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Israeli musician Gabriel Belhassan dies at 37

Gabriel Belhassan, who rose to fame as guitar player for band Algir and went on to successful solo career, dies at 37. His life-long struggle with bipolar disorder was documented in film before his death

Singer and musician Gabriel Belhassan died Tuesday at the age of 37. A cause of death has not been released.

 

Belhassan, who first gained recognition as the guitar player for Israeli band Algir, and has become in recent years one of the most respected musicians in Israel's rock scene, has been struggling with mental illness for many years.

 

Three years ago the documentary "Wandering Eyes", which documented Belhassan's life and struggle with bipolar disorder, won first place at the Doco Aviv film festival and a year later Belhassan released an album under the same name—his last.

 


צילום: יונתן בלום
Musician Gabriel Belhassan (Photo: Jonathan Blum)
 
In an interview in 2010 Belhassan told Ynet how his work has changed throughout his career as a musician, and how bipolar disorder has affected his music making: "The middle bored me," he said. Belhassan also spoke of the great love and support he received from his family and his fans, who gave him a sense of deliverance and inspiring him to continue to make music. "I have so many brothers and sisters who give me so much love," he said. "The only meaning in this life is to give."

 

Belhassan was born in the south of Israel. With Algir, he released his first album, "Loyalty and Passion," in 1995. Four years later he released his first solo album.

 

In 2004, the group released their second album, "Engines Forward." The album put Algir in the limelight and garnered huge support from critics and alternative rock fans in Israel. Belhassan has released five solo albums, most of which deal with his struggle with mental illness.

 

In 2010 Belhassan won a prestigious award by ACUM - an Israeli non-profit corporation administering the rights assigned to it by its members – authors, composers, lyricists, poets, arrangers and music publishers.

 

Belhassan's record company, Hatav Hashmini, issued a statemnt saying: "All of the Hatav Hashmini

family is shocked and mourning over the premature death of one of its best artists. We've been with Gabriel Belhassan throughout his musical career. He was much more than a musician—he was a revolutionary figure. He was a special personality and close to our hearts. We've always loved and supported him and we regret that he succumbe to his illness. It's a huge loss we're trying to process."

  

 

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פרסום ראשון: 08.20.13, 23:06
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