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  • Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

    Maybe he's already the subject of a thread, but I was wondering about thoughts on Bruddah Iz. I was introduced to his music 4 years ago when my in-laws traveled to the islands. I'm actually taking classes to finish up an old degree, and am doing a presentation on Iz for my "History of Rock and Roll" class. Anyone here know Iz in his life? What are the thoughts on him from locals. I heard someone call him the "Bob Marley of Hawai'i." Think that's true?

    Aloha. \m/
    It's poison ivy, or something. We're itchy!

  • #2
    Re: Iarael Kamakawiwo'ole

    A coupla old Iz posts on here:

    Iz Music



    Israel "Iz" Kamakawiwo'ole

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    • #3
      Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

      Today is a good day for you to get a copy of the Sunday Honolulu Advertiser.

      It's a 150th year anniversary edition that includes a 48-page commemorative insert about the life of Braddah Iz and an exclusive CD single (yes a CD!) of "Wonderful World" from a new album by Iz.

      I bought the last two remaining copies from the Waikiki Tesoro. The girl at the counter said they had a huge stack and they all sold out. She said some guys even tried cockaroaching an extra CD from other copies and hide them in the one they were buying. Busted. lol.

      I'll open one CD to play it and keep the other one wrapped as a keepsake. It has a nice sleeve.
      sigpic The Tasty Island

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      • #4
        Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

        I wrote about a paragraph on this subject and then decided I really only needed two sentences.

        IZ is Elvis.

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        • #5
          Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

          Originally posted by AlohaInMichigan View Post
          Maybe he's already the subject of a thread, but I was wondering about thoughts on Bruddah Iz. I was introduced to his music 4 years ago when my in-laws traveled to the islands. I'm actually taking classes to finish up an old degree, and am doing a presentation on Iz for my "History of Rock and Roll" class. Anyone here know Iz in his life? What are the thoughts on him from locals. I heard someone call him the "Bob Marley of Hawai'i." Think that's true?

          Aloha. \m/
          Just curious - why are you writing on him for your rock & roll class? is that how you would classify him & his music?
          "Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be."
          – Sydney J. Harris

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          • #6
            Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

            I was in a record store once and they started playing Over The Rainbow/Wonderful World over the store sound system. The person standing next to me asked if I knew who sang this song, and without skipping a beat, I said it was Braddah Waz.

            A local guy standing close heard what I said and ripped into me, making me out to be the lowest life form on the planet, and I should go back to the mainland.

            Wow. It was just a joke.

            Ever since then, I get mental flashbacks of that moment every time I hear a Braddah Iz song.

            DD
            www.myspace.com/chrislunainstrumentals

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            • #7
              Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

              Why? What were you SUPPOSED to have said in the view of this "local"? His entire name? "Israel Kamakawiwo'ole". Give me a break. Even Braddah Iz himself would've set this clown straight. That same "local" him/herself probably didn't know any more Olelo than the words "mahalo" and "aloha". The latter of which they obviously lacked. If not at all, he/she should've ripped into the person asking. Like hearing an Elvis song and asking someone "who sings this?"

              You know what you should've said after that person ripped on you? You should've tapped on the person who asked and said, "Oh sorry, Mam (or sir). I stand corrected. It's Kermit the Frog". (which is entirely wrong. He "sang" Rainbow Connection).

              Originally posted by DiverDown808 View Post
              I was in a record store once and they started playing Over The Rainbow/Wonderful World over the store sound system. The person standing next to me asked if I knew who sang this song, and without skipping a beat, I said it was Braddah Waz.

              A local guy standing close heard what I said and ripped into me, making me out to be the lowest life form on the planet, and I should go back to the mainland.

              Wow. It was just a joke.

              Ever since then, I get mental flashbacks of that moment every time I hear a Braddah Iz song.

              DD
              Last edited by Pomai; June 25, 2007, 06:16 AM.
              sigpic The Tasty Island

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              • #8
                Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

                DD, only now I caught the part that you said "Braddah Waz". I thought you said Braddah Iz. Now I can see that being offensive. The guy might have been mad more because he thought you were misinforming the person, than making fun of the name.

                Of course you were just joking, which to me is cool, but some hardcore fans might not like it. Whatever.
                Last edited by Pomai; June 25, 2007, 10:36 AM. Reason: I need to read more carefully
                sigpic The Tasty Island

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                • #9
                  Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

                  Originally posted by DiverDown808 View Post
                  The person standing next to me asked if I knew who sang this song, and without skipping a beat, I said it was Braddah Waz.

                  A local guy standing close heard what I said and ripped into me, making me out to be the lowest life form on the planet, and I should go back to the mainland.

                  Wow. It was just a joke.
                  From what I've heard, IZ had a sense of humor that was as big as his talent. My guess is he'd have liked your joke, DD.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

                    Originally posted by Pomai View Post
                    It's a 150th year anniversary edition that includes a 48-page commemorative insert about the life of Braddah Iz and an exclusive CD single (yes a CD!) of "Wonderful World" from a new album by Iz.
                    The Star-Bulletin didn't have a CD to give away, but they had a review of the new release by John Berger. It's the second post-humous album under Iz's name, this one a technologically complicated remix adding an orchestra to classic Iz recordings.

                    I love Iz, so I'll give it a listen, and I trust Berger that the artistry is there in addition to the gee-whiz high-tech changes. But reading about how Iz's audio tracks were "stretched" to fit an even metronome beat and how there may even be insertions of some "spontaneous" chuckles from Iz during a piece (as if he was communicating with the imaginary conductor) troubles me.

                    The imperfections of some rare Iz tracks is often what I like best. I think I'd prefer to hear that barking dog at the live concert that Jon de Mello cut-and-pasted out of existence, for example.

                    And in my experience, "orchestral remixes" of more modest performances have a pretty poor track record. Most of the time, it comes out as mushy, watered down Muzak, not something fresh and new.

                    How'd you like the preview track?

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                    • #11
                      Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

                      The production company I am working with right now we will be releasing later this summer Captain & Tennille's ABC TV specials one of these will include the May 6, 1978 ABC airing filmed on Oahu with David Soul, Kenny Rogers, John Byner and THE MAKAHA SONS!! The song they performed I believe is "Ka Pua E"

                      IZ must have been around 18 or 19 when this special was filmed when I get more details I'll post it.

                      Aj

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                      • #12
                        Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

                        Originally posted by pzarquon View Post
                        But reading about how Iz's audio tracks were "stretched" to fit an even metronome beat and how there may even be insertions of some "spontaneous" chuckles from Iz during a piece (as if he was communicating with the imaginary conductor) troubles me.
                        I agree with that and with the rest of your post. The whole idea of this new CD troubles me.
                        I don't believe for a minute that Iz would've approved of the technological trickery nor of the orchestral concept at all. He was a strong traditionalist. Classic Iz was him sitting on a chair on the sand at Waimanalo, singing "White Sandy Beach". Just him and his uke. The song ends, and he stares quietly and longingly at the ocean.
                        Then he grins, yells "Shark!", and giggles.
                        And that is classic Iz. Watch the video.
                        No foofoo orchestra. No tech games. Hell, what about "Over The Rainbow"? He called Milan Bertosa in the middle of the night to meet him in the studio and recorded the song in one take. One.
                        So no, I don't believe he would've approved of this new album.
                        What I do smell is that Jon de Mello and Mountain Apple are hoping to reap a financial windfall. That's what I think this is all about.
                        Why is it that Jon buys a brand new Ferrari every single year and has mansions in Black Point and on Tantalus and elsewhere... and when Iz passed away, he was living in a tiny studio apartment near Ala Moana Center. What's wrong with that picture?
                        Yes, the reasoning behind this new album troubles me.

                        .
                        .

                        That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

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                        • #13
                          Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

                          Israel and I were classmates back at Kaimuki Intermediate School. One day I got into a fight and received a bloody nose. While in the councellor's office I sat hunched over in the corner tending to my bloody nose when this high pitched voice spoke: Eh braddah Craig, go wipe your face with dis...

                          And this tent of a shirt came flying over my back landing next to me. Israel took the shirt off his back and gave it to me to soak up the blood.

                          Growing up Israel was always a giving person and always carried his ukelele playing Yellow Bird at lunchtime.

                          To the world he is known as Braddah Iz...to his friends we call him Israel, the only way he knew how to be addressed.

                          I got that CD too. I played it in my car CD player while waiting for my kids to get thru at a video game place here in Hilo (Mulligan's Island) while reading the insert. That CD played over and over as I sat in my car trying to remember those days back in the early 70's. I wished Mountain Apple had Israel playing Yellow Bird on his ukelele. To me and his friends growing up during the hanabuddah days...THAT song was what we remember him by.

                          Israel...we know the truth about the band and no matter what, you was right.

                          Likanui, there's more than what you've hinted on that hides behind Israel's legacy, and the profits from his success after his death makes me sick.

                          That's all I got to say.
                          Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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                          • #14
                            Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

                            Originally posted by craigwatanabe View Post
                            Likanui, there's more than what you've hinted on that hides behind Israel's legacy, and the profits from his success after his death makes me sick.
                            A few points and a question:

                            - Mountain Apple Records have other artists. Brothers Caz come to mind.
                            - Is MAR any different then any other record label? Stories about rich labels and poor artists aren't unique to Hawaii.
                            - I seem to remember hearing that Iz was concerned about being able to provide for his family after his death. True?
                            - Who owns the right to Iz's music, both the music and the recordings?

                            Edit: Enjoyed your story.

                            I've done sound a time or two when he performed back in my student help days. Hard to forget someone of that size. However my taste in music at the time didn't match his, so I don't remember much about it.
                            Last edited by GeckoGeek; June 26, 2007, 10:15 PM.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Israel Kamakawiwo'ole

                              Originally posted by GeckoGeek View Post
                              A few points and a question:

                              - Mountain Apple Records have other artists. Brothers Caz come to mind.
                              - Is MAR any different then any other record label? Stories about rich labels and poor artists aren't unique to Hawaii.
                              - I seem to remember hearing that Iz was concerned about being able to provide for his family after his death. True?
                              - Who owns the right to Iz's music, both the music and the recordings?

                              Edit: Enjoyed your story.

                              I've done sound a time or two when he performed back in my student help days. Hard to forget someone of that size. However my taste in music at the time didn't match his, so I don't remember much about it.
                              Not sure about who owns the music rights...his wife I guess.

                              As for his family, yes he was concerned about the welfare of his family after his death, but it wasn't his family where the problems occured, remember when he and his brothers formed Makaha Sons of Niihau the music stylings the band wanted to go was different than Israel's idea of modern Hawaiian music. Israel left the group frustrated to go out on his own, almost like his song, "Starting all over again". The rift pretty much stayed that way after he died. Then his single, "Somewhere over the Rainbow" became a national then an international hit and suddenly the namesake was gold. You can read between the lines at this point.

                              I tell my kids that Israel in his death became larger than life itself. I remember one day I was at the Sheraton Makaha at the swimming pool when I bumped into Israel. He was being assisted into the pool so he could float around weightless. I never thought too much about that incident even why he was being photographed floating on his back until I saw one of his CD covers depicting him floating on what looked like the globe of the earth as he was a continent himself.
                              Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

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