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Hocine Boukella, alias Cheikh Sidi Bemol, alias Elho, biologiste de formation est un musicien et dessinateur autodidacte. Dès les années 80, étudiant à l'université d'Alger, il croque avec un humour corosif la société algérienne. Il réalise une BD intitulée "Le Crieur" sur l'univers des musiciens algérois. Cette BD sera interdite pour "obscénité" et les planches originales lui seront confisquées.

En 1985, il vient à Paris pour suivre des études de Génétique des Populations. En 1988, Il abandonne sa carrière de scientifique et se consacre entièrement à ses deux passions: le dessin et la musique.

Il fonde le groupe Sidi Bemol qui tourne surtout en région parisienne, publie trois recueils de dessins, collabore aux revues "Salama" et "Pour!", expose dans plusieurs festivals (Angoulême, Saint-Just-Le Martel,..), et participe en tant que graphiste, parolier ou musicien à divers albums (Youcef, Gnawa Diffusion, Orchestre National de Barbes, Djamel Laroussi, Takfarinas, ..).

Il enregistre son premier album "Cheikh Sidi Bemol" (1998). Il dirige le collectif "L'Usine" et participe à la fondation des groupes Thalweg (celto-berbère) et Zalamite (groove berbère).

Ses dessins et ses chansons révèlent une personnalité complexe et riche, solidement enracinée dans sa double culture, tiraillée entre la nostalgie lancinante de l'Algérie et le quotidien d'un exil chargé de contradictions.

Cheikh Sidi Bemol is uncategorizable. Someone qualified as "Gourbi Rock" the work rendered by this group, lead by Hocine Boukella (guitar & vocals).

Cheikh Sidi Bemol's music while deeply rooted into Algerian traditional ground, reveals a surprising freshness due to openings on Blues, Rock, Salsa or Celtic music and with exeptional musicians: Hichem Takaoute (bass), Khliff Miziallaoua (guitar) and Hervé Le Bouché (drums).

Lively, moving, full of a friendly and corrosive humour, Cheikh Sidi Bemol's songs draw a new territory in the Algerian musical landscape.

Hocine Boukella, alias Cheikh Sidi Bemol, alias Elho, trained as a biologist is a self-taught musician and cartoonist. Right from the '80s while student in Algiers, he sketshes with a corrosive humour algerian society. He brought his first comic book out, called "Le Crieur" (The Crier) upon the universe of musicians in Algiers.
This comic book will be banned for "obscenity" and the plates seized.

In 1985, he arrives in Paris to attend population genetics study, but he soon gave up his scientifc's carrier to dedicates himself to both his passions : drawing and music.

He founds the group Sidi Bemol which appears mostly in the area around Paris, publishes three drawings books, contributes to "Salama" and "Pour!" reviews, exhibits in several festivals (Angouleme, Saint-Just-Le Martel,..), and collaborates as graphic designer, lyric writter, or musician to various albums (Youcef, Gnawa Diffusion, Orchestre National de Barbes, Djamel Laroussi, Takfarinas, ..)

In 1998, he records his first album Cheikh Sidi Bemol. He founds the collective l'Usine and takes part in founding the groups Thalweg (celto-berbere) and Zalamite (berberian groove).

His drawings and songs reveal a complex but rich personality, deeply rooted in his dual culture, and torn between his haunting memories of Algeria and the everyday life of an exile full of contradictions.