 |
| Image used with permission of The Vast Oddity |
Dates:
31 August Sognage (Randburg)
04 September Rusty Hook (Honeydew)
05 September JARR Bar & Restaurant (Pretoria)
07 September Railways Cafe (Centurion)
Wednesday 7 August 2019
The Vast Oddity Heading Out on End of August Tour
Following the online release of their 7 track album Liquid Sun in March this year, The Vast Oddity are returning to Gauteng for a week-long tour of venues in and around Johannesburg and Pretoria. Describing their sound as "hazy, dazy, and a little lo-fi", their music offers a welcome break from the Gauteng rat race by making you feel "like you're drifting over the beach on a far-out summer's day... but on another planet... in another galaxy... You're also a sasquatch!"
The two-piece band is constantly in motion with a goal of spreading their audible art and creating an awesome experience through their sound, and they have brought their music to over 70 venues across the country, as well as hitting the airwaves on over 20 radio stations country- and worldwide. This time around, TVO will be performing in Randburg, Honeydew, Pretoria, and Centurion between 31 August and 7 September. Check out the listing below and be sure to check out their Facebook page to stay posted on the particulars. This one can't be missed!
Dates:
31 August Sognage (Randburg)
04 September Rusty Hook (Honeydew)
05 September JARR Bar & Restaurant (Pretoria)
07 September Railways Cafe (Centurion)
Dates:
31 August Sognage (Randburg)
04 September Rusty Hook (Honeydew)
05 September JARR Bar & Restaurant (Pretoria)
07 September Railways Cafe (Centurion)
Saturday 27 July 2019
Facing the Gallows: Germany, They're Coming For You!
Wacken Open Air Festival kicks off on Thursday next week (01 August) and a selection of the greatest metal bands from around the world will be gathering at the hallowed ground to melt some faces over the weekend. Joining the ranks are South Africa's 2019 Metal Battle Champions, Facing the Gallows. Currently in their 12th year, the band consists of Reegan du Buisson (vocals), Chase Beynon (guitar), James Irving (guitar), Rayner Abraham (bass), and Victor Monginho (drums). While preparing for the trip, we spoke to Chase about the upcoming flight north and the band's feelings about representing their country.
Hey Chase! How excited are you to be heading to Germany for the almighty Wacken Open Air Festival, after being crowned South Africa's Metal Battle champions earlier this year?
Chase Beynon: It's been a good couple weeks of organising and sorting our lives out, but today we jump on the plane for Germany, and we are beyond stoked to be heading over to Wacken to fly our SA flag. Things are really starting to sink in, with just a few hours to go, so our nerves are a little unsettled but we are extremely excited and ready for our show.
You guys will be performing at a sold-out festival alongside the likes of Parkway Drive, Meshuggah, Opeth, and a whole host of fellow Wacken Metal Battle winners from around the globe. Who are you looking forward to seeing?
CB: We have been scouring the line up countless times, constantly checking who we are going to see. But some of our top acts we cannot miss will have to be Parkway Drive, Slayer, Thy Art is Murder, Ice T, Anthrax, Athica, Morpholith, and a whole bunch more!
As we've mentioned, there are some massive names also performing from a variety of different subgenres. How would you label your music, and who are your biggest influences?
CB: We have actually had this discussion between ourselves over and over, and came to the decision that we are a metal band. We have many different influences, from all band members, but I think one prominent band at the moment that we are all enjoying is Wage War.
How would you describe your live show to those who will be seeing you at Wacken?
CB: Our live shows are packed with energy, it's really hard to stop moving! And that energy is pure passion!
As a South African band, you will know well how difficult it can be to branch out into the overseas scene. Not only will you be representing South Africa at Wacken, but you also announced last week that you will be joining Jinjer for two of their German shows. How does it feel to be bringing your music and your show to international fans?
CB: It is so surreal! We cannot believe we got this opportunity, massive thank you to Duncan from Turning Tricks Entertainment! We have already been receiving messages of support from people in Germany that will be coming to the shows, our minds are blown already! We can't wait to hang out with everyone!
What are your dreams for the South African metal scene in the future, and the South African music scene as a whole?
CB: Our dream has always been to try to help open up the doors for the SA music scene, and to try help get our local talent noticed here. We have noticed some really amazing artists in this country that truly deserve a spot on the international stage. Another goal that Gallows has always pushed is to try to open up people's minds in many ways, but rooting back to opening up minds in regard to metal music. It is a thriving diverse culture that definitely isn't all about goat heads and blood.
Visas and travel documents are always a hassle when it comes to travelling. Who in the band has the worst passport photo?
CB: That is easily Reegan! Because he is younger than the rest of us and has the most emo haircut you have ever seen!
What is the one typically South African snack you will miss the most while you're away? You can't say biltong though!
CB: Sev! All the way!
And now for the Wax & Needle question! If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
CB: Queen - A Night at the Opera - on repeat!
Hey Chase! How excited are you to be heading to Germany for the almighty Wacken Open Air Festival, after being crowned South Africa's Metal Battle champions earlier this year?
Chase Beynon: It's been a good couple weeks of organising and sorting our lives out, but today we jump on the plane for Germany, and we are beyond stoked to be heading over to Wacken to fly our SA flag. Things are really starting to sink in, with just a few hours to go, so our nerves are a little unsettled but we are extremely excited and ready for our show.
 |
| Used with permission from Facing the Gallows. Photo credit: Wayde Flowerday |
You guys will be performing at a sold-out festival alongside the likes of Parkway Drive, Meshuggah, Opeth, and a whole host of fellow Wacken Metal Battle winners from around the globe. Who are you looking forward to seeing?
CB: We have been scouring the line up countless times, constantly checking who we are going to see. But some of our top acts we cannot miss will have to be Parkway Drive, Slayer, Thy Art is Murder, Ice T, Anthrax, Athica, Morpholith, and a whole bunch more!
 |
| Used with permission from Facing the Gallows. Photo credit: Wayde Flowerday |
As we've mentioned, there are some massive names also performing from a variety of different subgenres. How would you label your music, and who are your biggest influences?
CB: We have actually had this discussion between ourselves over and over, and came to the decision that we are a metal band. We have many different influences, from all band members, but I think one prominent band at the moment that we are all enjoying is Wage War.
 |
| Used with permission from Facing the Gallows. Photo credit: Wayde Flowerday |
How would you describe your live show to those who will be seeing you at Wacken?
CB: Our live shows are packed with energy, it's really hard to stop moving! And that energy is pure passion!
As a South African band, you will know well how difficult it can be to branch out into the overseas scene. Not only will you be representing South Africa at Wacken, but you also announced last week that you will be joining Jinjer for two of their German shows. How does it feel to be bringing your music and your show to international fans?
CB: It is so surreal! We cannot believe we got this opportunity, massive thank you to Duncan from Turning Tricks Entertainment! We have already been receiving messages of support from people in Germany that will be coming to the shows, our minds are blown already! We can't wait to hang out with everyone!
 |
| Used with permission from Facing the Gallows. Photo credit: Wayde Flowerday |
What are your dreams for the South African metal scene in the future, and the South African music scene as a whole?
CB: Our dream has always been to try to help open up the doors for the SA music scene, and to try help get our local talent noticed here. We have noticed some really amazing artists in this country that truly deserve a spot on the international stage. Another goal that Gallows has always pushed is to try to open up people's minds in many ways, but rooting back to opening up minds in regard to metal music. It is a thriving diverse culture that definitely isn't all about goat heads and blood.
Visas and travel documents are always a hassle when it comes to travelling. Who in the band has the worst passport photo?
CB: That is easily Reegan! Because he is younger than the rest of us and has the most emo haircut you have ever seen!
 |
| Used with permission from Facing the Gallows. Photo credit: Wayde Flowerday |
What is the one typically South African snack you will miss the most while you're away? You can't say biltong though!
CB: Sev! All the way!
And now for the Wax & Needle question! If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
CB: Queen - A Night at the Opera - on repeat!
 |
| Used with permission from Facing the Gallows. Photo credit: Wayde Flowerday |
Wax & Needle wishes Facing the Gallows the best of luck in their bid to take home the trophy!
Responses slightly edited for clarity
Monday 1 July 2019
Werner Bekker to Open for Jeremy Loops at Rivonia Barnyard
Kicking off this week, Kommetjie looping artist Jeremy Loops is setting off on his nationwide Golden Waves tour, in honour of receiving gold certification of his singles 'Gold' and 'Waves' in South Africa. Joining him for his show on 12 July at The Barnyard Theatre Rivonia [Sandton] is none other than Johannesburg's own Werner Bekker.
Bekker is no newcomer to the folk singer-songwriter game and has spent the past eight years building and refining his sound, performing at major festivals such as Oppikoppi, White Mountain, and Splashy Fen, and sharing stages with some of South Africa's biggest names, including Desmond and the Tutus, Shortstraw, and The Parolotones. His single 'Run' was featured on BalconyTV's 2017 Compilation CD, and last month his latest single 'Open Spoken' hit the #2 spot on Jacaranda FM's SA Top 20.
With influences including Damien Rice and Jason Mraz, one can see why Bekker was chosen as support for Jeremy Loops. Much like Jeremy Loops himself, Bekker has taken the mantle of folk artist and made it very much his own, and following the release of his first professionally recorded EP 'Parts of a Broken Man' back in March, he hopes to follow in Loops' footsteps and take his music around the world next year.
When asked about performing with Jeremy Loops, Bekker said: "Thanks to this spectacular turn of events and Jeremy Loops, I will finally get to share the stage with a true legend. This guy is such an inspiration to every young artist in South Africa and abroad. I remember seeing his BlaconyTV video a couple of years back and feeling inspired. To me, this was proof that a singer-songwriter could succeed in South Africa. A few years on and he has proven to me that South African artists can not only make it here but also worldwide. I am honoured and excited to be joining this show and cannot express my gratitude enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
Bekker is no newcomer to the folk singer-songwriter game and has spent the past eight years building and refining his sound, performing at major festivals such as Oppikoppi, White Mountain, and Splashy Fen, and sharing stages with some of South Africa's biggest names, including Desmond and the Tutus, Shortstraw, and The Parolotones. His single 'Run' was featured on BalconyTV's 2017 Compilation CD, and last month his latest single 'Open Spoken' hit the #2 spot on Jacaranda FM's SA Top 20.
 |
| Photo provided by Indie Does It / Genevieve Vieira / @indiedoesitPR |
With influences including Damien Rice and Jason Mraz, one can see why Bekker was chosen as support for Jeremy Loops. Much like Jeremy Loops himself, Bekker has taken the mantle of folk artist and made it very much his own, and following the release of his first professionally recorded EP 'Parts of a Broken Man' back in March, he hopes to follow in Loops' footsteps and take his music around the world next year.
When asked about performing with Jeremy Loops, Bekker said: "Thanks to this spectacular turn of events and Jeremy Loops, I will finally get to share the stage with a true legend. This guy is such an inspiration to every young artist in South Africa and abroad. I remember seeing his BlaconyTV video a couple of years back and feeling inspired. To me, this was proof that a singer-songwriter could succeed in South Africa. A few years on and he has proven to me that South African artists can not only make it here but also worldwide. I am honoured and excited to be joining this show and cannot express my gratitude enough. Thank you, thank you, thank you!"
For more information on Jeremy Loops' upcoming tour, click here to visit his Facebook page or his website
Wednesday 29 May 2019
EXCLUSIVE - After Robot Part Ways with Clifford Bryan
Last night, Johannesburg groove rockers, After Robot, announced the departure of vocalist and founding member, Clifford Bryan, in an official statement posted to their Facebook page. While this may have come as a shock to many of their fans across the country, Clifford's departure was announced by the man himself after the band's show at Railways Cafe [Pretoria] on 18 May, due to him having lost a sizeable portion of his hearing. Although Clifford was expected to join the band for their set at STRAB [Festival, Ponta Malongane, Mozambique] this past weekend, After Robot performed as a three-piece with guest vocals from other artists also performing at the festival, including Jeandré Swanepoel [De Wallen], Warwick Rautenbach [Hellcats] and the infamous engineer/muso Kobus van Rooyen.
With an album freshly released at the beginning of this year and now no official vocalist to perform with, the future of After Robot may seem uncertain. However, after speaking with Jacques Jacobs (bass) and Wayne Swart (drums), it appears this is not the case.
Speaking of their future plans, Jacques says: "We will still continue to do what we love, as a band and as brothers. In the words of Freddie Mercury, the show must go on. Following our performance at STRAB, we all have new visions and new ideas for the future of After Robot. We're starting work on this immediately as we're excited to bring everyone a new pair of shoes to boogie in."
Wayne agreed with this statement, saying: "A change is as good as a holiday. I think our passion is still the same and our After Robot-ness is still the same. So, going forward, we want to come out bigger, badder, louder, and nastier."
After Robot released their second full-length album, The Land of Sirius Fairy Tales and Dreams, back in January. The album may be the final page in this chapter of After Robot's journey, but if the history of this band is anything to go by, we at Wax & Needle are certainly excited for the start of the next one.
 |
| After Robot at Hard Rock Cafe, Pretoria. Used with permission from After Robot. Photo Credit: Sheena Muirden @waxandneedleblog |
Wayne agreed with this statement, saying: "A change is as good as a holiday. I think our passion is still the same and our After Robot-ness is still the same. So, going forward, we want to come out bigger, badder, louder, and nastier."
After Robot released their second full-length album, The Land of Sirius Fairy Tales and Dreams, back in January. The album may be the final page in this chapter of After Robot's journey, but if the history of this band is anything to go by, we at Wax & Needle are certainly excited for the start of the next one.
At the time of writing, Clifford has made no official comment on his reasoning behind leaving the band.
See below for exclusive footage of After Robot performing The Galaxy at STRAB (Video Credit: Tegan Bilse)
See below for exclusive footage of After Robot performing The Galaxy at STRAB (Video Credit: Tegan Bilse)
Wednesday 20 February 2019
Werner Bekker
2018 was a year of amazing success for singer-songwriter Werner Bekker. The Johannesburg native has over five years of experience in the industry, and last year saw him go from strength to strength with shows at some of the country's top festivals, such as Oppikoppi, Mieliepop, Splashy Fen, White Mountain, Lush Festival and more. He also released two singles, Alive Again and I'm With You, and the latter has reached almost 5,000 plays on Apple Music. Werner grew up around music, with a touring musician father, so it's of no surprise that he became a musician in his own right. Werner is set apart from other artists entering South Africa's music scene by offering his own unique style and take to his music, right down to the way he plays his guitar - face-up on his lap, and at the same time using it as a percussive instrument. With the release of his next single fast approaching on 01 March, closely followed by the release of his second EP on 22 March, 2019 is shaping up to be another great year for Mr Bekker, and I caught up with him to discuss his future plans.
Hi Werner! So, firstly, what was your favourite part, musically, of 2018?
Werner Bekker: Ooo... I would say White Mountain festival was probably my favourite part of it all. It was like a really cool, sit down sort of setting, which was, for my vibe, perfect. What was cool was there was one stage, extreme, insane, cool lighting, and all the people who want to watch music are watching you at that point, so it gives you lots of people to work with.
Wax & Needle: It sounds like a very cool environment for your style of music especially.
WB: Solidly! Also, so beautiful, the setting was amazing, the people were amazing. After the shows ended at like twelve or eleven, people go sit around this bonfire, so the whole festival is at this massive bonfire and people just chill there for the rest of the night, which is something you don't regularly get at festivals.
How would you define your style of guitar playing?
WB: Well, I would say "percussive acoustic guitar", very melodic, so ja I try to not just do rhythm but melody at the same time, and a bit of drums and a bit of bass, so it's like trying to fit a whole band into one guitar. I detune the guitar quite a lot so the lower frequencies are very massive, and I like that, the warmth of it.
W&N: And how did you start playing like that?
WB: I watched a video by Ben Howard, Under the Same Sun is the song, and I learnt that song when I was in school. We had this talent competition and I learnt that song, so I picked it up there, and then I tried to write some similar songs, and it kind of evolved into its own thing.
How would you describe your music to someone who had never heard it before?
WB: Uh... Alternative folk... pop? I would say... There's not really a lot of pop in it but there are catchy melodies which I think relate. So, it's easy listening but still, if you wanna listen to deeper lyrics, you can find that in my music. Bits of everything, I suppose. I think you draw from everyone you've ever listened to. I mean, you listen to the radio every now and then, you can't help but have those kinds of influences in your music.
Who is your biggest musical influence?
WB: Damien Rice. Yeah, and Ben Howard. For me, like I'm very picky with music, well, not very picky, I listen to lots, but I always relate it to a good book. For instance, Harry Potter for me, I've read four or five books in my life but Harry Potter I've read like eight times because I like it so much, I'll just fixate on it, which... I suppose can be a really bad thing haha, but I just love those two artists so much that I generally just listen to them! *laughter* And then mix some other things in. Also, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz - very big fan... A new one is Dan Mangan, I don't know if you know him, Canadian guy, and Matt Holubowski.
Tell me about your upcoming EP. What is it called, and where did you get your inspiration for the title from?
WB: The EP is called Parts of a Broken Man, and it's a line in one of the songs, actually the last song on the EP. The song is called Let it Go. The song is basically about an argument between friends, family, a loved one, significant other, whoever you want to relate it to, and it's just basically asking them to stop it, let's just stop it and continue as if nothing happened. In the song, the line goes, in the chorus, "and you'll see me for who I am, just parts of a broken man", and so I felt that all of these songs I've got together are just parts of me, broken little parts of me, all of these little musical parts that are in one thing. Most of the songs are quite broken, quite sad, which I feel relates to the brokenness.
What was the songwriting and recording process for the EP?
WB: So some of these songs are very old, like five or six years old, for instance, the song Let it Go took so many years to write. I got a cool riff for it but I never knew what to do over it, then one day the emotion just struck and I felt something and it just kind of blurted out. Loads of the songs I'll start with a riff, some of them were written lyrically first, it's kind of like a mish-mash, I don't really know where I start, it just kind of happens. The recording process was really cool. I met this guy, Deon Dee, well, we actually met when we were six years old, and his father owns a venue in Bronkhorstspruit. My parents were there watching a show, I went with and we met there. His band went on to win Rock Spider two years later, he was like 10, so he's really been in the industry for long. I asked to open a show for him and he said cool, and he heard my music and he said "okay, I've listened to your music online and I can hear it's home recorded, so let's do something that's a bit next level". He took me in, under his wing, him and his friend Ruan Graaf. They both play for Joe Black. They helped me produce the album, which was surreal for me because all of a sudden you've got full band sound and stunning quality. It's so awesome being there, it's what I've always imagined it to be.
Do you have a release tour planned?
WB: Yes, a small one. I'll be doing an EP launch in Johannesburg and in Cape Town, then probably after that I'll do a couple of gigs in Durban. Maybe, Eastern Cape, I love Eastern Cape. I've gigged in East London, Cintsa, PE...
What's your favourite venue you've played so far?
WB: Yoh, there's a lot. In Johannesburg, I feel like venues are kind of dying, which is sad for me, and like the venues that are left... the vibe doesn't really speak to me that much, but in Pretoria, I really love Railways Cafe. When I was in Cape Town last year, Sgt Pepper [Bar/Restaurant, Cape Town Central] was really cool, and then I did Obviouzly Armchair [Backpackers, Observatory]. I think that's my favourite venue at the moment. It's like a backpackers. You walk in and there's a bar and on the left-hand side, there's a theatre and that's where the performance was. If you go through, there are all these people who are sleeping over, all these like hippie folk, just chilling around. It was really fun. So, that place has got a special place in my heart. All my Cape Town friends came through as well, and it's in this like, little dingy place but that's what gives it this awesome atmosphere. So, ja, I would say that's my favourite venue at the moment.
What is your favourite part of performing live?
WB: Hmm... I would say getting lost in the music. I'm not someone who generally interacts with the audience a lot, I'm a bit shy on stage, which is weird 'cause I did drama in school and I was pretty good at it. I'm used to performing, but when I sing my own music I kind of retreat into my own little world and I don't think loads of people like it *laughter*. I think for most people they want someone who interacts and looks at them while they sing. I'm more of the guy who closes his eyes and I just let myself feel everything. I get lost in it.
Last but not least, if you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
WB: Yoh... Shit, that's quite hard, because currently I'm listening to some new music and I do feel like I could listen to it for the rest of my life. I would say.... ja, Damien Rice O. It's stunning. What really inspires me about this album is that he recorded it himself. He took a little eight-track recorder and some mics, and he travelled around Europe and recorded in his friend's places. There's a story about him recording the one song's vocal out of a shoe, so he put the mic inside the shoe and recorded the vocals through that. So it's very experimental, there's lots of distortion. People don't like it because there's lots of natural distortion from the mics on his vocal and stuff like that... I don't know, to me, it just speaks to me, it's so raw. The flow of the album is incredible, for instance, over some songs, the last word of the one song is in the first note of the next song, so it just flows from song to song and it's kind of climactic around the last song. It just builds through the whole album.
Hi Werner! So, firstly, what was your favourite part, musically, of 2018?
Werner Bekker: Ooo... I would say White Mountain festival was probably my favourite part of it all. It was like a really cool, sit down sort of setting, which was, for my vibe, perfect. What was cool was there was one stage, extreme, insane, cool lighting, and all the people who want to watch music are watching you at that point, so it gives you lots of people to work with.
Wax & Needle: It sounds like a very cool environment for your style of music especially.
WB: Solidly! Also, so beautiful, the setting was amazing, the people were amazing. After the shows ended at like twelve or eleven, people go sit around this bonfire, so the whole festival is at this massive bonfire and people just chill there for the rest of the night, which is something you don't regularly get at festivals.
How would you define your style of guitar playing?
WB: Well, I would say "percussive acoustic guitar", very melodic, so ja I try to not just do rhythm but melody at the same time, and a bit of drums and a bit of bass, so it's like trying to fit a whole band into one guitar. I detune the guitar quite a lot so the lower frequencies are very massive, and I like that, the warmth of it.
W&N: And how did you start playing like that?
WB: I watched a video by Ben Howard, Under the Same Sun is the song, and I learnt that song when I was in school. We had this talent competition and I learnt that song, so I picked it up there, and then I tried to write some similar songs, and it kind of evolved into its own thing.
How would you describe your music to someone who had never heard it before?
WB: Uh... Alternative folk... pop? I would say... There's not really a lot of pop in it but there are catchy melodies which I think relate. So, it's easy listening but still, if you wanna listen to deeper lyrics, you can find that in my music. Bits of everything, I suppose. I think you draw from everyone you've ever listened to. I mean, you listen to the radio every now and then, you can't help but have those kinds of influences in your music.
Who is your biggest musical influence?
WB: Damien Rice. Yeah, and Ben Howard. For me, like I'm very picky with music, well, not very picky, I listen to lots, but I always relate it to a good book. For instance, Harry Potter for me, I've read four or five books in my life but Harry Potter I've read like eight times because I like it so much, I'll just fixate on it, which... I suppose can be a really bad thing haha, but I just love those two artists so much that I generally just listen to them! *laughter* And then mix some other things in. Also, Jack Johnson, Jason Mraz - very big fan... A new one is Dan Mangan, I don't know if you know him, Canadian guy, and Matt Holubowski.
Tell me about your upcoming EP. What is it called, and where did you get your inspiration for the title from?
WB: The EP is called Parts of a Broken Man, and it's a line in one of the songs, actually the last song on the EP. The song is called Let it Go. The song is basically about an argument between friends, family, a loved one, significant other, whoever you want to relate it to, and it's just basically asking them to stop it, let's just stop it and continue as if nothing happened. In the song, the line goes, in the chorus, "and you'll see me for who I am, just parts of a broken man", and so I felt that all of these songs I've got together are just parts of me, broken little parts of me, all of these little musical parts that are in one thing. Most of the songs are quite broken, quite sad, which I feel relates to the brokenness.
What was the songwriting and recording process for the EP?
WB: So some of these songs are very old, like five or six years old, for instance, the song Let it Go took so many years to write. I got a cool riff for it but I never knew what to do over it, then one day the emotion just struck and I felt something and it just kind of blurted out. Loads of the songs I'll start with a riff, some of them were written lyrically first, it's kind of like a mish-mash, I don't really know where I start, it just kind of happens. The recording process was really cool. I met this guy, Deon Dee, well, we actually met when we were six years old, and his father owns a venue in Bronkhorstspruit. My parents were there watching a show, I went with and we met there. His band went on to win Rock Spider two years later, he was like 10, so he's really been in the industry for long. I asked to open a show for him and he said cool, and he heard my music and he said "okay, I've listened to your music online and I can hear it's home recorded, so let's do something that's a bit next level". He took me in, under his wing, him and his friend Ruan Graaf. They both play for Joe Black. They helped me produce the album, which was surreal for me because all of a sudden you've got full band sound and stunning quality. It's so awesome being there, it's what I've always imagined it to be.
Do you have a release tour planned?
WB: Yes, a small one. I'll be doing an EP launch in Johannesburg and in Cape Town, then probably after that I'll do a couple of gigs in Durban. Maybe, Eastern Cape, I love Eastern Cape. I've gigged in East London, Cintsa, PE...
What's your favourite venue you've played so far?
WB: Yoh, there's a lot. In Johannesburg, I feel like venues are kind of dying, which is sad for me, and like the venues that are left... the vibe doesn't really speak to me that much, but in Pretoria, I really love Railways Cafe. When I was in Cape Town last year, Sgt Pepper [Bar/Restaurant, Cape Town Central] was really cool, and then I did Obviouzly Armchair [Backpackers, Observatory]. I think that's my favourite venue at the moment. It's like a backpackers. You walk in and there's a bar and on the left-hand side, there's a theatre and that's where the performance was. If you go through, there are all these people who are sleeping over, all these like hippie folk, just chilling around. It was really fun. So, that place has got a special place in my heart. All my Cape Town friends came through as well, and it's in this like, little dingy place but that's what gives it this awesome atmosphere. So, ja, I would say that's my favourite venue at the moment.
What is your favourite part of performing live?
WB: Hmm... I would say getting lost in the music. I'm not someone who generally interacts with the audience a lot, I'm a bit shy on stage, which is weird 'cause I did drama in school and I was pretty good at it. I'm used to performing, but when I sing my own music I kind of retreat into my own little world and I don't think loads of people like it *laughter*. I think for most people they want someone who interacts and looks at them while they sing. I'm more of the guy who closes his eyes and I just let myself feel everything. I get lost in it.
Last but not least, if you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would you pick?
WB: Yoh... Shit, that's quite hard, because currently I'm listening to some new music and I do feel like I could listen to it for the rest of my life. I would say.... ja, Damien Rice O. It's stunning. What really inspires me about this album is that he recorded it himself. He took a little eight-track recorder and some mics, and he travelled around Europe and recorded in his friend's places. There's a story about him recording the one song's vocal out of a shoe, so he put the mic inside the shoe and recorded the vocals through that. So it's very experimental, there's lots of distortion. People don't like it because there's lots of natural distortion from the mics on his vocal and stuff like that... I don't know, to me, it just speaks to me, it's so raw. The flow of the album is incredible, for instance, over some songs, the last word of the one song is in the first note of the next song, so it just flows from song to song and it's kind of climactic around the last song. It just builds through the whole album.
Werner's latest single 'Open Spoken' is out 01 March
'Parts of a Broken Man' is out 22 March
Pre-order a copy by sending an email to wernerbekker.music@gmail.com for 10% discount at the launch (cell number must be included).
Hard copies available for collection at shows only.
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| Wax & Needle and Werner Bekker |
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| Werner Bekker EP Launch |
Responses slightly edited for clarity.
Friday 30 November 2018
Son of Hawk
The past 18 months have been more or less non-stop for rock band Son of Hawk. Formed mid-2017 in Jeffrey's Bay, they played their first show supporting The Black Cat Bones in Port Elizabeth just four days after coming together. The band have changed their line-up slightly since then, switching to a three-piece in January of this year after parting ways with vocalist André Ludik, then reverting back to a four-piece in August with the addition of Dale McHardy on guitar. The rest of the band comprises of Heine Van Der Walt (lead vocals, guitar), Ashley Hilton Jacobs (bass) and Nathan Combrinck (backing vocals, drums). They've spent the last year and a half relentlessly touring, writing, and recording and released their debut self-titled album on 3 August. I sat down with Heine and Dale at Heine's latest venture, Pretoria's JARR bar, to discuss the past year and what 2019 holds.
Hey guys! So seeing as it's not only the name of the band, but also of your debut album and one of the tracks, where did you get the inspiration for the name Son of Hawk?
Heine Van Der Walt: Actually, I've got a vinyl here from the original Hawk... I came prepared haha.
Dale McHardy: Fuck yes!
HVDW: Uh, this is the original band Hawk, from the '70s. It was my dad's favourite band and I think he jammed with them on one song, or a show or something. I just thought it's the coolest fucking name I'd ever heard, so we called ourselves HAWK. It was a bad idea in retrospect 'cause it confuses a lot of the old guard and ja, there were complications with SAMRO as well, because there's already, in the same territory, a band registered under the same name. We already had the song called Son of Hawk, coincidentally, and we just decided to call ourselves Son of Hawk from there on in. We have no fucking... There's nothing significant about it, we don't even know what the fuck it means.
DM: Son of Hawk was sort of like the tribute to Hawk.
HVDW: Ja, it's a tribute, like the next generation.
You smashed out the recording of the album in just ten days back in February. How did you achieve this and what kept you motivated through the long hours in the studio?
DM: Shrooms.
*laughter*
HVDW: Shrooms, and we practiced every day for about three weeks, five days a week. We came together in the morning and we practiced the whole setlist, played the album front to back every day, singing it, performing it as we would perform it, as if we were gonna play a live show. So just for three weeks we played the songs every day, about three sets every day. Then we were fucking ready to go into studio, then when we got here it was very natural and easy for us to play the songs how we wanted them to sound. We recorded live without click track, so it's a bit harder, you know, so we had to nail the songs. We did about two or three takes of each song and picked the best take, and then we just overdubbed vocals and guitar solos. Pretty much how you hear it is how we played it
Wax & Needle: And then what kept you motivated in the studio?
HVDW: Uhh, motivated? Ag, I was pretty chuffed with how quick everything came together so it was great to get an album out so quickly. I was more excited and curious to see what people thought of the band, 'cause you can see the band live and stuff but until you hear them online or whatever... it gives you a better idea. So it was just kind of that "I can't wait for people to hear this" kind of vibe.
DM: Excitement!
How was it working with Chris Van Der Walt [The Black Cat Bones, Boargazm, Vulvodynia] on the album?
HVDW: Cool, 'cause we're brothers, we've grown up and shared a lifetime's worth of inside jokes, or just... you could say one phrase and it describes a whole scenario 'cause you've made those connections while growing up together. We've played together in millions of bands so our language with music is exactly the same. If I say "oh, it must be this Vinnie Paul snare reverb" then he knows exactly what reference I'm making. The coolest thing with Chris is the quick reference with everything, I didn't have to explain, we sort of know exactly what wanted before he even heard it.
DM: And he's just a fucking legend as well, he just fucking knows.
HVDW: Ahhh, he's alright.
*everyone laughs*
What was the biggest thing you took away from working with him?
HVDW: ... the album! Basically.
*laughs*
DM: Awesome haha.
HVDW: Ja but you know, it's also cool to hang with your brother and make magic. So ja it was like family time and studio in one.
DM: Ah, I wish I was there.
W&N: Well, for the next one you will be.
DM: I hope so!
*laughter*
Dale, you joined Son of Hawk back in August and played your first show with them at Oppikoppi.
HVDW: No, no that's incorrect.
DM: When did I join?
HVDW: Ohhh, ja, this year, yes, sorry. So like July?
DM: Ja, it was maybe like a month before [Oppikoppi]. I was hanging out with you guys and we were partying and then you were like "ah ja, you're in the band".
HVDW: We were always in JBay, but Dale was in the band already.
DM: Ja, I nearly moved to JBay brah.
HVDW: And then we came back [to Pretoria] and it was like, cool now we're all here so let's do it. What happened was he walked in on a rehearsal at Wolmer and I just gave him my guitar and he checked out the songs and he nailed every fucking piece of music we did -
DM: Ja, I knew them from before.
HVDW: - so we were like, cool, now play the higher voice.
DM: Change it up, fuck yeah!
W&N: How are you finding fitting into the band dynamic?
DM: Great, jissie, I've been partying way more than I ever have... in my life. So, that way, ja, I'm loving it. And meeting new people is fucking great, like shit dude, I've not met so many people jamming in the metal scene, you know, it's very fucking close-knit kinda vibe, so now it's like, fucking... gooiing 'Koppi and lekker fucking shows, and people that are influential that you meet, and you're like Jesus, howzit?
HVDW: Like, "you're Dale, right?"
DM: Ja! Everyone knows me as a shredder and it doesn't make sense because I'm not a fucking shredder. Like where the fuck did they come from with that?
At the end of February, Ashley and Nathan were drafted by Jan Blohm as his permanent band. Their shoes are filled by Pieter Ganswyk Nel (bass) and Leigh van Biljon (drums) for shows while Ashley and Nathan are unavailable. How did you come across Pieter and Leigh, and what made you choose them as stand-ins?
HVDW: Dale, you've played with Pieter back in the day?
DM: Ja, dude, and you guys in the System [of a Down tribute] band.
HVDW: Yes, that was 2016, the first time I played with them. They used to play at my venue [Wolmer Bush Lounge, Pretoria] with Undertone and Killatoria, so I met Leigh at a gig at Wolmer and he said "hey man, I'm starting this System of a Down tribute band" and, long story short, we jammed together in that band for years. I just always loved them and Undertone and the System band, just loved jamming with them. They're cool dudes, you know. And ja, so, when I was up here I wanted to get some other people at first but they were also busy, so I asked Pieter and Leigh and the rest is history. They fit in really well as well.
DM: They jam, they check out, they do their homework, they know the songs and they fucking play.
HVDW: Ja, 'cause I've worked with them I know they're professional and they do their homework and stuff like that.
Of all the shows you've played so far this year, which has been the biggest standout?
HVDW: Um... Just one? Okay... Three come to mind but... I think my favourite one was Craft Exchange [Pretoria] recently. It was the first time Ashley and Nathan played with us again since like, end of August or beginning of September or something.
DM: And the full album.
HVDW: Ja, we played the whole album in it's entirety as well, and I felt way more confident with my vocals at that time, I felt I had a good show there, and the people... It was packed and people were loving it. It's just good to have those shows. It was a standard show, but it was just, you know, it ticked all the boxes.
DM: I wish we could play those hour-long shows every fucking show, honestly.
W&N: And you, Dale? What was your favourite show so far?
DM: I really did enjoy the Craft Exchange but, dude, Oppikoppi. That first show, it was mindblowing.
HVDW: Ja and people got wrecked.
DM: Yes, ja, there was like lekker fuck-ups there in the middle of the crowd. I loved it. That was by far my highlight, definitely. First show.
As 2018 draws to a close, what do you have planned for the new year?
HVDW: Way more tours, way more than we did this year. Touring like when we just started. Promoting the album we have but also, in the meanwhile, finishing up the writing of the new album, then hopefully around the middle or end of the year we'll have that recorded and released. And content as well, music videos, festivals... if they'll have us.
DM: And a photoshoot hey, maybe sometime.
HVDW: Ja... I'm focusing on the music for now.
W&N: You'll just have to Photoshop Dale into the other ones.
HVDW: People aren't going to stare at your photo for an hour, they're gonna listen to your album.
DM: Ja, exactly, that's all that matters.
And now for the Wax & Needle question: If you were stuck on a desert island, what album would you want to have with you?
DM: Oh my god...
HVDW: Pantera Official Live: 101 Proof.
DM: Ja dude.
HVDW: It gets me pumped and motivated. It's got so much attitude in it and that's all you need. I wouldn't listen to something that's meaningful or like, spiritual or something, I'd need something to keep me the fuck alive.
DM: That's brutal. Oh, fuck...
HVDW: Take all the time you need. Just today at least, not the one that sums up your whole life. If you were on an island now.
DM: Probably a Tool album... like, 10,000 Days. Ja. I think I would hate to be without that, honestly. There's so many though... but if I had to choose one, ja, probably 10,000 Days. I'd get sick of metal eventually.
*laughter*
HVDW: And ja 'cause you can listen to it for ten thousand days.
DM: Exactly, it just never gets old.
HVDW: It's been more than ten thousand days since Tool released an album, did you know that?
DM: Ja, that's mal kak dude. But, hopefully soon.
Hey guys! So seeing as it's not only the name of the band, but also of your debut album and one of the tracks, where did you get the inspiration for the name Son of Hawk?
Heine Van Der Walt: Actually, I've got a vinyl here from the original Hawk... I came prepared haha.
Dale McHardy: Fuck yes!
HVDW: Uh, this is the original band Hawk, from the '70s. It was my dad's favourite band and I think he jammed with them on one song, or a show or something. I just thought it's the coolest fucking name I'd ever heard, so we called ourselves HAWK. It was a bad idea in retrospect 'cause it confuses a lot of the old guard and ja, there were complications with SAMRO as well, because there's already, in the same territory, a band registered under the same name. We already had the song called Son of Hawk, coincidentally, and we just decided to call ourselves Son of Hawk from there on in. We have no fucking... There's nothing significant about it, we don't even know what the fuck it means.
DM: Son of Hawk was sort of like the tribute to Hawk.
HVDW: Ja, it's a tribute, like the next generation.
You smashed out the recording of the album in just ten days back in February. How did you achieve this and what kept you motivated through the long hours in the studio?
DM: Shrooms.
*laughter*
HVDW: Shrooms, and we practiced every day for about three weeks, five days a week. We came together in the morning and we practiced the whole setlist, played the album front to back every day, singing it, performing it as we would perform it, as if we were gonna play a live show. So just for three weeks we played the songs every day, about three sets every day. Then we were fucking ready to go into studio, then when we got here it was very natural and easy for us to play the songs how we wanted them to sound. We recorded live without click track, so it's a bit harder, you know, so we had to nail the songs. We did about two or three takes of each song and picked the best take, and then we just overdubbed vocals and guitar solos. Pretty much how you hear it is how we played it
Wax & Needle: And then what kept you motivated in the studio?
HVDW: Uhh, motivated? Ag, I was pretty chuffed with how quick everything came together so it was great to get an album out so quickly. I was more excited and curious to see what people thought of the band, 'cause you can see the band live and stuff but until you hear them online or whatever... it gives you a better idea. So it was just kind of that "I can't wait for people to hear this" kind of vibe.
DM: Excitement!
How was it working with Chris Van Der Walt [The Black Cat Bones, Boargazm, Vulvodynia] on the album?
HVDW: Cool, 'cause we're brothers, we've grown up and shared a lifetime's worth of inside jokes, or just... you could say one phrase and it describes a whole scenario 'cause you've made those connections while growing up together. We've played together in millions of bands so our language with music is exactly the same. If I say "oh, it must be this Vinnie Paul snare reverb" then he knows exactly what reference I'm making. The coolest thing with Chris is the quick reference with everything, I didn't have to explain, we sort of know exactly what wanted before he even heard it.
DM: And he's just a fucking legend as well, he just fucking knows.
HVDW: Ahhh, he's alright.
*everyone laughs*
What was the biggest thing you took away from working with him?
HVDW: ... the album! Basically.
*laughs*
DM: Awesome haha.
HVDW: Ja but you know, it's also cool to hang with your brother and make magic. So ja it was like family time and studio in one.
DM: Ah, I wish I was there.
W&N: Well, for the next one you will be.
DM: I hope so!
*laughter*
Dale, you joined Son of Hawk back in August and played your first show with them at Oppikoppi.
HVDW: No, no that's incorrect.
DM: When did I join?
HVDW: Ohhh, ja, this year, yes, sorry. So like July?
DM: Ja, it was maybe like a month before [Oppikoppi]. I was hanging out with you guys and we were partying and then you were like "ah ja, you're in the band".
HVDW: We were always in JBay, but Dale was in the band already.
DM: Ja, I nearly moved to JBay brah.
HVDW: And then we came back [to Pretoria] and it was like, cool now we're all here so let's do it. What happened was he walked in on a rehearsal at Wolmer and I just gave him my guitar and he checked out the songs and he nailed every fucking piece of music we did -
DM: Ja, I knew them from before.
HVDW: - so we were like, cool, now play the higher voice.
DM: Change it up, fuck yeah!
W&N: How are you finding fitting into the band dynamic?
DM: Great, jissie, I've been partying way more than I ever have... in my life. So, that way, ja, I'm loving it. And meeting new people is fucking great, like shit dude, I've not met so many people jamming in the metal scene, you know, it's very fucking close-knit kinda vibe, so now it's like, fucking... gooiing 'Koppi and lekker fucking shows, and people that are influential that you meet, and you're like Jesus, howzit?
HVDW: Like, "you're Dale, right?"
DM: Ja! Everyone knows me as a shredder and it doesn't make sense because I'm not a fucking shredder. Like where the fuck did they come from with that?
At the end of February, Ashley and Nathan were drafted by Jan Blohm as his permanent band. Their shoes are filled by Pieter Ganswyk Nel (bass) and Leigh van Biljon (drums) for shows while Ashley and Nathan are unavailable. How did you come across Pieter and Leigh, and what made you choose them as stand-ins?
HVDW: Dale, you've played with Pieter back in the day?
DM: Ja, dude, and you guys in the System [of a Down tribute] band.
HVDW: Yes, that was 2016, the first time I played with them. They used to play at my venue [Wolmer Bush Lounge, Pretoria] with Undertone and Killatoria, so I met Leigh at a gig at Wolmer and he said "hey man, I'm starting this System of a Down tribute band" and, long story short, we jammed together in that band for years. I just always loved them and Undertone and the System band, just loved jamming with them. They're cool dudes, you know. And ja, so, when I was up here I wanted to get some other people at first but they were also busy, so I asked Pieter and Leigh and the rest is history. They fit in really well as well.
DM: They jam, they check out, they do their homework, they know the songs and they fucking play.
HVDW: Ja, 'cause I've worked with them I know they're professional and they do their homework and stuff like that.
Of all the shows you've played so far this year, which has been the biggest standout?
HVDW: Um... Just one? Okay... Three come to mind but... I think my favourite one was Craft Exchange [Pretoria] recently. It was the first time Ashley and Nathan played with us again since like, end of August or beginning of September or something.
DM: And the full album.
HVDW: Ja, we played the whole album in it's entirety as well, and I felt way more confident with my vocals at that time, I felt I had a good show there, and the people... It was packed and people were loving it. It's just good to have those shows. It was a standard show, but it was just, you know, it ticked all the boxes.
DM: I wish we could play those hour-long shows every fucking show, honestly.
W&N: And you, Dale? What was your favourite show so far?
DM: I really did enjoy the Craft Exchange but, dude, Oppikoppi. That first show, it was mindblowing.
HVDW: Ja and people got wrecked.
DM: Yes, ja, there was like lekker fuck-ups there in the middle of the crowd. I loved it. That was by far my highlight, definitely. First show.
As 2018 draws to a close, what do you have planned for the new year?
HVDW: Way more tours, way more than we did this year. Touring like when we just started. Promoting the album we have but also, in the meanwhile, finishing up the writing of the new album, then hopefully around the middle or end of the year we'll have that recorded and released. And content as well, music videos, festivals... if they'll have us.
DM: And a photoshoot hey, maybe sometime.
HVDW: Ja... I'm focusing on the music for now.
W&N: You'll just have to Photoshop Dale into the other ones.
HVDW: People aren't going to stare at your photo for an hour, they're gonna listen to your album.
DM: Ja, exactly, that's all that matters.
And now for the Wax & Needle question: If you were stuck on a desert island, what album would you want to have with you?
DM: Oh my god...
HVDW: Pantera Official Live: 101 Proof.
DM: Ja dude.
HVDW: It gets me pumped and motivated. It's got so much attitude in it and that's all you need. I wouldn't listen to something that's meaningful or like, spiritual or something, I'd need something to keep me the fuck alive.
DM: That's brutal. Oh, fuck...
HVDW: Take all the time you need. Just today at least, not the one that sums up your whole life. If you were on an island now.
DM: Probably a Tool album... like, 10,000 Days. Ja. I think I would hate to be without that, honestly. There's so many though... but if I had to choose one, ja, probably 10,000 Days. I'd get sick of metal eventually.
*laughter*
HVDW: And ja 'cause you can listen to it for ten thousand days.
DM: Exactly, it just never gets old.
HVDW: It's been more than ten thousand days since Tool released an album, did you know that?
DM: Ja, that's mal kak dude. But, hopefully soon.
Check out Son of Hawk on Bandcamp
Responses slightly edited for clarity.
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| Son of Hawk L-R: Dale McHardy and Heine Van Der Walt |
 | |
| Son of Hawk [post-show at Craft Exchange] L-R: Ashley Hilton Jacobs, Nathan Combrinck, Heine Van Der Walt and Dale McHardy |
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| Son of Hawk [post-show at Rumours Rock City] L-R: Leigh Van Biljon, Heine Van Der Walt, Pieter Ganswyk Nel and Dale McHardy |
Monday 26 November 2018
De Wallen
Taking their name from the notorious Red Light District in Amsterdam, De Wallen are an old-school rock 'n' roll band hailing from Stellenbosch. The band is made up of Jeandré Swanepoel (vocals, guitar), Pieter Bekker (guitar), Adriaan Louw (bass) and Adriaan Jordaan (drums). After winning Aandklas Stellenbosch's Battle of the Bands back in 2012, De Wallen released their debut album Dirty Deals in 2013. This was followed by the EP 2.0, recorded at Bellville's Coffee Stained Vinyl and released in 2015. Much like their namesake, they boast a sound which they describe as dirty, sexy, fast-paced and loud as hell. Their latest offering, Street Fight Sonata, will see them embark on a tour around Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands, starting this week. Wax & Needle had a chat with De Wallen prior to their live album launch at Aandklas Pretoria on 24 November.
What's up guys? Looking forward to getting the new album out there tonight?
Adriaan Louw: Definitely!
Pieter Bekker: Perhaps.
*laughter*
Jeandré Swanepoel: Definitely maybe...
PB: There's a lot of money to go into it, that's not a positive factor ever.
JS: Alright so, if I can give you a breakdown of where we're at, at the moment, I think it's been two and a half years since our last release and basically we got together and decided like, fuck man, when's the last time that we actually did something? And we were like, cool, well we're gonna do a new album, but not just that, we're gonna do a tour, but we're gonna do it abroad. Hence we're here now, two and a half years later, still kicking, still recording, still trying to find funds, but we're touring and we've got the whole entire album recorded -
PB: Twice!
JS: Twice, ja. We weren't happy with the first cut so, ja. Pretty much, that brings us to where we are today. Pieter?
PB: Ja, pretty much it's our third baby so we wanted to make it something special. With the previous albums we were always pretty strapped for cash, as we are still now, but it was more a thing of we needed to get something out, but at the moment we don't feel that need to put out something new, we feel the want to put out something new. If we want it and we don't need it, we feel like, cool, let's rather make it something special, let's be one hundred percent satisfied with what we put on the record, instead of being like, it sounds great, it gets released and feeling like uh I'd really like to change this if there was another grand to go into the studio for another day.
AL: In other words, we have a big, fat, raging boner that needs to be shared with everyone and not kept to ourselves.
PB: Ja, but we wanna make it a great boner, not an average boner, a big one, like a Nigerian one.
*everyone laughs*
JS: 'Cause nothing says good times like a big, old, fat, twelve inch, Nigerian boner.
PB: In our own opinion... We're not stating that as a fact.
Adriaan Jordaan: Ja, keeping that to yourself is a sin, so ja, you need to put it out there.
What was the writing and recording process for the album?
PB: Well... to state that there was a process would be very forgiving. We decided to do something different to what we usually do, as opposed to writing an album and going into studio and recording said written album, we had about three of the tracks written, one of them was slightly produced, the rest we just had small ideas for.
AJ: Most of them were finished a few minutes before we started recording.
PB: Ja like the one song was actually just like, hey, well we have some more time in the studio, do you guys wanna add an extra track? Ja, like, give us a few minutes and a Black Label, and we'll whip something up. It actually turned out to be one of our favourite tracks on the album.
JS: We've never done this process before. Usually, 'cause I'm quite anal when it comes to the writing process, like I do most of the writing myself, then I'll bring it to the rest of the band and we'll workshop around that, so it's been quite -
PB: Liberal.
JS: Ja, it's been quite a process for me, handing that over to the rest of the guys, handing that responsibility over, but I'm very glad to report they have exceeded expectations, and then some.
Tell me about the title of the album. How did you come up with it?
PB: I think the best way to explain the album name is to say the original album name. We played STRAB [Festival, Ponta Malongane, Mozambique] last year and we were backstage probably half an hour before our set. We were chatting with the guys from The Black Cat Bones, who we've known through touring Joburg, we've stayed with them off and on, and they told us "yeah your next album should just be called 'Drink, Fuck, Fight', 'cause that's all you guys ever do", and we were like yeah that's a pretty good album title. We took that idea to heart when writing the new album, and it's actually a backup vocal piece in one of the new songs. We were like, this is great but we've already got some explicit vocal tracks on the album that you'd be like "hey, Gran, I think you'd love this", so we decided to play around with the name and just take that idea and state it some other way.
AJ: Same idea, just more refined.
JS: Also, myself and Pieter come from a classical background, and I remember me and him having a chat one day about how our music teacher in high school would turn in their grave if they ever heard what we were churning out thus far. I was like, what if we just change the schematic completely so we fuck with them, and we bring something to the fold that they're not used to. A sonata is a three piece movement and this is our third album, so I thought how much more applicable this would be if we made this a sonata. 'Cause our first one was an absolute fucking cacophony, if you can call it that, a grand fuck up of sounds together. Our second one was totally refined, we knew what we were doing, and our third movement is the one where we show off, where we take into consideration the last seven years that we've been through, and bring it all together, meaning that it's the third movement, making it a sonata, and what more applicable than a street fight sonata?
AJ: It all comes back to balance. I think the name Street Fight Sonata instead of Drink, Fuck, Fight, it all comes into the balance. It's just as rugged as it is beautiful.
You say your sound is inspired by a large number of genres. Who would you state as your biggest musical influence?
PB: Yoh, that would completely be different for everyone. We have small general influences that we all listen to, but I know like, myself, I'm very into my old-school hip hop and rap, and then going from that into like battle metal, so that's my jump. It's a very diverse mix, like none of us have a favourite band or influence that is similar.
AL: It works for the recipe.
PB: Ja like, on the new album, you hear it in the tracks. One will be straight up rock 'n' roll, another one's got a bit of a psych feel, another one's like metal and then another's like "hey, I love you". You can kind of feel that clash of personalities coming together to make like a big hug of rock 'n' roll.
JS: I think I've got too much to state now.
AL: I would say your influence is mostly Rolling Stones.
JS: Ja, something between Stones and The Darkness, but then there's also modern day, like a lot of post-punk movement in the sense of like, Eagles of Death Metal, especially the way they approach the limitations toward the band, and that is something that I'm very wary of and write towards. So it's got a bit of that influence but then of course, it's basically, how can I make whoever is listening to this change their current mood? I draw influence from any of the previous artists I've listened to who've made me feel that way.
AJ: For me, I enjoy patterns, so any genre or any band where I find something interesting, I like to explore it. For a long time I took for granted how complex 4/4 can be, so I listened to more straight rock 'n' roll music, and I actually listen to dynamics, like feel and groove. A big thing for me was Royal Blood, for me writing my piece on the album that was a big influence. And then something that I want to try embody on drums is like, if you think about Rise Against, that whole punching vibe, like it stands for something and I want to try and communicate that, not even with vocals, just through how I play it, the dynamics, through power and through slow downs and weird patterns, through straight... Ja, I want to try and fuse like, 'cause I love lyrics and I want to try and fuse that with drums, just playing, so ja, that's where I'm at, at the moment.
AL: I think, I was always the guy joking about the bassist, but then I told Jeandré the one day, on New Year's, just check me with a bass, let me just do the songs and we try to play them. So that aspect, I think, like Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious, that fake it 'til you make it... I don't consider myself an excellent bassist but I play the songs, and I think that way it's a very punk aspect. And you'll see that if you see my bass as well, it's a very punk bass.
What is the main thing you're looking forward to about the European tour?
JS: Not fucking burning out in the African sun.
AJ: Pieter wants to see snow!
PB: I'm stoked to see snow, I'm stoked to go back to The Netherlands. I've been there once before and I was only there for twenty-five hours, but I completely fell in love with the country and the people there, so I'm really stoked to go back. None of them have been there before so I'm stoked to go back and show them the cool spots I found within that day. The biggest thing for me was after getting off the plane, it's like cool, another airport. As soon as you walk outside it's just this jumble of different people, like half the time you can't understand seventy percent of the languages being spoken, but no one makes you feel weird, it's such a loving country, such a loving group of people, and I think it's a big thing coming from Cape Town. In Cape Town, there's a big clique-y vibe, you're either part of these kids or you're part of those kids and I came into The Netherlands as no one, didn't know anyone, and I was walking down the street and a guy was like "hey, how you doing dude? What's your plans today?" and I was like.... that's kinda weird, brother, asking me that, then a second guy did it, the third guy asking me I'm gonna ask to just go for a beer. It's such an inviting country and I've heard good things about the music scene, so also exploring that vibe in a musical sense, I can't wait to see how people react, see if they're that friendly as people.
For anyone who's yet to see a De Wallen show, how would you describe what happens when you hit the stage?
AJ: Organised chaos.
*laughter*
JS: Ja, organised chaos, I think, is the most diplomatic way that we can state it.
AL: Like our Facebook profile says dirty and sexy in the same breath. You'll be thinking "what the fuck?" and "wow" at the same time.
JS: And if you don't then we didn't do a good job.
PB: But it's a very specific understanding for dirty sexy, it's not as simple as people make it out to be but when you see it you'll know what it is. It's not really something you can explain.
AJ: You have to be there.
What's the strangest thing you've experienced on tour?
*everyone laughs*
PB: Yoh, other than my own actions?
AJ: Well, last time we played at Aandklas, Pieter called the cops on himself...
JS: Ja, that's pretty much the weirdest thing that I've ever experienced.
PB: All I want to say is that I was framed, and I know why, but I won't discuss it.
Wax & Needle: You were framed by yourself?
PB: Ja. I was definitely framed but for my own protection I'm not gonna say about what.
JS: And real talk right now, if I have to ever state the weirdest thing that happened to me on tour, if you would have told me about what we are going through and what we have been going through the last seven years the first time I entered the music scene, I would have told you to fuck right off. That's actually the weirdest thing that's happened on tour, is that we actually now get to be house friends and share stages with people that have inspired me, inspired us and will continue to do so for many years. From legends in the scene to the next biggest thing in this country, I've had the privilege of sharing a stage with them and I think if there's one lasting legacy that I am alive in, I can say proudly that I lived in a time when that happened.
PB: Ja, we've slept in many of their living rooms.
*laughter*
Lastly, if you could only listen to one artist for the rest of your life, who would you pick?
JS: *screams* MOTORHEAD!
AJ: Tool, definitely Tool, ja.
AL: Jis, I would have said Fokofpolisiekar but these last two albums, fuck it, Francois, I hope you hear this, you disappointed me. Um... Nirvana.
PB: I have so many options in my head...
AL: Hopsin, dude.
PB: Ja, I'd probably say Hopsin. Ah, my brother from a different mother.
What's up guys? Looking forward to getting the new album out there tonight?
Adriaan Louw: Definitely!
Pieter Bekker: Perhaps.
*laughter*
Jeandré Swanepoel: Definitely maybe...
PB: There's a lot of money to go into it, that's not a positive factor ever.
JS: Alright so, if I can give you a breakdown of where we're at, at the moment, I think it's been two and a half years since our last release and basically we got together and decided like, fuck man, when's the last time that we actually did something? And we were like, cool, well we're gonna do a new album, but not just that, we're gonna do a tour, but we're gonna do it abroad. Hence we're here now, two and a half years later, still kicking, still recording, still trying to find funds, but we're touring and we've got the whole entire album recorded -
PB: Twice!
JS: Twice, ja. We weren't happy with the first cut so, ja. Pretty much, that brings us to where we are today. Pieter?
PB: Ja, pretty much it's our third baby so we wanted to make it something special. With the previous albums we were always pretty strapped for cash, as we are still now, but it was more a thing of we needed to get something out, but at the moment we don't feel that need to put out something new, we feel the want to put out something new. If we want it and we don't need it, we feel like, cool, let's rather make it something special, let's be one hundred percent satisfied with what we put on the record, instead of being like, it sounds great, it gets released and feeling like uh I'd really like to change this if there was another grand to go into the studio for another day.
AL: In other words, we have a big, fat, raging boner that needs to be shared with everyone and not kept to ourselves.
PB: Ja, but we wanna make it a great boner, not an average boner, a big one, like a Nigerian one.
*everyone laughs*
JS: 'Cause nothing says good times like a big, old, fat, twelve inch, Nigerian boner.
PB: In our own opinion... We're not stating that as a fact.
Adriaan Jordaan: Ja, keeping that to yourself is a sin, so ja, you need to put it out there.
 |
| Used with permission from De Wallen. Copyright Dirk Odendaal - @dirkodie |
What was the writing and recording process for the album?
PB: Well... to state that there was a process would be very forgiving. We decided to do something different to what we usually do, as opposed to writing an album and going into studio and recording said written album, we had about three of the tracks written, one of them was slightly produced, the rest we just had small ideas for.
AJ: Most of them were finished a few minutes before we started recording.
PB: Ja like the one song was actually just like, hey, well we have some more time in the studio, do you guys wanna add an extra track? Ja, like, give us a few minutes and a Black Label, and we'll whip something up. It actually turned out to be one of our favourite tracks on the album.
JS: We've never done this process before. Usually, 'cause I'm quite anal when it comes to the writing process, like I do most of the writing myself, then I'll bring it to the rest of the band and we'll workshop around that, so it's been quite -
PB: Liberal.
JS: Ja, it's been quite a process for me, handing that over to the rest of the guys, handing that responsibility over, but I'm very glad to report they have exceeded expectations, and then some.
Tell me about the title of the album. How did you come up with it?
PB: I think the best way to explain the album name is to say the original album name. We played STRAB [Festival, Ponta Malongane, Mozambique] last year and we were backstage probably half an hour before our set. We were chatting with the guys from The Black Cat Bones, who we've known through touring Joburg, we've stayed with them off and on, and they told us "yeah your next album should just be called 'Drink, Fuck, Fight', 'cause that's all you guys ever do", and we were like yeah that's a pretty good album title. We took that idea to heart when writing the new album, and it's actually a backup vocal piece in one of the new songs. We were like, this is great but we've already got some explicit vocal tracks on the album that you'd be like "hey, Gran, I think you'd love this", so we decided to play around with the name and just take that idea and state it some other way.
AJ: Same idea, just more refined.
JS: Also, myself and Pieter come from a classical background, and I remember me and him having a chat one day about how our music teacher in high school would turn in their grave if they ever heard what we were churning out thus far. I was like, what if we just change the schematic completely so we fuck with them, and we bring something to the fold that they're not used to. A sonata is a three piece movement and this is our third album, so I thought how much more applicable this would be if we made this a sonata. 'Cause our first one was an absolute fucking cacophony, if you can call it that, a grand fuck up of sounds together. Our second one was totally refined, we knew what we were doing, and our third movement is the one where we show off, where we take into consideration the last seven years that we've been through, and bring it all together, meaning that it's the third movement, making it a sonata, and what more applicable than a street fight sonata?
AJ: It all comes back to balance. I think the name Street Fight Sonata instead of Drink, Fuck, Fight, it all comes into the balance. It's just as rugged as it is beautiful.
You say your sound is inspired by a large number of genres. Who would you state as your biggest musical influence?
PB: Yoh, that would completely be different for everyone. We have small general influences that we all listen to, but I know like, myself, I'm very into my old-school hip hop and rap, and then going from that into like battle metal, so that's my jump. It's a very diverse mix, like none of us have a favourite band or influence that is similar.
AL: It works for the recipe.
PB: Ja like, on the new album, you hear it in the tracks. One will be straight up rock 'n' roll, another one's got a bit of a psych feel, another one's like metal and then another's like "hey, I love you". You can kind of feel that clash of personalities coming together to make like a big hug of rock 'n' roll.
JS: I think I've got too much to state now.
AL: I would say your influence is mostly Rolling Stones.
JS: Ja, something between Stones and The Darkness, but then there's also modern day, like a lot of post-punk movement in the sense of like, Eagles of Death Metal, especially the way they approach the limitations toward the band, and that is something that I'm very wary of and write towards. So it's got a bit of that influence but then of course, it's basically, how can I make whoever is listening to this change their current mood? I draw influence from any of the previous artists I've listened to who've made me feel that way.
AJ: For me, I enjoy patterns, so any genre or any band where I find something interesting, I like to explore it. For a long time I took for granted how complex 4/4 can be, so I listened to more straight rock 'n' roll music, and I actually listen to dynamics, like feel and groove. A big thing for me was Royal Blood, for me writing my piece on the album that was a big influence. And then something that I want to try embody on drums is like, if you think about Rise Against, that whole punching vibe, like it stands for something and I want to try and communicate that, not even with vocals, just through how I play it, the dynamics, through power and through slow downs and weird patterns, through straight... Ja, I want to try and fuse like, 'cause I love lyrics and I want to try and fuse that with drums, just playing, so ja, that's where I'm at, at the moment.
AL: I think, I was always the guy joking about the bassist, but then I told Jeandré the one day, on New Year's, just check me with a bass, let me just do the songs and we try to play them. So that aspect, I think, like Sex Pistols' Sid Vicious, that fake it 'til you make it... I don't consider myself an excellent bassist but I play the songs, and I think that way it's a very punk aspect. And you'll see that if you see my bass as well, it's a very punk bass.
What is the main thing you're looking forward to about the European tour?
JS: Not fucking burning out in the African sun.
AJ: Pieter wants to see snow!
PB: I'm stoked to see snow, I'm stoked to go back to The Netherlands. I've been there once before and I was only there for twenty-five hours, but I completely fell in love with the country and the people there, so I'm really stoked to go back. None of them have been there before so I'm stoked to go back and show them the cool spots I found within that day. The biggest thing for me was after getting off the plane, it's like cool, another airport. As soon as you walk outside it's just this jumble of different people, like half the time you can't understand seventy percent of the languages being spoken, but no one makes you feel weird, it's such a loving country, such a loving group of people, and I think it's a big thing coming from Cape Town. In Cape Town, there's a big clique-y vibe, you're either part of these kids or you're part of those kids and I came into The Netherlands as no one, didn't know anyone, and I was walking down the street and a guy was like "hey, how you doing dude? What's your plans today?" and I was like.... that's kinda weird, brother, asking me that, then a second guy did it, the third guy asking me I'm gonna ask to just go for a beer. It's such an inviting country and I've heard good things about the music scene, so also exploring that vibe in a musical sense, I can't wait to see how people react, see if they're that friendly as people.
 |
| Used with permission from De Wallen. Copyright Dirk Odendaal - @dirkodie |
For anyone who's yet to see a De Wallen show, how would you describe what happens when you hit the stage?
AJ: Organised chaos.
*laughter*
JS: Ja, organised chaos, I think, is the most diplomatic way that we can state it.
AL: Like our Facebook profile says dirty and sexy in the same breath. You'll be thinking "what the fuck?" and "wow" at the same time.
JS: And if you don't then we didn't do a good job.
PB: But it's a very specific understanding for dirty sexy, it's not as simple as people make it out to be but when you see it you'll know what it is. It's not really something you can explain.
AJ: You have to be there.
What's the strangest thing you've experienced on tour?
*everyone laughs*
PB: Yoh, other than my own actions?
AJ: Well, last time we played at Aandklas, Pieter called the cops on himself...
JS: Ja, that's pretty much the weirdest thing that I've ever experienced.
PB: All I want to say is that I was framed, and I know why, but I won't discuss it.
Wax & Needle: You were framed by yourself?
PB: Ja. I was definitely framed but for my own protection I'm not gonna say about what.
JS: And real talk right now, if I have to ever state the weirdest thing that happened to me on tour, if you would have told me about what we are going through and what we have been going through the last seven years the first time I entered the music scene, I would have told you to fuck right off. That's actually the weirdest thing that's happened on tour, is that we actually now get to be house friends and share stages with people that have inspired me, inspired us and will continue to do so for many years. From legends in the scene to the next biggest thing in this country, I've had the privilege of sharing a stage with them and I think if there's one lasting legacy that I am alive in, I can say proudly that I lived in a time when that happened.
PB: Ja, we've slept in many of their living rooms.
*laughter*
Lastly, if you could only listen to one artist for the rest of your life, who would you pick?
JS: *screams* MOTORHEAD!
AJ: Tool, definitely Tool, ja.
AL: Jis, I would have said Fokofpolisiekar but these last two albums, fuck it, Francois, I hope you hear this, you disappointed me. Um... Nirvana.
PB: I have so many options in my head...
AL: Hopsin, dude.
PB: Ja, I'd probably say Hopsin. Ah, my brother from a different mother.
Check out De Wallen on Spotify
Click here to visit photographer Dirk Odendaal's Facebook page
Responses slightly edited for clarity.
Click here to visit photographer Dirk Odendaal's Facebook page
 |
| De Wallen L-R: Adriaan Jordaan, Adriaan Louw, Jeandré Swanepoel and Pieter Bekker |
 |
| De Wallen official tour dates |
 |
| Used with permission from De Wallen. Copyright Dirk Odendaal - @dirkodie |
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