Ashmedi’s (Melechesh) biographical column & chaotic metaphysical thoughts, Part II

Posted April 16 by Chris D.

Greetings all,

I am now sitting in Jerusalem writing the new edition of my monthly column. I will return to my house in Amsterdam, The Netherlands in two days to prepare myself and Melechesh for a few more festivals around Europe and a special event in Dubai in the Mid East. Being here in Jerusalem is interesting as always. Both in a positive and negative sense. But I am connected to this place and will always be. Though I am totally alienated from the people. Always have been.

Back to the story. A rare event happened that basically made me counter the “I gave you life (by giving birth to you)” argument my mother used to say. Until this date every time she would say, “I gave you life” or whatever I would answer with humor, “We are even.” Because when I was young, my mother got a back cramp in the deep end of a pool. Though she was near the edge of the pool she started drowning and nearly gave up hope. I was walking near the pool and simply extended my hand and basically aided her out of the pool. She said I saved her life. We’re even!

I was enrolled in a strict private school. The school was Catholic and was situated in the old city of Jerusalem. And it was very...grey. On the philosophical or spiritual side—if you can call it this—, it was then when I started seeing certain patterns in human behavior that truly disturbed me. On the other hand, I was also drawn to extraordinary thoughts and ideas. For example, a few of our family friends were Freemasons, though at the time these things were kept private. I always felt they were onto something or maybe into something which was unordinary. After many years I was told they were Freemasons. I always wondered about things relating to the creation of mankind, what is in space—aside the things we already know—, and what is there beyond the universe (if it ended).

As for the musical side of things, my brother, who is seven years older, also studied in the same school. I recall he used to take drum lessons for a while. I usually had to wait after school outside the music room ‘till he was done so we could go home. I clearly recall him trying to learn a drum beat with a drum roll and he went over it so many times. This was the drum lesson for the day, I suppose. I could not understand why it was so hard. What the big deal was. I thought this drum beat was logical and easy, but as I said I was not allowed to go in the music room. Until, once after a lesson, I saw the door open with no one there. So, I ran in and sat behind the drum set and played that beat with the palms of my hands. I had no drum sticks. Now, you might ask why this guy is talking about the drums when he is a guitarist. Well, I also write the drums in Melechesh, but I don't really spend time practicing the drums. I just truly like the instrument.

At home, the family always had rock bands playing on the stereo. I was drawn to the guitar sound. But I didn't have the chance to play a real guitar ‘till some years later. When it comes to heavier music, well, I still clearly remember the day my friends and I heard the most extreme thing ever! We were about 7-8 years old. It was not metal. It was fast punk. We heard an LP of The Exploited called Troops of Tomorrow. I thought that stuff was good. Loud and fast. And, yes, funny! Soon after we got our hands on some early metal albums—Maiden (Number of the Beast) and Mötley Crüe (Shout at the Devil). We liked the song “Invaders” by Maiden because, as kids, we used to play war and shit like that. But I actually preferred listening to Mötley Crüe’s Shout at the Devil. I used to play it on one of those of old Walkmans. I liked it. And got intimidated by that dark intro ("In the Beginning") and the power chords Mick Mars played.

I even took this album with me on one of my trips through Jordan and Syria—Damascus and Aleppo. Mind you, Israel and Syria were (and still are) political enemies, but due to my foreign passport and not being Israeli my family and I were able to visit those places despite intense procedures at the border crossings. Be it Jerusalem, Amman or Damascus, seeing ancient ruins and having it around us, it was then I started getting into history and mythology.

** Read Part I of Ashmedi's column here.

** Read Part II of Ashmedi's column here.

** Read Part III of Ashmedi's column here.

** Read Part IV of Ashmedi's column here.

** Read Part V of Ashmedi's column here.

** Read Part VI of Ashmedi's column here.

** Read Part VII of Ashmedi's column here.

** Read Part VIII of Ashmedi's column here.

** Read Part IX of Ashmedi's column here.

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