Djezma's Merghoub on optimism, Algerian music and PANAF

2009-07-03

Rock music fans will hear Djezma use Arab, African and Maghreb influences on both their upcoming album and at several PANAF concerts next month. "Diversity makes Algeria what it is," guitarist Ali Merghoub tells Magharebia.

Interview by Mouna Sadek for Magharebia in Algiers – 03/07/09

[Djezma] Algerian rock band Djezma will soon play a string of concerts across Algeria for the Pan-African Festival.

Algerian music fans are eagerly awaiting the release of the new Djezma album later this year. Through Arabic, English and French.songs, Brothers Zakaria and Ali Merghoub and lead singer Nassim M'hamsadji urge their young fans to hold onto their hopes and dreams.

After the death of Michael Jackson last week, hundreds of fans launched an online campaign to get M'hamsadji – who many say sounds like Jackson – to participate in an homage to the "King of Pop". The event aired on Channel3.

Singer and guitarist Ali Merghoub met with Magharebia in Algiers to talk about how the band began and what it wants to do next.

Magharebia: How did you choose the band's name?

Ali Merghoub: Djezma means "boot". The road to a good career is long, but we're ready to set off on the journey. This nomadic spirit is rooted in the fact that we had no fixed venue for our rehearsals. The symbol of the boot is also a reference to the fact that leather is a noble material.

Magharebia: What's the story behind your group?

Merghoub: Djezma is made up of three members: Nassim, the singer; Zakaria, who plays bass, guitar and keyboard; and Ali, who plays solo bass. Earlier this decade, my brother Zakaria and I started dabbling with the guitar and singing, especially in university dining halls. Then we met Nassim, who became our singer. The group matured over time. We put more thought into our songs. Our first album, "Beside Roses", features a range of musical influences. Blues and soul were blended with pop and the music of the Maghreb. The album was home-made, a first for Algeria.

Magharebia: Did you have any problems when the group first started?

Merghoub: Yes, we had difficulties, but the group grew exponentially. Djezma is more at ease with itself. We formed our own networks. Since there is no real record industry in Algeria and no "star system", we tried to carve out our own path. We didn't expect anyone to come along and help us. We moved forwards. It's a daily battle for us.

[Djezma] A rocker, says Djezma's Ali Merghoub, is "first and foremost an idealist".

Magharebia: What message do you hope to convey through your songs?

Merghoub: In one of the songs in our first album, called Bin Yeddik (In Your Hands), Djezma addresses young people directly and tells them to take their own future into their hands. It rails against the spirit of fatalism that people tend to perpetuate. There’s also the song Zahra, which is an ode to women. Zahra is also a metaphor for Algeria. One of the songs on our second album, which were making now, addresses the issue of homeless people.

Djezma has developed; at first it sang about love, but now it has growing social and civic awareness.

Our musical identity is getting stronger. Djezma makes a point of holding onto its optimism. And it's not immature to be optimistic. We'd like to think that the best can happen. We have to take advantage of what Algeria has gone through – both sad and happy events.

Magharebia: The group blends rock with Algerian country rhythms. How would you define your style?

Merghoub: At first, our music was essentially Anglo-Saxon. Then we became aware of the richness of Algerian country music. Algerian music is very varied, ranging from chaoui to diwan, old-style rai and chaabi. Rock is more a state of mind. If we look at the origins of the word, a "rocker" is someone who makes things move, who believes anything is possible, so they’re first and foremost an idealist. In that sense, Djezma is very much a rock group.

Magharebia: Why did you choose to sing in three languages – Arabic, French and English?

Merghoub: Algeria is made up of eastern, African and Maghreb influences. Djezma’s music embodies the multicultural nature of our country. Unlike those who see these differences as divisions, Djezma takes an optimistic view of the diversity that makes Algeria what it is. We think that the different colours that exist in Algeria are an asset that we should make use of. This is reflected in our music. We sing in three languages: Arabic, French and English. Algeria is Arab, it speaks French and through English our music becomes universal.

Magharebia: You will be performing several shows next month during the Pan-African Festival. What does it mean to Djezma to be participating in this?

Merghoub: We’re very excited about taking part in the second Pan-African Festival. Africa is an extremely rich continent. It’s a huge jigsaw whose pieces will come together in Algiers at the festival.

There is a general tendency to belittle everything that comes out of Africa. People form preconceptions. The Pan-African Festival will chip away at these ideas. For us it will be an opportunity to meet a lot of people.

We'll perform five concerts there. A tour to three Algerian cities will be arranged. We’ll be in Oran on July 14th, Sidi Belabbes on July 13th and Tizi Ouzou on July 16th. For us, the fact that we’ll be singing on July 5th, the day of youth and independence, is highly symbolic.

Magharebia: Djezma is one of the few Algerian groups to have sung at L'Olympia in Paris. Tell us about that experience.

Merghoub: We were happy to have this first experience in 2007 thanks to Rachid Taha, a rocker at heart who made it possible for us to perform in the opening part of the concert that rounded off his tour of France. That gave us the impetus to go further. It also proved that anything is possible and that all you have to do is put your heart into things and work very hard.

Magharebia: Concert halls are usually full. How would you explain the young Algerians’ passion for rock?

Merghoub: It’s true that young people flock to concerts. We’re pleased to see them respond to our group. Algeria has been through a lot and it’s comforting to see that people still have energy and aren't giving up. For us it’s important to set an example, to leave footprints with our boots.

Magharebia: How is your second album shaping up, and when will it come out?

Merghoub: We’re right in the middle of making our second album. We’re hoping to release it by the end of 2009. It will have an encouraging, enthusiastic, confident and convincing tone. It will also have a nationalistic flavour. Djezma believes it has a responsibility towards society. A music group is also a medium. More than half of the Algerian populace is made up of people under 30 years old. It’s our duty to pass on the fire that burns within us.

Djezma is also involved in charity work. Together with the NGO Start, the group entertains sick children in hospitals and also performs in reception centres. Our message to young people is that they should believe in themselves and take action, and that it’s up to them to reach out to others. We’d like to help stamp out the socialist-inspired tendency of Algerians to expect unlimited support from the state to enable them to get out of the rut they're stuck in. Of course, we don't want to set ourselves up as holier-than-thou. We're just young people who speak to other young people.