Israeli musician and award-winning animator Izakman (aka Itamar Isaak) released his second UK single ‘Real Boy’ recently, we caught up for a chat:
Your music is eclectic, which artists (musical and otherwise) influence your sound?
My sound is heavily influenced by late 60′s British bands like The Pretty Things, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Small Faces. I’m also a big fan of Monty Python for their surreal humor. My producer, Roy Nizzani, gave the songs their contemporary rock flavor.
As an award-winning animator, are visuals very important to your musical output?
Yes, I’m fascinated by the relationships between audio and visuals and how they can influence and interpret each other. Both my visual and musical work is very story driven. My friends often say I should write a musical because my songs and the way I perform them are theatrical. I have a dream to produce an interstellar rock opera inspired by one of my songs – “Waiting for Zoe”.
Unfortunately, you had to cancel your European tour due to Covid, but could you tell us a bit about what your live show is like?
Some say I act like an eccentric character on stage. We perform with a lot of energy and humour. I like to describe it as a rock show delivered by a renaissance artist.
What is the music & art scene like in Israel?
Artists from all fields are struggling to exist due the government’s current unsupportive nature. The alternative art and music scene is very diverse, there’s a nice collision of African and Mediterranean influences with the western culture here. Izakman is probably the only act to bring Britishness into the local scene (and nobody gets it here)
Although your music is hard to categorise, it feels like you have an almost punk rock ethos?
I’m fond of the punk rock DIY approach and I do have a rebellious attitude towards what is expected of an artist to become popular.
In January we will probably be on our 3rd lockdown – can you share any book, film or music recommendations we might enjoy?
If you are into heavily bizarre stuff to fire your imagination, watch the Holy Mountain by Alejandro Jodorowsky and Forbidden Zone by Richard Elfman. I also enjoyed reading the Buddha From Suburbia by Hanif Kureishi. And listen to 6 am by Kutiman, who is also from Israel.
Any message for your UK fans?
Can’t wait to meet you guys, perform for you in the flesh and go crazy together. It’s pretty mental right now, but we shall claim our freedom one day. Stay positive. Stay curious.
Check out Izakman’s single on Spotify
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