Blurred Vision is a Toronto band fronted by two Iranian exiles named Sepp and Sohl; they keep their last names a secret because of fear of retaliation against family members who still live in their home country.
The band is hoping the new version will be an anthem for young Iranians; it is illegal to play rock music in Iran. One of the most famous lines has been changed to “Hey, Ayatollah, leave those kids alone!”
Blurred Vision are donating half of the proceeds from the track to the human rights organization Amnesty International.
The song was recorded last fall and, while the video went online at the end of January, the song has only recently attracted major international press.
Sepp hopes the message is reaching Iranian youth, as it was intended. “In Iran, we hope what they're doing is basically ripping it off the computer and spreading it around to themselves and spreading it through YouTube," he told Fox News. "We have no sort of goal to have them download the track. For them we hope it's free."
It’s a lofty goal for the first track by a new band, and the guys were hoping for Waters’ support. "We were nervous because we're thinking we're coming out with our first release as a Pink Floyd cover and, along the lines of musicians and music fans, the Floyd can't be touched," Sepp said. "… so we laid the track down and, right away, we knew that we had to get it over to Roger because he was such a hero to us."
Within a few weeks, it was a done deal. "We got the e-mail back from the Roger Waters camp and it said you have Roger Waters' blessing, and not only that, but this track is now in your hands - it's now yours as its title "Hey Ayatollah, Leave Those Kids Alone," says Sepp. "For me, and Sohl, it was one of the most unbelievable moments in our musical lives."
“I think it's great that these guys are using the song to protest against the repressive and brutal regime in Iran," said Waters. “South African kids did during apartheid and Palestinian kids do to protest the Israeli occupation of their land. I am proud to be a small part of this resistance.”
Roger added: “I think The Blurred Vision video is very accomplished and makes its point powerfully.”
Blurred Vision - Another Brick in the Wall - Single Blurred Vision – Another Brick In The Wall (Hey Ayatollah, Leave Those Kids Alone!) (2010)
