Eyal Bason
Met 2023-09-14 11:00 at Numa Hotel, She’erit Israel 1 Tel-Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel.Eyal was one of the few encouraging me to go to Palestine during my visit. He has gone several times via Israeli non-profits that connect Israelis with Palestinians to have open discussions. We don't hear a lot of what's going on there. They don't hear a lot of what's going on here. We're very similar people that want the same thing. Meeting real Palestinians changed the views of some of his right-wing friends. The situation is subtle and hard to explain.
The Israeli army really does destroy the homes of Palestinians that attack anyone. This is hard to forgive. This is the Biblical loop, revenge for revenge. We talked about the Black Mirror episode where soldiers are brainwashed to think the enemy are sub-human beasts.
He went to an arts high school, intending to be a professional musician, then studied mathematics, a data scientist in the army, and was a freelance algorithm researcher.
He started learning the music industry and social media platforms, then managed Israeli bands, worked with record labels, advanced stuff like integrating with social media APIs, and teaching it to others. Working his other job all day, then doing this at night. Now he runs a marketing agency with a staff of 40+, getting deep into the business of their clients, becoming real partners. For example: InDnegev music festival. (Later note: this is nearby and a week after the Re’im Music Festival that was attacked October 7 2023.) Also a vegan ice cream maker.
Europe is physically closer to Israel, but America is culturally closer. Israel is so small that artists here need to look outwards.
Bands are dead, except maybe for K/J-pop boy/girl bands, and metal, because it’s too hard to create a persona for a multi-person artist. The public always focuses on the singer anyway. Maybe K/J-pop works because there’s no hierarchy, and they make sure to stay equal?