The Dead Brothers
Drawing frequent comparisons with a certain Tom Waits, the charismatic Alain Croubalian founded his band The Dead Brothers back in 1999, while based in Geneva, as a sort of musico-intellectual outlet allowing him and his fellow nomadic companions to continuously smile death in the face. In an often dramatic mise-en-scène, centred in the circus of life, the self-proclaimed funerary band stages an intense yet intriguing blend of folk, country, blues and punk music, streaked with Balkan influences. Often assisted by the so-called Dead Brothers Sweet String Orchestra, Croubalian and his band of mere mortals continuously urge their listeners to reconsider that “Death Is Not The End”.
Meanwhile Croubalian, part of the ever-travelling Armenian diaspora himself, has created a film retracing the roots of his own existence, “a geographical, historical and psychological journey into one man's mind and into the collective consciousness of a troubled country and its people”. You can watch the trailer, donate and support the movie here.
Also, see the band spill out into the open space during a gig in Athens below. With the Dead Brothers as with death itself, you never quite know what to expect.
More posts
A New Wave
How to describe the prolific Tel Aviv four-piece Boom Pam? Well, for starters, how about in their own words: “Our mix really describes Tel Aviv ... a place where people from all over the world meet. This sound is a sharp cocktail of all the different styles that collide here. And we try to bring them all together.”
Listening to Boom Pam is a proper musical epiphany. Their creative output is not easily categorised. But why should it? Instead of attempting [...]
Okay Africa!
Launched back in 1999 by ?uestlove, famed drummer of The Roots and musical connoisseur in a league of his own, the Okayplayer webzine has been one of the go-to sites for urban music afficionados from across the globe for quite some time now. Running alongside its Okayfuture associate, which in turn specializes on new electronic as well as hiphop- and soul-influenced bass music, Okayplayer is now expanding its groundbreaking reach:
The newest addition to the [...]
Terry Riley X Africa Express
Minimalist American composer Terry Riley’s pioneering masterpiece “In C” celebrated its 50th anniversary last year. Initially created electronically, the work has since been performed and recorded by various outfits:
“I always welcome it when pieces change. The worst interpretations I’ve heard of In C mechanically try to copy the original performance. [...] Rules,” says Riley, “are not as important as results.”
Most recently, the Africa Express [...]
On The Road Again
Things are definitely heating up in Jewish Monkeys territory as we unveil the brilliant artwork to their upcoming "Global Warming Tour", with live shows all across Germany from October 16th through November 8th. Exact dates and locations to be announced.
In the meantime, be sure to feast your eyes on these handsome m*therf*ckers lounging poolside, obviously ignorant of current global hardships as expressed in their album track "Caravan Petrol", featuring in the official lyric video below.
In Their Own Words
Prior to a gig at Tel Aviv's crazy underground venue Radio E.P.G.B in January 2014, the three Jewish Monkeys singers Jossi Reich, Ron Boiko and Gael Zaidner met with Dafna Arad of the Israeli daily Ha'aretz to share some insight on the band's evolution, from its modest beginnings to the point, where things started to get a bit more serious, with their then soon-to-be-released debut album "Mania Regressia". The piece really puts their individual motivation into [...]
Daidaidaidaidai
In March 2014 the Jewish Monkeys were invited to play the International Klezmer Festival in the quaint North Bavarian town of Fürth. Once on stage they also performed one of their favourite non-album tracks "Titina", an upbeat tune taken from the Charlie Chaplin movie "Modern Times" and underlaid with an old Yiddish song. Adding their very own touch of punk to the mix, this rendition sure got the crowd going and chiming in with the "daidaidaidaidai" [...]
"Home? Between The Legs Of My Wife"
If you are familiar with the Jewish Monkeys mindset and their seemingly carefree, provocative, or rather thought-provoking, politically incorrect approach to basically everything that is politically incorrect, then this interview, which aired on German national radio station Deutschlandradio Kultur in April, will be to your liking. Though you will need to speak German to understand, what is being said.
Ronni Boiko and Jossi Reich sat down with host Oliver [...]
A London Triple
On a weekend in March, the Jewish Monkeys travelled to London to play three consecutive club shows in the British capital. Unfortunately, upon arrival at Heathrow Airport, they were detained and questioned for a rough eight hours, before finally making it to their first gig with a slight delay. Once on stage however, they performed with such energy, passion and enthusiasm, releasing all the tension and turning the negative energy into boisterously good vibes, [...]
Demystifying Yiddish
For the “meshugenah” Jewish Monkeys, Yiddish is a cultural byproduct of their Ashkenazi heritage, part of their jargon, easily blended into their versatile lyrics. For others Yiddish remains a mystery, resembling German, Hebrew and something entirely different all at once.
Yiddish is in fact an old language, a medieval form of Middle High German, embellished with Hebrew words. Although it was widely spoken among the Jews of Europe and Russia, it was [...]
Jewish Monkeys X Paul Wallfisch
Earlier this year in April, the Jewish Monkeys embarked on their seven-stop "Springtime For Hinkel" Tour through North and East Germany. Playing the well-established Hamburg Kampnagel venue, they were supported by none other than the ubertalented, musical globetrotter Paul Wallfisch, who decided to join them on piano for this crooning, 'live but sweet' rendition of their controversial track "Black But Sweet", which you can relive below:
Boom Pam X Trifonas
A near decade ago at the 2006 WOMEX (World Music Expo) showcase, the acclaimed Colin Bass of Camel, aka Sabah Habas Mustapha of the legendary 3 Mustaphas 3, introduced our dear friends Boom Pam to the world, coincidentally launching their international touring career with the following words:
“Twanging guitars of Tel Aviv mix heady Eastern Mediterranean cocktail: At first was the word around the night-clubs and parties of the Tel Aviv music scene. Boom Pam. [...]
Yalla Boom!
Jewish Monkeys' partners in crime Boom Pam have teamed up with renowned singer Maor Cohen for their latest music video, which sees them spending some quality time at a crowded Tel Aviv beach. Yalla Boom!