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HaClique
Left to Right: Dani Dothan, Ovad Efrat, Eli Avramov and Jean-Jacques Goldberg.
Left to Right: Dani Dothan, Ovad Efrat, Eli Avramov and Jean-Jacques Goldberg.
Background information
OriginTel Aviv, Israel
GenresNew wave, rock, post-punk
Years active1980–1983, 1988, 1989, 1999–2015
LabelsCBS, NMC Music, The Third Ear
MembersDani Dothan
Ovad Efrat
Past membersEli Avramov
Jean-Jacques Goldberg
Uzi Binder
Rona Vered
Jasmin Even
Websitewww.4tis.com/clique/

HaClique (Hebrew: הקליק; Eng: The Clique; lit. Haklik; AKA: The Click/HaClick) were an Israeli new wave band, founded in 1980 by Dani Dothan (lyrics and vocals) and Eli Abramov (music, guitar and production), with Jean-Jacques Goldberg (drums) and Oved Efrat (Bass) joining later in the year but forming the essential core.

The band started their activity in Tel Aviv in 1980. They became well known in Israel for songs like "Incubator", "Golem", "Ani Avud", "Al Tadliku Li Ner" and "Kol Haemet". In all, they released three albums, a live album, a mini-album, a box-set, and eight singles.

History

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The Beginning. Two without experience, step out into the world

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Dani Dothan and Eli Abramov met at their high school, the Rehavia Gymnasium, during the summer of 1968. Abramov noticed Dothan drumming on a table, and the two instantly bonded over English and American music and their dislike of school. They would meet in their schoolhouse, which is where all the outsiders congregated, playing music together and smoking. The two took regular trips to the Old City of Jerusalem, in particular the Jaffa Gate, and wrote fantastical songs about foreigners coming to the city, singing and playing rock music. In 1969 they formed their first band "פולחן דיוניסוס" (Polhan Dionisos; lit. Cult of Dionysus). A promoter by the name of Lopez Suaso managed their activity, so let the duo use his rehearsal room to play and sing their songs, but also covers of Jimi Hendrix and The Doors. He organised performances for Polhan Dionisos and his other bands, who all travelled on a road bus, and though they lacked the necessary experience so didn't garner success, it left its impression on the two.

By 1971, when Dothan and Abramov were 17, they were expelled from high school. A year later they decided to travel to London, England and, under the influence of drugs, wrote more songs, whilst also attending English gigs. Dothan returned to Israel one and a half years later to join the army, which he remained with for five more years. Abramov stayed in England until 1977, and the two reconnected. Now with both living in Tel-Aviv, a more central place in the Israeli music scene, they felt like they had a much better chance of succeeding. In late 1979 they recorded "אחד עם ניסיון" (Ahud Yom Nision; lit. One With Experience) and "צא אל העולם" (Tza Al HaOlam; lit. Step Out to the World), both arranged by Mordi Farber, at Triton with a band made up of session musicians. At the beginning of 1980 these tracks were pressed as radio DJ promo 12" singles and though this was also not a major success, they did receive limited airplay. These would later be released in March 1995 on the compilation "קצת אחר 3".


Undeterred, the pair continued writing songs, and one day after Dothan woke from a nightmare in which he dreamt that he was a skeleton, influenced by a childhood spent around archaeological sites with his parents who were both archaeologists, he began writing the basis for what became "Ima Ani Lo Rotze Lehigamel".[1] During the day Dothan would write the lyrics, then late at night sing them down the telephone to Avramov, who would write melodies and chord sequences then sing them back the next morning. This took about a week, and "Sheled Umlal" was the first song written specifically for their project. They came up with their new band's name while on a three day acid trip when reading a newspaper article about the humour and social stigmatism within European "cliques", calling themselves HaClique.

Whilst looking for a more permanent band, a drummer by the name of Jean-Jacques Goldberg visited Dotan and Avramov's apartment. He had returned to Israel from Germany after serving a prison sentence, and his honesty regarding this secured him a place in the band. Goldberg did not at that time possess a drum kit, though he displayed his percussive prowess on Avramov's guitar case which also attracted the pair. The three, plus guest musicians Barak Avni on lead guitar and Micha Michaeli on bass guitar, went into Kolinor Studios to record another single, this session paid for by Goldberg's mother. The disc was pressed by CBS and released in August 1980, with handmade covers using inverted commercial stock to which photocopied hand-drawn sheets had been taped on. It attracted the attention of Amos Barzel who released the A-side on "דרכי כוכבים" (Darechi Cocovim; lit. Star Ways), a compilation of independent music, later that month[2], and entered the Israeli Hit Parade charts on the 26th of August 1980, at number 34.[3]

Mother, I Don't Want To Quit

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Oved Efrat, who had been discharged from seven years in the Shayetet 13 branch of the IDF, offered his services to the band as lead guitarist, and though he did not pass the audition for that position, he was given role of bass guitarist, an instrument he'd not played before. Efrat, who did not want to be recognised by his army ex-colleagues, wore hats and sunglasses to obscure his appearance; he also went by the moniker of "Obi Pepper" in press and on record. Not soon after Uzi Binder also joined, fulfilling the final missing role of lead guitarist. By November 1980 The Clique had rehearsed their material enough that they debuted at Paris Cinema in Tel Aviv, on Saturday the 22nd of November, at midnight after a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.[4] This venue would become one of their most reliable early residencies, as did that of "תיאטרון המדרגות" (Tiatron Hamadrigot; lit. Theater of the Stairs).[5]

Although most of the crowd were students, one attendant, Ofer Navarro, worked within the music business, under promoter Asher Bitansky. Navarro lent the band professional equipment when it wasn't being used by their clientele. Bitansky took notice and attended a gig at Paris Cinema, agreeing to be their agent, and contacting the Israeli branch of CBS Records, who initially weren't interested in signing The Clique but after an industry directive from their World division specifying engagement with more alternative acts, they contracted them for studio recording time. A music video for "Tzaleket Ktana" was produced, with all the members at that time miming their instruments, and shown on public television. For this reason it is a common misconception that Oved Efrat and Uzi Binder played on the first version of the track, though they are not credited anywhere on the record sleeve.

The band, at this point still a 5-piece, entered Triton studio in January 1981, and recorded the first version of "Sheat Hazeevim". This was released on a single-sided 12" record for use by radio stations and their DJs, with professionally produced artwork, and logo by Yael Pardes, Dothan's partner at the time. It entered the charts on the 9th of April at number 26, though was out again the following week. A further one-sided twelve-inch single "Golem" was released in May 1981[6], by which time the band had become a 4-piece due to Binder's sacking.

All the songs written for the album had been arranged for two guitars, lead and rhythm, so they had to be quickly reworked by Avramov and Efrat for their current lineup. During June and July 1980 the band recorded the remaining eleven songs at Triton, a process which took one hundred hours of studio time.

In 1981, their first record, Ima Ani Lo Rotze Lehigamel, was released. It included the songs "Yeled Mavchena", "Ima Ani Lo Rotze Lehigamel", "Golem" and "Incubator".[7] These songs describe the test tube birth of a child up to his death. The record wasn't a great success but with about a thousand copies sold it made the charts in Israel.

The band closed out their first full year of 1981 with "Mastic Plastic" in the charts at number 18.[8]

HaClique's recognizable logo, derived from the Throbbing Gristle logo

In 1982, HaClique joined with Rami Fortis and Ronen Ben Tal of Chromosome and Jean Conflict. The purpose was to play at the connection festival in Eilat. Although this came to nothing, they continued to appear together at club "Linguini" in Tel Aviv for three months.

A Crowded World and band

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In 1983, their second album, Olam Tzafuf, was released which included the songs: "Kol Haemet", "Mondina", "Hey Yaldon", "Yalda Mefuneket", "Ani Avud", "Al Tadliku Li Ner" and "Bear Hug".[9] This record mentioned relations between homosexuals, which had been unseen before in Israeli music. At the same time, a single from the album, "Al Tadliku Li Ner" was released, about the Lebanon War.

That same year, the band played mainly in Tel Aviv at the club, Dan Cinema but also appeared a few times in Jerusalem and Haifa. They found success but some members thought that they would not get the exposure they deserved without compromise. Due to this disagreement, HaClique went into hiatus for a while.[10]

In 1988 the band reunited and recorded a live album, Live In Tel-Aviv, at 'Real Time', releasing it as a limited edition vinyl record. In 1995, Dani Dothan recorded a solo album All of the Forbidden Loves under the record label "The Third Ear". Ovad Efrat and Eli Avramov played on the record.

In 2002, the band released a box set containing their two previous studio albums Ima Ani Lo Rotze Lehigamel, Olam Tzafuf and a new album, Hakol Mushlam, including the songs: "Eretz Israel 2000" and "Hakol Mushlam".[11] Three promo CD singles were also released to promote the box-set; "Incubator", "Al Tadliku Li Ner" and "Eretz Israel 2000".

In 2004 the band re-united for concerts at the "Barbie" in Tel Aviv with Jean-Jacques Goldberg and keyboardist Jasmin Even.

On 28 December 2006, band member Jean-Jacques Goldberg died after a two-year struggle with cancer.[12]

In 2010 the band started to work on a new album and performed live concerts, with Oded Perach on drums. They recorded new songs at Key Club studio in the U.S. and later mixed by Joav Shdema. The creative process was documented in a film, The Last Clique, by dalia Mevorach and Dani Dothan. Their last, critically acclaimed album, Ani lo Bapaskol, on June 18, 2015, by Kamea records. The cover was made by Lahav Halevy.

Eli Abramov died of cancer at 61 on 24 November 2015.[13] This now leaves only two permanent surviving members of the group.

Members

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Other artists who collaborated with the Clique:

  • Uzi Binder: Lead Guitar (1979-1980) – (born 24 July 1957)
  • Rona Vered: Keys/Synth (1982-1983)
  • Rami Fortis: Guitars (1982-1983)
  • Jasmin Even: Keyboards (2004-2006) – (born 12 December 1978)
  • Oded Perach, Drums (2011-2015)

Joav Shdema, music engineer

Discography

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Albums

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Date Title Title in Hebrew Record Label Cat No. Formats Notes
1981 Ima Ani Lo Rotze Lehigamel אמא אני לא רוצה להגמל CBS CBS 85078 LP, MC Reissued in March 1993 on NMC (CD + MC)
June 1983 Olam Tzafuf (Crowded World) עולם צפוף CBS CBS 25043 LP, MC Reissued in 1989 on CBS (LP), March 1994 on NMC (CD + MC)
January 1989 Clique – Live In Tel-Aviv הופעה בתל-אביב MCI, The Third Ear OZEN B-CHA 006 LP, MC Recorded in October 1988
July 2002 Hakol Mushlam הכל מושלם NMC, LA4, Incubator 20617-2 CD Appeared only in the Box Set
July 2002 Hakufsa הקופסה NMC 20608-2 CD, Digital Box Set, collecting and re-mastering their first two albums
June 2015 Ani Lo BaPaskol אני לא בפסקול Kamea Records 7-290011-216559 CD, LP, Digital

12" singles

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Date A-Side in Hebrew B-Side in Hebrew Label Cat No. Peak Chart Position
(מצעד הפזמונים)		 Notes Album
August 1980 Tzaleket Ktana צלקת קטנה Makom Belibech מקום בליבך CBS CDJ 1013a No. 15 • 20 Nov 1980
(גלי צה"ל) [14] 		promo 12" single
a-side is original version of song, recorded at Kolinor		 Non-album Singles
1981 Sheat Haze'evim שעת הזאבים CBS DJ 303 No. 26 • 9 April 1981
(גלי צה"ל) [15] 		single-sided promo 12"
original version, recorded at Triton in January 1981 with Uzi Binder
May 1981 Golem גולם CBS DJ 321
N/A
 single-sided promo 12" Ima Ani Lo Rotze Lehigamel
1981 Rikud Ha'Incubator
(The Incubator Dance)		 רקוד האינקובטור Sheat Haze'evim שעת הזאבים CBS DJ 326 No. 11 • 17/18 Nov 1981
(רשת ג' – קול ישראל) [16] 		promo 12" single
both sides recorded at Triton in July 1981
1982 Mondina מונדינה Et Mi At Ohevet מי את אוהבת CBS DJ 425 No. 18 • 2 Dec 1982
(גלי צה"ל) [17] 		promo 12" single
b-side is original version of track, recorded at Triton in June 1982		 Olam Tzafuf
March 1983 Kol Haemet כל האמת Kol Haemet (Dub) DUB כל האמת CBS DJ 460 No. 3 • 7-22 June 1983
(רשת ג' – קול ישראל) [18] 		promo 12" single
1983 Al Tadliku Li Ner אל תדליקו לי נר CBS DJ 477 No. 5 • 23/24 Aug 1983
(רשת ג' – קול ישראל) [19] 		single-sided promo 12"

Notes

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A.^ Though this single was pressed by CBS, it was not produced or released by them and thus they are not credited on the sleeve as record label like with subsequent HaClique 12" releases. It is currently unknown what the "C" prefix of CBS Israel's "CDJ" catalogue number designation means.

CD singles

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Year Title Title in Hebrew Record Label Cat No. Notes Album Original Release
1998 Milim Zolot מילים זולות Singal'e TEN CD 001 Three Versions
Non-album Single
2002 Incubator אינקובטור NMC cddj 1830 promo single Hakufsa Ima Ani Lo Rotze Leghigamel
2002 Al Tadliku Li Ner אל תדליקו לי נר NMC cddj 1831 promo single Olam Tzafuf
2002 Eretz Israel 2000 ארץ ישראל 2000 NMC, LA4, Incubator cddj 1832 promo single; unique single edit Hakol Mushlam
2011 28.3.2005 Kamea Records 5161055 EP; Limited edition of 600 copies

Associated releases

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Date Artist Title Title in Hebrew Record Label Cat No. Format(s) Notes
Early 1980 Dani Dothan + Eli Abramov אחד עם ניסיון N/A N/A 12" Single Private pressing. Recorded in late-1979 at Triton
November 1989 Jean Jacques Goldberg & Friends מתופף אחד ושני מקלות N/A N/A Radio The Clique perform "Al Tadliku Li Ner" and "Golem"
March 1996 Dani Dothan All Of The Forbidden Loves כל האהבות אסורות The Third Ear OZEN 055 CD, MC Solo album
???? Gosto Loby Gosto Loby גוסטו לובי N/A N/A 2×CD-r Private pressing; with post-split material from 1984

References

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  1. ^ דני דותן (Dani Dothan) (13 June 2011). שובם של לוחמי הפאנק הכחול לבן שחור": דני דותן מספר על ימיה הראשונים של הקליק" ["The return of the blue, white, and black punk warriors": Danny Dotan tells about the first days of the clique]. Haaretz (in Hebrew). Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  2. ^ קוטנר, יואב (28 August 1980). 33⅓ – דרכי כוכבים [33⅓ – Darechi Cocovim]. Ma'ariv (in Hebrew). No. 17145. p. 37. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  3. ^ "מקום בצמרת" [Makom Betzamerit]. Ma’ariv (in Hebrew). No. 9992. 28 August 1980. p. 49 – via National Library of Israel.
  4. ^ קוטנר, יואב (20 November 1980). ה"קליק" המדליק. Ma'ariv (in Hebrew). No. 10059. pp. 30, 31. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  5. ^ המוסיקה של ישראל. Mooma. Archived from the original on 2015-11-26. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  6. ^ "ה"קליק [The "Clique"]. CBS Records (Press release) (in Hebrew). May 1981. Retrieved 18 August 2024.
  7. ^ המוסיקה של ישראל. Mooma. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  8. ^ משלנו [Mishalan]. Davar (in Hebrew). No. 17484. 1 January 1982. p. 28 – via National Library of Israel.
  9. ^ המוסיקה של ישראל. Mooma. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  10. ^ המוסיקה של ישראל. Mooma. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  11. ^ "הקליק* - הקליק (CD, Album)". Discogs.com. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  12. ^ המוסיקה של ישראל. Mooma. 2013-03-14. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  13. ^ Musician Eli Avramov dies at 61: Arutz Sheva. Retrieved on 11 December 2015.
  14. ^ משלנו [Mishalan]. Davar (in Hebrew). No. 17145. 21 November 1980. p. 23. Retrieved 9 September 2024 – via National Library of Israel.
  15. ^ משלנו [Mishalan]. Davar (in Hebrew). No. 17265. 10 April 1981. p. 24. Retrieved 9 September 2024 – via National Library of Israel.
  16. ^ מקום בצמרת [Makom Betzamerit]. Davar (in Hebrew). No. 17447. 19 November 1981. p. 8. Retrieved 9 September 2024 – via National Library of Israel.
  17. ^ משלנו [Mishalan]. Davar (in Hebrew). No. 17766. 3 December 1982. p. 28. Retrieved 9 September 2024 – via National Library of Israel.
  18. ^ מקום בצמרת [Makom Betzamerit]. Davar (in Hebrew). No. 17922. 9 June 1983. p. 12. Retrieved 9 September 2024 – via National Library of Israel.
  19. ^ מקום בצמרת [Makom Betzamerit]. Davar (in Hebrew). No. 17988. 25 August 1983. p. 4. Retrieved 9 September 2024 – via National Library of Israel.
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