blabbermouth.net

DISTURBED Frontman Says His Family Has Issues With Fiancée - Nov. 14, 2008

According to The Pulse of Radio, DISTURBED frontman David Draiman admitted in a recent interview with Finland's MusiikkiTV that his family has issues with the woman to whom he is engaged. Draiman said his fiancée, named Jasmine, is half German and half Persian, which has become what he called "a huge source of contention in my family." Draiman comes from an Orthodox Jewish background and has some 200 relatives living in Israel, including his brother and grandmother. Germany's past history with the Jewish people is well documented, while Persia is now what is known as modern Iran, whose president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has pledged to wipe Israel off the map.

Nevertheless, Draiman told The Pulse of Radio this past summer that Jasmine had accompanied him on a trip last spring to Israel with no problems. "At first I thought the whole experience might not have been the best for her, 'cause, you know, it's a little weird there," he said. "She was worried about how she had to dress, she was worried about a whole number of other things. But it was nice after the whole experience for her to ask me, after everything was said and done — not only had she already learned some Hebrew that I've been trying to teach her, but she was asking me, 'Okay, so when are we going back?'"

Draiman discussed the issue when asked whether the lyrics on DISTURBED's next album would be less angry now that he was in a happy relationship. He brought up the family conflict as an example of future lyrical inspiration.

He has said in the past that he is not particularly religious himself, although he strongly supports Israel and Israeli causes.

DISTURBED has selected "The Night" as the next single off its fourth studio album, "Indestructible", which was released this past June. A video for the track will be shot sometime in January.

The group will hit the northern U.S. as well as several Canadian stops on a new tour beginning on November 23 in Rochester, Minnesota. The band will also kick off its fourth Music As A Weapon tour in March of 2009.