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Stars of David: Chosen people who rock out
‘Jews Rock!’ shows that the music genre did not pass over members of the tribe
By George Varga, POP MUSIC CRITIC
Thursday, March 4, 2010 at 12:05 a.m.
How many Jewish rock stars are there?

So far as we know, no one has kept an exact tally. But if you Google the phrase “Jewish rock stars,” you’ll get 1,570,000 results — or about 1,569,900 more than there may be actual Jewish rock stars. Of course, for many rock fans, listening to the music has long qualified as a near-religious experience by itself.

Enter “Jews Rock! A Photographic Celebration of Rock and Roll’s Jewish Heritage,” which opens Wednesday at La Jolla’s Gotthelf Art Gallery at the Lawrence Family Jewish Community Center. It features more than 60 shots of Jewish rockers, from Jane’s Addiction singer Perry Farrell and deceased Ramones singer Joey Ramone to singer-guitarist Susanna Hoffs of The Bangles and former Clash guitarist Mick Jones.

All the works in the show are from “Jews Rock” by veteran Cleveland music photographer Janet Macoska, whose work has been featured in the CD booklets for albums by AC/DC, David Bowie, The Clash, Devo, The Kinks and Led Zeppelin. Published last year, the book and the gallery show both take some liberties with the word “rock” (unless Kenny G and “High School Musical” co-star Ashley Tisdale have secret musical lives we don’t know about).

Granted, the songs of these musicians rarely (if ever) address their Jewish heritage. But on a purely visual and visceral level, “Jews Rock” should appeal to fans of artists as varied as Lou Reed, Velvet Revolver, Blondie, Jefferson Airplane and Simon & Garfunkel. As an added enticement, Wednesday’s opening in La Jolla will feature a one-hour Q&A session with Artie Kornfeld, one of the producers of 1969’s legendary Woodstock festival. The photo show and Q&A are geared to fans of most ages and persuasions.

“I’m a lapsed Catholic,” said Macoska, 55, who will attend the opening and cites now-retired San Diego media personality Jerry G. Bishop as an early mentor in Cleveland.

Shalom and roll! Get ready to rock.