"Most of my family had to leave..."As Clash has previously noted, few of Britain's musicians have spoken up about the situation in the Middle East.
A complex, tensely wrought political dilemma, the current skirmishes between the Israeli army and members of Hamas have left thousands dead - with overwhelming suffering being placed upon the Palestinian people.
In a new interview, *The Horrors'* frontman Faris Badwan has revealed his roots in the Middle East. The singer's father is Palestinian, and - until recently - the London based musician had extended family in the area.
Speaking to Curious Animal the singer said: "I’m half-Palestinian. My dad’s family is from Ramallah, which is right in the centre of things. We used to go there a lot. I went there every year until I was ten. Most of my family had to leave. My dad’s parents and family were actually kicked out of their house by the Israeli army and moved to Jordan and Amman, but most of them now have emigrated and gone to Australia or Germany."
"They’re all spread around the world" he continued. "Some are in Brazil. It’s such a weird situation. I loved going there when I was a kid. We spent so much time there. I remember I learnt to ride a bike there. It was fun growing up and being there because you were left to your own devices. It was a big part of my childhood, definitely."
Continuing, Faris Badwan explained that his visits to Palestine left a lingering impact: "It’s a completely different world. There’s a different kind of community there. I suppose it influenced me in the sense that I found it exciting and I guess it’s cool to be exposed to a different situation or sights. The gulf between rich and poor is unbelievable there – it’s like a cartoon, as if someone made a joke film about a war-torn country."
"But it was exciting growing up there. I didn’t live there, but we spent three months a year there. I don’t know if it’s shaped the band’s sound, but there’s some really good art in Palestine. There are some really great artists."
Check out the full interview *HERE.*
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