Muse Magazine - Jun/Jul '11

’11 JUN-JUL

FREE

Foo FighTeRs TaXi VioLEnCE CITY OF HEROES | JUROJIN | WHATEVER HAPPENED TO MY ROCK ‘N ROLL? Photo Feature by One Small Change

CONTENTS Proud Supporters of SA Music!

lifestyle 4 6 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 30 32 34 35 36 38 39

From The Editor Whatever Happened To My Rock 'n Roll The Big JC : Jesse Clegg The Big JC : Jesse Clegg A Band On Fire: Dance, You're On Fire A Band On Fire: Dance, You're On Fire Jurojin - Wisdom, Fortune, Longetivity Jurojin - Wisdom, Fortune, Longetivity You Have To Earn The Right To Sing The Blues : Taxi Violence You Have To Earn The Right To Sing The Blues : Taxi Violence jezebel's VPL: Boonzaaier, Baby Holding Out For Heroes: City of Heroes Holding Out For Heroes: City of Heroes Return Of The FOO: Foo Fighters Return Of The FOO: Foo Fighters The Rise And Fall Of The Fool: The Dirty Skirts The Rise And Fall Of The Fool: The Dirty Skirts Music News: Inside the Machine with Johann Smith Music News: Inside the Machine with Johann Smith Long Street's Zula Bar The Other Side Of The Lens: Cult, classic & crazy films New Albums New Albums Game Reviews Venue Guide & Live Events Venue Guide & Live Events

Published & Distributed by: Coalition : Tel: (021) 913 8423 | Fax: 086 544 1361 info@museonline.co.za | www.museonline.co.za 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 Contributors: Dave Mac, Thomas Whitebread, Terri Love, Mickdotcom, Paul Blom, Alan Ratcliffe, Alistair Andrews, Kurt Slabbert, Damien Albetto, jezebel, James Rose-Mathew, Jonathan Pike, Timo Kriel, Chantall Nortjé, Deborah Rossouw, Sergio Pereira, Nicolai Roos, Craig Wilson, Carmen Bainbridge, Johann Smith, Mary Honeychild, Elize Day and Matthew De Nobrega

SALES & ADVERTISING ENQUIRES: Thomas Whitebread - (021) 913 9443 | 082 889 2047 Dave McKinley - (021) 557 1549 | 084 209 0168 SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE: subscribe@museonline.co.za Never miss a copy! Receive your personal copy SA’s only FREE magazine dedicated in promoting Live Music, FIRST! Magazine enquiries: info@museonline.co.za MUSE is published six times per annum in SA only DISTRIBUTION: info@museonline.co.za MUSE is nationally distributed to over 300 carefully selected outlets ranging from: Retailers of Musical Instruments Gear & Equipment, Studios, Colleges & Varsities, selected live music venues and more...

To Find your nearest outlet email: info@museonline.co.za No part of this magazine may be imitated or reproduced in whole / in part or online, without the permission of MUSE Magazine. Any views, opinions & visual material expressed in MUSE Magazine by contributors are not necessarily shared by MUSE Magazine or its staff. We do not accept responsibility for any omissions or mistakes, as we do everything possible to make sure all information published is accurate.

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MUSE Magazine 2011

muse | three

EDITION 15 JUN/JUL ‘11

er... r newswleottrd : Join ouem e ail th

Simply nline.co.za s@museo ‘join’ to new

I

’m caught between two opinions right now on the state of our music industry here in sunny South Africa. If I had to base my answer on the recent SAMA Awards (#epic fail) and on our new writer, Eliza Day’s inaugural opinion piece called ‘Whatever Happened to my Rock ‘n Roll?’ I’d be inclined to think that we’re in the doldrums somewhat.

But then I page through this edition of Muse Magazine and I get really excited by the number of exciting bands we’re featuring. With most of our content covering local artists, it’s still about as rock ‘n roll as you could hope for so what’s the big deal?

Well let’s start with the SAMA’s. What a complete mess! Someone once said to me before I attended my first awards event that unfortunately I’d realise just how arbitrary our little music biz is here in SA and yes admittedly it did feel a bit like that. But on TV it at least should look like a grand affair and has at times over the years. But this year! Damn that was bad! It was worse than a school prize-giving.

Now I know many of you who will be reading this are probably thinking ‘who cares about the SAMAS anyway’ and I understand this. There are loads of great bands and musicians [and fans] out there who couldn’t be bothered. But the thing is this; the music biz seems to be in an endless cycle complaining about the state of the industry yet the annual showpiece is left so wanting. Okay that’s my rant for this issue.

Let’s talk something positive. Eliza Day. Our great new find. Eliza entered a competition with us for free tickets to a festival – actually she badgered us with entries until we relented – but then kindly wrote a marvellous review of the event afterwards and so another journalistic gem was uncovered. Welcome Eliza. Read her column on page 6 and her interview with the Dirty Skirts on page 22 and you’ll see what I mean.

I’d also like to welcome Mary Honeychild to her first contribution to Muse Magazine. Mary has been writing for our sister publication BPM MAG and the lifestyle blog for some time now so it’s great to see her spreading her wings beyond dance music culture.

Mary visited the Zula Sound bar to find out more about their move to grander premises. Read all about it on page 30.

Elsewhere we have the usual suspects of great writers doing what they love best; writing about music, talking to musicians and imparting their opinions. So, thank you Johann, Mick, Sergio, Craig, Paul, jezebel and Mary for delivering as always.

What you’ll find in this edition is a healthy mix of new and established bands here in SA and abroad so enjoy the read.

Lastly please check out our recently revamped website @ museonline.co.za – there you will find daily news feeds for new album releases and events plus additional album reviews, cool videos (music and other stuff) and other bits ‘n bobs.

Thank You. Dave Mac

z seems to be on “...The music bi complaining an endless cycle of the industry.” about the state

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS: Feature Writers and Columnists Mickdotcom – Features Writer Strange he may be at times but that’s why we love him so. Mick has an extraordinary talent with words and an even more extraordinary taste in music. He brings a much needed eccentric edge to MUSE. jezebel Wordsmith and worldwide wanderer, jezebel now makes her home between the lines, writing for print and pixel. She enjoys dissecting the arts and their contribution to (sub)culture(s) as well as encouraging critical inquiry into everyday existence. www.wwwordup.blogspot.com / www.facebook.com/jezebellll

jezebel © Jonx Pillemer

muse | four

EDITOR’S NOTE

James Rose-Mathew Forever roving around UK and Europe, the restless James has an eye for a good story and an ear for good music. Whether he attends a massive electronic outdoor festival, or the heaviest of heavy metal shows, you can be sure James manages to somehow balance his mind between having the party of his life and actually getting the story.

Hugely passionate and equally adept we always look forward to his next venture abroad as he give us the lows and highs of some of world’s best indie artists around today.

Kurt Slabbert – Play Better Guitar Kurt completed his studies at the Guitar Institute in London in 2003, and moved back to SA to take up a teaching post at COPA. He also runs his own production company called Bluenoise productions that writes for radio and television. He currently plays for Sama nominated band, Jam, on Tuesdays and does various live sessions and studio work.

Kurt endorses line 6 gear. Check out www.bluenoise.co.za and www.realguitar.co.za Alistair Andrews - Play Better Bass Alistair is a professional bass player, music technologist and producer. He specialises in 6 and 12 string bass (preferably fretless). He has performed with international greats such as Phil Driscol, Efrain Toro, Alvin Dyers, Winston Mankunku, Merton Barrow, Errol Dyers, Robbie Jansen, Harold Jephta and many more. He also lectures music technology with one of Africa's top Jazz and African music programs at The University of Cape Town. Alistair endorses WARWICK Basses and strings, MEC pickups, SWR amplification and DIGITECH effects. He also runs the high-tech & digital section at Paul Bothner Music. Http://www.alistair.co.za Jonathan Pike - Your Private Universe Jonathan currently works as an Audio engineer and instructor at Cape Audio College. He has also in the past managed a theatre and worked as a Lighting and Sound engineer at the University of Kwazulu Natal Pietermaritzburg.

Alan Ratcliffe - Software Reviews & Tutorials Alan is the author of the Electric Guitar Handbook and is busy writing a book entitled Hotrod Your Electric Guitar. Find out more about him at www.ratcliffe.co.za or discuss all things guitar with him at www.guitarforum.co.za

muse | six

COLUMNIST

By Eliza Day Photo: Andrew Moerdyk

I

Whatever Happened To My Rock 'n Roll?

live with a true music lover. He's passionate, informed, talented and all of a sudden refuses to listen to any kind of good music.

I don't know when this happened exactly. It's getting worse though. Ironically he is also one of the coolest kids in Cape Town and I love him dearly.

Charisma for days and hideously patterned Madiba shirts for weeks, his name is Bread.

Together he and Darren Laiben, the token New Yorker we picked up a couple years ago, have combined forces and really bad playlists composed of grungy 90's hits, African House and A LOT of Prince. I'm not saying that rock 'n roll and blues are the only way to go but who the hell can even entertain the thought of listening to Nirvana bang on about the sound of the generation? It's too soon for that revival man. Both have the tendency to take the piss out of certain music fads by playing the jangly-pine-forest band of the moment for fun but you know a man is serious when he sells all his Zeppelin Lps. Thing is; they're not the only ones.

There are a whole breed of kids running amok who look like The Breakfast Club and are boycotting great South African bands in favour of raving in their rooms to Grave Rave and The Thong Song whilst wearing shell-suits. Is it real or ironic? It's hard to tell. So I asked and they made a lot of sense for a couple of artfags...

I was told I could only do the interview if I was prepared to hear some obscure dance track on repeat for the duration. So we got down to it over some vodka jelly shots in between the synths and keyboards that litter Bread's room.

Why did you stop listening to rock 'n roll and stop going to gigs?

Bread: Because I got bored. Why must I be loyal to one type of music? Music is consumed. We consume everything else, why can’t we consume and discard music?

A person playing the blues now is totally irrelevant. Sure it’s good but it's not art.

That’s what I'm looking for in music. I feel sorry for people who call themselves artists and play the blues. Jack White should be hanged. South African bands right now like Mr Cat and The Dashboard who everyone loves for being so 'quirky' aren't artists. Are they pirates? It's juvenile and disassociated from reality. The bands that are doing well in this country are just trying to emulate something. It’s not creative at all.

Trying to understand why kids are burning their rock records for the sake of art.

Darren Laiben: I've never seen a group of people so dedicated to a type of music and who are so closed-minded to anything else. It's like small town syndrome in Cape Town. South Africa is the place for opportunity because people are starved here. There's no reason for them to be. We have the internet and access to every kind of music immediately to inspire but people just don't do anything innovative here.

These bands don’t push boundaries. But more people are getting smart and if we (Bread and I) did anything new, it'd be incredible.

I asked them which SA bands they thought were doing something relevant and Big Nuz, the Durban kwaito group who won a SAMA last year, came up.

Apparently the only place to find

something that reflects innovation is at the stalls by the taxi rank.

I don't know if I buy it. They have a point when it comes to a need for innovation in this country but I don’t think throwing out Bob Dylan, even as an ironic gesture, tells us that you're into relevancy.

I do agree that people are bored and looking for something more challenging to go and watch at a gig and it’s great that SA music taste is becoming more acquired.

Seriously though, making a statement about why music is and isn’t art and not making the music you’re talking about? Ramble on.

Author's Note: Bread & Darren's answers are a summarised version of a long, interesting conversation.

muse | eight

COVER FEATURE

By Craig Wilson

S

“

outh Africa’s in this weird suspended reality because we still have an incredibly strong album-buying culture, which isn’t the case worldwide. Financially, it still makes sense to release a physical album here,” Clegg tells me when I ask him why his second album isn’t yet available digitally. “A physical album is still a very important commodity here. That’s why I really wanted to put a lot of thought into the album packaging; people are only going to buy it if it’s like a little art piece in itself. Instead of doing a booklet we did individual cards with the lyrics – and related imagery – for every song. There’s a window on the front so you can decide which image should be the cover.”

He continues, “It’ll be on iTunes and so on eventually, but I’m in no massive rush. I’m looking at doing an international release, and overseas record companies often want control of the digital side, so I’m still shopping it around and don’t want to jeopardise that option. Also, I want to give it a solid release here, and tour it here, before taking it to the US or Canada or Europe. South Africa has been good to me and I want to be good to it.”

The album’s production value is incredibly high, and it’s certainly got an international flavour. I ask Clegg what the greatest benefits were of having the likes of Canadian producer Dave Bottrill (Tool, Muse, Silverchair, Placebo) and mastering engineer Bob Ludwig (Bowie, Hendrix, Nirvana, U2, Radiohead) work on the album, and how they came to be involved?

“Dave Bottrill has opened a lot of doors for me. He’s plugged me into so many important contacts. I’d been listening to the last Placebo album when the label asked me if I had any ideas about who I’d like to produce the album. I said ‘Someone like that’, never expecting that we’d actually get Bottrill himself. The label sent his management the demos, and he fell in love with them. We could never have afforded him, but based on the strength of the songs he wanted to be a part of it and made it viable.”

t , bu leese usic C John al m y , or the loc deniabl h a i s n s n u i e h M t. wit rs’. It’s the debu n to wn ither s his o on Ma gh his w e o t f k r o fe lette throu n Par ase ng , ‘Li an b g those album hat ran office i eer, bei f e n t h d r i t s ’ k n a k . y ave kly ma is seco rea ompan tional c rname p st ot h h ic c a su ay n g is qu leased f the po ement ous ntern m ag ng an i a fam eg just re oid o He l n C a p i Jesse y. He’s um, dev at his m launch to kee f g b tr l o n s m i i a u s s h d o o ck ge in th a ro t up wi challen and ch , e s t ee h t o m o t We lk abou ones r to ta e u tr

muse | nine

COVER FEATURE

“It was a huge confidence booster,” Clegg adds with a smile, “having someone such as Bottrill like my music. So many of the albums he’s produced were ones I listened to growing up… he really shaped my musical understanding in a sense.

Bob [Ludwig] got on board because Dave called in a favour. I was really lucky there too.” There’s no doubt Life on Mars is a much rockier album than Clegg’s debut – an album that suggests he could go either the pop or rock route with equal ease.

“My first album was made with a huge amount of hesitancy, a fair amount of insecurity, and just a general tentativeness. I never recorded the songs with the intention of releasing them. It was definitely flawed, but it was so honest. It was an album of someone trying to figure something out and it was naïve and innocent. It’s nice that that time was documented. It’s thanks to Roddy Quin [his manager] and my dad that those songs ever got released. They encouraged me and made me feel confident enough to release them.”

“This album is about me taking the reins and deciding on the direction I want to go. I’m much more surefooted this time around.

The darkness and the heaviness is a combination of working with Bottrill, and being true to my roots and influences. Musically I’m a child of the 90s. To me it was obvious that this record was going to be more rock than pop – in fact, I want to get heavier, and more alternative, and

more experimental. I don’t want to have a ‘sound’. I think artists have to keep themselves guessing and progress – even if that progress is misunderstood.”

“Overseas you’re playing to an historically-informed audience.

They’ve got high standards and I’m trying to hone my live performance in preparation. Rock ‘n roll is a genre of live performance. I battled with playing live at first. I was a bedroom artist who was thrust into the limelight quickly. When my first single exploded I didn’t even have a band.”

I’ve heard rumours that this album cost seven-figures to make?

“I invested everything I made on the last album into this one. I think it might be the biggest budget for a local album ever. But I think of it as an investment with bold ambitions. I have to take it overseas to recoup, but it’s also an investment in myself as an artist and in my professional career. Relatively speaking, in international terms the budget was chump change,” Clegg adds with a laugh.

“Originally, I was going to go with a band name instead of my own.” Clegg tells me when I ask if he considered a stage name in light of his father’s fame. “I felt a bit like an imposter in my own career at first.

Dealing with the media was really strange… I was inexperienced but I had this name. But a name will only take you so far: the music has to stand on its own to take you further.

A strong melody will find a market.

Sure, most people don’t get the chances I’ve had at a musical career, and I’m really appreciative of the opportunities I’ve gotten. But getting that chance has also made me want to be as good as I can be.”

I assume Life on Mars is a Bowie reference? “You’re the first to say that” Clegg tells me. “Actually, the biggest influence on this album was George Orwell’s 1984. I think of my life in terms of life before I read it, and life after I read it. The album title, which is also the name of probably the strongest song and single on it, is more about finding your feet in a foreign environment – it’s an existential question about the bigger picture and my place in it. It’s about trying to make sense of the weird world my first album dropped me into.”

With the first video for the album out soon and a tour coming up I ask Clegg what he’s doing in the meantime. “I’m writing. Always writing… don’t think about it, just write. You’ve got to be a bit of a soldier in that sense – it doesn’t matter if what you’re writing is any good or not, I think you need to always be working those muscles.”

Check out Craig's review of the album on Page 34.

For additional info, soundbytes and the video for Jesse's first single go to www.museonline.co.za

muse | ten

BAND Q & A

Muse Reports Photo: Hanro Havenga

“...it's important to me that people know that we write together. I might bring the outline to [band] practice but we all colour it in together, and that's what makes the music special to us.”

D

ance, You’re On Fire is one of JHB’s hottest new bands. Describing themselves as something between rock ‘n roll and indie, the band aims to deliver tracks with both a pop sensibility and a driving creativity. DYOF has played extensively throughout South Africa and has enjoyed positive feedback from all media, gradually creating a solid fan base in the country.

With their debut album Secret Chiefs spawning 4 charted hits on national radio, the boys have also seen their single Boxes Of Tigers being released on German, Austria and Swiss radio.

With a powerful album, relentless touring and international possibilities looming, Dance, You’re On Fire is shaping up to be one of the most important rock acts of 2011. We caught up with vocalist & guitarist Tom Manners for a little Q ‘n A...

Congrats on the Secret Chiefs release. How has the album been received by the public?

Thank you! We’ve been really surprised at how well the album has been received. At first we were concerned that people would focus

heavily on the singles we’ve released so far, which is only natural, but now it’s at a point where there are kids at almost every show singing along to the more obscure tracks on the album, which is incredibly rewarding for us.

You have been compared to bands like Fall Out Boy and Panic! At The Disco many times, how does this make you feel?

We understand where people see the similarities, but it was never a conscious effort for us to sound anything like those bands. We like them, but we definitely don’t name them as major influences of ours.

Nonetheless, those bands have done really well for themselves, so if people hear that in our music then I suppose it’s nothing but complimentary.

Tom, where do you find your inspiration for song creation?

Personally I find inspiration from everything musical. Often I’ll be watching a movie or I’ll hear a snippet of music which will inspire me to take a song in a completely different direction. I’ve started to write a lot at home on an acoustic guitar, which is something new for me because that’s not typically how we went about writing Secret Chiefs. It’s bringing a

more singer songwriter element to my music and it’s making me think of song structure in a completely different way.

From the band’s perspective, I think we draw inspiration from each other. The writing process is very collaborative for us, it’s important to me that people know that we write together. I might bring the outline to [band] practice but we all colour it in together, and that’s what makes the music special to us.

You have had a really busy year and achieved some great things in SA as well as internationally. Fill us in on what's been happening?

We’ve released the album – which most people are aware of, and Boxes of Tigers has been huge for us, which we are incredibly proud of. Apart from that we have been touring relentlessly; it’s so important to us to keep hitting the major centres constantly so that finds us travelling almost constantly.

We’ve also released a new single Michelle in SA, which is much more relaxed than our previous stuff so we’re hoping that does well and Boxes of Tigers is starting to playlist across Europe with focus on Germany, which is also incredibly exciting for us.

muse | eleven

A Band on Fire...

BAND Q & A

Your singles have been very rocky up to this point, but Michelle, is a more acoustic track. If you had to choose one genre, which would it be?

I know that every band says this, but we wouldn’t pick any genre. When we were writing Secret Chiefs we were quite aware of the direction we wanted to take the songs and I think we found that restrictive.

Now that we’re writing new material, we’re being much more free and open. We all listen to a big mixture of stuff – from country, metal, electronica etc, so whatever comes through as a result of that is what comes through – we’re not going to restrict that flow.

Where do you most love performing?

It’s tough to pin down one city; we’ve had good and bad shows in all of them. I think we love playing festivals, because there’s just such a vibe and expectation behind every performance. On average, we love playing club shows in Johannesburg and Cape Town, the crowds there are always receptive.

If you could share the stage with any artist in the world, who would you choose?

Personally, I would kill to share the stage with The Police, but I doubt that’s ever going to happen! They’re my favourite band. Collectively I think

we’d love to share the stage with Brand New or As Cities Burn.

What's on your iPod right now?

A lot! I have a 160 GB Classic and it’s almost full. Right now I’m listening to the new Manchester Orchestra – Simple Math, which is just fantastic, the new Foo Fighters – Wasting Light which is blowing my hair back in a big way, Adele’s 21 and some old school Aerosmith.

How do you stop from killing each other on the road?

Sometimes it’s tough, especially when things go wrong (and things ALWAYS go wrong on tour) but I think we’ve just been touring so much together that we’re used to each other’s habits now. That and a very healthy dosage of good van music and weird humour.

What are your plans for the future of Dance, You're On Fire?

We’ll be taking June off from touring to write and demo some new material, which is exciting for us. In July we’re going on a massive winter tour which we’re getting ready to announce – we’ll be taking a whole team on the road with us for the first time. Other than that, we’re starting to turn our sites towards touring Europe soon as well.

Where do you see the band in 5 years time?

Hopefully touring regularly overseas with three or four great albums underneath our belts!

Lastly, on a personal note... what does it take to be Tom Manners?

Um, I’m not really sure. I’m nothing special. In the context of the band I’m one member who happens to be the singer. Overall, I think I can be pretty cocky sometimes but I like to have a lot of fun, I really care about the rest of the guys in the band and I love playing music with them. I also love boots.

Checkout the video to Boxes Of Tigers online @ www.museonline.co.za and buy their album! It’s great!!!

muse | twelve

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

By Paul Blom

I

n 2008 a new band appeared on the London scene. With an experimental and melodic Metal angle and some very interesting world music inclusion, Jurojin can be seen as one of the few breaths of freshness to sweep across the Hard Rock / Metal music scene every now and then. Paul Blom connected with Jurojin guitarist Nic Rizzi.

When it comes to musical roots, Nic’s exposure covered classic groups in both pioneering Rock and Metal genres.

“As a kid I was exposed to quite a wide diversity of music through my parents, like world music, some old classics. I was a huge Queen and Beatles fan when I was 8! At an early age I knew I wanted to play an instrument and settled on picking up the guitar. By that stage I was big into Nirvana and Guns ‘n Roses, and taught myself their songs, which is really how it all started for me!

My teenage years were dominated by Metal music like Fear Factory and Sepultura. By 18 I got massively into pretty much every other genre out there…”

fortune can go a long way in this industry. Other meanings attached to the name, including longevity and wisdom, which are both aspects we yearn to achieve. “

Some bands just make their kind of music from a sense of compulsion – when it comes to approaching Jurojin’s music (as an individual and as a unit), Nic’s philosophy is this: “As an individual a lot of the writing I do comes through mood. I have to be in the “zone” to write material that I feel is worthy. It’s sort of a domino effect in that one good riff tends to inspire another. As a unit it is very similar, as soon as we have something we all consider “great” we just roll with it.”

With so many bands materializing each day (in every genre), keeping head above water without sacrificing your (for lack of a better term) musical principles, and being able to make it your career as opposed to an expensive hobby is no light subject.

“It’s such a cutthroat business where hardly any money is available until you reach a certain level… many revenue streams are declining. We recognize we have such a long way to go if we are to even make the slightest splash in this industry, but the passion and love of working together as a band, the amazing vibes that come out of our jam sessions, and the friendships that we share are too precious to not push forward for as long as we can. “

Finding an original band name is not as easy a task as one might imagine. In the case of Jurojin, it seemed destined.

“We were looking for a word with meaning, and “Jurojin” just seemed to be the one. Jurojin is one of the seven Gods of fortune, and we all know a bit of

“It's such a cutthroat business where hardly any money is available until you reach a certain level…”

muse | thirteen

JUROJIN

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

Wisdom, Fortune, Longevity

With the often blurry line between Alternative and Metal music variations, it is difficult pleasing all of these communities. Their Living Measure of Time release (reviewed in the previous Muse issue) does have a cross-over appeal.

“Firstly, we recognize that people all have different tastes. We take a couple of risks on this record as far as what you’d expect from a “Melodic Metal” band. The more “purist” end of the spectrum has reacted negatively to the album, but we are so fine with it because when you try something new you can never expect everyone to like it! Amazingly though, the overall feedback to our release has been overwhelmingly positive so we could not be happier.”

When it comes to experimental inclusions (Tabla & Santoor), the question is whether space was found for it in the songs, or if the music dictates it.

“James and I had written a bulk of the album before anyone joined the line-up, so unfortunately TLMOT is not a full reflection of what we can do as a band.

The Tabla in our sound is not a novelty, certainly not a gimmick, and believe me when I say you have only heard a tiny introduction to what Sim can do…”

Besides the importance of an engineer and/or producer, people often overlook the last line of defense – mixing and mastering. Drew Mazurek (Linkin Park) came in to work on TLMOT. “In four words: DREW IS THE MAN. He is the most humble, genuine and attentive producer we have ever had the pleasure of working with. We were having some problems with the people we were working with, and Drew came in like a breath of fresh air. His expertise, dedication, attention to detail and passion turned a lot of inconsistent and poorly mixed material into a final product we were all extremely happy with, capturing the essence of the band.”

As with any band, the live performance aspect is an important one for Jurojin, but to what degree?

“As much as we enjoy the record, we are a live band at heart. We are at our

Competition: You can win a free copy of Jurojin’s killer new album plus a free band t-shirt.

Simply hop on over to www.museononline.co.za and check out the video for Scars.

best on a stage and the energy between us is quite apparent. Touring is always a great experience as we get to share all of those experiences together, as a team. “ With many Muse Magazine readers being musicians, Nic has these words of encouragement: “Having a record out is a dream come true for us, so as far as that is concerned, I’d suggest all musicians make sure you always make music for the love of it, for that feeling you get inside when you write something that makes you want to play it over and over again. Regardless of whether or not you succeed in this business, music makes the world go around, and as a musician you are blessed with the ability to create it, so never ever take that for granted!! Keep the vibes flowing, forever!”

muse | fourteen

INTERVIEW

By Johann M Smith Photo: Deborah Rossouw

A

standard trick of the mus ic journalis t: interview rock bands on a Sunday morning after a huge gig. The come down opens them emotionally and the hangover makes them impatient. The facts come hard and fast. And we’re always looking for that something extra.

I got lucky. Taxi Violence have just come off tour – one long gig. And the interview had to take place during front man George van der Spuy’s shift at Kill City Blues, of which he’s the cofounder and owner. The phone rings. George picks up the receiver and puts it down – the first of many calls he hangs up.

“Why did you do that?” I enquire, alert to a possible opportunity to dig some dirt.

“Because I’m busy with this interview right now,” he answers a matter of fact.

My god, what a nice guy. Not the treatment I expected.

Especially as a member of the press. He’s even made me a fresh cup of Ricoffy. That could have been a business call for all I know.

T h e m e m b e r s o f Ta x i Violence are renowned for being f r i e n d l y. T h e i r s o b e r appearances at odds with the image of Hard Rock. They’ve just released Long Way From Home – a greatest hits album meets unplugged set. After introductions, we get to talking about it.

“We redid all the songs.

From the start, the complete bottom” says George.

“And we’ve added three new ones” adds bassist Jason Ling. “But don’t be mistaken, we haven’t made mellow acoustic rock.”

For much of the album Jason’s Fender Bass and Rian Zietsman’s Gibson Firebird are still very much plugged in and drummer Louis Nel still bangs with sticks not brushes. “I hate brushes and I can’t play softly.

And Jason loves overdrive too much” smiles Louis. “Look, this is as ‘unplugged’ as we’re going to get.”

Long Way From Home is a director’s cut, a rare glimpse into the business of tracking down the ‘feel’. Hammering guitar riffs have evolved into buzzing blues harp fills. Rhythms are accented in unexpected places. The bands country and blues roots, embedded in past albums, have come to the fore.

“I remembered the day Rian phoned me up and said ‘you have to see this!’ It was Dave Ferguson recording a track on harmonica.

He’s amazing and did everything in one take,” recalls Louis still excited by it.

“We were just trying to think of more songs he could play on” says George. “He’s one of the best musicians.” The album also features Cellos, keyboard and slide guitar. It’s an attempt to build up the sound, without getting louder. A brave move, suicidal in a world where critics wait to pounce on any sign of musical ambition.

Back in 2009 Your LMG [Cape Town based live music guide] printed an unsettling review of Taxi Violence’s previous album, The Turn. A complaint letter followed, arguments ensued and filled an entire page in the following issue.

Mahala’s [online music & culture site] vicious comment board had a f i e l d d a y, f o l l o w i n g a controversial article by Max Barashenkov that lambasted the band and personally insulted Jason. The battle spilled over onto various blogs. The furore looked set to jeopardise the future of the band and Kill City.

George recalls: “It was the first album we recorded here. It was a total DIY job and I had too much to do. I recorded, mixed, produced. At night I went home and did vocals. At least eight takes for every song. From there, I picked the best verses and combined them.”

Jason says of the album “we wanted it gritty and it was too gritty for some. And the track list on the first run of printed sleeves didn’t follow the CD.”

“We went down south for a while....

But we're back.”

muse | fifteen

INTERVIEW

YOU HAVE TO EARN THE RIGHT TO SING THE BLUES. By all accounts, it was a trying period.

From which Taxi Violence have emerged, determined as ever not to conform to the expectations placed on them from outside. It took Taxi Violence nine months to start work on the new album, compared to the three year gap between the first and second releases.

“We took a whole year to record.

Did all the pre-production and the rest at Heritage Studios. We pitched a song to three different mixers and hired the best. Got an independent mastering job done and co-produced with Brendyn Rossouw” says George.

Everyone’s complimentary of Brendyn’s ‘good ear’ and agree it’s important to have a second opinion, otherwise you get too involved. Of the past Jason says: “This album does respond to the criticism and it also doesn’t. We’ve always done what we

like. We’ve since fired our manager and got a PR person. It’s all over.

We’ve worked hard.”

It seems the change in sound is not a superficial one, but rather the result of a different approach to the recording process. Taxi Violence, comparatively old dogs on the scene, are learning some new tricks.

The only drama that still exists, comes from living a rock and roll life on the road. George tilts his head laughing and wipes his face, “I don’t think we should tell him.” He looks at the rest of the band. “Okay, but the name of the idol, is strictly off-record.”

At the recent Up The Creek festival, George intoxicated on psychedelics, was dared five thousand Rand to puke on an Idols celebrity, also on the line-up. He did and is still awaiting payment.

George looks down and leans on

the counter. “Sex, drugs and rock and roll, we’ve done it,” he laments. “Just like everyone else. We’re not young guys anymore. We’ve been together seven years and apart from Rian, we no longer indulge with groupies. We all have girlfriends now. Mine still gets jealous when I speak to a pretty girl who’s a fan but I’ll always interact with my fans. The band was here first.”

“And we’ve become a band’s band” adds Louis.

Before Taxi Violence, there was no hard-rock revival in South Africa, no ballsy Van Coke Kartel, no Great Apes and no Revelators, who recently called it quits. They’ve kept the naive promise every new band makes on formation: doing it their way. Knowing well it’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll.

“We went down south for a while” concludes Louis. “But we’re back.”

By jezebel muse | sixteen Photo : jezebel

COLUMNIST

Boonzaier, baby

L

ike his coming career, he's long and lithe. Like his songs, he's pretty and prompt. He's the kind of guy who comes out of the bathroom singing, and showers you with testy one-liners to check if you're paying attention. Most know him from Jakkals, a bop-pop band that takes name-calling seriously. If science doesn't steal him, we'll be taking his music seriously. This one's for you, Nelly.

Jezebel: Boonzaier the Tall. Is there royalty in your name?

James: I think we were probably peasants.

The surname means ‘bean farmer’, and I tan easily, so we were probably slaves. We probably come from a long line of slaves.

There’s no survival value if you don’t tan. [into the phone] Brp mfiol tsks FISH? …

Rdptkl mfwl qtibdp. Bye. Fish?

We spoke about it last night, and this girl at band practise had offered us this huge piece of salmon. I endorse Fish For Africa.

On main road. On the mountain side of main road. This is great musical content, here.

We don’t have to talk about music.

How about if I just sleep and you just make it up? Coz a bands performance is totally an indication of their inner life.

You’re giving me great material.

Great. Except you’re a little in my light.

I’ll move. For your melanin count.

I did word count last semester Greek. And Roman.

The most surprising word?

There wasn’t really much surprise.

Linguistics, from linguis, tongue in Latin.

Pertaining to language and speaking. The power of words [makes a claw-like fist] Ok, so tell us about Nelly. Is Nelly a horse?

“Woah! Nelly” is a phrase. It means exactly what it says, it means woah! - slow down.

You sing something to Nelly about “I’ll never let you know how much I feel.” Why do people always tell secrets in songs?

It’s not about secrets; it’s about the mindset of the person. Being open with people about the fact that they’ve hurt you can change things. It’s about protecting the person. This song is not said openly to a person.

But it’s sung to the public!

It’s not about that. I was just writing stuff because I wasn’t feeling good, and …

Did it make you feel better?

It made me feel like I was being constructive with what was there. Not being destructive, and not just sitting on your ass. I’ve always thrived on being fulfilled by doing things, making things, fixing things, whether it’s abstract or physical. Just by looking at it, and knowing that it was yours. That’s why I built a car.

Restored a house.

You restored a HOUSE? It’s the house I live in. It belongs to my dad; he bought it when he was a student and when I finished school I wanted to move in, but it was a dump. I managed some heavy jobs like sanding and sealing floors, rewired the house, sanded down doors, built cupboard. Fixed the place up.

Wow. A labour of love. What is a love song?

A ballad . About how beautiful a girl is. I’ve never written a love song.

But – ‘Woah Nelly-?

It’s about closure. It could be about a dog dying. Lyrically, my music is personal and selfish. It’s for the listener to listen to and identify as they want. So far I’m not trying to change the world with my songs. Right now.

If you could change the world with a song, what would you encourage in it?

World peace.

Piss off.

Um. I’ll tell you what. I would get people less fucking apathetic; make everyone in the world consider what they do and what they buy and what they use, and what’s going on in their lives and how much control they could have over what affects them.

And if you could change this “interview”?

I’d have a cushion. http://soundcloud.com/jakkals/woah-nelly http://www.facebook.com/Jakkalsmusic

Imported and distributed by:

www.audiosure.co.za

muse | twenty

FEATURE

By Sergio Pereira

Holding Out For Heroes…

B

o n n i e Ty l e r i s l i k e Nostradamus. Even though she’s cheesier than mozzarella, Bonnie sure predicted it right with her 80s smash-hit Holding Out For A Hero – especially after this year’s SAMAs, we might need a crime fighter or two, as well (oh save us, Batman)! Jokes aside, the local rock scene requires bravery. We need someone to jump out of the shadows and save us from mediocrity and the lack of originality – not just rely on a label’s off-cuts. We need risk takers; musicians with balls, who’ll leave it all on the line or die trying. We need a City of Heroes.

Catching the eye Music publications receive millions (okay, I lie, maybe thousands) of submissions from bands. Unfortunately, quite often, we do receive the expected scribbled CD-R with a ghastly standard of music, which will make you want to die twice. However, Pretoria-based postpunk outfit, City of Heroes, have caught the industry’s attention, for the right reasons, with their ingenious press kit, which consists of a CD/DVD combo of their debut release The Great Unknown, postcards featuring the band members’ parallel universe characters, and an allround clever concept, all neatly folded and packaged into a labelled tin box.

Considering these guys don’t have a major label’s backing, this is a pretty mean DIY feat.

“We’d all played together in another band before, and when we started City of Heroes about two years ago, we wanted

to do everything bigger and better from the start,” says guitarist Jéan Lombard.

“We understand that if you create a band now, it isn’t just about playing live shows; you need to run it as a business and market yourself properly from the start, because first impressions are a huge thing. We wanted to give out a professional product that people might not have necessarily expected.”

Wait… did I just hear right? An independent, new band talking about marketing and a business plan? “Before we even started this band, we sat with my brother, who is a business consultant, and he ran us through some proper marketing strategies. Look, the music needs to be good anyway – no question about it – but the marketing just adds to it. Especially in the music scene here, you need that differentiating factor.

All your different aspects need to give the same message and feel to whoever sees it. So, whichever part of your band – for example, your web presence or music – the person sees [or hears], must give the same message you want to portray. The better you do this, the more control you have over how people perceive your band,” the guitarist affirms.

The Great Unknown As Jéan pointed out, the music needs to be good, too – and, thankfully, it is. The songs on The Great Unknown are well put together, extremely visual, and, ultimately, shake up a pirate ship.

Impressively, the recording quality is also classy.

So, it leaves me with just one question: how the hell did these guys manage to get everything just so right?

“That’s one of the reasons why we took forever to release this record,” he laughs.

“We worked on this album for nearly 2 years. Luckily, our vocalist Karl [Müller] runs his own recording studio, so we recorded everything ourselves. The good thing about that is, we recorded first and did pre-production on it, listened to it and saw what worked and what didn’t, and then re-recorded it.

Whilst in the past, we went into a studio for a week – or whatever we could afford – and then had to run our stuff like that.”

Painting a picture Not wasting any time, the band has released two music videos for the singles Traces of Light and Thief in the Night (filmed with Brendan Barnes of Crash Car Burn fame) off The Great Unknown.

Indisputably, all this DIY work is expensive, so it must be asked – are City of Heroes broke yet? Jéan laughs.

“Whenever people ask you ‘what’s your budget?’, there really isn’t one! If you don’t have a big budget, you really do have to pull in favours from people.”

Judging by the videos, the visual imagery of the songs and overall image of the band, there is a certain theatrical charm in City of Heroes. Is this something they plan on incorporating into their stage shows? “ Yeah, definitely,” he declares. “With our album launch, we did a whole setup with stage props, etc. Wherever we can, we’d like to incorporate these props and rotating scenes into our shows. Once we start playing on bigger stages or festivals – it’s often hard in smaller clubs, where there is hardly even space for your amp – we’d like to bring in a more theatrical setup with props.”

muse | twenty one

FEATURE

Taking the scene by the horns In less than a year since they started performing live, the band hasn’t been mucking about either, touring with some local heavyweights such as The Narrow, Knave and Dance, You’re On Fire. A lot of bands can spend years playing to dead pubs and empty garages, yet these dudes are making some serious strides in no time. “We played for 4 years with our other band, and we didn’t achieve a quarter of what we did in a year now. All the planning helped. We got all our stuff into place before we even started playing – and that’s why it also took so long,” Jéan says, before dishing out some valuable advice to his peers and younger bands.

“Rather take your time and put out the best product you can. Get your marketing strategy for your band ready, establish what you want to say with your band and then see that everything fits into that vision.”

This vision is unquestionably one of their driving forces, as he explains their future plans. “We plan on shooting another video for Fight or Flight with Brendan [Barnes] – basically, we’re looking to release another 3 videos from this album. We’re also going to start working on the next album within the next 2 months, hopefully to be released by the end of next year, and try to get a proper booking agent, as we’ve been doing everything independently so far.”

Frankly, if City of Heroes continue to work as impressively as they have, they might soon need more than one booking agent.

Check out their impressive two videos online @ www.museonline.co.za For more information on City of Heroes, visit www.city-of-heroes.net.

We understand that if you create a band now, it isn't just about playing live shows…

muse | twenty two

ALBUM FEATURE

By James Rose-Mathew

T

he Foo Fighters are not well-known for being quiet.

Their brash but resoundingly successful formula of shouting loudly over the top of loud guitars and even louder snare hits has earned them ever-increasing cultural import since the first half of the 90s. Such is it that a strangely reverberant space appeared in the rock quarters when the Foo's went quiet a few years ago after coming off a typically mammoth tour in 2008, taking a deserved break from shipping their racket around from city to city. Only two new songs, both issued on their Greatest Hits album back in late 2009, have seen the light of day since.

Fortunately though, Dave Grohl and his crew of noise-makers are squarely back in the room as of a few weeks back. Their latest recording Wasting Light has stormed out of the gates, rushed to the top of the Billboard charts and pleasured many an eager ear. It also sees the band in a decidedly retro mode, at least on the construction end of this album. Grohl is clearly quite taken aback at how massive the Foo Fighters have become and, in an effort to shake the machine up, took the decision to return to grass-roots while producing Wasting Light.

Despite having access to their own top-tier recording studio called Studio 606 and having the clout and budget to record at any studio of their choice, the Foo Fighters chose

to record the album in Dave Grohl's garage. To further distinguish Wasting Light, they also made the decision to record the collection of songs without the assistance of digital trickery, by now a ubiquitous part of the production process in the recording industry. Thus, the album was recorded to tape machines and reportedly did not see the inside of a computer until the final stages of reproduction.

This means, quite simply, no Auto-tune; no cut-n-paste performances; no note-editing - a warts 'n all record that is especially unique at the level of stardom the Foo Fighters find themselves. It’s a brave move and one that appears to have paid off.

muse | twenty three

THE Wasting Light is the Foo Fighter's first album to have debuted at No 1. It’s a record full of lean pieces of primal rock-power. It does not stray very far from the Foo's tried and tested formula of anthemic choruses and brute guitar grunt but is somehow imbued with a spirit that does not shine through on their previous outings like Echoes, Silence, Patience and Grace or In your Honour. Cuts like These Days and Bridge Burning brim with an energy many ultra famous rock n roll giants seemingly struggle to muster once the stardom and excesses of the high life take hold.

The Foo Fighters are clearly in the ultra famous camp, being one of the few rock acts that can sell out Wembley Stadium, so it is fantastic to feel something raw and unpolished in their output so deep into their career.

The inclusion of producer Butch Vig may have had something to do with that ethereal vibe captured on Wasting Light. Vig and Grohl have not worked together on a full length outing since Grohl beat the skins on a timeless classic called Nevermind another album where something truly primal exists in and around the noise. While Wasting Light does not reach the giddy heights set by that piece of history, the collaboration clearly unearthed a raw vein that injects some well-needed grit into the carefully manicured landscape of today's music industry.

If you really want to bathe in the strange essence that pervades the album,

ALBUM FEATURE

sit back and allow the track titled I Should Have Known to wash over and into you. Here, Grohl i n v i t e s f e l l o w e x- N i r v a n a bandmate Krist Novoselic to lay the bottom end with wreckingball basslines.

Grohl and his Foo Fighters have set a benchmark in their career with this album, not necessarily in terms of songwriting but rather in terms of the unnameable thing that Tom Waits sang about in That Feel.

It's going to be rather interesting to watch where they tread next.

muse | twenty four

INTERVIEW

By Eliza Day Photo: Justin Polkey

G

oing to Jeremy de Tolly’s (of The Dirty Skirts) apartment was what you’d hope it to be.

Classy side of town, large, spacious apartment and huge windows that let light splash all over the awesome interior of someone with a trained aesthetic for the hip side of life. I clearly am up to speed as we are both wearing the same outfit; matching black leather jackets and tight black drainpipes.

I have no intention of making Jeremy or his band sound superficial in this article, in fact the opposite, trendy and on the button as they are. It takes a lot of talent to know how to make a pop hit.

Don’t be deceived by the bland, static crap that spews out of Miley etcetera.

That’s not pop. It’s propaganda for little girls. Real pop is a tricky craft that hits the nail on the head for masses of people.

This is something The Dirty Skirts have managed to do with each album release, despite the changes in sound and direction. I have no doubt that their latest

contribution; Lost in The Fall will find its rightful place on the charts. The fact that this could be the band’s last album and that it’s changed over to a ‘darker and harder’ side shows an understanding that the magic of popular music is the transient acceptance that it is only for a time.

I ask Jeremy where the title, Lost in The Fall comes from. Crossed legged and bespectacled he replies, "The title just came out. It's from a lyric actually. Just one of those things that happened but kind of suited where we were going with the album. There are layers of meaning in it that you could draw from. The Fall is that kind of Judaism/Christian idea that I think there is in most religions. The fall from paradise. It's also we're writing it in the autumn of this year and there's a possibility that it might be our last album.

Maybe. We have this feeling of ending as we're writing this album."

I’m intrigued by his suggestion that this may be the end of the line for the Skirts. Jeremy elaborates, "That possibility does exist. We may be geared towards other stuff. I think we're going to take a break and maybe a permanent

break. We'll see. We're definitely going to play this album out and tour it and all of that stuff. I've got some solo stuff that I need to do. In a way there's something fun about that feeling of a funeral. Like a drunken wake maybe where there's a lot of freedom in the funeral. There was a lot of freedom in this album. It's been an amazing opportunity to write something that really speaks to us and this is what I wanted to do with music. This is what I always wanted to do with music. We've done the best that we can with this album.”

Those of you who have been following the band's movements will have heard that they split from Sony BMG, on apparently amicable terms and have since returned to the independent stance on creation that they are known for. Jeremy admits that The Skirts are now signed with Sheer but more through necessity than anything else, “We are with Sheer. It's pretty much impossible to be completely independent if you want to distribute and if you print CD's then you have to have someone to distribute them. We're still doing what we want to do.”

muse | twenty five

“...Maybe the best analogy would be the tarot card for the fool.

The image for that is this happy faced fool walking off the edge of a cliff. I think that's kind of it. It's a leap of faith.”

INTERVIEW

Jeremy de Tolly speaks out on The Dirty Skirts' latest and maybe their last album, “Lost In The Fall”.

What he has to say when we move onto the content of the album shows that this band may be on their way out but maybe it's okay because time has changed their priorities. He says, “We went into this album saying if we lose a lot of fans it doesn't matter. We're just going to produce the album that we want to produce and those that get it, get it and those that don't, don't. We're leaving any sense of having a sound that's popular, fashionable or anything like that. I don't know what people are going to say about Lost in the Fall and that's kind of what's been happening for a while.

Maybe the best analogy would be the tarot card for the fool. The image for that is this happy faced fool walking off the edge of a cliff. I think that's kind of it. It's a leap of faith.”

It seems like it’s a good time to take the fall, as it were, according to Jeremy; I ask him what he thinks of music in SA

just now, “It’s a bizarre time for SA music where nothing discernible is rising to the surface. Bits and pieces. It doesn't feel like there's a strong thrust in any kind of direction. It's an internal kind of thing. It's a feeling of, 'Fuck this shit, let's write what we want to write'. Let's indulge some of the things that we want to indulge and put things together that shouldn't work, do things that you shouldn't do and say things that you shouldn't say.”

On a lighter note I ask him what he'd listen to just before he died. He replies after a moment of pensive thought, “If I had to listen to a song... well there would be two songs I would listen to before I died; one would be Street Spirit/Fade Out by Radiohead from the album The Bends because it’s just too beautiful.

The other one that I would finish with as my house went down in flames would be There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

by The Smiths.”

On transport preference, whether he'd go for a vintage bicycle plus basket or a Vespa, Jeremy laughs, “Well I've already got a Vespa but I'd like a bike. I think I'd leave the basket for somebody else who is even more of a fashion victim than I am. You know, that's just so Long Street. Man bag, little basket, mini baguette...” We both laugh at the analogy.

Lost In The Fall is due to be released in June accompanied by a nationwide tour and shows although it's on their terms, “We're more interested in music that we like and playing the gigs that we like and if we don't, then we won’t play it.”

The Dirty Skirts have always been on their own terms though. It seems they intend to leave as they came; playing the fool and taking a leap of faith.

muse | twenty six

MUSIC NEWS

I

f different genres were different drugs, metal would be heroin. You either end there by mistake or because the plunge made more sense than anything else. Its subscribers found the world on abrasive terms with its roots in technical Jazz and rock and roll and metal remains one of the few guitar genres still pushing the boundaries further, deeper, darker into the oily belly of its own self.

Despite having the most talented and obsessed musicians, who are often stubborn for change, having gone to extremes, metal is undoubtedly one of the least commercially viable genres in Southern Africa.

Which makes Terminatryx’s new video for Virus an anomaly with export quality production; the international metal world can and should take notice. In addition to Virus, Terminatryx are also working on a video for Siek+Sat

an Afrikaans song, and they're in pre-production for a video of one of the tracks which will be on the forthcoming remix album of their release, Remyx v1.0. Produced by Flamedrop Production, the album is to be released by ENT Entertainment after July 2011.

Remixes are not uncommon, but a rarity for bands (especially from SA) to have the entire album worked over. This is also an intercontinental project with remixers from 5 different parts of the globe, giving each song an individual take.

International remixers are: Martin Degville from Sigue Sigue Sputnik with Lloyd Price (UK); Industriezone (Austria); Sheep On Drugs (UK); Modern-e-Quartet (Greece) and The Awakening (USA / RSA).

Local remixers include: Battery 9, Nul, Axxon, and Mr Sakitumi.

Check www.TERMINATRYX.com

Inside

Terminatryx: Patrick, Sonja, Paul, Ronnie Photo by Dr-Benway

The only black band white folks care to hear and see, Blk Jks, are heading to Mali to record their next release. Not that interesting, I know. However word on the internet is they might collaborate with jazz marvel trumpeter, flugelhornist, cornetist, composer and singer Hugh Masekela. Now say oooh and aaah.

The most famous unknown band, which featured in last issue’s Muse, The Brother Moves On, has finished a video for Rainbow Child. The video as the name of the studio, No Budget Productions, suggests, is cheap. However it somehow catches the song brilliantly. They get my vote for unknown act to play at Oppikoppi.

Blk Jks

Looking for New Music: John McDonnell of The Guardian called Brokencyde "the worst thing to happen to music.” The band are singled out in crunk-core, a genre that combines R 'n B and screamo. Listen to: Freaxxx.

Kanivool a hard rock outfit who have distinct South African sound, despite being from Australia. They have been active since 1997 and have won several awards touring the world over. Www.karnivool.com.au The LA’s. A forgotten treasure of the nineties. Fronted by indecisive enigma Lee Mavers, who made his riches from the song, There She Goes – famously covered by Sixth Spence Non the Richer. Lee wanted to originally record the album on a Dictaphone and only ever managed to make one. A pop-masterpiece nonetheless. Listen to: Looking Glass, I.O.U (alternative version) and Son of a Gun.

the machine

muse | twenty seven

MUSIC NEWS

with Johann Smith

New and Upcoming Releases: Gazelle are currently mixing and mastering their second album, The Rise and Fall of an Empire, at Dreamspace. The Merseystate owned and run studio are also recording Joshua Grierson’s latest and Ard Matthews’ solo debut. Ard has made the first recorded track Fire Within available on his website www.ardmatthews.com. It doesn’t sound a thing like Just Jinjer and leans heavily on electronic backing.

After a four month hiatus, and quitting V.O.L, Kevin Rule has started new metal act With Dawn who are currently working on a yet-to-be-named EP. He just couldn’t resist a comeback.

Durban indie-pop sensation, The Otherwise, are currently planning their second Ard Mathews album and a tour to Cape Town in July. Watch this space for more details. (pic by: Deborah Rossouw Chris Chameleon has released As Jy Weer Skryf, an album that sets Ingrid Jonker poems to music. The album is available on Rhythm Records.

The Wild Eyes have finally completed a follow up to their 2006 debut, Our Love has a Special Violence. The The Otherwise much anticipated EP is called Swastique. No surprises there. But expect this one to be plenty different.

Mr. Cat and the Jackal are presently filming puppets for the video of Bad Man He Comin. The video will be produced by Yesterfang Productions who are also working on a video for Captain Stu’s Tempo which should be ready in the next two months.

The Dirty Skirts’ new album Lost in the Fall is due for release in June 2011 [see our interview with the Skirts on Pg’s. 24 & 25]. According to Skirt’s guitarist David Moffatt “the sonic has changed on this album. We are closer to the experience that we’ve envisaged. We have deliberately preserved the grittiness of our pre-studio recordings. Some of the material is dark and hard, but there is loads of beauty and heart too.” Lost in The Fall is co-produced by The Dirty Skirts and Neal Snyman and engineered by Brendan Rossouw.

Weird-but-revered-duo Witness to Wolves are currently busy with their debut called Porcelain, recorded between Down South and Frozen Heart studios. Only a limited edition of copies will be printed, but the entire album will be available for download. The group also plan to embark on a nationwide tour for a series of unusual shows.

Ex-Libertines frontman and most famous junkie on earth, Pete Doherty, has been sentenced to six months in Pete Doherty prison. In March 2009, Doherty was one of four people taken into custody after 27-year-old filmmaker Robin Whitehead died from a suspected overdose in January 2009 . Doherty was charged with possession of cocaine and has pleaded guilty. This will be his third time in jail. To add insult to injury, his former lover Kate Moss is getting married to Kills singer Jamie Hince. The supermodel is also reported to have lined-up Snoop Dogg for her wedding.

Mick Jagger has started a new super-group called Super Heavy. With him in the band are Joss Stone, Damian Marley, Eurhythmics’ Dave Stewart and Indian musician A.R. Rahman. The band is rumoured to be in discussions for a major record deal.

Notorious B.I.G is to be marketed as a product. The rapper’s estate has done a deal with Brand Sense Partners who are planning to churn out a range of products bearing the rapper’s name.

muse | thirty

FEATURE

by Mary Honeychild

“My big thing is being able to mix music up; in its eclectic form beautiful things come out of this and that is the ethos behind Zula.”

Long Street's Zula Bar

moves to No. 98 and inherits an even better super sized premises

T

he downtown dark brown and rustic interior of Cape Town’s Zula Bar stands solid after six years of enjoying growing support from live music and stand-up comedy lovers. The hallways and winding staircases adorned with local artwork tell stories of countless memorable party nights.

Owners and avid local music supporters themselves, Vusa and wife Zoe from the UK made a trip to the city back in 2005 and felt inspired by the idea of a laidback lounge themed bar that centered on the showcase of live music.

They opened their doors on 1 April 2005 and after consistent success over the years, the growing need for space to host events of a larger scale as well as the growing number of internationals frequenting South Africa [since 2010], has made this a priority, best met with the recent choice to move a few blocks down the road to No. 98 Long Street.

The new revived version of Zula Bar will leave none wanting for all their usual patrons and the new ones they will surely acquire. No. 98 boasts a cosy downstairs café that will serve home style cooking for ‘out-on-party-missions-munchies’. To get your drink fix the cocktail bar separated by the corridor will be stocked with all the usual favourites, and the first main dance floor will be poised to the front of that.

Upstairs on the first floor you will find yourself in an acoustic lounge with a balcony that will be the focus of live instrumental music performances and comedy. To the right of that yet another larger club style dance floor with the capacity to host DJs and in demand international acts.

Zula Bar centres on the inclusion and appreciation of varying types of music genres and artists such as Funk, Soul, Electro and Hip Hop with focus and love for the artists with the ability to fuse these genres.

“My big thing is being able to mix music up; in its eclectic form beautiful things come out of this and that is the ethos behind Zula. When we started a lot

Zula - Now!

Zula - The Future!

of people warned us that Cape Town wouldn’t be open to such a venue but the success of it tells a different story,” confirms Vusa as we touch on the ideas that make up the concept behind Zula.

Other than just being an eclectic style music venue they are also open to and in full support of local talent that grace the surrounding areas of the city as well its township artists; acting as a platform for musicians, mc’s and comedic performers.

“I think that in this city more venues like ours will be healthy for the South African music industry to grow. Instead of competing for patrons we should be uniting and bringing the country’s good music together in a comfortable space where it can be easily enjoyed. It’s vital to give the townships the opportunity to bring their music to the city centre where they can be exposed to a wider audience.

There is no point in being a big and amazing guitarist in your own bedroom

or backyard,” adds Vusa thoughtfully.

Bedroom or backyard aside Zula has made itself a home for any and most of Long Street’s dwellers and remains up until today an integral part of the nerve centre that makes up the globally recognized party hub of Cape Town. I prod a little and ask Vusa what are some of the key points that keeps Zula going…

“Honesty, consistency and doing what we believe in is what I think is owed to our success. To be honest I thoroughly enjoy getting to book all these talented artists and watch them perform. It’s the standard that is expected of us and I work hard to uphold that,” he confirms.

The grand re-opening will take place on 1 July 2011 and will feature a surprise of the crème of South Africa’s live music bands and performers. If you are in the Mother City on the night be sure to check it out and be a part of history in the making.

muse | thirty two

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LENS: CULT, CLASSIC AND CRAZY FILMS

by Mickdotcom

The oneiric kiss.

Of all the creatures still stalking our screens and pages, inherited from the rich, European canon of myths, it is the Undead that reign. Zombies; vampires; more recently Frankenstein (that glorious Prince of the Id - the Werewolf - doesn't count coz the bugger never died...) But it is the Vampire which deathlessly seduces.

While we find zombies, with their implicit symbolism of consumerism - stumbling, mindless, dispassionate hunger - morbidly fascinating, the vampire - condensing from a moist mist in the maiden's dreams to hover above her bed; insinuating itself into the boudoir through the frosted window, by invitation - is inescapably romantic. Or was, until the teens took over.

Here are three celluloid frames that retain the occult intrigue, dark eroticism, and cosmetic flair of the caped ones...

Where Vampires still have bite This edition we investigate the possibility that Teenage, centrefold vampire hunks and hunkesses might, just maybe, not have driven the final stake through the coldly romantic heart of Western civilization's favourite breed of monster.

Bram Stoker's Dracula (Francis Ford Coppola - 1992) The definitive American version of Stoker's gothic classic. Hovering over the bared, inviting neck of kitsch, it positively oozes with crimson and candles and darkness and bosoms and swooning blood.

Coppola ingeniously recasts the brooding, claustrophobic horror of the 19th century novel as darkly simmering romance. "I have crossed oceans of time to find you," Gary Oldman's fanged seducer informs the on-the-brink-of-fainting Lucy.

The film belongs to Oldman, who brings a most unlikely sensuality and most improbable erotic intensity to the table, metamorphing from blood-drenched warlord to ancient, eerie mancreature; to werewolf; to chic, Transylvanian womanizer.

Tom Waits shines in an appropriately eccentric cameo, while the deliciously delicious Monica Belucci heads a bevy of orally fixated vamps. Basically, it's the shit.

Let the right one in (Thomas Alfredson - 2008) A modest masterpiece exploring the myth from a fascinating, counter-traditional angle. The film focuses on the powerful friendship which develops between two 12 year olds - one a bullied, troubled school kid; the other a girl vampire who's been twelve since forever.

Set in a small, Swedish town, the film's dark frames are steeped in crisply white snow the narrative unfolding in a kind of dreamy haze; crisp yet blurred; grimly contemporary yet retaining a fairytale quality.

Oskar is a gentle, almost feeble adolescent, who channels his frustration at being the sole target of a trio of school-bullies through violent fantasies of revenge, collecting newspaper clippings of violent crimes and murderers, which he keeps in a secret book. Into the sleepy, winter-trapped town of his life enters Eli, a young girl cautious of people yet aware of her incongruous power. Their opposite natures coalesce around their mutual, self-ordained solitude, and a tentative bond deepens into something beautiful and freeing. The film's tone is cynically human: Pedophilia, violent abuse, parental depression - dark aspects of many children's lives - are acknowledged, with the character of Eli bringing ironic redemption.

Great effects; endearing characters; and a contrapuntally hopeful score, conspire to make this one of the most touching films of recent years.

Shadow of the Vampire (E. Merhige - 2000) Quirky, staged account of the filming of the Vampire genre's silent classic, 1923's Nosferatu. An abiding cult favourite, the original became the stuff of legend, central to which being the true nature of chillingly convincing actor Max Schreck, who portrayed cinema's most atypical, physically repellent vampire. So bizarre, in fact, was Schreck's performance, and his vampire's twitchy physicality, that people became convinced it was too weird to be fiction.

In the post-modern take, Willem Dafoe - he of the erotically macabre mouth - climbs into Nosferatu's skin. The film explores what could have been had the rumours been true - that Nosferatu's director had coaxed an actual, dying vampire to appear in his film. Needless to say, crew members begin mysteriously disappearing, and rumours spread, leading to a situation of mutiny, the director too blinded by hopes of cinematic glory to admit that he might have made a deal with the wrong devil...

Intriguing, and truly creepy.

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muse | thirty four

ALBUM REVIEWS

DM – Dave Mac | JS – Johann Smith | CW – Craig Wilson | JM - James Rose-Mathew | SP - Sergio Pereira | DA.d – David Adamson | PB – Paul Blom 1 = Weak | 2 = Okay | 3 = Pretty Cool | 4 = Rocking | 5 = Demi-God!

<<<Editors Choice>>> 1. JESSE CLEGG - LIFE ON MARS

2. TAXI VIOLENCE - LONG WAY FROM HOME

I wasn’t a huge fan of Clegg Jnr’s 2008 debut, When I Wake Up. Although, considering it generated five singles, clearly I’m in the minority. His debut couldn’t decide if it was a pop or a rock album, the lyrics underwhelmed, and the tentativeness was palpable. Life on Mars is sonically, thematically and lyrically in a different universe to its predecessor. It’s undoubtedly a rock album, there’s a newfound maturity to the lyrics, and while it wears its influences on its sleeve Clegg’s confidence in his own abilities as a songwriter and lyricist elevates this release above much of the generic cock rock that may have influenced it. The album was produced by David Bottrill (Muse, Placebo, Silverchair, Staind, Tool) and mastered by Bob Ludwig (Bowie, Hendrix, Rolling Stones, Nirvana) which no doubt goes someway to explaining the album’s hard rock sound, and the fact that’s it’s being called one of the most expensive local albums ever. Clegg also deserves kudos for the innovative packaging – there’s a unique card for each track that can be displayed as the cover. Flash aside, this time Clegg has proved he’s an artist to watch.

4/5|CW

3. THE KILLS - BLOOD PRESSURES This, the fourth album from the chainsmoking, leather-clad duo is perhaps their best. One of the things I love about The Kills is that I said something similar about their last album. It’s been three long years since they released anything, but good God it’s been worth the wait. There’s the usual grittiness and sleaze and sex and swagger and sweat you’d expect of them, but their ongoing experimentation with drum tracks, live instrumentation, multipart harmonies, a choir, and a little bit of sampling is all evidence of a band uninterested in excessive reminiscing. The sexual tension is no less palpable on this release than its predecessors, but rather than being the teenage-pent-upfrustration variety, it’s the consenting-adults-looking-to-get-filthy-sort.

VV handles most of the vocals on this outing and positively oozes insouciance – she sounds like she’d do gloriously sordid things to you, and you’d like it. Understandably, with three albums under their belts, the duo sound more confident than ever, and so they should: Blood Pressures is a simply fantastic album. Hopefully it won’t be another three years before the next one.

5/5|CW

For all us lovers of straight up rock ‘n roll Taxi Violence smashed onto the scene as a breath of fresh raw exuberance without the need for any fancy ‘post’ this, or ‘neo’ that or cute little words like ‘alt’ or ‘indie’ necessary to define them. The result is that after seven years together their sound is still a timeless ode to what they do best... rocking out! So don’t be misled by the cute suggestions of an unplugged album. Okay for Taxi Violence this may be unplugged but to the uninitiated hearing them for the first time, Long Way From Home should simply be received as a damn fine and extremely wholesome rock offering. Sure the guitars are not as thrashy as we’ve come to know from the quartet and things have got a little calmer along the way. But it’s still rock ‘n roll and I love it. A little mellower, definitely more assured and entirely better produced, TV prove once and for all – they write damn fine songs. It’s their best effort to date and includes three new compositions too but even if you own their previous releases, grab this baby. It’s a keeper.

4/5|DM

4. THE GRAEME WATKINS PROJECT CORRIDORS OF THE MIND When I received this album the name Graeme Watkins was a mystery to me.

This may be my lot for not watching a single minute of the well-trodden Idols talent show, and avoiding radio shows dealing with anything associated with it. Or is it in fact my blessing? Not having to sit through atrocious audition episodes (which, let's face it , is probably why most people do so, for a laugh, then get invested in a favourite and spend hundreds smsing for them...). Yeah, it's a blessing! So, apparently Graeme was the 2009 season runner-up. One would expect a singer coming from a show like this to opt for the crooning pop star persona with songs penned by the record company's regular radio-savvy writers. Instead, Graeme cracks out with a rock band, throwing original songs out there that someone who enjoys the lighter side of Zebra and Giraffe could easily listen to. Many of the tracks do give you that ‘very familiar feeling’, but where anti-Idols die-hards would normally dismiss someone like this, with Graeme and his band they can actually give them a chance.

3/5|PB

5. PANIC! AT THE DISCO - VICES & VIRTUES

After The Killers conquered the world, a multitude of bands in that style emerged. The same can be said for Fall Out Boy and traces of their accessible semi-Punk Rock-Pop fusion infiltrating the psyche of new bands. It is with no surprise then that I discovered that FOB are in fact considered mentors to Panic! In the greater scheme of things, Panic! At The Disco is a relatively new band, releasing their debut album A Fever You Can't Sweat Out in 2005 to great sales, chart positions and some awards. The batch of songs on this, their third album display their current direction (after trimming some members) with a rich blend of innovative Pop-Rock explorations, that Baroque-Pop flamboyance very much a presence. Some songs feel a bit more lacklustre than others, the formulaic expectancy unavoidable, but foil you with catchy tunes and idiosyncrasies, like a range of semiexperimental and unexpected instrumentation being incorporated, mainly as intros or breaks, which include (in addition to strings) accordion, kalimba and lullaby music-box sounds. Lined up beside some of the commercial terrors listeners are subjected to, Panic! is definitely the better option.

3/5|PB

6. MASTODON - LIVE AT THE ARAGON

muse | thirty five

Having been impressed with this power act's Blood Mountain album, I was quite excited when this one came along. Besides the dozen explosive live tracks, you also get the super-bonus of the full concert and Crack The Skye: The Movie on DVD. Crack The Skye (the visuals featuring as live rearprojection) spans almost an hour, offering up a far-out narrative visual trip with their musical backing via 7 chapters. The movie combines modern visual effects with an oldschool early-1900s style in the vein of Maciste In Hell and Metropolis. A cosmic journey has a wheelchair bound invalid embark on an out of body experience, while a mystical figure battling evil brings it all together.

Besides the prog-rock leanings and technical intensity, what also sets them apart is the diverse vocal sharing between drummer, guitarist and bassist. The fusion of modern Metal with old-school sensibilities is an irresistible proposition for lovers of the genre, and even if you don't put stock into what Rolling Stone Magazine has to say, there is certainly a little truth in their claim that Mastodon is “the greatest Metal band of their generation...” Had Pink Floyd been a Metal band, they may well have sounded like Mastodon.

5/5|PB

8. GREEN DAY - AWESOME AS F**K The fact that the word “awesome” has become as over-used as “bling” I won't get into right now...The crown princes of commercial rebellion have plied their trade for over twenty years, and about seven years into it made a big splash with their major label debut in '94. Underground experts can give you lengthy rundowns on who Green Day has borrowed from, but their influence has proven to be undeniable with an army of imitations flowing from every suburb around the globe in return. The 17 songs were recorded live on tour across various venues from England, Scotland, Ireland, Austria and Germany, to Canada, across the USA, and Australia, featuring favourites from the Dookie, Nimrod, Warning, American Idiot, and 21st Century Breakdown albums (and their first 2 indie efforts), like American Idiot, Know Your Enemy, Holiday, When I Come Around, and Wake Me Up When September Ends. There's no denying the energy they exude on stage (with enough jumping to give Wynand Myburgh a run for his money). To bulk up the 3-piece sound in the live arena an extra three musicians are pulled in with extra guitar, backing vocals, piano, even saxophone. A DVD addition shot in Japan adds the visual impact and features as many tracks, with a few set-list alterations to the CD (like a cover of The Who's My Generation).

4/5|PB

10. CITY OF HEROES - THE GREAT UNKNOWN Following the lead of popular Punk slanted Rock bands like My Chemical Romance, local band City Of Heroes have sculpted their style along the parameters of those acts, and do it well. The catchy, melodic, positive and powerful-whenneed-to-be tunes hold up alongside similar international exports (but may become a point of criticism from serious fans of the bigger established acts for following those trends).

Like so many new talented young bands, City Of Heroes tackled their project full force with all the DIY capabilities at their disposal, from using their own recording studio, to the members' graphic design background utilized to execute the album cover and web site's look. As an introduction to those oblivious to their existence (like myself), they included a DVD with this debut album release, featuring background on how they got started, their objective, acoustic sessions, and features two of their music videos.

3/5|PB

ALBUM REVIEWS

7. R.E.M. - COLLAPSE INTO NOW

R.E.M. has that ability to produce radio-friendly pop-rock, but still maintain an indie tinge which can appeal to some on that end of the spectrum. With a far more intellectual approach to their music than the basic frivolities of what has become the commercial music industry, this band is always a viable option. The album however does not produce instant anthems like that of Losing My Religion, Man On The Moon, Radio Song, The One I Love, or the song that got used over the weekend of 21 May (with the failed Rapture prophecy) on American news cable channels, It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine). As is so often the case, a band is identified by its vocalist and after pondering this in the light of Michael Stipe, along with a similar scenario as Pearl Jam's Eddie Vedder being the recognizable figure (the rest of the band could pass you in the street and you wouldn't know), I spotted that Vedder actually features on the song It Happened Today (!). Now a 3-piece with session musicians and guests, the essence of R.E.M. is still fully intact after 3 decades.

3/5|PB

9. ROYAL BANGS - FLUX OUTSIDE This Knoxville three-piece has a pleasant disregard for the notion of genre, having tried to include as many of them as possible on this, their third album. It’s their first album since signing to Glassnote Records (home to Mumford & Sons, Phoenix and Two Door Cinema Club) and was produced

by Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev, Flaming Lips, Mogwai). Flux Outside is an incredibly busy album, and it sounds like every instrument is at the same volume level, resulting in a texture not dissimilar to that of a My Bloody Valentine album, albeit with far more easily discernible lyrics. If anything, this album is so full of ideas and riffs that it could have been split over two albums. Its rock, but not in the traditional four-instruments-and-a-singer sense. It’s more like a soundscape, peppered with great riffs and surprisingly memorable choruses. Royal Bangs are undoubtedly a band on the rise, and I can’t wait to see what their next album has to offer. Letterman loves them, and I suspect you might too.

4/5|CW

Check out the full reviews of these titles online @ www.museonline.co.za Jessica Lea Mayfield - Tell Me If she’s good enough for Pitchfork it’s good enough for us. And if you haven’t heard of Pitchfork then don’t bother! A brilliant album by this neo-country singer.

Aloe Blacc - Good Things Released in 2010 Good Things is something of a sleeper as it has gained traction and no wonder. It’s a soulful, funk infused excursion that owes a lot to the seventies with strong songs and what a voice!!!

The Blackout – Hope Southern Welsh post-hardcore band tries the crossover appeal thing. But does it work?

Wolf People – Steeple English band Wolf People bang out a real 70’s psychedelic offering that does have appeal. From the same label that introduced us to Black Mountain it’s an interesting mix and certainly worth taking note off....

Anna Calvi Announced as a nominee for BBC’s Sound of 2011, this English indie rock chick serves up her self-titled debut to critical acclaim. What’s the fuss we ask?

Warpaint - The Fool A band definitely worthy of being on our best new bands list, Warpaint is an LA based quartet best described as art-rock meets psychedelia and should certainly get all the indie trainspotters scrambling for cooler than thou brownie points with this one in their collection.

Cee Lo Green - The Lady Killer Ah the lady killer with the lady killer voice. Cheesy 50’s style hit single aside there is no denying Cee Lo’s amazing voice and sense of humour...

Dontsaywedidntwarnyou – doesitoffendyouyeah This album is about as weird as the name suggests. But is it any good?

We’re still trying to decide...

muse | thirty six

For more gaming reviews, check out www.flamedrop.com

GAME REVIEWS

by Paul Blom

MARVEL vs. CAPCOM 3 - Fate of Two Worlds (PlayStation 3) 4/5 If you're a fan of either the world renowned Marvel comic book heroes and villains, or the trusted Capcom gaming characters, this will be right up your alley. For someone who is an avid fan of both these brands, you've hit the frickin' jackpot! The spectacular opening sequence (with a great blended 3D & comic book look) is guaranteed to get your gaming fingers itching. These two worlds collide when Fantastic Four villain Doctor Doom and Resident Evil nemesis Wesker forms an unholy alliance. This may well be the ultimate tag fighting match as you get to choose any 3 characters on your side for one hell of a beat-'em-up experience, filling the screen with fast-paced intense action and crazy special moves and combos unique to each character. With almost 40 of them (19 from each side), there is no shortage when it comes to diverse characters and powers. They're all 3D, not flat comic book “cutouts”. You may not be familiar with all of these, but you're set to get very well acquainted with all of them if this is your kind of PS3 poison. With the recent serious security breach of the global PlayStation Network, I'd wait a while before going on-line though..

SINGSTAR - Afrikaans Treffers 2.5/5 The popularity of Afrikaans music is undeniable in SA (But... how many of those Afrikaans PS3 players have Singstar microphones, and like the more frivolous pop derivative selected for this collection? The 25 song choices for this local flavoured karaoke ride includes radio fodder from cheesy pop and boyband extractions, to not-as-funny comedy tracks, crooning, and soppy love songs, from Dozi, Eden, David Fourie, Die Campbells, Ray Dylan, Nadine, and Robbie Wessels (solo and with Bok Van Blerk), to Blackie Swart, Snotkop, Juanita Du Plessis, Gerhard Steyn, and of course, Kurt Darren. Songs with a little bit extra come from Theuns Jordaan, Steve Hofmeyr, Romanz, Karen Zoid, Jak De Priester, and surprisingly Idols winner Heinz Winckler. But two of the highlights are worlds apart – the only vintage classic being Gé Korsten's Liefling, while a new school Zef Rap classic is the sore (but very welcome) thumb of Jack Parow's Jy Dink Jy's Cooler As Ekke (censored of course). Even if you don't understand Afrikaans (being one of our almost one dozen official languages, we ought to speak at least two) it could actually be a lot more fun because of that very fact. So, gryp julle mikrofone en laat die jol begin!

MORE BRAIN TRAINING from Dr Kawashima - How Old Is Your Brain? (Nintendo DS) 4/5 The first Brain Training games on the DS were quite an eye-opener on how lazy our brains can get, and this edition reminds you how long ago you tackled those various brain tuning exercises (speaking from experience!). With some very well planned exercises to regain your brain's actual age by keeping its various sectors active and alert, these include: math related problem solving, music key recognition, word analysis and unravelling, day and date matching, working out money change and more. Sound dull? The way it is presented makes it a fun, challenging game, utilizing voice commands and physical writing on the touch screen with your DS stylus. Relaxing your prefrontal cortex comes in the shape of Germ Buster, a Tetris-style game lining up capsules and germs of the same colour to eradicate them. Brain Age Check Tests include a voice activated Rock, Paper, Scissors game; Continuous Countdown has you subtracting the same designated number from a high one, all the way down; Speedy Symbols has specific symbols assigned to the numbers 0-9, and when they flash on screen, you need to jot down their symbol as quickly as possible.

These games seem simple until you get into them, and make you realize how lazy your brain can be. A daily run-through can greatly help in getting you back on track.

FABLE III (Xbox 360)

4/5

Set half a century after the 2nd Fable instalment, again the primary essence of this action Role Playing Game is choice. By interacting with a variety of Albion inhabitants, your decisions have a direct impact on the course of the tale, and your fate. Make nasty choices and you head down the path of evil, while a more virtuous life will result in rising to becoming a great and influential figure. After choosing your gender, you go out into the world with the potential to lead Albion down a fortuitous road, or dark destruction as you decide on your actions, contributing to the changing of your appearance and villagers' reaction towards you. Even your diet and fighting style translates to your appearance. Your loyal dog follows you everywhere and will prove indispensable, from assisting in combat to finding treasure. Magic also comes into play with spells and potions. You can also have sex, get married and start a family! Special downloads are available on-line. Going out into this free-roaming Steam-Punk slanted realm, exploring could become more interesting than the real lives of the gamers sinking their teeth into this virtual existence!

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muse | thirty eight

GIG GUIDE NATIONAL EVENTS.....

Every Mon | Strab Jam Nights | JHB @ Cafe Barcelona | | Book Your Jam And Maybe Play STRAB 2011, every Mon at Cafe Barcelona! | 19h00 | 012 345 3602, info@cafebarcelona.co.za or www.cafebarcelona.co.za Every Tues | Acoustic Sessions | CPT @ Zula Sound Bar || Every Tues is Acoustic Sessions where Cape Town's new songwriters can express themselves and perform next to some of SA's greatest established and experienced performers.

If you're a songwriter and performer you can apply to be one of the acts and show us what you have | 20h00 | Free | 021 424 2442, www.zulabar.co.za Every Wed | Fresh Talent Weds | CPT @ Cafe Sofia Green Point | Features: Cafe Sofia presents Fresh Talent Weds with Natasha Meister. Every Wed you will be able to sample some of the newest, most promising sounds coming through the Cape Town scene | 021 421 0445 or www.cafesofia.co.za Every Wed | Open Mic Weds | PTA @ Mokha Rock Lounge | Features: We provide the stage, sound and lighting and for once you the entertainment! If you have an acoustic guitar, a few songs that you feel Pretoria needs to hear or in the back of your mind have always believed that you should have been a Rockstar please come and join us | 19h00 | 082 884 9818 or mokharock@gmail.com Every Wed | The Tanz Cafe Jam Showcase | JHB @ Tanz Cafe | Features: The Tanz Cafe Jam Showcase is a display of new and upcoming bands as well as more established bands | 19h00 | R40 | 082 855 5445, www.tanzcafe.co.za Every Thurs | Cake or Death | DBN @ Unit 11 | Features: Cake or death is a weekly event involving good acoustic music and glorious cake.

Musicians and cakes change weekly | 18h00 | Free | 082 774 6528, www.unit11.co.za Every Thurs | Howl | JHB @ The Wolves Cafe | Features: Every week features a fresh and exciting new musical adventure with a new group of musicians to take you there | 19h00 | Free Entrance | 011 447 2360, hello@wolves.co.za or www.wolves.co.za Every Thurs | Open Mic Night | JHB @ Factory Bar & Nightclub | Features: Every Thurs will host a fresh new range of alternative and interesting bands | 19h00 | R10 | 082 300 1303 or www.factorynightclub.co.za Every Thurs | Rock Nights | PTA @ The State Theatre | The brand new Rock Nights on Thurss, will host to the loudest and best SA Rock Bands | 20h00 | R60/R80| www.statetheatre.co.za/ www.computicket.com Every Sun | Rock The House Suns | DBN @ Vacca Matta Suncoast | Live: Catlike Thieves and supporting bands perform live & acoustic | Doors open @ 12h00 | Free b4 18h00 | 031 368 6535, www.vaccamatta.com Wed 1 Jun | Watershed Live! | JHB @Barnyard Theatre - Cresta | Live: Watershed | 20h00 | R130 | 011 280 4370, www.barnyardtheatres.co.za Thurs 2 Jun | Elvis Blue | JHB @Barnyard Theatre - Cresta | Live: Elvis Blue | 20h00 | R120 | 011 280 4370, www.barnyardtheatres.co.za Thurs 2 Jun | Ryan Calder Band | DBN @ The Hexagon Dive | University of KZN Pietermaritzburg | Live: The Ryan Calder Band | 19h30 | 033 260 5537

Fri 3 Jun | Emo Adams | JHB @ Silverstar Casino | Live: Emo Adams | 20h00 | R130 | 011 662 7300, info@silverstarcasino.co.za www.silverstarcasino.co.za Fri 3 Jun | Die Heuwels Fantasties | CPT @ Barnyard Theatre - Willowbridge | Live: Die Heuwels Fantasties | 20h00 | R80 | 021 914 8898,www.barnyardtheatres.co.za Fri 3 Jun | Justin Bergh Live! | CPT@ Caveau at the Mill | Live: SAMA nominated singer Justin Bergh | 19h00 | 021 685 5140, themill@caveau.co.za or www.caveau.co.za Fri 3 Jun | Klopjag | PTA @ Steak & Ale | Live: Klopjag | Features: Klopjag is quickly becoming one of South Africa's biggest Afrikaans groups | 20h30 | R60 | 012 664 5155, info@steakandale.co.za / www.steakandale.co.za Sat 4 Jun | aKing "Catch Alight" Video Launch | CPT @ The Assembly | Live: aKing & The Black Hotels | Features: aKing's "Catch Alight" Video Launch | 20h00 | R50 Presale & R60 @ the door | www.theassembly.co.za www.webtickets.co.za Sat 4 Jun | The Durex Ultimate Battle VI Final | JHB @ Cool Runnings, Fourways | Features: A Fate Like Yours, Ark Synesis, Bad Feather, Bevonk The Band, Coals Of Juniper, Day Far Gone and many more | Doors Open at 13h00, Bands start from 15h00 | R60 normal or R50 with a band’s flyer or get your ticket at the cheaper pre-sale rate online @ www.ultimatebattle.co.za | 011 704 0987 Sat 4 Jun | Die Heuwels Fantasties Acoustic | CPT @ Barnyard Theatre - Willowbridge | Live: Die Heuwels Fantasties | 20h00 | R120 | 021 914 8898, www.barnyardtheatres.co.za Sun 5 Jun | Park Acoustics | PTA @ Voortrekker Monument | Live: Die See, Isochronous & Valiant Swart | What to bring: Picnic Baskets, Charcoal (for a Sun Braai), Money for Band Merchandise, Food stall and Bar, Small umbrellas & all your friends and family | R45/R65 | parkacoustics@gmail.com, www.parkacoustics.co.za Wed 8 Jun | Jak De Priester - Album Launch | CPT @ Die Boer | Live: Jak De Priester | R110 | (021) 979-1911, 083 406 0111 Thurs 9 Jun | Ghapi | CPT @ Die Boer | Live: Ghapi | R100 | (021) 979-1911, 083 406 0111 or navrae@dieboer.com Fri 10-11 Jun | Johnny Clegg | JHB @ The Lyric Theatre | Live: Johnny Clegg | Fri 10th: Starts 20h30 & Sat 11th: Starts 20h00 | R161-R263 | 011 248 5168, www.computicket.com Fri 10-11 Jun | Navi Redd | CPT @ Die Boer | Live: Navi Redd | R120 | (021) 979-1911, 083 406 0111 or navrae@dieboer.com Fri 10 Jun | Classic Rock Tribute | JHB @ Cool Runnings - Fourways | Live: Moonshine | Features: This electrifying show promises to take you back to a time when Rock ruled the world; a time of leather, big hair and smoking solos | 21h00 | R50 | 011 7040987 or www.coolrunnings.co.za Fri 10 Jun | Black Cat Bones | PTA @ Steak & Ale | Live: Black Cat Bones | 20h30 | R60 | 012 664 5155, info@steakandale.co.za or www.steakandale.co.za Fri 10 Jun | Justin Bergh Live! | CPT @ Caveau at The Mill | Live: SAMA nominated singer Justin

Bergh | 19h00 | 021 685 5140, themill@caveau.co.za or www.caveau.co.za Fri 10 Jun | Watershed, 20 Hits, 10 Years | JHB @ The Lyric @ Gold Reef City Casino | Live: Watershed | 20h30 | R120 | www.computicket.com Sat 11 Jun | Ashtray Electric | CPT @ The Assembly | Live: Ashtray Electric | Limited edition presale R40 tickets available @ www.webtickets.co.za or R50.00 @ door | 21h00 | www.theassembly.co.za Sat 11 Jun | K&K PMB Winterfest | DBN @ The Royal Show Grounds | Live: Jax Panik, Kurt Darren, Zebra & Giraffe, Flash Republic, aKING & Snotkop | Features: Huge bars & Super 15 rugby will be screened | 18h00 | R150-R290 | 074 8211 144, mrjevents@yahoo.com or www.mrjevents.co.za Sun 12 Jun | Andra – Kirstenbosch Winter Concert | CPT @ The Silver Tree Restaurant | Live: Andra |19h00 | 021 762 9585, www.kirstenboschrestaurant.com Tues 14 Jun | Van Coke Cartel | CPT @ Die Boer | Live: Van Coke Cartel | R80 | 021979-1911, navrae@dieboer.com Fri 17-19 Jun | Reaperfest 2011 | Magaliesberg @ Aasvoelkrans Nature Resort - Magaliesberg | Live: Chromuim, Paint, Badfeather, The Ocean doesn`t want me, Fuck, Justin Swart, FireFly, Fragmented Children, The Black cat bones, Jan Blohm, Piet Botha and more | Features: Food and drinks will be on sale and the venue | 10h00 | R365 | www.computicket.com or kurt.mialas@gmail.com Fri 17 Jun | Justin Bergh Live! | CPT @ Caveau at The Mill | Live: SAMA nominated singer Justin Bergh | 19h00 | 021 685 5140, themill@caveau.co.za or www.caveau.co.za Fri 17 Jun | Snotkop | JHB @ Silverstar Casino | Pinehaven Intersection R28, Krugersdorp | Live: Emo Adams |19h30 | R130 | 011662 7300, www.silverstarcasino.co.za Sat 18 Jun | Tumi & The Volume | CPT @ The Assembly | Live: Tumi & The Volume | 20h00 | R40 Presale & R60 @ the door | www.theassembly.co.za or www.webtickets.co.za Sun 19 Jun | Claire Phillips - Kirstenbosch Winter Concert | CPT @ The Silver Tree Restaurant | Live: Claire Phillips | 19h00 | 021 762 9585, www.kirstenboschrestaurant.com Fri 24 Jun | The Script Live in S.A! | JHB @ The Coca-Cola Dome | Live: The Script | 20h00 | R246-R399 | www.computicket.com Sat 25-26 Jun | Oppi Hoek Fees | JHB @ Rusty Hook | Live: Jack Parow, Heuwels Fantasties Die Tuindwergies, Alleen Na Desember and Karen Zoid, Kurt Darren, Elvis Blue, Snotkop and Pieter Smith Jay | 11h00 Daily | R170 | www.computicket.com Sat 25 Jun | Elvis Blue | JHB @ The Lyric Theatre | Gold Reef City Casino | Live: Johnny Clegg | 20h00 | R75 | 011 248 5168, www.computicket.com Sat 25 Jun | Jak de Priester and Koos Kombuis | JHB @ Silverstar Casino | Live: Jak de Priester and Koos Kombuis | 011 662 7300, www.silverstarcasino.co.za Sun 26 Jun | The Script Live in S.A | CPT @ Grand Arena - Grand West | Goodwood | Live: The Script | 20h00 | R246-R374 | www.computicket.com

muse | thirty nine

Mon 27 Jun | Prime Circle | JHB @ Barnyard Theatre / Menlyn | Live: Prime Circle | 20h00 | R135 | 012368 1555, www.barnyardtheatres.co.za Fri 1 Jul | Justin Bergh Live! | CPT @ Caveau at The Mill | Live: SAMA nominated singer Justin Bergh | 19h00 | 021 685 5140, themill@caveau.co.za or www.caveau.co.za Fri 8-9 Jul | Kylie Minogue Aphrodite Live Tour! | JHB @ Sun City, Super Bowl | Live: Kylie Minogue | R466-R1770 | 083 915 8000 or www.computicket.com Wed 13-14 Jul | Kylie Minogue Aphrodite Live Tour! | CPT @ Grand Arena | Live: Kylie Minogue | 20h00 | R466-R1570 | 021 505 7777, www.computicket.com Wed 13-17 Jul | The Parlotones Dragonflies and Astronauts | JHB @ Teatro @ Montecasino | Fourways, JHB | Live: The Parlotones | 20h00 | R200-R250 | www.computicket.co.za Fri 15 Jul | Ashtray Electric | Free State @ MK Sessions @ Volksblad Fees | Live: Ashtray Electric | www.ashtrayelectric.co.za Fri 15 Jul | P.O.D Live in S.A | JHB @ Ellis Park Ruby Stadium | Live: American rock band P.O.D will be performing 3 shows in South Africa in July 2011 | Features: Russian band The Slot at all 3 shows | R250-R850 | www.myspace.com/payableondeath Sat 16 Jul | Ashtray Electric | PTA @ Arcade Empire | c/o Hans Strijdom and N4 Highway, Pretoria | Live: Ashtray Electric & Wrestlerish | 21h00 | www.ashtrayelectric.co.za Sat 16 Jul | Fuzigish 'Setlist' Launch | CPT @ Mercury Live Lounge | 43 De Villiers Street, Zonnebloem | Live: Fuzigish & Hog Hoggidy Hog | Features: The 'Setlist' album represents a collection of 23 songs taken from four previous full length albums | 20h00 | R50 | 021 465 2106, mercuryl@mweb.co.za or www.mercuryl.co.za Sat 16 Jul | P.O.D Live in S.A | DBN @ Wave House | Shop No.G83, Gateway Theatre of Shopping, Umhlanga Ridge, KZN | Live: American rock band P.O.D will be performing 3 shows in South Africa in July 2011 | Features: Russian band The Slot at all 3 shows | R275-R850 | 031 584 9400, www.wavehouse.co.za Sun 17 Jul | P.O.D Live in S.A | CPT @ Grand Arena | Grand West Casino, 1 Vanguard Drive, Goodwood | Live: American rock band P.O.D will be performing 3 shows in South Africa in July 2011 | Features: Russian band The Slot at all 3 shows | R250-R850 | 021 505 7777 or www.suninternational.com Tues 19 Jul | Ike Moriz - Kirstenbosch Winter Concert | CPT @ The Silver Tree Restaurant | Live: Ike Moriz | 19h00 | 021 762 9585, info@kirstenboschrestaurant.com or www.kirstenboschrestaurant.com Wed 20-21 Jul | Bok van Blerk & Peter MitchellAcoustic | CPT @ Die Boer | Live: Graham Gillot Band | R120 | (021) 979-1911, 083 406 0111 or navrae@dieboer.com Thurs 21 Jul | Ashtray Electric | Potch @ Memphis Rock | 12 Esselen Street, Die Bult, Potchefstroom | Live: Ashtray Electric | Free Entrance | 21h30 | 083 444 4101 or www.ashtrayelectric.co.za Fri 22 Jul | Ashtray Electric | JHB @ Town Hall | 66 Carr Street, Newtown, Johannesburg | Live: Ashtray Electric &

Wrestlerish | TBA | www.ashtrayelectric.co.za Sat 23 Jul | Ashtray Electric | DBN @ Unit 11 | Off 190 Stamford Hill Rd (next to the Lizzard building there is an alleyway, we’re at the end of that), Durban | Live: Ashtray Electric & The La Els | www.unit11.co.za, 072 970 2735 or unit11info@gmail.com

GIG GUIDE

Sat 2 Jul | NightCRawler - Club VAMP Fri 8 Jul | The Ocean doesn’t want me Fri 29 Jul | Black Cat Bones and Guest

Mercury Live Lounge: 43 De Villiers Street, Zonnebloem, 021 465 2106, mercuryl@mweb.co.za or www.mercuryl.co.za Fri 3 Jun | Hog Hoggidy Hog Fri 10 Jun | LMG Party Feat Taxi Violence & Sun 24 Jul | Bed on Bricks - Kirstenbosch Winter Sabretooth & Peachy Keen Concert | CPT @ The Silver Tree Restaurant | Wed 15 Jun | The Great Apes & Beach Party & Live: Bed on Bricks |19h00 | 021762 Pretty Blue Guns 9585,iwww.kirstenboschrestaurant.com Fri 17 Jun | Unplugged Feat Van Coke Kartel & Coal & Stonecollar Tues 26-31 Jul | Emo Adams & Take Note | CPT Sat 18 Jun | Capt Stu & La Vi & Like Knives @ Die Boer | 6 Chenoweth Street, Durbanville | Fri 24 Jun | Evolver One Live: Graham Gillot Band | R120 | (021) 979Sat 16 Jul | Fuzigish Album Launch With Hog 1911, 083 406 0111 or navrae@dieboer.com Hoggidy Hog Fri 29 Jul | Hot Water, Jack Mantis & The Stremes Wed 27 Jul | Ashtray Electric | CPT @ Klein Tanz Cafe: The Buzz Shopping Centre, Cnr Libertas Teater | Bergzicht Plein, Du Toit Street, Stellenbosch | Live: Ashtray Electric | Douglas and Witkoppen Road, Fourways, 082 www.kleinlibertasteater.co.za 855 5445, grant@tanzcafe.co.za or www.tanzcafe.co.za Thurs 28 Jul | Ashtray Electric | E.Cape @ The Union | Grahamstown | Live: Ashtray Electric | Thurs 2 Jun | Evolver One, Albert Frost, Soul www.ashtrayelectric.co.za Cadillac | R80 Fri 3 Jun | Super Flies | R100 Sat 4 Jun | Josie Field with support act Oran | Fri 29 Jul | Ashtray Electric | E.Cape @ Raggies R80 Bar | East London | Live: Ashtray Electric | 043 Tues 7 Jun | Klipdrift Music Quiz | Hosted by 748 6032 or www.raggies.co.za Steve Castle | R50 Wed 8 Jun | The Gibson Acoustic Finals | Sat 30 Jul | Ashtray Electric | P.E @ Pool City | R50/R170 reserved seating with dinner Port Elizabeth | Live: Ashtray Electric | Thurs 9 Jun | Mantis Moon | R60 www.poolcitype.co.za or Sat 11 Jun | Comedy @ Tanz | R100 www.ashtrayelectric.co.za Wed 15 Jun | The Blues Broers & Chromium Unplugged | R100 Sun 31 Jul | McCree - Kirstenbosch Winter Thurs 16 Jun | Tumi & The Volume | R100 Concert | CPT @ The Silver Tree Restaurant | Fri 17 Jun | 1st Project | R100 Live: McCree | 19h00 | 021 762 9585, Tues 21 Jun | Klipdrift Music Quiz | Hosted by info@kirstenboschrestaurant.com or Steve Castle | R50 www.kirstenboschrestaurant.com Thurs 23 Jun | Graeme Watkins Project | R100 Fri 24 Jun | Dan Patlansky | R100 / R250 Café Barcelona: Elardus Park Shopping Centre, reserved seating with dinner Cnr of Delmas & Barnard Street, Elardus Park, Tues 28 Jun | Tanz Cafe Acoustic Jam Sessions | (012) 345 3602 or www.cafebarcelona.co.za Call Grant @ 082 855 5445 to Jam | R50 Wed 29 Jun | Martin Rocka, Shadow Club & One Fri 3 Jun | Dan Patlansky Night Stands | R60 Tues 14 Jun | Asylum+Fibonacci Sequence Thurs 30 Jun | L-Tido Album Launch | R80 Wed 15 Jun | Vital Signs+Marcato Thurs 16 Jun | Blues Broers Fri 17 Jun | Outside The New Sat 18 Jun | Motel Inc+Wolraad Woltemade Wed 22 Jun | Marcia Moon+Johnny Nekton Fri 24 Jun | Karen Zoid Sat 25 Jun | Black Fri Wed 29 Jun | Bryan Adams Tribute Fri 1 Jul | Jim Morrison Tribute Sat 2 Jul | Liezel Marshall CD Launch Fri 8 Jul | Jan Blohm Sat 9 Jul | Octanium+Inch of Mercy Fri 15 Jul | Lise Chris Fri 22 Jul | Klopjag Thurs 28 Jul | Karoo Fri 29 Jul | Jackhammer Factory Live Music @ Shop 7 High Park centre, Cnr of Logan & John Vorster Str., Highveld Centurion, PTA | www.factorynightclub.co.za, 082 300 1303 or eugene.factory@gmail.com Fri 3 Jun | EMP Battle of the Bands FINAL Sat 4 Jun | Nuns and Magicians Themed Dj event / Goth / Industrial / Ebm Thurs 9 Jun | Live bands -Geneva - Sweating Blood Sat 11 Jun | Heart of Music live band show Fri 17 Jun | Mazaru - Hokum - Ion - The Skunks Sat 18 Jun | Fetish Electrique - Darkwave / Industrial party Fri 24 Jun | The Cavalier - Cortina Whiplash The Other wise Sat 25 Jun | The Case Tour with Octainium and 10 Live Bands

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