Here's an interesting one. I'm curious to know how the effects of evil American/English/European capitalism have infiltrated that outpost of civilisation that is the middle East. I'm curious to know how their social/physical environment affects the type of sounds they respond to. So far I can only report on Israel and Iraq (via a documentary) on what the kids listen to (and also the fact that most of these places are police/religious states where the 'pleasure' of 'western' musics are banned). Well not Israel, but they are still a religious state by and LARGE.
1. Israel : when I was there in the late 80s U2 were very popular. As you'd expect their tastes are somewhat more euro-centric than the cliche 53rd State of America that Israel is supposed to be according to opines of some posters here. The Army incredibly have an 'alternative' station, and I gleefully remember hearing them play Jesus and Mary Chain! There was an 'arty/alterntive' store in Tel Aviv ('Ozen Shlishi/3rd ear) that had tapes by bands that had heavy JAMC/Birthday Party influences, and ads for bands looking for guitarists that were influenced by Rowland S Howard!#$!!). On the alternative front, Israelies tend to get into that really sorta 'ancient' gothic/angst stuff, starting with Leonard Cohen, and going through to the Birthday Party/Nick Cave/Swans/dirty Three type dig. Nick Cave is very big there these days. Then on the tech front they have no taste: Goa Earthcore/Hippy/Trunce is the form. The glitch scene is sorta popular as is bad politco hiphop. john zorn also gets some kudos for his obvious born-again Jewish-righteous shtick dreck.
2. Iraq: with the invasion and new 'democraticratisation/americanisation' I saw an interesting Australian docco about the 'sounds of war' or some crap. Of course the working class US soldiers listen to the stock hiphop and nu-metal as to be expected. Rock music is of course BANNED in Mid-East countires, pretty much as its a sin to listen to, but there was an interesting thing on some Iraqi kids/dudes who were into METAL. Especially Metallica and darker Euro-metal, and an Iraqi dude who spoke in a bizarre Lars Ulrich american-type accent about how the music reflects the 'horror/destruction' of their enviornment/lives.
I know there are some vehement arm-chair Marxists out there who would be appaled at this post, and the fact that rock music/techno/hiphop whatever is just part of some wider 'colonialisation' of the world. If thats the case, then forums like this are for hypocrites there and then. Also the argument that rock music ignores the spiritual and advanced polyrhythms of indig. mid-east music for its retardo 4/4 thud has some sway as well. Fair enough, but then you could argue about rock music's erosion of classical music/opera/etc in Western socieites for that matter...
The point of this post is just an idea of how particular cultures repond to 'new musics' based on their societal/environmental climates, and leave it at that.
England and America are *boring* coz we all know how THEY live, don't we?
1. Israel : when I was there in the late 80s U2 were very popular. As you'd expect their tastes are somewhat more euro-centric than the cliche 53rd State of America that Israel is supposed to be according to opines of some posters here. The Army incredibly have an 'alternative' station, and I gleefully remember hearing them play Jesus and Mary Chain! There was an 'arty/alterntive' store in Tel Aviv ('Ozen Shlishi/3rd ear) that had tapes by bands that had heavy JAMC/Birthday Party influences, and ads for bands looking for guitarists that were influenced by Rowland S Howard!#$!!). On the alternative front, Israelies tend to get into that really sorta 'ancient' gothic/angst stuff, starting with Leonard Cohen, and going through to the Birthday Party/Nick Cave/Swans/dirty Three type dig. Nick Cave is very big there these days. Then on the tech front they have no taste: Goa Earthcore/Hippy/Trunce is the form. The glitch scene is sorta popular as is bad politco hiphop. john zorn also gets some kudos for his obvious born-again Jewish-righteous shtick dreck.
2. Iraq: with the invasion and new 'democraticratisation/americanisation' I saw an interesting Australian docco about the 'sounds of war' or some crap. Of course the working class US soldiers listen to the stock hiphop and nu-metal as to be expected. Rock music is of course BANNED in Mid-East countires, pretty much as its a sin to listen to, but there was an interesting thing on some Iraqi kids/dudes who were into METAL. Especially Metallica and darker Euro-metal, and an Iraqi dude who spoke in a bizarre Lars Ulrich american-type accent about how the music reflects the 'horror/destruction' of their enviornment/lives.
I know there are some vehement arm-chair Marxists out there who would be appaled at this post, and the fact that rock music/techno/hiphop whatever is just part of some wider 'colonialisation' of the world. If thats the case, then forums like this are for hypocrites there and then. Also the argument that rock music ignores the spiritual and advanced polyrhythms of indig. mid-east music for its retardo 4/4 thud has some sway as well. Fair enough, but then you could argue about rock music's erosion of classical music/opera/etc in Western socieites for that matter...
The point of this post is just an idea of how particular cultures repond to 'new musics' based on their societal/environmental climates, and leave it at that.
England and America are *boring* coz we all know how THEY live, don't we?
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