THE LAKE #001 by THE LAKE MAGAZINE

ABRUPT we are fooLishLy ambiTious

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THE LAKE #1 / 010814

WE are FOOLISHLY AMBITiOUS The time is at hand. The time is now. Let new ideas (As incomprehensible as they seem) take precedence over all. for the PAST and its ideas are past and the future is a time for drastic change. Those not willing to strive for the new will be lost with the Old. Santa Monica Airlines - Debunker (1991)

CONTENTS ring them bells

lorcan white

familia 16 lani spice

victory boogie

chain gang

angel dust

rolling stone

kelly jean

light in the attic

fire in babylon

groot geraak

harvest moon

quick fix

morning wood

the idiot box

wax junkie

clobber 60

PUBLISHER THE LAKE MAGAZINE PTY LTD info@thelake.co Editor / Art Direction Stefan Naude’ stefan@thelake.co COVER Purity Zinhle Mkhize Model Jacqui van staden Photography Kezia Eales Art Direction / Styling Kelly Paitaki Make up photographers Hayden Phipps Jacqui Van Staden Loucas Polydorou Lingo Rodrigues Jonathan Pinkhard Ian Bruce Huntley Nick Grobler Leigh Taylor Oliver Kruger Ian Engelbrecht Gordon Clark Ockie Fourie Illana Welman Contributors Neil Soloman Rick De La Ray Ruan Scott Luke Jackson James Hammerton Ross Colepeper Gabrielle Raaf (illustration) Submissions

MARKETING

Stefan Naude stefan@thelake.co

Katie Andersz katie@thelake.co

Advertising

COPY EDITOR

Brendan Body brendan@thelake.co

Luke Jackson luke@thelake.co

CONTENTS PHOTO Loucas Polydorou “Shaun Witherup” - FAMILIA TOUR 2014 The views and opinions expressed within the editorial and advertisements of THE LAKE do not necessarily reflect those of its staff, nor any of its associates.THE LAKE and anything contained within is copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, copied or stored electronically without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

PRINTING PAARLMEDIA Paarl Media Group Tel: +27 21 550 2500 Email: info@paarlmedia.co.za

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NEWS The Tour of Arae The Tour of Arae, named in Latin for the southern-hemisphere constellation Ara, is a prestige race that will be ridden on vintage South African built steel bicycles in the proud tradition of the early Italian multi-day stage races. Open to only 35 racers, the first edition - 23 to 28 August of 2014 - will take riders, predominantly over hard gravel roads, from the mountains of Franschoek to Robertson, past the Anysberg Nature Reserve north to Touwsriver, then south of the N1 to Laingsburg. From there north-east to the little town of Merweville, then a climb into the west to Sutherland, after which the last stage to the south will be a race to the finish in the heart of the Karoo at the Matjiesfontein Hotel. The Tour of Arae will take place over 6 days and about 730 km. Racing against the clock, stages will be difficult and challenging, predominately over varying quality dirt roads, with the longest day being about 160 km. Riders will encounter soft sand, corrugated roads, loose stones and sharp tyre-shredding rocks, and possibly even rain and snow. FOR MORE INFO GO TO : www.tourofarae.co.za

adidas Originals FW14 ZX Flux Base Tone Pack adidas Originals introduced the reincarnation of an icon in the form of the ZX Flux. Born from ZX 8000 running heritage, the shoe is informed by its predecessor’s larger-than-life attitude, built on the Torsion tooling and retaining the much-loved heel cage. With its minimal upper construction and fast toe-down shape, what the ZX Flux brings is a stripped back silhouette that offers a blank canvas for versatile treatments, both graphically and materially. From clean tonal mesh and weave executions to photo-real digital prints and archival colourway tributes, ZX Flux captures the attention of everyone with an imagination. Over the course of FW14, the infinite possibilities of the ZX Flux are continually pushed in new and unexpected directions. Fashion-forward crowds will be drawn to tonal packs that experiment with texture such as neoprene and GORETEX®; bolder consumers enticed by the printed and woven patterns; while altered outsoles and tribute colourways will impress old and new sneakerheads alike. ZX Flux is now available at adidas Originals stores in Canal Walk and V&A Waterfront (Cape Town), Menlyn Park Shopping Centre (Pretoria) as well as at select Stuttafords, Sportscene, Studio88, Smith and Abrahams, X Trend, Soho and a store is good stores. Follow on Instagram adidasZA and Twitter @adidasZA #ZXFlux

Keeping Time

1964 - 1974 - The Photographs and Cape Town Jazz Recordings of Ian Bruce Huntley This book celebrates the public emergence of an extraordinary visual and audio archive that was initiated by Ian Bruce Huntley in Cape Town fifty years ago. Electric Jive is very happy to announce that a limited edition print run of 500 copies is now at the printers. The book is expected to be available towards the end of November. Covering the period 1964 - 1974, the Ian Bruce Huntley archive opens a window to a little known era of South African music history, documenting an ‘underground’ jazz scene that persisted in creative defiance of all that grand apartheid threw at it. In addition to 120 historical images, 56 hours of live recordings from many of the photographed perfor-

mances are indexed in this book and is available for free download through Electric Jive. This previously hidden archive documents accomplished South African jazz musicians pushing the creative envelope and entertaining appreciative audiences. In his accompanying essay Jonathan Eato argues that Ian Bruce Huntley’s photos and recordings document an extension of the Drum decade lineage right through to the 1970s. Many of the musicians Huntley worked with have passed on, and a large number were never afforded the opportunity to record (whilst others remain woefully under-documented). Combined with the

loss to exile of yet more key people in the history of jazz in South Africa and the general inaccessibility of records that do exist, this conflation of events and circumstances has left a big dent in our historical understanding and resources. For those students, musicians, scholars, and devotees of South African music who wish to engage with the achievements of a generation of South African jazz musicians the newly found accessibility of the Ian Huntley archive goes a small but invaluable way towards maintaining memory and articulating lost stories. CONTACT Cnris - chris@kloof.org www.electricjive.blogspot.com

The Time Machine Shop Pro-Ject Elemental Pro-Ject has always been one of the masters of great value turntables and the Elemental lives by their standard. The Pro-Ject Elemental received 5 stars by What Hi-Fi? magazine. This turntable delivers excellent sound quality, it’s appealing because of its plug and play nature, included cartridge and stylus. The aesthetics makes it a feature in any environment and the clever engineering and build quality further enhances the whole experience. Available in 3 colors: Red, Grey and White. Price: R3499 for the standard model R4299 for the model with a built in pre-amplifier. R235 04

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R325 THE LAKE

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To win an amazing hamper of BOS goodies, including their new BOS ENERGY, just take a picture of yourself reading THE LAKE and post to our Facebook page using the #BOSANDTHELAKE www.facebook.com/The-Lake-Magazine 06

THE LAKE

NEWS PUMA - BROOKLYN WE GO HARD The BWGH for PUMA collection blends style and sport. The PUMA XS850 and XS698 (a hybrid of the XS850 and R698) were born into a great tradition of revolutionary PUMA runners, dating way back to the 90s when the Trinomic technology was defined by running sneakers that covered some serious miles. The XS850 and the unique DNA that inspires the XS698 are amongst PUMA’s most instantly recognisable models. In this collaboration PUMA’s heritage lays the foundation, while both the PUMA design team and BWGH’S David Obadia work together to bring this limited edition collection to life.” Apparel designs have more considered fits; sophisticated and slim and based on BWGH’s patterns. The all over camo print, which is a focus of the collection, appears on striking tees and outerwear Ombre sweats are finished with a JOY graphic in BWGH’s famous boucle finish and more colour blocking gives the True Knit Polo, Blazer and Oxford Shirt an athletic update. The accessory offering, taking inspiration from PUMA’s archives, features technical backpacks reworked to compliment BWGH’s sophisticated look while maintaining PUMA’s sport element.

BWGH - GIVEAWAY! To celebrate the first issue of THe lake, Puma are giving away 2 BWGH and Puma collaboration sneakers and backpack. How To Enter 1. Log onto Instagram 2. Follow @the_lake_magazine 3. Post the Puma & BWGH Giveaway photo to your feed 4. Tag @the_lake_magazine and hashtag #PUMATHELAKE

Entries close - 8 September 2014

LEICA

Leica D-LUX 6 Edition by G-Star RAW Overview The Leica D-LUX 6 Edition by G-Star RAW is a compact point-and-shoot with an ultra-fast Leica DC Vario Summilux lens and a 10.1MP CMOS sensor. It features the impeccable design and construction that are the hallmark of Leica cameras. The 10.1MP 1/1.7” CMOS sensor on the Leica D-LUX 6 offers high resolution imaging with fast focus speeds, and its lens, with a maximum aperture of f/1.4, means that you can confidently shoot with high shutter speeds to capture low-light shots, or shots with fast moving subjects. Beautiful shallow depth of field photography is possible with the lens on this camera and stepped focal lengths are ideal for a wide variety of photography from landscape to macro and, of course, street photography and photojournalism.

Features: 10.1MP CMOS Sensor Ultra Fast f/1.4 Leica Lens 3.8x Zoom, 24-90mm Equivalent Lens 920K Pixel LCD Display Full HD 1080p AVCHD and MP4 Video Integrated Neutral Density Filter 12 Frames Per Second Burst Shooting Manual Aperture Ring Panorama Function and Spirit Level Optional Electronic View Finder This limited edition of the camera is the result of a collaboration with Dutch denim label G-Star RAW. The camera bears the inscription “LEICA BY G-STAR RAW...JUST THE PRODUCT.” Additionally, the front and sides of the camera are nearly covered in textured leather for a secure, comfortable grip.

Win a R300 voucher! THE LISTENING ROOM

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THE LAKE

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PUMA AND BROOKLYN WE GO HARD REWORK CLASSICS PUMA and French streetwear label Brooklyn We Go Hard (BWGH) have collaborated on a limited edition collection with vintage running silhouettes and sportswear staples given a contemporary makeover. The collection, which includes trainers, backpacks, tees and jackets, combines BWGH’s Parisian style with PUMA’s rich sporting heritage. David Obadia, who has an innate passion for art and fashion and has been exploring urban culture from an early age, founded BWGH with Nelson Hassan in 2010. The collaboration inspired by PUMA’s archives was inevitable given their mutual love of the brand dating back to their youth. Obadia draws on the style of American painter Mark Rothko who viewed colour as a language and Obadia’s obsession with intense and pure colour is clear in this contemporary makeover of PUMA classics. BWGH for PUMA is available exclusively at PUMA Select stores in Bree Street, Cape Town and in Braamfontein, Johannesburg from August. Visit www.pumaselect.co.za or follow @PUMASouthAfrica to join the PUMA Select conversation.

THE LAKE

SANNIE FOX INTERVIEW - RICK DE LA RAY

PHOTOGRAPHY - HAYDEN PHIPPS

“ My mother is Portuguese and my father is South African, I grew up in London and Cape Town. I love culture and stories, this all adds to influence. All the experiences I have had in my life add to the mix. I love anarchy, I love literature and I love the way music feels when you hear it, how it feels to write it and play it.” You are currently recording your first solo album with producer Mathew Fink - he really has a flare with bringing out the best in local bands and musicians. What was the approach you took on the recording process and when will the album be released? The album will be released this summer, the approach was to keep it close to its live presentation and have a good time while doing it. Are you still being represented by Just Music, what sort of relationship do you have with them? Yes, I have re-signed with Just as a solo artist, I enjoy working with them - they do not impose consumerist and capitalist bullshit onto my songwriting and they are a rad team. What lead to the break up or split from machineri, if I may ask? You guys were definitely getting a lot of attention for a while. It seems that your solo career is your main priority now… Machineri was an unforgettable trip. I had some of the greatest shows I can remember in that project. That was the band for my early twenties and I learnt a lot from it but now the evolution must continue. Have you decided on a title for the first album and can we expect another classic cover like the machineri one which was done by the legendary Storm Thorgerson, who passed away last year? Storm’s work on the machineri cover can undoubtedly stand up with the rest of the masterpieces he did for Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, etc. I will always be so proud to have been a part of that, bless his soul. The title for the new album will be DELTA ROCK SERPENTE MASJIEN and no it won’t be as good as Storm’s machineri cover, but yes I will try and come up with something good. No pressure. In what way do you feel your sound has changed since you started playing solo, what influences your soul right now? I have always written music for bands crossing many genres, ranging from old rock, folk, celtic, reggae, dance, delta, etc. I have always done that and still continue to do this as I love and am inspired by so many genres and performers. machineri was very raw, the solo stuff is not as raw and I am playing all the guitars so it will sound different in this way. You will have to wait and listen to the album. Is Sannie your real name - seems very Afrikaans? The first time I heard your name I assumed it was “Sonny” - can you fill us in on a bit of your family background? Yes, Sannie is my name. I am named after my groot Ouma on my dad’s side, Sannie Uys. I come from a long line of artists on both sides of my family, Sannie Uys played violin, piano and was a writer. She was also the mother of Uys Krige, the South African poet. There are actors, film directors, musicians, poets and architects all growing on my family tree. It comes with the territory.

the film ‘LONG STREET’ - do you see yourself still getting involved in any other acting jobs in the future or are you shelving that line of work for the moment while you concentrate on your music?

You have an up and coming UK tour happening soon. How did that come about, is there a lot of interest in your music form that side of the world right now?

I have an agent and I go to castings / auditions. If there is ever an opportunity for a good role then I would always be up for it, hell yeah.

I guess we are going to find out now, aren’t we. I am actually answering these questions from an Internet Cafe in South Kensington right now and going into my first rehearsal with my UK band tomorrow. I am generally feeling pretty good about it to be honest. Fears - my pedals get lost or my guitar breaks. Otherwise, it‘s an incredible time of year here, the streets are packed, the weather is super hot and it’s sunny until 10 every night. Hopes - people will follow the music from here and I will be able to create more opportunities to travel and share the music with as many people across the globe as possible.

What elements or influences would you say have molded you into the individual that you are today? A wide variety of music, I was exposed to a lot of blues, gospel and jazz in my ears from a young age. I began to play piano as a small girl and then I switched to guitar. My mother is Portuguese and my father is South African, I grew up in London and Cape Town. I love culture and stories, this all adds to influence. All the experiences I have had in my life add to the mix. I love anarchy, I love literature and I love the way music feels when you hear it, how it feels to write it and play it. Are there certain recurring themes in your lyrics, what inspires you to write down words and thoughts towards a new song? I write about water a lot, water is a theme that is often there and perhaps it stems from living in Cape Town. I write about ideas, failure and dreams. I personify things, it varies, I love stories too and poetry and politics. It depends on what sort of words go with what kind of music. Recently, I wrote a song called ‘No Bride’ which is inspired by the idea of a bride not pitching up at the altar, the jilted groom. This song is inspired by real men that I know, who are useless when it comes to relationships, life and work. I think it’s funny so I write a song about it and the words go, “no bride today, no bride tomorrow, waiting all night, where she been, she never arrived at the wedding”, Ag shame. Do you manage yourself or do you have some one that takes care of your bookings and PR? I do a lot myself, I have been managing and booking since I was a teenager so I know what comes with the territory. It’s best to have a small team of people that you know you can trust. I have a small number of people who I work with. I am and will always be very involved with the running of my music career. You have to be on the same wavelength, it takes time to find the right people and you have to try and learn along the way.

Do you consider yourself to be part of the psych movement happening at the moment – to me your music is quite diverse and can be slotted into quite a few genres, with a common thread of blues holding it all together? You’re even part of the Cape Town World Music Festival this year. You are correct in saying the music slots into a few genres for sure, so one of those genres is definitely psych. At World Music Fest I am playing gospel, writing in Portuguese, covering Malian blues and singing in French, it’s very varied! I have been part of the psych vibe in Cape Town from the early start and continue to enjoy being involved. Recently, the last show with The Golden Animals from Boston was a really cool experience to be part of. It’s great to meet artists from different countries and show them a bit of South African hospitality and to share the music. We have so many music festivals happening in this country now - which ones do you feel are the most important to play at and which are your personal favourites? The big ones are always good to play, Splashy Fen (I think the oldest big fest in SA), Oppi for sure, Daisies, etc. One of my personal favorites is Up the Creek because it’s small and the location is so beautiful, Swellendam is a magical place. My ancestors come from there so maybe it’s a historical bias and it’s HOT there at that time of year. World Music Festival might just have shot to the top of my list as the menu of artists to watch is diverse and anyone who brings - VIEUX FARKA TOURE to play in SA is my number one. Kleinmond Blues Festival is also pretty lovely.

5 SEEDS OF SOUND ETTA JAMES

John Lee Hooker

PULP FICTION

LED ZEPPELIN

BOB DYLAN

MILLENIUM collection 1999 MCA Records

Definitave collection 2000 Metro

COMPLITATION 1994

MOTHERSHIP 2007

OH MERCY 1989

MCA

Swan Song/Atlantic

CBS

You had a SAFTA best actress nomination in 2009 for THE LAKE

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MARK KANNEMEYER INTERVIEW - RICK DE LA RAY

PHOTOGRAPHY - lingo rodrigues

“ The stylistic stamp of Bitterkomix in the work of younger artists is not necessarily a good thing, we (Konradski, Joe Dog and I) were looking at diverse strips such as Crumb, S. Clay Wilson, Mark Beyer and Gary Panther, drawing our version of what they were doing. Students using Bitterkomix as an influence may end up merely copying, it may be worth their while to dig deeper.” Do you realise that when you search for ‘Lorcan White’ on Google, one of the first links goes to a young boy’s Facebook page, he lives in the town of Armagh in Ireland? How did you come up with the name ‘Lorcan White’ as a pseudonym for your work?

Lorcan White was a name invented by Joe Dog for a subversive character in Bitterkomix 1. This was inspired by my friend’s name, Lorcan O’Byrne, with whom I shared a studio in Berlin.

I am aware of a second Lorcan White from Ireland, yes. I have not Googled myself though.

All of the artwork I’ve made since 1995 goes under the Lorcan White pseudonym.

Does most of your work go under the name or is it only your Illustration work?

Whenever the seminal South African comic ‘Bittercomix’ pops up in a conversation, the names of Anton Kannemeyer ‘Joe Dog’ and Conrad Botes ‘Konradski’ gets mentioned in the same breath. You also seem to have been involved with the comic and its publications, since day one - how do you see your role in the Bittercomix saga? Well, not exactly day one. I started contributing from Bitterkomix 3 onward, and brought a subversive and undermining element to the magazine. At first, this came in the form of sexually explicit scenes. I also drew Jan Brand and Uys en Buys (in collaboration with Joe Dog), these were very well received. One of your early stories in the Bittercomix was one named ‘King Lizard’ that I gathered was inspired by the comic drawn by one of the characters in the fictional novel ‘Beertjie en sy Boytjies’ by RR Ryger. The style of the drawings was very different to your usual illustrations. Did you try and interpret the drawing style of the character in the book? I tend to draw almost every story in a different style. The cartoony style of Uys en Buys would not have suited the King Lizard story. I specifically chose a ‘bad art’ style for the Gif sex stories. Beertjie en sy boytjies was a revelation. It was literally the first contemporary Afrikaans novel I read that was ‘punk’. Michael Green (RR Ryger) also wrote ‘Spoed van die Lewe’, well worth seeking out. In 2008, you published a very rare and limited comic by the name of ‘Zombie’ that came out and then disappeared into the ether. Are there plans to make an issue 2 and if so, when can we expect any more developments from Zombie?

their work. Do you recognise a lot of your students or disciples work out there and how do you feel about being such a major influence on so man young creatives? I still teach, yes. The stylistic stamp of Bitterkomix in the work of younger artists is not necessarily a good thing, we (Konradski, Joe Dog and I) were looking at diverse strips such as Crumb, S. Clay Wilson, Mark Beyer and Gary Panther, drawing our version of what they were doing. Students using Bitterkomix as an influence may end up merely copying, it may be worth their while to dig deeper. I attended the Unseen Works exhibition at the Rooke gallery in 2009, including unseen abstract paintings by yourself and photographs by Roger Ballen. Your work was from a period when you were studying at the Hochschule der Kenste in Berlin, during the late 80s and early 90s. What was the story behind the work and why have you not continued working as a painter? I spent a decade exhibiting and trying to sell these paintings, without success. When I started selling illustrations and silkscreens for a lot more than I was asking for the paintings, I stopped painting. After not having seen the paintings for so long, what was your initial reaction and emotion when you viewed them in a gallery for the first time? I never ‘liked’ my paintings. I kept those rolled up in my garage. When I saw them again, I suppose that I remembered a certain desperation…

The idea was to continue and do a few more magazines but the response to Zombie, or rather lack of response, stopped that idea in its tracks. To date, I have received around R200 from sales…

I read a quote, “Kannemeyer’s art was a bit out of sync with what his generation was producing...” but personally, I was very drawn to that work. Even though these were in a sense student pieces, does it really matter in art whether you are in sync with a movement?

Are you still teaching? A lot of young designers and illustrators are carrying a direct Kannemeyer and Botes stamp in a lot of

Bitterkomix was not in sync either, we had to create a scene. I would suggest that should one’s art be in sync with a movement, it’s probably meaningless.

THE LAKE

“ we had to create a scene. I would suggest that should one’s art be in sync with a movement, it’s probably meaningless.” You have some recurring themes in your illustrations - are there particular reasons for this or is it mainly because you get comfortable with certain figures and their behaviour within the landscapes you create for them? I do not ‘conceptualize’ themes, and literally started seeing certain themes after all the work is on the wall. Running, drowning or burning figures are not very comfortable… Your brother Anton’s work has much more of a political and social commentary side to it. How would you describe the situations within your illustrations and how do you feel they should be observed? His works have a strong literal element. They comment on specific time and space. Mine is much more emotive and generalised. A student described my work as absurdist, which I though was apt. I’m aware that you have a massive record collection how long have you been collecting and how many do you have at the moment? Do you consider it a bit of an obsession? I have not counted recently, but I suspect it’s around 20 000+ by now. I have collected vinyl since I had money to buy them, which in my case would be from 15 years old. At the time, in the late 70s, this was the only way one would be able to hear real music, i.e. music not played on the radio in South Africa. Obsession would imply something out of control. It may seem like an obsession to outsiders… What do you consider to be your most rare and favourite albums in your collection? I have a few collectables…PIL’s Metal Box, Jay Reatard’s Terror Visions Picture Disc, Led Zeppelin III with the “do what thou wilt” inscription, Their Satanic Majesties Request with 3D cover, the complete Man or Astroman on vinyl…but then I do not have Suck or Cocksucker Blues on vinyl…can’t have them all! There has been a massive rise in secondhand LP sales, collecting and new bands releasing their albums on this format again - do you think it’s just a passing phase at the moment or do you feel it’s come full circle and that it’s here to stay now? Vinyl never disappeared. Even in the late 80s and early 90s, young guitar bands did ‘vinyl only’ releases. I think a certain guitar / rock ’n’ roll / garage type of sound lends itself to vinyl rather than cd. The whole music industry is going through a re-inventing phase and the time for large corporations seems over. Music belongs to the people again. The music industry is synonymous with fashion, which will influence whatever medium carries it. You recently did one of the album covers for the Pretoria noise band ‘Make Overs’ and they have contributed to one of your animated pieces a while back. What is your relationship with the band? They live close by and we share an affinity for the Melvins, Babes in Toyland and Sonic Youth as well as horror movies, weird comics and literature.

MAKE OVERS Surfbored 7” 2013 Exclusively avaliable on Hozac Records Hook Up Klub Round #3

THE LAKE

BEST 5 ALBUMS FROM THE LAST 5 MONTHS Warm Soda Young Reckless Hearts 2014 Castle Face Records

Functional Blackouts The Severed Tongue Speaks For Everyone 2006

THE TRAPS

Human Expression

M.O.T.O.

Boom Pow Awesome Wow 2014

Love At A Psychedelic Velocity 2013

Pack Your Troubles In Dreams 2013

Criminal IQ

Castle Face Records

Mississippi/Change

Blast Of Silence

GAVIN MORGAN INTERVIEW - RICK DE LA RAY

PHOTOGRAPHY - Jonathan Pinkhard

Familia was founded back in 2004 by Johannesburg skateboarders Gavin Morgan and Adrian Day. Feeling disconnected and uninspired by existing local board brands and the scene in general, the pair scraped together a bit of money and decided to start their own. Familia has always held the importance of style and the relevance of aesthetic in high regard. The team has always been compromised of unique individuals who make the most of their urban surroundings, thinking skateboarders rather than skate park robots. Familia’s ‘Bang Chong’ video (released in 2007) was South Africa’s first full-length skateboard company video. Gavin and Adrian regard skateboarding as art and Familia is a creative outlet enabling the exploration of this concept, on and off the board. The board graphics are somewhat iconic in the local skate scene, choosing to work with select artists and producing thought-provoking series. Animal rights, consumerism and the human condition are just some of the themes regularly challenged. A part-time labour of love rather than a full-time occupation, today Familia is only available in select stores within South Africa and in the UK, where Gavin (who runs the brand individually) currently resides. - LUKE JACKSON WHAT IS HAPPENNING AT FAMILIA AT THE MOMENT, TELL US WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN UP TO? Quite a bit changed, I take care of Familia from the UK now, on my own. We have two team riders over here who are from SA, Shaun Witherup and Steph Morgan, and then two team riders living in Cape Town, Yann Horowitz and Loucas Polydorou. We recently did a road trip across SA together. Shaun also did a trip from Lyon to Barcelona filming for a Helas caps video. Yann is spending time in Berlin and just did a trip to Belgium with RVCA too. Steph has been gathering footage here in London but also dealing with some ankle tweaks and we have a Sony VX in SA that Loucas has been getting footage with over there. OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS YOU HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PRO OR ‘SIGNATURE’ BOARDS, DESPITE THE FACT THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS HAD A STEADY TEAM OF SOLID RIDERS. IS THERE A REASON YOU CHOSE NOT TO BRING OUT ANY PRO BOARDS? Ideally, if we were to give someone a pro model then I’d like to know that the person has the opportunity to travel and survive from skateboarding. A royalty from board sales isn’t going to cover it alone. Someone like Yann has an opportunity, he has a solid backing from RVCA and Adidas. He’s on another level. Shaun works and makes his own income but he is also incredible on a board. It could change if the circumstances are right. FROM THE START, THE COMPANY HAD A VERY STRONG DESIGN AND ARTISTIC ETHIC TO THE BRAND. HOW MANY DIFFERENT ARTISTS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE GRAPHICS? There has been plenty over the years but I won’t 16

list them all. Steak has done a couple of series with us, one of my favourites came about when we just started going through one of his sketchbooks and choosing bits we liked. The ‘Barbershops and Salons Series’ (Simon Weller) was really solid and people seemed hyped on that. Muybridge (Eadweard Muybridge) worked really well too. More than graphics, we worked with photographer Liam Lynch who gave the company a certain look early on, with his black and white photos in our ads. Meeting and working with Mitch van Straaten and Rachel Santoro was a huge inspiration and produced our ‘Bang Chong’ video. Now I worked with Roger Ballen, which was completely unexpected, his work is amazing DESPITE MANY ONLINE VIDEO CLIPS, IT’S BEEN QUITE A FEW YEARS SINCE FAMILIA RELEASED THEIR FIRST FULL LENGTH TEAM VIDEO. THERE WAS A RUMOUR THAT YOU GUYS WERE GOING TO HIT A SIBERIAN RAILWAY TOUR A FEW YEARS BACK… WHEN DO YOU RECKON WE CAN EXPECT ANOTHER FULL TEAM VIDEO? We’re working on a full team video. I’m really excited to see full parts from these guys. They’re some of my favourite skateboarders. Yann will be over here in London at the end of August, to film. Witherup has burnt his party candle out and is motivated at the moment. Steph has had a couple ankle teaks but otherwise he’s been getting stuff. Loucas has been filming in SA. I’d like to have it done by next year. FAMILIA IS BASED IN ENGLAND NOW - DO YOU STILL CONSIDER IT TO BE A SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANY AFTER BEING AWAY FOR SO MANY YEARS? Familia is always going to be from Johannesburg but whether it’s South African or English, I don’t know. THE LAKE

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FAMILIA / ROGER BALLEN - 10 YEAR anniversary series

ROGER BALLEN “ I have been shooting black and white film for nearly fifty years now. I believe I am part of the last generation that will grow up with this media. Black and White is a very minimalist art form and unlike color photographs does not pretend to mimic the world in a manner similar to the way the human eye might perceive. Black and White is essentially an abstract way to interpret and transform what one might refer to as reality. My purpose in taking photographs over the past forty years has ultimately been about defining myself. It has been fundamentally a psychological and existential journey. If an artist is one who spends his life trying to define his being, I guess I would have to call myself an artist.”

IF FAMILIA IS BASED IN ENGLAND NOW - DO YOU STILL CONSIDER IT TO BE A SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANY AFTER BEING AWAY FOR SO MANY YEARS? Familia is always going to be from Johannesburg but whether it’s South African or English, I don’t know. YOU GUYS RECENTLY HAD A SOUTH AFRICAN TOUR OVER HERE, WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COME BACK HOME RATHER THAN SPEND THE CAPITAL ON A EUROPEAN TOUR, WHERE THE SPOTS ARE AMAZING? It was a good opportunity for us to go back and at the same time get everyone on the team together. We travelled from Johannesburg to Cape Town. It was rad going back. Library Gardens in Johannesburg is ‘going off’ nowadays. The scene there is so good. The drive from Durban to Port Elizabeth was such an adventure, stopping at all these random but really beautiful places. Cape Town was good – going to Boulders Beach and Cape point was epic. South Africa has a load of amazing spots. HOW DID YOU COME TO THE DECISION TO USE THE WORK OF ROGER BALLEN FOR YOUR 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY BOARD SERIES? I watched ‘ASYLUM OF THE BIRDS’ and randomly emailed him, not expecting a response. His art director Marguerite got back to me and said they were interested. We had a few Skype conversations and it moved from there. I think the artworks in the series work well together and seem to tell some kind of story. ROGER BALLEN IS WORLD FAMOUS FOR HIS PHOTOGRAPHY BUT INSTEAD YOU CHOSE TO USE HIS ARTWORKS FOR THE SERIES. WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE

THE LATTER, RATHER THAN THE PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES? I looked around on the web and found that Roger Ballen had done artwork for surfboards. I thought that something similar would work well for skateboards and we went with that. The artwork that I used for the skateboards worked so easily as graphics and you get to see a different realm of his work. It makes the skateboards more unique. WHAT WAS HIS INITIAL REACTION TOWARDS HAVING HIS WORK PRINTED ON THE BOTTOM OF A SKATEBOARD? They seemed pretty excited to try something new. I think it’s quite a nice thing that the work has this limited life span and it’s going to be skated. ARE YOU BRINGING ANY OF THE GRAPHICS OUT ON SHIRTS OR WILL IT ONLY BE A LIMITED SERIES OF BOARDS?

I’ve never really thought about how long Familia would last. There are loads of board companies out there but only a handful that are doing anything decent DO YOU CONSIDER FAMILIA TO HAVE SOMEWHAT OF A ‘CULT’ FOLLOWING AROUND THE WORLD? IT SEEMS LIKE A CERTAIN TYPE OF INDIVIDUAL WITHIN SKATEBOARDING CHOOSES TO SUPPORT YOUR COMPANY? Haha I’m not sure if it has a cult following. It’s cool if it does.

you like because you’ve seen it so much. Also, the people involved, they’ve been a massive part of it. IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO ALLOW THE COMPANY TO GROW INTO SOMETHING MUCH BIGGER WITH HUGE FINANCIAL BACKING, WOULD YOU TAKE THE LEAP OR DO YOU PREFER IT GROWING AT ITS OWN PACE? I’d take the money and run! Yeah why not, as long as I didn’t need to compromise on any of my ideas or produce some shit to make a quick buck, I’d be down.

WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE KEY ELEMENT TO THE COMPANY, WHAT HAS MADE IT LAST FOR SO LONG NOW?

IS IT A FULL-TIME JOB RUNNING FAMILIA OR DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER LINE OF WORK THAT YOU KEEP YOURSELF BUSY WITH?

For me, it’s having an idea and having the platform to bring it to life. To possibly make something that someone can look at and not be sure about it. Do you like it or not? There’s so much generic work out there that you can easily be fooled into thinking

I’ve been doing artworking for Nike Town and all the other Nike stores across the UK over the last couple of years. It’s pretty ‘full on’ but I’ve learnt so much. It would be amazing doing Familia full-time but at the moment it fits in with my other work.

I felt it was my responsibility to showcase Roger Ballen’s work as best as I could and I felt they worked best on boards. HOW MANY SERIES OF BOARDS DO YOU BRING OUT A YEAR AND HOW BIG IS THE PRINT RUN NORMALLY? It varies from year to year but it’s limited. For this ‘Roger Ballen Series’ I produced one hundred of each graphic.

SPIRIT OF FAMILIA Omar Khorshid Giant + Guitar 1974 Voice Of Lebanon

Boards Of Canada Twoism 2002 Warp

De La Soul 3 Feet High And Rising 1989 Tommy Boy

Brian Jonestown Massacre Bravery, Repetition, And Noise

2001

Committee To Keep Music Evil

Lenny Breau Velvet Touch 1969 RCA

WHEN YOU INITIALLY STARTED THE COMPANY, DID YOU EVER EXPECT IT TO HAVE SUCH A LONG RUN, ESPECIALLY WITH THERE BEING SO MANY BOARD COMPANIES OUT THERE? THE LAKE

ILLANA WELMAN INTERVIEW - RICK DE LA RAY

PHOTOGRAPHY - ILLANA WELMAN

“ It’s hard to explain, but digital wasn’t really doing a lot for me, at least not at the moment - As for preference, there’s of course the element of surprise as well as your grades, colours and effects that film naturally has, which has huge appeal. Analog can also be quite special and I think people enjoy that. ” as you mentioned with all the blogs and new platforms that have arisen over the last few years it's become easier to showcase your passions and skills and therefore encouraging more exploration and practice. As for preference, there's of course the element of surprise as well as your grades, colours and effects that film naturally has, which has huge appeal. Analog can also be quite special and I think people enjoy that.

You have been known to live quite a nomadic lifestyle for a couple of years now. Living mostly in-between Cape Town and Durban. You are currently living in Australia - what made you decide to move there and when can we expect you back? Yeah nomadic indeed. I've been pretty lucky having my family live in different parts of the country and the world. It's always given me a good excuse to travel more. As for Australia, it was initially a holiday traveling with a friend and visiting family in which I decided to stay and pursue my residency visa. It's been pretty unreal as I've been in the most beautiful environment I have ever experienced. I am leaving very soon though for Bangkok where I'll be working with a zine space called CEO Books for a short while. Then I will be on my way home, I'd really like to spend some time in Joburg where I'm in the very early stages of another collaborative project. You seem to be only shooting on film right now, with the NIKON L135AF in particular what made you decide to embrace the format again? For me film has always come in waves depending on what you’re doing with your craft. It happens most when I travel I guess. It’s hard to explain, but digital wasn’t really doing a lot for me, at least not at the moment. I also picked up that Nikon L135AF for 5 bucks and being a sucker for cheap cameras I indulged and it did the trick and more. Sadly it just had its day and so I am now using a Ricoh XR-2000 SLR.

Was it this mind-set that led to you recently publishing a collection of photos in your ‘Tow Aways’ zine? All the contributors were South African, how did you decide on who will be featured in that particular issue? Without a doubt, I say this every time but it was as simple as being lucky enough to be surrounded by talented individuals, who all shared the same passion. I guess you could say they were also close to home and if there was going to be a first issue for anything then it was going to be like that. How did RVCA get involved with the project? RVCA got involved through advocate Melissa Williams. She is also a featured artist in the zine and in connection with their monthly exhibitions at ‘The Pit’ it became the next ‘First Thursdays’ project. They were very supportive and their involvement in the zine itself was a wonderful collaboration. It was extremely hard as I put a lot of my heart into helping organise it. There definitely wasn’t a lot of sleep involved and trying to plan from abroad was really testing at times. All I wanted to do was to physically be there for that whole process, but thankfully all those good people involved really pulled it off, like Melissa who helped me bring it to life and Danielle Clough for giving her all in helping us on the project. he book has a very interesting title and cover shot - what is the story behind the chaos captured in that shot? You might have to ask the photographer about the finer details, but for me the first time I saw it I pretty much knew that was the cover. I think that in the chaos there was a sense of calmness, I enjoyed and really took pleasure in all of its contrasts and textures. I felt the black and white was a classic way to ease in and eventually tie it all together. You also get involved as a stylist in some shoots for other photographers - what is your background with photography and the creative aspects that go along with it?

Nikon L135AF Quite a few photographers are shooting on film again with the loads of blogs dedicated to it - what do you think is so attractive about shooting in this format again? Well, I think it's always been attractive and appreciated, but maybe not always practical. However,

I used to spend a lot time focused on styling, however I haven't for a while as I've been distracted with new passions, it's something I'd always like to stay connected to. It began when I finished school, I had found myself in the company of photographers, fashion students and stylists and from there it fell into my lap quite easily. That was definitely my introduction into the industry, however whilst studying at The Cape Town School of Photography I was opened up to so much more and found myself ex-

ploring as many avenues as I could and getting a much better understanding of photography itself. I've since embraced curating and printing too, which has resulted in my interest in photographic zines and all that goes into it. A lot of your pictures and portraits are focused directly on the people and friends that you have surrounded yourself with, wherever if you seem to be at that time in your life. It’s almost like you have been blessed by being around some very interesting and entertaining characters wherever you go? That's for sure, entertaining is right. I've been very fortunate enough to have rather unique friends and all the experiences that come with them. Your work is very broad and you are able to shoot a lot of disciplines from portrait, fashion, fine art and documentary. A lot of photographers only stick to one or make a name for themselves by being good at only one. Do you think it’s important and which one do you personally enjoy the most? No I don't believe you have to necessarily stick to one at all. There are so many different photographers that I admire in fine art, landscape, skateboarding and more, those that are pushing disciplines like fashion and portraiture. Especially of late, I find more and more photographers are embracing variety. I would say focusing on colours, textures and shapes to represent a place or space is what interests me right now. It's a character of photography that has always inspired me and one I'm still learning from. One of my other influences at the moment is documenting the homes and land here in Australia, I find them fascinating and it's been pushing me to explore more. This is a refreshing change considering my inspiration would normally have been stemmed from people alone. What would you say personally makes a subject or environment beautiful - what motivates you to remove the lens cap? Lighting can always trigger something inside of you, or at least it does for me. I would say there's a feeling you try and chase. If you are able to really execute the emotion and life of say an object, person,

place etc. Whether it's sexy or sad, that alone becomes beautiful. Depending where I am in my life or what phase I've adopted, it's hard to say what always drives me to remove the lens cap as it can be a little unexpected, but as long as it makes me feel then I try my best. Did I answer that right? God I hope that all makes sense. What would you say was your introduction to photography? Where did it all start - and whose work locally and abroad would you say has influenced your growth as a photographer the most? It began in London in 2009 when my roommate lent me a camera that I practically owned later on, so I started to photograph some very wild experiences and everyone in them. Since then I've had a number of influences over the years. In terms of Analog, people like Jeff Luker, Lina Scheynius and Elliot Lee Hazel were some of the earlier film photographers I really got to appreciate, then there were other favourites like Patrick O'Dell and Ed Templeton who are always inspirational and then the geniuses like Rafal Milach, Taryn Simon, Alec Soth and William Eggleston that I will always thrive from. As for now the list is endless, but I'm going to say Clint Woodside, Grant Hatfield, Ola Paprocka and Luke Byrne. In terms of local, there are so many guys really blowing people away, and the easiest way to say this is everyone involved in the ‘Tow Aways’ zine and exhibition. I felt extremely blessed to be alongside them. Before I forget, there's the Gods of Africa whose vision I've always enjoyed so much and that's Malick Sidibe and Seydou Keita. Word on the street is that you are busy with a new zine involving only boys… can you elaborate more on it and when do you think it will be published? Yes, there is a new zine and it's featuring some really incredible work. It consists of five male photographers: Thomas Pepler, Justin Mcgee, Justin Poulter, Adriaan Louw and Kent Andreasen. Like ‘Tow Aways’ it is not necessarily themed, but more of a celebration of the artists. They have their own approach and I'm really enjoying bringing that together. I'd really like to be around for this one when it's published, so it's hard to say when but soon enough.

CURRENT FAVOURITES Beginners SOUNDTRACK 2011

Lauryn Hill MTV UnpluggeD 2002

Silva Screen

Sony Music

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Hint Portakabin Fever 2003 Hombré

Hoagy Carmichael 50 CLASSICS 2014 GRR Music

Brigitte Bardot Bubble Gum 1965 Philips

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IAN BRUCE HUNTLEY STORY - RUAN SCOTT

PHOTOGRAPHY - IAN BRUCE HUNTLEY PORTRAIT - CEDRIC NUNN

“ Unknowingly, Ian Bruce Huntley captured some of this era’s finest and most important moments in South African jazz. Memories and stories that would’ve been lost forever, along with the musicians and fans that have since passed away, went into exile or are unreachable. He single-handedly recorded and catalogued just over 56 hours of live jazz from gigs in and around Cape Town between 1964 and 1974. He took over 1500 photographs that capture the zeitgeist of the musicians of this time.”

It’s 1964 South Africa, the height of what was considered grand apartheid. A large part of the white South African male population sits in their rugby shorts on enameled wire lawn furniture in suburbs across the country. Drinking Castle Lager from khaki-coloured cans they lament the rise of the black consciousness and independence and the previous day’s cricket score. Their 2.4 children play happily in the garden, surrounded by walls and gates that keep the ‘garden boy’ in by day and the ‘black threat’ out at night. A utopia for whites yet dystopia for liberals of any other race. Inside their 4-bedroomed brick-veneered houses, wives dutifully prepare potato salad for the Sunday lunch braai. In between tear-jerking songs by Charles Segal and religious numbers by Jim Reeves, Hendrik Verwoerd’s voice blunders over the “wireless” preaching white innocence and bliss for the narrowest of minds. Later that afternoon, when these men are drunk, the children are crying and the wives (fed up with being the weekend maid) are smoking sneaky cigarettes behind the garage that houses the family sedan… Meanwhile, a single white male aged 25, pulls his 4L Renault into Main Road Mowbray, Cape Town and heads for the infamous racially contested area known as District 6. Completely insouciant and content but focused on his mission. On the back seat in a grey canvas tote bag is his secondhand Leica M3 camera, a set of lenses, a tripod and a series 6X Tandberg reel-to-reel audio recorder with 3 microphones. He knows his equipment and its capabilities and also knows he is about to break the law by visiting ‘Bantu venues’. He has done this before and he will do it again, not only here on this particular evening but all over the city, almost every other night. Staying up until after midnight and earning himself the nickname of “Kha – nini which meant “keep going until dawn” in Xhosa. Still he is unaware of the future importance of his actions during this time and the decade that followed. His name is Ian Bruce Huntley and he is going to document Jazz music at the infamous Zambezi Restaurant in Hanover Street, District 6. Born the eldest of three children in 1939 and raised in Pietermaritzburg, Kwazulu-Natal. Af-

ter school, Ian took up an apprenticeship in the Cape Town Trigonometry division for the Western Cape Government in 1959. By day his job is to survey the local mountain ranges bordering the city bowl and carting them out. By working in the beautiful scenery as he did, with the assistance of his mentor Mr. J Wood, Ian is encouraged to photograph his working environments. He takes to photography quite naturally and soon purchases his own camera with savings from his meager salary.

was moved to tears by the home recordings and Duke Ellington’s big band records. These tears were true drops of gratitude and awe that cemented lifelong friendships between the two. Ian recorded what truly is considered the underground of South African music at the time. Shows were rarely promoted, due to fear of being shut down and so word of mouth promotion was generally the preferred method of advertising. However, Ian was always in the know and seldom missed an event or gig.

Ian ventures into a neighbourhood considered “off limits” by the ruling party with a stoic sense of calm. He feels at home and safe. The people, the musicians he is about to meet up with are his friends and what he is setting out to do, he does not for money or commercial interest but for the pure love of music. For fun and friendships with great musicians like Ronnie Beer (from the famous Jazz Disciples one of the few non-white groups to record commercially), Christopher Columbus Ngcukana, Abdullah Ibrahim (Dollar Brand), Psych ‘Big T’ Ntsele and legendary Saxophonist Kiepie Moeketsi.

With the forced removals of non-white residents across the country (not only in Cape Town and District 6) history tends to get lost. Facts turn into fables as stories get twisted, the little that there was or might have been was crumpled under the bulldozing might of the Apartheid machine.

As he sets up his recording gear around the stage, musicians go about their business in the most natural of ways and unobtrusive to their flow. It’s this element, the artist in their natural state that Ian captures brilliantly. His photos are not staged and the music and jam sessions are seldom discussed with him. The quality of the pictures he produced are remarkable considering that he often worked in very low light and sometimes even without electricity which meant that some audio could not be captured at all. Such as the case in 1972 when he went to document a mini jazz festival in Langa outside of Cape Town. There are many other instances where he captures some of the most remarkable moments during what is to be considered a golden era in South African Jazz. Nights such as the “The Room At The Top’’ in Strand Street when prominent Jazz cats Timmy Kwebulana and Dennis Mpale swapped roles in the band playing spontaneously on instruments that they were not known to play. Also, in a particular photo pianist Tete Mbambisa sits on a chair fashioned from an old crate and ragged sofa cushions, in front of a piano missing some keys. Improvising and feeding from each other’s energy and love for rhythm. Not only was Ian there to capture it but also to play it back after the shows, to the delight of the musicians. Later on in the evening, groups would pour back into his Mowbray (later Rondebosch) apartment to rewind the Tandberg recorder and listen to what he had recorded that night. This was the love and the friendship that Ian made all of that effort for. Doing it for the scene. These actions of harbouring and accommodating primarily black musicians in his home landed him in hot water more than once. Eviction notices, job displacements and even an 18-month exile to Namibia followed. On one such evening, famous Saxophonist Kiepie ‘Morolong’ Moeketsi joined the late night listening session and THE LAKE

The preservation of the little that did get recorded from this era was decided upon by a few academics at archival repositories such as those at Stellenbosch and Grahamstown Universities. They were to decide if these pieces of black South African musical heritage got preserved for future generations. As musicology scholar Ms. Lizabe Lamprecht states in her dissertation ‘Ethnography and the Archive: Power and Politics in Five South African Music Archives’: “who decides what is valuable and worth archiving, and which examples of value should be included in an archive?” Think of it as Archival Apartheid. For those who remember, who are still alive or those who may never be located, Ian Huntley’s altruistic nature, his documentation and personal archive remind us (and the generations to come) of this important era in our cultural history. South Africa is a country riddled with similar stories that form a colourful tapestry of creativity in our turbulent past. Unknowingly, Ian Bruce Huntley captured some of this era’s finest and most important moments in South African jazz. Memories and stories that would’ve been lost forever, along with the musicians and fans that have since passed away, went into exile or are unreachable. He single-handedly recorded and catalogued just over 56 hours of live jazz from gigs in and around Cape Town between 1964 and 1974. He took over 1500 photographs that capture the zeitgeist of the musicians of this time. His work is invaluable to the musical archives of South Africa. Ian is now 75 years old and resides in Pietermaritzburg in KZN. He has agreed to release all of his work into the public domain for scholars, musicians and fans to listen to and enjoy. Chris Albertyn and ELECTRICJIVE (www.electricjive. blogspot.com) have produced and published a beautiful, hardbound and glossy paged book that captures Ian’s work in an all-encompassing archive called ‘Keeping Time’. With an introduction by Chris, a comprehensive essay by Jonathan Eato and designed by award-winning artist Siemon Allen, this book is the culmination of Ian‘s exceptional devotion to an era and genre but ultimately a devotion to his friends and local music. It is invaluable to the history of South African music and a true representation of a bygone era that was choked by oppression and injustice. - INFO : electricjivehuntleyarchive.org 23

TOOLS OF THE TradE

LET THE HOrnS BLOW

Leica

Tandberg

Ian used a secondhand 35mm Leica m3 rangefinder body which he bought from the Leica agents in durban and a standard 50mm Leica f/2 summicron-m lens that he used throughout his photographic career. it cost 100 pounds.

audio recordings were made on a Tandberg series 6X tape recorder using seven-inch reelto-reel tapes. ian initially bought it to tape jazz broadcasted from english am service radio

he bought KIPPIE ‘MOrOLOng’ MOEKETSI an alto sax from the store where he spent most of his income on vinyls from The record centre in 1972. he was one of south africa’s most iconic jazz musicians. he died in 1983, penniless.

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GRINDER MAN Ian bought MOST OF HIS Records fROm a record shop in Mowbray and from traveling friends and family. his favourites included the following:

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Charlie Parker Vol. 5 / Bird And Diz 1968

John Coltrane Impressions 1963

Saga Eros

Impulse!

Miles Davis Many Miles Of Davis 1962

Bill Evans Trio Moon Beams 1962

Charlie Parker Records

Riverside Records

Ornette Coleman New York Is Now! 1968

Thelonious Monk Solo Monk 1965

Blue Note

Columbia

Charles Mingus Oh Yeah 1962

Jackie McLean It’s Time! 1964

Atlantic

Blue Note

Modern Jazz Quartet The Sheriff 1963

Sonny Rollins Now’s The Time! 1964

Atlantic

RCA Victor 25

NIC GROBLER INTERVIEW - RICK DE LA RAY

PHOTOGRAPHY - NIC GROBLER ILLUSTRATION - Gabrielle Raaff

“We’ve barely skimmed the surface and this initial exhibition should be a springboard to actually do more thorough research. We contacted as many of the builders as we could but found them quite hidden and even elusive. The often ‘misunderstood’ characters behind the bicycles are probably what fascinate us most. ”

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HAVE YOU COVERED ALL OF THE DIFFERENT LOCAL BRANDS OR DO YOU THINK THERE MIGHT BE ANY THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED OUT THERE OR HAVE NOT HEARD ABOUT?

WHAT WAS THE INITIAL SPARK THAT LED TO THE BEGINNING OF THE BICYCLE BUILDER PROJECT? It's one of those things that have been in our hearts for a long time - so no 'initial' spark, probably a series of smaller continuous sparks and pure serendipity. Over the years we've become more interested in steel framed bicycles as they are often built with a bit more of a disposition and personality than most mainstream mass produced bicycles. There has been resurgence around the world in 'hand-made' culture and returning to the craft of bespoke bicycles. When SAM (South African Market) approached us to do a bicycle related display for their space, the first thing Stan Engelbrecht, my friend who did the project with me thought of was this desire we've had for a long time, to celebrate South African built bicycles. HOW DIFFICULT WAS IT TO RESEARCH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT LOCALLY MANUFACTURED BICYCLES, WAS IT MAINLY INFORMATION THAT CAME THROUGH WORD OF MOUTH? We've barely skimmed the surface and this initial exhibition should be a springboard to actually do more thorough research. We contacted as many of the builders as we could but found them quite hidden and even elusive. The often ‘misunderstood’ characters behind the bicycles are probably what fascinate us most. DID YOU FIND A FEW OTHER ENTHUSIASTS AND CHARACTERS WHO COLLECT, ALONG THE WAY? I used to be slightly surprised to meet a person who was more obsessed with bicycles than we are, but I can honestly say that I feel more like a novice than ever before. You get people who like bicycles and then you get some that are entirely bicycle crazy - and ones that have been crazy for many years. Ron Thompson, an obsessive collector in Johannesburg even has a name for people like him 'CycOus' - that is also a club for old bicycle nuts. I also met up with a science fiction writer, Tom Learmont. He wrote a book in 1982 called 'Cycling in South Africa'. Even though the book is presented as a type of manual for cycling, it is possibly over rich with disposition and personality. Tom, who also told me that he helped to dub Brakanjan, the South African version of the animated three musketeers, wrote in the last chapter about his yearly ride in the Garden Route. It culminates with him describing the phosphorescence seen in the waves as he looked back over the bay, after his ride. He knows about the sublime side of cycling and still enjoys riding a steel Holdsworth bicycle that he bought in 1958, from time to time.

We had a few of the bicycle makes ourselves and then source more from friends - mostly from Nils Hansen at Woodstock Cycleworks. At the exhibition there were twelve different makes of South African built bicycles: Alpina, Cosmos, Diamant, Gemini, Hansom, De L 'Ange, Du Toit, Le Jeune, Le Turbo, Peter Allan, Peugeot and Zini. Le Jeune, Peugeot and Zini are originally French and Italian but were built under license in South Africa. There are many more makes of frames that we know of and didn't find good examples of in time for the exhibition: Avenue, DHC, Exocet, Griffin, Lotus, McIntosh, Petini and Victoria. Then there are makes that we have found traces of but are not sure about yet like Springbuck Cycles and Strasse. WHEN WOULD YOU SAY WAS THE GOLDEN ERA OF SOUTH AFRICAN BICYCLE MANUFACTURING AND WHAT LEAD IT TO FINALLY FADE AWAY INTO THE TWILIGHT? It looks like it peaked in the late 80s. Sadly, the cost and time of building custom steel frames compared to new imported brands that were cheaper and often lighter mass-produced aluminium and then carbon frames, that caused most builders to stop, change trades or only build for the love of it, from time to time. WHICH MANUFACTURERS DO YOU CONSIDER THE MOST RARE AND WHICH WERE THE MOST MASS-PRODUCED DURING THAT TIME? Each bicycle is different in some way - there are some really collectable and rare ones also built by builders who were connected to mass-produced frames. Usually, you can tell something of the quality or level of the frame by looking at the tubing that it‘s made from. Most of the South African bicycles of that time were built with Reynolds tubing and there the entry level ones might have been Reynolds 500 and the more mass-produced high quality ones variations of Reynolds 531. If you ever see a higher number like Reynolds 653 or 753 you know you are dealing with a very high-end, usually lighter and more expensive frame. Just from our experience, some of the more rare or uncommon ones are Diamant, De L'Ange, Gemini and Petini. Francois du Toit built Diamant frames. He was synonymous with Le Jeune and that was mass-produced. De L'Ange are regarded to be very well built custom frames, built by Bill Lange in Pietermaritzburg, often using 753 tubing. Gemini and Petini models built by Duncan McIntyre or actually any frame built by Duncan McIntyre would be seen as very desirable and well built. The most common makes from that era still seen on the roads are Alpina, Hansom and Le Jeune. You will find some Alpinas built by someone like Duncan McIntyre though, who built for different bicycle companies through the years, so the quality and rarity can vary. ARE ANY OF THESE BICYCLES PERSONAL FAVOURITES TO YOU AND WHY? Sadly, my favourite bicycle of the exhibition, a black Hansom Prestige with golden lettering and star-like paint splatters on it, was stolen from the venue in the first week. I only bought it a few days before, from a friend and thought it to be just really special. Many of these custom bicycles, because of their individual paint treatments are truly one of

a kind and even though the insurance paid out, it is irreplaceable. I really hope no one paints over the original paint.

HOW MANY OF THE BICYCLES HAVE YOU DISMANTLED AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY NOW, IT MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE A PROCESS TO PHOTOGRAPH?

ARE THERE STILL ANY BICYCLE MANUFACTURING FACTORIES GOING IN SOUTH AFRICA OR IS EVERYTHING IMPORTED NOW?

Three so far, the De L'Ange, Le Jeune and Hansom. It was a back-breaking process, but I had some help from friends who took the bicycles apart and put them back together again. Initially, each part was photographed separately with studio lights, but afterwards I realised that it looked a lot better, just with natural light and everything laid down together. Taking only one photograph for each bicycle also meant less time in front of the computer, putting it all together. Stan had to take his bicycle apart twice because of this.

We know of some current mass-produced South African makes like Momsen and Silverback but even though they are designed in South Africa, many of their frames are probably built in Taiwan – as is the case with most large bicycle manufacturers around the world. They might be working on some special, locally built models though - as is the case with Morewood Bikes in Pietermaritzburg, who are known for their high-end, locally built mountain bike and downhill bicycles. There are only a handful of younger steel frame builders around that we know of, most notably are David Mercer, Toby Groenewald and Zahier Davids from Cape Town. Mercer bikes are known for their top quality custom cyclocross, touring and mountain bike frames, Toby Groenewald is well known for his Salvo BMXs and Zahier runs Flywheel bikes, they make all kinds of mind-blowing hand-crafted rides. There are surely many more talented artisans that have built one or a handful of bikes that we do not know of yet. morewoodbikes.com / mercerbikes.co.za salvobmx.blogspot.com / flywheelbikes.co.za dutoitcycles.co.za HOW MANY LOCALLY MANUFACTURED MODELS DO YOU OWN YOURSELF? Too many and too few at the same time! There is a saying by Paulo Fatturuso, “To make a living, one must leave in the morning upon one's bicycle, and return in the evening with two bicycles”. Currently, I have a beautiful dark grey Hansom that was very reluctantly sold to me by Leonard Stanford from Kimberley, a Le Turbo that looks a bit like Jackson Pollock borrowed it at some stage, a pink and blue Hansom tandem that was given to me by Henk Ackermann (my brother's brother in law), a silver Le Jeune that Nils Hansen from Woodstock Cycleworks sold to me after I pleaded with him for months and then the refurbished De 'L Ange that was a fake Colnago in its previous life. DO YOU SEE THIS PROJECT EVOLVING INTO A BOOK, LIKE THE BICYCLE PORTRAITS THAT YOU WERE INVOLVED IN WITH STAN ENGELBRECHT? I'm busy collecting one of each of the other makes of bicycles and wish to do a few more of the dismantled versions. There is also a commission I have for mounting and framing an actual bike in the dismantled view. I would of course also love to spend more time with the builders. Another book could be fantastic but we are also looking at different mediums and are open to see where the project leads us. THE BICYCLE PORTRAITS SERIES MUST HAVE BEEN QUITE AN EXPERIENCE - HOW MUCH OF THE COUNTRY DID YOU TOUR THROUGH WITH THIS PROJECT? We've probably done over 10 000km by bicycle so far. Doing it mostly from a bicycle meant that we had an instant connection to people when we met them. Since finishing the book we've also returned to about 70% of the individuals documented inside, taking them each their own copy of the book - definitely the most rewarding part of the project.

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HOW HARD IS IT TO TRACK DOWN PARTS AND PIECES TO ENSURE YOUR MODEL IS 100% SOUTH AFRICAN AGAIN? Most bicycles around the world (and the ones we had on display) use parts made either in Japan or Italy. The frames are usually the only pieces that are made locally - the bicycles are then built up using a selection of parts that work well together. Many bicycles have gone through some transformations so the most fail safe option would probably be to ask the builder about the bicycle himself - one can generally see if a bicycle still has its original paint and we often encourage people to not respray their bicycles - or if they do to keep them in the original colours and keep the name of the bicycle as it was. WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST MEMORY OF RIDING A BICYCLE AND WHEN DID YOU REALISE THAT IT WAS GOING TO BECOME PART OF YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE? I was four years old when my parents bought me my first bicycle – a little brown Peugeot is what I remember. That afternoon, after learning to ride, I was coming down a rocky downhill probably trying to keep up with my two older brothers. The details are unclear, but what is certain is that I spectacularly flew over the handle bars and of course being barefoot at the time, somehow managed to get a very clean ‘surgical like’ cut in the middle of my right foot, it was not really painful and there was almost no blood - just sinew exposed in the shape of a perfect white smile. It needed about ten stitches so I've got the scar to prove it. HOW MUCH DO THINK SOUTH AFRICA STILL HAS TO DEVELOP IN TERMS OF RIGHTS FOR CYCLISTS LIKE IN EUROPE AND WHERE DO YOU THINK CHANGE IS THE MOST URGENTLY NEEDED? On most days in South Africa I still feel lucky if I see another person commuting on a bicycle - we have a very long way to go. A lot needs to be done in terms of creating bicycle infrastructure, but for me the more important change needs to happen in the altering of mindsets. Even though bicycle lanes are desperately needed, you don't need them or blocked off roads in order to cycle. The more people get on their bikes, the more reason there will be to build bicycle lanes too - the one does not necessarily have to come before the other, it needs to happen together. If you can, move closer to work, leave your car if you have one and ride a bicycle. Just try it - if you can do it for a month and are still not totally hooked then perhaps try a different bicycle. HOW CAN PEOPLE CONTACT YOU: Nic Grobler & Stan Engelbrecht : info@bicycleportraits.co.za 27

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GOLDEN ANIMALS WRITER - JAMES HAMMERTON

PHOTOGRAPHY - LEIGH TAYLOR

“The Golden Animals are like Native Americans in an episode of Star Trek. Jangly guitar accompanied by drums fit for a symphonic orchestra is all turned on its head by intergalactic keyboard played by a lady who looks like a cross between Coco Chanel and Nico.” As our car pulled up outside Town Hall we were trying to make the most of our car bar situation, we parked and attempted to gather together our necessary supplies for the evening. After being accosted by a crowd of about five car guards, we selected the most persistent of them and entrusted him to watch our car. We paid him an evening wage of some weed, a tiny bit of magic mushrooms and the last of our car bar. He was happy enough with this form of non- monetary payment at the time but he still attempted to demand money from us when we left. The brisk Jo’burg air had an energising effect and the excitement began to build as we passed the merchandise table. It was overloaded with vinyl and T-shirts that looked almost too amazing to look at, fearing serious loss of capital, I sufficed myself with a glance in the table’s direction and then moved quickly to the bar. After experiencing the splendor of the mighty reverb soaked Night Beats last year, I was excited to see what next Cape Town collective Psych Night and Vans would do to top that filthy night of freak-beat psych n roll at Town Hall. The music that struck my ears as I entered was schizophrenic and sparse. It was the opening band Ampersand. I suppose the word intense would suffice to describe them in a way. Their performance was interesting and at times energetic, the music was fragmented like a square peg being pushed through a round hole. Moments of extreme Bowie style melody ended up being mashed up with jerky electrical folly as if the melody was a car and the electronic sounds were a brick wall. There is somehow a strong element of art performance in the way that you can’t really dance to their music, people just generally stand there with a mix of confusion, interest and awkwardness. I did my best to be attentive and fathom what they were trying to do, but unfortunately most of the rest of the party goers were largely at a loss. My addled brain acknowledged that I vaguely understood what Ampersand were going for and as their set came to a close, by the time they left the stage my mind was filled with a glow of understanding: either I had had some kind of psychological awakening to an undernourished section of my mind, or it was the Jagermeister. After much time spent in the main party area of Town Hall (the parking alley behind the building). It was time to bear witness to the soothing sounds of Medicine Boy. Andre Leo and Lucy Kruger performed some contemplative, gentle psych folk songs with serious weight. Listening to them was like jumping on a

dream train where everything is soft and opaque and the train driver is some gothic folk guy with a beard. Medicine Boy was tender and to the point, they performed a string of well crafted and rehearsed songs with bare but interesting instrumentation. The Moths were up next with their juicy blend of Johannesburg Surf and Roll that presented the beginning of a more upbeat period of the evening. They presented an all new performance with more stage dynamics and an interesting set structure, including many new mini instrumentals that had the home crowd moving their feet. At some point their malevolent music caused me to have a near “rumble” with a fellow reveler. I uncharacteristically attempted to cause a fight, luckily my enemy backed down because after the first step of the confrontation I had no plan for what move to make next, it was as if I was possessed. Thankfully the ever charismatic bassist Chris Corbett snapped me out of my stupor and charmed the audience with his polite and enthusiastic American accented banter. Surf purist, guitarist and self declared band leader Cobra ripped up the fret board with riffs that sounded like hollow barrels breaking off a tiki reef in some long forgotten place. It would have been nicer if the guitar was a bit louder. The grand finale of the evening came in the form of the Golden Animals. Reverb soaked, the music transported the audience on a journey through time and space. My conscious mind definitely left my physical body and I was soaring around the stage and the crowd without the constraints of having to physically move. The Golden Animals are like Native Americans in an episode of Star Trek. Jangly guitar accompanied by drums fit for a symphonic orchestra is all turned on its head by intergalactic keyboard played by a lady who looks like a cross between Coco Chanel and Nico. Soaring vocals renderd incomprihensible through effects ensured the crowd danced in a way that made them look like snakes in a dim candle lit room. The music instilled a sense of jubilation and oneness, it’s inspiring. After a jubilant encore the house lights came on, the band left the stage but the audience were glued to the spot as if entranced by the echo’s of the last of the night’s performances. The bar tenders began to literally sweep the audience out. I was left with a sense of spiritual calm, a warmth and an energy I felt as if I had experienced an awakening. As the crowd trickled out of the venue, it rapidly thinned as the beautiful creatures of the night crawled into their holes and and lived to fight another day. - (As first published on www.undergroundpress.co.za)

discography GOLDEN ANIMALS Do The Roar! 2007 Self-Released / HappyParts Recordings

GOLDEN ANIMALS Free Your Mind & Win a Pony 2008 HappyParts Recordings

GOLDEN ANIMALS Hear Eye Go 2013 Anubis Records

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JOH DEL INTERVIEW - RICK DE LA RAY

PHOTOGRAPHY - OLIVER KRUGER

“ A couple of times I have been forced to take full-time jobs at ad agencies. But I got very depressed and my creativity went down the drain. The whole pitching thing is so horrible and I get frustrated with the counter-productive way in which things operate.” the right publisher. I’m also going to explore options like Kickstarter in the coming months. Who is Lev David and what was his role in the production of ‘THE SNAKE AND THE SKULL’? Lev is a good friend of mine. He’s a scriptwriter, poet and hot air balloon record holder with his own Wikipedia page. We share a similar sense of humour and positive outlook on life. When I first came up with the story for THE SNAKE AND THE SKULL, I wrote it in a very rough and naïve Afrikaans. But when it was time to start the project properly, I knew I needed it to be in English and it needed some grandness. Lev turned it into quite a serious work, which I am very happy with. You have mentioned a few times that you are “unemployable” - even though you have worked on many international high-end jobs with clients like Adidas Originals, Coca Cola and SAMSUNG. In what sense do you see yourself as “unemployable”?

You recently returned from living in Europe for a few years, spending most of your time between Amsterdam and London. What made you return to the homeland? Well, unresolved matters of the heart. You studied at WITS, after school. What did you study and how would you compare your expectations from back then to where you are now in your life, as an Illustrator? Yes, I studied graphic design for 4 years at Wits Tech (now known as the University of Johannesburg.) My outlook on illustration was very much shaped by the Kannemeyer brothers, Mark and Anton. They started lecturing there in my second year. They come from a ‘do it yourself’ / punk background and basically made me believe that nothing is impossible. They inspired and encouraged me to create my own style. Because I rely on commercial illustration and design work to earn a living, I had to figure out where to draw the line between personal work and work for clients. But every now and then I have to check myself and make sure I’m not going too soft. How do you think David Attenborough would have described the habitat and natural vegetation that your characters find themselves in? They seem like miniature worlds that could exist inside terrariums. The grass is thick and soft like moss. Everything has got its own texture. Rocks are angular and wood is rough. There are a lot of little streams and water sources. Also, there are a lot of

skeletons, mushrooms and tall grass that resembles seaweed. You created the yet unpublished book ‘THE SNAKE AND THE SKULL’ a while back. Can you fill us in on the basic thread of the story and why it has not been published yet? Yes, essentially it’s a story about finding peace. About accepting certain sad things about life, but also about hope and about never giving up on the quest for happiness. It’s a very simple story, but also very layered. Most people will have different interpretations of the story and to be honest I’m not even sure that I’m aware of all the possible layers myself. I have only contacted a couple of publishers so far. Overall, the feedback was that children enjoy stories about happy and confident characters that are having fun the whole time. They feel THE SNAKE AND THE SKULL is too “dark” and for that reason a huge risk to publish. It’s also not written for a specific age group in mind, so it’s very difficult to market. It’s as much a story for a 6-year-old kid, as for a 60-year-old adult. I spent the last 3 years moving between 3 countries. With all the hectic paperwork and stress involved with moving, plus the stress of finding work in big cities where I had no contacts during the worst economic time and having to work myself to the bone, it left me with very little time to contact publishers. Plus, you can’t get through to the big ones without a special agent. So I’m hoping to find a more independent or alternative publisher who might be willing to publish something more unusual. Since I’ve been back in SA my life is becoming calm again and I will soon continue the search for

Ha ha! I am “unemployable” because I really don’t function very well in a full-time working environment. Off course I work every day of my life. Sometimes I work on exciting stuff and sometimes on boring and draining stuff. A couple of times I have been forced to take full-time jobs at ad agencies. But I got very depressed and my creativity went down the drain. The whole pitching thing is so horrible and I get frustrated with the counter-productive way in which things operate. I prefer to work undisturbed in my own studio. I usually really enjoy work and take pride in it. I like to see a project through from the beginning to the end. That’s why I work as a freelancer. Also, you get to work on more exciting projects that way. Obviously there’s a lot of uncertainty and stress at times, but it’s the only way for me. Which advertising job has been your most favourite to work on and really captured the essence of your work as an artist?

Some of the corporate identities you have done allow the receiving clients to interact with the work by folding and cutting out models. You seem to enjoy the interaction of ‘origami’ and design in your work from time to time? Yes, I really enjoy using paper in a 3 dimensional way. You can make pretty much anything out of paper for super cheap. Plus it feels more like playing than working. To date I have only done papercraft projects for clients, but I have many very exciting ideas for personal projects. Including a papercraft exhibition. If you could look back at your work over the years - what influences would you say helped to mould the spirit of Joh Del? Nature has always been my biggest inspiration / influence. I have also been a long-time fan of the magical stories and drawings of Hayao Miyazaki. There are so many influences that will pop up all the time. It might be a TV series I’m watching, an album I’m listening to, the place where I’m living at the time or interesting people I meet. Currently, I’m on a big fynbos / mountain vibe. You’re based in Cape Town at the moment even though you are originally from Johannesburg. Do you see yourself settling here for a while or is it merely a pit stop on the way to wherever the journey is going to take you? Ha ha! Man after moving around so much over the last few years, I think I need to try and settle down for a bit and create a nest. Cape Town is the right kind of place for that, a cool city that’s surrounded by nature and the ocean. Having said that, one thing I know is that you can never plan out your life too far in advance when you have a traveller’s spirit. I know there are many places left to explore, and many adventures still to come.

THE SNAKE AND THE SKUL BY JOH DEL & LEV DAVID

I would definitely say the double-storey mural inside the Adidas Originals store in Amsterdam. It was a big map of the city. It’s something that will always remind me of the time I lived there.

Unpublished www.johdel.com

THE SPIRIT OF JOH DEL

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Martin Denny Quiet Village 1997

Neil Young Zuma 1975

Scamp

Reprise

Paul Simon Rhythm Of The Saints 1990 Warner Bros

Pink Floyd Meddle 1971 Harvest

Led Zeppelin Physical Graffiti 1975 Swan Song

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GET YOUR ROCKS OFF

STYLIST - KRISTI VLOK

PHOTOGRAPHY - ian engelbrecht

All hats worn throughout shoot / GIPSY and the BEAN Mesh Long sleeve shirt & shorts 'Hustle' / Shoes: Models own / Vintage knit white swimsuit: Stylist's own. THE LAKE

GUY VAN DER WALT

HOI P’LOY INTERVIEW - RICK DE LA RAY

IMAGES - SUPPLIED

“ We basically take the old adage ‘they just don’t make ‘em like they used to’, and try to turn it on it’s head. That principle allows us to create things the way our grandparents would have done it, by using good quality, materials, processing them in a very ‘hands on’AND robust way, building them to last, rather than to make a sale.”

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From what I have gathered, you did not plan on starting a lighting business. What sparked off the initial idea for the two of you? We both travel quite extensively and often admired similar light bulbs overseas, but were disappointed that we couldn’t find anything like that in South Africa. As ‘creatives’ who wanted to develop our own ideas, we were also growing increasingly frustrated with the very poor quality and limited selection of lighting components that were available through the established lighting industry in this country. It seemed like a great opportunity to shake things up a bit. How long has the company been running for now and did you expect all the interest it has received so far? We started about two and a half years ago, and in fact Ploy spent the first year doing full-time research, sourcing, testing and certifying our initial products before we were ready to launch in February 2013. At the time we would go to braais and people would lean over and ask what we’re up to? We’d try to explain to them that we were getting into the light bulb business and we could often feel the awkward silence as they tried to work out how or why we would have any interest in something like that. We honestly had no idea if anyone else would find value in our products, and we often joked that worst case scenario if it didn’t work out we’d have beautiful light bulbs for the rest of our lives. Where did you meet or did you know each other from before you started the venture? We met in Bangkok (Ploy’s home city) in 2009. I had spent 9 months there, and it was during that time that I met Ploy who never ceased to amaze with her knowledge of all the best that Bangkok’s hidden subcultures had to offer. In fact, it was at one of her favourite bars ‘The Iron Fairies’ that we first began to discuss the possibility of developing our own range of Edison style vintage bulbs. Ploy moved to Cape Town the following year, and has been here ever since. How long did it take to set up the initial running of the company, what has been the most challenging part of the process so far? Well, that first year was crucial and a real ‘make or break’ time for us. We started off with no idea of what we were getting ourselves into, and had so much to learn. The most challenging aspects initially were finding suppliers that had the ability to deliver high quality products as well as learning how to maneuver through all the red tape and regulation. Something we just never anticipated was how heavily regulated electrical components are, specifically in this country, and how many small technical details needed to be resolved in order to ensure that our products would be safe, as well as comply with local law. Almost all of the products we import have to be customised in one way or another in order to comply with local standards. You chose to return to the traditional production processes, materials and values to manufacture the bulbs and the accessories. How did you go about finding the resources that could still produce what you were looking for? Well, this is at the core of what drives our value system, and while on the surface it may seem admirable, those goals are not easily achieved in a world where almost every single aspect of production has been transformed by capitalism to exploit value at every turn. For example, we love the look and feel of Bakelite, a very early form of ‘plastic’ that was once the stuff that all telephones, radios and such were made of. Today, the Bakelite is generally seen as a less desirable material by modern industry. Without getting too technical, a component in Bakelite can

easily take 10 times longer to cure than its plastic cousin. It’s also more brittle which in modern industrial terms translates to - expensive. So the strengths of this material, such as its fantastic heat resilience and silky traditional finish are usually overlooked by the faster, cheaper more flexible characteristics of plastic, which easily seduces the corporate ‘bean counters’. So, while we always try to work with local manufacturers first, we are often disappointed to learn that those machines, materials and skills have simply been lost in this country to the onslaught of a capitalist mentality that “cheap trumps quality”. In those cases, we look to international suppliers that have managed to retain those more traditional skills and production methods. When you look at how the market is pushing for consumers to use more energy-saving light bulbs - how compatible are your products with these demands? It’s always been a difficult problem for us to solve. We have to acknowledge that the appeal of an older technology often carries with it an environmental impact. Our Edison style bulbs cannot compete with modern energy saving bulbs, and we approach this with a few points in mind. The first is that the market for these specialist types of bulbs really is very small in a global context. They are decorative rather than functional, and at 40 watts ever so slightly better than the 60 and 100 watt bulbs that we all grew up with. But even so, we also realise that this planet cannot continue to function irresponsibly for much longer. For this reason, we are actively looking into various options for gradually replacing our range with an energy saving equivalent. A current concern is the chemical impact of new energy-saving bulbs and it’s difficult to know which of the two is the least undesirable. While they will never be the same as the old fashioned ones, we believe we’re very close to offering an alternative that will offer a similar appeal in terms of bulb shape, and warm yellow light that we’ve all fallen in love with. What is the lifespan of your bulbs compared to the average bulb you buy at the supermarket? The lifespan of our current range of bulbs is about 3 000 hours which is very similar to an incandescent bulb that one might purchase at a supermarket. In the near future we hope to offer an energy-saving equivalent that will last up to 25 000 hours. We’re really excited about it! Even though your production is still quite limited at the moment, how competitive do you find it compared to mass-produced light bulbs? It’s a very different type of product, and we’re not really interested in competing directly with mass-market products. We find value in offering products that have a soul, and the response from those who are fortunate enough to purchase at that level appreciate what we offer and the way we run our business. One thing that has been an eye-opener for us is the ruthless and cutthroat manner in which some of the more established mass-market industry players conduct their business. We have struggled to relate to their value systems, and generally don’t feel that they build a better society. Rather, big business’ primary goal is to seemingly just take, take and take some more. On the rare occasions when something is given back it usually tends to be a PR facade under the guise of goodwill. You were inspired by the original light designs of Thomas Edison - what process did you follow to plan the new shapes and designs for your range and how much do you still stick to the original Edison concept? Edison’s original bulbs had a carbon filament that is not an ideal material to master these days, especially for the longevity of the bulb. One of the big-

gest differences with our bulbs is that they have a Tungsten filament. From an aesthetic point of view our bulbs aren’t always original - there’s only so much one can do with a bulb. But we have looked at what’s available and made some small adjustments to make some of the designs our own. We find ourselves skirting the edge between traditional designs and values and often crossing over to more contemporary styles and application. Besides the bulbs, you also had to focus on the fittings and cabling - did you go the same route as with the bulbs by focusing on the vintage heritage of the products? Yes, for all our products we follow a very similar conceptual approach on our way to creating or sourcing the end product. We basically take the old adage, “they just don’t make ‘em like they used to” and try to turn it on its head. That principle allows us to create things the way our grandparents would have done it, by using good quality materials, processing them in a very ‘hands on’ and robust way, building them to last rather than to make a sale. That being said, we also take advantage of modern technologies such as 3D scanning, 3D printing, CNC cutting, etc. The woven-cord cables are very visually pleasing - did you stick to what the original old woven colour combinations were or did you choose your own combinations for your range? Original woven cords were covered in cotton sleeves. That was more functional than anything else, and ironically not always that safe from an electrical point of view. Today, we add the sleeve for aesthetic reasons and create it from fabric that is much safer. There are literally hundreds of colour variations, but for now we’ve focused on offering a range of 48 varieties. Much like our bulbs, we split them into two ranges: one echoes a retro style with twisted cord and neutral colours, while the other is bold with bright colours that are clearly more contemporary. We are torn between living in a beautiful future or an inspiring past. Our cord colours reflect that somewhat schizophrenic state of mind. Even your packaging design has lent itself to the vintage aesthetic behind the company’s identification. Where does the influence for the design stem from and who executed the final design work for the artwork? I am the one tasked with most of the design challenges while Ploy heads up the business end. I’ve always had a soft spot for packaging, from the past. There’s a clear Art Deco element, although I try not to focus too heavily on that. I like the idea of creating old-fashioned packaging that’s made new. In other words, we specifically stay away from adding ‘fake’ aged effects to our packaging and products. We try to create a visual style that is as it would have been on the day it was made 100 years ago, rather than something that looks like it has been sitting on a shelf for 100 years and is now all old, wrinkled, worn out, etc. You’ll notice, even our lamp fittings for example, may carry a traditional style but are sold as new rather than some kind of ‘Disney Land faux-antique’. In the old days they would have done their best to achieve slick packaging, and were limited only by the technology. I try to echo that approach in order to evoke a similar sense of romance. Even when it came to the priming of the packaging itself, you went with an old letterpress - who is doing the printing for you guys? We have a great relationship with Anton from The Letterpress Company. They have worked closely with us to ensure that our packaging also has a soul. We’re quite demanding when it comes to how we present our work, and they have been sensitive to our needs as they accommodate all our expec-

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tations. We couldn’t have found a better partner when it comes to sharing our values. Both of you are skilled in different areas how much has both of your separate experiences helped to evolve the concept of your product? We work closely with many individual designers in Cape Town, and sometimes wonder how they do it. Our biggest strength is easily our diverse set of skills. There is no way we could manage without each other - it’s that simple. Ploy drives the business from a functional point of view and I offer guidance on the creative side. We also have a fair amount of overlap, but for the most part our strengths in those very different areas make us a winning team. The fact that we can mostly focus on the areas we love and not have to get too involved with the areas we’re weak in, gives us strength to stay focused and move forward swiftly. Are you both working on the company fulltime now or do you still do other work in your personal capacities? We both work at Hoi P’loy full-time. Although, I also own a small animation studio in Woodstock that I use as a base. The 3D animation business also allows us to cross-pollinate talent and equipment from time to time, such as using the studio’s 3D printer/ scanner in order to prototype new products. Other than that there really isn’t much time in the day for much else. Where can the products be purchased from, do you have a distributor or do you have to order through your online site? Most of our products can be purchased through our site and customers are also able to visit our studio by appointment. Beyond that, we have some great partners who stock a wide range of our products. In Joburg they can be found at MØDERNIST and in Cape Town STABLE carries quite an extensive range of our products. Have you received any international interest, are any other companies out there providing similar concepts? We regularly ship our products overseas, and as we grow we look forward to exploring more of that potential. We keep our eyes open and have definitely seen a handful of people attempting similar things in other countries. What we’ve found is that each one tends to focus on a particular aesthetic and then grow their business around that. We think it’s great that in this day and age tools like the internet and access to technology are allowing more and more independent producers showing the big guys that they have the ability to transform the status quo. How do you see the company evolving in the future? We differ from many of the bigger lighting corporations out there in that our primary goal is not profit. It’s a hard concept for many of them (and their shareholders) to grasp, but it’s true. Obviously we’re in business and we hope to make a profit, but that is not our sole driving force. While it may sound rather cheesy, we strive to offer high quality products and excellent service. We are not prepared to sacrifice either of those for the sake of a higher profit margin. Our goal is to move forward and hopefully gather enough resources to gradually transform a world that has been hi-jacked by a corporate culture that increasingly eats away at our faith in mankind. Wow - that’s a rather intense perspective. But, it’s how we feel. We’d love to have the ability to keep growing and developing new things, all the while addressing some of the warped business practices that have begun to surround us in our day-to-day lives. 37

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INTERVIEW - RICK DE LA RAY

PHOTOGRAPHY - JACQUI VAN STADEN

“ Growing up I’d always get laughed at because people in my community don’t understand and aren’t really exposed to alternative individualism at all. I was called things like ‘vampire’, ‘Satanist’ or ‘prostitute’, all because they feared the unknown and they didn’t want to even understand what my thing was.” YOU RECENTLY MOVED TO CAPE TOWN FROM DURBAN, WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO MAKE THE MOVE? About two years ago we would often have to deal with the constant feeling of frustration and being drained by the monotonous groove of things. This feeling I shared with both Loopy (bassist) and James (guitarist). We were struggling to regulate a constant flow of creative ideas, money, general self-inspiration and joy. Everything and everybody around us was starting to take on a very dull and transparent meaning. I think everyone one around us was frustrated, either with themselves or the next person. We’d done it all, said everything twice, three times, over and over again. It was boring and phony. The scene that was once the driving force to the engine of our youthful joy was slowly running out of steam, threatening to break down at any given time. We were desperately trying to fix it even though this was a tough mission. There was vague talk about moving somewhere else, start afresh, just leaving everything behind and work on a new musical direction and identity, reinventing ourselves. It was as if we were stuck in a loop, a cycle we’d come to know all too well and were actually starting to find comfort in it. WHERE WERE YOU BORN AND WHERE DID YOU GROW UP, ARE THERE ANY MEMORIES FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH US THAT COULD GIVE ANY INSIGHT INTO YOUR PERSONALITY? I’m the second born child of three, one younger brother and two older sisters. My father passed away when I was 8 years old, so in turn I was raised up by a single mom. For as long as I could remember my mother has always been supportive and understanding. Growing up I had a vague idea of what my passions and ambitions were. I’d always put on little shows at home when people came around the house. It bought me such joy. I was always intrigued and marvelled by the concept of performance art and sharing a bit of myself through this medium. My entire existence revolves around ultimate self-expression and appreciation because this is how my mother had raised me. So my individualism and expressive nature originated at a very young age and has been growing ever since. My mother was born in Swaziland, my grandmother and her moved to Durban when my mother was only a child. Our extended family still resides there. Even though I have an extremely small family, the moral values and self-discipline structures that were put in place by these two dominating female figures has made me who I am today. I carry these small family values with me proudly, which include sincere gratitude, the celebration, respect and appreciation of self and others as well as sharing and valuing the small things in life. These teachings I will pass down to my own children and people I meet. YOUR VOICE AND STAGE PERSONA IS INCREDIBLY VERSATILE - WHERE DOES YOUR MUSICAL INTEREST AND INFLUENCE STEM FROM? As much as I grew up with the love for performance art, I was never really much of a singer, I was terrible actually. My mother and her sister both have exceptional vocal cords and they’d often break out into beautiful unrehearsed melodic harmonies in the kitchen while preparing meals and I would always try to join in but I found great difficulty maintaining the same pitch/key. Because I was so determined to get it right, I would practice by myself almost every day. It became a bit of an obsession of mine for all I wanted to do was to be to sing along in synchronised unison with the two most influential female voices in my life. After high school I knew

I wanted to take up drama and performance art studies, majoring in music and vocal training. That’s when my voice started taking constructive shape. After varsity my vocal abilities were strong, I fully understood where all the sounds came from and the different placements and control involved with trying to achieve them. At this point, my next goal was to nurture and discover my own voice. Everyone can sing, I strongly believe that we are all capable but having your own style of presentation and groove, now that’s what makes you an artist. Here are some of the major influential female vocalists that help me on this journey: Edith Piaf, Miriam Makeba, Jill Scott, Brenda Fassie, Bjork, Nina Simone, Cocorosie, Etta James, Thandiswa Mazwai, Janis Joplin, Erika Badu and the list goes on and on. I’ve always been obsessed with the idea of being an all-round act, vocally and visually. I’ve always tried to combine both my theatrical skills and influences with my stage persona at the same time, portraying the other elements of our whole act. My voice is ever changing and taking different forms as I go. I’m never satisfied with my current vocal range/ ability, there’s always room for improvement and more magic. I still feel like that little girl, longing to sing with her mum and aunt in the kitchen, that feeling will forever keep me grounded and hungry for more. HOW DID YOU END UP BEING THE LEAD SINGER IN THE BAND ‘FRUITS AND VEGGIES’ AND WHAT LEAD TO THE FORMATION OF THE BAND? ‘Fruits and Veggies’ originally started out as a kind of playful soul acapella piece consisting of four girls. It sounded nothing even close to what our vibe is like now. The other girls were close friends of mine and we knew each other prior to the birth of the band and our voices worked really well together, but none of us could play an instrument so we worked with what we had. Even though we took it seriously it never really felt like it had enough substance or magic to go places and by that time I was starting to outgrow the idea of minimal creation. We lasted about 8 months I think, one girl fell pregnant and the other two made other fulfilling ventures. Even though ‘Fruits and Veggies’ was dead I couldn’t help but notice that we had started a new wave in the Durban punk-rock scene, a small one but a wave nonetheless. I was determined to ride this wave, one way or another! It was really exciting to notice the interest we’d regulated without any real effort. That’s when I met Loopy, who was a female rapper at the time, killing ‘ous’ in battle cyphers at the BAT Centre, hip hop days in Durban. Chasing and outrunning everyone. I took great interest in her fearless nature right away, it was hard not to. I formally introduced myself, oblivious to the fact that two months down the line we’d be making tasty tunes together along with another two close friends, Sweet Lu (drummer) and Darren (guitarist). That was the first rebirth/transformation of ‘Fruits and Veggies’. This was just the Genesis, the first chapter for what was still to come.

to get my hands on a copy and ended up buying 10 copies. We were meant to be on the cover but Bob Dylan decided he was gonna go ahead and release an album two weeks before the mag went to print. I mean, even if we had a shitty little one column feature with our picture the size of a match box then I would’ve maintained the same excitement, IT WAS THE MOTHER FUCKING ROLLING STONE!!!!! And we were rolling with it, all the way. We had so much fun with that one, we wanted people to know that we were here and uncensored, that we weren’t afraid to show them who we really were. Roger Young was covering the story, he knew us very well so the interview was far from the usual formal Q and A. He put together a sort of weird ‘after party’ gathering at a local whore house / drug den, a watering hole by day. This was after a hectic night of partying so we all congregated in this half-lit room. Roger would randomly chuck questions at us but the entire thing was too debaucherous and the photographer (Kevin Goss-Ross) was snapping away and boy oh boy did we give him something to capture. Randoms were dry humping in a dark corner, there were people rolling on the floor with eyes rolled back to their heads, stripping all the beds just for the fuck of it, while some gently humped the air to Jefferson Airplane. THIS WAS US! OUR REALITY! Our lives were being captured and we were uncensored!! It was grand. YOU HAVE ALWAYS HAD A VERY UNIQUE STYLE AND PRESENCE. A TYPE OF VISUAL ANARCHY IN A SENSE, WHICH SEEMS TO BE AN EXTENSION OF YOUR PERSONALTY. WHERE DO YOU DRAW YOUR INSPIRATION FROM? I’ve always had a very different approach when it comes to clothing. I’ve always been obsessed with colours and weird passion clashes inspired by Tokyo street fashion expressionism, called Harajuku. Growing up I’d always get laughed at because people in my community don’t understand and aren’t really exposed to alternative individualism at all. I was called things like “vampire”, “Satanist” or “prostitute”, all because they feared the unknown and they didn’t want to even understand what my thing was. My mother at the very beginning couldn’t understand why I was different and what my motives were, but soon realised that I was wasn’t in fact crazy, but that this was a form of self-expression that I couldn’t control at all. I had no interest in the masses’ opinions on how women / girls should present themselves, in terms of appearance or in character. With my mother’s support, I didn’t hold back from ultimately being who I am. AS A SINGLE MOTHER IT MUST BE HARD LIVING IN A DIFFERENT CITY, TRYING TO FURTHER YOUR CAREER? Oh, my beautiful morning star! The pregnancy did come as a shock but I came to terms with the overwhelming

YOU GUYS HAD A HUGE FEATURE ARTICLE IN THE ROLLING STONE IN 2012, IT’S ALMOST A SHAME THAT THEY DID NOT PUT YOU GUYS ON THE COVER WHICH I PERSONALLY FELT YOU DESERVED AT THAT TIME… WOULD YOU SAY THAT IN A WAY THAT WAS THE PINNACLE OF THE BAND AND THE ANTICS THAT WENT WITH IT?

phenomenon of carrying a powerful life force inside myself. That concept alone made me feel more strong and in control of my own situation. Life only becomes a struggle or hard to bare at the precise point where you stop dreaming. Being a mother has been more of a blessing than something that’s holding me back from excelling in life. It also helps that her father is very much a part of her life, even though we’re not together. I honestly thought that things would be slightly more uncomfortable or less achievable at this point but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Being in another city away from my little one is extremely challenging because she’s still very young, I’m missing out on some the most beautiful and fundamental moments in her growth, as she slowly becomes selfaware and independent, more and more everyday. In terms of music, I’m faced with new challenges now. Do I carry on making the music that I’ve invested over 7 years in and hasn’t been fruitful at the level I want it to be financially or do I compromise everything I believe in and just plunge into some other ventures without any real ambition? I’ve sort of given myself a year goal to at least establish myself in the Cape Town music scene and figure out what my true individual aspirations are but I’m slowly running out of time because of having to spend most of my time stressing about my current financial state. So I work to make ends meat. I stay positive and I know for certain that James (guitarist) and I will always make incredible music together as ‘Fruits and Veggies’ or under a different name. We’ve always worked exceptionally well together and as the two remaining song writers in the band, we keep the fire burning. The new line-up is stronger than ever, all I’m saying is that the band is finally ready to transcend. WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOURSELF AS A TYPE OF ACTIVIST IN SOME SENSE, WHAT DO YOU STAND FOR IN LIFE AND WHAT TYPE OF CHANGE DO FEEL SOUTH AFRICA SHOULD BE FOCUSSING AT THE MOMENT? I’ve always tried to maintain the same idealistic structure, even though it’s harder than just living. I am now and have always been a firm believer in equality and fair resolutions. CHARITY ALWAYS STARTS AT HOME, know yourself and inspire yourself above others first. Most South Africans (human beings in general) lack even the mildest concepts of compassion and humanity. This in turn leads to all sorts of social ills and discourse. We need to go back to the simple fundamental aspects of being alive. Instead of focussing on the negative, let’s focus on being better people first, let’s not constantly complain about the things that can be corrected like crime, and poverty, let’s rather focus on the base/foundation of it all, the family structure and other channels at which things start to go wrong. We all possess the ability to love, give, appreciate, sooth and understand. Something along the way hinders these compulsory emotions and we lose ourselves.

5 FLAVOURS Arctic Monkeys Cornerstone 2009

Miriam Makeba Pata Pata 1967

Domino

Reprise

Gogol Bordello Underdog World Strike 2005 SideOneDummy

the Cat Empire Two Shoes 2005

THE Strokes Angles 2011

Virgin

RCA

Man oh man!!!! This was the highlight of our musical career buy a long shot! Our very first national magazine appearance and it was a twelve-page spread on the Rolling Stone!!!! Oooh boy we were overleaping with the sweetest joy. I recall supermarket hopping on the day the mag hit the shelves because they were either all out or didn’t stock it at all. Eventually, I managed THE LAKE

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GORDON CLARK COPY - COMMUNE.1

PHOTOGRAPHY - GORDON CLARK PORTRAIT - JACQUI VAN STADEN

– Gordon Clark

Groot Geraak (Becoming Big) examines the life of Quentino, a young boy growing up in Elsies River on the Cape Flats, an area that has been plagued by endemic gang violence. Quentino and his peers are photographed at various stages over a three-year period in an attempt to locate defining moments in their lives. Clark expresses a personal interest in these defining moments and their potential implications; here the individual is pitted against powerful collective agents. In areas where these agents have a strong presence, individual identity gives way to survival and the need to conform. Despite the careful staging of each image, Groot Geraak is an expression of Quentino’s life, complete with portents of his future. The tension resides between a staged performance on the one hand and the re-enactment of actual moments on the other, hence the powerful evocation of a hyper-reality.

Whatever direction Quentino’s future may take, the images present an all-too-familiar reality of youth at the mercy of gang influence. In this sense, Quentino’s narrative is a placeholder for so many others. The success of these images – high in production value and residing in the distinct world of fine art – is measured in the response it elicits from the viewer, be it mistrust or anger at the photographer, or anger at the conditions of the young lives exposed. In asking difficult questions about the politics of representation, persistent racial and class divides, and by facing our own discomfort at the images (in the ‘safety’ of the gallery), we are implicated in a collective groot geraak. Thus we move towards a deeper understanding of the human condition in a polarised context. Gordon Clark (b.1955 Johannesburg) photographs those rare individuals within society who challenge our inherent beliefs and jar our aesthetic aspirations. He weaves complex narratives by inserting subjects into deliberately choreographed natural environments, which compel viewers to interpret the powerful dilemmas at play within each subject’s life. Clark has previously focused his practice on the life details of Turner Adams, an alter-boy turned convict whose twenty-four years of hard prison life has hardened his glare and ‘marked’ every square centimeter of his skin with tattoos. Clark’s new body of work, ‘Groot Geraak’ (Becoming Big) documents blue-eyed Quentino parallel to the life of ex-gang leader Ernie Lastig Solomon. Clark takes the viewer on a journey of exploration – exploring the idea of going back and how we grow roots in terms of emulating the behaviour of others that surround us, in order to survive. The subject as metaphor transgresses our boundaries and comfort zone by suggesting the stereotypical direction of their future. Both Turner and Quentino offer an ideal canvas for Clark to explore the path of an individual’s unfortunate circumstances as a reflection of a society in turmoil. Gordon Clark has had numerous solo shows, including: ‘Gordon Clark - Selection’ at ARTCO Gallery, Germany (2012), ‘Who Am I? – Transgressions – Gordon Clark and Leon Botha’ which was shown in Amsterdam, Germany and South Africa (20102011), ‘What is Familiar?’ at Odes Gallery in Cape Town (2009) and ‘Transitions’ at Museum of Tolerance, USA (2002). Most recently he exhibited ‘Turner Adams: The Outcome’ at Commune.1. Clark currently lives and works as a photographer as well as a film and documentary maker in Cape Town.

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IMAGES IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE / FROM LEFT TO RIGHT Evolution, Elsies River, 2014 / Family, Elsies River, 2013 / Lurkie the hitman Bedroom, Elsies River, 2009 Big Russ, Quentino, Bushie and Little Russ, Elsies River, 2013 / On the edge, Elsies River, 2013

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LIONEL SMIT INTERVIEW - RICK DE LA RAY

IMAGES - SUPPLIED

“ When I asked my father for money, he gave me some art materials and said that I should make my own money. I think that is the best thing that ever happened to me, as I was forced to make my own living from art, and it was the only thing I knew...” make a living from your work - is there a certain memory or event which lead to the lifestyle you’re living now? When I asked my father for money, he gave me some art materials and said that I should make my own money. I think that is the best thing that ever happened to me, as I was forced to make my own living from art, and it was the only thing I knew… I have read that your father is a sculptor, was it just a natural progression for you to evolve your work into giant sculptures or what made you decide to take on this medium? I actually started off sculpting and steered away from it during the early stages of my career, as I wanted to become more independent in my paintings. Later, when I was more established in this, I inherently translated it into sculpture. Do you see yourself only taking on this medium in the future or do you see yourself always being more of a painter? I definitely see myself using this medium more, like the Morphous installation we just did at Circa with just one sculpture. It really excited me to do this project. Francis Bacon would say that he felt like he was giving art what he thought it previously lacked… Do you feel your work fits into this mindset? I don’t necessarily see it that way, but I think I created something for myself, that lacked. I think I combined everything that I liked into one style. For instance, I love the craftsmanship of art, such as that of the old masters (like Da Vinci and Michelangelo) and at the same time I enjoy abstract and conceptual art.

As time goes by, your work seems to have grown bigger, bolder and exploding with much more colour by the year. Looking back at the natural tones and smaller scale you worked on about 6 years ago, what motivated such bold changes through your career so far? One of the big reasons is that I moved to Cape Town. I think my environment changed me a lot. I was trying to reinvent myself and I suppose I was doing everything I was afraid of. How do you go about choosing the subjects in your work, whether it’s figurative or portraits, is there a certain muse or model you like to repeat in some of your work or is it just a random choice regarding interesting facial features? I think it’s a little bit of both. At first, Cape Malay people intrigued me in a visual way. Due to the shift in my environment, I was not use to seeing so many mixed race people. I think these qualities appealed to me almost as if they were universal to

me – not white, nor black. I then started exploring this more conceptually. Sometimes I get the feeling that I’m looking at an exaggerated frame within a graphic novel when I view your work, did your read a lot of illustrated novels when you were younger? No, in fact, I think I was visually stimulated from a young age, since I grew up in an artistic environment. You never studied art but you did have art as a subject in school, do you think your work would have been a lot different or would have taken the same route as it has if you did study art?

Size does matter, especially with your work - do you think that creates a sense of intimidation towards the viewer that is confronted with the imagery? Yes, that is definitely something I wanted to create with the viewer – to be confronted and immersed with the painting, as you stand in front of it. That is where the abstract quality becomes evident and where you actually translate texture and colour instead of a figurative image.

What do you think has lead to the popularity of your works, why do you think they are so appealing and collectable to people? If you had never seen your work before and then stepped into one of your shows, do you think it would have the same effect on you? I think so, probably, because my work has that quality of a combination of two aspects in one – the abstract and naturalistic quality. I think all the rest is still a mystery to me, I don’t know why. It’s very difficult to know if I would like my work or not. “I use the gallery as if it were a doctor. I come for ideas and help, to look at situations within painting, rather than paintings” - Lucian Freud. When was the last time you went to the “doctor” and walked away inspired? What draws you to a painting or a sculpture for that matter? I think that these days one can become overwhelmed by the amount of art out there, and with the internet it becomes much more accessible. I try to see as many shows as possible, but I think the last time I can remember having that feeling would be seeing big canvases, up close, of Rothko and Richter. Certain artists discover their ‘recipe’ and then just keep on rolling out the ‘crowd-pleasers’, slightly changing a stroke every now and then - how do you see your work evolving in the next couple of years? I think the evolution of my work may seem slow to some people, but I have been exploring many ideas and mediums, moving into more sculpture installations, which may move my work into a new direction. Many artists have some inner conflict or vice reflecting in their work or actions as an artist, do you feel any of these factors effect your work in any way? I would not say I directly transfer my conflicts onto canvas, although that is something that may happen inevitably. Who are you represented by at the moment and where can your work be viewed? I am represented by Everard Read in South Africa and Rook & Raven in London.

BACKGROUND MUSIC Bat for Lashes

Arcade Fire

Neil Young

Mr. Twin Sister

Fleet Foxes

Two Suns 2009

Reflektor 2013

Harvest 1972

IN HEAVEN 2011

Sun Giant 2008

Echo, Parlophone

Merge, Sonovox

Reprise

Double Six, Domino

Sub Pop

I think that my work would have taken a different route if I did study art, as I think everything, including our environment, influences us – even if it is only subconsciously. At what stage did you realise that you can THE LAKE

THE LAKE

OCKIE FOURIE INTERVIEW - RICK DE LA RAY

PHOTOGRAPHY - @THEWORLDSYOUNGESTMAN

“ The quote, ‘The best camera is the one you have with you’, rings very true to me. My phone is always with me and I’m always on the lookout for photo opportunities. Walking around with my SLR when I’m stepping out to grab lunch isn’t going to happen.” These guys make a living by travelling through the US and making money off their pets through appearances and book deals. I find that fascinating. People are attracted to unique accounts. Would you say you were quite into photography prior to using the application or was it the satisfaction of comments and hits that encouraged you to upload more photos?

What was the first photo you ever uploaded onto INSTAGRAM and did you immediately realise that this was a medium that you would relate to very quickly? My first post was a heavily filtered panoramic shot of Table Mountain, taken from a friend’s apartment in Blouberg. Um, Instagram was a very new app at the time so I decided to give it a try, not thinking that it would have such a big influence on my life. How long have you been on INSTAGRAM now and when did you find you had a sudden leap in followers? I joined Instagram in December 2010 - the app was only 2 months old at the time. I gained a few followers bit-by-bit until September/October 2013 when I was made a suggested user by Instagram for a period of two weeks. This really spiked my follower count. You have over 5000 followers now and have also been listed on the ORMS photographic site as one of nine great South African Instagramers - what would you say draws people to follow a certain type of personality and their images? Yeah, I was really humbled by that ORMS article. I didn’t even know about it until you told me. Users follow accounts for various reasons. They follow celebrities who post hundreds of self-portraits day after day, they follow fashion houses, corporations and even animals who have Instagram accounts. Everyone has a diverse list of accounts in their following-list. If I like someone’s shots and I like their style, I’ll follow them. Guys like @thiswildidea and @andrewknapp only post images of their dogs.

We’ve all had point-and-shoot cameras, but since I got my first iPhone in 2009, I had no real use for my compact camera. The quote, “The best camera is the one you have with you”, rings very true to me. My phone is always with me and I’m always on the lookout for photo opportunities. Walking around with my SLR when I’m stepping out to grab lunch isn’t going to happen. You can snap, edit and post a photo in under 5 minutes. That, I love. Likes and comments always encourage you to take better shots. I only post around 30-40% of the photos I take. It seems that you were quite drawn to man holes from the beginning of your uploads and it has become quite a theme throughout your work, especially the comparisons you make with other objects like old car tyres or even tree stumps that resemble them. What is it that draws you to these commonly over-seen road landmarks? Haha, yes, there’s definitely a pattern. The idea of composing a circular object in a square frame has a certain appeal to me. I shot my first manhole cover at a carwash on Kloof Street. I liked the colour and the composition. Since then I’ve been on the lookout for unique manhole covers wherever I go. People have been sending or tagging me in photos of manhole covers from Durban to Denmark, Sweden, Hungary and even South Korea. One day I’d like to shoot some in Japan - they’re next-level. You’re also a keen cyclist - do you often find that you have to stop to snap at a certain subject while you’re out on the road? If I ride by myself, yes. My riding buddies will get pissed if I had to stop every 5 minutes to take a picture. Hahaha! My phone is mounted on my handlebars and serves as an odometer and GPS, so it’s not the easiest thing to just grab and shoot. You see a lot more of the world on a bicycle than you would when driving in a car. I make mental notes of interesting street scenery, buildings, signs, etc. I’ll drive there in my car after the ride, to get the shot. Your name @THEWORLDSYOUNGESTMAN is very unique - can you elaborate on where it stems

from or was it just some random name you came up with?

strain yourself from snapping just one more shot?

It’s stems from a BBC comedy series called “The Day Today” that aired in the early 90s. It’s a parody of television and current affairs programs. The presenter says in one of the episodes: “Stay tuned - after the break we meet the world’s youngest man.” Classic!

Definitely! You’re always looking for a shot. I have missed so many opportunities, be it with people, perfect light or location. Sometimes it’s a “right place, right time” scenario, but when you’re there it’s hard to leave. We shot in Khayelitsha a while back. I could’ve stayed there the whole day, but we had to go. It was a great experience.

What do you consider to be the key element that makes INSTAGRAM so popular and where do you see it heading in the future, with its current video content that seems to be becoming just as popular? There are other apps that offer the same service, but Instagram has over 200 million active users, with over 7 million users posting daily. Companies are all using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to promote themselves. It’s just going to get bigger and better. With the introduction of a video feature, it turned a lot of people away from Vine. I use Instagram video for time-lapse clips, plus, you can add music to your video using third party apps. It also opens a window for a whole new world of creativity. You have recently been uploading images taken from your digital camera, I have heard that some people comment that it should purely be a medium for mobile photography only. Do you have any thoughts on that and do you see a difference between the two? It started out with uploading mobile images because it was instant. Certain DSLR cameras have changed the game by being able to upload straight to Instagram. There is nothing wrong with that. You achieve a different quality when shooting on a DSLR camera versus a mobile phone camera, be it quality or zoom capability. When I upload a DSLR image, I’ll always mention it in a hashtag or in a comment. Majority of my shots are captured on my phone using specific apps and lenses made for iPhone, achieving a photoshopped DSLR result. Why do you think a lot of people document their food and their shoes so much? It’s easy to shoot, isn’t it? Everyone does it. From latte art to salads - if it looks good, it will get shot. Once in a while the stars align and you find yourself standing on red bricks wearing yellow shoes, blue jeans, eating a green apple and BOOM!!!, you’ve won at Instagram. Hahaha! Do you plan to shoot any subject matter ahead of time or is it purely imagery that presents itself to you at a certain time and place? If I have an idea of a shot or get inspiration through other users, I’ll make a plan to scout for a specific object or location. I prefer shooting something that pops up around the corner. That’s what drives me to take photos. You can go out looking for manhole covers and come home with fascinating portraits. Are there times where you find that it can become quite obsessive and you have to re-

THE LAKE

Which images do you find get the most reaction out of your followers and are you sometimes surprised when you get a lot of hits from a picture? Sometimes I think that I’ve posted my best shot yet, but then it proves to be average, and vice versa. My most popular photo was an early morning shot of Lion’s Head, driving from Hout Bay. No filters were used, just a straight up shot. You can’t predict it. Are you part of any groups in Cape Town that go on walks through the city and its surroundings or do you prefer just doing your own thing? With Instagram’s initiative of organised Instameets it has really brought together a community of photographers getting together in a specific part of a city to take photos for about an hour or two. I have participated in a few of them. They’re fun and you get to put a face to the Instagram handle. I’ve made some great friends through this. However, nothing beats going out on a photo-mission by yourself or with one or two friends. Imagine 50 people trying to sneak onto a rooftop... What sort of pictures do you find attract you the most and what makes you want to follow a certain individual? I like it when the account has a certain theme or if photos are edited in a unique way. It’s good to see that certain photographers spend a lot of time on their images. Not just the editing, but putting effort into getting the shot. You have recently started changing to the landscape format with your images, do you see yourself moving more towards this format in the future, which format do you prefer or will you be fluctuating between the two? If the photo works better as a landscape or portrait shot, I’ll crop it. Being OCD, I’d like to have allsquare images, but it doesn’t always work out like that. You never know, perhaps I’ll create a new account that only features landscape images. List five of your favourite individuals that you currently follow on INSTAGRAM? @13thwitness @othellonine @jylljyll @alexpenfornis @teaforbear 51

PICS - Peter Beavis

PATRICK BURNETT INTERVIEW - ROSS COLEPEPER

PHOTOGRAPHY - Peter Beavis / Dougal Paterson

“The boards started out as a hobby. A friend of mine was making model airplanes out of wood and selling them at craft markets. We started talking one evening about wing construction using a hollow frame structure and how the same technique could be used for surfboards.” Do you still ride the first board you made? What would you say was the biggest hurdle when you made your first attempt? My first board looked like a surfboard - but only just. I was a bit embarrassed by it but I thought I should take it for a surf. I didn’t expect it to go, but I had a wave on it where I needed to make a steepish drop and negotiate a few tricky sections. I actually kicked out at the end of the wave - stoked. I immediately thought: what if, I mean what if I could make a wood board like the wood board I can see in my mind, with a sleek profile and beautiful wood? And that’s what I set out to do. My biggest hurdle was that when it came to wood I was completely unskilled - the learning curve was hard. And I had none of the tools that were required so my early boards were made with the bare minimum. Can you explain the basics of building a Burnett wood surfboard? We start out with rough shorn timber. It’s amazing when you cut it open and see the beautiful grain. Once it has been planked you’re ready to start building the board, which involves laminating the wood around a computer designed frame that gives the board its rocker and profile. Once this is done, you’re left with a wood blank that you can shape into the finished surfboard. What type of wood do you prefer to use to make the boards, What do you find works the best? I’ve used all kinds of wood from heavier hardwoods to lighter softwoods. It depends what type of board I’m making. Generally though, we go for lighter woods like cedars and redwoods, of which there are a number of species. I try as much as possible to use locally grown timber, when available. Do you build all the boards with a “skeleton” and skin with solid rails?

the elements with your craftsmanship?

you all about the wood these days?

I think just by using wood to make my boards means that I have made the switch - it is a natural material, renewable and biodegradable. There are a number of encouraging resin products that are on the market overseas but not available in SA. However, I will soon be using a bio-resin product that is marketed as the most environmentally friendly product available globally. And I have been investigating hemp cloth for glassing. I think we need to be careful about ‘greenwashing’ and making claims like the ‘100% green’ surfboard or the ‘completely green board’. For example, a bio resin might be better, but is it ‘green’? Likewise sugar cane - where did it come from? Was a natural environment destroyed to harvest it? We need a ‘land to ocean’ life cycle analysis to determine how green something is, and that is probably not going to happen anytime soon because small producers don’t have the resources to track a complex multi-national supply chain. But that is not to say that we shouldn’t be trying and that there aren’t less damaging technologies available which can be used. Scale does become important - where is your wave craft on the scale measured from least polluting to highly polluting?

I try to ride my wood boards as much as possible. I’ve ridden my boards in anything from 1 foot mush through to 15ft and everything in between. I also have some poly boards in my quiver. But I have only bought one new poly board in the last 10 years. If I have the money and time I’ll build myself a wood board.

I once heard an old time surf board builder say that there will never be such thing as a green surfboard what are your thoughts on that? In the sense that you cannot make any product, no matter how green you may claim it to be, without some kind of carbon footprint, I agree. But I firmly believe that we can make and ride surfboards that have far less of a negative impact on the environment and that it is important to explore alternative surfboard manufacturing techniques in order to achieve that.

Do you think its just a matter of time before wooden boards go the same route as in being mass produced on conveyor belts? It’s possible, but I think it would take a major disruption. If, hypothetically, foam was banned for environmental reasons and there wasn’t an acceptable alternative, then you might see the kind of investment going into lighter, more mass produced wood surfboards, but that doesn’t seem like a realistic possibility at the moment, and its hard to see that the labour intensive nature of making wood boards could be completely mitigated by production cycles. That should keep it in the craft-based, labour-of-love category I reckon. A lot of shapers keep there cards really close to there chest in terms of their trade yet you are are running work shops and providing kits to make your own board at home? are you not afraid of flooding a niche market that is with in a niche market or essentially putting yourself out of business? Not at all. The more people interested in wood surfboards the better. I think interest in wood surfboards is a new market, not only a niche market, and that there is an interest in retro, alternative surf gear and environmentally friendly alternatives.

People love to make things with their hands and if you’re interested in surfing and you respond to the beauty of wood, it’s the ultimate to make your own board. I just provide the environment and added expertise and knowledge to make sure people get a functional piece of surf art that they’ll be in love with for their whole lives. Where do you see the surfboard building industry going in the next 5 years? Back to the cottage industry that gave surfing its identity or more big factories and cheap labor in the east mass producing pop out boards like plastic dolls? I’m not qualified to comment on the mainstream surf industry. I’m not part of it and never have been. Commenting on wood surfboards, I think the market for alternative construction surfboards is going to grow and that eventually this will to some extent be appropriated into the mainstream. You also do furniture and decor, can you expand a bit more on this side of your business? I like to use up all the wood that I have so when I have offcuts from the surfboard or any other recovered wood that I am able to use, I have used them to make a range of items - key ring hangers shaped like surfboards, surfboard shaped clocks, beautiful coffee tables, mirrors with shell inlays... I also use offcuts to make bodysurfing handplanes and wood fins. for more information on burnett wooden sufboards and the courses and home koits they have avialable visit: burnettwoodsurfboards.co.za

How are you glassing your boards? I use epoxy resins and fibre glass cloth.

Not always. Many are built like this, but I’ve been experimenting with some variations that involve taking the frame out of the centre of the board and using recycled bits of foam or locally-grown sisal to reinforce the rails and centre of the board. Does this not make it difficult for the shaper to work on the rocker, bottom concave and channels? The technique for building a hollow wood surfboard is totally different to a normal surfboard, and the material is also different with its own unique properties. We define the rocker through a table with each rocker measurement defined at a particular part of the table - this gives the board its bottom curve. Other aspects such as concaves can be designed for in the ribbing structure on the computer. WITH the production of hemp fiberglass, hemp epoxy and the talk of making foam from sugar cane is coming to light, would you consider making a switch or combining some of

how does the wooden construction effect the flex and feel of the board through turns? Wood is an amazing material for building surfboards with, and not only because it is aesthetically beautiful. It has amazing flex and flex retention properties. There’s an inherent buoyancy as a result of the hollow structure. And the extra weight gives momentum and drive. How easy is it to do repairs on the board if they might get damaged? Basic repairs such as shatters to the glassing are easy to fix. The structure is very strong so it takes something serious to damage the core. It is possible to fix almost anything - if necessary you can take a whole deck or bottom off and replace it with new wood. Do you still ride polyurethane boards or are THE LAKE

pic - Dougal Paterson

make your mark / aLT. hash Tag your worLd WOrdS - neiL soLomon

IMagES - suppLied

“ mrs. mccuLLough was confronTed wiTh The enormous phaLLic symboL burnT inTo The fieLd beLow. she sTood paraLyZed aT The sighT, mesmeriZed by - in her own unforTunaTe choice of words - ‘iTs sheer girTh.’ peTer’s mark had grander impLicaTions. iT resuLTed in The posTponemenT of founders day and canceLLaTion of aLL sporTing fiXTures ThaT afTernoon.” EacH WEEK MY gradE ELEVEn EngLISH TEacHEr, MS. ELMSWOrTH WOULd End OFF HEr FrIdaY LESSOn WITH a SEgMEnT SHE LIKEd TO caLL ‘MaKIng YOUr MarK’, WHErE SHE’d SUMMarIZE THE LIFE OF a FaMOUS arTIST In an EFFOrT TO InSPIrE HEr STUdEnTS TO gO OUT and BE crEaTIVE. some of the students interpreted ‘being creative’ as pilfering whiskey from their parents’ liquor cabinets and replacing the missing liquid with a concoction of juice and colourant, resulting in various degrees of reward or punishment. not being particularly good at chemistry, my inspiration manifested itself in a more subtle act of defiance. After Ms. Elmsworth’s lessons, i’d borrow one of her neglected markers and head to the closest bathroom to make my mark, or ‘tag the stalls’. my ‘mark’ was a rather plain but consistent rendition of the stussy ‘s’, along with the remaining letters of my initials. i was not the only student who enjoyed such quiet acts of rebellion and soon the cubicles became a hub of creative expression. in fact, the act had become so popular amongst students that it prompted our headmaster mr. mccullough to declare a state of emergency in order to, “eradicate this awful scourge that afflicted our otherwise perfect, private boys school.” This resulted in the school adopting a broken window policy, made famous by ex-mayor of new york rudolph giuliani. The logic goes, in order for society to eliminate its largest crimes, it’s necessary to punish the very smallest ones, which may range from arresting pickpockets, to rail-jumpers, to removing graffiti from New York Subway trains every night, thereby eradicating the culture of crime from the ground up.

set out to make his mark on the unsuspecting world. on that fateful morning in July, just as the mcculloughs’ curtains parted, an ear-piecing shriek sounded from the headmaster’s house as mrs. mccullough was confronted with the enormous phallic symbol burnt into the field below. She stood paralyzed at the sight, mesmerized by - in her own unfortunate choice of words - ‘its sheer girth.’ peter’s mark had grander implications. it resulted in the postponement of founders day and cancellation of all sporting fixtures that afternoon. Mr. Mccullough’s leadership was brought into question and it was unanimously decided by the board of trustees that he should step down, as the symbol would forever be associated with his tenure. rumour has it, the mcculloughs’ problems extended beyond the classroom and into the bedroom, as mrs. mccullough was never able to see her husband in the same light again, resulting in mr. mccullough feeling inadequate and their eventual split. a victory for the little guy against the forces of old and evil, though perhaps not in mr. mccullough’s case.

er, played by sinclair, is perhaps the sanest character, acting as an unassuming bystander, who drops in and out of his clients’ frantic lives. The performances are great and the dialogue sharp, and while the characters have their quirks, they avoid the pitfall of caricature. Episodes are five to ten minutes in length, some of which have won staff picks on vimeo, and the show has been picked up for a second season. On THE LOcaL FrOnT, italian photographer MarcO caSInO documents the dangerous sport of train surfing, known as staff riding to locals in katlehong, a

I was reminded of my short (albeit WASPY) flirtation with the art of tagging while watching adaM township on the outskirts of Johannesburg. his young subjects, though aware of the dangers of the sport, argue that train surfing is a form of expression in an environment that doesn’t allow for much of that. The documentary leaves you feeling uneasy as to the fate of these characters, particularly once casino exposes the harsh reality of what can go wrong, but he takes an unassuming stance on his subjects, suggesting that their opinions and actions are a byproduct of a much larger problem.

mr. mccullough’s crackdown was swift and brutal. His first act was to clean up the bathroom stalls, lockers and desks. every day, no matter how many boys would go into a stall, marker in hand, to relieve their teenage angst amongst other things, a team of dedicated staff would follow with turpentine and cloth and remove all signs of human ingenuity. This became disheartening to the aspiring artist, resulting in a decrease in tagging around the school and a drop in artistic morale. The chaplain declared the policy an undeniable success, pointing to a spike in morning chapel attendance, though some skeptics attributed the religious re-awakening to another policy running concurrently called, ‘bunking of morning chapel service will result in suspension.’ in times of repression however, it takes a visionary to spark a revolution. one such visionary was peter penbright. peter was best known for his marvelous interpretations of the male appendage. They were consistent, bold, and remembered by all who witnessed them. his solution to our troubles was simple, but inspired. on the eve of founders day, peter took to the main rugby field, located below the Mccullough’s residence, petrol canister in hand, and

couple of adolescent graffiti artists (Malcolm and sophia), who are determined to make their mark as writers on the New York graffiti scene. Their plan is to tag the apple at shea stadium (now citi field) – a mechanical apple that rises each time a home run is hit. in order to access the apple however, the pair need money to pay off an acquaintance that works at the stadium. The film is not so much about the final act as it is about their efforts to raise the money and the dynamic between malcolm and sophia who haven’t quite worked out how they feel about each other. it’s a charming, funny and imperfect debut film. Like a band’s first album, it’s under-produced and raw, with dialogue that sounds improvised at times, and actors who are still trying to find their feet, but that’s what gives it its charm. in an age of high-powered effects and gratuitous cgi distraction, it’s reassuring to know that there are still films out there that concentrate on storytelling in its most simple form. i look forward to seeing what adam Leon gives us next. another new york based couple making their mark

are husband and wife team ben sinclair and katja blichfeld, co-creators of the critically acclaimed comedy web series ‘HIgH MaInTEnancE’. The show

LEOn’s debut feature film, ‘gIMME THE LOOT’. an indie film in the truest sense of the term (Budget: $65,000), ‘gimme The Loot’ follows the trials of a

while the documentary might leave you feeling bleak, that is certainly not the intention of this reviewer. rather i’d hope that it might inspire you to go out and make your mark, however that idea manifests itself. so go ahead - Turn on, Tune in, and hashtag your doodle. follows a nameless weed dealer as he delivers to his largely stressed-out brooklyn based clients. The deal-

The Lake

YOUrS TrULY, THE IdIOT BOX

VINYL REVIEWS

THE BLACK KEYS TURN BLUE 2014 - Nonesuch

R380

Brian Jonestown Massacre Tepid Peppermint Wonderland 2004 - Tee Pee Records

R460

Jack White Lazaretto 2014 - Third Man Records

R385

Like corporate drones determined to cut loose every third Friday whether they need to or not, the Black Keys take the time to schedule semi-regular journeys into the unknown. Turn Blue, the 2014 successor to their downand-dirty international blockbuster El Camino, is one of those trips, a churning psychedelic excursion that slowly pulses in any color you like. Those colors spread out slow and low as Turn Blue gets underway via “Weight of Love,” sounding not at all unlike Pink Floyd’s “Breathe in the Air,” a deliberate comparison the Keys return to often throughout the album, letting it decorate fleeting moments and infuse full songs (“Bullet in the Brain,” the first single pulled from the LP, hits many of the same notes).

Over the years, Anton Newcombe and the Brian Jonestown Massacre have gotten more promotional mileage out of their self-sabotage than they have ink spilled on their shambolic musical blend of the Stones, Velvets, and Summer of Love-derived transcendence. Megalomania, drug abuse, internal strife, aborted tours, and frustrated fans -- it’s a checklist for band destruction. And yet the Brian Jonestown Massacre endure. They got a boost outside of their sizable niche in 2003 with the release of a documentary that traced both their contentious relationship with the Dandy Warhols and Newcombe’s mercurial antics/genius. Ondi Timoner’s Dig! , and it proved a captivating depiction of the group’s long strange trip.

Like “blunderbuss,” a “lazaretto” is an ancient reference that means little in the modern world, a fact that does not escape Jack White, a musician who specializes in blurring lines between past and present. Contrary to his carefully cultivated persona as a raider of lost Americana, White never, ever was a purist: he thrived upon seizing the precise moment when accepted definitions lose all meanings and turn into something new. This tension surfaces on Lazaretto, his second solo album, a record that lives upon the edges of his interests. There is a fair share of blues bluster -- via Zeppelin riffs and huffed references to digital cameras and Lillie Mae Rische’s violin occupies nearly as much space as his own howling guitars, pushing White into the left field.

Muddy Waters I’m Ready 1978 - Blue Sky

Nina Simone Pastel Blues 1965 - Philips

Tom Waits Rain Dogs 1985 - Island Records

R370

For the middle album of his Johnny Winter-produced, late-’70s musical trilogy, blues giant Muddy Waters brought a new spirit to some familiar material. Starting with members of Waters’ touring band -- pianist Pinetop Perkins, bassist Bob Margolin, and drummer Willie “Big Eyes” Smith -- Winter added underrated guitarist (and longtime Waters foil) Jimmy Rogers and extraordinary harp player Big Walter Horton to the mix. The songs recorded for I’m Ready offer a mix of new material and vintage hit singles like the title cut, the mid-’60s jewel “Screamin’ and Cryin’,” or the Willie Dixon-penned “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man.” Waters and band provide these wellworn gems with a little new studio polish, but it is with the newer songs that the performers really shine.

R370

If this is blues, it’s blues in the Billie Holiday sense, not the Muddy Waters one. This is one of Nina Simone’s more subdued mid-’60s LPs, putting the emphasis on her piano rather than band arrangements. It’s rather slanted toward torch-blues ballads like “Strange Fruit,” “Trouble In Mind,” Billie Holiday’s own composition “Tell Me More and More and Then Some,” and “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out.” Simone’s then-husband, Andy Stroud, wrote “Be My Husband,” an effective adaptation of a traditional blues chant. By far the most impressive track is her frantic ten-minute rendition of the traditional “Sinnerman,” an explosive tour de force that dwarfs everything else on the album.

Whispers Passenger 2014 - Black Crow Records

R400

Mike Rosenberg, otherwise known as Passenger, continues exploring the broader sonic palette he developed on 2012’s All the Little Lights with his sixth studio album, 2014’s Whispers. As he did last time, Rosenberg once again teamed up with All the Little Lights producer Chris Vallejo. Together, they deliver a batch of evocative acoustic folk and indie pop songs that are often expanded with orchestral flourishes. Rosenberg’s main instrument of choice here is still the acoustic guitar, and all the songs on Whispers retain the Brighton-based artist’s core intimacy. Influenced by both traditional British folk and more modern folk, Rosenberg’s work here falls between the earnest classicism of Mumford & Sons and the contemporary pop of Ed Sheeran.

NIRVANA BLEACH : DELUXE BOX SET 1989 - Sub Pop

Marking the 20th Anniversary of Nirvana’s debut album, Sub Pop re-issued the Platinum Certified BAlbum. This expanded double-LP includes a never-before-released live performance, special packaging and the first run of the double-LP was on 180g vinyl. This edition includes an unreleased live recording of a complete February 9th, 1990 show at the Pine Street Theatre in Portland, Oregon. The show features performances of

THE listening room CAPE TOWN THE LAKE

Taking the torch from Tenacious D and then taking 14 songs from the first season of their HBO series (plus a 15-second outro), Flight of the Conchords’ first full-length release for Sub Pop is a strong serving of songs from the dynamic deadpan duo. Unfortunately, since the show included a few songs per episode, 11 of the songs didn’t make it past the cutting-room floor, and gems like “If You’re Into It,” “I’m Not Crying,” and “Sello Tape” got the axe, along with the character dedications and motivations “Cheer Up, Murray,” “Song for Sally,” and “Bret, You Got It Going On.” It’s forgivable, though; a double-disc set of every song would have been overkill, and most of the favorites make the cut on the CD.

R380

TEL / FAX - 021 418 4379 / CELL - 083 282 4256 / WEB - www.thelisteningroom.co.za / mail - rodney@thelisteningroom.co.za 56

R280

R390

With its jarring rhythms and unusual instrumentation -- marimba, accordion, various percussion -- as well as its frequently surreal lyrics, Rain Dogs is very much a follow-up to Swordfishtrombones, which is to say that it sounds for the most part like The Threepenny Opera being sung by Howlin’ Wolf. The chief musical difference is the introduction of guitarist Marc Ribot, who adds his noisy leads to the general cacophony. But Rain Dogs is sprawling where its predecessor had been focused: Tom Waits’ lyrics here sometimes are imaginative to the point of obscurity, seemingly chosen to fit the rhythms rather than for sense. Waits occasionally borders on the chaotic (which may only be to say that, like most of his records, this one is uneven).

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“Love Buzz,” “About a Girl” and a cover of The Vaselines’ song “Molly’s Lips” and has been re-mixed from the original tapes by Endino (complete track listing below). A 52-page CD /16-page LP booklet which includes candid photos of the band not previously released to the public is also included in this deluxe edition.

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