DPC Interview Series:
Saturday, March 30, 2013
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Give us a little background on the band and the members?
We are
Riaan Smit, Jacques Jansen Van Rensburg, Christoph De Chavonnes Vrugt
and myself, Arno van Zyl. Riaan, Chris and I all come from Namibia
originally, while Jacques grew up here in South Africa. We all
started music in our younger days.
How did you all meet?
Arno: All
of us kind of met each other through the pipeline. I met Christoph in
Sunday school a couple of years back and kind of met Riaan through
him. There was also a point where Riaan and I went to the same
school. We only became close friends here in Cape Town though. Riaan
and Jacques met through music actually. Riaan had a band and needed
an occasional session bassist whenever their own couldn't make shows.
We decided to call on his services again for CHB when we were having
trouble keeping members together. We all stuck around after that and
became good friends.
Riaan: We met through the grapevine (and I lived in Christoph's jam-room for a while).
So, what does your music sound like?
Arno: This is a very hard question to answer, because I have no idea what to call it. But if I had to try and explain it, I would say we are a rough-around-the-edges blues/blue-grass, fusion, rock band. What does it sound like? I guess you will have to come and have a listen!
Riaan: Something that moves you against your will.
"The most important thing for me is that it feels right... If it feels right, schweet, if it doesn't - make it."
Who or what inspires your music?
Arno: All of us have our own, individual influences internationally and locally. I personally try to draw a little inspiration from everything and especially my own band members. I think something that inspires us all, is the fact that we are free to challenge ourselves musically, because we are still learning about what we are doing. That is the most rewarding and inspirational feeling.
Riaan: What inspire our core songs is a feeling, that feeling gets translated into sounds. The most important thing for me is that it feels right, if it feels right, schweet, if it doesn't - make it. We are heavily inspired by local bands too, since we see them all the time - Black Cat Bones, Machineri, Shadowclub, Juggernaught, Dan Patlansky, Boulevard Blues, Tombstone Pete, Mr Cat & the Jackal, Bone Collectors, Nomadic Orchestra and Brother Moves On to name a few.
What do you guys do before a gig?
Arno: Normally, we would gather at the bar and have a couple of shooters in good spirits and to cheers to a good show. It is not so much the drinking of the shots that counts, but rather the fact that we do it together. It is kind of our thing as a band.
Riaan: Some bands kick a hacky sack to feel connected before a show, for us, it is having tequila.
"After we had a good show, we become a merry bunch of friends and mingle with the crowd."
And after?
Riaan: We
will critically discuss our set depending on how well it went,
compared to how well we wanted it to go. That usually lasts for 10
minutes, if it even happens, and then we carry on with the evening
making friends and being merry.
So, what do you guys do besides making music? Any day jobs?
Jacques is the only one with a real day job, he is in fact a teacher! Riaan is an event organiser on the side, Christoph is a student and Arno offers guitar lessons. Otherwise we do try and make this music thing work for us.
Riaan: Its a tough life, but we aim for the stars, if we hit the moon, then at least we took off.
And best memory since being a band?
Arno: Every single day spent with the band is a special memory to me.
Riaan: Every time we nail that feeling and get lost in it for as long as we have breath. I do remember winning the 48 Band Off that paid for our second album - that rocked!
What is your favourite venue or festival to play at?
Arno: The festival I've personally enjoyed the most has to be Up The Creek. Favourite venue is The Barnyard in Durbanville.
Riaan: Personally, I am a fan of Mercury as a venue; it gets well rowdy and can take a seated vibe need be. Festivals would be: Flamjangled, Up the Creek, Ramfest and the Table Mountain Blues Summit.
And the one festival or venue you really want to still play (local or international)?
Arno: Rocking The Daisies here in Cape Town and Crossroads in the USA.
Riaan: Oppikoppi and Daisies, and the Newport Folk Fest in the States.
Which local artist/s would you most likely collaborate with?
Arno: All of them! Seriously...
Riaan: No word of lie, we jam with everyone who is open to jamming. It is kinda our thing.
"Our most recent fan is a lovely middle-aged lady, and was a Hustler cover girl in the 90's..."
Who is your fans? Any funny stories?
Riaan:
Many funny stories, but I'm sure they'll be reading this now so I
will choose carefully...
Our most recent fan, is a lovely
middle-aged lady, and was a hustler cover girl in the 90's. She says
our music changed her life and gave us a signed print-out of her
cover shot. We have it on the wall in our rehearsal studio.
We want to buy you a drink after a gig, what can we get you?
Arno: Four
tequilas, a Coke and three brandy and Cokes or draughts. We don't
normally discriminate though. Hehe
Riaan: Beggers can't be choosers.
Now, which venue in Cape Town has the roughest crowd?
Riaan: Cornerbar, now the Russian club in Durbanville... jirre.
Where is your next gig?
Arno: We
are playing at the Breathe Sunshine Music Conference at Assembly on
April 2, Trash Cabaret at Zula on April 5 with Th’ Damned Crows and
Aandklas in Stellenbosch on April 6 with Ann Jangle.
"We are recording our second album this year and plan to release it somewhere in the near future."
Plans for the rest of 2013?
Arno: We plan to take our time and prepare ourselves for a recording session in the studio. We are recording our second album this year and plan to release it somewhere in the near future. We are very excited about it!
Riaan:
We're hitting studios in May, and going to be doing that for a bit.
We're also shooting a music video for our previous albums single
"Breaking Down Low"
and taking over South Africa one
dingy pub and welcoming festival at a time.
Where can we get your music?Arno: You
can get our album at Mabu Vinyl in Cape Town off Kloof Street and
Revolution Records in Observatory or you can nab one from us
personally at shows or drop us a mail and we will sort you out.
Riaan: You can buy our tunes on Itunes or Amazon or basically any online store, but alternatively we give it away for free. Our next album will be free for download, but with the option to donate... god knows, we need it!
Famous last words?
Arno: No matter what happens, never ever stop! My mother always said, "persistence conquers resistance".
Riaan: If it feels right, carry on.
Contact me: eliinthecity@gmail.com
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Judul: DPC Interview Series:
Ditulis oleh Unknown
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