Wednesday, February 27, 2008

So little time to get the right words out.




In 1987, J.M Coetzee’s revealing acceptance speech for the Jerusalem Prize concluded with the observation (however dated, or ageless) that in South Africa there is “too much truth for art to hold, truth by the bucketful, truth that overwhelms and swamps every act of the imagination.”

It’s not 1987 anymore. Yet those whose eloquence allows them a soapbox of commentary on the arts are still quick to denigrate (and dismiss, or even miss entirely) the evolution of truth and expression in the arts. Especially in the realm of music.

Music’s impact on our subcultures and societies is subtle, vast and uncounted. It struggles along with the rest of us, for a place to live, and breathe, and have its being. It comments on our lives, our histories, and prays for our souls. And of course our bodies. And it is an increasingly insightful yardstick for the distance we’ve come from ignorance and anger. If you want to find out what’s on the hearts and minds of diverse individuals, there’s an abundance of outspoken bands expressing the undercurrents of subcultures and supercultures in their melodies, beats and lyrics.

A caution to the critics of music slating emerging sounds with popular sensibilities : have you noticed lately how very much we need music that makes us feel good and helps us forget our hang-ups and fears? A disgrace, if you haven’t. A failure of love. (To paraphrase the lauded literate)

And who are “we”? you’re asking.

We are South Africa. Fraught and fractured, hopeful and heavy hearted. We who rest our heads on broken promises.

Who are you?

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

quote me in stereo

Said a mama who knows a thing or 2 to me today:

"I think if i were to capture Stereo Zen i would say ,
'They make white girls feel black and suddenly i wish i had a much bigger booty.' "

Friday, February 22, 2008

aKING at large - “There’s a siren’s song breathing up my neck”



(photo stolen from http://www.myspace.com/akingband )


Goodie. The melting pot is melting. The fusions are fusing. The genres are a gemeng of intentions and great music keeps reinventing itself.

This time it’s some boys from Fokof, some totally new talent, and a lifelong intention to tell the truth, even if it’s dirty and dark and it smells like linoleum. aKING are aptly titled for their confident mix of sadness, majesty and expression. And while everyone is talking about ‘uniqueness’ and ‘commercial accessibility’, and achieving neither, aKING are achieving both.

So what’s the formula?

They might just turn around to us and say they followed the music, but it feels like they’ve taken the best elements of Rock’s last four decades and spun it into catchy melodies to create an irresistibly positive and powerful sound that doesn’t jilt you at the door of reality.

Charisma comes to mind. We’re no strangers to charisma, of course. aKING's brothers in arms boast the reticent Francois with his wry appeal, and the hyperhappy Wynand (Van Coke Kartel) has the guys and gals tearing at their undies when he leaps around on stage and smiles like he means it (he does). Let's not get onto dark prince Kruger hiding behind his dark fringe and enigmatic smile. And when Leroy Nel (from Foto Na Dans) lets loose, it’s all catharsis and cataclysms rivalled only by Alex's acrobatics with that trumpet. And, sigh, have you seen Sannie Fox from Mamma Know Nothing? You want to have her babies, too, don’t you? There are more, but I'm getting all hot under the collar. These music makers have bodies with charisma; they move, and the earth moves, they’re still and you can’t move. But this one is a little different. Before you even get a chance to take it all in, he sings, and you swoon because Laudo’s VOICE has charisma. It’s gravely and emotional. His vocals are gritty, resonant and full-bodied, shot through with an underlying slenderness that injects vulnerability and credibility into the assertive overtones. And I’ll be damned if his singing doesn’t deliver us into sensation. (And THEN you can look down, and say, 'ja, en hy's darem mooi, ne?')

But keeping our feet on the ground (where they are) and our eyes and ears on heaven, it has to be said that aKING's is anthem material. Sung in English by Afrikaans men, vowels are sharpened and vernacular is remarkably remixed. The lyrics are epic, upending tradition without upsetting it, redefining and reclaiming religious rhetoric, giving it back to the people as liberated mantras. I think that’s what god always wanted, somehow. It’s heavy with irony in an age light-headed from reality. The music is noble, energetic and capable. It lifts the senses, and leaves the lyrics to plum the depths of desire and hope, and transformation.

Did they hit number one on MK 89’s Top Ten days after they launched Dutch Courage just because they’ve got famous boys from Fokof in their band? I believe if you listen to the album you’ll agree that the answer to that is a resounding NO. There's a lot more to them, and there's a lot more to come.

They’re on tour now promoting the debut album. Catch them in a dark bar or a dorpie near you.


aKING are
Laudo Liebenberg – lead guitar, vocals
Hennie Van Halen – Bass, Backing Vocals, Tambourine
Jaco “Snakehead” Venter -Drums, Backing vocals
Hunter Kennedy – Rhythm Guitar, Backing Vocals

The royal MySpace



Face it - they're there too!




Thursday, February 14, 2008

ramfest!




wordup, melodic wanderers

As my top 4 South African bands are playing at RAMfest2008, i've decided to learn all their lyrics by the end of the month so i can sing along to every song. Then of course, i realised that one of them is an instrumental band, but i think i'll be so trashed and sun kissed and blissed out and full of good music and good vibes that i'll sing along anyway!

and so will you! look at this line up! >>>

Friday 29 Feb - MAIN STAGE-
......................................
..............................

19:30 Fuzigish (JHB)
20:30 A King (CT) ( CD Launch)
21:30 Van Coke Kartel (CT)
22:30 Taxi Violence (CT)
23:30 White Buzz (UK)
00:30 Foto Na Dans (CT)
01:30 Hog Hoggidy Hog (CT)

........................................
Tented Stage -Friday 29 Feb
........................................
19:00 Antipathy (CT)
20:00 Decimation Age (CT)
21:00 Contrast The Water(DBN)
22:00 dj
00:00 dj
02:00 Enough Weapons (CT)

.....................................................................
Saturday 01 March - MAINSTAGE
.....................................................................
10:00 Yossarian (CT)
11:00 Failing Forward (CT)
12:00 Ashtray Electric(CT)
13:00 Knave (JHB)
14:00 Torment (JHB)
15:00 Rhutz (JHB)
16:00 Day Turns Night (CT)
17:00 Pestroy (JHB)
18:00 Chromium (JHB)
19:00 Agro (JHB)
20:00 Lark (CT)
21:00 Battery9 (JHB)
22:00 K.O.B.U.S!(CT)
23:00 Mind Assault (CT)
00:00 Gadabout(JHB)
..........................................
Tented Stage - Saturday 01 March
..........................................
18:00 South African Air Guitar Championships Finals
22:00 7th Son (CT)
23:00 The Spindle Sect (CT)
00:00 kidofdoom (JHB)
01:00 Unit-R (CT)

DON'TEXPECTTOCOMEHOMERESTED