:Black Cats (band)

The group was originally formed in 1966 in Tehran, Iran as a rock band with members Hassan Shamaizadeh, Shahram Solati, Farhad Mehrad,{{Cite web|title=رادیو زمانه {{!}} آهنگ زمانه {{!}} خوانندگان ایرانی {{!}} آنچه از خواندن یاد گرفته‌ام، مدیون فرهاد است|url=https://zamaaneh.com/music/2010/03/post_312.html|access-date=2021-10-18|website=zamaaneh.com}}{{Cite news|date=2012-12-12|title=جمعه‌های فرهاد؛ مستندی درباره فرهاد مهراد|work=BBC News Farsi|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UDdBrckFKY|access-date=2021-10-17}}{{Cite web|last=|date=2019-08-31|title=(Farhad, an endless story) فرهاد، قصه ای بی انتها|url=https://www.irna.ir/news/83458233/فرهاد-قصه-ای-بی-انتها|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-18|website=irna.ir|language=fa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831183810/https://www.irna.ir/news/83458233/%D9%81%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A7%D8%AF-%D9%82%D8%B5%D9%87-%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A8%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7 |archive-date=2019-08-31 }} Shahbal Shabpareh.{{cite web|url=http://iranican.com/2013/03/27/starting-with-shabpareh/|title=Starting with Shabpareh – Iranican|publisher=iranican.com|accessdate=2016-01-06|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304221954/http://iranican.com/2013/03/27/starting-with-shabpareh/|archive-date=2016-03-04}}{{cite web|url=http://www.farhadmehrad.org/fa/bio.htm|title=Farhad Mehrad's Official Website|publisher=farhadmehrad.org|accessdate=2016-01-06|archive-date=2019-10-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191022005802/http://www.farhadmehrad.org/fa/bio.htm|url-status=dead}} 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. 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.{{Cite web|title=بخشی از گفتگوی متفاوت با شهرام شب پره باحضور فریدون قراگزلو و محمد ایزدمهر|url=https://javanan.com/%d8%a8%d8%ae%d8%b4%db%8c-%d8%a7%d8%b2-%da%af%d9%81%d8%aa%da%af%d9%88%db%8c-%d9%85%d8%aa%d9%81%d8%a7%d9%88%d8%aa-%d8%a8%d8%a7-%d8%b4%d9%87%d8%b1%d8%a7%d9%85-%d8%b4%d8%a8-%d9%be%d8%b1%d9%87-%d8%a8/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-18|website=Javanan Magazine|language=fa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018182541/https://javanan.com/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%DA%AF%D9%81%D8%AA%DA%AF%D9%88%DB%8C-%D9%85%D8%AA%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%AA-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85-%D8%B4%D8%A8-%D9%BE%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%A8/ |archive-date=2021-10-18 }}

Ebi, one of the most popular Persian singers, was part of the group Black Cats from 1967 to 1979 before starting his solo career.{{Cite web|title=خوانندگان پاپ ایرانی با بیشترین فالوئر اینستاگرامی + لیست|url=https://vananews.com/fa/news/408497/%D8%AE%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%86%D8%AF%DA%AF%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%BE%D8%A7%D9%BE-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%A8%DB%8C%D8%B4%D8%AA%D8%B1%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%81%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%88%D8%A6%D8%B1-%D8%A7%DB%8C%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%AA%D8%A7%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85%DB%8C-%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA|access-date=2021-10-18|website=vananews.com}}

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.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2018-03-02|title=Googoosh: Iran's daughter speaks her mind|url=https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/googoosh-iran-s-daughter-speaks-her-mind/article_bc9a96e4-1e2f-11e8-9bce-373baf8322d6.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-19|website=Fairfax County Times|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180302223832/http://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articles/googoosh-iran-s-daughter-speaks-her-mind/article_bc9a96e4-1e2f-11e8-9bce-373baf8322d6.html |archive-date=2018-03-02 }}

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."{{Cite web|date=2016-04-04|title=Black Cats Biography - زندگینامه|url=http://www.honaraks.com/black-cats-profile/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160404104638/http://www.honaraks.com/black-cats-profile/|archive-date=2016-04-04|access-date=2021-10-18|website=honaraks.com}}{{Cite web|title=KAMRAN & HOOMAN|url=https://javanan.com/kamran-a-hooman/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-18|website=Javanan Magazine|language=en-US|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211018182039/https://javanan.com/kamran-a-hooman/ |archive-date=2021-10-18 }}

Kamyar & Hakim Rachek on bass were the main members from 2004 to 2008. Kamyar Ahmadzadeh, who was influenced by Stevie Wonder, also became successful on his own.{{Cite web|title=Kamyar Ahmadzadeh 'KamyR'|url=http://www.parstimes.com/musicians/kamyar_ahmadzadeh/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-18|website=parstimes.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110206132617/http://www.parstimes.com:80/musicians/kamyar_ahmadzadeh/ |archive-date=2011-02-06 }} This iteration of the band was known as Black Cats Next Level with the album "Scream of the Cats" with the mega hits such as : Jooneh Khodet, Majnoon, Leila.

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

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.{{Cite web|title=با شهبال شب پره رهبر و خالق گروه بلک کتز در جوانان رادیو گفتگو کردیم|url=https://javanan.com/%d8%a8%d8%a7-%d8%b4%d9%87%d8%a8%d8%a7%d9%84-%d8%b4%d8%a8-%d9%be%d8%b1%d9%87-%d8%b1%d9%87%d8%a8%d8%b1-%d9%88-%d8%ae%d8%a7%d9%84%d9%82-%da%af%d8%b1%d9%88%d9%87-%d8%a8%d9%84%da%a9-%da%a9%d8%aa%d8%b2/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-18|website=Javanan Magazine|language=fa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506164637/https://javanan.com/%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84-%D8%B4%D8%A8-%D9%BE%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B1%D9%87%D8%A8%D8%B1-%D9%88-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%84%DA%A9-%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%B2/ |archive-date=2021-05-06 }}

Over the years they have had at least 43 members.{{Cite web|title=بلک کتس - معنی در دیکشنری آبادیس|url=https://abadis.ir/fatofa/%D8%A8%D9%84%DA%A9-%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%B3/|access-date=2021-10-18|website=abadis.ir}}{{Cite web|title=بیوگرافی بلک کتس|url=https://www.starbino.com/24428/%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%88%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%84%DA%A9-%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%B3.html|url-status=live|access-date=2021-10-18|website=starbino.com|language=Fa|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191018035735/http://www.starbino.com:80/24428/%D8%A8%DB%8C%D9%88%DA%AF%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D9%84%DA%A9-%DA%A9%D8%AA%D8%B3.html |archive-date=2019-10-18 }}

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.{{Cite web|title=بلک کتس - Kodoom|url=https://iranians.kodoom.com/black-cats/|access-date=2021-10-18|website=Kodoom.com|language=fa}} 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." {{Cite book|last=Hemmasi|first=Farzaneh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SZXUDwAAQBAJ&dq=Shahbal+Shabpareh&pg=PT42|title=Tehrangeles Dreaming: Intimacy and Imagination in Southern California's Iranian Pop Music|date=2020-04-10|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn=978-1-4780-1200-9|language=en}}

• [https://open.spotify.com/artist/1gej3rNdgoHFpH0D4Nxupv Black Cats] on Spotify
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydy7TDCBqmg Long video recording of early Black Cats, featuring Farhad Mehrad and Shahbal Shabpareh]

{{Reflist}}

Category:Iranian musical groups

Category:Iranian pop music groups

Category:Musical groups from Tehran

Category:Caltex Records artists