New Music Ban, part 4 – Lipa Schmeltzer Interview

The topic of Zev Brenner's Talkline radio show that aired Tuesday night was the new music ban. Dov Shurin, Zev's guest, spoke about the ban and also a bit about the  ban against his uncle, Rabbi Nosson Kamenetzky, and his book, Making of a Gadol.

Here's an mp3 for those of you who missed the live broadcast, along with a bonus mp3 of an 'interview' with Lipa Schmeltzer conducted by Rabbi Yehuda Levin…

First, Zev Brenner:

Download zev_brenner_22608.mp3

Then, haredi nut-job Rabbi Yehuda Levin – perhaps one of the most disgusting examples of human refuse ever to be called rabbi – had Lipa Schmeltzer as a guest on his radio show, also on the Talkline Network:

Download levin_0227.mp3

Here's what I think happened.

Lipa seems to have sold out. He makes very good money as a wedding jester-singer. The rabbis seem willing to allow him to continue to do so, as long as he stops singing at concerts, which they want banned – even charity concerts.

Barring any new developments, it seems the era of big haredi music concerts is finished. What will possible remain will be concerts of liturgical music (hazzanut). Ironically, most of that music is itself lifted bar for bar from non-Jewish music.

[Hat Tip: MamashRadio.]