That's why, as a Metal fan, I still try and listen to myriad of different styles and genres. It's important to learn to appreciate Classical music, Jazz and Blues, even Country. Yes, Country music.

OSOG (On Shoulders of Giants) is one such group – comprised of metal-heads and rock musicians, these guys do mainly country music – and oh boy, do they do it well! Currently seven in number, replacing electric guitars with ukuleles and regular guitars, they play harmoniously together, feeling and sounding more like a small orchestra than a band - the lead singer, Avital Tamir (who also sings for 'Betzefer'), also said they'd grow in numbers still.
 

The whole performance played like a personal show – there weren't many people in the small Ozen Bar, which allowed Avital to almost converse with the audience. They even had a small lottery, where one fortunate woman won a signed ukulele – which was quite sweet, I thought. The audience were clearly enjoying themselves, and while the music doesn't invite head-banging and mosh pits to come about, people were nodding, even dancing. The good communication between the group's members should also be noted – they look and smile at each other, they move to play close to one another, they look like people who enjoy each other's company and enjoy playing together. Too few bands have this kind of air about them, and I personally found it charming.
 

OSOG's music is fun and approachable, while not being overly simple or dumbed-down. Their music is also freely available online, and they'd appreciate a Facebook like and share.
 

Hi Gilad.

…And I've got a few questions for you. So first, what drove you guys, especially you, to make music that is so different from what you were accustomed to make?

I think it's what connects all the band members – besides the fact that we've known each other and have been friends for many years from our previous groups, we also all share a love for music itself, regardless of genre.  We just didn't get the chance to do this in the last 20 years, so now this is the place for everyone to do something new and fun.

OK. So it's spontaneous?

Look, this group with its name… Idan and I have been making music for 7 years, I think. We started at 2007 and released one album which was half-electronic and experimental. And then 2 years ago, in a totally spontaneous, acoustic jam session with all the current band members, a new phase has started for the band. It came from a place of just having fun with music.

But why did you choose Country music? All the songs I've heard were Country. Am I right?

I think that the band's sound has a strong connection to music because of the […], the mandolin, and the […]. On the other hand, I don't think that the music we make is Country music. […] it derives from many places.

But why this particular genre? What attracted you to it?

I think it was the instruments that attracted us to it. These are instruments we always wanted to learn how to play, and this band gives us the room to play with them freely, without being restricted by conventions. And maybe because we were very far from this at the start and we don't know excellent players of these instruments, this was the reason that we don't have to make any comparisons – we can reinvent these instruments as we please.

So your motivation was the instruments themselves. Is the musical genre itself less important for you?

It's always important, but I wouldn't say that country music was our first inspiration and what drove us to do this. Country music is a wide field in itself, and many elements in it affect and inspire us, but I think that OSOG is still Punk, it's still cut like Punk, still kicking like Metal, and it has many more elements. It's Rock n' Roll. We try to combine genres: take from Folk music its simplicity and the fact that anybody can just pick up a guitar and play Folk music. But we also try to make it interesting so that Jazz fans could listen to it and say "hey, that's cool!"

Yes, technically it's pretty sophisticated.

We try to keep […]. The sophistication only serves to please the ear, not because we feel obliged to do so. We don't try to prove ourselves.

Well, you've already proven yourselves in other bands, so maybe there's less pressure on you and you can relax and have fun.

I think that for our self-expression purposes, we look less for musical virtuosity like in Metal and more for what comes up when we play together. Despite the fact that every single player plays something very simple, together the sound becomes whole and bigger than its parts.

Do you want to tell me how you all met? In your videos I see that you have plenty on musicians in the band. How do you come together?

The groups kernel are the same five people who started playing together five years ago: me and Idan Epstein (?) who started the band 7 years ago. We, and actually, all the band members, have known each other for years from the Metal and Punk bands we played in, from the Alternative music scene. And we let more and more people join our circle to play with a new instrument, or just plainly – a new person which always adds something. As long as it is financially logical and the stage is wide enough, we will continue to enlarge our band.

You will end up an orchestra.

Yeah, we already had a concert with 30 musicians. That's the dream. But in the last years we've performed mainly in a group of five with guitars and sometimes […]. Lately Omer […], who is a singer, joined us. In our 12.9.2014 show we will perform with 8 musicians, which are all the people I've talked about, plus Kate Danielson, a wonderful singer who sang on our first album in 2009. She will come from New York especially for this concert. It's very exciting.

Where do you think you will be heading in the future?

We have many dreams for this group. Right after this show, we will start recording our second album. This album shows a progress in the band – at first it was just 5 people, now it's 8. We will explore our music and get more into Country music.

Do you still work in your former genres?

Yes. I'm still active in Betzefer, and we'll be touring Europe in the next few months. [///] is also an active band. I will be playing guitar there in several shows next month. Everybody is still doing Metal and Punk in every opportunity we have. But OSOG is something big and important in all of our lives right now.

OK. Do you have anything to add for your listeners?

Yes. First of all, you can listen to our music for free on our site at osogfamily.com, and also download it either for money or for a post in your favorite social network. Besides, plenty of cool stuff is happening in the band right now, so you should stay updated via our Facebook and our site. And I'd love to see you all at the show!

Thank you very much, Avital, plenty of good luck!