3ח

3ח aka שלוש חית                                                                                                                                        3H aka Shalosh Hait

David Opp, Ran Slavin, Reem Hareuveny
Photo by Ofer Azulay, at Pargod

This enigmatic name belonged to a somewhat legendary (for me at least) Jerusalem trio active in the late 80's. They were part of a local "scene" circling a few bands which mostly played at Pargod theater, which is the name the scene was known as. "Rock sessions" often occurred, comprised of different members of the scene, free-thinking, improvising and experimenting with each other.
3H began more as an idea of such art rock act, going through name variations (3H-B, B-3H, etc..) on each show, without committing to a specific sound, often involving industrial acts, sampling (one of the first to do so in Israel), inviting guests (for instance a street violin player they met a day earlier) and on and on. After some time they've settled on 3H and began performing with more "proper" songs.

Their roots lay in 1982's Cholera, the first hardcore (and actually first punk) band in Israel, including both David (Dudik) Oppenheim and Ran Slavin, drummer and guitarist for 3H. After Cholera, Slavin took off to London for a couple years, and came back to form the group with Dudik. Both of them at the time art students, were joined by Reem Hareuveny on bass, thus creating what I see as one of the most important groups here in local alternative music.
Still retaining the pissed and abrasive energy they had in them, 3H were playing their own kind of post punk, unlike anything I can think of. You can hear the vast wide influences through Crime & The City Solution, Swans, This Heat, Neubauten and generally, anything that was worth listening to at the time, but yet again, just as influences. They didn't imitate any of these, or anyone else.

Their only album recorded in 1990, released 1991, limited to 500 copies, is the one above. You SHOULD check it out. An absolute all-time fave for me, featuring ten tracks of their varied repertoire and one hell of a menacing cover of Carole King.
That's the re-mastered version up there, re-released in 2009, also limited to 500, this time with an extra disc filled with unreleased live bonuses, rehearsal material, and some from their second unfulfilled album. Making justice to a local group which never got the respect it deserved.

Flyer for Aaliya Ve'rock Ba Marathon
Local bands marathon.

1989.05.10 - Live Bootleg at Aaliya Ve'rock Ba Marathon, Gerard Behar Center, Jerusalem

1. I Feel The Earth (Carole King Cover)
2. In The Field
3. London Time
4. Brara
5. Jerusalem 80's
6. מפולת של עובש [Mold Avalanche]
7. Scarface Runner
8. רחובות אדומים [Red Streets]
9. Trashman
10. Mystery Dance (Elvis Costello Cover)

11. Kankan
12. [audience]
13. הג'ונגל האוסטרו-הונגרי [Austro Hungarian Jungle (cut up in the end)]
14. Scarface Runner [Reprise]

There's plenty of material that still lays in dust on tapes somewhere, and it's a shame. Here's some stuff I managed to scavenge, mostly ripped it off a short series of radio specials called "Soundman of Pargod" by Eli Shargorodsky, who was among other things, the soundman of Pargod, recording many shows and stuff, handling a great archive. So much much much respect to him (and if by any chance you read this, please continue sharing Eli !)

Ran, Dudik, Reem

Bonus unreleased material

198? - Bass I
198? - Mystery Dance (Elvis Costello Cover) + מעדן חלב [TV Commercial cover, radio rip]
198? - Scarface Runner [Live at Pargod, radio rip]
198? - Untitled
198? - שחרחורת [Ha'breira Ha'tiv'it Cover, without Slavin, with Eli Shargo, radio rip]
1987 - רחובות אדומים [Red Light Streets]
1989.01.23 - Untitled + Film [Live at Pargod, radio rip]
1989.08.10 - Untitled [Live at Pargod, radio rip]
1989.08.10 - Untitled [Live at Pargod, radio rip]


Eventually 3H dissolved around 92, as all three members proceed exploring and innovating for more than a three decades length careers, via many other brilliant musical projects and through other art forms. I'll probably post some more of their music, I have nothing but pure appreciation for these guys.
Ran Slavin | David Opp