Mashina

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Mashina (משינה)

Background information
Origin Flag of Israel Tel Aviv, Israel
Genre(s) 2 Tone, Ska, New Wave, Pop, Pop rock, Punk rock, Electronica
Years active 1984 - 1995, 2003 - present
Website www.mashina.com
Members
Yuval Banai
Iggy Dayan
Avner Hodorov
Michel Benson
Shlomi Braha

Mashina (Hebrew: משינה‎) is an Israeli pop rock band which was active from 1984 to 1995, and then again from 2003 to the present. The band is considered by many to be Israel's most important and influential rock band. Their musical style took inspiration from ska and hard rock, among others.

Contents

[edit] History

Mashina was formed by singer Yuval Banai, a member of the Banai family, probably Israel's best-known family of entertainers; father Yossi was an actor and singer, as are uncles Gabri and Ya'akov, along with most of Yuval's cousins. During his army service he met guitar player Shlomi Bracha and the two started playing music together. A friend of theirs, a recent Russian immigrant, suggested they call their band "Mashina Vremeni", which means "time machine" in Russian (this suggestion may have been inspired by the well-known Russian rock band Mashina Vremeni of the 60's and 70's).

After the army service the two split up, but later re-met and formed the band "Shlom Ha-Tzibur" ("Public Safety"). They eventually teamed up with bassist Michael Benson and drummer Igi Dayan as Mashina; in 1985, they released their self-titled debut, which quickly became a hit on the Israeli charts. Later Avner Hodorov joined the band on keyboard and saxophone. They gained widespread popularity in Israel during the late 80's and early 90's. In May 1995 the band announced their retirement and put together four heavily-publicized farewell shows. What would have been their fourth and final performance, in Arad, Israel, ended tragically when three of the spectators were crushed to death by the crowd before the band went onstage. The band played another farewell concert several months later at the Yarkon Park, which they dedicated to the three deceased fans.

After Mashina broke up, Banai released 3 solo albums ("Yuval Banai" in 1997, "Rashi Dub" in 1999, and "Nish'ar BaMakom" ("Staying In Place") in 2001), Bracha released a solo album, and Benson co-founded the electronic-rock group Atmosfire, which came out with one album. The band re-formed in 2003 and began touring and releasing albums again.

On October 8, 2006, the band performed at the opening ceremony of the 27th Acco Festival of Alternative Israeli Theatre.

[edit] Music

The musical growth of Mashina can be mapped to different influences across their albums. Their early sound was obviously imitative of ska bands like Madness; they didn't bother to hide the influence, titling what became one of their earliest hit songs "Rakevet Laila Le-Kahir" ("Night Train to Cairo"), an homage to Madness' "Night Boat to Cairo", or "Geveret Sarah Hashchena" ("Miss Sarah, the Neighbour") that copied the theme, music and opening lyrics of Bob Dylan's "The Hurricane". Their subsequent albums combined reggae, punk rock and Middle Eastern elements. "Ha'Amuta Le-Heker Hatmuta" ("The Society for the Study of Mortality") sounds influenced by The Cure, "Miflatzot Ha-Tehila" ("The Monsters of Fame") sounds influenced by The Pixies, "Si Ha-Regesh" ("Emotional Peak") has the blues influence of Pink Floyd, and "Lehitra'ot Ne'urim Shalom Ahava" ("Goodbye Youth, Hello Love") has the anthemic quality of U2.

Their lyrics, mostly written by Banai, tend to be cynical, sometimes humorously so. There are common themes of alienation, the struggle of everyday life and a desire for some sort of physical or spiritual escape. For all their disaffection, and despite Banai's leftwing tilt, they avoid any political statements in their music, as expressed in what could be the band's manifesto, "Az Lama Li Politika Achshav?" ("So Why Do I Need Politics Now?").

[edit] Band members

[edit] Discography

[edit] Albums

Year Album Israel Certificate
1984 Mashina 2x Platinum
1987 Mashina 2 Gold
1988 Mashina 3 Gold
1990 Ha'Amuta Le-Heker Hatmuta Platinum
1992 Miflatzot Ha-Tehila Gold
1993 Si Ha-Regesh Platinum
1995 Lehitraot Neurim Shalom Ahava Platinum
1995 Mechonat Ha-Zman Platinum
2003 Mashina Live 2003 Gold
2005 Romantika Atidanit Gold

[edit] Compilations

Year Album Israel Certificate
1989 Gvirotay Ve-Rabotay 2x Platinum
1996 Ha'Osef Hasheni
  • Total sales: 420,000+

[edit] External links

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