PHOTOGRAPHY BY LEIGH LOBOTOMY | THORNFEST 2011
The title of this letter, once again comes from (you guessed it) a Rise Against song. Flip, I can’t get over how much I love that band! I can listen to them day and night and not get sick of em (trust me, I’ve tried!!). This is perhaps the hardest ed’s letter to date for me. After much deliberation, we have decided, with heavy hearts, to put VIXXEN on a TEMPORARY hiatus. I need to stress that this will NOT be for longer than a couple of months, and this is our baby and we would NEVER end VIXXEN (if we can help it). We have been offered amazing opportunities, and in order for us to take advantage and help VIXXEN grow, we need to – ‘regroup’. The back issues will still be available, and
there’s some extremely awesome stuff happening! This month’s cover girl made me cry. When she emailed me back her answers for the feature, I couldn’t help but tear up – Cami is such an amazing, strong, independent woman! She has achieved SO much and she is not even 24-years-old! And a special thanks goes to our Cat Coffeebean for doing the cover this month, what an amazing photographer! This is Cat’s first cover and she did not disappoint! We also have an interview with Kim Nekroman, thanks to our awesome cover girl. And a feature on Rasputina. And our honorary VIXXEN DJ Destrukto (which reminds me, we really
need to do a cover VIXXEN shoot with him in a tutu ha ha) did a column on his life as a DJ that we are gonna continue when we come back. We hope you enjoy this issue! We will be back soon! Until then, please contact Gen Twoco on genzypop@gmail.com for any future stuff! Personal thanks this month goes out to everyone who helped along the way, but most importantly – Gen Twoco for always running around like a headless chicken with me (As Mr Kevin S Flee put it – ‘You too just click’), and Justin Harris for the help and continuous support. Also, Amika Valent for always whipping me back into shape when I mess up, and all my awe-
some new friends in London, especially Kyle Zoltan Teverdon and the Delayed boys! And last but not least – congratulations to Mr Kevin S Flee and his beautiful bride, Hailey Jean – thank you for letting me join you on your special day and yes, I was fighting back the tears. This was the most amazing wedding and I love you guys madly! I think I speak for our whole team and a whole buncha contributors and readers who wish you all the happiness in the world. Now please stop being lovey dovey on my Facebook he he.
credits - CAMI SCOUNDREL For the opportunity to feature her - CAT COFFEEBEAN For the awesome cover and feature photography on Cami! - IRON FIST - OUR WONDERFUL CONTRIBUTORS Thank you!!
FOUNDER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF (INTERNATIONAL) TINA KOULISHEVA CO-EDITOR GEN TWOCO PHOTOGRAPHER: CAT COFFEBEAN
Jozi hardcore punk band MISLED, will be bringing out a full-length album soon, and recoded Wilson(g) with Matt Wilson of Car Boot Vendors & Sibling Rivalry. The video was Directed & Edited by Justin Harris, with William Collinson as Director of Photography. Check it out on the MiSLeD-South-Africa FB page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/MiSLeD-SouthAfrica/49941040490
WRITING: TINA KOULISHEVA GEN TWOCO OLIVIA MIKRUT JEN ROOMES PRESS AND MEDIA: GEN TWOCO DESIGN: TINA KOULISHEVA LYNDI JONKER JEN ROOMES CONTRIBUTORS: CAMI SOUNDREL, LOUIS GROBLER, JUSTIN HARRIS, JOE DOE, CHE WANNENBURG, GERMAINE MOOLMAN, ANASTASYA ELI, SHANELLE JEWNARIAN, JESSICA ROGERS, KAY SAMSON, DJ DESTRUKTO
Shanelle Jewnarain fell out her mother’s womb and was very relieved to find there was no structural damage to her cranium. Her first moves were crawling around the sticky fish-bowl that is Durban looking for any kind of trouble she could find. The trouble found her in ways that had to be relived through writing, film-making and the consumption of vast amounts of party juice. Shanelle is responsible for the review of Splashy Fen.
news & radar
Fuzi’s new record & tour Punk/ ska legends Fuzigish are releasing their new album, Setlist, at Cool Runnings, Fourways, JHB, and hit the road for a country-wide tour thereafter, until the end of July. The album is a collection of 23 songs from their previous full-length releases, re-mixed and re-mastered. There are also 2 new songs. Setlist will be on sale at the gigs for R100, and also look out for the limited edition Setlist USB sick for R250. http://www.fuzigish.com/setlist/easylistening SETLIST TOUR 4th June. Durban, Unit 11 with Low Profile and Fruit & Vegies
16th July. Cape Town, Mercury Lounge with Hog Hoggidy Hog 29th July. Port Elizabeth, Jesters with Sick Day September
18th June. Bloemfontein,The Mystic Boerwith Frank Freeman 25th June. Johannesburg BEEG Day Out
30th July. Grahamstown, Slipstream Sports Bar with Folklore
9th July. Pretoria, Tings an Times with Sunday Punchers and Juggernaught
Pic by www.anouskaphoto.com
DELAYED VIXXEN FAVOURTIES, PUNK ROCK BAND DELAYED ARE RELEASING THEIR DEBUT ALBUM, ADDICT THIS MONTH. WE LOVE THEM BECAUSE, WELL, THEY ROCK. WITH 2 SOUTH AFRICAN MEMBERS (DYLAN LLOYD - GUITAR/VOCALS & DALE ANDERSON - BASS/VOCALS), ONE EASTERN EUROPEAN (WELL, TECHNICALLY CENTRAL BUT OUR ED LIKES TO PRETEND HE IS FROM THE EASTERN BLOC FYLUS DAPERFECTO – DRUMS), AND LATEST ADDITION ANDY
CONSTANTINOU (BEST LEAD GUITARIST WE’VE SEEN IN A WHILE), THESE BOYS ROCK THE CROWDS BOTH IN THE UK (WHERE THEY ARE BASED) AND ABROAD (THEY PLAYED THORNFEST 2010 BACK IN SA LAST YEAR). SIGN UP TO THEIR MAILING LIST FOR A FREE DOWNLOAD OF THEIR LATEST SINGLE, IMPOSSIBLE DREAM. AND IF YOU’RE IN LONDON, CATCH EM TEARING
UP THE STAGE AT THE PEEL IN KIGNSTON ON 12TH MAY! VISIT HTTP://WWW.MYSPACE.COM/DELAYEDUK FOR MORE INFO.
news & radar
OppiKoppi 17
Unknown Brother Festival 3 days x 24 hours x 80 bands x 15 000 friends x Organised Chaos) 5 stages = OppiKoppi Ladies and gentlemen it is time to switch your pows on. In fact very on. Time has come to start the ritual cleansing and de-cleansing of the senses for the emotional and music overload which is colloquially known as the OppiKoppi festival. Now in its 17th year, the festival (previously voted as one of the top 10 festivals in the world by the British media [Although, to be honest, that was in a non-royal-wedding year]) has become a near religious experience for most of the tune zealots which migrate hundreds of kilometres to the three day celebration. Some of them actually come back from the koppie afterwards as well, which is always nice from an organisers’ perspective (Not like Mortimer who attended the 1999 event and ended hanging around for about a year and half ). Although wildly popular (OppiKoppi was one of the first ever South African festivals to actually sell out in previous years) there are many other adjectives which probably do not sit comfortably with the bushveld music and art celebration, here are few we think stand out: - Elegant, - Assuming, - Recuperative, - Unassuming, - Comforting, - Mild, - Reserved (Except in the animal sense), - Unsure, - Leisurely (Even though it is actually a camping style multiple day breakaway for you and your friends.Or for you and your new friends.). There are others but the English language, although great and good, is oft found clumsy and lacking piercing power when confronted with a disturbing cycle of dust, thorns, cold beers, warm days, loud music. Fear not though: where Will& Kate fears to tread, 15000 fans comfortably camp. LINEUP The line-up for the 2011 is being announced in batches and fans are encouraged to visit or “like” the Facebook group
“OppiKoppi festival” for all information. As in the past it is a selec tion of South Africa’s finest and a few nice international faces. At the time of going to press the following acts were confirmed already (The list should grow to around 80 artists, musicians, poets, artists, dj’s and well-dressed policemen): • Zebra & Giraffe • Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse • Not My Dog • aKING • Bittereinder • Jax Panik TICKETS • Tickets available from Ticketbreak.co.za • First 1000 ticket buyers, may buy a ticket for last year’s price (R450), they will also receive a free OppiKoppi t-shirt • The second batch of 1000 ticket buyers, may buy a ticket for R500 • Thereafter, it is R550 per person • And R600 at the gate. • Tickets on sale 3 May 2011
how to
How to Keep Piercings Clean WORDS BY GERMAINE MOOLMAN | PHOTOS BY ANASTASYA ELI & GERMAINE MOOLMAN
The question of ‘how to keep piercings clean’, and the fact that it’s even a question, reminds me of the saying about common sense: it’s ironic that it’s called ‘common’ sense because it’s not that common. Come on, people! But as it is a question, let’s address it. The first and only rule of tattooing and piercing is: you cannot be a tourist. You cannot be tattooed or pierced by someone other than a tattoo artist. The emphasis here is on the ‘artist’. This means, kiddies, stay away from tramp stampers and impalers. Your tattoo artist cannot be a tramp stamper. Your piercing artist cannot be an impaler. If you want to be impaled, go to a beauty salon in Sandton and have yourself shot in the ear by a bimbo. It’s simple. Piercing = no guns. But hey, if you like the whole conveyer belt of consumerism, be my guest. For those non-tourists who want to experience the art of piercing, here is a no-nonsense, myth free guide to caring for your piercings. Piercings only become infected for two reasons: 1. They are not kept clean. 2. They are irritated by clothing or other friction which delays the healing process and thus become more prone to infection. Keeping piercings clean is foremostly a hygienic issue. Piercings
and the Grunge lifestyle don’t mix. Do not touch your piercings with dirty hands, guys. Surely I don’t have to say that? Bathing at least once a day is essential when caring for piercings. The basics of ensuring that you, your bathroom, your soap and your towel are clean are a good first step. For general body piercings – nose, eyebrow, belly, surfacepiercings – once you’re done with your daily ablutions, clean your piercing. Do not use surgi-
"The fIrst and only rule of tattooing and piercing is: you cannot be a tourist" cal spirits as this dries the skin and causes irritation. Also, do not use Zambuc or Vicks. Firstly, they burn like hell. (And yes, you might be into masochism, but there are limits….) Secondly, your piercing needs to stay dry. Use salt water: add one teaspoon of salt to half a cup of warm (preferably boiled) water. Soak the cotton-wool – or a cottonbud for difficult to reach areas (like the inside of ears and nose) – in this solution and clean the
piercing itself, the wound and the area around it. Ensure that any crusting is removed, as these crusts irritate the skin and can cause infection. If you choose to be extra careful, you can supplement the salty water routine by using anti-bacterial soap. Do not apply the soap directly onto the piercing. Work the soap into a lather in your hands and then apply the lather or foam onto your piercing with cotton-wool or a cotton-bud. This should be done twice a day for about two weeks with all piercings, except surface piercings, which take longer to heal and thus longer to take care of (around a month). For piercings in and around the mouth – tongue piercings and labrets, for example – rinse the mouth with salt water twice a day. The inside of the mouth heals extremely quickly, so labrets and specifically tongue piercings, heal very quickly and do not need as much care as general body piercings. Again, with the common sense approach in mind, just take care with what you eat in the first few days after a tongue piercing: chowing down on a steak is not advisable (if you’re able to chew anything at all within the first
how to
few days). Be aware that you have an open wound in your tongue and a completely new orifice which tends to attract food particles. Ok, so the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the below the belt section…. Nipple piercings take longer to heal than most other piercings, so it is advisable to care of these piercings as indicated above for at least a month. Piercings on the external genitalia (male and female) can be cared for in the same way. Keep the area clean and dry. Avoid irritation from trousers by protecting the genitals with clean! underwear. Clitoral piercings or clitoral hood piercings are much easier to take care of. As with the inside of the mouth, the moistness of the vagina seems to be a natural habitat for piercings and they take care of themselves. Piercings around the clitoral area need not be cleaned with
salt water, but if any irritation begins to develop this would be the first remedy. But again, common sense: avoid sexual activity that would engage directly with the nipples (for about a month), clitoris (about two weeks) and external genitalia (around a month) that would irritate and thus infect these piercings. If an infection develops, the best remedy is Bactroban, a potent and very effective anti-septic cream. But if anything ever looks suspiciously red or swollen after the first 3 – 5 days, go back to your piercing artist and have it checked out. Don’t suffer in silence and risk losing your piercing to a hectic infection. All of this is very simple and hassle-free if you just respect your piercings, the artform and the beauty and fun that they bring to your life. Use your common sense, don’t be a tourist, and say no to guns!
Safari Obscura (2009) DISCLAIMER:
JOE DOE DOES NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES PROMOTE THE USE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, BUT WATCHING SAFARI OBSCURA WHILE SOBER MAY FOREVER ALTER THE WAY YOUR BRAIN IS WIRED.
Traditionally the word ‘Safari’ refers to a trip to Africa for the purpose of hunting, though it is now more popular to describe a trip undertaken by tourists to observe and photograph animals in their natural environment. By adding the word “Obscura” the viewer is informed early on that the trip undertaken by watching the film may be indistinct, enigmatic and hard to understand. Safari Obscura is a collage of experience. Footage collected over years by film-maker Anton Kotze becomes a road map through dark and ritualistic Africa. If extra-terrestrials make a documentary on Africa without personal comment, only giving the truth without real understanding, it would be
very close to Kotze’s vision. With clever and fantastic editing and the use of polarization, multiple exposures, the flipping of images and other manipulations, the everyday becomes macabre. An alternate reality is created, and though some landmarks are recognizable, Kotze’s new point of view gives the sense that we have been there... But not like this. The use of a mirrored splitscreen lends itself to interpreting the images we are confronted with
as icons, reminiscent of the religious paintings done in the Middle-Ages. This also causes a kaleidoscopic effect, strengthening confusion and sparking feelings of acid flashbacks and lucid dreams. Mostly this experimental film creates a bombardment of imagery so interwoven that the viewer becomes lost. We are often confronted with visuals that are hard to understand because they are taken out of their normal context through
the use of strange camera angles, distorted colour and overlays. When the colours resolve for short periods, the images become even more shocking as the dream state is broken and reality interferes. A constantly present but ever-changing soundtrack fluctuates between rhythmic drums that create a trance-like state, off key carnival music that enforces a sense of wrongness and animalistic sounds that are both accusing and conspiratorial. A strong juxtaposition occurs throughout between nature and city scenes, animals and humans. There are some recurring images used in different contexts to manipulate emotion. Water is often used as a symbolic force of power. It also creates a calming effect. A mantis is
unexpectedly interwoven. In Latin “mantis” means prophet. More alluring is the mantis as a dreamtime trickster character in San folklore. San are often the subjects in this endless safari. They are known to be “spirit-walkers”, having a shamanistic approach to religion and life. If indeed there is a guide through the madness, it would be the mantis. Safari Obscura is peppered with religious references: emblems, temples, depictions of ancient gods, pyramids, crosses, lotus flowers and fertility statues to name a few. These are placed in the same regard as modern icons such as Ché Guevara, Bob Marley and the dog from MMV. A cardboard sign unobtrusively begs the question: “Whom shall you vote, God or Satan?” Another persistent image is that of a primate: sometimes free but more
Safari Obscura was an offIcial selection at the 2010 Rotterdam International Film Festival
often in a cage. These caged beasts can become human or animal, depending on interpretation. Through body-language and close-ups of faces and eyes, they are accusing, begging to be released. As Safari Obscura progresses the primates are transformed from living creatures to the dead animal parts found in Muti-shops. Though the journey undertaken is uncomfortable and often upsetting it is thought provoking and the message is clear: Africa is untamed. It is wild and beautiful, dangerous and glorious. It is only what you make of it... Nothing more, nothing less. I give Safari Obscura 4 Embryos. Watch extracts from Safari Obscura here: http://www.ovguide.com/ movies_tv/safari_obscura.htm
WORDS & PHOTOS BY DJ DESTRUKTO
CURRENT EVENTS
CURRENT EVENTS
CURRENT EVENTS
INTERVIEW BY TINA KOULISHEVA | PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAT COFFEEBEAN
WORDS BY SHANELLE JEWNARIAN | PHOTOS BY JESSICA ROGERS
WORDS BY CHE WANNENBURG | PHOTOS BY LOUIS GROBLER
INSPIRATIONAL
INSPIRATIONAL
INSPIRATIONAL
INSPIRATIONAL