“I will be content with a performance in front of 100 people”

Like all of us, Maor Cohen is just trying to survive the corona without going too crazy. “My condition is fine overall,” he says in an interview with Ynet, “but this period, when the whole family is at home, is very intense. It is not really easy for children that they can not meet friends and they are constantly stuck at home, but can be worse. “I have some time so I go to my studio and write and play, but most of the time I am at home. It has been such a long year and everything in it has already become chewy and I no longer remember what I did,” he laughs.

Cohen nevertheless managed to get out of the house quite a bit during the corona, especially for yard performances, when these were made possible, and he says he enjoyed every moment. “Yard shows are a complete turnaround. I was lucky and met nice people, not like in the sketch of ‘Great Country.’ Luckily the people I got home behaved exemplary. They pay a lot of money and open their house, so it makes sense that they behave accordingly. There is something a lot in these shows. Lighter, without hysteria. They are very intimate, almost in one – on – one format. When you perform at the club you usually do not see the faces in the audience because there is lighting, and here you see the people and it is actually a good thing that gives another jump in communication between artist and audience. “.

In addition to performances, there is also a new and beautiful song, a cover of James Taylor’s Bartender’s Blues, which became ‘Berman Blues’ by Pi Cohen (who also translated it). “I came to this song through the performance of George Jones that I knew in a docu-program about country singers,” he says, “This song immediately jumped out at me because even though it’s depressing, it also has humor and lightness that I really like. As I listened to it I started translating “I had it in my head and I tried to see how it could work in Hebrew. I always wanted to write a country song in Hebrew and try to import this American atmosphere here, so I started with a small song that can be moved relatively easily, without making too much noise around it.”

Is this also a kind of remote support in closed bars?
“It really came out very appropriate to the general atmosphere. I already miss sitting at the bar again and drinking beer before the show.”

Taylor’s country and soft-rock vibe is well preserved in Cohen’s new version, and is another example of the way he shines when he handles 70s material, such as his debut album “Good for Us Together”, influenced by the sound of the time, or the great cover he recorded. To Ilanit’s “Song of a Small Day” a few years ago. “It’s a time I really like in music, it’s the time I was born, so it’s a bit like swimming in amniotic fluid for me.”

Cohen, 46, has been a major part of Israeli rock for almost 30 years. He began his career with the elders of Safed, later joining Dan Toren, Peter Roth, Amir “Django” Rossiano and others for the flies supergroup, and alongside his successful solo career he later returned to collaborate with some of his longtime bandmates, Reut with Bad Proves And in Israelis / action / sex.

As part of Cohen’s re-creation bay in recent months, the song “Falling in Love Again” has also been released, in which he collaborates with Peter Roth and Avner Gadsi. “When I played the song to Peter he did not fit so well, so Peter changed it and improved the lyrics and melody, and he is also the one who made the connection with Avner. It is a great honor for me that he sings a song that I am connected to.” Even before that, Cohen managed to record a cover together with the members of the groin for the “Golem” of the click (the band I like the most, “says Cohen) and” Why? “With Carolina and Boom Pam from the upcoming album” The Children’s Star “. Create and write new materials. The miniature work that is in the recordings requires silence from you, “he says,” this silence became anxiety during the Corona period, but time was created for people for various projects. We started working on some things even before the Corona, and now is a good time to complete these things. I currently have several albums on the episode. I really like this format and really do not think it is dead. It is true that it is not as big as it was in the seventies, but people are coming back to it. ”

We have been almost a year into the corona and there is no real help to the culture industry. Do you have an explanation for this?
“So many areas are in trouble right now, so it’s not just about culture. The big problem for me is that there is no personal example from the people above, and after that they still complain that citizens do not take the guidelines seriously – when they are not serious enough themselves. “It opens and it doesn’t. People make adjustments to the situation, and then they come and close the possibility for them to open and exist while opening flights. It’s very frustrating. Beyond the money, people want equal treatment and treatment.”

Did you go to demonstrations? It seems that not enough artists dare to go out in protest.
“I did not get to go to the big demonstrations because it felt a little strange to band together, but yes I was on some small bridge near the house. What is most jarring to me in the situation is the inequality and lack of personal example. “Really, and do not mix politics. The worst thing is that the politicians blame the citizens. Once everyone upstairs is fine – then the citizens will be fine too.”

And here is Shaul Mizrahi announcing that next week he is reopening the Barbie Club. Will you make an appearance there?
“I know there is talk of going back to shows but at the moment everything is quite a limited guarantee. We are just in the rush stage. I do not think I will go and break the law and make a show right now. I will not add wood to the fire.”

Miss “Great Country”? Do you get to see the show? The “back of the nation” is also quite lacking during the election period.
“I miss people a little bit. I was recently photographed for something unrelated to satire, ‘Benz’s nephew, a wild teen comedy that will air soon here 11. I’m very happy if’ Back of the Nation ‘comes back, I really enjoyed it. And nothing to worry about, never missing Materials to laugh at, we were blessed with a completely satirical country. “

You also do quite a few commercials. Do you also enjoy it or is it mostly for a living?
“I really enjoy that these are terribly accurate productions. For 30 seconds you work a lot and there is something fun in this process, of both selling the product and also being funny along the way.”

Cohen is one of the few in the country who combines laughter and rock, and even runs a stand-up musical show. And mostly he does not understand why the music in the country insists on being so serious. “The music here started from a more national place, it sought to comfort and unite and was very functional. It took some time to separate things, and over the years we have progressed and there is more humor. In Mediterranean music, for example, there is a lot of humor and lightness. The Beatles’ ‘Net Pepper’ is a funny record. “

Next year they will celebrate the 30th birthday of the wild debut album of the Safed elders, and Cohen does not rule out reunion. “Once there were gigs and it was possible I would be very happy,” he admits, “when we made our last album a few years ago it was abnormal fun. I would always be happy to go back and play with these people.” Until then, the band’s second album, “Elders of Safed 2”, which included the hits “Friday Saturday”, “The Neighbor” and “Just Don’t Go”, will soon be released for the first time on vinyl record. Cohen’s solo album, which was released in 1999 on the format and whose sales have soared since the market, is currently not intended to be re-released. “I have two copies of it at home and I’m waiting for their price to go up a little bit more,” he laughs, “but it’s really very heartwarming that people are willing to pay NIS 500 for your album.”

Can you already imagine the first performance in front of the audience the day after the Corona?
“It will take more time unfortunately, and they will not open everything up in Mecca so as not to repeat the same mistake as last time. I will settle for 100 people right now. I imagine myself licking the audience, it will be more like a hammam than a show.”