Re: Israeli Music Today

[Kame'a Media <media...>]

(Quoted and paraphrased from the Forward -- July 23.)

Meir Ariel, called "the Bob Dylan  of Israel" died July 18 in Tel Aviv at 57
years of age.  The cause of death is under investigation.

Ariel first received wide popular  attention  for his song "Jerusalem of Iron"
in 1967 and was criticized for its dovish bent. He had served as an Israeli
soldier.

His Hebrew was said to border on poetry and he was credited with developing a
distinct style that valued brute and simple lyrical power over orchestral
pyrotechnics.

He influenced the careers of popular Israeli singers David Broza, Hanan Yovel
and Gidi Gav.

The left-wing tenor of his words helped to establish popular music in Israel as
a political force.

He was an outspoken proponent of soft drug use and was arrested several times
for possession of hashish.

His latest album, "Self Operating Doors" (1998) was his first (of seven) to go
platinum.

<Borukh dayan emet>

Wolf  Krakowski






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