FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

Vice Blog

AUSTRALIA - A DJ GUY FROM ISRAEL

For some reason, a lot of bands like to tour Israel. The Black Lips went over there last year, Nick Cave used to like playing there and hell, I've even been there with my punk band three times. But what's it like being an Israeli artist touring the world? I spoke to Guy Gerber, an Israeli DJ who's coming to town for We Love Sounds 09.

Vice: Electronic music is kinda big over in Israel. How come?
Guy: The electronic scene in Israel is actually very very very underground. Yeah maybe a lot of people go out and to the parties, not because they're really into the music. I only play in one club in Israel, because that's the one where the crowd is coming for the music.

Advertisement

Have you played that festival in Israel - Boombamella?
Oh yeah, that's more like a shanty thing. Do you now the word shanty? Like people coming back from India and that kind of thing. Also the music sometimes they play trance and stuff like that. See trance is big in Israel but for me it's not so much music. No I don't like it. There was a documentary "Flipping Out" about the hordes of Israelis heading over to India after finishing their compulsory military service, getting into the drugs and well, flipping out.  
Yeah yeah yeah, kids go to the army, and that fucks you up. Then they go over there and they get into trance, and they don't have an inner look at themselves yet. That can really fuck you up. It can fuck with your brain. In general, that whole movement and going there, I don't really support it because lots of people go there and they don't respect the environment and their surroundings. I really try to present Israel in a different way. I try to be polite and to show people and recognise our position in the world.

So it's a reputation thing.
In general all tourists, also British tourists and German tourists, they can all be horrible, but their countries don't need good PR. We feel this. We need good PR in the world.

Did you serve in the army?
Not that much. I was more into music. Some people they just follow what they're told to do. For me, when I was in the army I realised that I'm not one of these people.

Advertisement

How did you get out of it?
I had some 'mental issues'. But the thing is that when I did it [leaving the army], it was still very forbidden. People didn't look at it in a good way.

Do any Hassids come to your shows?
They stay away. Actually, I have like one that comes. In general, Tel Aviv is full of all religions but the Hassids, you know, they still have the power. Today I would say we have a big problem. They are really a minority, but they basically choose who the government and prime minister is going to be. If they go with the right wing, the right wing wins. If they go with the left, the left wins. And they're asking for money for people who don't actually work. They don't go to military. And Israel is not that rich. So it's a big, big issue.

Have you been to Australia before?
Yeah it's exciting but unfortunately I'm coming in the winter. It's a long way to go without seeing any bikinis. Before I was doing electronic music I had a rock band, I was into more like Nick Cave, The Cure and The Pixies and stuff like that. It's funny, before Nick Cave got that big, the biggest place where he was the biggest star was Tel Aviv. It was very crazy – Tel Aviv is kind of nowhere.

Where's your favourite place to eat hummus?
My favourite is Abu-Hassan. It's like art. This is the most known one, but for me, my favourite one is in the shuk, the market. There's a place there called The Syrian. It's like every day for the last 30 years, they open at 7am and already by 1 or 1.30pm they've finished. They're also known for their very very bad service, because they know that people are addicted. They can treat you bad, but you'll still come.
MICHAEL SLONIM

Guy Gerber is touring Australia in June for the We Love Sounds 09 Festival.
PERTH June 5th - Club show with Anja Schneider and Dinky@ Ambar Bar
SYDNEY June 6th - We Love Sounds09 Festival
MELBOURNE June 7th - Winter Sound System
ADELAIDE June 8th (Daytime on Queens B'day) We Love Sounds 09 Festival
www.myspace.com/guygerber