Egyptian Musician Nader Sadek Defends Free Expression On National TV

A few weeks before the arrival of American metal band Inquisition, Cairo’s Metal community fractured. Citing concerns over the legality of the show and the supposed satanic nature of the music, several figures in the underground community pushed to have the show canceled. 

 

There were three camps. People who were opposed to the show for whatever reason, and those that threw all their support behind the concert’s organiser, Nader Sadek, and took to social media to vehemently defend a man they see as sticking up for their rights to self-expression. These two minorities were overshadowed by the rest of the community, the third camp, that had no stomach for political drama and just wanted to listen to the music they love. 

 

After a debacle which led to the venue and date being changed and some bands dropping out, the concert went on without an issue. In fact, it was a resounding success. The crowd was enthusiastic and supported the bands with limitless energy. The bands themselves, Inquisition and Dubai’s Perversion being the only acts, enjoyed themselves thoroughly, both saying they would love to play Egypt again before too long. 

 

Throughout it all Nader Sadek, the man at the center of it all, stayed silent for the most part, only saying publicly that he would continue to bring metal bands to Egypt. Last night he took to the Al Nahar Al Youm to explain to the public exactly what happened and what the show really was and was not. Check out the video in Arabic below. 

 

Sources tell me that just before the event took place, Mr. Hani Shaker (head of the Musician’s Syndicate and propagator of much of the vitriol fueling the drama) attempted to get producers to pull Mr. Sadek’s interview off the air. Mr. Shaker has refused to discuss the matter with Sadek himself but a member of his cabal did call into the show to try to defame Mr. Sadek with more baseless accusations of devil worship. 

 

Nader Sadek’s own project is continuing and he is continuing to bring international artists to Egypt with the hopes that the country will become a destination within the region for metal fans.