HaYehudim
Encyclopedia
HaYehudim is an Israel
i hard rock
band, formed in 1992
by married couple Tom Petrover and Orit Shachaf, who share guitar playing and vocal duties. The band has achieved tremendous success in Israel
despite commercial
disregard in its first years, and has sold over 200,000 albums in Israel.
The band is known for its energetic, upbeat songs and loud vocals. Many of their songs are charged with political and ideological flavor, though since none of their songs are clearly political in nature, much room is left for interpretation.
The band sings mostly in Hebrew, although in later albums they had several songs in English.
through Hed Arzi Music
. Several music video
s from the album were often played on Israeli television, but not on the radio and initially the album sold poorly. However the band continued playing live shows all over Israel, gaining a cult following. The debut album went gold
in 1998
, and later on achieved double platinum
.
The second album, self-titled HaYehudim and released in 1998, and was an immediate success despite continuing disregard from mainstream media, making HaYehudim one of the leading rock bands in Israel. This album, too, attained gold status.
In 1999 Hayehudim were elected as Band of the Year on Galey Tzahal, Israel's national radio station. The same year, they opened the Metallica
concert in Israel, and in 2000 the band opened the Rage Against the Machine
concert in Israel as well.
Four years after their second album, Hayehudim released a third studio album by the name of Pahad Mavet in 2002. The next year Hayehudim released their first live album - a double CD and DVD set named Hayhudim LIVE. The live album was a great success and the following year the band released a second live album, this time of an unplugged show.
In 2007 Hayehudim released their fourth studio album, Forte . In musicology, the term forte means strong, and the name was chosen because if you hadn't had enough of Hayehudim till now, you're about to get Hayehudim forte (meaning Hayehudim extra-strong, as Tom Petrover explained in a radio interview). The album went gold, and won Album of the Year in the Israeli Music Channel awards.
, the music producer who produced the band's debut album Metziut Nifredet
. Despite being a provocative name the band's members liked it and decided to use it.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...
band, formed in 1992
1992 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1992.-January–February:*January 11**Nirvana's Nevermind album goes to #1 in the US Billboard 200 chart, establishing the widespread popularity of the Grunge movement of the 1990s....
by married couple Tom Petrover and Orit Shachaf, who share guitar playing and vocal duties. The band has achieved tremendous success in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
despite commercial
Commerce
While business refers to the value-creating activities of an organization for profit, commerce means the whole system of an economy that constitutes an environment for business. The system includes legal, economic, political, social, cultural, and technological systems that are in operation in any...
disregard in its first years, and has sold over 200,000 albums in Israel.
The band is known for its energetic, upbeat songs and loud vocals. Many of their songs are charged with political and ideological flavor, though since none of their songs are clearly political in nature, much room is left for interpretation.
The band sings mostly in Hebrew, although in later albums they had several songs in English.
History
The band's first album, Metziut Nifredet was released in 19951995 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1995.- January–February :*January 18 – Jerry Garcia crashes his rented BMW into a guard rail near Mill Valley, California, USA, but is not injured in the accident....
through Hed Arzi Music
Hed Artzi
Hed Arzi Music , is an Israeli music company that is involved with producing music, importing albums from abroad, and distributing Israeli and international music...
. Several music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
s from the album were often played on Israeli television, but not on the radio and initially the album sold poorly. However the band continued playing live shows all over Israel, gaining a cult following. The debut album went gold
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
in 1998
1998 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1998.-Events:*January 28 – "Weird Al" Yankovic gets LASIK surgery to cure his myopia...
, and later on achieved double platinum
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
The second album, self-titled HaYehudim and released in 1998, and was an immediate success despite continuing disregard from mainstream media, making HaYehudim one of the leading rock bands in Israel. This album, too, attained gold status.
In 1999 Hayehudim were elected as Band of the Year on Galey Tzahal, Israel's national radio station. The same year, they opened the Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
concert in Israel, and in 2000 the band opened the Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
concert in Israel as well.
Four years after their second album, Hayehudim released a third studio album by the name of Pahad Mavet in 2002. The next year Hayehudim released their first live album - a double CD and DVD set named Hayhudim LIVE. The live album was a great success and the following year the band released a second live album, this time of an unplugged show.
In 2007 Hayehudim released their fourth studio album, Forte . In musicology, the term forte means strong, and the name was chosen because if you hadn't had enough of Hayehudim till now, you're about to get Hayehudim forte (meaning Hayehudim extra-strong, as Tom Petrover explained in a radio interview). The album went gold, and won Album of the Year in the Israeli Music Channel awards.
The name
The name 'HaYehudim', literally meaning The Jews, was proposed to the band by Eldad Ziv, an Israeli theatre director and musician, and by Roy Zu-AretsRoy Zu-Arets
Roy Zu-Arets is an American-Israeli composer, pianist, music producer and arranger.-Biography:Roy Zu-Arets grew up in Tel Aviv, Israel. He was classically trained from the age of 3 and between the ages 5 and 18 he studied at the Israeli Music Conservatory in Tel Aviv...
, the music producer who produced the band's debut album Metziut Nifredet
Metziut Nifredet
Metziut Nifredet is the first album of the Israeli hard rock band HaYehudim , formed in 1995 by Tom Petrover and Orit Schachaf...
. Despite being a provocative name the band's members liked it and decided to use it.
Current members
- Tom Petrover (guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals) - Orit Shachaf (lead vocals, backing guitar)
- Roy Zuaretz (keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
) - Yahav Lipinski (drums)
- Guy Be'er (guitar)
- Nir Maimon (bass)
- Omri Agmon
Former members
- Avi Yifrach (bass)
- Smulik Bogdov (guitar)
- Asher Pedi (drums)
- Elad Keren (bass)
- Itzik Sulam (guitar)
- Yiftach Shachaf (guitar)
- Eitan Veksler (guitar)
- Avi Strool (bass guitar)
- Eran Mitelman (keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
) - Daniel Brecher (guitar)
- Adam Peri (Keyboards)
Studio albums
- Metziut NifredetMetziut NifredetMetziut Nifredet is the first album of the Israeli hard rock band HaYehudim , formed in 1995 by Tom Petrover and Orit Schachaf...
("Separate Reality") - 1995 - HaYehudim - 1998
- Pakhad Mavet ("Fear of Death") - 2002
- Forte - 2007
Live albums
- HaYehudim LIVE (Live CD and DVDDVDA DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
) - 2003 - HaYehudim Unplugged (An unplugged concert) - 2004