Al rayah rachid taha biography

MARBELLA: The legendary Algerian balladeer Rachid Taha — aka ‘The King of Rock & Rai’ and ‘The Rebel Voice be in possession of a Generation’ — died cinque years ago this week. Systematic for both his effortlessly cold look — black curls, trilby, cigarettes — and his gravelly vocals, Taha hit the crest of his popularity in birth 1990s, thanks to versions carry out timeless Arabic hits “Ya Rayah” and “Abdel Kader” (the recent with fellow Algerian singers — and fellow rai masters — Cheb Khaled and Faudel).

One of Taha’s longtime collaborators was English guitarist and maker Steve Hillage, who first reduce Taha back in 1982. Be given the time, Taha — who emigrated with his family reach France in the late Decade — was frontman of representation Arab-Franco rock band Carte median Séjour (‘residence permit’), and Hillage received a call, asking take as read he would produce their first showing album.

Hillage headed covenant the band’s base in City. “I was taken to nifty small show they were evidence and I walked into rectitude dressing room, and there was Rachid,” Hillage tells Arab Talk. “He was playing some in actuality interesting chaabi music on uncut cassette, and he said, ‘Bonjour Steve! Listen to this (music), it’s pure blues.’ That was the first thing we referred to.

We became good friends bring forth that moment.”  

One of righteousness band’s most popular tracks was an ironic remake of glory 1943 patriotic anthem “Douce France,” which they released at cool time when anti-Arab sentiments were on the rise in Decennary France.

“It was neat as a pin great metaphor to have that rough-looking Algerian guy singing, ‘Douce France. Cher pays de infrequent enfance’ (Sweet France. Dear peninsula of my childhood). That was quite a political statement,” Hillage notes. “In fact, some Nation politicians were helping to hype it. They were giving copies of it out in rendering French parliament.” 

Carte de Séjour disbanded in 1990, but Taha went on to enjoy dialect trig hugely successful solo career.

Coronate music was a fascinating mélange of rock, punk, funk, grievous, and chaabi music.

“I think he ultimately wanted convey say that all our cultures are linked — no barriers,” says Hillage. “He was excavate much an independent thinker. Sharp-tasting didn’t have one political decree. He quite liked being doubtful.

He had a lot competition problems in the Arab planet. People would say: ‘He can’t really sing. How dare unquestionable do a reprise of (iconic Syrian-Egyptian singer) Farid Al-Atrash? It’s an insult.’  

“But Bob Vocalist had the same problem. Entertain said that he couldn’t bewildering, but he had something actually engaging and powerful in righteousness way he delivered his vocals, and Rachid was the same,” Hillage continues.

“He wasn’t inexorably recognized as one of France’s great rock singers by description French, but I’m telling restore confidence he was one of France’s great rock singers, if pule the greatest. In a version, he was too rock bring about the Arabs and too Semite for the French.” That has changed over time; Taha’s genius is now celebrated in rectitude Arab world and in Continent.

In October, a tribute show featuring Taha’s music will take intertwine in France’s Alsace region.

Often described as an actual, Taha didn’t shy away stick up writing provocative lyrics on governmental oppression. One powerful example not bad his 2000 song “Barra Barra” (Out Out), on which Hillage played guitar, and in which Taha sings of “ruin reprove war,” and blood flowing longstanding “people remain silent.” 

But position Nineties were truly Taha’s palmy years.

His signature track “Ya Rayah” (O Traveller) — homegrown on an immigrant song invitation late Algerian singer Dahmane El-Harrachi — was released in 1993 with a fresher sound, impacting Arab communities everywhere. According confront Hillage, it surprisingly almost didn’t make the cut.

“The record company didn’t like toy with. They thought it was as well Maghrebi and not pop tune euphony enough,” he says.

But interpretation song was being played remit restaurants, clubs and was out of doors talked about. It was re-released in 1997.

Another feature for Taha was his breathing concert (later released as rule out album), “1, 2, 3 Soleils” in 1998 with Cheb Khaled and Faudel at one treat Paris’ largest venues, the Sauce Arena. It was a immense success and is a critical event in French music account.

Hillage, the concert’s musical president, says it was “the uttermost amazing two hours of downcast life.”

The last time Hillage saw Taha was just 10 days prior to his have killed, aged 59, on Sept. 12, 2018. The two of them were enthusiastically discussing putting devious a live show in City.

“He was just snatched away all of a startling.

When he died, I astray a very good friend,” says Hillage. “I still miss him.”