Kobi Farhi (Orphaned Land) - Interview

Photography by Eyal Pe'er

R'n'R : When and how music came into your life ?

KF : It's there since I was a little child, from home, and from Jaffa the city I grew on, music was always mixed as different cultures and religions are sharing this city. My first ever recording was made by my Grandma rip, and music was always a part of our daily life.

R'n'R : You often say that Turkey is your second country. Is there a reason ?

KF : I love the republic of Turkey and the great revolution that was made there by Ata Turk, just think it's a secular country with separation of religion and state and it's a Muslim country, I can only dream and wish that all Muslim countries would have followed this model, that would have given us the chance to play on those countries, today we can't do that, Turkey is the only one.

R'n'R : Who are your idols and your principal influences ?

KF : I really love rebels in Music, there are many of them, I find the ones from South America to be very fascinating, artists like Victor Jara, Mercedes Sosa, and Violetta Para. I also love Leonard Cohen very much.

R'n'R : Maybe it's an utopian way to think but do you think peace can come from the music ?

KF : Peace can come only if we change the worldwide education system, there is no other way I can think of.

R'n'R : Orphaned Land is known and loved in a lot of arabian countries. You must be proud of this.

KF : Yes, it is one of the greatest achievements of ours and a great lesson we've learned of how strong music can be in uniting so called enemies.

R'n'R : What memories do you keep of the Hellfest and Motocultor festivals in France ?

KF : Great shows, we played Hellfest 3 times and Motocultor 2 times, the best experience I remember is from Hellfest 2011 where we waved the flags of Israel and Lebanon with a Lebanese belly dancer who is our sister.

R'n'R : The album All Is One (2013) helped Orphaned Land in its worlwide notoriety. Do you agree ?

KF : I think that it started from our album Mabool already.

Click to watch the video of Mabool

R'n'R : What is your writing process in Orphaned Land ?

KF : We find a concept, and only then we compile the music like a puzzle, so we need that the music tells the story, only then lyrics are coming in. It's a complicated way, but that's how we are.

R'n'R : What is your Orphaned Land's favorite album and why ?

KF : I cannot say which one, it's changing, they are all my children.

R'n'R : Your cover of Hallelujah is incredible. The choirs are very moving. How came to you this idea to cover this song ?

KF : It was the choir's idea (Stimmgewalt is their name), they knew I like Leonard Cohen very much and they like him too, we did it one time and thought it could be great to record it.

Click to watch the video of Hallelujah with Stummgewalt

R'n'R : The cover of All Is One is optimistic but the lyrics are pessimistic. Does the cover represent a dream and the lyrics the reality ?

KF : Yes, the cover is just the Utopia, the lyrics are the reality.

Click to watch the official video of All Is One

R'n'R : Does the storm still rage inside again ?

KF : Always and forever.

R'n'R : Why Yossi Sassi left the band ?

KF : He wanted to focus more on a solo career.

R'n'R : Tell me more please about Orphaned Land's work with the great Steve Hackett. How did it happen ?

KF : Steve wrote me one day that he wanted me to participate in one of his new songs, I was in shock as I grew on his music with Genesis and I like his solo works too, I have his first solo album on vinyl. He offered to pay me or to play a solo for Orphaned Land in return. I thought to myself "What will I do with money? Buy a shirt?" obviously we wanted a solo from him, it is already recorded for our next album and it's an amazing solo! Perfection!

R'n'R : Can you talk about the new Orphaned Land album ? Is it ready and what is the title ?

KF : Not yet, we are recording it, and all i can say is that it'll be released either in November this year or in January 2018. More details will follow later. Sorry for being so discrete at the moment, I can say it's a strong concept album, 12 songs and more than 60 minutes.

Click to watch a video of Orphaned Land with Steven Wilson (M I ?)