Re: Great Jewish Rock Stars. Do they perform Jewish Music?

[GAronoff <GAronoff...>]

Other Jewish artists who generally play rock/pop/jazz (non-jewish music) but
on ocassion play Jewish-themed music are Ben Sidran of the Steve Miller Band,
Peter Himmleman, Blood of Abraham (rap), Army of Lovers (Disco), Ziggy Elman
and Barbara Streisand (Yentl).

A major subgroup of the original list includes the creators of classic
American songs like White Christmas and Hound Dog.  Both Tin Pan Alley and
the Brill Building songwriters played the same role as early Jewish
Hollywood.  They developed the image of heartland America, one that was
totally devoid of Jewish content.  Beyond the quality songwriting of much of
this music, does it also represent an intense form of Jewish assimilationism,
or a clever way to make money "selling ice to the eskimos?"

An interesting statement on a Jewish rocker's relationship to judaism came
from Adam Durwitz of the Counting Crows who told an interviewer something to
the effect that he had been deeply involved in Judaism, but if he continued
it wouldn't have left room for anything else, so he stopped.  I wonder if
this view is common on the list, or if it is possible to have a full
commercial career and still be preserve a deep involvement with jewish
culture.

Anyone interested in the subject of Jews in rock should check out the zine
"Plotz" which features "Outing the Jew."  Plotz's homepage can be found at
http://www.flotsam.com/PLOTZ

Gideon Aronoff