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Click the cdbaby button below to order my CD!!!!

My CD is out in Lebanon and is now available online at cdbaby.com. The title of the album is "Where I Wanna Be". It has 12 tracks on it which were recorded during the years 2007 and 2008. Most of the instruments were played by Munir Khauli and myself. There are several guest musicians as well. The title track "Where I Wanna Be" features Arthur Satyan on electric piano and hammond organ as well as Jeremy Chapman on Tenor Saxophone. The track "Can't Live This Way" features Ziad Rahbani on Fender Rhodes piano and Jeremy Chapman on Soprano Saxophone. The bass guitar on "Running Out Of Time" was played by Sami Shabshab. I owe the biggest debt to Munir Khauli without whom the recording of the CD would not have been possible. I would like to add that Munir played the monster guitar solo at the end of "Strangest Little Creature".

In Lebanon, the CD "Where I Wanna Be" is now officially available at CD Theque and all three branches of Virgin (Downtown, ABC and Citymall). I expect all of my friends to support and encourage me by buying a copy! :-)

Read a review of my CD at the USA based rock music site hardrockhaven.net:

http://hardrockhaven.net/online/2009/walid-itayim-where-i-want-to-be/

I was born and raised in Beirut, Lebanon. Ever since I heard the Beatles at age 6 I dreamt of becoming a rock star. Of course that never happened :-) My main instrument is guitar. I started playing at age 13. After learning how to play the basic chords, I started writing song after song. Many of those were not that good but some were pretty good. I didn't get a chance to play in any bands during my teens due to the fact that in those days in Lebanon I couldn't find kids my age who I could form bands with. During my college days and after I got to play in some bands. Of these, the band FORCE (1983-85) was the one which I loved being in the best (see live videos from a 1984 concert above). We recorded an album that would have been the perfect demo but unfortunately no one who matters ever got to hear it. The album was called Forced. Ziad Rahbani joined us for the recording of the album and played piano and keyboards. In the years since then, I continued to write songs and play gigs in local clubs but never managed to make a living from playing music. Ocassionally I got to record on other people's albums such as Ziad Rahbani's CD Monodose with Salma on which I played guitar on 2 tracks.

Taken at rehearsal with Ziad Rahbani's band March 2007

Live Recording with Rick Musallam at Bar Louie May 15 2009

More from the Bar Louie Gig with Rick

Force (lebanese band I was in) Live 1984 at BUC (LAU) Part 3

Taken at Nova Club on May 18 2009 with Rick Musallam and Friends