Introduction to Israeli Popular Music: The Rough Guide – The 1990s! (Part 1)
Here we are, at the decade when everything happened - at least as far as Israel goes: Privatization in every sector imaginable led to the rise of commercial TV & Radio broadcast (which was mostly public until then); and the economical growth teamed up with globalization to convert Israel from Zionism to Consumerism. The political assassination of PM Yitzhak Rabin in 1995 had traumatized Israeli society and split the decade in two: while the early 90s had been cheerfully celebrating global pop consumerism and Rock "authenticity", the years immediately following the assassination were marked by sad and melancholic tones. The song YACOV (he: Jacob) was at the top of the pop charts for a few months during 1994 – and is typical of the early 90s attitudes, exhibiting European influences carried to Israel through MTV Europe.
As for the Rock part, the early 90s is remembered as the golden age of Israeli alternative Rock. The small Tel Aviv-based scene was thriving with dozens of bands, artists and albums. The list is far too long to be included in an introductory post, and with time I might dedicate a post to some of those acts. The sound, production and ethos were up-to-date with changing global fashions (grunge, alternative and indie) and while everybody still sang in Hebrew, lyrics were more about individual and subjective issues (rather than old collective Zionist themes). The song MA SHE'OVER ALAI (he: what's going on with me, 1993) by the band EIFO HAYELED? (he: where's the kid?) is a typical example: while the singer tells us of the hardships he encounters when dealing with a consumed relationship, the video shows us the Tel Aviv surroundings of Sheinkin street which served as the beating heart of the 90s rock scene.
From the small peripheral cities of Israel, in the northern and southern parts of the country, a steady flux of great artistic talents was flowing into the big city. A special place in this history is reserved for Sderot, nowadays sadly mentioned mostly in the context of its proximity to Gaza Strip. Back in the 90s this town – that enjoys a large population of Moroccan Jews – was known for producing a scene of its own: the bands from Sderot (Sfatayim, Knesiyat Hasekhel and TeaPacks) played idiosyncratic music, mixing traditional north African influences with Rock – each band had its own special blend. TeaPacks's BETOCH NIYAR ITON (he: inside a newspaper, 1994) is as fine example as any, coupling poetically ironic social criticism with existing traditional Jewish Moroccan tune.
The optimism of the early 90s has to do not only with consumerism, but also with a couple of peace treaties Israel had signed with the Palestinian Authority and Jordan at the time. The music made by MIZRAHIT artists continued to serve as the most immediate musical bridge to the surrounding countries. The Turkish Arabesque-influenced sub-genre was a huge thing during the early 90s, marked by what is widely regarded as a more "heavy" style that dealt with the subjects of depression. Singer and actor Zehava Ben – who was a pioneer of this style – remains one of the greatest Israeli artists up to this day, enjoying popularity in Arab countries as well. Here you can watch her in action in the 1992 movie TIPAT MAZAL (he: a bit of luck, directed by Ze'ev Revach).
That's it for today, folks. As always, I would love to know what you thought in the comments, feel free to share your beloved 90s music from all places and genres!
Spread the word, share the love, play the music. 🐰❤🎵
Previously on the rough guide:
Introduction to Israeli Popular Music: The Rough Guide – The 1980s!
Introduction to Israeli Popular Music: The Rough Guide (1960s-1970s)