A porcupine tree grows in Tel Aviv

July 1, 2010 - 4:12 PM by · 1 Comment
Filed under: A New Reality, coexistence, General, Israeliness, Life, Music, Pop Culture 

Steven Wilson, foreground, with Aviv Gefen - two lovers of Tel Aviv.

It’s not often that a pretty well-known rock star – or even a marginally well-known one – adopts Tel Aviv as his home away from home.

But that’s what Steven Wilson, the talented founder and front man for British progressive rockers Porcupine Tree has been doing the last few years.

Ever since the guitarist/songwriter forged a friendship with Israeli icon Aviv Gefen and began early last decade collaborating with him on the musical project Blackfield, Wilson began spending more time in Israel. In 2006, he even rented an apartment in Tel Aviv and took up residence, along with an Israeli girlfriend.

With a million projects between Porcupine Tree albums and tours, Blackfield and countless other collaborations, Wilson hasn’t spent much time here the last couple years, but is returning next week with Porcupine Tree for their first show here since 2001.

Speaking to him last week, Wilson told me what he loved about the country.

“To me, Israel is almost the antithesis of what I had grown up with. Being English, we’re polite and reserved, we don’t express our opinions, we’re very private people. Plus the weather is shit, and I’ve never been a big fan of English women. In Israel, I found it all opposite. It’s friendly, there are beautiful women,” said Wilson.

“There was a fire missing from my personality, an element missing, and when I started to spend more time in Israel, I became more forthright, more passionate and opinionated – in a good way and in a bad way. I think I was able to complete my personality by finding its Israeli side.”

Wilson said that once things calm down for him professionally, he plans on coming back to Tel Aviv for another extended stay, and he’s already at work with Gefen on another Blackfield album. Sounds like he deserves the keys to the city.

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New Israeli booking agency brings the bands to you

January 29, 2009 - 4:16 PM by · 3 Comments
Filed under: Business, General, Music, Pop Culture 

Efrat Gosh is one of the top rate Israeli artists available through the IAA.

Efrat Gosh is one of the top rate Israeli artists available through the IAA.

One of the best ways for young, Diaspora Jews to feel an affinity for Israel is through our wide range of pop music. Here’s a short shout out to a new endeavor that’s making that music available to just about anyone who’s interested in bringing an Israeli rock act to their community.

A new Tel Aviv-based agency – The Israel Artist Agency (IAA) – has launched what they call the definitive Israeli booking solution for placing all Israeli artists abroad, the first Israel-based agency strictly dedicated to the export and promotion of Israeli talent.

With a 30 artist roster featuring both well-established rockers like Berry Saharof, Hadag Nahash, and Meir Banai, as well as young, alternative acts ncluding Useless ID, Coolooloosh, and Midnight Peacocks (who will be playing the prestigious SxSW Festival in Texas this year), IAA is targeting JCCs, college fraternities/sororities, Hillels, Jewish summer camps, youth movements, Federation functions, fundraisers, and festivals that might be looking to bring over some Israeli talent.

According to the agency’s philosophy, people in Jewish communities in the Diaspora need to connect to their roots via Israeli contemporary culture, and need to have easy and full access to the vibrant musical scene here.

“This is an essential solution to a challenge that has existed for so long; oftentimes, those that wish to provide exciting content/artists in their community in order to make Israel a more relevant place cannot connect with the right people to make it happen. The vast &
expansive nature of our work will make it easier than ever to bring live quality entertainment to the community,” said IAA co-founder Michael Tapuach.

With Yom Ha’atzmaut celebrations not too far off, now’s the time to think about bringing Aviv Gefen or Efrat Gosh to help celebrate in style.

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Spreading Israel through song

June 22, 2008 - 11:07 AM by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Music, Pop Culture 

Oleh RecordsA fellow Harry left a comment on a music post I wrote about Rockfour and the trend of some Israeli artists writing and performing in Hebrew.

He said:

Why push Israeli artists that sing in English? I’d rather give props to the musicians who still sing in Hebrew. This trend is bad for Israeli Culture. There’s something terrible about hearing Aviv Geffen and Ivri Lider singing in English. It does not have the same power as hearing them sing in Hebrew. I’m worried that in the future, more and more Israeli Musicians will sing in English because they see everyone else doing it and their dream is to be big in England and America. Things didn’t quite work out that way for Monica Sex. I am afraid for the day when every Heyehudim song will be in English. In the future, the only thing left in Hebrew will be those Mizrahi singers like Eyal Golan. I mean this in the nicest possible way. I really am scared for the future of Israeli Rock.

You can find my initial response here but I wanted to elaborate a bit as to why I see nothing wrong with Israeli music in English. First of all, the amount of music being created in English is so small, so minute and on such a small scale that your average joe (Israel Israeli) probably has absolutely no idea that a scene even exists. The effect that it has on the cultural landscape is pretty much non-existent. Sure, Aviv Gefen put out a couple of English albums with prog-god Steven Wilson (Blackfield) and Ivri Leder is currently working on an English album, but both artists have not even remotely abandoned their Hebrew music. Leder actually just released a new Hebrew single on his website just a couple of days ago (to download, click on the scrolling Hebrew text at the very top of the page).

I think there is a dire need for American youth to connect with Israel on some level. I firmly believe one of the strongest ways that youth can connect with Israel is through commonalities. And I believe music is powerful enough to be that commonality. An American teenager who loves pop punk isn’t going to connect with an Israeli pop-punk band such as Sheygetz who performs their music is in Hebrew, though if he/she happened to hear Useless ID, whose music is in English, he/she might connect with the music and in turn, connect with Israel. Israeli music in English exists in all genres – metal, hip hop, rock, pop and dance. It is certainly a cliché, but music connects people and does indeed break down borders and opens minds. As mentioned in a previous post, Oleh! Records (a music company I co-founded), mission is to do just that. Conveniently enough, you can read more about Oleh! Records at ISRAEL21c.com

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