Enterta nment

The Hot Zone

Meet some ofIsrael's brightest and most controversial — pop musicians.

HiFive has struck gold. Former Hunt-
ington Woods resident Michael HarPaz,
standing, says, "I've seen my dream come
true."

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to The Jewish News

s Israel heads away from its
50th anniversary celebration
into its next half century,
the country's music industry
often sets a new-age pace, particularly
for a younger audience.
Just ask Michael HarPaz.
The former Huntington Woods res-
ident, who moved to Israel just two
years" ago to try his luck in the record-
ing industry, has struck gold, the ulti-
mate measure of a hit in this business.
His group, HiFive, which includes
four Israelis, has seen its first two
albums go gold. Another album has
been recorded, and a single, "Every-
body Dance Now," is about to be
released.
HarPaz often appears on television,
including "The Dan Shilon Show," a '

A

"Politically Incorrect"
ing, Iran" from his sixth album, Hol-
clone, where he took a
lows, there was a billboard advertis-
stand against the fighting ing the song title in the middle of
between Jewish factions
Tel Aviv.
and acquired even more
"It drew a lot of attention, and
fans. This summer,
some people even tried to burn it,"
HiFive, compared to the
says Addie Ben-Yehuda, a Hed Arzi
New Kids on the Block,
spokesperson. "Unfortunately for
will be in the movie
them, the burning attempt failed
Super Boy.
because of the rain."
"I've seen my dream
Geffen, the son of poet and jour-
come true," HarPaz says
nalist Yehonatan Geffen, often
about his career, which
prefers lyrics that deal with serious
takes him to concert
subjects — issues of parent-child
halls throughout Israel.
relationships and resulting problems,
The quintet is scheduled
social ills such as rape and murder,
for 12 shows celebrating
freedom of speech, love and the real-
the nation's Indepen-
, ities of day-to-day living.
dence Day. "We sing
"Geffen has become the voice of
upbeat and discoish, and his genera-
we dance.
tion, a gener-
"I can't go anywhere
ation which
now without being
is sick of all
noticed and followed.
the wars and
I've had to move, and I,
bloodshed
often have food delivered and is look-
when I need to stay away ing for a new
from the crowds."
hope," Ben-
HarPaz, 25, who also
Yehuda
writes some of the group's songs,
explains.
records on the Hed Arzi
label, which represents
some of the country's
brightest — and often
controversial — pop stars.

Aviv Geffen

viv Geffen is
considered
among the
most popular
rock stars in Israel.
"Aviv is cutting edge,"
HarPaz explains. "In the
past, he seemed to stand
for anarchy, such as the
time he stepped on the
Israeli flag.
"He might be called
the Bob Dylan of Israel
and was the last person to
receive Yitzhak Rabin's
embrace only five minutes
before the assassination."
When Geffen released
the single "Good Morn-

Above: Aviv Geffen:
The Artist Formerly
Known As Prince look-
alike has been referred
to as "the voice of his
generation."

Right: Ronit Shachar:
Named Israel's "Best
Young Songwriter"

B

Ronit Shachar

efore finding her way as a
lead performer, Ronit
Shachar was a backup vocal-
ist and guitarist for another
famous rock star, Shlomo Artzi.
She was still a student in the
Israeli Music Academy, Rimon, when
she was discovered and started to wori
with Artzi, joining the biggest tour
ever made in Israel. She also was part
of Artzi's biggest-selling album.
Her own debut album, Farewell
Innocence, was written entirely by her,
and she's getting ready to do another.
Shachar was elected Best Young Song-
writer in Israel for 1997 by the Israeli
musicians association.

Above: Evyatar Banai is fi-om
a well-known family of artists
and musicians. After spending
time working in the theater,
film and television, Banai has
gone on to conquer the music
industry. He wrote all the
songs for his debut album,
except for one that is titled, "I
Powdered My Nose"; its lyrics
come from a Mother Goose
rhyme. The 24-year-old is
currently on tour around
Israel with his concert,
"Nothing Is Blue."