If you are between 18-25 in Israel and driving in a car, you're probably listening to Galgalatz. You can also listen to Galgalatz (as well as a host of other Israeli radio stations) on your computer:
http://www.fromil.com/radio/index.php?radio=4
I just checked, and what you hear on the website is just a slightly delayed version of what we hear on, well, the Galgalatz broadcast via my cable TV. My husband has the car right now. :)
"Galgalatz" is one of the two major Israeli army-sponsored pop music radio stations. The "tz" is for "tzahal," the Israeli army. "Galatz" is short for "Galei Tzahal"-- the waves of tzahal-- which is a little odd because "Galei Tzahal" is the other big Israeli army sponsored radio station-- and which also seems to make this station the "Wave of the Waves of Tzahal." Also, "tzahal" itself is an acronym for "tzava hagana l'yisrael," or "Army for the Defense of Israel," so it's really "Wave of the Waves of the Army for the Defense of Israel." Israelis LOVE acronyms... I'll have to post about that some time.
Anyway, Galgalatz is essentially a cross between American college radio stations that play whatever the DJ loves and the huge for-profit stations like Kiss (or is that KIIS?) that endlessly play same top-15 hits. Israelis also don't ascribe to the rigid categorization of American music (G-d forbid if we play an 80s hit on a 90s flashback weekend, or a pop song on FROGGY country hits!) and go for free-association instead. This leads to an interesting mix of music: Bob Dylan, Arik Einstein and Julio Iglesias along side Katy Perry, Idan Raichel and, er, Ivri Lider uttering an embarassing bit of Engrish in a Galgalatz-sponsored remake of Perry's hit "I Kissed a Girl." (In another great post, What War Zone?? explores the hilarious internal logic guiding Galgalatz music combinations.)
Galgalatz has quickly become one of my favorite radio stations ever because I can never quite predict what will play next. (Oh, and it's better during the day. I realized this once I moved here and stopped catching only the middle-of-the-night mellow broadcasts online.) Enjoy!
29.3.09
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Maya,
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I just bought a cd from Idan Raichel. We love the cd. Any suggestions on some good Israeli music?
Have a great week.
Melissa
P.S. If you like, I can give you access to my Jewish blog, Chazak v'Ematz. I just need to enter your e-mail address into my blog to give you rights to it.
I'd love to see your Jewish blog! My e-mail is... oy... I'm kind of scared to list it in case I catch phishers... yiyehtov AT gmail DOT com.
ReplyDeleteI'll post suggestions for Israeli music soon, but Idan Raichel is one of my favorites! I actually saw his concert in NY, and it was incredible. (It's really great to see his group live because you see who is singing yet, and the Ethiopian guy is so cute!) One of my first posts were about another cool group, the Banot Nachama.
Just added you to my blogroll.
ReplyDeleteHi Maya,
ReplyDeleteI like your blog, just started reading it.
Actually, both the stations are the same. They broadcast from the same building in Yaffo, and Galgalatz is kind of a subsiduary. Galgalatz was founded in 1993 with funds from the Transporation Ministry, which is why it's called GALGALatz (galgal = wheel), and it was supposed to just be about music and traffic reports - which it basically is to this day.
Melissa:
ReplyDeleteShotey Ha'Nevua is a great band - unfortunately the band doesn't excist today, but still: Great music that has a really happy feeling!
Eviatar Banay is also very good - he has a soft, smooth and comfortable voice.
Monika Sex - good rock band.
Just a little note: Galgalatz is more like:
ReplyDeleteGalal = wheel - this is for the traffic alert they have with the music, I think that they were the first to give traffic alert in radio.
I love your blog ! I did the oppsite move - from Israel to USA so I kind of have all the experiances that you are going through just oppsite (no instant coffee at work just that horrible driping one for example :-) )