interview with MAGEN
How was the band formed? Most of us played together since we were teenagers, and we have finalized our current lineup about a year ago when Ari joined on Bass.
Can you tell about your band? We like to mix it up and combine Metal, Progressive, Jazz, Grunge, basically anything that helps keep our sound fresh and interesting, not holding ourselves to a certain genre.
Where are all band members from?/Who does what in the band?
Ethel Feigman (vocals) is from Rishon Le-Zion
Gal Shnaider (lead and rhythm guitar) is from Holon
Naor “Zakk” Zakhaim (lead and rhythm guitar) is from Jaffa
Tom Tenenbaum (drums) is from Ramat-Gan
Ari Dorot (bass) is from Ashkelon
What were the ambitions of the band when you started? We started off as kids having fun, but music really became a very important part of who we were, you know? We really feel like we have something to say, a different and fresh sound. So, we started performing everywhere we could, releasing a video on YouTube, building a fan base.
Could you explain your music to someone that hasn't heard you? It is a little tricky to define, I guess it is progressive Metal, I mean we have some interesting time changes, fun musical parts. Let’s go with Progressive/Alternative Metal.
Where was your first gig? Our first gig was at the Bloom Bar, in Tel-Aviv. It was an open-stage night, the place was packed and we received a very warm welcome and some great responses.
Where was the latest gig? Our last show was a double feature, opening for a wonderful band called Stormy Atmosphere. It was a very special show, Stormy were celebrating the release of their new album, the place was packed, and as a special surprise there was a reporter for Israel’s largest Metal magazine, Metalist, who gave us a really-really nice review.
Who writes your songs?/Who writes the music who writes lyrics? Gal writes all of our lyrics, he and Naor are the ones who create the musical “skeleton” of the song, and then Ethel arranges the singing form into it. After that we usually have a production session where we sit and throw ideas around and try them out. Then we work our asses off in the rehearsal room.
Who has the best sense of humor in the band? Tom (the drummer) is a real clown, goofing around during rehearsals and even during live shows. We think we’re a pretty funny bunch of people in general; no one here takes themselves too seriously.
What's good/bad with the band? We have really good chemistry and allow ourselves to speak freely, give notes to each other, all for the sake of being the best band we can be. We're all in this together and for the same reasons.
Why did you pick that particular style?/What are your songs about? We all grew up listening to the same music, and come on, what’s more fun than playing Metal? But it’s very important to us to have a distinctive, fresh sound. A lot of bands these days sound the same, and we try to avoid that.
The songs are about emotions and simple thoughts, usually about the little things that bother us on a day to day basis without us even noticing them.
Do you write your own material or mainly covers? We mainly focus on our own material, but play a couple of covers in our shows. Our favorite one is a rearranged Metal version of a Depeche Mode classic.
Have you made any albums?/If yes what are they? We are currently in the final stages of our first EP. Stay tuned!
Do you have any clips on YouTube? We have an official video clip of our first single released 2 years ago: “Time For Serenity”.
How old are you?/What got you started in music?
Ethel, 23 years old – I started studying at a professional music school when I was 8 years old, so when I say I grew up on music it’s kind of literal.
Gal, 24 years old – what got me in to music was listening to it.
Naor, 24 years old – My love affair with music started when I first heard the album "Californication" by RHCP. At that moment I knew that my love for music is forever. My father introduced me to a lot of classical and progressive rock bands that I adore to this day.
Tom, 22 years old – I grew up in a house full of music. The CD collection my parents owned was huge. I started going to concerts when I was 8 years old.
Ari, 36 years old – Music was always a HUGE part of my life. It feels to me as if it is a language in itself, another way to communicate with the world. Cliché, I know, but true!
At what age did you start playing?
Ethel - 8
Gal - 14
Naor - I started playing when I was 10, but got bored at some point because I didn't have enough discipline. At 14 I picked up the guitar again and taught myself with help from guitar teaching software and just jamming along to awesome songs.
Tom - When I was 12 years old a friend showed me how to play an easy 4/4 beat using the sticks. Since then I never looked at another instrument again in my life.
Ari - I started playing Bass at 16 for fun and fell in love with the power and influence it had within the song.
How old were you guys when you first stood on stage?
Ethel – I remember performing on stage when I was 3 years old at my aunt’s wedding.
Gal -I think maybe 16 or 17.
Naor – I was 17, playing with Gal in our first band, Sanctimonia.
Tom – I was 13, or 14 years old.
Ari – I played my first show at 16, we absolutely sucked but it was the most fun I’ve ever had in my life! I still remember it like it was yesterday
What year was the band started? 2012
Best/worst gig you've played?
Best gig – probably the one at the Papaito club with Stormy Atmosphere. The place was crowded with over 200 people and the energies were fantastic!!
Worst gig – Since we have a “never say no to a gig” policy, we once ended up playing a last second late night show with a local band at an almost empty club.
What places will you be playing in in the immediate future? Once our EP is out we’ll start touring Israel extensively and not just in the Tel Aviv area where most of the scene in Israel is happening. We defiantly want to try and book a few tours abroad.
Where have you played from then till now? So far we've played mostly in the Tel-Aviv area.
Which band is the best you´ve seen?
Ethel – Skunk Anansie had the most impressive and kick ass live performance I've ever seen.
Gal – So many... If I have to pick one, it’s probably King Crimson.
Naor – Wow, there are a LOT, but if I had to pick one, it would be Deep Purple. I got to see them live in 2008.
Tom – Porcupine Tree. No doubt about that!
Ari – My favorite band has always been, and always will be, Anthrax!
Is it always the same songs live? It all depends on how long the show is going to be. We're more than happy to give it all we've got (both meanings!) whenever possible.
What has been the best/most promising gig so far? Again – It was probably the big concert with Stormy Atmosphere at Papaito. The great review we got in “Metalist” magazine for that show definitely made our day.
Have you had any bigger tours from start to now? Not yet, but we’re planning on it!
How big crowds do you usually play for? It can be anything from 20 – 200 people, depending on the venue and if it’s part of a special night or what not.
What are the plans for the rest of the year? We believe that the sky is the limit. After the release of our EP we’ll try and shoot for the moon: concerts, festivals, video clips, tours... We'll work hard to do as much as we can.
How do you get psyched up for a gig? We sit together for at least 30 minutes before each show, going over what we plan to do, anything that we want to share with our fans, maybe some last minute ideas. We believe it’s all about connecting with each other and having fun.
What are your goals with your music? To get as far as possible, reach as many ears we can and rock hard until we die.
When did you decide to go all in for the music? From day one! Tom, Gal, Zakk and Ethel played together a year and a half before MAGEN with a different band, making Symphonic Metal but it just didn't work out. When MAGEN got started, we were all much more mature, willing and ready to progress as musicians with something new, pushing ourselves to the limits of our creation.
Is it easier to get your inspiration from older bands or from bands more modern? The trick is to take both and make them something else which is none of them.
What are your sources of inspiration? Inspiration is a limitless natural resource. A great man once said:" I decide to have my inspiration every morning at 9:00 am". It really depends on each and every one of us.
What's the first step when making a new song? playing whatever comes to mind. if it's good the lyrics will naturally follow.
What would be your dreams for the band? The biggest stages with the greatest bands in the biggest cities and festivals. Is there something better than doing what you love the most in the highest level there is?
What do you work with outside of the band and the music?
Ethel – I teach teenagers the art of singing at a boarding school, and am also a professional make up artist.
Gal – Copywriter at an advertising agency.
Naor – I work at a communications company.
Tom – I work as account manager at a big Law firm specializing in intellectual property.
Ari – I work for a pharmaceutical company.
How important are your fans? Without them we're just playing in front of four walls. And that's no fun, obviously, haha!
What's the funniest/most memorable thing a fan has done for you? A good friend of ours, Laki, printed T-shirts with the logo of the band. Each one of us got the T-shirt in their favorite color. There’s also Naor, who NEVER misses a show, and really really helps us out, be it with professional photo shoots and even filming the video clip of Time for Serenity. We love you Naor!
How often do you rehearse? At least three hours a week.
Name 2 of your own songs you like at the moment? We like them all, of course, but GreyScale is set to be our new single.
What drives a band that isn't all that famous and renowned to try to make a living on their music and to keep playing? Passion and love to the music they make. If you like what you do you'll do it BIG and wish for more.
Do you have any webpages? https://www.facebook.com/Magenband
Any pearls of wisdom for all other bands out there? Work hard, play hard and keep focused on the right thing – making YOUR music and doing it well and professionally.
How do you view the music industry of today? The Metal music scene in Israel these days is very challenging. It is far from the mainstream, radios won’t really play it and it’s hard to get people to come out to shows of artists they don’t hear on the radio. We believe that by working hard and playing good music wherever we can we can create a good fan base. Most Metal bands in Israel aim at the larger scenes outside of Israel, and some of them have done it with huge success, so we’re optimistic.
What are the biggest obstacles for a band?
-Our day jobs make it pretty challenging, but – where there’s a will there’s a way, and the band is always top priority.
What is best/worst with playing the clubs? Some clubs don’t have the best equipment, to say it gently. Sometimes there isn't even a soundman!
Tell us about upcoming gigs and why we should be at them? The music, which is great of course, isn’t everything when playing live. We give a very energetic and engaging performance. People come to see a show, to get entertained, and that’s what we try to do, especially Ethel who is just hypnotizing to watch!
Do you have anything to add? Give it a shot, come to our gig, have fun, like us on facebook and tell your friends about us. We have great plans for the future and hope to see all of you taking part of it. Robex, thank you so much for this interview!