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SHADOWCLUB The Road Warriors are back...

Killswitch Engage

Bastille

10 years of Fokofpolisiekar GARY NUMAN | LAURIE LEVINE | GIVAN LOTZ BOARGAZM | TWO MINUTE PUZZLE

EDITION 28 | DEC/JAN ‘14 | Proud Supporters of SA Music!

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CONTENTS

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MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS: David McKinley, Thomas Whitebread MANAGING EDITOR: David McKinley - dave@museonline.co.za MUSIC EDITOR: Dave Mac dave@museonline.co.za SALES DIRECTOR: Thomas Whitebread thomas@museonline.co.za

Laurie Levine

CONTRIBUTORS: Dave Mac, Thomas Whitebread, Terri Love, Johann M Smith, Bradley Love, Mickdotcom, Paul Blom, Alan Ratcliffe, Alistair Andrews, Kurt Slabbert, Damon Albetto, Jess Henson, Greg Bester, Salomie Haskins, Sergio Pereira, Nicolai Roos, Eliza Day, Kalin Pashaliev And George Hattingh

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From The Editor Better Red than Ded - Disappear Here Laurie Levine: Six winters and seven summers Shadowclub: The Road Warriors are Back Killswitch Engage in South Africa 6 Givan Lotz and the state of affairs Bastille: Brtiains Newest Saviours jezebel's VPL: A New Vein Fokofpolisiekar: A Decade in the Sun Legends of Music: Gary Numan Breathe Sunshine African Music Conference: Round 2 Inside the Machine: Music News 8 Classic Albums: The Velvet Underground & Nico Eruption: Boargazm - Pigs Can Fly (In Outer Space) Eruption Album Reviews New Albums Game Reviews 10 Venue Guide & Live Events

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EDITOR’S NOTE | OCT/NOV ‘13 | Proud Supporters of SA Music!

ARE SOUTH AFRICAN BANDS BORING?

W

hen I was presented with the opportunity to come up with this issue’s editorial topic, I immediately thought of something that no one wants to talk about, the elephant in the room...the question: are South African bands boring?

You see, bar a few performers, I don’t find unpredictability at gigs. Neither do I feel scared that a musician will punch me in the face, if I ask them the wrong question during an interview. Instead, I feel it’s all safe. It’s like there’s a comfort zone, complete with a warm blanket, a nice cup of tea, and complementary wafer biscuits.

From a media perspective, I don’t think bands understand how important it is to have a story to present.

As mentioned in this edition’s column about finding a publicist [Pg. 28 in the tech section], you need a story to sell. Releasing an album, or announcing a tour, just isn’t enough justification for a full-length feature article anymore, because everyone is doing it - what makes you more special? I mean, let’s be honest, who wants to hear about how this album is your best work ever, until your next album, and read about your tour dates? zzz...

Bands need to put their personalities out there more.

We have some of the craziest people alive in the South African music scene, yet they fear showing their true colours for some unknown reason. Instead, everything they do is so neat and above board that it feels like a Disney release. Where are the balls? Where did the danger go?

I guess I shouldn’t generalise here, because there are a few exceptions. Most notably, a young metal band from Johannesburg called Because of Betrayal. In October, the band caused an online outrage by declaring they were refusing an early timeslot, because they should be headlining shows; the internet went nuts. How dare a band have the gall to declare something so bold and contentious? Who the hell are they to complain? Well, guess what? Despite the arrogance of their statement and the initial abuse they suffered, suddenly everyone knew who they were; memes were made, they were covered by the media, and their following grew exponentially. Their “meltdown” was perhaps the most exciting thing to happen in South African metal this whole year...

In closing, I find it fascinating that, as South Africans, we’re pissed off at a lot of things (such as government, etolls, hipsters, Eskom); yet still choose to hide behind conservative roots - even though art is supposed to be a way of expressing how we feel.

Maybe, it’s time that we take off our masks and show what’s really underneath it all?

SERGIO PEREIRA [Guest Editor] Errata: Apologies to iMix Sound & Light. In our previous edition - Oct/Nov ’13 we erroneously printed the suggested retail price for the LA-2122 loudspeaker as R 1,910.00 on Pg. 16. The correct price is in fact: R 9,000.00 incl. VAT.

WRITERS' OPINIONS DAVE MAC I don’t think SA bands are any different or less/more boring than our overseas colleagues. What is boring is the lack of decent venues and a decent live band circuit throughout the country for bands to perform at. What is boring is the lack of attention the existing venue owners give to sound quality and lighting in their respective clubs/bars. What is boring is the state of national [and regional] radio who seem committed to only playing cookie cutter pop music and EDM on repeat!

JOHANN M SMITH Would I be writing this if they were? The general consensus according to sales, trends and your friend, the internet, is that bands have generally become boring. There’s no doubt in this moment in time DJs and electronic producers are way more exciting. The thing is this: we do it for the love. The real question is: how long will this bed stay warm?

MICKDOTCOM Like bands in most countries across our little earthly sphere, ours are a mixed bunch when it comes to originality and quality. But as local bands have become more enabled to do things independently, thanks to phenomena like the internet and social networking sites, there has been a swell of more adventurous acts unveiling themselves over the course of the last decade.

PAUL BLOM As a whole SA music is definitely not crap - just like Alaskan, Tazmanian and all musical territories in between. Part of the problem is when people with bad taste get catered to by opportunistic record companies, radio stations and music publications (who can't be seen to pan something that everyone else is following like sheep), you get turds polished to a high gloss. This may be more relevant to music outside of SA, but just as you can't label all SA music is brilliant, all of it is not shit either.

ELIZA DAY No. I don't think so at all. I don't really think bands belong to their country anymore. They more belong to the world because everyone can hear them.

Nothing is boring.

words: Eliza Day | DISAPPEAR HERE | Better Red than Ded

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DISAPPEAR HERE “The music was loud and noisy and sound bounced off every wall.

It was totally awesome. For a little bit afterwards I felt like everything was ringing...”

R

emember when you were a teenager and songs had this uncanny tendency to lyrically mimic whatever weird drama or issue or even good situation you were going through? Those times were the best…

Do you still feel that way? Like, when you’re in your late twenties and you meet your next real BF/GF at some dinner party where there are a lot of couples and everyone has stopped trying to be different and more accessible somehow and the song playing in the background - does that stay with you forever like it did before?

When you were fifteen and The Libertines or Destiny’s Child was on and you meet and you both like that track and you talk about it and its cool or feels real. I dunno. Maybe.

Maybe not.

Back then, you lived in the moment, for the day, for Friday night and that urgency, the ‘now, now, now’ impatient haze all over you made it all seem… so important. The weird sense of how you didn’t really know what was happening ever, because you’d never done anything like that before. It made you feel like you might ‘Disappear Here,’ any moment like a washed-out airhead from a Bret Easton Ellis novel. That would be that and it would be awesome because you’d burnt out rather than fizzled out.

I went to a really great party in Cape Town recently at Clarkes.

Make Overs had road tripped all the way to us in the Western Cape to promote their awesome new album and red plastic LP release. Everyone was sitting on the floor or standing and rocking out in the back room area where there were half pipes and blonde girls selling beer in cups. The music was loud and noisy and sound bounced off every wall. It was totally awesome.

For a little bit afterwards I felt like everything was ringing and my friend told me that by standing next to the speakers, I had burnt off a bunch of cilia in my ears and would never hear that pitch again. I really liked that not because I’m into being deaf but because for the first time in ages it felt like that song would stay with me forever, just like Hit Me Baby, Fuck Forever and Red Right Hand always would.

It’s summer, finally. Even if part of Bree Street collapsed the other day because it rained so hard. I think

if you need to figure out a few ways to burn your cilia off and have a really great time this season, there is a lot going on that you can get into.

First of all, the arcade/arcadia aesthetic and tone of Gateway Drugs (actually, the name too, now that I think about it) is more fun than most can handle. You should go to their gigs. Also check out Isaac Mutant. He sounds scary and amazing and like he leaves an impression.

Anyway, I just discovered this amazing movement online called ‘alt lit.’ I guess I’m kind of late to the mark because it’s been around for over a year but it’s important to share things that move you and this does and I hope you check it out.

It’s relevant to what I’m talking about. And it’s relevant to you if you’re like me and like feeling things that are real and change you a tiny bit.

According to Josh Spilker, alt lit is a fairly new form of literature, centred on and/or drawing from the internet, internet culture and "a population of people that are connected with one another through their interest in the online publishing world" and also real life, sometimes.

It is made up of music, art, prose, poetry and all kinds of stuff but the most important thing about it all - or at least what I get from it - is that it makes you want to do something real.

Make something beautiful before you are dead is a weird song/thing by Steve Roggenbuck who I think might have Tourette syndrome. I hope you enjoy it and feel weird and different and real and you want to do something beautiful before you are dead.

This is the link: http://www.youtube.com/wat ch?v=0bR6uOsDn-Q

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Feature | SIX WINTERS & SEVEN SUMMERS | words: Johann M Smith

“Regardless of what you do with your life or how you make a living, you are always going to go through similar growing pains to what everyone else goes through.”

SIX WINTERS & SEVEN SUMMERS

S

omeone once said in order to find foreign land a sailor must be willing to part with the shore for a very long time. If that’s true, Laurie Levine seems to have found a place to drop her anchor. Her latest album is a newfound testament and the result of good change.

Titled Border Crossing, the 11 track offering is a step in a new direction, not literally but emotionally. The songstress, who once performed sad ballads, has become a proud adventurous soul. And if we were to trust Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, she’s found her sunshine - and with it comes a new gospel groove.

We get to chat on a hot Johannesburg day. She’s just wrapped up a recording of Kings of Leon’s Use Somebody - a cover she performs with fellow touring partner Josie Field. She explains to me that she’s on her way to go take a swim. Sounds like the life, doesn’t it?

For the most part the new Laurie seems more honest and completely comfortable in her own skin. There’s no doubt, she’s been there done that.

“I wanted to get in touch with a different side of myself. I felt like it was time to step outside the comfort zone of Six Winters [her critically acclaimed 2011 album], and broaden my perspective musically and lyrically. So I started to seek inspiration beyond folk with influences like soul and rock. I wanted to have a big band sound, with horn sections, backing vocals and a driving rhythm section.”

The overall outcome is something Mark Ronson could possibly dig, but unlike Amy Winehouse, this proudly South African singer-songwriter appears hell bent on keeping her own brand of coyness intact.

Like her contemporaries, Laurie is part of a certain group that exists semioutside of the usual music industry inhabited by hipsters, punks, DJs and indie bands. Basically, don’t expect her to perform at the Assembly or Arcade Fire this Friday evening.

“I largely cater to a slightly older crowd, but luckily enough, there are many other musicians who do as well. As a result, small pockets of venues have started opening around the country to cater to this need. The audiences for these kinds of musicians are increasing.”

These musicians Laurie refers to are a growing unit of like-minded guitar toting artists in South Africa. Many have shared the stage or collaborated with her, and together they’ve slowly but surely become a movement - instead of becoming drab singled out singers in weird bars and family friendly festivals.

“There is definitely some kind of singer songwriter scene happening in South Africa. It includes musicians like Nibs Van Der Spuy, Shotgun Tori, The Hinds Brothers, Guy Buttery, Joshua Grierson and Frankie Beagle amongst others.”

Laurie also humbly admits that some are her heroes. “I am inspired by Nibs Van Der Spuy and Guy Buttery they have made great careers for themselves and have worked very hard to achieve what they have. They have

also managed to kick-start their careers in different parts of the world.”

By most accounts, the Fellside, Gauteng raised girl seems to have hit her big stride. Her long-time producer Dan Roberts has noted with excitement that he loves the new up-tempo direction. It’s also worth noting she’s in love and owns a dog who sat with her through the entire recording experience.

Whether this picture perfect ending will last forever doesn’t matter, for the moment it’s all that it needs to be. For everything else there’s the blues. I humbly ask Laurie what’s her advice and if she thinks reality reflects art and art reality.

“Regardless of what you do with your life or how you make a living, you are always going to go through similar growing pains to what everyone else goes through. The music industry hardens or toughens you up a little bit, but you will always tap into the universal experience of being a human being with a kaleidoscope of stories, experiences and emotions.”

Unsurprisingly she’s not bothered with any silly new year’s resolutions at the moment. She explains that she’s looking forward to spending a bit more time with her guitar this holiday, when she takes a road trip with her significant other. But as always, be sure to keep an eye on the press - there’s always a tour in Laurie’s near future. laurie.levine.98 @Laurie_Levine

8

Feature | SHADOWCLUB: THE ROAD WARRIORS ARE BACK! | words: Sergio Pereira | Photos: Justin McGee

SHADOWCLUB

THE ROAD WARRIORS ARE BACK!

R

eputations are always difficult to shake off. For Shadowclub’s Jacques Moolman and Isaac Klawansky, their wild history as Airship Orange is a hot topic - even if it’s a (air)ship that has sailed many moons ago - however, they’re determined more than ever to prove that they’ve finally left behind the rowdy days and grown up. As a matter of fact, Shadowclub’s new album title, Goodbye Wild Child, is their way of saying sayonara to the past.

Goodbye Wild Child “To be honest, we had literally fifty different options for names. I tried to think of something that was relevant to all three of us - in terms of where we are in our lives right now, what we’ve been through over the last two years - since

“I don’t think genres die; there will always be rock ‘n’ roll …” the release of Guns and Money - and being on the road and that crazy life.

We’ve all matured a hell of a lot; we’ve kind of settled down and grown up.

[Goodbye Wild Child] is a wave goodbye to our crazy past and things that happened; it has different meaning to each one of us, but that’s the theme that brings it all together,” says Isaac.

So, does this newfound maturity also apply to the band’s sound on their latest album?

“Definitely,” Isaac declares. “The sound has matured as well. At the base

of the songs, there’s still the essence of Shadowclub, which is the live tracking and just getting in there and busting out a whole bunch of songs, but on top of that, there are a lot more layers of different instruments - guitars, vocals, percussion it’s way more textured and mature in sound.”

Feeling the Pressure Their debut album, Guns and Money, was a runaway success, ensuring that Shadowclub accelerated its way to the top tier of the local rock scene. However, with so many musicians experiencing the proverbial ‘sophomore slump,’ where their second albums fail to meet the extraordinary high expectations of their debuts, things must’ve been tense in the Shadowclub camp.

9

“The only pressure that we’ve felt was when it came time to actually making more music. The first album was very easy; the songs came out in the first three or four weeks of the band actually starting. There was no pressure at all; we were just having fun. We had these songs, started playing shows, people loved them, and we recorded them and that was the album. It was very simple.

After that, we went on the road for about eighteen months solid, and we weren’t writing songs. So, to get out of that headspace and then into rehearsals and trying to make another album, there was a lot of pressure there.”

“We went into a spare cottage at Louis’ [Roux, bassist] mom’s old house, and we locked ourselves in there, every single day, from nine in the morning until four or five. We made it our mission to go in there every day and make new music.

The first half-day was a bit daunting, but as soon as ideas started flowing and tracks came out, it was like water under the bridge and became simple again,” Isaac states.

“We’re totally happy with what’s come out. Personally, I say it’s a better album [than Guns and Money], but we’ll see what the response will be like.”

Just Music Considering it’s well-documented that Just Music artists are dominating the iTunes charts, I light-heartedly ask Isaac if he thinks Karl Anderson (JM’s head honcho) will be mad with anything less than #1 from Shadowclub.

“I hope not,” Isaac chuckles. “We would obviously love for that to happen we have a strategy for the release, and we’re going to push it as hard as possible - but I don’t think he’ll be mad. I remember when we first started speaking to him, and he signed the band, he said, ‘If you guys sell more than 200 copies in South Africa, I’ll be happy.’ I think he just loves the music and the band, and wants to release it. First and foremost, he’s a fan of music, and that’s why he does what he does - and that’s why Just Music does so well, because they’re passionate about their artists.”

Reports of Rock’s Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated But can a rock band really do well in South Africa now? With MK being pulled off television and commercial radio stations treating rock like it’s a leprous bastard, many have declared that rock is truly dead and buried in South Africa. Yet, Isaac disagrees.

“I don’t think genres die; there will always be rock ‘n’ roll. Everything goes through cycles. There will be a band that’s maybe known for being in a genre, and people will immediately think that the genre is now alive and kicking again, which isn’t true, because there’s tons... there’s always rock ‘n’ roll happening, there’s always dance, there’s always everything.”

On the Road Again...

Goodbye Wild Child, which is mastered

by Brian Lucey [The Black Keys, Jane’s Addiction, Arctic Monkeys] once again, will be released in December, clearly not leaving a great deal of time for Shadowclub to do much in 2013. So, in concluding our chat, I ask Isaac what are the band’s plans for 2014.

“Yeah, that’s a good question,” Isaac laughs. “Obviously, we’re now fully focused on the release of Goodbye Wild Child. It has been a long time coming, and we’re going to push it like crazy.

What we like to do is to release an album, and then tour it hard, everywhere, exposing it to as many people as possible. The beginnings of that are the summer tour, which is starting on the 7th of December. We’re going on the road, and then carrying on doing that for a while, until we’ve reached as many people as we can and sold as many albums as we can. We have a strategy for what singles we’re going to release and when. The first single Melanielectriclove is out now; we’re going to let it do its thing for a couple of months, and then go with the next one and take it from there.

At some point, we also want to start doing shows abroad; we don’t have any concrete plans to do it yet, but it’s going to happen soon.”

Read our review of Goodbye Wild Child on Pg. 34.

ShadowclubFanPage @shadowclub

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FEATURE | KILLSWITCH ENGAGE IN SOUTH AFRICA: THE END OF LOCAL METALHEADS' HEARTACHE | words: Sergio Pereira

KILLSWITCH ENGAGE IN SOUTH AFRICA THE END OF LOCAL METALHEADS’ HEARTACHE

“I'd really love to - if I have time - go to Nelson Mandela's prison cell. I admire that man and the whole story behind him fighting for apartheid to be over....”

M

etalheads are a fickle bunch.

Put them online and the internet quickly turns into their Kryptonite. Yet, when RAMfest announced that metalcore maestros Killswitch Engage would be headlining in 2014, the trolls sat back, swallowed their Haterade, and frantically clicked “like” on the screen.

In Due Time You see, it’s impossible to hate Killswitch Engage; there’s just something about this band that says these dudes are in it for the genuine love of music.

Appreciating the sincerity and positivity, South African fans have religiously supported the Massachusetts five-piece for over a decade now. In fact, I’d go as far as saying that Killswitch Engage is one of the most beloved metal bands in South Africa.

Jesse Leach, lead vocalist of KsE, is surprised by this revelation. When I tell him that I still see a ton of Alive or Just Breathing shirts at local metal gigs, he proudly states, “That’s cool.”

Even though Jesse only rejoined the band early last year - after having left back in 2002 - I still put him on the spot by asking the question that everyone wants to know the answer to: why did it take the band so long to come to South Africa?

“That’s a good question. I know that a lot of times with tours and booking, it has to do with booking agents and promoters. So, I guess the timing just happened to be right after all these years.”

Trivium and KsE’s Brotherly Love Touring a new country can be exciting, and sometimes daunting, as you don’t really know what to expect. Undoubtedly, Killswitch’s visit is made easier by the addition of fellow Roadrunner Records brethren, Trivium, to the RAMfest bill.

“Yeah, we love those guys. They’re sort of a ‘little brother’ band; I’ve known those guys for many years. I toured with them back when I was in a band called Seemless as well. So, I’ve got to watch them grow up as a band, which is cool.

They’re good guys,” Jesse declares.

So, since he’s known them for many years, he must have funny stories about Trivium, which they probably wouldn’t want him to reveal to me - right?

“No, but if I did, and they didn’t want me to tell you, I wouldn’t tell you, because they’re my friends,” Jesse laughs wholeheartedly.

Hints of their RAMfest Setlist?

The critical reception for Killswitch Engage’s sixth studio album, Disarm the Descent, which was released in April, has been generally positive from critics and fans alike - but just how have the songs fared in the live arena.

“Yeah, it has been great,” Jesse says. “We’ll rotate songs in and out from the record, and see which ones do well and which ones need some work - but for the most part, people are singing along and know the words. In Due Time gets a great response; The Turning Point [too]; and we just started to play Always as well - so it’s cool to see a response in

people.”

Is there a personal favourite from Disarm the Descent that Jesse enjoys singing? “Probably New Awakening. It’s very aggressive and just translates really well live, and the crowd seems to get into it. Very high energy song.”

As we inevitably veer back to the topic of RAMfest, Jesse explains what sort of setlist the fans can expect. “We’re going to do a mixture of everything. A mixture of some old stuff, some Alive or Just Breathing, and some stuff off our new record. We want to appeal to all our listeners... all the songs. So, I don’t think we’ll stick to just one particular record.”

Downtime in Africa Obviously, while he is out here on tour, Jesse would like to see a bit of South Africa, too. Concluding our chat, he tells me what his sightseeing plans are.

“Yeah, there are a few things that I’d love to see, [such as] some of the wildlife, but also I’d really love to - if I have time - go to Nelson Mandela’s prison cell. I admire that man and the whole story behind him fighting for apartheid to be over. So, that’s definitely something of interest to me. If we are not connecting this tour to another, I am going to stay and do some travelling, but it all depends on our tour schedule... I’ve always wanted to go to Africa.” killswitchengage @kseofficial

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Q ‘n A | GIVAN LOTZ AND THE STATE OF AFFAIRS | words: Mickdotcom

GIVAN LOTZ

AND THE STATE OF AFFAIRS “INDEPENDENT MUSIC IS PRO-ACTIVE, ADVENTUROUS BY DEFINITION. WHAT TENDS TO END UP ON SO-CALLED MAJOR LABELS IS USUALLY RE-ACTIVE...”

N

ot intent on becoming a household name in this universe, enigmatic auteur Lotz has been creating highly fascinating ripples in corners of curious ponds.

Since the hushed release of his debut Easy Now in 2009, he has mesmerized entire audiences with single strums of his musicianship. We caught up with him following his recent signing to the Stateside 'Other Electricities' label, to ponder space and time.

Your debut, Easy Now, was published

by Jaunted Haunts Press, headed by Righard Kapp. How did this come about?

I cannot remember exactly how Righard and I met but we ended up swapping albums. It was 2009 and he had just released the beautiful Strung Like a Compound Eye on his label. I had on hand one self-packaged copy of Easy Now, which, at that point, I did not see as a suitable debut.

He liked it though, and convinced me to have it form part of the already impressive Jaunted Haunts Press catalogue. I think we worked well together because we have a similar approach or temperament. Sometimes we meet people that help us to solidify an uncertain potential. This is Righard.

Most of the more stimulating and adventurous music’s from our shores, over the course of the last eight years or so, have garnered attention independently, without major Label backing. What are the pros and cons of going indie?

Artists drawn to figuring out their own internal logic are more inclined to doing things themselves, rather than relying on outside validation. The emphasis in this scenario is on the music, as opposed to the ‘let’s-get-signed-and-become-reallyrich-and-famous-with-our-crowdpleasing-din’ strategy, which has very little to do with music, and is ultimately a bottomless pit of sheer disappointment.

Independent music is pro-active, adventurous by definition. What tends to end up on so-called major labels is usually re-active - an outcome of some sort of market study with 14-year old girls as the focus group. One supposed pro of major labelling is getting unimpeded access to a studio with a dedicated producer.

But what tends to happen is that said producer bulldozes any and all exciting ideas in favour of their stale tried-and-tested-radio-friendly-hack-work.

In short - adventurous, lasting music comes from an internal personal place that is not overly concerned with placating a general audience and, as a result, stays independent.

What excites you about the current musical landscape in SA? The exciting part is that there are constantly new stimulating bands forming all over the country. What is sad is that many of these bands disappear before they’ve fully realised their worth.

I sense a common factor among great musicians such as Righard Kapp, Make Overs, Ampersand, Julian Redpath, David Baudains, Bateleur, Ola Kobak, Jacob Israel and João Orecchia (I’m missing some). They have a singleminded drive - they persevere happily.

Music is an integrated part of their lives, not just a cool, fashionable hobby. They are seeking and will find things few ever do. This is immensely fulfilling (for them) and inspiring (for me).

Your sprawling 4-disc new release, SNARL, led to you being signed to Miami's 'Independent Electricities' label.

How did this come about?

João Orecchia, who’s Motel Mari band is on Other Electricities, has been a friend of mine for some time now. He enjoyed the new music I was sharing with him and decided to send it to Emile from OE. She liked it and after some discussion, we decided to release a redux (1 album) version of SNARL as SNARLING before the end of the year.

Any forthcoming projects/ touring via Independent Electricities you can tell us about?

Just finished a soundtrack for a 1932 Danish film called VAMPYR, with A Hollow In the Land (Ola Kobak & Jacob Israel). We perform it live in quadraphonics and will be taking it to Prins Albert end November. It’s quite special. I’ll also be playing a handful of small SA shows early next year to inaugurate the SNARLING album, but my main focus is writing and recording. I’m busy working on new guitar-based material for recording next year.

Stripped down, almost classical in nature, the new material offers further refinement of the type of sound I’m obsessed with - ever closer to the personal musical shorthand I’m seeking. givan.lotz.music givan

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Band Q ‘n A | BASTILLE: BRITAIN’S NEWEST SAVIOURS | words: Johann M Smith

BASTILLE BRITIAN'S NEWEST SAVIOURS W

hen you consider things from Bastille’s point of view, life is pretty sweet. The numbers speak for themselves.

Since starting out in 2010 the English band’s Facebook count has clocked up 825 990 likes, their highest YouTube hitter is their track Pompeii at 47 million views, and just as it was announced that they were touring South Africa tickets sold-out. To top it all off, Nokia and 5FM are putting down the money for the tour - proving that the boys at the top do have real taste after all. Their reality is as sweet as candy.

But the good news doesn’t stop.

Their supporting acts on SA shores includes Just Music’s saintly folk star Matthew Mole, Francois van Coke favourite Beatenberg and Bed On Bricks who are making a comeback after a three-year hiatus to celebrate 10 years of being together as a band.

Bastille is definitely not resting on their laurels. Since it was confirmed they’ll be heading to African shores on 2 September they announced a new US tour; released a film in which they discover Europe’s cultural ingredients with gin maker Beefeater; featured on BBC 1 for their performance during Children In Need Rocks; dropped a new EP (Of The Night); hit number 1 on the UK singles chart with EP title track; and as you’re about to find out - been working on a new a double album.

Not long after the announcement that you were coming to South Africa, tickets went out of stock in a matter of days and another date was added. How does it feel to be flattered by South Africans?

Really amazing. Such a strange thing to

“OUR DRUMMER KYLE [SIMMONS] ONCE BROKE INTO GLASTONBURY AS WE WERE PLAYING BUT DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH PASSES. HE HAD TO SNEAK IN INSIDE A SOFA IN THE BACK OF A VAN. PRETTY WILD RIGHT?” have sell-out shows in a country we have never visited before.

Naturally with there being such high anticipation, what can we expect from your show? And what will be on the set list?

We have a few new songs with guitar which we have never used before. Also we have some really cool cinematic projections. The live set is fairly faithful to the record only it’s a little tougher.

You’ve played a few high-profile slots around the world, including Glastonbury. What has been the highlight of your touring career thus far?

Either Glastonbury or supporting Muse.

Glastonbury is one of those gigs all musicians dream of playing when they are kids so probably that would take the top spot. The Muse shows were amazing however. It’s a close call…

Other than playing Cape Town and Johannesburg, what are you personally looking forward to when you visit our sunny shores?

We are going on safari which is obviously going to be amazing. Also we hear that SA is breathtakingly beautiful.

You’re not wrong, it is indeed. Since starting in 2010, you’ve gone on to achieve much acclaim. Do you feel that you represent a new wave or trend in the unknowing future of so-called rock music?

Not really, we just make music we like and are so lucky other people like it as well. We are not trying to change anything really.

Your debut has gone on to become one of the top 10 selling albums of the year.

But as the saying goes, you get a lifetime to make your first album - a second has to follow sooner rather than later. Apart from your 6 track offering Of The Night, hearsay has it that you have another release coming out soon?

We’ve been working hard on our second album [that was released on the 15th of November]. But we also have a double album coming out in December that is a two disc set. The first is Bad Blood and the second is a mix of new and unreleased songs of ours and covers from the two mixtapes we made last year.

Lastly, do us a favour: give us a raucous rock ‘n’ roll anecdote.

Our drummer Kyle [Simmons] once broke into Glastonbury as we were playing but didn’t have enough passes.

He had to sneak in inside a sofa in the back of a van. Pretty wild right?

Catch Bastille live: Kirstenbosch - Cape Town 10 January Emmarentia Dam - Johannesburg 11 January bastilleuk

@BASTILLEdan

16

jezebel's VPL | A NEW VEIN | words & image: © jezebel

jezebel’s VPL

A NEW VEIN

Skating. Surfing. Guitars. Patrick is a real son of the sun.

I

“

’m a bit of a mess,” he says, looking at his hands. It’s not a confession; it’s a preoccupation with a canvas and paintbrushes.

Bright orange paint stains hide whatever chord-playing calluses Mr McCay’s fingers may have. The frontman of my favourite new-but-not band has a Five FM hit, a voice like Caleb Followill (sans the angst) and he’s branching out creatively as spring gives way to the summer we deserve.

We took the puzzle of the artist apart over coffee and found that it takes longer than 2 minutes because… well, it depends on your philosophy.

Patrick : I started guitar very late, when I was 22. A lot of good musicians start in their teens. jezebel : So there’s a technical ability by their late 20s, early 30s like you, but I wonder if there’s the emotional depth that gives cadence to songwriting. You certainly seem to have a knack.

I’m trying to unlearn all the things I was taught. I believe that there should be a lot more emphasis on letting people be themselves and be creative: teaching you how to flow with yourself. A lot of the people that I respect creatively and musically are mature artists, like Alexander Ebert (Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros), Joshua Tillman (Father John Misty) and Matthew Houck (Phosphorescent).

Could; ‘should’ is not a good word.

You were evidently also blessed with a positive attitude which is more valuable than all the assets in the world; attitude balances experience.

Changing the cognitive processes in your brain that you’ve learnt over the years - patterns of self-destruction and self-sabotage - changing it into a positive groove so that you start thinking ‘yes I can’ - I’m totally into that. I’m very in touch with my female energy.

I can see that on stage.

I read all these self-help books that my sister gives me. By Louise L Hay. Affirmations, positive thinking. My friends laugh at me.

She has a point, though. The subconscious is non-discerning. It believes whatever you tell it. And if you constantly let your self-criticism inform your subconscious, you end up pulling yourself down. Rather build yourself up.

It’s very new age, as my mom would say.

channels and we are channels and this is a process of connecting.

The reason I ask you is because I don’t know what it’s connecting me to, but I can feel it. Two Minute Puzzle wouldn’t be what it is without Andrew (Winer).

He’s the backbone. He’s a genius in his own right. A great producer. Multiinstrumentalist. Keys, bass, drum machines. Working with him has been awesome. He and I are so different – polar opposites. I write the tunes; he writes the synth, melodies and accompaniments. That’s kinda why it works, it’s like the yin and the yang.

It’s also resonance. The physicists have proven to us that resonance is a reality. It depends on how you want to work it. My question is : what’s music’s role in this?

Can I ask YOU a question? What do you feel that music connects YOU with? The universe, other realms? Is it grounding? What is that connection?

Following the flow and seeking balance in his bubbling creativity, the man they call the foghorn is going country behind the scenes, so watch out for his full band, his solo material and maybe an art exhibition in the near future, and remember what you read about him in jezebel’s ‘Vivacious Platinum Liberace’ as he puts it.

It connects me with my own feelings, and to a wider presence that we are all part of. Which is why we worship musicians (mistakenly), I guess, instead of recognising that they are

www.twominutepuzzle.com www.facebook.com/twominutepuzzle

Imported and Distributed by

www.audiosure.co.za

Imported and Distributed by

www.audiosure.co.za

20

Feature | FOKOFPOLISIEKAR: A DECADE IN THE SUN | words: Johann M Smith

FOKOFPOLISIEKAR A DECADE IN THE SUN

D

ie revolusie is verby. The revolution is over. And the story of how we came here is as well-known as a fairy tale or a favourite Bible scripture. Five dudes fucking around with the idea of an Afrikaans punk band. What sounded like a joke became legendary. The end.

But now we come to that question: is it truly over? Or, as the harsher critic would mutter, who gives a fuck?

At the age of ten, Fokofpolisiekar still don’t. Sitting outside the Daily Deli on a bright hill in Tamboerskloof, Cape Town, the sun sets over Bellville’s iconic Tygerberg. The apt setting becomes the background in one of many possible interviews on their decade anniversary.

Hunter has brought with him a pack of LPs from Roastin’ Records. AC/DC breaks the ice and eventually the conversation lands on MK - who recently went off air in celebratory fashion by playing Skyn (Heilig).

They laugh half guilty. “We didn’t

“To have been around a decade is weird... Kids who were ten years old when we started are now twenty.

We’ve practically been around their whole lives. How do you take stock of that? It’s freaky dude.” watch it. We heard it was the last song, via Twitter. But hey we were kinda there not physically, but on screen anyway.”

The bad boys from Bellville no doubt believe that MK switching off air is bad for music’s general influence. They humbly explain. “We’re not in people’s living rooms anymore. It’s a heavy knock, especially for bands and people living in places like Welkom and Bethlehem where bands don’t exist. How the fuck do you reach them now?”

As a journalist, the one thing you will notice immediately about Fokof during an interview is that they’ve done this a lot.

Everything goes like clockwork with a perfect blend of rock star attitude and

that salt-of-the-earth friendliness the press adores.

Francois’ social etiquette is especially admirable. He won’t answer the phone and in the unlikely event when he does, he kindly asks if he can be excused and he will (without a doubt) always apologise when he returns.

Despite what you might have heard, their mothers’ raised them right.

But now at the average age of 30something, do the members feel they’ve achieved what they set out to do?

“We wanted [Fokof] to be a stepping stone for our future. A springboard for doing anything else we wanted. And we got that part right. Yes, we were never major sellers. We never even had a gold album, or anything similar for that matter.

As we started, that whole college networking sharing trend kicked off.

Which we never had a problem with, because everybody who came to our shows knew the lyrics. And what’s better than that?”

21

They confess it would have been great if there was no file-sharing nation especially for their pockets. And who can blame them? The one particular aspect of Fokofpolisiekar that every band can envy is how they fit so perfectly within a (sometimes cheesy and uncool) proudly South African landscape. Apart from your regular music media, Fokof have penetrated culture across the board from appearing in Huisgenoot, to featuring on Carte Blanche, to being interviewed intimately by Kyknet’s Rian van Heerden, they’ve boldly gone beyond the expected boundaries of SA band fame.

Case and point: “The first time we toured Pretoria this one ou told us that he made us famous - because, as he explained very sweetly and without guilt, he cuts everybody a Fokof CD. What could we say? We laughed about it. What an asshole.”

Strangely the topic of being culture gods is however an awkward subject for them. “It’s weird to think of ourselves as a voice of a generation. It feels that people like to label us as icons because it fills up great space in their magazines.

[At this point Francois looks me dead in the eye with smile]. We just don’t know how serious we can take that whole voice of generation blah blah. We just wanted to play music for ourselves and the people that listen to it.”

“We just don’t know how serious we can take that whole voice of generation blah blah. We just wanted to play music for ourselves and the people that listen to it.”

The case with a long-running band is how we never consider it from their point of view, and how the future often ends up as weird and wonderful as Keith Richards warning his attractive daughter not to take drugs. Or as they eloquently explain: “To have been around a decade is weird if you think about it. Kids who were ten years old when we started are now twenty. We’ve practically been around their whole lives. How do you take stock of that? It’s freaky dude.”

But the more things change the more they stay the same. “The coolest thing by far is playing in places like Klein Libertas, where you’ll see first year students coming to watch Fokof for the first time and they dig it fucked up. They really surprise us.”

Ironically, their party antics have taken a bit of backseat. Some of us have just stopped drinking, again. “Everybody asks do we party less now. And to answer them: it’s not that weird being the most fucked-up guy on the dance floor when you’re 23, but when you’re thirty plus you look like an idiot.”

Sad but true. So is this the end? It’s a question only you and I - the so-called fans - can answer. Fortunately for now there is still a summer tour, a limited edition As Jy Met Vuur Speel vinyl release, and a live DVD to purchase (or pirate if you live in Pretoria).

After asking me what time this feature will be published, they give way to telling me that a new single should be out ‘round about the time you read this sentence. It will be available for free download and the working title is Afrika.

If you attended Oppikoppi earlier this year, you should have also heard a draft version of another song they’re also currently polishing.

Real question is will there be another album? “We want to fucking do it. And yes, we have asked ourselves will it still be worth it? Are we still relevant?

And most importantly, why are we going to do it? In the end we’ll probably just go fuck it, let’s do it. We’re always going to be white Afrikaners, so our viewpoints will no doubt come from there. And to party or not to party will always be a part of it. But it’s never planned out.”

Just the way we like it.

Fokofpolisiekarband @Fokofband

22

Legends of Music | GARY NUMAN | words: Paul Blom

"I have seen so many people get crushed and spat out by the emotional pressures of fame, or the lack of it.”

GARY NUMAN

D

uring the height of the Punk era, Gary Numan inadvertently spearheaded a new genre, blending Rock and Synthesizers for a new wave of Pop. His Tubeway Army band was recording their debut album in 1978, and in the studio he discovered a synth, which changed his life and musical direction virtually on the spot.

This led to immortal songs and hits, like Are Friends Electric and Cars, covered and sampled by a wide range of alternative and pop artists (from Fear Factory to Sugababes).

Music is an amazing time machine Cars immediately takes me back to my early-teens. For Numan, that triggers his roots via The Monkees and T-Rex. "Whenever I hear I'm A Believer I'm taken back to when I was about 8. We had a group in our street miming to Monkees records in people's houses for sweet money. I was Mike Nesmith. Later I remember hearing Ride A White Swan

by T-Rex and that signalled a far more serious desire to join a real band and make music my life. So many songs take you to different times in your life, good and bad. Music documents moments of your life in a very powerful way.”

The last decade's advances have taken music into a new era. As one of the forerunners of technologically infused music, Numan perceives it like this: "It has made the tools for creating music more accessible, but still needs people with talent to create good songs with those tools, though. The Internet has changed the way people access music, the way artists communicate with fans, how we sell and promote. Although

much of what's happened has been damaging, it has also created new opportunities that simply weren't there before.”

Independent of tech evolution, Gary has had some amazing career milestones, but also disappointments.

"The number one singles and albums have been great milestones; having songs covered by really cool people like Foo Fighters, Nine Inch Nails; I got the Mojo [magazine] 'Inspiration' award recently. The lowest point would be 1992. I mistakenly put out Machine + Soul - I had massive debts, no record deal, literally couldn't give tickets away... I was all but dead and buried.”

But resurrection is a fascinating thing, something Numan has done brilliantly, his amazing new album Splinter is testament to that (reviewed in the previous Muse issue).

Music is a living, breathing symbiotic entity. Current artists citing his music as influencing them include Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), musicians with strong Industrial foundations. Numan was inarguably a forerunner of the genre.

"I have a feeling the Industrial element was there in embryonic form. I guess that was why so many talked about me as being an influence. After 92 I went back to making music for the love of it and shook off my commercial shackles. The music was immediately darker and heavier. I'm a fan of Manson and NIN just as much as they have been of me, so I suppose we have fed each other at different times.”

Numan experienced all kinds of music industry configurations over the

decades, from external labels to creating his own. Is the new DIY approach the way to go for independent artists, I ask?

"The label can still play a pivotal role, but my heart lies along the independent artist path. To retain ownership and control of your own work is surely what we should all demand and expect? It was always weird to me that I paid to record my albums but the record label owned them. How did that ever come to be normal practice?”

"I love being my own boss, forging and controlling my own life and career. I got fucked over and let down by labels so many times I've lost count...”

Gary is believed to have a form of Aspergers Syndrome, which may assist his creativity within a balance of emotion and expression.

"I see it as a very useful character quirk for giving me the obsessive degree of focus and determination that has been very helpful many times throughout my career. I've never seen Aspergers as a handicap. I'm not good at social interaction - so what?”

"I have seen so many people get crushed and spat out by the emotional pressures of fame, or the lack of it.

Sometimes, being emotionally challenged is a very desirable thing to be.”

After decades of ups and downs, the legendary Gary Numan is still an extremely relevant artist with a musical catalogue hardly devoid of emotional stimulus.

Check out his new album and you’re sure to agree.

26

Music News | INSIDE THE MACHINE | words: Johann M Smith

Inside the MACHINE LINKIN PARK VEER TO THE FAR LEFT WITH NEW ELECTRONIC REMIX

E

lectronic music is something nu-metal survivors Linkin Park have often expressed a deep love for. Their latest offering sees them risking their recent No.1 seller Living Things in the hands of several producers and DJs for a bold new interpretation titled Recharged.

The 13-tracker features remixed delights from Datsik, Killsonic, Enferno, Pusha T and even renowned heavy weight Rick Rubin. In a recent interview with MTV’s James Montgomery, frontman Chester Bennington commented that he and his band mates see it less of a reinvention and more of a logical

ZANZIBAR TO EXPORT SEVERAL BIG ACTS TO KNYSNA As most music fans who are residents of Knysna know, live gigs are not that easy to be found.

Fortunately Knysna’s longest running live venue, Zanzibar, has you covered. This summer sees them lining up several big names throughout December. Highlights on their gig guide include Taxi Violence (17th December), ShortStraw (21st Dec), Van Coke Kartel (29th Dec) and – for the more eclectic rock fan – an epic NYE party starring an electronic favourite Sibot and his special light show with resident VJ and girlfriend, Toyota. Check local listings and online channels for details.

FOR MORE: facebook.com/ZanzibarKnysna |

extension of their two previous albums.

"I think any of our songs lend themselves well to being remixed; I think it just comes down to being inspired to do it. There were some moments on the last record where we kind of felt like we had come full circle," he said. "We've established this identity of being a genreless band, and so we figured we could take that even a bit further.”

If the heavy rotation of lead track and new single A Light That Never Comes (featuring EDM mastermind Steve Aoki) and several million YouTube hits is anything to go by, they’ve hit a sweet spot. If you like the sound of it, get it on iTunes or in major music stores.

FOR MORE: linkinpark.comith us in the first place.”

OLD MUTUAL SUMMER CONCERTS ANNOUNCE KIRSTENBOSCH DATES & SEVERAL HEAVY HITTERS For its 22nd year Old Mutual Summer Concerts is proudly hosting a stellar line-up of fan favourites and heavy hitters this holiday season. Featured attractions include Mango Groove (22 Dec), Parlotones (5 Jan), Johnny Clegg (19 Jan),

Fokofpolisiekar (2 Feb) and Desmond & The Tutus alongside new indie stars ShortStraw (23 March). Expect to pay R120 (for adults) and R85 (for under 21 year olds).

For the full list check go to museonline.co.za or visit the channels below.

FOR MORE: facebook.com/Old-MutualKirstenbosch-Summer-SunsetConcerts

27 Photo: Eduan Kitching

Cape Town’s City Hall - attracts a multicultural audience from all spheres of the African music community and their respective field and areas.

FOR MORE: breathesunshineconference.com

Hits and Pits tour with two songs left in the set Mike V comes onstage, stares me down, takes my mic and says, 'You're done, party's over, get off it's over...'” You can read the full deleted post on music site exclaim.ca.

ANIMALS AS LEADERS IN STUDIO FOR FORTHCOMING ALBUM

INTERNATIONAL ACTS COMING TO SA: A RECAP Not a month has gone by without another international act being announced South Africa. It’s time to review the list and figure out how we will be spending our hard earned cash. In chronological order: new English favourites Bastille land in Cape Town on the 10th of January, supporting acts include Matthew Mole, Beatenberg and (believe it) Bed On Bricks (tickets R365); Ramfest are importing Killswitch Engage, Asking Alexandria, Lamb of God and Biffy Clyro (tickets R650 on 2nd phase and R700 on 3rd phase); Dan Patlansky is set to support the one and only Bruce Springsteen in Joburg on 11th January and Cape Town on 28th to 29th January (tickets R550 - R990); Johnny Clegg will join legendary guitarist Carlos Santana in Cape Town on 25th to 26th February and in Joburg on 1st March (tickets R350 R1030); and lastly, Eminem’s Rapture Tour will make a stop in Cape Town from 26th February and Joburg on 1st March (tickets R350 - R1250). Other than Ramfest, enjoy making a tough decision.

BREATHE SUNSHINE AFRICAN MUSIC CONFERENCE SHIFTS INTO SECOND GEAR Here’s some good news for those of us who like staying informed on important matters regarding the state of the South African music industry. The second Breathe Sunshine African Music Conference has proudly been announced. The 2 day event - set to take place from the 14th to 15th of February at

Following on the recent visit of frontman Tosin Abasi (thanks Ibanez), comes news of a new Animals As Leaders album.

According to internet hearsay the offering will be the first featuring real drums (played by MEINL sponsored Matthew Garstka). The experimental progressive metal experts will be recording in West Hollywood’s’ Swing House with production duties handled by bassist Adam Nolly Getgood (from Periphery).

Expected release is autumn.

LOST PROPHETS’ IAN WATKINS: GUILTY AS CHARGED

JUST MUSIC MARKS 10th ANNIVERSARY WITH COMPILATION ALBUM

Social networks fired up when it was announced recently that Ian Watkins, frontman of defunct Lost Prophets, pleaded guilty to 13 sexual charges – including conspiring to rape a child, sexual assault of a pre-teen and aiding and abetting a female co-defendant to sexually assault a child under the age of 13. According to a report in the UK’s Mirror he “first seduced one of his ‘superfans’ when she was just aged 15.”

Ian’s stepfather, church minister John Davies, told the Daily Mail: "Ian was loved, cherished, encouraged and nurtured. We did our best. He was a normal happy young lad who grew up in the Valleys in a loving family which had no more problems than anybody else has.” Prophets guitarist Lee Gaze also reportedly tweeted: “That was over quick. Thank fuck… at least there is closure now.”

Leading SA independent label Just Music is releasing a compilation album to mark their 10th anniversary. The offering is spread over two discs with the one being a “Homegrown Edition” featuring their roster of stars - Zebra & Giraffe, Nakhane Touré, Machineri, Tailor, The Muffinz and The Anti Retro Vinyls. The other features imports from the database of labels (like Rough Trade) – The Raconteurs, The xx, Awolnation, Phoenix, The National and Radiohead. Get them both on iTunes.

FOR MORE: justmusic.co.za

BLACK FLAG FRONTMAN GETS FIRED Frontman of recently re-joined Black Flag has apparently been fired. The NME reports that during a show in Australia skateboarder Mike Vallely (also once of BF reunion singer) took the microphone from singer Ron Reyes and asked him to leave before finishing the set for him.

Reyes apparently wrote (on a now deleted Facebook post): “On November 24, 2013 the last night of the Australian

THINK YOU’VE MISSED SOMETHING? Is there a piece of news we didn’t mention? Find much more of the same online at museonline.co.za. If you have any news for us, or you just want to introduce your band, you can contact johann@museonline.co.za. Have an epic holiday.

28

Classic Albums | THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO | words: Mickdotcom

Waiting for the Man’s proto garage-Rock, to I’ll be Your Mirror’s gentle balladry, to the ominously anthemic epic of All Tomorrow’s Parties and the harrowing drones of BDSM ode Venus in Furs.

A spread of wings.

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO

T

he Velvet Underground's debut was perhaps Rock & Roll's first proper, untrimmed venture into the dark. Sure, Rock has always had dark shimmers to its underbelly, dealing as it does with tumultuous energies – sex; anger; frustration; sheer, unwieldy excitement.

The Blues - a cornerstone of what would eventually become Rock and its various noisy offspring - had many dealings with darkness, but they were somehow romantic: The murderous rage elicited by sexual betrayal, the unbearable pain of romantic loss, and then, obviously, dangerous spiritual exchanges with spectral cats at nocturnal crossroads. The Velvet Underground stripped away the romantic veneer; crippled the heroic/tragic protagonist.

They not only unblinkingly acknowledged, but seemed to embrace, abject darkness.

The edge of light.

Released in 1967, ‘The Velvet Underground & Nico’ arrived conceptually at least - at exactly the right

time. Hippy idealism was approaching full swing, and two years later the movement would hit fever pitch with Woodstock, whilst the Manson clan’s horrific murder spree melodramatically revealed the flipside to the gaudy glow of Flower Power, reminding that when light is at its brightest, the dark, just out of frame, reaches deepest pitch.

Preceding the more rugged reaction against aesthetics and naïve beauty that was the short-lived Punk onslaught by a decade, and the sullen rebellion against all that is pristine and manufactured, embodied by Grunge, by a quarter of a century, The Velvets’ debut inspired the genesis of countless bands, and an array of contra-mainstream genres, from Punk to New wave, Goth, Noise music, Grunge and beyond. As co-founder John Cale famously quipped, their debut may have originally only sold 20 000 or so units, but each of those kids started a band.

Titles like Heroin were transparent, but where a sunny title like Waiting for the Man implied positive anticipation, the song actually narrates a junky’s limboid desperation. Lyrical themes, like musical styles, ebbed and flowed between registers of light and shadow, from

Having gone through various incarnations, the group became the Velvet Underground around 1965, taking their name from a novel bearing the same title.

The late great Lou Reed’s love of alternative cinema (central to the book), along with the phrase’s insinuation of dark sexuality, sealed the deal. Reed’s unabashed acknowledgement of the more sinister and upsetting aspects of life, and alienation from society at large, served as signature for the Velvets’ lyrical (ahem) sentiments; as a teenager, for example, his parents had him suffer weekly Electro-Shock Therapy, to cure his perceived homosexuality.

Reed’s sophisticatedly cynical outlook on life, combined with the droning, experimental musical angles designed by John Cale, led to a group which was violently at odds with their cultural climate.

Taking up residency at Greenwich Village spot Café Bizarre, the Velvets met Andy Warhol, a highly serendipitous encounter. After being fired from their slot, for playing Black Angel’s Death Song, which didn’t go down with management, the band was invited to perform live musical accompaniment to one of Warhol’s travelling film exhibitions, and soon became a central fixture at said’s temple of hedonism and decadence, The Factory.

Their time with Warhol led to him nominally producing (they were given free rein in the studio) their debut in 1966, with Warhol protégé’, the German vocalist Nico, laying down deadpan lead vocals on three key tracks, and Warhol creating the ‘pink, peel-able banana’ front cover.

Despite the iconic cover and Warhol’s association with the album, it purportedly took more than a decade for sales to crack six figures. The thousands that were sold in the late Sixties, though, reshaped or inspired the careers of the likes of David Bowie, Patti Smith, The New York Dolls, the Sex Pistols, R.E.M., Roxy Music, Sonic Youth, Nirvana, and hundreds of others.

The Velvet Underground touched a nerve among the culturally and artistically disenfranchised, and showed them there was a league of secret young adults who took delight in walking on the wild side. One of the most influential and culturally affective recording of the 20th century.

30

Eruption | BOARGAZM - PIGS CAN FLY (IN OUTER SPACE) | words: Paul Blom

BOARGAZM PIGS CAN FLY (IN OUTER SPACE)

C

onsisting of members from bands like Rhutz and Black Cat Bones, Boargazm has carved their way into the local Metal scene with a brand all their own (donning pig masks and vocals to boot).

Not Hog Hoggidy Hog’s Ska-Punk style PorkRock, but a grinding Metal phenomenon of Swinecore proportions.

The Boargazm concept came about when Heine (of the Van der Walt Metal clan) wrote a demo of their track The Pig Whisperers in 2008. “I added some piggy vocals as part of an inside joke we had with Deane Crescent at the time (we called Paul, their vocalist, Lord Varkie). It tested well with audiences.”

“As time went by I recorded my

personal stash of Metal tunes, but didn’t know it was going to turn out being a band. I started messing around with the concept of pigs, my love for ScienceFiction, and literally in the span of one month we printed the album, got the boys together, and launched The Aporkalypse.”

So, if you think one Metal band is another Metal band is another, Riaan Bothma sets Boargazm apart thusly: “Boargazm is not your typical Metal band. We consist of 13 members that constantly swop out rolls in the band.

Every person brings their own dynamic into the mix. Working this way forces you to form a bond with the music and performance where in the past I thought it was crucial to have a special bond with

each musician before you share a stage with them - turns out I was wrong.”

When it comes to a band’s identity on album and on stage, these are not always mutually exclusive. In the case of Boargazm, Heine explains: “The first album was done mostly by myself, which is bad if you want to capture the magic of our live set, as we’ve been playing even better arrangements since performing live. With the next album The Baconing, the writing was done together through the Internet and Dropbox, and we’d rehearse and workshop them with our essence to track them live. We’ll be doing the old ‘spend a week or two at the ranch’ recording approach, and bring out something closer to what we do live.”

31

“Boargazm is not your typical Metal band. We consist of 13 members that constantly swop out rolls in the band. Every person brings their own dynamic into the mix.”

I

n South Africa as abroad subdivisions within the Metal genre are unfortunately an unavoidable issue, from old-school Thrash making a comeback and Grindcore bands seeming more rare.

“I personally am not so crazy about the genre wars going on,” Riaan explains. “In my opinion you cannot experience any ‘genre’ so to speak - you only experience a subjective view of what that ‘genre’ is supposed to be. But we use those terms of course, and that being said, I think that Thrash and old school is coming back, not just in the music but also in lifestyle, which is really cool - now we have an extension on our excuse for doing silly things!”

“I think we will see a rise in Grindcore - When we were in Ecuador we saw quite a few Grind bands. I love it personally. One of my fave SA bands is Conqueror (I love that vibe), Cicero and I have started a somewhat Grind project recently called The Chinwags. I really hope that Grind will pick up in SA.” We know that it is unlikely for anyone to make a living playing Metal in SA (I know, it is an unacceptable situation, but reality). In Riaan’s opinion, what are local bands doing wrong?

“Well, this is a tough question… either bands are doing something wrong or just not doing one or two of the important things right - I think that successful bands have learned how to have fun and still play well. Perhaps there is something to that approach. If I look at every single SA band that I really love, the one thing they all have in common is that they truly love what they do on stage - I am a sucker for that.”

Local acts occasionally venture abroad. Boargazm recently made a big

move by hitting the stage in Ecuador for a sizeable Metal event (one of the first local Metal bands to play a South American festival). This rare opportunity did not fall into their laps.

“It boils down to pure networking,” Heine expounds. “It helps to build contacts, chat to people, reciprocate favours, go to parties, gigs, festivals, rub shoulders, work hard, be friendly. With international festivals, it’s good to have some great friends and contacts there (like Descomunal and Shajol - who toured SA with us in 2012). We set up a festival exchange with our country’s leading open air festival and brought over one of their premiere hip-hop artists - we were the South African counterpart.”

One wouldn’t expect Ecuador to have a booming Metal population, but if you check out the Boargazm clips from the event, you’ll get a massive surprise and wonder where all the locals are hiding (oh yeah, they only emerge when Metallica or Rammstein decide to play SA). As to be expected, this was an experience they won’t soon forget.

"It was amazing,” Heine beams, “they treated us so well. The people were super friendly and the food was amazing. The festival was worldclass, and also, free to attend. Our club shows were homely and

intimate, and the country is beautiful.”

“In general, third-world Metal is on such a rise. It stays true to its roots; it’s not a fad to them but a way of life. It’s a family that extends the world over, from the Americas to Africa to South-East Asia. We’re very humbled to be part of something this special and historic.”

With a bourgeoning Metal scene in other parts of the world, the inevitable question remains - What is the future of SA Metal?

Heine is optimistic: “I’d like to believe that with each passing year the scene is bigger, better, healthier. A lot of bands have put out world-class albums already, old and new. The shows are greater in attendance, and more femalefriendly - it’s not just a boys-club anymore (thank goodness!). There are a lot more bands around now too, and venues are becoming more Metalfriendly. The future seems bright.”

And where does Boargazm fit into that future?

“We are finishing the rest of our tours for 2013 (one of the stops at Nairobi Rock Fest in Kenya)” Heine enthuses. “In January, we will be recording our second LP The Baconing, then tour that album relentlessly for the remainder of 2014.”

You can get a taste of Boargazm live this December as they play several SA cities incl. Cape Town (13 - 14 Dec).

About Paul Blom: With a strong leaning towards all things Alternative, for decades Paul has been involved with music, movies, gaming and writing. Bands have included V.O.D (Voice Of Destruction), F8, K.O.B.U.S., The Makabra Ensemble and Terminatryx. Movie productions include short films, music videos, DVD releases, and half a dozen film festivals. Entertainment writing on music, movies and gaming kicked off in '97 for a wide range of publications, plus the creation of various web portals like Flamedrop.com. His work is far from done here.

Have some SA Metal news to share? Email Paul: EruptionMuse@gmail.com

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ERUPTION ALBUM REVIEWS | Reviewed by Paul Blom

ERUPTION Album Reviews FEATURED

REVIEW MEGADETH Countdown To Extinction LIVE (DVD) This live DVD celebrates the 20th anniversary of Megadeth's Countdown To Extinction, their big breakout record, entering the Billboard 200 at number 2. As has become customary with anniversary celebrations, the Thrash pioneers play the entire album from start to finish (incl. the title track, Skin O' My Teeth, Symphony Of Destruction, Sweating Bullets), but also bracket it with some favourites like Hangar 18 and Peace Sells. With trademark white shirt & sweatbands, V guitar and mane of strawberry-blond hair, Mustaine is Megadeth. Bassist Ellefson is an essential anchor, but while the 2nd guitarist and drummer are hardly chopped liver, in the Megadeth world they can technically be represented by anyone - the core is of importance. The show is a solid performance and won't disappoint the avid Megadeth fan although some DVD extras would've been cool, like a little documentary on the album in question and the band's history perhaps. While not the stature of his previous band, Dave can be proud of his creation, and there would certainly be a gaping hole left in the Metal fraternity if he had to hang up his guitar.

SCAR THE MARTYR With so much music going around and not enough hours in the day to stay up to date on all the news, I must confess that this project by Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison simply kept dodging the Eruption radar. But, it arrived on our doorstep with more than a pleasant surprise. With songs from 9 band members to throw together and dissect, a Slipknot album doesn't come to fruition at the speed of a basic 4piece, so the unstoppable Jordison had additional music that he filtered into this project (as he'd done with his Murderdolls). While handling most of the instruments including drums, rhythm guitar and bass on the recording, Jordison is in the position to assemble a line-up of

his choice, which includes vocalist Henry Derek (a relative unknown, but effective singer who had to grow on me), Metal vet Jed Simon (Strapping Young Lad, Zimmer's Hole) and Kris Norris (Darkest Hour) both on guitar, with Nine Inch Nails' Chris Vrenna taking care of electronics.

What became evident in hearing this album is that Jordison didn't want to stick to any particular Metal genre style, and leaves the listener with a wide range of moods, taking you from morosely heavy cuts to more accessible Rock flavoured ones. I love that. Obviously you get sections that sound pure Slipknot. I must mention, the CD booklet design unfolds to reveal an inverted cross (sure, the marketing folks of Black Sabbath did this almost 4 decades ago), but I'm sure this is something Jordison has wanted to do for a while.

METALLICA Through The Never What do you do when you're the biggest Metal / Hard Rock band in the world? Make a 3D movie of course!

Unfortunately I missed the one week cinema release of this embellished concert film (of which Kirk Hammett expressed great excitement in my Muse interview with him earlier this year). So, billing this double disc release as “music from the motion picture” as opposed to “motion picture soundtrack” was the best decision, as this is in essence a Metallica live album - yet, besides live videos and special fan club releases, the band has in fact not done as many official live albums as one might expect. Delivered with full Metallica force, the set-list represents their discography with 15 songs of favourites like Creeping Death, For Whom The Bell Tolls, Fuel, One, The Memory Remains, Cyanide, Master Of Puppets, Enter Sandman, Hit The Lights, Orion & more.

But, as usual, nothing from St. Anger - for which I must stand up in defence - it had some cool songs, but naturally is a sore point for them. Hearing this will bring back recent memories if you attended their 2013 SA shows. They know how to do it, and do it better than most.

TRIVIUM Vengeance Falls I must confess, except for the odd song here and there, this is the first full length Trivium album I've sat through, so I won't profess to being an expert on their music and claim that “their old stuff is better” (as I suspect some Metalheads may very well reply!)

Musically there is little to fault with these guys. You get solid riffs and drums, equal part catchy and intricate, a Thrash flavour and good solos in the right spots with strong but clean and accomplished vocals (launching into bursts of speed and more intense screams at times). Question is, what sets them apart from other bands in this vein like Bullet For My Valentine? (besides geography) I'm not too sure...

What this should do (as with any music) is speak to you. I like the tonality, pace and very good production, but do I want to listen to it on a regular basis? Not yet.

Established fans must be over the moon with them playing Ramfest in 2014.

MOTÖRHEAD Aftershock “We are Motörhead, and we play Rock 'n Roll” is how frontman Lemmy opens every live show. And Rock they certainly do. Having been at it for almost 40 years(!), the band is as potent as ever, rolling out a solid album of pure Motörhead. The trademark sound punches you on the two opening cuts, then dips back into the Blues roots, but in a deliberately strategic move, immediately storms in again with a more Metal than Rock track, double bass drums and all (something they helped pioneer in the late '70s with songs like Overkill). Many tracks may be textbook and even generic Motörhead, but just like classic acts from Kiss to AC/DC, you don't exactly want them to stray too far from the formula.

As the living embodiment of Rock, (pushing 70) Lemmy can still show the youngsters how it’s done, from writing and playing kick-ass songs, to living the Rock 'n Roll lifestyle (which seems to have recently caught up a bit with medical issues related to diabetes). We see Lemmy as an indestructible force of Rock, immortal even. So if you think Motörhead is long in the tooth, pick up Aftershock get your ass kicked!

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ALBUM REVIEWS

DM - Dave Mac | DA - Damon Albetto | JS - Johann M Smith | SO - Sean Olsen

Shadowclub Goodbye Wild Child When Shadowclub burst onto the SA rock music scene with their debut album titled Guns and Money, they literally caused a ‘shit-storm’ of excitement amongst both the music media and fans alike. What is so engaging about their first release is that it contains all the freshness from the way it was recorded - reportedly in 9 days with not too much post production. We’re now presented with Goodbye Wild Child - their follow up to Guns and Money and it’s an unenviable task to try and equal if not better their debut. Comparisons are unavoidable; the most obvious difference between the two is that the new album has been slickly mastered by Brian Lucey (The Black Keys, Arctic Monkeys). It also has a far higher production value, with female backing vocals, the odd organ fill and other subtle studio tricks enhancing the overall presentation of the 12 songs on offer. So yes, some of the grittiness has disappeared, but thankfully Goodbye Wild Child is still laden with blues riffs, loads of feedback guitars and Jacque Moolman’s wailing voice. I’m not sure if the new songs are quite as easily accessible (singa-long) as their last offering, but for me this makes for a more substantial and meaningful album and it’s a great follow up. I have a feeling this will be on repeat in my car for a few weeks now. | DM

Birdy Fire Within Much has been made of Birdy’s debut album and quite rightly so; it’s a collection of indie covers (and one original composition) that includes Bon Iver’s Skinny Love which literally set the singer up. Still it was a bold move to do an album of covers as a debut - some may say a piece of marketing genius especially since her first full-length of original songs - Fire Within - lives up to [at least] some of the expectations created.

Or does it? For me the artists she covered on her debut - The xx, Bon Iver, Ed Sheeran, The National etc, will have sent out quite a strong message of ‘independence’ - of someone bold enough to interpret some big songs in her own way. Fire Within does the opposite. It

makes use of all the tried and tested pop song formulas quite unabashedly at times to create a fairly safe and middle of the road pop record. There is no arguing the strength of her voice which oozes emotion, witnessed aptly on the tearful All You Never Say amongst others. I’m a little disappointed though. Her renditions of others’ songs showed off her voice and her musical potential perfectly. Fire Within, however, is just a little too slick with too many songs co-written by established hit-makers, the result being a bit too flawless for my taste. | DA

Laurie Levine Border Crossing The cover image of Border Crossing suggests a road trip of discovery across the American South (or the Karoo if you like to keep things local). It’s also an indication of the shift in musical styles from the S.A. songstress’s previous three albums. It’s still a sound drenched in Americana, and Country-Folk is still the core from which Levine draws most of her inspiration. But borders have been crossed here and as a whole the songs are distinctly more upbeat and ‘summery’ than her far more introspective predecessor, Six Winters. There is also a notable change to Laurie Levine’s voice.

She still retains her smoky southern drawl, but there’s also a slightly sweeter pop sound and a song like Falling Down almost sounds a bit like Suzanne Vega of My Name is Luka fame. Stealing My Love is the best example of this catchier upbeat progression and is sure to be a popular track on SA radio rotation. But Border Crossing is at its strongest when it’s at its most soulful; it’s ‘swampier’ moments.

Levine has assembled a hot line-up of musos and while it’s very much a Laurie Levine album, it feels more like a band in which everyone shines. | SO

Graham Watkins Project Soldier On Opening up with the title track is always a brave move - it’s like playing your best card first. It’s especially daring considering that Soldier On is The Graeme Watkins Project’s sophomore release. It goes without saying that GWP cut out their work when debut

album Corridors of the Mind received a SAMA nomination. The new 11 song instalment is an 80’s inspired indie dance delight and includes the single Fight When We Were Young produced by renowned American multi-platinum winner Jeff Blue (Hoobastank, Macy Gray, The Last Goodnight). The overall result is futuristic anthemic melodies spread over sashaying synths. Fortunately for Graeme his science experiment isn’t sugary as much as it’s dark - that admittedly at times could do with a bit more groove (think Joy Division). Track 4, Lock You Up sets them on the same bar as their fellow colleagues The Plastics - if not at times a bit better, depending on how indie you like it. Unlike their contemporaries GWP seem more like men than boys. Other benefits include the Franz Ferdinand vibes of Fight When You’re Young and the finer touches on the spooky bridge of track 9, Love Is A Fire. | JS

Van Coke Cartel Bloed Sweet en Trane The older they get, the more old-skool it becomes. Van Coke Kartel’s 5th effort Bloed, Sweet & Trane is a peppery dose of rock-metal hooks and thumps. The epic demon slaying intro of Here Man being a particularly good example. The overall result is mosh-pit pudding. If 2011’s Wie’s Bang is their finest moment, Bloed, Sweet & Trane is their rockiest. Not necessarily in terms of being ‘hard’ but groovy too. Jedd Kossew’s finer finger work on track 8 Moeg Vir Myself is pure satanic filth.

Second track and single Moregloed is a satisfactory drive time radio anthem and definitely something worthy of putting pedal to the medal. Francois once more attempts to reach that defining moment when he shouts: “Nobody knows anything… but we are not alone.”

Whether this suggests the safety and excitement that comes from having a family in an always unknowing future, is up to the listener. We can only hazard a guess. What they’re starting to lack in youthful ambition, they make up with experienced wisdom. Bloed, Sweet & Trane is flawless in the sense that there are absolutely no technical hiccups and it does what it’s supposed to. Final number Lewendig Eindig is an apt acoustic ending - manly, heavy and very blue. Ultimately proving they haven’t taken their last breath yet. | JS

35 Foy Vance Joy of Nothing Joy Of Nothing is a rather misleading name for Foy Vance’s second full length offering as the overall tone of the album is far more uplifting than the name suggests. Vance hails from Northern Ireland and one can certainly hear soulful hints of fellow countryman Van Morrison, but essentially this is an American Southwest affair and the influence of Bruce Springsteen is all over it. The songs on Joy Of Nothing are beautifully written and Vance has the lyrical prose of an Irish poet. He is willing to dig deep and expose his inner world to the listener. This is evident in the song At Least My Heart was Open where he sings ‘well I tried to do what I felt was right / I know I fucked it up sometimes’ before declaring the title line of the song. So it’s safe to say that Foy Vance is an exceptionally talented singersongwriter. But there’s an overall feeling that he’s content with sticking to his formula and opts to play it safe and straight down the line. This is a bit disappointing because an artist of his calibre, combined with some varied nuances and experimentation, could write a masterpiece. | SO

Linkin Park Recharged DJs have one advantage over rock stars; they can remix stuff and breathe new life into a song by ultimately gunning for a different vibe all together. But when DJs remix it becomes an extreme experiment with postmodernism. Linkin Park’s latest offering contains one new song A Light That Never Comes (featuring Steve Aoki); the rest have all been expertly remixed by a host of electronic artists like Killsonik (Lost in The Echo), Datsik (Until It Breaks) Pusha T and Vice (I’ll Be Gone). The end result bears a dangerous likeness to club style EDM (electronic dance music) - the kind that comes with an exceedingly small life expectancy. Uplifting and at time cheesy the 14 tracks are packed with drum ‘n’ bass, Dubstep and electro hooks and slashes. Our good friend Rick Ruben was kind enough to put his time into this, and his reboot version of the single A Light That Never Comes is a welcome reprieve

from all the bleebs, swishes and garbled cavorting. There is also a shining moment on track 4 - Victimized where NIN’s March Of The Pigs might have played an influence, and for that we say thank you.

As for the rest of it, there are far better alternatives in EDM. Try Bloody Beetroots. | JS

Pearl Jam Lightning Bolt With the release of Lightning Bolt, it’s hard to ignore the significance of the number 10. It’s Pearl Jam’s tenth album since they exploded onto the scene with their iconic debut, Ten. It’s also their best album in 10 years.

One could even argue there are about 10 really good tracks here, but that may be too subjective. On Lightning Bolt the band play with a renewed energy and vigour that‘s been in short supply from Pearl Jam in the last few years, and songs like Mind Your Manners recall some of the punk-rock angst of their Vitalogy-era work. On the flip side, there’s also some of their most melodically approachable songs to-date. Not every song is a winner though, and there are a few dull moments as the album wears on. It’s unlikely that Lightning Bolt will usher in a new era of young fans, but it should please their long-standing, incredibly loyal fan base. In a web-based age, where instagrammed bands come and go, and most remain relevant for about a week, Pearl Jam have remarkably existed in a vacuum, never being swayed by the latest trends, and the result is, ironically an album that sounds surprisingly fresh. | SO

Fuzigish Crazy Friends Say what you will about Fuzigish, unlike all the other punks from the 90’s they’re really meant sticking around forever doing what they love. Like the title of track 8, it really is D.I.Y or Die. Their new Crazy Friends album contains a mammoth 16 tracks and a running time of 32 minutes - could you ask for anything more? No. By the time you pass the chorus of second track, A Little More, you will feel a strange sense of nostalgia, a thought that reads ‘man, I wish I could send this to my 14 year old self.’ But instead of accomplishing the impossible,

you miss the little bastard. And for that, I praise you Fuzigish. It’s nice to know they’re still fighting the same battles. Jay Bones shouts on track 9 - Made To Break “Force fed! By The Media!” Perhaps briefly forgetting that social media replaced it. At least the core message is still the same: “All I want is something to believe in… It feels like everything is meant to break.” It might be their last; it’s certainly one of their finest. Here’s to music that can still make you smile. | JS

Placebo Loud Like Love Placebo’s lucky number 7 – you’re either going to hate it or love it depending on how badly you’ve overdosed on the British trio in the past (which let’s admit if you’re reading this, it’s a lot). Loud Like Love is a 10 track offering that was indeed made with love and lots of it - the same old dark androgynous kind we’ve been injecting into our veins since 1994. However this is also their first major release since signing a distribution deal with Universal. The opening (and also title) track proves that there’s enough sweetness in the pudding to satisfy both diehard fan and label executives. The song swoons in with a positive note, an overall dramatic turn considering they’re known for teenage angst. Another noteworthy example being track 9, Begin The End which pulls the same sad strings that their memorable Pierrot The Clown managed, only this time the piano tells of a better tomorrow and Brian Molko is even more honest about the unknowing future. “No need to disguise or to pretend… There’s no fortress to defend / Tonight’s the night, that we begin the end.” All and all this deserves ten out of ten, but this isn’t ’99 - we know of trendier.

Still, if you ever get tired of ‘my beard is bigger than your beard indie,’ they’ll be waiting to give you your injection. | JS

MORE REVIEWS ONLINE: www.museonline.co.za

36

GAME REVIEWS | Reviewed by Paul Blom

GAME REVIEWS CALL OF DUTY: GHOSTS (X Box 360 / PS3 / PS4 / X Box One / Microsoft Windows / Wii U) My first encounter with this series was about 7 years ago via Call of Duty 2: Big Red One on PS2 and since then it has grown into one of the biggest and most popular first person shooter franchises.

With its first instalments focusing on World War II, it has evolved into the territory of modern and futuristic warfare. The narrative driven Campaign has the Ghosts as its main focus (a Black-Ops-style US military force engaging behind enemy lines). You're in the boots of Logan Walker.

After the nuclear obliteration of the Middle East, the South American Federation rises to dominate, and the trouble starts with a space station hijack resulting in missiles raining down on US targets (including Logan's home city). Ten years later it's a family affair, with Logan and his brother Hesh part of the Ghosts, led by their father Elias (and also making part of the team is Riley, a playable dog character). With mass annihilation crawling closer, enemy fighters to eliminate, comrades to save and traitors to sort out, the action is not stifled by story exposition, the amazing graphics drawing you into the game's reality which often has a cinematic feel.

9/10

ANGRY BIRDS - STAR WARS (All gaming platforms incl. X Box, PS3, Wii, handheld devices and phone operating systems) Angry Birds seem to have become what Tetris did many decades back. A straight forward concept that nabs millions into wasting hours of time each week by essentially doing the same thing over and over again(!) But hey, we all need to unwind our brains from the day-to-day, don't we? Emerging around 4 years ago, this addictive game became a forerunner of the new App revolution and evolved into an all-encompassing phenomenon unto itself. And you know something is pretty big when it gets the Star Wars

treatment! The Angry Birds principle boils down to launching flightless bird characters at enemy pigs. Yep, that's the gist of it. So, in a Star Wars context? Jedi affiliates from bird renditions of Luke Skywalker and Han Solo, to Obi Wan Kenobi and Princess Leia, launches at villains incl. Lard Vader and his minions of Imperial Dark Side pigs. Star Wars terrain (from Tattooine and Hoth to Cloud City and the Death Star) and general look & architecture of the original Star Wars trilogy is integrated in Angry Birds style.

All ages fun, although the idea of pelting animals at one another may not sit so well... 7/10

WONDERBOOK: BOOK OF POTIONS (PS3) The PlayStation Wonderbook is a physical, sturdy 12-page book which interacts with your Move controller and camera, injecting compatible games with augmented reality, right in your own environment, placing you inside the game world. The books may have come to a conclusion, but the Harry Potter legacy continues not only for new generations to discover in print and eBook, but also via gaming extensions like these. In this follow-up to Book Of Spells, your journey into creating, mixing and using various potions are linked to the Wonderbook and Move controller, the special glyph designs on the pages link, map and fuse the 3D imagery to your environment. After calibration (incl. positioning the book to be visible on screen), you select a wand and it appears in your hand in the mirror image on the screen. Pick a Hogwarts house (Gryffindor, Slytherin etc.) and you're on your way. Written by Zygmunt Budge (who lives within its pages, narrating and taking you through all the procedures), you can tackle Cure for Boils, Shrinking Solution, Beautification Potion, Doxycide. You pick up items with your wand, chop, stir them into the cauldron, and regulate heat etc., switching your wand to a knife, spoon and

For more gaming reviews, Check out www.flamedrop.com other tools. Link to Pottermore.com and immerse yourself into more of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. (Available as a set including the Move control, camera, Wonderbook and game disc) 8/10

WWE 2K14 (PS3 / X Box 360) A large chunk of the world population would question the existence of Vince McMahon's ever growing pro wrestling show and constant world tours. But, there seems to be no stopping it. The 2014 edition of the WWE 2K series delivers a truckload of fight options with 16 man matches like One-On-One, Fatal 4-Way, Handicap and Tournaments (with multiple sub-divisions from Extreme Rules, Hell In A Cell, and I Quit, to tag team options, Steel Cage, Gauntlet and King Of The Ring). This should keep you busy, especially if you're a fan of more than one of these brutes (and tough girls). But here you also get to revisit the 30 year history of the annual WrestleMania tournament and take on these competitors across almost 4 dozen matches, with all of their varied characters, looks and fighting styles across the various WWE eras. From Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kane, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart and King Kong Bundy, to The Rock, Rey Mysterio, Triple H, John Cena, Batista, Chris Jericho, Randy Orton and dozens more, plus ladies like Lita, Natalya, Kaitlyn and Aksana. You get details on each of these events since 1985, participate and replicate these matches.

You also get to either try and defeat or defend The Undertaker's winning streak at Wrestlemania. Each character makes their trademark entrance complete with their theme music (like Triple H's Motorhead song), video screen displays and lighting, plus authentic announcers. If you're not a WWE fan, this game won't do it for you, but if you are, you'll be in steroid heaven.

6/10

38

NATIONAL GIG GUIDE

NATIONAL EVENTS.....

Every Sat | TSG 4 Ways Mediterranean Grill Cafe | Dinner, Live Music & Dancing | www.tsg4ways.co.za / 011 465 7270 Every Sun | UPfront | Krugman's Grill | Waterfront | Good food & excellent music Every Sun | Rock & Acoustic | Rumours Lounge | R30 | 13:30 & 17:30 | www.facebook.com/Rumours.Lounge.Bar/events Every Sun | TSG 4 Ways Mediterranean Grill Cafe | 3-6pm Live Music | 6-10pm all large Pizzas R60 & Selected Pastas R60 | www.tsg4ways.co.za / 011 465 7270 Every Mon | The Debaters | Rumour's Lounge | Corner JG Strijdom rd & Cornelius st | Weltevredenpark | Gauteng | Free Entry | Starts 20:30 | Great food & drink specials Every Wed | Old School Wed | CPT @ Buckley's | Dj's: Criss Phoenix | Ft: The best tracks from the 60's, 70's & 80's, age of the golden oldies | Time: 21h00 | 021 910 4458 Every Wed | Real Music | Every Tues & Wed | & Union | 7pm | Live music - best unplugged sets | www.andunion.com Every Thurs | TSG 4 Ways Mediterranean Grill Cafe | Live Music & Cocktails @ Half Price | www.tsg4ways.co.za / 011 465 7270 Tue 3 Dec | The Dave Matthews Band Live in Concert | The Coca-Cola Dome | JHB | 19h00 | R400 - R675 | www.computicket.com Sat 4 Jan | The Parlotones | Hope @ Paul Cluver | CT | 19h00 | R300 | www.computicket.com Fri 6 Dec | Cold Fact | Rodrigues | Durban | Rhumbelow Theatre | 20h00 | Tickets: R100 | www.computicket.com Fri 6 Dec | The Assembly | Jagermeister Presents – Fokofpolisiekar | 9h00 Sat 7 Dec | Big Day Out- Secret Garden Festival | Constantia Secret Garden | CT | 12h00 | R80 | www.computicket.com Sat 7 Dec | Elvis Blue | The Caledon Casino | Caledon | 20h00 | R120 | www.computicket.com Sat 7 Dec | Mr Cat & The Jackal | Live Stream - Live @ Skyroomlive.com | JHB | Tickets from R100 | Sat 7 Dec | The Brothers Moves On Live | Skyroomlive.com | Corner Bree & Kruis street | JHB | www.facebook.com/events/503221749756954/ Sun 8 Dec | The Parlotones | Stand Like Giants Tour | Kleinevalley Estate | Wellington | 16:00 | R300 | www.webtickets.co.za Sun 8 Dec | Durbanville Beer fest | Hillcrest Wine Estate | Durbanville | Ft: Mark Haze, Jesse Jordan Band, The Stremes, Dogtown, Ryno Velve & More | www.facebook.com/events/111344265694717/ Wed 11 Dec | Johnny Cash - Man in Black Tribute | Atterbury Theatre | Pretoria | 20h00 | R120 - R150 | www.computicket.com Thu 12 Dec | Add9 Productions presents Whack! +

Azurdee & The Blue River Band + Don't Pet The Elephant & JackValve | Cafe Barcelona | Elardus Park | R30

Mon 23 Dec | Brian Finch | Barnyard Theatre | Gateway | 20h00 | R100 | www.bardyardtheatre.co.za

Thurs 12 Dec | The Parlotones | PTA | SA State Theatre, Opera | 20h30 | R180 - R350 | www.computicket.com

29-30-31 Dec | Vic Falls Carnival | Combine Southern Africa's biggest artists, the world’s greatest adventures & activities, with a New Year's countdown like nowhere else on earth & you have arrived at the Jameson Vic Falls Carnival | Ft: Jeremy Loops, Just Jinger, Flash Republic, Mampi, Shortstraw, December Streets and MORE | Ticket prices and travel packages @ www.vicfallscarnival.com

Fri 13 Dec | Psych Night & Vans Presents Night Beats (USA) | Town Hall | JHB | Tickets: R100 R180 | Tickets @ www.webticket.co.za Fri 13 Dec | The Hop Music Festival | George | Ft: Al Bairre, Naming James, Goodnight Wembley, Shortstraw, City Heroes, Slow Jack, Le Roy, Shyne & More | R250-R300 | www.hopmusicfest.co.za Fri 13 Dec | Heart of Music | Giving Back | Rumours, Gauteng | Entrance: R50 | Ft: Home at Last, Bombs and Issues, Bought by Blood, Freedom for Life, The Poverty of Ideas | www.facebook.com/events/136064186567963/ Fri 13 Dec | The Assembly Birthday Ft: Zebra & Giraffe & Gangs of Ballet | 9h00 | R60-R80 online | R100 at the Door | www.whatson.co.za / www.theassembly.co.za / 021 465 7286

Sat 4 Jan | The Parlotones | Paul Cluver Wine Estate | Grabouw | Doors open 5pm | R300 | www.cluver.com / www.computicket.com / www.whatson.co.za Sun 5 Jan | The Parlotones | Kirstenbosch Gardens | CT | Concert starts 5h30 | R115-R145 | www.whatson.co.za / www.capetownbig6.co.za/kirstenbosch / 021 799 8783

Fri 13 Dec | Fuzigish (Album Launch) + General Disarray (Aus) | Mercury Live & Lounge | 21:00 | R50 | www.webtickets.co.za

30 Jan-3 Feb | Up The Creek | Breede River | Bring your lilos, festival supplies, happy personalities & of course your ticket | Ft: The Plastics, Jeremy Loops, Wonderboom, Springbok Nude Girls, Naming James, Al Bairre, Shortstraw, Hot Water, Desmond & The Tutus, Black Cat Bones & More | Full Weekend Pass R650 | R700 at Gate | www.upthecreek.co.za

Sat 14 Dec | The Parlotones | Stand Like Giants | Official Album Launch | Sandton City Rooftop | JHB | 18:00 | R175 - R450 | www.webtickets.co.za

Sun 2 Feb | Sipho Hotstix Mabuse | Oude Libertas Amphitheatre | Stellenbosch | 18h30 | R140-R160 | www.computicket.com

Sat 14 Dec | Coastal Chaos Tour | Catch Wrust and Boargazm on tour | Aandklas | Stellenbosch | Ft: The Chinwags, Wargrave, Junkyard Lipstick, Boargazm, Wrust, Nebula Disrupt | 7h00 | www.whatson.co.za / 021 883 3545

Fri 7 Feb | Johnny Clegg | Johannesburg & Reef | 20h00 | R200-R290 | www.computicket.com

Sat 14 Dec | Gangs of Ballet & Zebra & Giraffe | Cafe Roux | 4h00 | R180|R80 grass | www.whatson.co.za / www.caferoux.co.za / 021 789 2538 Fri 14 Dec | Psych Night & Vans Presents Night Beats (USA) | The Assembly, 61 Harrington Str, District Six | CT | Tickets: R100 - R180 | Tickets @ www.webticket.co.za Mon 16 Dec | Prime Circle | Barnyard Theatre | Gateway | 20h00 | R160 | www.barnyardtheatre.co.za Mon 16 Dec | Falling Mirror | Reconciliation Day | Baxter Concert Hall | One Night Only | CT | 20h30 | R125 | Tickets at door & via www.computicket.com Thurs 19 Dec | Bluestown Sessions with Black Cat Bones and Ann Jangle | Mercury Live & Lounge | 8h00 | R40 | www.mercuryl.co.za Thurs 19 Dec | Shotgun Tori | Cafe Roux | Noordhoek Farm Village | 8H30 | R80 | www.whatson.co.za / www.caferoux.co.za Sat 21 Dec | Just Jinger - Live at the Dunes 2013 | Beach Road, Hout Bay | 16h00 | R150 | www.ticketbreak.co.za Sat 21 Dec | MacStanley | Cafe Roux | Noordhoek Farm Village | 8h30 | R130 | www.whatson.co.za / www.caferoux.co.za / 021 789 2538 Sun 22 Dec | Prime Circle | Vodacom Amphitheatre | PE | 20h00 | R160 | www.computicket.com

25-26 Feb | An Evening with Santana | Grand Arena, Grand West | CT | 20h00 | R510-R850 | Tickets @ Computicket.com 27 Feb | Jazz on the Rocks | Tietiesbaai | Ft: Euphoria, N2, Ernie Smith, Nash Reid, DJ Keith, Lira, Andrew Young & Much more | Weekend Pass R400 | For tickets and accommodation www.whatson.co.za | 021 591 5208 Fri 28 Feb | Loyiso Bala & Swing City Trio | Oude Libertas Amphitheatre | Stellenbosch | 20h15 | R140R160 | www.computicket.com Sat 1 March | An Evening with Santana | FNB Stadium | JHB | 18h30 | R800-R1675 | Tickets @ computicket.com 6-9 March | Ramfest | Elandskloof Farm, Helderstroom | CT | Biffy Clyro (Scotland), Killswitch Engage (USA), Foals (UK), Trivium (USA), Camo & Krooked (Austria) ft: Dynamite MC (UK) | Local artist: Protoculture, Gangs of Ballet, Fuzigish, Black Cat Bones, Mr Cat & the Jackal, Niskerone & More | Full weekend pass starts @ R600 | www.ramfest.co.za | 6-9 March | Ramfest | Witfontein, Bronkhorstspruit | JHB | Biffy Clyro (Scotland), Killswitch Engage (USA), Foals (UK), Trivium (USA), Camo & Krooked (Austria) ft: Dynamite MC (UK) | Local artist: Protoculture, Gangs of Ballet, Fuzigish, Black Cat Bones, Mr Cat & the Jackal, Niskerone & More | Full weekend pass starts @ R600 | www.ramfest.co.za | 29 March | Kday 2014 | Sandringfarm | Stellenbosch | CT | Ft: Danny K, Mi Casa, Elvis Blue, Prime Circle, Dr. Victor , Blackbyrd, DJ Kent, Jimmy Nevis, Lloyd Cele, Locnville, MacStanley, Watershed, Goodluck & Heuwels Fantasties | R80-R180 | www.kfm.co.za/events/kday-2014

TO GET LISTED FOR FREE - email: Nickelback Tour Fri 6 Dec | Coca-Cola Dome | JHB | R340 - R790 Sun 8 Dec | Coca-Cola Dome | JHB | R340 - R790 Wed 11 Dec | Grand Arena, Grand West | CT | R340 - R680 Thurs 12 Dec | Grand Arena, grand West | CT | R340 - R680 Local rising star Shaun Jacobs will be the opening act Tickets: www.bigconcerts.co.za & www.computicket.com Bryan Adams | The Bare Bones Tour Fri 24 Jan | Harare International Conference Centre | Harare | 20h00 | Tickets: TBA Sat 25 Jan | Carnival City | R365-R690 | 20h00 Sun 26 Jan | Carnival City | R365-R690 | 20h00 Tues 28 Jan | Grand West | CT | R400-R680 | 20h00 Wed 29 Jan | Feather Market Centre | PE | R450R680 | 20h00 Thurs 30 Jan | Feather Market Centre | PE | R450R680 | 20h00 Fri 31 Jan | ICC Durban | R340-R680 | 20h00 Tickets & www.computicket.com Mercury Live Events 10 Jan | Sublime Tribute Show 11 Jan | Sublime Tribute Show 24 Jan | Bed on Bricks, Nick Turner 30 Jan | Bluestown Sessions 7 Feb | Comeback Kid (Canada) 8 Feb | Kingdon Album Launch 13 Feb | Bluestown Session 27 Feb | Bluestown Session Comeback Kid South African Tour Thurs 30 Jan | Rumours Lounge | JHB Fri 31 Jan | Arcade Empire | PTA Sat 1 Feb | Live | The Venue | DBN Thurs 6 Feb | Pool City | PE Fri 7 Feb | Mercury Live | CT www.computicket.com Bruce Springsteen + The E Street Band 26/28/29 Jan | Bellville Velodrome | CT Sat 1 Feb | FNB Stadium | JHB and Reef | Gauteng www.computicket.com

Park, If this is Forever, Minority for the Madness, Casket | R40 27-28 Dec | Hot Rocket Summer Fest | Rumours Lounge | Ft: Rare Colours, Jon-Pat Myers (Psykotix), Acoustic Groove Machine, Tin Man, Mizera, Nerve Zero, Dark Matter & More | Tickets: R40-R50 | www.facebook.com/events/233153160180810/ Thurs 30 Jan | Comeback Kid- Live in SA Fri 14 Feb | Crimson House Blues Sat 15 Feb | Carling Black Label Battle of the bands Finals 21-22 March | Stage Dive Punk Fest | www.facebook.com/events/217269781783336 / 074 282 4303 / Die Boer | Durbanville 9-10 Dec | Elvis Blue | R170 Wed 11 Dec | Robin Auld | R100 Fri 13 Dec | Arno Carstens Unplugged | R150 Wed 18 Dec | Ann Jangle & Black Cat Bone | R100 Fri 24 Jan | Valiant Swart & Basson Lauscher | R120 Sat 1 Feb | Koos Kombuis | R110 www.dieboer.com Concerts in the Park |1893 Victorian De Waal Park Sun 19 Jan | Mark Haze Thurs 16 Feb |The Rescu Thurs 16 Feb |The Rudimentals Thurs 16 March | Freshlyground Come join us – you – your whole family – your friends - including your dogs & have a wonderful afternoon’s entertainment - it’s FREE! Oude Libertas – Stellenbosch - oudelibertas.co.za Sun 1 Dec | Karen Zoid | Under the Covers | 18h30 | R120-R140 Sun 8 Dec | Frank Paco (Jazz) | 18h30 | R120-R140 Fri 13 Dec | Nataniel - N-People | 20h15 | No under 15 | R160 Sun 9 March | Nomadic Orchestra | 18h30 | R120R140 Paul Cluver Amphitheatre - Elgin www.cluver.com Sat 7 Dec | MacStanley |7pm | R220 Sat4 Jan | The Parlotones | 7pm | R300 Sat 18 Jan | Nataniel | 5pm | R250

Kirstenbosch Gardens: Summer Sunset Concerts | CT Sun 1 Dec | Jack Parow, Francois van Coke, PH Phat | R65 - R90 | 17:30 Sun 22 Dec | Mango Groove | R85 – R120 | 17:30 Sun 5 Jan | The Parlotones | R115 - R145 | 17:30 Sun 12 Jan | Macstanley, Craig Hinds & Ard Matthews | R85 - R120 | 17:30 Sun 19 Jan | Johnny Clegg | R85 - R120 | 17:30 Sun 26 Jan | Jimmy Nevis | R65 - R90 | 17:30 Sun 2 Feb | Fokofpolisiekar | T65 - R90 | 17:30 Sun 9 Feb | Civil Twilight (USA) | R85 - R120 | 17:30 Sun 16 Feb |Freshlyground| R85 - R120 | 17:30 Sun 9 March | Hugh Masekela | R85 - R120 | 17:30 Sun 16 March | Cape Town Folk n Acoustic Music Festival | R65 - R90 | 17:00 Sun 23 March | Desmond & the Tutus, Shortstraw | R65 - R90 | 17:30 Info & tickets: webtickets.co.za

Lamb of God 24 Jan | Hillcrest Quarry | Durbanville | CT | R450R550 | 19h30 25 Jan | Hall 8 Expo Centre | JHB | R450-R550 | 19h00 | Tickets @ Computicket.com

Rumours Lounge www.facebook.com/Rumours.Lounge.Bar/events Fri 6 Dec | Coastal Chaos Tour | Ft: Divine Plague, Bleeding Spawn, The Drift , Wrust, Haggis & Bong | R50 Fri 13 Dec | Heart of Music | Break the Silence | Ft: Home at Last, Bombs and Issues, Bought By Blood, The Poverty of Ideals (Album Launch), Reason to Live (EP Launch | R60 Sat 21 Dec | Heart of Music | Minority For the Masses EP Tour | Ft: Forever Unbound, Peavey

Die Heuwels Fantasties Mon 16 Dec | @the Park | Emperors Place | Contact: Michael De Lange – 082 624 2095 Tues 17 Dec | Flamingo Club | Flamingo Rock Festival | Langebaan | 20h00 | R100 | http://www.flamingoslangebaan.co.za/ticketsales/flamingos-rock-festival-week-pass | Contact details: Andre Voster – 083 251 3080 / 022 772 1243 Sat 21 Dec | Barnyard | Mossel Bay | R140 | www.thebarns.co.za/MosselBay/shows Sat 28 Dec |

Fokofpolisiekar Tues 10 Dec | Barnyard Theatre | Vereeniging | 18h30 | R100 | barnyard@elpa.co.za / 016 454 8388 / Aldo Spies – 083 627 4148 Wed 11 Dec | Barnyard Theatre | Cresta | 18h30 | R150 | 011 478 5300 / iris@barnyardtheatres.co.za Thurs 12 Dec | Atterbury Teater | 20h00 | R150 | Fri 13 Dec | Arcade Empire | Pretoria | 6pm | R60 (No presales) | Robert – 072 020 6120 Sat 14 Dec | Rumours Lounge | Roodepoort | 21h00 | R80 (no presales) | Fred Otto – 0798257995 / Hanlee – 0820983305

admin@museonline.co.za

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Eco Lodge Bush Lapa | Herold's Bay Tues 31 Dec | Jolly Dolphin | Jeffrey’s Bay | Contact: 042) 2932624 / info@jollydolphin.co.za 2 Jan | The Barn | Pletternberg Bay | R140 | www.thebarns.co.za/Plett/shows Obviouzly Armchair Sat 14 Dec | Saturday Night Live Music Fri 20 Dec | Friday Night Live Music Sat 21 Dec | Saturday Night Live Music Sat 28 Dec | Saturday Night Live Music All gigs start at 21h00 and ends around 23h30 Jack Parow Fri 20 Dec | Flamingo's Rock Festival | Langebaan | Ft: aKing, Fokofpolisiekar, Die HeuwelsFantasties, Van Coke Kartel | R400 | www.flamingoslangebaan.co.za Mon 26 Dec | VIP | Plett Rage | Plettenberg Bay Sat 28 Dec | Ox Braa | Bathurst | R80pp & R80 per vehicle | www.facebook.com/oxbraai Tues 31 Dec | Jolly Dolphin | Jeffrey’s Bay | Ft: Van Coke Kartel & Die Heuwelsfantasties | www.jollydolphin.co.za) Van Coke Kartel Mon 16 Dec | @the park | Emperors Place | cnr. of Griffiths and Jones Rd | Contact Michael De Lange – 082 624 2095 Wed 18 Dec | Flamingos Club | Langebaan | R100 | 20h00 | www.flamingoslangebaan.co.za/ticketsales/flamingos-rock-festival-week-pass Contact details: Andre Voster – 083 251 3080 / 022 772 1243 Sat 21 Dec | Melt's Tavern | Gordon’s Bay | 21h00 | Contact details: Marieke Krynauw 021 856 26 79 Fri 27 Dec | Barnyard Theatre | Mossel Bay | R140 | 20h00 | Contact details: Heidi de Jager – 082 502 8444 / 044 698 1022 Sat 28 Dec | Zanzibar | George | R50 | 21h00 | Contact: Chris - 044 873 2052 - Chris 082 4189 77 / zanzibargeorge@gmail.com Sun 29 Dec | Zanzibar | Knysna | R50 | 21h00 | Contact: 044 382 0386 / info@zanzibarknysna.com Mon 30 Dec | Pool City | Walmer | PE | R60 | 23h00 | Contact: 041 581 0980 / poolcity1@yahoo.com Tues 31 Dec | Jolly Dolphin | Jeffrey’s Bay | Contact: (042) 293-2624 / info@jollydolphin.co.za Taxi Violence Tues 17 Dec | Zanzibar | Knysna | R40 Wed 18 Dec | Zanzibar | George | Ft: Zebra & Giraffe and Gangs of Ballet | R60 Fri 20 Dec | The Mexican | Jeffrey’s Bay | R30 Sat 21 Dec | Hop Music Fest | George | Festival Pass R300 | One night tickets also avail at door R50 Berties Mooring | Gordon’s Bay | www.berties.co.za Fri 13 Dec | Joint State | 9-11pm | Free Sun 15 Dec | Boulevard Blues Band | 5-8pm | Free Fri 20 Dec | Black Cat Bones Acoustic | 9-11pm | Sun 22 Dec | Natasha Meister Band | 6-8pm | Free Fri 27 Dec | Pebbleman | 9-11pm | Free Sun 29 Dec | Blues Broers | 6-8pm | Free Fri 3 Jan | Gian Groen Band | 9pm | Free Sun 5 Jan The Martin Brothers | 6pm | Free Fri 10 Jan | Piet Botha & Akkedis | 9pm | Free Sun 12 Jan | Robyn Auld Trio | 6pm Sun 19 Jan | Boulevard Blues Band | 5pm | Free Sun 26 Jan | Gerald Clark Band | 6pm | Free Fri 24 Jan | Kevin Floyd Band | 9pm Fri 31 Jan | Mark Haze Band | 9pm | Free Sun 2 Feb | El Cantante (Cito Otto and Martin Schofield) | 6pm Sun 9 Feb | Natasha Meister Band | 6pm Sat 22 Feb | Francois Van Coke & Jedd (Acoustic show) | 9-30pm | R50

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