Shy Nobleman
Encyclopedia
Shy Nobleman is an Israeli rock musician, singer, songwriter, producer, keyboardist, guitarist and Actor.
He is one of Israel's leading indie musicians, whose English language psychedelic
and power-pop albums have been hits in Israel
and enjoys increasing popularity in a number of European countries.
After the band's breakup in 1996, he moved to London and with bassist, Robert Whitmore, formed his own band, "Oracle." As an active member of the mod and garage rock
scene in the U.K. his songwriting became influenced by Sixties Psychedelic Rock
.
Nobleman took guitar lessons from Thee Headcoats
' Bruce Brand and then began crafting tunes at a piano in his house in the western suburbs of London.
In 1999 he entered Toe Rag Studios
and with producer Liam Watson
recorded his first double A side single, 'Sad Song Happy Song / Lonely Boy.' After the English music magazine, Melody Maker
, chose the song as "Single of the Week," Shy was encouraged to go back to the studio and record a full album of original material.
He returned to Tel Aviv
and with Israeli rock band, Rockfour
, backing him up, he recorded his debut album "How to Be Shy
."
Despite the novelty of English language albums in Israel at the time,
the album was selected by several Israeli music critics as "Album of the Year" and in the USA, Rolling Stone
critic, Richie Unterberger
, chose it as one of his favourite 10 albums of 2001. The Alternative Press music magazine named him one of "25 international artists who can take over America". The music's moody lyrics contrasted with happy uplifting melodies.
Nobleman's wild and spontaneous live shows, which often featured surprise guest appearances from old time rockers and a number of drag queen
s attracted a cult following and in 2002 Nobleman launched an extensive solo U.S. tour, and supported the indie pop band Of Montreal
, playing in such venues as New York's famed CBGBs.
In 2005 he recorded his second album "Beautiful Life
" which became a top-10 album in Israel. The musicians on the album included some of Israel's leading indie rock names :Yotam Ben-Horin
, Geva Alon
and members of Rockfour
and The Monotonix
.
"Beautiful Life" was more power pop and had a harder sound than Nobleman's debut album. It included the top- 10 radio singles "Girlfriend" and "Baby In The Rain," and made history as they were the first English songs recorded by an Israeli to play on Israel's state radio station, which until then had refused to play non-Hebrew material recorded by local artists.
In 2006 Nobleman played support shows for the English band, Echo & The Bunnymen
, and was invited to Germany by the band "Tomte
", to open their Buchstaben über der Stadt tour.
In 2009 Nobleman caused something of a national scandal
when he recorded his second Hebrew single "We Will Never Reach the World Cup," a song that lamented the consistent failure of Israel's national football (soccer) team. The song became a radio hit but vanished from the air after the Israeli Sports Minister and the Israeli Football Association complained and had it banned.
For the past 20 years Nobleman has also been the Israeli voice of Disney's Donald Duck
.
For several years Nobleman was working as a music critic and had a weekly column in various Israeli papers.
.
Nobleman is married to Israeli singer and songwriter, Billy Levy, from the band Billy and the Firm
.
He is one of Israel's leading indie musicians, whose English language psychedelic
Psychedelic
The term psychedelic is derived from the Greek words ψυχή and δηλοῦν , translating to "soul-manifesting". A psychedelic experience is characterized by the striking perception of aspects of one's mind previously unknown, or by the creative exuberance of the mind liberated from its ostensibly...
and power-pop albums have been hits in Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
and enjoys increasing popularity in a number of European countries.
Music
Nobleman started his professional music career in 1995 as a bass player for the successful Israeli rock band Mofa Ha'arnavot Shel Dr. Kasper (Dr. Kasper's Rabbits Show).After the band's breakup in 1996, he moved to London and with bassist, Robert Whitmore, formed his own band, "Oracle." As an active member of the mod and garage rock
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
scene in the U.K. his songwriting became influenced by Sixties Psychedelic Rock
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
.
Nobleman took guitar lessons from Thee Headcoats
Thee Headcoats
Thee Headcoats 1989 - 2000, was a band comprising Billy Childish, Bruce Brand, and Johnny Johnson. Childish was featured on guitar and vocals, Brand on drums and backing vocals, and Johnson on bass. The band was the most prolific of Childish's many musical projects, releasing fourteen full...
' Bruce Brand and then began crafting tunes at a piano in his house in the western suburbs of London.
In 1999 he entered Toe Rag Studios
Toe Rag Studios
Toe Rag Studios is an analogue recording studio located in Hackney, London, UK.-History:The studio was founded in 1991 by Liam Watson and Josh Collins in the Shoreditch area of London. In 1997, the business relocated to Hackney due to rising overheads...
and with producer Liam Watson
Liam Watson
Liam Watson is a Grammy Award-winning British record producer and owner of Toe Rag Studios. Watson is perhaps best known for his work engineering and mixing the White Stripes' Elephant, receiving the 2004 Grammy for Best Alternative Music Album...
recorded his first double A side single, 'Sad Song Happy Song / Lonely Boy.' After the English music magazine, Melody Maker
Melody Maker
Melody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
, chose the song as "Single of the Week," Shy was encouraged to go back to the studio and record a full album of original material.
He returned to Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
and with Israeli rock band, Rockfour
Rockfour
Rockfour 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:...
, backing him up, he recorded his debut album "How to Be Shy
How to Be Shy
How to Be Shy is the debut studio album by Israeli indie rock artist Shy Nobleman, released on June 6, 2001.Nobleman's backing band on the record is Israeli psychedelic rock band Rockfour...
."
Despite the novelty of English language albums in Israel at the time,
the album was selected by several Israeli music critics as "Album of the Year" and in the USA, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
critic, Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger
Richie Unterberger is a US author and journalist whose focus is popular music and travel writing.-Life and writing:Having worked as a DJ at WXPN in Philadelphia, he started reviewing records for Op magazine in 1983...
, chose it as one of his favourite 10 albums of 2001. The Alternative Press music magazine named him one of "25 international artists who can take over America". The music's moody lyrics contrasted with happy uplifting melodies.
Nobleman's wild and spontaneous live shows, which often featured surprise guest appearances from old time rockers and a number of drag queen
Drag queen
A drag queen is a man who dresses, and usually acts, like a caricature woman often for the purpose of entertaining. There are many kinds of drag artists and they vary greatly, from professionals who have starred in films to people who just try it once. Drag queens also vary by class and culture and...
s attracted a cult following and in 2002 Nobleman launched an extensive solo U.S. tour, and supported the indie pop band Of Montreal
Of Montreal
Of Montreal is an American rock band from Athens, Georgia. It was founded by frontman Kevin Barnes in 1996, named after a failed romance with a woman "of Montreal." The band is one of the bands of the Elephant 6 collective...
, playing in such venues as New York's famed CBGBs.
In 2005 he recorded his second album "Beautiful Life
Beautiful Life (Shy Nobleman album)
Beautiful Life is the second studio album by Israeli indie rock artist Shy Nobleman, released on November 30, 2005. The lyrics of the album based mostly around the break-up of Nobleman with his girlfriend at the time....
" which became a top-10 album in Israel. The musicians on the album included some of Israel's leading indie rock names :Yotam Ben-Horin
Yotam Ben-Horin
Yotam Ben-Horin is an Israeli musician best known for his work as the lead singer and bassist for successful Israeli punk rock band Useless ID...
, Geva Alon
Geva Alon
Geva Alon is an Israeli blues/folk/rock musician and singer-songwriter.-Biography:Geva Alon was born and raised in Kibbutz Ma'abarot. He began playing guitar at the young age of 12, and in the year 2000 became the founding member of the rock trio The Flying Baby which achieved relative success in...
and members of Rockfour
Rockfour
Rockfour 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:...
and The Monotonix
Monotonix
Monotonix were a garage rock band from Tel Aviv, Israel. They released their debut EP in 2008 and have toured mostly the United States and Europe, including notable now legendary appearances at SXSW...
.
"Beautiful Life" was more power pop and had a harder sound than Nobleman's debut album. It included the top- 10 radio singles "Girlfriend" and "Baby In The Rain," and made history as they were the first English songs recorded by an Israeli to play on Israel's state radio station, which until then had refused to play non-Hebrew material recorded by local artists.
In 2006 Nobleman played support shows for the English band, Echo & The Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen
Echo & the Bunnymen are an English post-punk band, formed in Liverpool in 1978. The original line-up consisted of vocalist Ian McCulloch, guitarist Will Sergeant and bass player Les Pattinson, supplemented by a drum machine. By 1980, Pete de Freitas had joined as the band's drummer, and their debut...
, and was invited to Germany by the band "Tomte
Tomte (band)
Tomte is an indie band from Hamburg in Germany. Their lyrics are almost completely in German and their sound could be described as guitar pop with some punk influences. The group may be considered to be a part of the “Hamburger Schule” on the basis of the band Tocotronic's influence on their work...
", to open their Buchstaben über der Stadt tour.
In 2009 Nobleman caused something of a national scandal
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
when he recorded his second Hebrew single "We Will Never Reach the World Cup," a song that lamented the consistent failure of Israel's national football (soccer) team. The song became a radio hit but vanished from the air after the Israeli Sports Minister and the Israeli Football Association complained and had it banned.
Actor
Shy Nobleman is also the host of a weekly satirical sports television and internet show which he has been on the air since 2006.For the past 20 years Nobleman has also been the Israeli voice of Disney's Donald Duck
Donald Duck
Donald Fauntleroy Duck is a cartoon character created in 1934 at Walt Disney Productions and licensed by The Walt Disney Company. Donald is an anthropomorphic white duck with a yellow-orange bill, legs, and feet. He typically wears a sailor suit with a cap and a black or red bow tie. Donald is most...
.
For several years Nobleman was working as a music critic and had a weekly column in various Israeli papers.
Personal
Nobleman is a far family relative of French musician and singer, Sacha DistelSacha Distel
Sacha Distel was a French singer and guitarist who had hits with a cover version of the Academy Award-winning "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head" , "Scoubidou", and "The Good Life". He was born in Paris.-Career:Sacha Distel, born Alexandre Distel, was a son of Russian White émigré Leonid Distel...
.
Nobleman is married to Israeli singer and songwriter, Billy Levy, from the band Billy and the Firm
Billy And The Firm
Billy And The Firm are an indie rock band formed in Israel in 2008 by female vocalist and guitarist Billy Levy. The band was formed right after Billy finished recording and producing her own album - Thoughts From The Lioness' Lab which was mixed in Paris by Ken Stringfellow .The album was released...
.
Solo albums
- 2001 – How to Be ShyHow to Be ShyHow to Be Shy is the debut studio album by Israeli indie rock artist Shy Nobleman, released on June 6, 2001.Nobleman's backing band on the record is Israeli psychedelic rock band Rockfour...
- 2005 – Beautiful LifeBeautiful Life (Shy Nobleman album)Beautiful Life is the second studio album by Israeli indie rock artist Shy Nobleman, released on November 30, 2005. The lyrics of the album based mostly around the break-up of Nobleman with his girlfriend at the time....