
The orchestra, called Zohra after the Persian goddess of music, was mainly made up of girls and women from a Kabul orphanage aged between 13 and 20.įormed in 2014, it became a global symbol of the freedom many Afghans began to enjoy in the 20 years since the Taliban last ruled, despite the hostility and threats it continued to face from some in the deeply conservative Muslim country. The story of the orchestra in the days following the Taliban's victory, which Reuters has pieced together through interviews with members of Khpalwak's music school, encapsulates the sense of shock felt by young Afghans like Khpalwak, particularly women. "I felt so awful, it felt like that whole memory of my life was turned into ashes," said Khpalwak, who fled to the United States - one of tens of thousands who escaped abroad after the Taliban's lightning conquest of Afghanistan. Then she gathered up photographs and press clippings of her famed musical performances, put them in a pile and burnt them. Dashing around the room, Khpalwak grabbed a robe to cover her bare arms and hid away a small set of decorative drums. "John Bradley on the End of Dads and Beating Cancer". ^ "Breathing Tornados An interview with John Bradley of Dads".

Azada songs professional#
He said that the project became increasingly stressful as the band continued to grow and started opening for larger acts, and was concerned that the band would not look professional while still trying to "have fun" playing music. When asked about the breakup of Dads, Bradley stated that the band's breakup was a matter of their personal friendships. However, months after the album's release, Dads dropped off multiple tours in summer 2015 as a result of a speculated breakup, which was confirmed by Scott Scharinger in a post on the band's Facebook page in the fall of 2016. Around this time they added Ryan Azada to the band's lineup as a permanent bassist. In October 2014, Dads released their sophomore effort, I'll Be the Tornado which reached 17th on the Billboard Top Heatseekers album chart and received considerable critical praise. Sometime in early 2014, Bradley and Scharinger decided to move the band to Ann Arbor, Michigan. The following year, the band released a Record Store Day exclusive EP entitled Woman, which included covers of the songs "Good Woman" by Cat Power and "I Never" by Rilo Kiley. Through further touring, the band built a national audience and released an EP in 2013 entitled Pretty Good via 6131 Records, which led to the band charting on various Billboard charts for the first time.


The release brought the band minor commercial success along with critical acclaim. After developing an audience in the emo revival scene through extensive touring, the band released their debut LP, American Radass (This Is Important), in 2012. In 2011, the band recorded and released the EPs Brush Your Teeth ) and Brush Your Teeth, Again ) respectively, with the latter being a repress that also included three new songs as well as a re-recorded song. Dads soon decided to part ways with Nazzaro as they found it easier to connect as a two-piece and released The Essential John Denver EP the same year. The band quickly gained the attention of the emo revival scene. History Formation and American Radass ĭads formed in the summer of 2010 as a trio consisting of guitarist/vocalist Scott Scharinger, drummer/vocalist John Bradley, and bassist Michael Nazzaro, all from various parts of the Central New Jersey area.
