From exiled rebels to global music superstars, the members of the Tuareg rock collective Tinariwen have led a wild life since the band was formed in 1979 on the Mali-Algeria border. Their founder, guitarist and singer Ibrahim Ag Alhabib, the son of a murdered Tuareg revolutionary, famously made his first guitar from a petrol can, a stick, and a bicycle brake cable. Tinariwen spent much of the 1980s in exile, perfecting their music while their leader’s homeland, Mali, was in a state of uprising. Their songs focus on the Tuareg people and their homeland. The band began attracting attention in the 1990s, and international interest peaked with the release of their first studio album, “The Radio Tisdas Sessions,” in 2001. This was followed by the highly successful “Amassakoul” (2004) and “Aman Iman” (2007), which earned recognition from Thom Yorke, Robert Plant, Brian Eno, and Carlos Santana. Their soulful grooves and distinctive guitar work have also impressed artists such as Wilco, Cat Power, Bon Iver, and Jack White.
Authentic rock and roll revolutionaries, Tinariwen have collaborated with major musical names such as Mark Lanegan and Kurt Vile, performed over 1,100 concerts worldwide, and shared the stage with highly esteemed artists like Carlos Santana and Robert Plant. They have released nine studio albums, three of which were Grammy-nominated, including “Tassili,” which won the award for Best World Music Album in 2012.