Saadat Awan

Saadat Awan is a Washington DC native, by way of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He is a member of The Cassettes, Metropolitan band, and Thievery Corporation side projects International Velvet and I.C.U. He was also a former member of Travis Morrison Hellfighters, and has also worked with Lori Carson, These United States, Nima Majd and others in the past.

Awan is a self-taught drummer, bassist, guitarist, keyboardist, and tabla player. He has been exploring his roots in his work with The Cassettes, as well as in Metropolitan band. He sings in Urdu on a The Cassettes song entitled "Muja Achi Larki Daydo", as well as on Metropolitan band's "Pakistan International", a song about his trips to, and experiences in, Pakistan with his family, during his childhood.

Recently Awan recorded with The Torches who feature Stephen Guidry from The Cassettes on Banjo and Vocals. And has been back in the studio to record for a future project with Shelby Cinca, also from The Cassettes, and Nick Kraly. The Band is also scheduled to go back into the studio in the Fall of 2011 for their fifth effort.

Saadat Awan is also a Bhangra DJ with the alias: Beta-G. In 2009, "The U.S. Department of Bhangra" (USDB) began as a way to help charities and non-profits in DC gain exposure and have fun while raising funds for good causes. The USDB has grown to become one of Washington DC's premiere Bhangra parties, receiving some rave reviews in The Washington Post, Washingtonian Magazine, and other media and blogs. Awan, as Beta-G, has also been featured on a track by fellow Washington DC DJ collective Fort Knox Five called Bhangra Paanch on which he provides Vocals in his native Punjabi.

Discography

Full lengths

• Metropolitan "Down For You Is Up" - (2002 Crank Automotive)
• Metropolitan "The Lines They Get Broken" - (2005 Crank Automotive)
• The Cassettes "Neath The Pale Moon" CD (2006 Buddyhead Records)
• Travis Morrison Hellfighters "All Y'all" CD (2007 Barsuk Records)
• These United States - "First Sight (A Picture of the Three of Us at the Gate to the Garden of Eden)" (United Interests)
• The Cassettes "Countach" Maxi-Cassette Tape (2008) (Chapeau)

7"/EPs

• Metropolitan "Calibos split" 7" (2001 Crank Automotive)
• The Cassettes "Disco Drive split" 7" (2003 Bachelor Records, Germany)
• The Torches "The Torches E.P." 7" / MP3 (2010 Lujo Records)
• The Cassettes "I've Been Gone Far Too Long" 7" / MP# (2011 Flannel Gurl Records)

Compilations

• The Cassettes "Play" Children's Music Compilation (2007 Desoto Records) - Track: "Truck On (Truck)"
• The Cassettes "Wedding Compilation" (2006 Lujo Records) - Track: "Pioneer Love Song"
• The Cassettes "Love And Loathing" (2006 Lujo Records) - Track: "Hey Good Lookin" (originally by Hank Williams Sr.)
• Saadat Awan "Songs at the Point" (2002) - 2 tracks: "Just Like That" & "Worth the Wait"

Guest vocalist appearances

• Fort Knox Five "The New Gold Standard 2" (2010 ((Fort Knox Recordings) - Track: "Bhangra Paanch Ft. Beta-G"

External links

• The Cassettes official site
• Metropolitan Sound official site
• Travis Morrison Hellfighters official site
• U.S. Department of Bhangra site