Editorial Feature: Aviv Geffen

• 14th Jan 2008

This week's Glasswerk feature shines the spotlight on a most interesting musical character. Aviv Geffen, who hails from Ramat Gan a city in Israel's Tel Aviv district. Aviv was born May 10, 1973 and originates from an artistic family with his father being Yehonatan Geffen a writer and poet. Aviv himself was a graduate of the Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music but was popular among young Israeli’s as his political beliefs and left wing Israeli associates took him further into controversey as his musical career ignited.

The only way to describe Geffen’s muscial sound is to mention anything containing the words post, prog, new, eclectic, thoughtful and certainly stuff that many of his Israeli followers would go onto aspire to. The fact his actual songs are so politically driven containing material to do with war, peace, love and death shows he is not just a flash in the pan. His refusal to join the IDF or the israeli army made him an exciting icon.

Geffen throughout his career has been involved in a cross concoction of all kinds from his debut outing in the film Hemitpahat where he wrote and sang the song ’Ima’ to all kinds of films and songs leading to his self produced debut album ’That's Only The Moonlight’. His ambitious character and willingness to stand up for Israeli youth showed such promise and power in Geffen’s songs leading to his second album in 1993 ’Achshav Meunan’ which by the way reached gold the same year.

1994 saw Geffen show off his musical diversity by completely changing the way he sounded. His third album Aviv Geffen IIIincluded the hit ’Run Away’. By now Geffen was a huge figure in Israel and his poignant message for hope and change ringed across Israeli youth’s ears. The next album ‘Nowhere expressed Geffen’s want for hope and peace with Israel's neighbors.

At a peace rally in 1995 Geffen wrote ‘Cry For You’ which he passed to singer Arik Einstein to sing but later it was found that the lyrics were about the tragic murder of Rabin. Aviv’s vision really showed in 1995’s Let's Walk For The Dream. Then after a compilation CD, b-side and live album and a couple of other albums, Aviv finally came to world approval with his 8th studio album – ’White Nights’. Aviv then went on to create another three albums and joined to form ‘Blackfield’.

More recently as spring 2007 – Tel Aviv – Aviv Geffen has performed in front of 300,000 young Israelis. As always, Geffen performs his peace anthem ‘Cry For You’ – the song he sang moments before Yitzhak Rabin was gunned down in front of him on that same stage.

In Autumn 2007 in London Aviv Geffen is holed up in a recording studio with producer Steve Orchard and pianist Mike Garson, working on songs for his first English-language solo album, and lining up lunch dates with old friends like Ed O’Brien of Radiohead.

Aviv Geffen…. An unfamiliar name to UK music fans but a household name in his native Israel. The statistics –more than 2.5 million albums sold in a country of 7 million – tell only part of the story.

For most of his 15-year career, Geffen has been not just the biggest rock star in Israel – in terms of popularity and influence, think Robbie Williams meets David Bowie with a dash of John Lennon – but the spokesman for a generation.

“I don’t separate my music and my message,” he explains. “To me they are the same thing. And my message is simple – everyone should be free to choose their own life. That’s all I want to say.”

Freedom is the universal theme that runs through Geffen’s 12 hit albums – not surprising for a man who has faced death threats from religious and political opponents, but refuses to be silenced by his enemies.

Aviv’s UK debut, currently taking shape in London studios with Steve Orchard (U2, Travis, Peter Gabriel, Goldfrapp), will reflect that passion, while revealing a more intimate and personal side of Aviv Geffen.
The new songs are still evolving but early demos posted on MySpace suggest that his music will have little trouble crossing the boundaries of geography and language.

If you don’t believe the hype, just ask the people who know – David Bowie, Lou Reed and Thom Yorke are all among those who have heard Aviv Geffen and understand his genius. Or ask an Israeli… any Israeli!

Geffen’s English-language solo debut may rectify the situation. He’s written what may just be his best song yet in the impossibly beautiful “Life Parade,” with Mike Garson’s inimitable piano illuminating a love-lorn, world-weary vocal and lyric. By contrast, “It’s Alright” is a feel good pop hit just waiting for another summer to come around.

Another work-in-progress, “You’ll Never Be The One,” emphasises Geffen’s versatility, marrying a Middle-Eastern melody to epic rock guitars (by regular Geffen collaborator Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree – they’ve made two albums together as Blackfield) to create a wall of sound that recalls the vastness of Muse.

Under the influence of Lennon and Dylan, Geffen has inspired a catelogue of mixed musical genre’s that simply shows such prowess and awareness of human kind. In a clever way Geffen has stood up for his beliefs and his music is filled with deep thoughts that has inspired a generation of people. Long may it continue!

Aviv has a UK gig at London’s Bush Hall on the 31st Jan which I urge all of you to take in and he will also be releasing his most sensational UK single 'Black & white' in February 2008 which looks to take the UK charts by storm. The single will also be accompanied by a deep but mesmerising video that was shot in Liverpool none the less.

For more information about Aviv Geffen visit:

www.myspace.com/avivgeffen
www.avivarchive.co.il