Rebellion music with a strong heart
May 19 2008 by Karen Price, South Wales Echo

A BAND which fought a rebellion against the Mali government visits Cardiff this week as part of its debut tour of Wales.
Tinariwen are one of the great musical success stories of recent years.
Emerging from the Sahara Desert in 2002, they have grabbed the attention of world music and rock fans alike, stormed the album charts and won critical acclaim.
But they are popular for their stories as much as their eclectic music, which features guitars, rolling rhythms and desert sounds.
Now thanks to funding from the Arts Council of Wales, they are performing two dates in Wales, including an intimate gig at The Point on Wednesday, which has almost sold out.... (full article)

Musical mirage under the desert sun
Wednesday, 21st May 2008

All the members of Tinariwen belong to the nomadic Touareg tribe of the Southern Sahara, but they have built up a worldwide following due to their unique style. Nick Ahad reports.

ROBERT Plant says their music is what "I had been looking for all my life".
Bono is a fan, as is Thom Yorke. Carlos Santana says being on stage with them is a joy because "when I hear them, I hear the beginning of music... this is where it all comes from, they are the originators".
Describing themselves as guitar-poets, Tinariwen hail from the Southern Sahara desert, a part of the nomadic Touareg tribe. They also have a worldwide following, with fans who feel a deep connection to their music.
Not for no reason were they asked to support the Rolling Stones. The group was founded in the late Seventies by band leader Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, singing songs about his people, whose way of life hung in the balance due to catastrophic drouts which decimated their animal herds...(full article)