Aviv Geffen
Encyclopedia
Aviv Geffen is an Israeli rock
musician, singer, songwriter, producer
, keyboardist
and guitarist
. He is the son of writer and poet Yehonatan Geffen
and Nurit Makover, brother of actress Shira Geffen, and an alumnus of Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music.
Geffen was and is extremely popular among Israeli youth, who were known during the 1990s as the "Moonlight Children". Politically, he associates with the Israeli left. His music deals with subjects such as love, peace, death, suicide, politics, the army in general and the IDF
specifically. He is often criticized for not serving in the IDF, though, officially, he was discharged for medical reasons.
In 2005, he was voted the 59th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
, in which he sang the song "You're only 40 years old" which his sister wrote and which he composed by himself. In 1987 Geffen participated in the amateur film "Hamitpahat", for which he wrote and sang the song "Ima".
Also in 1992, he played a part in the teenage television series A Matter of Time. That year, he also wrote a song for the Israeli movie The Beach Boys. Aviv performed in clubs with his band "The Mistakes" (Hatauyot) (the Hebrew name is purposefully misspelled in two places).
In 1993 Geffen released his second album, It's Cloudy Now (Achshav Me'unan) which reached Gold in the same year. It was produced by Moshe Levi and Ofer Meiri, who created a typical Geffen sound. Aviv expressed his generation's dissatisfaction with the Israeli government. The title track "It's Cloudy Now" was followed by the question that many Israeli teenagers asked with Geffen – "Do you want change?"
In 1994, Geffen released his third album, Aviv Geffen III, which marked a change in Geffen's sound. The production was made by Geffen and Lior Tevet. The album featured the major hit "Should I Be In Love With You" (Ha'im Lehiot Bach Mehohav), which was promoted by a video. This album followed the success of Achshav Me'unan. In his next album, Nowhere (Shumakom), Geffen took charge of the production, albeit with help from Reuven Shapira (as sound engineer), and producer Moshe Levi. Geffen wrote the lyrics and music. As a political activist, Geffen also expressed the hope for peace with Israel's neighbors.
On November 4, 1995, the Israeli peace political parties had decided to arrange a rally to support the peace process. Geffen was invited to sing in that rally, and surprisingly decided to perform "Cry for You" (Livkot Lekha
), which Geffen wrote and gave to Israeli singer Arik Einstein
. Only later it was found out the lyrics had prophetically preceded the tragic assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
later that night. "Cry for You" became a kind of national anthem, and was the song that symboled the Candle Children movement. In 1996, Geffen released The Letter (Hamikhtav). The Tears Rebellion (Mered Hadmaot) was written after the murder in 1995. Furthermore, it expressed a change and a turning point in Geffen's music. Later, in 1996, Aviv recorded what was known later as "The Israeli version of 'Imagine
'", "Let's Walk for the Dream" (Shir Tikva), which expressed deeply Aviv's vision.
In 1997, Geffen released his first compilation, which included a CD with the best songs of the early era, and a second CD which included B-Sides and live performances. An attempt to widen his audience on a global level saw one of Geffen's more unusual albums – "Hollowed" (Halulim). Like his bigger "brothers", it was also produced by Moshe Levi, but unlike them, it is a hard, cold, alienated album, full of distortions. Despite heavy advertising (such as billboards), the album failed commercially.
1999 saw the release of Geffen's 8th studio album – White Nights (Leilot Levanim), which was created under the influence of the changes in Aviv's life. Moshe Levi was again the producer; the combination of the two created a soft & melodic album compared to "Hollowed (Halulim)". The album contained the song "Mexico" which stayed in the Israeli charts for a long time.
". Geffen collaborated with two notable colleagues – Daniel Salomon
(who joined from the "White Nights (Leilot Levanim)" Tour) and Moshe Levi who was involved in the orchestration. Aviv had recorded 11 melodic songs, with a bonus track – a tribute to Bob Dylan
– an Israeli cover to "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" (Geshem Kaved Omed Lipol) (translated by his father). The album produced three notable hits for Geffen: "Wake Up" (Uri Ur), "Scars (Zalakot)" & "Journey" (Yoman Masa) (together with Arik Einstein
).
In 2001 Geffen met and began to collaborate with British rock
star Steven Wilson
, with whom he created the band Blackfield
. Blackfield combines the musical efforts of both musicians and they perform their own original composition as well as Aviv's own songs translated into English. Since then, the band toured several times and release two highly acclaimed albums in the mid-2000s (see ahead).
Two years after "Journey" – April 2002 – Geffen released his next album:"Memento Mori
", which he dedicated to his grandmother who died a short time before the album's release. The name was taken from the Latin phrase, "Remember You Will Die" (meaning one should remember one's mortality). Like his previous albums, "Memento Mori" was soft (but still features harder compositions). The album featured two major hits: "Ray of Light (Keren Or)" and "Moving Forward (Holech Kadima)." From this album came the single Sad Song (Shir Atzuv).
In 2003 the Israeli documentary film "Aviv" was released which focused on Aviv Geffen's life. The film primered in the Bangkok International Film Festival
.
In 2004 the album "Blackfield
" was released which was a result of the collaboration between Geffen & Steven Wilson
of Porcupine Tree
.|author= Its followup Blackfield II
was released in early 2007, followed by the live DVD Blackfield: Live in NYC later in the year. Both of the Blackfield albums spawned several hits, notably "Blackfield", "Pain" and "Once". A third album, entitled "Welcome to my DNA
" was released in March 2011, in which most songs were written by Geffen. It also contains a renewed version of the track Zigota (זיגוטה) from his album "Memento Mori".
In 2006 the 11th album by Geffen was released, "With Time (Im Hazman)". The theme song is a cover to a French chanson by Léo Ferré
, which indicated matureness & sobering from the clichés that he symboled in his first years. Most recently he compiled a 2CD/1DVD live album, simply titled Live. Lately, Geffen declared himself radical left
.
After releasing two albums with Blackfield, Geffen announced in November 2007 that he was recording his first English-language studio album. In January 2008 his single 'End of the World' charted at number one in Poland and he performed at Bush Hall in London on the 31st. He released a single (Silence) at the end of 2008 and is touring throughout January 2009, with dates in Kraków
, Berlin, Hamburg
, Cologne
, Amsterdam
, Munich
, Paris and London.
In June, he announced that recording had begun at Sarm West Studios, with Trevor Horn
producing and Steven Wilson
and Mike Garson
featuring on the album. These sessions led to his debut English-language album, Aviv Geffen, released towards the end of summer 2009. The debut single released was 'It was Meant to be a Love Song'.
In March 2011, Blackfield
's third studio album was released called "Welcome to my DNA
".
, U2
, Radiohead
, Nirvana
, and artists like John Lennon
and Bob Dylan
. Geffen's piano and guitar playing is mainly influenced by Radiohead's Thom Yorke
and U2's The Edge. Geffen has often cited Bob Dylan and Roger Waters
as major influences.
. His sister is actress Shira Geffen. Geffen was named after his deceased grandmother, Aviva Geffen.
In 1996 Geffen married Israeli actress Elana Berkowitz. The couple divorced in 1998.
In 2005 Geffen was re-married to Shani Friedan, after a seven-year relationship. The couple's first son, Dylan, was born in 2007. He is named after singer Bob Dylan
.
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
musician, singer, songwriter, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, keyboardist
Keyboardist
A keyboardist is a musician who plays keyboard instruments. Until the early 1960s musicians who played keyboards were generally classified as either pianists or organists. Since the mid-1960s, a plethora of new musical instruments with keyboards have come into common usage, requiring a more...
and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
. He is the son of writer and poet Yehonatan Geffen
Yehonatan Geffen
Yehonatan Geffen also known as Yonatan Gefen, is an Israeli author, poet, songwriter, journalist, and playwright.- Biography :...
and Nurit Makover, brother of actress Shira Geffen, and an alumnus of Rimon School of Jazz and Contemporary Music.
Geffen was and is extremely popular among Israeli youth, who were known during the 1990s as the "Moonlight Children". Politically, he associates with the Israeli left. His music deals with subjects such as love, peace, death, suicide, politics, the army in general and the IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
specifically. He is often criticized for not serving in the IDF, though, officially, he was discharged for medical reasons.
In 2005, he was voted the 59th-greatest Israeli of all time, in a poll by the Israeli news website Ynet
Ynet
Ynet is the most popular Israeli news and general content website. It is owned by the same conglomerate that operates Yediot Ahronot, the country's secondleading daily newspaper...
to determine whom the general public considered the 200 Greatest Israelis.
Early life
Geffen was born and raised in Ramat Gan. Geffen's first public performance was in 1984, in the Israeli youth program "Sminiyot BaAvir" on the Israeli Channel 1Channel 1 (Israel)
Channel 1 is one of the oldest television channels in Israel and one of five terrestrial channels in the country...
, in which he sang the song "You're only 40 years old" which his sister wrote and which he composed by himself. In 1987 Geffen participated in the amateur film "Hamitpahat", for which he wrote and sang the song "Ima".
1990s
In 1990, Geffen recorded his first song, "Friend" (Chaver), together with the band "Cats in the Piping". In 1992, he released his first album, It's Only The Moonlight (Ze Rak Or Hayareach). All of its songs were written and the music composed by Geffen himself.Also in 1992, he played a part in the teenage television series A Matter of Time. That year, he also wrote a song for the Israeli movie The Beach Boys. Aviv performed in clubs with his band "The Mistakes" (Hatauyot) (the Hebrew name is purposefully misspelled in two places).
In 1993 Geffen released his second album, It's Cloudy Now (Achshav Me'unan) which reached Gold in the same year. It was produced by Moshe Levi and Ofer Meiri, who created a typical Geffen sound. Aviv expressed his generation's dissatisfaction with the Israeli government. The title track "It's Cloudy Now" was followed by the question that many Israeli teenagers asked with Geffen – "Do you want change?"
In 1994, Geffen released his third album, Aviv Geffen III, which marked a change in Geffen's sound. The production was made by Geffen and Lior Tevet. The album featured the major hit "Should I Be In Love With You" (Ha'im Lehiot Bach Mehohav), which was promoted by a video. This album followed the success of Achshav Me'unan. In his next album, Nowhere (Shumakom), Geffen took charge of the production, albeit with help from Reuven Shapira (as sound engineer), and producer Moshe Levi. Geffen wrote the lyrics and music. As a political activist, Geffen also expressed the hope for peace with Israel's neighbors.
On November 4, 1995, the Israeli peace political parties had decided to arrange a rally to support the peace process. Geffen was invited to sing in that rally, and surprisingly decided to perform "Cry for You" (Livkot Lekha
Livkot Lekha
Livkot Lekha , also called LaNetzah Ahi is a Hebrew song written by Aviv Geffen in memory of his friend Nir Shpiener who was killed in a car crash in 1992 at the age of 18. Aviv and Nir used to play music together....
), which Geffen wrote and gave to Israeli singer Arik Einstein
Arik Einstein
Arik Einstein is an Israeli singer-songwriter.Einstein was a vocalist for Batzal Yarok , Shleeshiyat Gesher Hayarkon and Hahalonot Hagvohim . His collaboration with Shalom Hanoch and the Churchills planted the seeds for the first Israeli rock albums...
. Only later it was found out the lyrics had prophetically preceded the tragic assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin
' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
later that night. "Cry for You" became a kind of national anthem, and was the song that symboled the Candle Children movement. In 1996, Geffen released The Letter (Hamikhtav). The Tears Rebellion (Mered Hadmaot) was written after the murder in 1995. Furthermore, it expressed a change and a turning point in Geffen's music. Later, in 1996, Aviv recorded what was known later as "The Israeli version of 'Imagine
Imagine (song)
"Imagine" is a song written and performed by the English musician John Lennon. It is the opening track on his album Imagine, released in 1971...
'", "Let's Walk for the Dream" (Shir Tikva), which expressed deeply Aviv's vision.
In 1997, Geffen released his first compilation, which included a CD with the best songs of the early era, and a second CD which included B-Sides and live performances. An attempt to widen his audience on a global level saw one of Geffen's more unusual albums – "Hollowed" (Halulim). Like his bigger "brothers", it was also produced by Moshe Levi, but unlike them, it is a hard, cold, alienated album, full of distortions. Despite heavy advertising (such as billboards), the album failed commercially.
1999 saw the release of Geffen's 8th studio album – White Nights (Leilot Levanim), which was created under the influence of the changes in Aviv's life. Moshe Levi was again the producer; the combination of the two created a soft & melodic album compared to "Hollowed (Halulim)". The album contained the song "Mexico" which stayed in the Israeli charts for a long time.
2000s–present
In September 2000, Geffen released his 9th album,"Yoman Masa" ("Journey"), for the first time produced by Louie Lahav, and on a new label – "HeliconHelicon Records
Helicon Records is a record label which was founded in Israel in 1985.Aside from being the label of many Israeli artists, Helicon is also the exclusive distributor of Snapper Music, EMI and Universal Music Group in Israel, which includes artists like Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, Kanye West, Guns n'...
". Geffen collaborated with two notable colleagues – Daniel Salomon
Daniel Salomon
Daniel Salomon is an Israeli pop rock singer and musician. He was born and raised in Haifa. Salomon has been playing the piano since the age of six and began writing music at age 12. He studied composition and orchestral arrangements with Prof...
(who joined from the "White Nights (Leilot Levanim)" Tour) and Moshe Levi who was involved in the orchestration. Aviv had recorded 11 melodic songs, with a bonus track – a tribute to Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
– an Israeli cover to "A Hard Rain's Gonna Fall" (Geshem Kaved Omed Lipol) (translated by his father). The album produced three notable hits for Geffen: "Wake Up" (Uri Ur), "Scars (Zalakot)" & "Journey" (Yoman Masa) (together with Arik Einstein
Arik Einstein
Arik Einstein is an Israeli singer-songwriter.Einstein was a vocalist for Batzal Yarok , Shleeshiyat Gesher Hayarkon and Hahalonot Hagvohim . His collaboration with Shalom Hanoch and the Churchills planted the seeds for the first Israeli rock albums...
).
In 2001 Geffen met and began to collaborate with British rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
star Steven Wilson
Steven Wilson
Steven John Wilson is an English musician, best known as the founder, lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of progressive rock band Porcupine Tree...
, with whom he created the band Blackfield
Blackfield
Blackfield is a collaboratory musical group between Porcupine Tree founder and lead singer Steven Wilson and Israeli rock singer Aviv Geffen.-Formation, self-titled debut :...
. Blackfield combines the musical efforts of both musicians and they perform their own original composition as well as Aviv's own songs translated into English. Since then, the band toured several times and release two highly acclaimed albums in the mid-2000s (see ahead).
Two years after "Journey" – April 2002 – Geffen released his next album:"Memento Mori
Memento mori
Memento mori is a Latin phrase translated as "Remember your mortality", "Remember you must die" or "Remember you will die". It names a genre of artistic work which varies widely, but which all share the same purpose: to remind people of their own mortality...
", which he dedicated to his grandmother who died a short time before the album's release. The name was taken from the Latin phrase, "Remember You Will Die" (meaning one should remember one's mortality). Like his previous albums, "Memento Mori" was soft (but still features harder compositions). The album featured two major hits: "Ray of Light (Keren Or)" and "Moving Forward (Holech Kadima)." From this album came the single Sad Song (Shir Atzuv).
In 2003 the Israeli documentary film "Aviv" was released which focused on Aviv Geffen's life. The film primered in the Bangkok International Film Festival
Bangkok International Film Festival
The Bangkok International Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Bangkok, Thailand, since 2003. In addition to film screenings, seminars, gala events and the Golden Kinnaree Awards.-First years:...
.
In 2004 the album "Blackfield
Blackfield (album)
- Bonus disc :There is also a 2-LP version with "Perfect World" and another, LP-exclusive track, "Feel So Low"; the latter is a cover of a Porcupine Tree song from Lightbulb Sun with the first verse sung in Hebrew.- Personnel :Blackfield...
" was released which was a result of the collaboration between Geffen & Steven Wilson
Steven Wilson
Steven John Wilson is an English musician, best known as the founder, lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of progressive rock band Porcupine Tree...
of Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree
Porcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
.|author= Its followup Blackfield II
Blackfield II
-Reception:Q: "... an album of mournful, one-paced rock, Geffen's infatuation with Radiohead very evident in the melancholy synth-string washes...
was released in early 2007, followed by the live DVD Blackfield: Live in NYC later in the year. Both of the Blackfield albums spawned several hits, notably "Blackfield", "Pain" and "Once". A third album, entitled "Welcome to my DNA
Welcome to My DNA
-Personnel:Band* Steven Wilson – vocals, guitars, keyboards* Aviv Geffen – vocals, guitars, keyboards* Eran Mitelman – piano, keyboards* Seffy Efrat – bass* Tomer Z – drumsVocals* lead vocals: 1, 4, 5, 8, 10 – Wilson* lead vocals: 2, 9 – Geffen...
" was released in March 2011, in which most songs were written by Geffen. It also contains a renewed version of the track Zigota (זיגוטה) from his album "Memento Mori".
In 2006 the 11th album by Geffen was released, "With Time (Im Hazman)". The theme song is a cover to a French chanson by Léo Ferré
Léo Ferré
Léo Ferré was a Franco-Monegasque poet, composer, singer and musician.Born in Monaco, Ferré mixed love and melancholy with moral anarchy, lyricism with slang, rhyming verse with prose monologues...
, which indicated matureness & sobering from the clichés that he symboled in his first years. Most recently he compiled a 2CD/1DVD live album, simply titled Live. Lately, Geffen declared himself radical left
Far left
Far left, also known as the revolutionary left, radical left and extreme left are terms which refer to the highest degree of leftist positions among left-wing politics...
.
After releasing two albums with Blackfield, Geffen announced in November 2007 that he was recording his first English-language studio album. In January 2008 his single 'End of the World' charted at number one in Poland and he performed at Bush Hall in London on the 31st. He released a single (Silence) at the end of 2008 and is touring throughout January 2009, with dates in Kraków
Kraków
Kraków also Krakow, or Cracow , is the second largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in the Lesser Poland region, the city dates back to the 7th century. Kraków has traditionally been one of the leading centres of Polish academic, cultural, and artistic life...
, Berlin, Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
, Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Paris and London.
In June, he announced that recording had begun at Sarm West Studios, with Trevor Horn
Trevor Horn
Trevor Charles Horn CBE is an English pop music record producer, songwriter, musician and singer. He was born in Houghton-le-Spring in north-east England....
producing and Steven Wilson
Steven Wilson
Steven John Wilson is an English musician, best known as the founder, lead guitarist, singer and songwriter of progressive rock band Porcupine Tree...
and Mike Garson
Mike Garson
Mike Garson is an American pianist, most notable for his work with David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Billy Corgan, Free Flight, and The Smashing Pumpkins.- Early career :...
featuring on the album. These sessions led to his debut English-language album, Aviv Geffen, released towards the end of summer 2009. The debut single released was 'It was Meant to be a Love Song'.
In March 2011, Blackfield
Blackfield
Blackfield is a collaboratory musical group between Porcupine Tree founder and lead singer Steven Wilson and Israeli rock singer Aviv Geffen.-Formation, self-titled debut :...
's third studio album was released called "Welcome to my DNA
Welcome to My DNA
-Personnel:Band* Steven Wilson – vocals, guitars, keyboards* Aviv Geffen – vocals, guitars, keyboards* Eran Mitelman – piano, keyboards* Seffy Efrat – bass* Tomer Z – drumsVocals* lead vocals: 1, 4, 5, 8, 10 – Wilson* lead vocals: 2, 9 – Geffen...
".
Musical influences
Over the years, Geffen's musical style has been influenced by rock bands like Pink FloydPink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
, U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
, Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
, Nirvana
Nirvana (band)
Nirvana was an American rock band that was formed by singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain and bassist Krist Novoselic in Aberdeen, Washington in 1987...
, and artists like John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
and Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
. Geffen's piano and guitar playing is mainly influenced by Radiohead's Thom Yorke
Thom Yorke
Thomas "Thom" Edward Yorke is an English musician who is the lead vocalist and principal songwriter for Radiohead. He mainly plays guitar and piano, but he has also played drums and bass guitar...
and U2's The Edge. Geffen has often cited Bob Dylan and Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
as major influences.
Solo albums
- 1992 – "Ze Rak Or Hayareach" ("It's Only The Moonlight")
- 1993 – "Ahshav Meunan" ("It's Cloudy Now")
- 1994 – "Aviv Geffen III"
- 1995 – "Shumakom" ("Nowhere")
- 1996 – "HaMichtav" ("The Letter")
- 1997 – "Yareach Male" ("Full Moon")
- 1998 – "Halulim" ("Hollowed")
- 1999 – "Leyloth Levanim" ("White Nights")
- 2000 – "Yoman Massah" ("Journey")
- 2002 – "Memento Mori"
- 2006 – "Im HazmanIm HazmanIm Hazman is the eleventh studio album by Israeli singer/songwriter rock artist Aviv Geffen, that was released in March, 2006.-Track listing:#"Im Hazman" - A Léo Ferré tribute – 3:46#"Machar" – 3:49...
" ("As Time Goes By") - 2006 - "Mihuts LaTacharut" ("Out Of The Race") – Exclusive to the Ltd edition version of "As Time Goes By".
- 2006 – "Rak Shirey Ahava" (Only Love Songs)
- 2008 – "Live" – 2CD and DVD box set.
- 2009 – "Aviv GeffenAviv Geffen (album)Aviv Geffen is the debut, English-language studio album by Israeli post-punk singer-songwriter Aviv Geffen, released on October 19, 2009 in the UK...
"
Singles not included in albums
- 1991 – "Haver" ("Friend")
- 1999 – "Rock and Roll"
- 2000 – "Kmo BaShir" ("Like in The Song")
Albums with Blackfield
- 2004 – BlackfieldBlackfield (album)- Bonus disc :There is also a 2-LP version with "Perfect World" and another, LP-exclusive track, "Feel So Low"; the latter is a cover of a Porcupine Tree song from Lightbulb Sun with the first verse sung in Hebrew.- Personnel :Blackfield...
- 2007 – Blackfield IIBlackfield II-Reception:Q: "... an album of mournful, one-paced rock, Geffen's infatuation with Radiohead very evident in the melancholy synth-string washes...
- 2011 – Welcome to My DNAWelcome to My DNA-Personnel:Band* Steven Wilson – vocals, guitars, keyboards* Aviv Geffen – vocals, guitars, keyboards* Eran Mitelman – piano, keyboards* Seffy Efrat – bass* Tomer Z – drumsVocals* lead vocals: 1, 4, 5, 8, 10 – Wilson* lead vocals: 2, 9 – Geffen...
Work for other artists
- 1993 – Keren Hachth, album "Keren Hachth"
- 1999 – RockfourRockfourRockfour is a Psychedelic rock band, formed in 1988 in Holon, Israel. Most of their catalog is in English, and they regularly tour the United States.-Early years:...
, album "Rockfour Live" - 2001 – Porcupine TreePorcupine TreePorcupine Tree is a progressive rock band formed by Steven Wilson in 1987 in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England. Their music is difficult to categorise, being associated with both psychedelic rock and progressive rock, yet having been influenced by trance, krautrock and ambient due to Steven...
, album "In AbsentiaIn AbsentiaIn Absentia is the seventh studio album by British progressive rock band Porcupine Tree, first released on 24 September 2002. It was their first release on a major record label, Lava Records. It is Metal Storm's number 3 of the Top 20 albums of 2002 and number 49 on the Top 100 albums of all time...
" - 2002 – Daniel SalomonDaniel SalomonDaniel Salomon is an Israeli pop rock singer and musician. He was born and raised in Haifa. Salomon has been playing the piano since the age of six and began writing music at age 12. He studied composition and orchestral arrangements with Prof...
, album "Daniel Salomon", (also producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
) - 2003 – Shachar Even-Tzur, album "Eyrumim" ("Naked"), (also producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
)
- 2005 – Daniel SalomonDaniel SalomonDaniel Salomon is an Israeli pop rock singer and musician. He was born and raised in Haifa. Salomon has been playing the piano since the age of six and began writing music at age 12. He studied composition and orchestral arrangements with Prof...
, album "Rabot HaDrachim", ("There's Many Ways") - 2006 – Ninette TayebNinette TayebNinet Tayeb is an Israeli-pop rock singer and actress who became widely known as the first winner of Kochav Nolad ....
, album "Yehefa" ("Barefoot"), (also producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
)
Personal life
Geffen is the son of producer Nurit Geffen and author and poet Yehonatan GeffenYehonatan Geffen
Yehonatan Geffen also known as Yonatan Gefen, is an Israeli author, poet, songwriter, journalist, and playwright.- Biography :...
. His sister is actress Shira Geffen. Geffen was named after his deceased grandmother, Aviva Geffen.
In 1996 Geffen married Israeli actress Elana Berkowitz. The couple divorced in 1998.
In 2005 Geffen was re-married to Shani Friedan, after a seven-year relationship. The couple's first son, Dylan, was born in 2007. He is named after singer Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
.