Katamine
Encyclopedia
Katamine is a collaborative musical project that joins a changing cast of artists with the Israel
i singer and songwriter Assaf Tager (אסף תג'ר). Today, Assaf Tager collaborate with Uri Frost
(guitar), Haggai Fershtman (drums) and Zoe Polanski (Vocals, Bass and Casio
synthesizer).
After graduating from the London Music Academy, Tager began to take on musical projects that challenged different aspects of his ability. During this time, among other projects, he played guitar for Elliot Smith and Beth Gibbons
, and scored string arrangements for the pop group Moloko
. Soon after, he decided to return to Israel to pursue his own goals. He became a member of the Israeli super-group "Family Butchers", which was soon asked to record by record producer Bob Weston
, but was primarily focused on his solo work, which became the idea for Katamine.
The first recording released under the name Katamine was released in 2004. It was an eponymous EP consisting of 5 acoustic songs - four originals and a cover of Sonic Youth
's Pacific Coast Highway. The record was positively reviewed by Yedioth Ahronoth
.
The full-length album Lag followed in 2005. On it Tager collaborated with several musicians, among them the guitarist Uri Frost of Carmela Gross Wagner and Rir
and Sharon Kantor of The Girls. The album included 9 original songs and a cover of Butthole Surfers
' Creep in the Cellar. Israeli media has called it "a beautiful, cruel and gloomy CD; more painful than Elliot Smith, [and as] powerful as Kurt Cobain".
Katamine's next album, Forest of Bobo was produced by Wharton Tiers
and released in 2006. This was a concept album
, telling the life story of Bobo the bear. Each song was accompanied by a drawing in the CD booklet, painted by the radical comic artist Seth Tobocman
. In 2006 Katamine were also the opening act on Devendra Banhart
's concert in Israel.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i singer and songwriter Assaf Tager (אסף תג'ר). Today, Assaf Tager collaborate with Uri Frost
Uri Frost
Uri Frost , is an Israeli rock guitarist, producer and director. Frost's dark and often intellectual art and music are informed by a sense of rootlessness and exile. As an introverted artist he has often refused to conduct media interviews...
(guitar), Haggai Fershtman (drums) and Zoe Polanski (Vocals, Bass and Casio
Casio
is a multinational electronic devices manufacturing company founded in 1946, with its headquarters in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan. Casio is best known for its electronic products, such as calculators, audio equipment, PDAs, cameras, musical instruments, and watches...
synthesizer).
After graduating from the London Music Academy, Tager began to take on musical projects that challenged different aspects of his ability. During this time, among other projects, he played guitar for Elliot Smith and Beth Gibbons
Beth Gibbons
Beth Gibbons is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist for the iconic British band Portishead.-Early life:...
, and scored string arrangements for the pop group Moloko
Moloko
Moloko were an Anglo-Irish electronic/pop duo consisting of Róisín Murphy from Wicklow, Ireland and Mark Brydon, from Sunderland, England.- Origin of band name :...
. Soon after, he decided to return to Israel to pursue his own goals. He became a member of the Israeli super-group "Family Butchers", which was soon asked to record by record producer Bob Weston
Bob Weston
Bob Weston is an American musician, producer, recording engineer, and record mastering engineer. Critic Jason Ankeny declares that "Weston's name and fingerprints are all over the American underground rock of the post-punk era, producing and engineering dates for a seemingly endless number of...
, but was primarily focused on his solo work, which became the idea for Katamine.
The first recording released under the name Katamine was released in 2004. It was an eponymous EP consisting of 5 acoustic songs - four originals and a cover of Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
's Pacific Coast Highway. The record was positively reviewed by Yedioth Ahronoth
Yedioth Ahronoth
Yedioth Ahronoth is a daily newspaper published in Tel Aviv, Israel. Since the 1970s, it has been the most widely circulated paper in Israel. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Yedioth Ahronoth retained the title of most widely read newspaper in Israel...
.
The full-length album Lag followed in 2005. On it Tager collaborated with several musicians, among them the guitarist Uri Frost of Carmela Gross Wagner and Rir
RIR
RIR may mean:* Real Illusions: Reflections, an album by American guitarist Steve Vai* Reduction In Recruitment, a type of foreign labor certification program by the United States Department of Labor that preceded PERM program* Rock in Rio...
and Sharon Kantor of The Girls. The album included 9 original songs and a cover of Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers
Butthole Surfers is an American alternative rock band formed by Gibby Haynes and Paul Leary in San Antonio, Texas in 1981. The band has had numerous personnel changes, but its core lineup of Haynes, Leary, and drummer King Coffey has been consistent since 1983. Teresa Nervosa served as second...
' Creep in the Cellar. Israeli media has called it "a beautiful, cruel and gloomy CD; more painful than Elliot Smith, [and as] powerful as Kurt Cobain".
Katamine's next album, Forest of Bobo was produced by Wharton Tiers
Wharton Tiers
Wharton Tiers is an American audio engineer, record producer, drummer and percussionist.- Biography :Diplomed from Villanova University , he moved to New York City in 1976 and was part of the No Wave scene.As an audio engineer and record producer, he has worked on projects such as Sonic Youth,...
and released in 2006. This was a concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, telling the life story of Bobo the bear. Each song was accompanied by a drawing in the CD booklet, painted by the radical comic artist Seth Tobocman
Seth Tobocman
Seth Tobocman is a radical comic book artist who has been living in Manhattan's Lower East Side since 1978. Tobocman is best known for his creation of the political comic book World War 3 Illustrated, which he started in 1979 with fellow artist Peter Kuper...
. In 2006 Katamine were also the opening act on Devendra Banhart
Devendra Banhart
Devendra Obi Banhart is a singer-songwriter and visual artist. Banhart was born in Houston, Texas and was raised by his mother in Venezuela, until he moved to California as a teenager. He began to study at the San Francisco Art Institute in 1998, but dropped out to perform music in Europe, San...
's concert in Israel.
External links
- Tinstar Creative Pool, Katamine's label
- Katamine Home Page
- Detailed biography of Katamine in MOOMAMOOMAMOOMA is the leading web site dedicated to Israeli music. It contains information about Israeli artists from all genres, as well as general articles and news about Israeli music. The site editor is Ayelet Yagil....
- צלילים ממכרים - A review of Lag in Yedioth AhronothYedioth AhronothYedioth Ahronoth is a daily newspaper published in Tel Aviv, Israel. Since the 1970s, it has been the most widely circulated paper in Israel. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Yedioth Ahronoth retained the title of most widely read newspaper in Israel...
- [ A review of Lag] in Allmusic
- הבא בתור הוא סוס, A review of Forest of Bobo in MaarivMaarivMaariv is a Hebrew language daily newspaper published in Israel. It is second in sales after Yedioth Ahronoth and third in readership after Yedioth Ahronoth and Israel HaYom. In a TGI survey comparing the last half of 2009 with the same period in 2008, Maariv saw its market share fall slightly...