyvand Khorsandi is trying to make by comparing the Persian diva GOOGOOSH with a politician pres. Khatami and amateur actress Shohreh Aghdashloo. On the other hand the writer claims that since the era for Googoosh is over! So therefore it is OK to talk ill of her!
There are few aspects in the letter that are contradicting.
First of all it is exactly our point that Mrs. Aghdashloo has only stared her carrier at the age when she should be retiring and therefore is in no place to take a critical position in damning long highly performed Googoosh who has showed her highly admired acts and music within Iran as well as internationally.
If Mrs. Aghdashloo has only been nominated for Oscars once Googoosh virtually owned the San Remo festival in 1973 and aside from wining awards 7 out of 14 songs that was released in the “San Remo 1973” was that of hers.
Even going with the claim that Googoosh’s carrier is finished which is contrary to her sold out concerts and record breaking CDs on its own does not give one the right to forget about her glorious past and her amazing art of performing, acting and singing. I do not see any American criticize Elvis’ work just because he has long died!! Such poor reasoning for such poor actions on Mrs. Aghdashloo’s behalf is simply being arrogant.
The contradicting aspect of this letter is the fact that the writer admits to the fact that Mrs. Aghdashloo is just a beginner yet she dares to compare her to the Persian DIVA Googoosh! She also compares Googoosh to a politician that has only been known to the public when he was nominated for his political position. On the other hand Googoosh incomparably has grown with the public and within the public eyes!
The fact of the matter is that one can not compare the two and as every one is well aware the mass media of the world; (Time, The associated press, CNN, BBC, the New York times, Reuters, Chicago Tribune, the Washington Post, etc.) Have been comparing Googoosh to “Celine Dion, Barbara Streisand, Madonna, Elvis Presley” and it is utterly preposterous to be comparing Googoosh to someone who you claim to be a beginner in her carrier.
The bottom line is that there was no reason and there is no need for Mrs. Aghdashloo to have said that Googoosh does not have public manners and that Googoosh does not have proper education and accusations of such. If she considers herself to be of highly educated well behaved actress then she should be acting like one (at least!).
We have a saying in Farsi: “derakht harche baresh bishtare saresh paeentare” which is not the case with Mrs. Aghdashloo.
Ali Anari