This year I will be attending my first Up the Creek and I am thoroughly excited.

With 30 bands occupying 3 epic stages with the Breederiver adding a special festive natural touch – I  am sure my mind will be properly blown.

The weekend promises the perfect getaway for anyone – who like me – is already in need of some vacation time.

It is impossible to highlight some of the acts that I am looking forward to see – all thirty of the acts will have to be seen…in one way or another.

Taking into consideration the festival’s VIP for all status – I’m sure this won’t be a problem.  

On Thursday the Rolling Stone SA stage will be kicking things off with a nifty preview gig. The lucky amongst us, already there, will be able to pick prime camping spots before the masses rock up on Friday.

On Friday Rolling Stone SA will be shining some much deserved light on a few Up The Creek first timers – Dividable Grand, Crimson House Blues, Ballistic Blues and Long Time Citizen. Long Time Citizen will apparently be incorporating the services of Willem Welsyn (of the sun rise toffees) and the Rolling Stone SA staff. You can bet your bottom dollar I will be there to witness that.

A music highlight I’m looking forward to is the ‘Tribute to Woman’ line up on the 4thStreet Main Stage on Friday evening. This all female lineup features some of my favorite female vocalists and I’m sure I’ll leave the stage feeling all feminine, proud and empowered!

I hear the MK river stage will be the place to be on Saturday and Sunday during the day. Getting to listen to some mind blowing tunes, whilst lazing in river or chilling on the riverbanks…now that sounds like a little piece of heaven right there. The Lilo Anything that Floats competition is also a highlight worth looking forward to. I hear that if it floats, you can bring it along…anything to help you build that perfect  floatable water feature.

So if you feel the need to break a way for the weekend – make a break for the lovely Breederiver and come party with us at Up the Creek 2013. It promises to be one the festivals of the year.

For the complete line up of the weekend and more details about the Lilo Anything That Floats categories visit their website – www.upthecreek.co.za

Tickets at http://www.ticketbreak.co.za or on our FB page:  

Thursday – Sunday:  Presales: R600.00 – Gate: R650.00

Friday – Sunday:       Presales: R550.00 – Gate: R600.00

Saturday – Sunday:  Presales: R450.00 – Gate: R500.00

Kids 13 years and younger: free entry.

Heartbreak Motel:

If you want to rock out in a little more comfort, then the Heartbreak Motel is for you. There are various options of pre-pitched tents, hot showers, clean toilets, buffet breakfast and other luxuries. For more info and bookings go to: http://www.heartbreakmotel.co.za/

Social Media:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/UpTheCreek.MusicFestival

Follow @Upthe_Creek

Follow @SuneLotter

Now, Zebra & Giraffe have been on quite the journey since the release of SAMA-award winning album, Collected Memories. Members have come and gone and the band’s sound has evolved from straight-up-radio-hit-rock to something that is darker and far more daring than even they could have imagined – the release of their latest album…a clear sign thereof.

Zebra and Giraffe’s third album have some pretty big shoes to fill. Their first two albums boasted a whopping 13 singles that were play-listed on radio – seven from Collected Memories and six from The Inside. This included hugely successful tracks such as The Knife and The inside.

The first single released off the new album is I’ll Blame You.

If you find yourself in the nearby vicinity that will receive the wisest ones, make sure don’t miss out on the chance to see whether their new material lives up to the hype that is generated around it.

Details: The Wisest Ones Tour.

1 September 2012

Barcode Nightclub

Address: 122  North Rand Road, Boksburg

Contact: 011 894 7761

Cover Charge: R50 pre sale / R60 at the door

Presales: http://www.webtickets.co.za

5 September 2012

Memphis Rock

Address: 12  Esselen Street, Die Bult, Potchefstroom

Contact: 072 596 3263

Cover Charge: R30

7 September 2012

Live The Venue (with Shadowclub)

Address: 166 Stamford Hill, Matthews Meyiwa Road, Berea, Durban

Contact: 084 510 3107

Cover Charge: R70 pre sale / R80 at the door

Presales: http://www.webtickets.co.za

8 September 2012

Die Mystic Boer

Address: 84  Kellner Street, Bloemfontein

Contact: 051 430 2206

Cover Charge: R40

14 September 2012

Arcade Empire

Address: 265 The Highway Street, Equestria, Pretoria

Contact: 087 980 3531

Cover Charge: R50 pre sale / R60 at the door.

Presales: http://www.webtickets.co.za

15 September 2012

Tanz Café

Address: Shop 27, The Buzz Shopping Centre, ℅ Witkoppen& Nerine Roads, Fourways, Johannesburg

Contact: 011 658 0277

Cover Charge: R50 pre sale / R60 at the door.

Presales: http://www.webtickets.co.za&; http://www.tanzcafe.co.za

20 September 2012

The Union Building

Address: Prince  Alfred Street, Grahamstown

Contact: 079 476 8898

Cover Charge: R30

21 September 2012

Pool City

Address: Times Square, Heugh Road, Walmer, Port Elizabeth

Contact: 041 581 0980

Cover Charge: R50

22 September 2012

Buccaneers

Address: Marina Glen, Beachfront, East London

Contact: 043 743 5171

Cover Charge: R50

26 September 2012

Klein Libertas Theatre

Address: Bergzicht Plein, du Toit Street, Stellenbosch

Contact: 021 883 81644

Cover Charge: R50 pre sale / R60 at the door.

Presales: http://www.webtickets.co.za

28 September 2012

Mercury Live

Address: 43 De  Villiers Road, Zonnebloem, Cape Town

Contact: 021 465 2106

Cover Charge: R50 pre sale / R60 at the door.

Presales: http://www.webtickets.co.za

Presales at http://www.webtickets.co.zaopen on 10 August.

Zebra & Giraffe on Facebook (www.facebook.com/zebraandgiraffe)

visit http://www.zebraandgiraffe.co.zafor the latest updates and tour news.

Here are the links to an interview I did with the men from Z&G for Rollingstone Sa earlier this year, as well as a more recent interview with Greg Carlin – frontman – for MK.

Rollingstone: http://www.rollingstone.co.za/opinion/item/819-qaa-zebra-a-giraffe

MK: http://mk.dstv.com/2012/07/20/the-inside-of-greg-carlin%e2%80%99s-collected-memories-results-in-the-wisest-ones-2/

Photo: Ravi Panchia

Follow @SuneLotter

Follow @zebraandgiraffe

Follow @thisistailor

Miles Keylock, ex-English language, literature and drama lecturer at the University of Cape Town turned full time music journalist and more recently editor of Rolling Stone SA, smashes all doubt that the magazine is just a spin-off hoping to feed off the success of the Rolling Stone brand. Miles says that Rolling Stone SA aims to be the voice of South African pop culture by telling the “untold stories” of our local musicians. When asked about how the magazine goes about choosing who will feature the cover, Miles challenged the general perception that one has to be a musical genius by stating that Rolling Stone doesn’t necessarily only look for the most amazing artists.

“We’re interested in artists who have something to say. Just because you’re a good musician doesn’t mean you have a story to tell […] You’ve got to have attitude […] It’s about navigating where we live in. SA is full of contradictions and paradoxes […] The stories centre on answering and trying to figure out how to live in this strange world.”

While Rolling Stone is indeed a magazine that focuses on music, we need to realise that South Africa is drenched in rich culture and therefore our art, in this particular case music, is a representation of that culture. This is something that Rolling Stone SA stresses with each story and each cover.

However, this idea of the right “attitude” and finding ones way in this “strange world” we call home sparks a little bit of hope for all the artist struggling to “make it” in the music scene. Knowing that it is possible for an indie band from the southern suburbs of Cape Town to one day claim a Rolling Stone cover says a lot for the way in which the industry is growing. Heck, South Africa landing its own Rolling Stone alone proves that internationally our music industry is being recognised and acknowledged, that said if they pull it off well.

While Rolling Stone intends to give local music a platform through which their stories can be told we cannot ignore the fact that it is a business and that they actually have to meet a sales quota and all those other boring things that come with running a magazine that has such a great legacy. Miles mentions some of the battles the magazine has to face when it comes to choosing who goes on the cover or which stories will be published. Investors naturally have their investments best interests in mind and tend to try and influence the magazine’s choices in a way that will benefit that said investment. There is often the situation when they have to choose between a “safe” cover like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, that could possibly sell more copies or a riskier cover featuring an unknown local artist like Spoek Mathambo (May) with an interesting story. However, Rolling Stone has thus far remained true to the “underdogs”  and have dedicated seven of the eight covers to local artists, pointing us in the direction of talent that is right under our noses.

On that note, not only does Miles seem to be a professed supporter of local music but also seems to back the young journalist. When asked what made a piece worth publishing he simply said that it was passion and heart. He went on to saying that lack of passion would prove to be a problem if one wanted to be a successful writer. These wise words spoke both to the young journalists in the room as well as all struggling musicians out there. However, let’s not forget that at least a tiny bit of talent is still needed…

Rolling Stone SA’s ethos represents an overwhelming support to all that is African culture and all those artists who were never given the opportunity to tell South Africa and the world their stories. Thus far Rolling Stone has proved that it can carry on the legacy of its father publication yet at the same time stay loyal to South Africa’s roots.

Ek is bitter spyt ek kon dit nie maak nie.  Nou moet Griffin ons oakes hier in die Kaap ook net mooi uitsort.

Watkykjy het die afgelope Saterdag een moederfokker van ‘n party by Zeplins in Tjoeras gegooi met Feed The Wolf, Die Antwoord en The Wedding DJs. Meeste mense wat daar kom party het hardloop vandag eers weer teen 86% battery power. Griff het even ‘n trippie in die polisie se van gevat vir so 40 minute hier teen 05:30 Sondagoggend. Great manier om ‘n Sondag met ‘n kak hangover te begin…

Moerse thanks vir almal wat uitgehelp het vir die aand: BraaiBoy en sy crew, Blink Stefanus vir die kief shirts en befokte bier, BlueArray vir die grootste sound en visuals wat al ooit in ‘n club gesien is, al die bands en al die ander tjommies wat kom uithelp het. En thanks vir almal wat kom saam party het. Dit was poeskoud in Centurion gewees, maar dit het nie gelyk of iemand juis ‘n fok gevoel het nie.

Ons beplan om dalk later in die jaar ‘n vet fokken jol in Kaapstad ook te gooi, so dink bietjie solank aan watse venue julle sal wil nominate en watse bands julle graag daar sal wil speck. Ons mik vir ‘n plek wat so 2000 zefgatte kan vat wat uitfok en holswaai op dik tunes.

Hieronder is ‘n recap van die aand – ‘n kort video deur Zirkie en so 50 of wat foto’s wat deur Henry Engelbrecht en Nelis Botha geneem is. Right click maar op die thumb nails en maak die foto’s oop in ‘n nuwe tab as jy alles wil speck. Ons gaan nou nie ‘n fokken fancy album met sliders en sparkles en kak hier drop nie…

As jy dalk foto’s of videos van die aand geneem het, drop dit iewers op Vleisbroek of Flickr en kap ons met ‘n link.

Check die fotos en res van die videos hier

Miles Keylock, ex-English language, literature and drama lecturer at the University of Cape Town turned full time music journalist and more recently editor of Rolling Stone SA smashes all doubt that the magazine is just a spin-off hoping to feed off the success of the Rolling Stone brand. Miles says that Rolling Stone SA aims to be the voice of South African pop culture by telling the “untold stories” of our local musicians. When asked about how the magazine goes about choosing who will feature on the cover Miles challenged the general perception that one has to be a musical genius to land a cover by stating that Rolling Stone doesn’t necessarily look for the most amazing artists.

“We’re interested in artists who have something to say. Just because you’re a good musician doesn’t mean you have a story to tell […] You’ve got to have attitude […] It’s about navigating where we live in. SA is full of contradictions and paradoxes […] The stories centre on answering and trying to figure out how to live in this strange world.”

While Rolling Stone is indeed a magazine that focuses on music, we need to realise that South Africa is drenched in rich culture and therefore our art, in this particular case music, is a representation of that culture. This is something that Rolling Stone SA stresses with each story and each cover.

However, this idea of the right “attitude” and finding ones way in this “strange world” we call home sparks a little bit of hope for all the artist struggling to “make it” in the music scene. Knowing that it is indeed possible for an indie band from the southern suburbs of Cape Town to one day claim a Rolling Stone cover says a lot for the way in which the industry is growing. Heck, South Africa landing its own Rolling Stone alone proves that internationally our music industry is being recognised and acknowledged, that said if they pull it off well.

While Rolling Stone intends to give local music a platform through which their stories can be told we cannot ignore the fact that it is a business and that they actually have to meet a sales quota and all those other boring things that come with running a magazine that has such a great legacy. Miles mentions some of the battles the magazine has to face when it comes to choosing who goes on the cover or which stories will be published. Investors naturally have their investments best interests in mind and tend to try and influence the magazine’s choices in a way that will benefit that said investment. There is often the situation when they have to choose between a “safe” cover like the Red Hot Chilli Peppers, that could possibly sell more easily than a riskier cover featuring an unknown local artist like Spoek Mathambo (May) with an interesting story. However, Rolling Stone has thus far remained true to the “underdogs”  and hav dedicated six of the seven covers to local artists and pointing us in the direction of talent that is right under our noses.

On that note, not only does Miles seem to be a professed supporter of local music but also seems to back the young journalist. When asked what made a piece worth publishing he simply said that it was passion and heart. He went on to saying that lack of passion would prove to be a problem if one wanted to be a sucessful writer. These wise words reverberated throughout the room filled with second year media students who all had one thing in common, they were all interested in entertainment journalism and passion and heart was something they all claimed to have.

Rolling Stone SA’s ethos represents an overwhelming support to all that is African culture and all those artists who were never given the opportunity to tell South Africa and the world their stories. Thus far Rolling Stone has proved that it can carry on the legacy of its father publication yet at the same time stay loyal to South Africa’s roots.

Rolling Stone is such a ‘cool’ magazine. It just can’t stop oozing sex appeal and glamour as well as being so full of the hard-core, honest rock n’ roll that the international reader loves. This magazine is drenched in legacy to the point that it’s practically running of the sides.  And now it has come to South Africa, it is sitting at the airport waiting to be picked up, and here is the driver; Miles Keylock.

Keylock seems to be the best man for the job, his suave ‘come at me attitude’ and concrete portfolio make him the person to marry South Africa and the Rolling Stone brand, making a match seemingly made in music magazine heaven. All eyes are on Keylock, we want something just as sexy and rock n’ roll as the original Rolling Stone, but with all the tenacity that South Africa has to offer. The only thing is South Africa has a whole lot more to represent than just tenacity.

Can Rolling Stone South Africa really keep each vegetable, each piece of meat and each salt grain in the tasty soup happy and represented? Or are we just going to have a magazine which ignores the diversity part, instead edging to stay politically correct, or economically afloat?

No one can answer this question. It’s not easy, considering how difficult South Africa is to represent culturally, since, as I said before, we are tasty in our diversity. With such a wide range of people, from varying backgrounds with different stories, loves and interests, people who listen to fundamentally different music, and then having to represent all of that, I must say, no one can really envy Keylock’s job.

He has to manoeuvre the difficult mine field that is political South Africa, driving his magazine through all of the South African social and political tensions, without falling to a flat tire. It is not as if the American brand of Rolling Stone doesn’t have this problem, but it is a whole lot different they didn’t have something to look up to, or the diversity of this country to represent.

Sitting down with Keylock, you could feel the weight of expectancy on him, and physically see it. We stared at the man who would either be the saviour of our expectations, or who would steer Rolling Stone into obscurity, and we all knew what everyone wanted to ask; what are we to expect Miles?

we got this,

‘sometimes I get these guys saying ‘please put a white person on the cover’. No, I’m just kidding. But it feels like it really can get like that… we need to just understand that it is about the integrity of the music – that rock n’ roll spirit’

We are so easily lampooned into worrying whether the magazine would represent South Africa or not, that we forgot that it is not here to do that – it is here to represent South African music. Whatever this means in terms of demographics or political/economic interests, Rolling Stone is a music magazine and it will follow the integrity of music, and the integrity of writing about music.

Rolling Stone SA will represent the icons, the new interesting sounds that are coming out of South Africa and communicate that to its readers. Yes, as a magazine and business venture it must keep afloat and we know about the political tensions, we know about the economic hardships and social injustices of our everyday life, but we need to allow Rolling Stone the place to just show music – all music. Music that is free of politics, money or society. After all Rolling Stone is about the spirit of Rock n’ Roll, which Keylock through Lester Banks thankfully reminded us off,

“Rock ‘n’ roll is an attitude, it’s not a musical form of a strict sort. It’s a way of doing things, of approaching things. Writing can be rock ‘n’ roll, or a movie can be rock ‘n’ roll. It’s a way of living your life”

I don’t know if Rolling Stone SA will be successful, and I don’t know if Rolling Stone SA will be able to hear all the music. But I do know that as a music magazine, Rolling Stone South Africa will represent the music made here, not the politics. And after hearing Keylock reassure me, I can rest easy knowing that he is stirring the pot, with a big wooden spoon.

From December 2012 to February 2013, I’ll be recording and producing material in a rented studio space in Cape Town with the intention of creating an electro-swing-polka-tango album called Modern Folk under the Pravda23 alias. Come and hang out.

I gotta go home in a few months, back to Cape Town. Teacher time’s up. I wanna make music. Lotta feelings come with this. There’s my old friends, I’m Stoked That The Scene Is Growing and Can’t Wait To Rock This Shit, but I also checked Am I Good Enough and This Is All Cool But It’s Nonsense lurking around at the back.

It’s mostly fear of failure, of embarrassment. I’ve done all these different jobs, but always writing lyrics on lunch-breaks and watching audio tuts in the cracks. This is my vulnerable life.

Did the CPT music industry for two years with Overtone, basically full-time volunteering for most of it. I learned I wanted to be a musician instead. So I sorta began changing tracks, and now, five years later, I’m glad I did. But now I gotta find a place among all these dudes who have been rocking it for the last 10 years, and I feel like I’m playing catch-up. I know I got exactly what it takes to make something of this, but damn it’s a scary idea stepping in front of these fuckin hipster gatekeepers and tastemakers and saying “here I am”. I wanna transcend it all, blast off instantly, but apparently the only way up and out is through the venues to the festivals and beyond, with a very specific brand of Cape Town niche cool to light the path.

Pay me in time. I’m not greedy, I don’t care who gets the limelight. I just want to make a living from being a musician, producer and performer. That’s all I’ve wanted and worked for for years now. I research these dudes. I’m fanatically interested in Die Antwoord, Goldfish, Markus Wormstorm, Sibot, Freshlyground, Niskerone, the whole Red Bull scene, Richard the Third, Das Kapital, Narch, the Van Vok King Tasties brat pack, Ma’or and Balkanology and Rocking the Daisies, LMG, African Dope, Overtone, Rolling Stone SA – in a word, the Scene!

But I never got how to connect with these people. I don’t wanna seem false, like, “Hey, I love that thing you do, by the way, can you do this for me?” Is there such thing as sincere success, or all just fake it till you make it?

So I gotta learn how to pretend that it’s just another Friday evening for me, instead of, you know, they “keys to the golden kingdom” kinda thing. Which is tough. You chase it, you invest your ass in it, but somehow you have to be lighthearted about it.

In seven months, all this talk is gonna be put into action and transmute into an album called Modern Folk by Pravda23. It’s time to take a risk and give myself the time that I’ve been promising myself. Wish me luck. I’m going in.

Die beste Afreakaanse blog in die heelal gooi ‘n vet fokken jol by Zeplins in Tjoerras in die middel van die jaar. Ons noem dit sommer die Pre-Apocalyptic Year-End function, want die aarde gaan blykbaar teen die einde van 2012 vir die derde keer vergaan en ons wil nie uitmis op ‘n moerse party nie, en ons wil ook nie dat julle op so iets epic uitmis nie.

Nog so paar redes:

1) Watkykjy word in Junie 12 jaar oud en ons is nou klaar met laerskool vibes. Kom join ons voor ons grootskool toe gestuur word.
2) Ons het onlangs die 10 miljoen merk vir unique waterkoppies geklap (alhoewel hierdie spesifieke score eers van 2008 af begin tel is)
3) Ons het fokken lanklaas ‘n dik party gegooi
4) Ons is lief vir Zeplins (al vroeg van kindsbeen af)
5) Ons het Feed The Wolf ge-book
6) Ons het The Wedding DJs ge-book
7) Ons het dik fokken sound en ligte ge-organise
8) Ons het Die Antwoord ge-book
9) Hoekom de fok nie?

Die kaartjies is beskikbaar op Ticketbreak, so click hier om te gaan koop – daar is limited hoeveelhede en hier is hoe dit gaan werk:

• Daar is ‘n limited hoeveelhede “early bird” tickets beskikbaar teen R70 elk en daar is ‘n limited hoeveelheid VIP tickets beskikbaar teen R200 elk. Sodra daai outjies uitverkoop is, is die res van die tickets R100 elk.
• Wat jy kry vir jou VIP kaartjie: jy kan chill in die VIP section waar Braaiboy vir jou gaan braai, daar sal befokte snack platters wees, jy kry free shooters en so paar free drinks, ‘n free copy van die nuwe Rolling Stone magazine en ‘n free t-shirt. As ons nog shit vir jou kan organise tussen nou en dan, sal ons.
• Vir die general admission outjies sal daar boerie rolls te koop wees vir basically next to fokol in die outdoor section. Ons gaan probeer skiet vir kosprys vibes.
• Daar sal ook orals buite nice bonfires wees om julle warm en snoesig te hou en daar sal omtrent 4 of 5 bars wees sodat julle nie hoef te queue nie. Die fok weet, mens haat dit om te queue vir drank.
• Deur die loop van die aand sal daar ‘n hele klomp give-aways wees in die vorm van CDs, posters, dop en shirts.

Julle entertainment vir die aand: (join die Facebook event sodat jy remind kan word van die party: https://www.facebook.com/events/292875464125838/)

Ons skop af met Feed The Wolf – ‘n 5 piece rock ‘n roll band van Snor City af.

Daarna het ons vir julle Die Antwoord gekry. Hulle jol hierdie gig voor hulle weer na die overseas toe fokof en hulle jol die aand ook vir die eerste keer ‘n splinternuwe track live wat hulle sopas record het. Dis fokken mal, trust ons.

Sodra Yo-Landi en Ninja klaarmaak sal die Wedding DJs die stage betree en julle ore en dansvoete looi met kief tunes tot fokken laat of tot hulle op die stage uitpass. Die Antwoord mag dalk ‘n track of twee saam met hulle doen, you never know.

Die deure maak so 17:00 se kant oop en die bands begin enige tyd van 20:00 se kant af. Ons sal julle weer so paar keer kom herinner en met nog info klap as ons het, maar vir nou stel ons voor dat jy vir jouself kaartjies kry voordat dit uitverkoop.

Earl Grey and Croquet - Nadine Aucamp

“A bunch of good mates who want to enjoy music together! It all began with good friendship!” That is what led to the birth of the brilliant old school rock and roll influenced band, Earl Grey and Croquet. As friends, their common taste in music and the ability to master their instruments, made the birth of a band inevitable.

Earl Grey and Croquet consists of Laurie Sloan, the brothers Chris and Jonny Smith and Dan Millar. They are as unique and different as the name suggests.

Earl Grey and Croquet - Nadine Aucamp

Pertaining to the christening of the band, according to Dan, the name “…came outta nowhere” with cudos being given to Laurie for bringing it to light –  “what a legend.”   Jonny echoes that, with Chris adding, “It’s a name that’s different, I suppose – doesn’t have any deeper meaning… It’s just a fun; different name – best represents our sound and vibe.”

Like their name their sound and the vibe you get from their music glues itself to your brain. They classify their sound as, “Basically feel good rock ‘n’ roll… influenced by old school legends and a lot of present day bands… hard to box into a specific genre… psychedelic rock ‘n’ roll.”

A unique modern day rock and roll approach… grounded with some old school epic guitar solos… a feast for the culinary professional music listeners amongst us.

Earl Grey and Croquet - James Reynolds

Neil Young, Pink Floyd, Allman Brothers, Kings of Leon, Temper Trap, Foo Fighters, Isochronous, Bon Iver, aKING and  Wild Beasts are a few musical inspirations accredited to their sound.

What makes this band stand out is the complete musical approach they take. You’re not just treated to stellar lyrics, sent down your ear canal by a pair of brilliant pipes but you get treated to some phenomenal guitar solos, grounded by some steady groovy bass riffs. You know that cliché pitch some bands, muso’s and critics like throwing our way,”its all about the music man”, trust me… when it comes to Earl Grey and Croquet it really is ALL ABOUT THE MUSIC.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         “We “We are all musicians in the band. We love our instruments and are avid explorers of what they can do. Thus at times (and often in the past) we can get wrapped up in the instrumental aspect of things, we love to get lost in a good jam. However, at the same time it is important to include strong vocals… vocals are an instrument equal to the guitar, bass or drums and must be treated as such, even if as musicians we tend to get lost in Pink Floyd-esque jams,” Dan explains.

They released a gem of an EP in 2010, From the 21^st Century. It is really  a piece of work and this is of course meant as a compliment. Pappa was a school boy and Lady Luck are my personal favourites. The EP was very well received by fans and journalists alike… even causing a ripple or two internationally.                                                                                                                                                      The boys are currently busy with the preproduction of a full length album. Dan proudly states that, “A whole new Earl Grey vibe is on the rise… Expect a debut full length album that will conquer the world, very soon!” According to Jonny they have developed and perfected a clear sound since the release of their EP and have grown in confidence, writing their songs.

Earl Grey and Croquet - James Reynolds

So…for whom do they brew their Earl Grey sound?                                                                                                                                                     “Everyone. Why not?”Is the solid no nonsense answer echoed by the band as a whole with Chris colouring it in by adding, “The older crowd love the old school sound and the younger crowd love the indie vibe.” I could not agree more… no matter who you are or your musical preference and taste, if you love music this band’s your cup of tea. Their groovy blues sound with a bit of acoustic folk stirred in, topped off with a bit of soft rock covers the genre base and will find true appreciation from vibey people of all walks of life.                                                                                                                                                                 They are a band to be watched and followed; they are a band to be appreciated and supported. They play for the love and passion of music… and they play what feels good to them.

I am eagerly anticipating their new album… set to conquer the world. I’m also keeping an eye on the lamp posts in Bloemfontein – hoping to catch an eclectic Earl Grey and Croquet live performance before we snuff the end of 2012… wink wink… nudge nudge.

Earl Grey and Croquet - Nadine Aucamp

So, before I share a few extra questions I asked these stellar blokes… just a reminder… they are socially available and easily connectable. Adventure your way to Facebook and Twitter… exercise your clicking right and become a fan…You will most definitely not regret it.

Suné: Who are you, where do  you come from… and what do you do when you’re not making music.

Dan: I’m from Joburg; I’m a chemical engineer and mostly just a king.

Chris: I’m from Joburg; I work in PR and marketing.

Jonny: I like long walks on the beach and romantic dinners; other than that I’m from Joburg and work at Wolves Cafe.  

Suné: Tell me a bit about the creative process… the magic that makes the awesome tunes I now like chilling to…

Who does what?

Dan: It is really a team effort. One of us will arrive at rehearsal with a simple riff (even just a two chord progression), we will jam the riff via classic improvisation and add to it till we feel the magic. Then it comes to the trimming down of the 50 minute jam that has just happened and that’s the hard part!

Chris: Well for me it’s sitting in my room with a loop pedal and experimenting with the craziest sound combinations possible.

Jonny: Boom!

Suné: Making it in a – now extremely – competitive music industry is no easy task.                                                                                                                                            What are the challenges and hardships you face in living your music dream?

Dan: It’s tough when music is not your only focus, the battles of everyday life coupled with the toughness of the SA music industry can be a big challenge. But it’s all about the love of the music and playing with good friends, not necessarily the success and fame…

Chris: I think the rock scene is pretty saturated around the world, so making a name for yourself is pretty tricky. As a rock band, essentially you are competing with every other rock band around the world. South Africans sadly don’t show enough support for local bands. It’s really great to see mainstream radio stations, like 5fm show support for local music. We need more mainstream radio stations doing this.

Jonny: SA bands seem to get big when they play with big bands, so the tricky part is to get booked at the right venues and festivals with a good line up but with what Dan is saying, I’m really appreciative playing to any crowd of people that are any sort of music enthusiasts.

Suné: When times are tough and silver linings are scares… what keeps you motivated… what keeps you going?

Dan: The fun of  it is to just be playing with the three other top legends I have in the band. Even if a show is crap, I can still have fun on stage because I am surrounded by such kings!

Chris: I think being in a band with my three closest friends is pretty rad! We all inspire one another.

Jonny: Yea, there are never really any scars – playing music with these cats is way too cool. Even the worst possible performance we can drive away and have a good laugh.

 Suné: You guys have shared the stage with some pretty stellar acts. Any performance… stage shared… that stands out?

Dan: Recently we did a couple of shows with Jesse Clegg… He is a king of a man. It was a lot of fun.

Chris: Whenever we play with Shortstraw, we know it’s gonna be a rocking night.

Jonny: Playing with Jesse and then Shortstraw in Cape Town and Stellenbosch was a jol.

Suné: Any embarrassing moments at shows you’d like to share… maybe someone  falling off the stage… forgetting lyrics or anything like that?

Dan: Oh geeez, I knew this would come up one day. We used to play these legendary gigs at the Wits yacht club. With free alcohol on the go, staying sober was not an option. I found myself playing on people’s shoulders with wireless and funneling on top of the bar while playing. I even played a whole song when everyone else was playing a different one. (ooooyshhh)

Chris: Nothing embarrassing comes to mind. We have played some very rowdy shows with lots of people on stage as we perform. Putting novelty hats on us whilst we perform.

Jonny: I’m a drummer no one sees my embarrassing moments… rad. But ya, at many gigs at Wits Dan played opposing songs similar to a musical salmon going against our musical stream – playing the previous song twice… but still tasty grooves, regardless.

Suné: Where do you guys see Earl Grey Croquet in three years’ time?

Dan: Potentially making big sounds overseas…. but staying true to SA, playing all the big festivals.

Chris: Rocking and Rolling!

Jonny: Maybe getting some smiles from the blues rock scene in the States and playing festivals around SA.

Suné: Any advice for aspiring young muso’s?

Dan: Keep at it. The SA industry is a BITCH; don’t be disheartened. And most important do it for the right reasons, do it for the love of music!

Chris:  Everything has to be done with a plan in mind. You can’t just wing it and hope for the best. The key is marketing and persistence. Be different and fun. People hate seriousness.

Jonny: Keep at it, ask for advice from other musicians, the SA scene is  rad like that and don’t be arrogant – it gets you nowhere.

*First appeared in the Cape Argus “Good Weekend” of 2011/ 10/16.