Digital Soul August 2015

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Content

If you would like to feature in Digital Soul, submit your press-kit via our website or contact us through any of our social media sites

GANGSTERDAM

KWAAI

42-45 REGULAR EDITORIAL

34-36

HOW TO... ANTAGONISE ANY DJ

6

MISS INFORMATION - JUST BE YOUR #SELFIE

8

THE SIGHT OF THINGS

10

FEATURED ARTIST - ANDY NEURO “NEUROTICKLER”

22

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER - SHERENE HUSTLER

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DIGITAL SOUL CAN NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF ANY INFORMATION OR CONTENT WHICH APPEARS IN THIS DIGIMAG. FURTHERMORE, REVIEWS, ARTICLESMGZ AND FEATURES REFLECT THE AUTHORS’ CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH AND ARE NOT INTENT ON DEFAMATION. THE OWNERS, WRITERS 2 | DESIGN 6 AND USERS OF THIS DIGITAL PUBLICATION ARE NOT LIABLE OR RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF WHATSOEVER NATURE, HOWSOEVER ARISING, AS A DIRECT OR INDIRECT RESULT OF THE INFORMATION, CONTENT OR USAGE OF THIS PUBLICATION. ANYONE WHO FEELS THAT AN ARTICLE OR PRESS RELEASE IS OBJECTIONABLE IS ENCOURAGED TO NOTIFY THE EDITOR IMMEDIATELY.

For Advertising or any other comments or queries, drop Ed a mail : lucid.lanz@gmail.com or contact us via any of our contact forms on www.digitalsoulmag.wix.com/digital

THE IRISH MUSO REVIEWS FYI: PAIGE MAC OPPIKOPPI

46-49

50-51

FEATURES BRANDROCKET6- INTERVIEW WITH STU

14

9 CELEBRATING SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN IN

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LIVINGSTON

30

11

SHELDON PAYNE & THE BLUE VEINS ARTMODE MONSTA

18 20

38 40

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Ed’s ten cents...

H

ere we are, second issue finally published. Proud to be part of the 30% who actually make it past their first issue...

As this August issue started taking shape, I grew more excited and proud by the day.

Several new, extremely talented writers have joined our team which resulted in the addition of two regular editorial features which I recommend you look out for and keep your eye on: The Sight of Things by Kamal Kweku - an indepth look at “underground” and old skool Hip-Hop enfused with his philisophical analogies.

The Irish Muso - a.k.a Colin Mairs. I trust you will enjoy Colin’s musings as he reviews phenomenal South African artists whom

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he had never before heard of. Descriptive, colourful - to say the least - and beyond entertaining. Unfortunately this issue contains no contribution from Cameron Anderson as he was involved in a hit-andrun incident earlier this month and is still in recovery and traction - thankful that he did not sustain any life-threatening Injuries, our thoughts and prayers with him during his recovery.

We also welcome Christelle Scheepers and Natalie Mentor to the team this month.

From this issue forward you can expect a regular artist interview (this month featuring Andy Neuro) as well as a featured photographer (Sherene Hustler).

Page on and enjoy! And dont forget to add us to your favourites on all social media platforms!

Kamal

Quiet

Christelle

thinker

with

lots

Our Hip-Hop philosopher and

to

say.

the man behind

our new regular feature “The Sight of Things”.

Bombshell, law student and talented - boasting a four octave range. Art the next subject on her epic quest to becoming the perfect 10... Best you keep your eye on this one

Marvin

Colin

Johnny on the Spot, endued with a keen

Would you buy a second hand amplifier from

eye

this guy? The face that launched a thousand

for

the

X-factor,

interviewing

style

Follow

on

him

Debora

and

Patta-like

incredible

Twitter

wit.

ships and travelled the seven seas, from

@Marvincharles17

Belfast to Belville “yer man” is here! This ageing rocker is still rocking and writing too!

Natalie

Miss Information

Insightful, passionate, ambitious and resourceful,

Anonymous,

Her

opinionated.

love

for

music

is

unquantifiable...

potty-mouth

and

If you have an DESIGN issue, MGZ jot 6it | 5

down and hand it in at the front desk...

HOW TO

IMAGE COURTESY OF PIXABAY WORDS BY YOLANDE GYPSYCHILD

HOW TO antagonise any dj

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Few DJs get famous without being epic producers, which in turn takes a seemingly endless amount of hours parked on a laptop both mastering the skills of mastering and actually creating the tracks that will eventually make their name. A lot of work goes into becoming festival-worthy, so when the dues are paid and titles earned, while many DJs manage to keep their egos in check, others can get a bit entitled. Regardless, there are a handful of things people routinely do that will universally piss off just about any DJ.

“WOULD YOU MIND PUTTING MY JACKET dancefloor. “Gooi mielies” if you simply MUST throw something.

IN THE BOOTH WHILE I DANCE?” Yes, they do mind! They dont take requests at the coat check, why would they take jackets at the DJ box?

“ITS MY FRIEND’S BIRTHDAY, YOU HAVE TO PLAY HER SONG!”

LEANING YOUR BACK AGAINST THE DJ BOOTH IS JUST FUCKING RUDE.

If the venue has walls, which is likely, this will suit your needs just as well. Would you turn your back against a live band? Probably not, so don’t do it to the DJ. There are plenty of other places, such as NOT DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE BOOTH, that you can look bored or try to have a phone call (I shit you not, I shit. you. not.)

Just because it’s your friend’s birthday doesn’t mean they have to play Miley Cyrus for her. They don’t even have to play it if every single person in your group comes up to request it one at a time (which is really obvious by the way!).

You wouldn’t try to get up on stage and ask PUTTING YOUR DRINK ANYWHERE NEAR The Rolling Stones to do a cover of Justin THE EQUIPMENT Bieber because it’s your friend’s birthday Sound and “DJ-ing” gear is expensive and believe it or not, just as its’ other electronic would you? counterparts , does not mix well with brandy and coke! Once your drink is knocked over THE AGGRESSIVE DOUCHEBAG Seriously fuck you. The large majority of onto that equipment, the sudden silence will people in the club are there to have a good be the last of your worries for the evening. time with their mates, have a few drinks and dance. The last thing they want is you THE ENCORE smashing them in the face because some And finally.... When the DJ has been playing for pathetic reason like they looked at you the a long time, long past the stated closing time of wrong way, spilt a drop of beer on your shoes the night in order to keep you entertained, some appreciation wouldn’t go amiss. Cheering and or talked to some girl you had your eye on.

There is absolutely nothing that could clapping is great. Booing, demanding they happen in a nightclub to warrant you play for longer and sneering at them when punching somebody in the middle of the they don’t rebel against the very large bouncer dancefloor with a complete disregard for (who you can clearly see is telling them to everybody else around you. You shouldn’t be stop) is not so great. Kindly take your shit, tip throwing punches or anything else on any your barman and go home!

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MISS INFORMATION

IMAGES COURTESY OF PIXABAY WORDS BY MISS INFORMATION

Just be your #selfie

In case you are still stuck in the dark ages, a “selfie” is a photo taken of oneself (usually on a smartphone or camera phone) and although it isn’t a prerequisite, posted to socialmedia.

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A man diagnosed with body dysmorphic disorder says he grew suicidal due to his addiction to taking selfies. Danny Bowman says he became so obsessed with trying to take the “right” selfie that he ended up shooting about 200 pictures a day while trying desperately to capture the perfect image of himself. (What a douchebag) When Bowman failed to take what he perceived to be the perfect selfie, he attempted suicide by taking an overdose of drugs.

Prior to his suicide attempt, he says, he would spend about ten hours every day taking selfies. Dr. David Veal, a physician involved in caring for Bowman, says selfies may cause mental illness, including body dysmorphic disorder, which has “an extremely high suicide rate.”

Now, ladies, I urge you to check out that new hottie you met over the weekend’s social media pages at once. If you think googling a guy after just meeting is over the top, think again. If you find that he posts regular selfies, my advice would be: Stay the f*c* away! According to a new study by Ohio State University, Professor Jesse Fox concludes that men who post a lot of selfies to the web tend to exhibit higher levels of narcissism and psychopathy; but

wait, that that is not all.. If he edits his own selfies it may be worse! The study found that men who edited their photos have higher levels of narcissism and self-objectification. The only good thing is that these men are not necessarily psychopaths, as Fox explains that psychopathy is related to impulsivity.

“

CONSIDERING THAT YOUR LAME ATTEMPT TO GET A BETTER ANGLE OF YOUR STUPID FACE OR YOUR GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT OF BODY DISMORPHIC DISORDER (AND EVENTUAL DEPRESSION LEADING TO SUICIDE) HAVE THE SAME OUTCOME, WHY NOT PUT US ALL OUT YOUR MISERY?

“

What are the odds of your vanity leading to your death? Ever wondered what the odds are of dying whilst taking a selfie? Please allow me to fill you in: the odds each day of dying from: As a car occupant - 1 in 415, Lightning - 1 in 126 158, Bitten by a dog - 1 in 122 216, Air/Space transport accidents - 1 in 7 229, Unintentional poisoning - 1 in 123, Intentional self-harm ( Suicide) - 1 in 106, Whilst taking a selfie - 1 in 1 = Definite...

No alternative... Guaranteed!

FACT - Your obsession with that ridiculous duckfacepout on your base-caked face will eventually lead to your demise! (There is a slight possibility that I made that last stat up, but that is irrelevant - it may just as well be true!)

Impulsive people, it’s suggested, wouldn’t bother waiting to edit their photos.

Frankly, I am unsure which is worse, these arrogant, vain individuals spending all their time and energy on getting just the right angle for their selfie or the time and energy spent on studying these idiots.

While browsing groups on facebook, I came across The Selfie Research Network. “This group is for academic researchers interested in discussing the artistic, economic, and sociological impact of “selfies” The group was begun by Theresa (Terri) Senft, who teaches at New York University (terri. senft@nyu.edu)” Really? No, seriously, REALLY??

How much research is necessary to establish the obvious: You are a self-obsessed idiot who misses out on the meaningful and actual beautiful things in life as they pass you by while you are engrossed in your smart-phone’s camera, shamelessly obsessing over your squint eyes, crooked nose, and massive (oh yes drearie, indeed that lobster flapping relentlessly on your forehead undoubtedly is a...) hideous pimple and no amount of hours fussing thereover will improve the way you look or change others’ perspective of you. Unless you get the perfect angle from the rooftop of that 20 storey building across the road, of course!

Miss Information

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the SIGHT of THINGS

EDITORIAL

WORDS BY KAMAL KWEKU

D e d i c a t i o n . . .

Sometimes you lose, sometimes you win.

The world looks for greatness but lies in sin.

A contradiction from the very top.

You want to live a life of happiness but you are still friends with that which keeps you away from self…

What does the line you walk down represent?

The time that’s gone? Or the time that’s well spent?

The time that is lost, you spent most of that bent.

And you won’t get shit back…

You need to listen up and grab a hold of yourself Because I don’t know anyone who knows themselves, Many are living from day one, to day two with a mentality that is twisted as such.

The

NONCE,

1998

The title of this feature, taken from a rap song of “The NONCE”, is an example of the juice of nourishment and the sun of hope which I have found in many Hip Hop songs over the years.

Hip Hop is a culture with many different elements, it all depends on ‘your sight of things’. In the same way, the life you live and the experiences you have, also depend on your sight of things. The American philosopher, Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), is one of the widely mentioned persons known to have made such a deep and yet obvious statement 10 | DESIGN MGZ 6

about life. He said that “the life we live is very much imagined in our heads”. Thoreau is recognized as a thinker, and a philosopher. Even though the NONCE cultivated the seed of this very idea in my mind, with songs such as the “sight of things”, only a few people are aware of the hidden philosophy in hip hop.

These days many hip hoppers enjoy the “swag” or should I say the feeling of cool that the music gives them, the head rush that it provides in a club, or the ability it has to make many a woman, twerk to a hip ‘booty’ song. Some people enjoy the sound, but don’t listen. And a few others, like myself, an adventurer of ideas, enjoy the philosophy, ideas and experiences portrayed in the music.

You see, Hip hop to me is the modern variation of oral history, or at least, it has that element to it. It is the embodiment and the acknowledgement of past personal moments as well as public events, with its many lessons passed down from one generation to another. One person to other. Each one, teach one the boom bap says.

Hip hop thus is Global, it binds us all. I remember meeting people from all over the world, such as Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Ghana, South Africa, Egypt to mention but a few, that I got on with immediately because we all identified as sound travellers, running through the corridors of underground hip hop, observing

on with immediately because we all identified as sound travellers, running through the corridors of underground hip hop, observing and learning something from each beat heard.

Where shall I start? Last night for instance, I watched the first ever hip hop musical theatre video in the world, shot in Ghana, West Africa called Coz ov Moni. This was after I had spent the evening listening to Swedish rapper, Chords talk about the matrix of slavery and oppression he sees around him. I couldn’t help but notice the similarities between the lived human experience in Sweden and Ghana, expressed in the music.

“Sometimes it’s like this city is a beast. Looking up from down below, when I’m walking on the streets and the people that I meet, never look me in the eye. They are too busy with the bills and they lack their nine to fives” - Chords “Seven to seven, I am wasting my whole life at work. People are greedier than Pigs and why do our African judges wear white wigs? And parcel land to army bases from America? When it is time to mourn, take out your white handkerchief and hanky panky with college girls because the parents are dressing fancy while their children are hungry” - Coz Ov Moni

Here is a longer snippet.

“Looks like we have reached the age to reflect on a lot of things. To see past your features and the colours of your skin. I have travelled the world and I have seen the struggles of the people, the women and their offspring. It’s got me asking questions; I must do something to contribute, to build, positive construction. I won’t sit here and act like some ‘goody two shoes’ or like I am about to save the world like some Scooby Doo dude. I have my own ways, we often forget our blessings for being here today. We forget that we have a mission and we behave like it’s just a game. Look at our leaders, look at our teachers. Look at all these so called friends who claim they came to relieve us. Many hundred years ago, they came in the name of Jesus.

The same people turned around and enslaved non-believers; along with the believers, the same things happen today headed by strong deceivers.”

– Coz ov Moni (Ghana) “I just crack a little smile, tip my hat and then I pass.

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you, but it doesn’t make a difference. The city got us cramped up and the city makes us distant. Just another misfit, robbed of his ambition. Falling off the radar, drifting off into the distance. Always on some mission, always searching for a purpose. Whatever he does, feel like he’s scratching on the surface….

Ain’t it strange, like my brother Daniel taught me; we’re all born originals, but end up like copies. And all of the monotony got me feeling kind of stream lined. Just another drone, buzz-buzzing in the bee hive. Working for a queen who is getting senile.

Treating everyone like shit and expecting a free ride. From all us little average joes, soldiers of the status quo Living in the shadow of a city full of bad” Chords (Sweden) Piecing together existential conversations like the above has fascinated me for a long time. The two perspectives of Chords and FOKN bois contrast and merge, proving to me that as different as the sight of things are, or may seem, it must never be forgotten, that ultimately, we are looking at the same thing. That is what binds us as human beings.

Anyway, that was a broad overview of last night alone, and a memory I sought to preserve.

Now to tell you a little bit about myself.

When it was suggested to me by the enterprising publishers at whose initiative this magazine is undertaken, that a feature spot was available for a writer of entertainment and more specifically, Hip Hop, I gladly embraced the proposal. When, however, I came to consider what my pleasures were, I found that I enjoyed very few things, even in my passion hip hop. On the whole I think that life would have been easier and more agreeable if most men and nearly all women remained at the silent film stage- and that, such as they were, my enjoyment of them was common and, because common, unremarkable.

When, moreover, I proceeded to ask myself what my pleasures were, I found that most of them fell in the same category. They were common and unremarkable, and when I say “unremarkable”, I do not mean that they were not worthy of remark, but merely that there was no remark to be made about 12 | DESIGN MGZ 6

them which had not been made several times before. Who wants to hear about the pleasures of strawberries and cream, of a new hip hop artiste on the block, of a cape Gatsby sandwich, of roast lamb, of visiting any of cape town’s beautiful beaches, of blowing on a nice home grown ‘dagga’ plant, of a fine spring morning, or of making love?

These pleasures which are known to most of ussome of them to all of us- need no description.

They ask us only to be enjoyed. But there are some pleasures which are of a more individual kind. These are pleasures which are proper only to certain types of men- we don’t all, for example, enjoy the pleasures of the torturer, the sea captain, the vampire, the musician performing on stage or the homosexual- while others are peculiar to individual men. It is these last that interest me.

When you are young, you are repeatedly disconcerted at finding the same pursuit that other people appear to enjoy, sitting up late talking, for example, being festive with members of the family, going for a sail or a ride in a car, gives you no pleasure at all. (Though we are so prone to be kidded by other people into believing that we enjoy something which gives us no enjoyment, that it normally takes us a long time to wake up to the fact.) Equally disconcerting, but far more agreeable, is the discovery that we are susceptible to enjoyments that others don’t sharethat we derive, for example, an intense pleasure from digging, or being on the edge of the last floor of a sky scraper, or sitting alone in a wood on a late summer afternoon when the sun’s rays slant and the still air shimmers in the haze, listening to hip hop recorded in 1983 by a group that perhaps only a few hundred people have ever heard of.

These then are the pleasures peculiar to the self.

There is a fairly recognizable type of man who never quite gets over his surprise at finding himself mildly at odds with his society. He wants to be respectable and esteemed but somehow- and it is typical of him that he doesn’t know how or why- society does not in fact esteem him. However hard he tries to stand well with eminent and respectable persons, his efforts meet with failure. All around him, he sees

efforts meet with failure. All around him, he sees men being elected, appointed, and promoted, given positions of trust, emolument and distinction….

But nobody ever promotes or appoints him. He cannot quite forgive society for these, to him, unaccountable slights, and does his best to get his own back by joining the rebels and pulling faces.

Or he snipes from a safe position behind a hedge.

But the rebellion is not very serious, the faces not very ugly, the sniping not prolonged. For on the whole he likes his fellow men, wants to be liked by them and enjoys himself pretty well, so that with the best will in the world he simply can’t keep hostilities going.

To this type I belong. If I venture to recognise Socrates, Montaigne, Samuel Butler and H.G Wells among my spiritual ancestors and all the hip hop rappers I will write about as my most eminent living contemporaries, I hope that I shan’t be thought to

liken myself to these great men in any other respect.

It is of such men and women, who snipe at society behind the hedge of hip hop within the security and ambiguity of philosophy that I write about.

Occasionally, I shall also document my travels around Cape Town and its fantastic graffiti art, another element of hip hop, I am passionate about.

Until next time, check out the following album; Mos Def and Talib Kweli are Blackstar.

Mentioned artistes Fokn Bois- Coz ov Moni (Album and musical) Chords- Looped State of Mind (Album) Mos Def & Talib Kweli – Blackstar (Album) The NONCE- The Sight of things (Album) Support the artistes, all the videos and songs mentioned are available on Youtube.

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IMAGES BY STU SHAPIRO

INTERVIEW

WORDS BY YOLANDE GYPSYCHILD

Stu Shapiro founder of

DS: Is it safe to assume that your background in photography played an integral role in the creation of BrandRocket?

SS: Yes definitely. That and my background in engineering and childhood interest in electronics and robotics.

DS: How did the concept come about? Was there some pivotal moment or epiphany worth sharing?

SS: It started as an amalgamation of noting the use of smart phones at events, the rise of social media in South Africa and my photography work with brand activations.

As more and more photographers started charging low rates for events with the cheaper SLR cameras entering the market, I built custom photo booths.

This in turn led to the realization that everyone at an event could be a photographer using their cell 14 | DESIGN MGZ 6

phones.

DS: How long did it take from conceptualization to launch?

SS: SS: I started working on the concept in Dec 2013, building the first Brandrocket prototype out of wood and second hand Gumtree parts. That followed another prototype out of perspex which I tested at small events.

I focused on developing a scalable model that was automated and decided not to rush entering the market until I had a fully functional and well tested machine.

BrandRocket started with minimal funding from my own pocket. I had to build and test new equipment as I raised money from jobs the prototype serviced.

The first kiosk based prototype went to market In July 2014. This single unit funded building a second unit and then eventually hiring industrial designers

Image below: Stu Shapiro BRANDROCKET

unit and then eventually hiring industrial designers and engineers to engineer the current 2015 model. This upgrade has facilitated the company to be scalable and automated.

We now have multiple machines based in Cape Town, Johannesburg and very recently successfully tested the market in Durban.

DS: What inspired the name – BrandRocket?

SS: I wrote down lists and lists of potential names, brain storming with friends over dinner and wine. It just

happened one day. BrandRocket, fueling your brand.

DS: Are you currently operating locally or nationally ‌ internationally?

SS: We are operating national and are in talks with numerous internationals partners.

DS: Do you have any alliances or partnerships at this stage?

SS: Our company model is what I see as a modern day company built around partnerships. We have a few partners which are key cogs in the Brandrocket DESIGN MGZ 6 | 15

wheel as we outsource a large part of our service pipeline.

DS: What was the best piece of advice you ever got? And the worst?

SS: “It’s not about being first to market or the cheapest, it’s about having the best product and service.” Daniel Avinir.

“Are you the Michelangelo of photography or the incredible connections of photography?” Neville Brauer.

Neville was trying to help the younger Stu Shapiro understand scalability and passive income.

A photographer is bound by his/her reputation, skill and time. Or alternatively, his/her business sense to hire photographers under him/her and scale the business.

The worst advice anyone ever said: “do it tomorrow.”

DS: Were there any unexpected or unforeseen obstacles? How did you overcome them?

SS: Yes very much so. Funding. I would love to have started with a bang, with money to build multiple 16 | DESIGN MGZ 6

machines and afford to make mistakes.

I tested a lot of different tech to find the best solution before going to market.

DS: Where would you like BrandRocket to take you? What is your long term goal?

SS: Brandrocket is a shelf company for further projects we will launch over the next few years.

We have an exciting secret project on the go also involving social media that we see for potential as a mass production product.

I hope to see the current BrandRocket hashtag printer expand from the current 10 to 50 units within the next year.

DS: Would you have done anything differently if you were to start over again?

SS: I would have launched sooner and taken the knocks as they came.

DS: The quality of the image would depend on the smartphone used, wouldn’t it? If that is the case, how can you guarantee a good quality print to the consumer?

SS: Good question. Our machines are fitted with high quality photo printers to ensure there is no quality loss from our side. However, yes it is limited by not only the quality of the phone but also the compression algorithm used by Instagram and Twitter.

Luckily the modern phones take photos better than some semiprofessional SLRs and Instagram has recently “upgraded” their image compression to circulate higher quality images.

DS: For a moment, please imagine that we are interrupted when a penguin walks into the room.

He is wearing a sombrero - What does he say and why is he here?

SS: He would be here to remind me of a book my late mother gave me, Jonathan Livingston Seagull

by Richard Bach whose memorable quote was: “Don’t believe what your eyes are telling you. All they show is limitation. “ And then the Mexican penguin would ask me to smash a tequila with him.

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CELEBRATING SOUTH AFRICAN WOMEN IN MUSIC WORDS BY CHRISTELLE SCHEEPERS

IN MOST CULTURES AROUND THE WORLD, MUSIC AND WOMEN PLAY AN INTEGRAL PART IN SOCIETY

BY MEANS OF THE CONTRIBUTION THAT THEY MAKE TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT AND OVERALL WELLBEING IN SAID COMMUNITY. IT IS, HOWEVER, THE COMBINATION OF THAT WOMEN AND MUSIC THAT INVARIABLY LEADS TO SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, BREATH TAKING OR BEWILDERING. NEEDLESS TO SAY, IN SOUTH AFRICA IT IS NO DIFFERENT. WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED WITH A PLETHORA OF PHENOMENALLY TALENTED WOMEN IN SA MUSIC. SINCE THIS IS WOMEN’S MONTH IN SA, HERE AT DS WE DECIDED TO SHINE A SPOTLIGHT ON A FEW OF THOSE REALLY BRIGHT STARS. WE WILL BRIEFLY PROFILE MUSICIANS, SINGERS AND DJS WHO HAVE MADE OUR FEET TAP, OUR BOTTOMS ITCH TO SHAKE THEM TO THE BEAT AND KINDLY PROVIDED US WITH AMPLE MATERIAL TO EXECUTE IN OUR DAILY BATH AND/OR SHOWER SESSION. THEM AND THEIR MUSIC HAVE BECOME AS ENGRAINED IN OUR SA IDENTITY AS BILTONG, PAP AND STERI STUMPIES. MAY YOU ENJOY THIS AS MUCH AS WE ENJOYED PUTTING IT TOGETHER.

MIRIAM MAKEBA When one hears the name Miriam Makeba, Mama Africa comes to mind. As one of SA’s musical icons, Mama Africa was born in 1932 in Jo’burg and she was well-known for her music as well as her political activism, for which receive a number of accolades and addressed the UN GC twice. Arguably her best known singles are “Pata Pata” which gave rise to her international career (which included performing for JFK) and “The Click Song.” Mama Africa died from a heart attack in 2008. She was a musical tour de force.

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LAURIKA RAUCH What has struck a chord with those who love Laurika, is the warm and soft tones of her voice that resonates in her melodic songs. A bastion, particularly in the Afrikaans music scene, Laurika is responsible for a number of heart warming hits that evokes feelings of nostalgia in her listeners. For those of us who can relate, a song like “Stuur Groete aan Mannetjies Roux” can take us urbanised city dwellers back to the small towns that we hail from and leave us longing to see our “Oom op sy plaas in Afrika.” Her impressive career has birthed 23 albums (including collaborations) in total.

DJ ZINHLE As a resident DJ for the dance show Jika Majika, DJ Zinhle has over the last few years risen to become a dominant feature in SAs male dominated DJ scene. Whilst she may have been introduced to DJing by accident, she has become living proof of how sometimes the best things are discovered when we least expect it. Apart from making people dance the world over, DJ Zinhle is also paying it forward with the establishment of her and Nomndeni Mdaki’s FUSE Academy for girls. Since its inception, over 100 women have graduated into the SA entertainment scene.

PJ POWERS Penelope Jane Dunlop aka PJ Powers (Thandeka) has been on the SA music scene since the 80s and has in the past three decades achieved many inspiring career milestones. The most notable of these include being chosen to sing the Rugby World Cup theme song, “World in Union”, for the 1995 World Cup. “World in Union” was also featured in the movie Invictus. She has performed for royalty and statesmen and her Hotline hit “Jabulani” is still a firm favourite amongst many.

BRENDA FASSIE Affectionately nicknamed MaBrrr by her legions of fans, the late Brenda Fassie was also dubbed “The Madonna of the Townships” by Time magazine in 2001. Perhaps one of the more controversial figures in SA music, Brenda was well-known for her outrageous stage antics. Her twenty year career was highlighted by tracks like “Vulindlela”, “Black President” and “Weekend Special.” Brenda was voted 17th in the Top 100 Great South Africans.

CLAIRE JOHNSTON (MANGO GROOVE) Many 80s kids grew up listening to the infectious sounds of Mango Groove, led by the incomparable songstress Claire Johnston. Claire was only 17 when she joined the band that went on to sell out stadiums and break records. She has also brought out successful solo albums “Fearless” and “Africa Blue.” She still continues to perform to date and a long with Mango Groove performed at Hammersmith Apollo in London earlier this year.

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ZOLANI MAHOLA (FRESHLYGROUND) Known and loved by many as the voice and face of Freshlyground, Zolani Mahola first crept into the hearts of SA with their break out hit “Doo be Doo.” Following the initial success of the single it soon led to many more songs rolling off the Freshlyground hit factory floor. Like a couple of other singers in SA, Zolani is a drama graduate and has even starred in a number of local television series.

We look forward to watching her career go from strength to strength.

CHIANOSKY The 22 year old from Nelspruit has been a popular choice for SAns since she first appeared on the scene with her album, Hungry, three years ago. The album garnered three major hits “Walking away”, “Sick Sick” and “Home Sweet Home” all of which were well-received and set ChianoSky well on her way to an exciting career. That being said, she recently released her latest album, “Inferno” which was inspired by the sex appeal of the 60s and 70s and is bound to blow up the charts as “Hungry” did. According to her FB page, “Inferno” will be launched at The Assembly in Cape Town on 14 August 2015.

LEBO MATHOSA As another trailblazer in SA music, Lebo Mathosa was one of only a few women who managed to succeed in the male dominated world of Kwaito. Along with rest of her band mates in Boom Shaka, Lebo exploded onto the SA music scene at age 15. After a couple of successful years with Boom Shaka, Lebo opted to go solo and released a string of hits including the infectious “I Love Music.” At the time of her death, aged 29 in a car accident, Lebo was working on launching her own record label.

KAREN ZOID Yet another drama school graduate, Karen Zoid is one of SA musics favourite daughters. Many of us have been rocking to her melodies since 2001, which saw the release of her album “Poles Apart.” She has received a number of awards including a SAMA for Best Female Artist in 2008.

Karen is back for a second season of her popular late night talk show, Republiek van Zoid Afrika, which airs on kykNET. “Drown out the noise” Karen’s first English album in seven years was released earlier this year.

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KANYI Kanyi is one of South Africa’s most respected rappers, known for her lyricism and rawness. She won Best Female Artist at the South African Hiphop Awards 2012 and released her debut album “ Iintombi zifikile ” (meaning “ the women have arrived ”) the same year. At the launch of the album, Lauryn Hill was in the audience. Moved by the music, the superstar came on stage for a guest appearance that would touch her, and the audience, to tears.

LOUISE CARVER Since signing her first record deal at age 15 and subsequently releasing her first single “Don’t worry about it” at 17, Louise Carver has been a regular feature on SA music charts. Having shown musical talent at an early, Louise started receiving vocal training at age 6, started playing the piano at 11 and is a classical trained pianist. Not just a beautiful face and musical powerhouse, she also holds and Honours degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics as well as having her own successful and gorgeous jewellery line called the Louise YO-LANDI VISSER The reigning Queen of all things Zef, Yo-landi Vi$$er, along with her band mates Ninja and Dj Hitek in the rap-rave group Die Antwoord, has certainly had a stranger than fiction career to date. From opting out of deal with Interscope to turning down an opportunity to open for Lady Gaga on the SA leg of her tour, the trio are by no means unfamiliar with controversy and in their efforts to remain true to their Zef-style have achieved legendary status in SA. Yo-Landi is a mom of 2 and credits her trademark haircut (which to this day is done

by Ninja) for giving the group it’s desired appeal and says it helped her embody the person and sound envisaged when starting Die Antwoord.

TAMARA DEY Another big hitter on the SA music, the First Lady of Song, Tamara Dey has been a prominent figure in SA music since 2001. Reading through her discography was tantamount to listening to the soundtrack of my life. Tamara’s success is not only as a solo artist, but also with the dance music group Flash Republic. She is also a notable fashion icon being the face or brand ambassador for numerous fashion houses or brands such as Emporio Armani. She is undoubtedly as much a part DESIGN MGZis 6 to | 21the Cape of the SA music landscape as Table Mountain Town landscape.

FEATURED ARTIST FEATURED PHOTOG

ANDY NEURO’S MAGNIFICENT DISPLAYS OF COLOUR RESULT IN A MULTIDIMENSIONAL SPACE WHERE A VARIETY OF THOUGHTS AND IDEAS COEXIST

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This image: CLONING ADAM’S FOSSIL

This image: ISABELLE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN

WORDS BY YOLANDE GYPSYCHILD

IMAGES ALL PAINTED BY ANDY NEURO

ANDY NEURO

N e u rot ick le r Having showcased his work at exhibitions stretching from the Sony Centre in Berlin in 2010, back home under the gaze of our majestic Table Mountain in Woodstock, Muizenberg, City Centre Cape Town, Observatory, Wynberg, Wellington and Worcester and soon to grace Toronto, Canada, this High School Art

teacher delivers work that is unpredictable and refreshing and is bound to inspire both dialogue and reflection. Days before the Artmode exhibition at The Palms in Woodstock, I ask Andy Neuro 13 simple questions in an effort to reveal the man behind the surreallist paintbrush.

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DS: Tell us about your background? Do you still teach?

AN: Yes, I am a high school art teacher, an event organizer, freelance artist and a dad.

DS: Which is your favourite piece of your own work?

AN: I have a lot of work. Each piece is its own adventure and documents a point in my life and my emotional and mental state and although some are more successful than others, I would be loath to single out any one of them from the rest.

DS: Where do you draw inspiration from?

AN: The quest to have a relationship with God, to comprehend what happens after death and the meaning of life. Knowing that these questions are not likely to yield concrete answers in written or spoken language, so exploring them through the psychedelic emotive abstracted experience that is art.

DS: How has your practice changed over time?

AN: With the introduction of the internet artists are able to globally expose themselves and subsequently able to comprehend how many brilliant artists there are on this planet. It also breaks down the nepotism of the traditional gallery system. Thanks to being able to reach wider audiences, artists are able to really chose their own style and subject matter and revel in this niche.

DS: What themes do you pursue?

AN: Hypnotic erotic neurotickles DS: Do you only paint?

AN: No, I also draw, silkscreen and collage.

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VIOLET VISION

DS: What do you dislike about your own work? Why? AN: It’s so damn bright, colourful and weird. (It is very difficult to see one’s own work as sophisticated as although the process is shrouded in ethereal juice it is always inescapably chained to the physical world due to the fact that you created it) DS: What do you like about your own work? Why? AN: It’s so damn bright, colourful and weird. I think my work has a more humorous approach, to the themes that I undertake, than most of the artists in my genre, I think that is cool.

DS: Is there/Are there particular statements, assumptions or questions that people tend to ask that just gets under your skin?

AN: That artists walk this planet to fulfill other people’s creative visions for the sheer joy of it. Bottom line is this, either pay me or let me do my own stuff, I have too many of my own visions to fulfill in this lifetime. This doesn’t include my homies of course, for them I will do it for the love.

DS: Name 3 artists that you would like to be compared to?

AN: I wouldn’t like to be compared with any of the following: Jeremy Geddes, Ron English or Chris Foss, they are just too good! There are plenty of others…

DS: How do you know when a piece is finished?

AN: I normally have a clear idea, when anything more would just begin to detract from it… I have crossed this line countlessly though.

DS: What is your most important tool? What can you simply not live without?

AN: My heart and those I care for, everything else is replaceable.

DS: If someone approaches you at an exhibition and asks – “is this the no-pants pasta festival”, how would you respond?

AN: “Stop looking at my noodle” DESIGN MGZ 6 | 25

FEATURED PHOTOGRAPHER FEATURED PHOTOG

IMAGES BY SHERENE HUSTLER

WORDS BY YOLANDE GYPSYCHILD

SHERENE HUSTLER photography DS: How long have you been a photographer?

SH: Since 2003, so it’s been 12 years.

Sherene Hustler assists Digital Soul as our staff photographer during her few free moments up in Gauteng. Intrigued by her mesmerizing portfolio, I decided that a Q&A with her only seemed like an obvious choice as our featured photog in August.

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DS: Please tell us about your decision to pursue photography?

SH: I come from the music industry, at the time I was the drummer for SAMA Award winning Indie Band, Sunways. We had just finished a tour of the UK and I arrived home and the rest of the band stayed over in the UK. I needed a change and I have always loved photography. I sold most of my music equipment and studio gear to fund my new career. At the time there was a niche in the market for maternity and birth photography, so that’s where I started. Since then many more doors have opened and I now shoot

all kinds of things, my main focus is portraiture.

I recently split my work into 2 different genres: Inner Eye Photography – my bread and butter shoots, families, kids etc. Sherene Hustler Photography – my portraits and corporate work.

DS: How would you describe your style?

SH: My objective is to capture the essence of my subject, whether is animate or inanimate. To convey a movement of some kind of emotion, a feeling. My style, I think is dark and edgy mostly.

I like low dingy lighting, but it also depends on the nature of the shoot.

DS: What type of cameras do you shoot with?

SH: I am a Canon girl; currently I shoot with a Canon 6d

Previous page: SHERENE ON SET Images below:

“DROPS OF MELANCHOLY” SWAKOPMUND

DS: What is your favourite photography accessory, other than your camera?

SH: My iPhone, I love shooting with my phone, as it’s always with me, quick and easy.

DS: If you had to choose one lens which one would it be and why?

SH: I adore the 10mm wide angle. It’s awesome for shooting buildings and landscapes. I only have a couple of lenses. I rent specific lenses depending on what I am shooting.

DS: How important is Photoshop in your final images?

SH: Pretty important, I use PS for all my postproduction, cropping, colour correction and adding filters etc. I also use Lightroom and various apps on my iPhone when I use it to shoot.

DS: Of everything you take images of what is it that you love the most and why?

SH: That’s a tough question to answer really, DESIGN MGZ 6 | 27

my thing is shooting people really which I adore as each and every person brings a different energy and feeling to the shoot, whether it’s a newborn or a rock star. However, what fills me is landscapes and nature purely because I don’t have to talk to them and they don’t talk back, ask permission etc.

DS: How does black and white vs color play into your work? Do you find them to be totally separate beasts— or complementary?

SH: I love both mediums, they both have their place and honestly some images don’t lend themselves to being black and white and vice versa. It depends on the brief and the look and feel that we need to achieve.

DS: When you are out shooting—how much of it is instinctual versus planned?

SH: If I get a brief then I try to stick to that as best as I can, my work is mostly instinctual though. In the moment works best for me though.

DS: What are some tips/advice you would give to yourself if you started photography all over again?

SH: Be patient, invest in decent equipment, don’t always stick to the rules, play, and experiment and do what works for you! Always learn from your mistakes and NEVER EVER forget to back up your work onto a separate hard drive.

DS: What is the difference between beauty and vulgarity?

SH: The feeling or message it conveys; there is beauty in everything really, but I think it’s a personal thing.

DS: What makes the good picture stand out from the average?

SH: For me, a good picture will draw you in and take your breath away. The composition, the colors and the feeling it conveys, or how it makes me feel, something that moves me.

DS: How important is it for a photographer to “connect” with his subjects to bring out their true self?

SH: It is very important to connect with your subject in order to make them feel comfortable in front of the lens.

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WRITTE HERE A PARTICULAR TITLE FOR THIS SECTION

someone out of himself or herself in order to reveal them on camera. Kids are so easy like that; it’s the big people that have the hang-ups and all the layers that you have to peel back. It’s a beautiful thing when a client turns round and says, wow, you really captured my essence or I have never “seen” myself like that before.

DS: What is the most challenging part about being a photographer?

SH: Challenging things for me are difficult and demanding clients who sometimes expect miracles. Technology, when it goes wrong or does not work properly.

DS: How many sessions do you do per month? Do you feel you want more work or are you busier than you can handle SH: It varies from month to month, sometimes I am so busy I don’t know what to do with myself and then I can be so quiet. I always try to open new doors and use the quiet time constructively, learn new things or update my various portfolios.

DS: How do you get yourself inspired for a photo shoot?

SH: I do some research on the client, especially if I don’t know them, or meet up with them to get an understanding their needs for the outcome of the shoot. It’s always important to be on the same page. Look for various locations depending on the nature of the shoot

Images Opposite page (top - bottom) BRENT HARRIS CHOBE WEDDING BABY JAKE This page (top - bottom) CORTINA BACKLASH JUST JINGER DESIGN MGZ 6 | 29

WORDS BY MARVIN CHARLES

COVER FEATURE

IMAGES COURTESY OF PLEDGE MUSIC

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OF

Listening to Livingston’s latest single, Chemicals (currently charting #3 on the TUKS FM charts) it’s small wonder as to the band’s success. The track quite literally leaves one breathless. Thanks for the earworm, dudes!

It is, therefore, with great excitement that we welcome the gentlemen to our gorgeous shores, for their greatly anticipated tour, and Chris and Beukes back home. Their tour kicks off at Oppikoppi (7-9 August) and proceeds as follows: 14th August - Arcarde Empire, Pretoria 15th August - Rumours Lounge Johannesburg 22nd August - The Music Kitchen, Port Elizabeth 27th August - Aces & Spades, Cape Town Not only does this tour symbolize a home-coming of sorts for (half) the band, but also celebrates the release of their latest album, “Animal”, which the four lads wrote, recorded and mixed, completely by themselves during their stay at what they referred to as “The house up the hill”. A rather unorthodox location for a band who had formerly recorded at the sanctified lands of Abbey Road and Sonic Ranch, a small house 100km south of Berlin.

Formed in London, known for its swirls of cultures and home to several huge bands such as Coldplay, Bastille and the legendary Fleetwood Mac (to name but a few) Livingston has been rocking us since 2002.

The band originated with singer Beukes Willemse and Guitarist and keyboardist Chris Van Niekerk, who both hale from South Africa where they met in a little bar in Sunnyside, Pretoria. “We played in a band together for a while then decided to go to London to proverbially chase the dream” Chris tells us. As the founding members, Beukes and Chris and wanted to find what they call “like-minded people.” The search paid off when they found guitarist and Percussionist Jakob Nebel, who is from Germany, and when they found bass guitarist Phil Magee, from the UK, that the recipe for success was complete.

Chris says they are all extremely excited. “Beukes and I have been dreaming and fantasizing about touring South Africa for years. Then finally the opportunity came. For a while I think that the guys thought that Oppikoppi was just a fabrication of our imagination” he says.

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The pinnacle of the band’s success came after they had found their feet with their 2008 Debut, Sign Language and in 2012 Fire to Fire. Subsequently, they have achieved numerous successes over the past eight years. Their most notable achievement to date being Top 20 in the German Sales charts and Number 1 Amazon & iTunes Rock Charts. Their single “Broken” went to Top 20 and their second single “Go” was the official song for ZDF Germany’s national broadcaster during the 2010 Winter Olympics.

The band has also collaborated with Jazz music legend Hugh Masekela and Till Brunner for a song 32 | DESIGN MGZ 6

for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Livingston was previously signed to Manta Ray music from 2006-2009 between those years Livingston released several singles, including a live EP called “Door way.” After years of touring, which incorporated several prestigious support tours in Germany, the band gained attention and was signed to Universal Music Germany. In 2009 they teamed up with several different producers, among them Al Clay and Roland Spremberg, who worked on the production team of A-ha’s album “Minor Earth, Major Sky”.

Being active for over thirteen years, they acknowledge the following: “Probably the biggest challenge as a band right now is the change in public perception of the value of music in the downloading and streaming generation. Bands are having to evolve with it and adapt how they produce their music, how they earn and how they reach the people out there. Interesting times.” Chris tells us.

The band guarantees phenomenal performance for South Africans “They can expect that we are going to get sun burnt, while making an attempt to break the “braaing” world record. We might also drink all your great South African wine so better lock your cellars. On a musical front you can expect that we’ll play our hearts out every night” he says

Livingston will be recording their fourth album and spending some time on a farm in Newcastle to write and record. “Apart from that we just recorded a live DVD in Hamburg Germany, so that is definitely something to look forward to when it comes out,” Chris says.

All that way can is: “We are looking forward to being properly by these guys!”

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IMAGES BY SHERENE HUSTLER

INTERVIEW

WORDS BY NATALIE MENTOR

When you hear a name like Gangsterdam you would expect an R&B, hip-hop or dark and possibly even seedy group. Admittedly, I was pleasantly surprised by the upbeat and “easy to sing along to” tunes flowing from their soundcloud page through my speakers. This Indie band from Greenside in Johannesburg demonstrates a certain spontaneity in their music which relays the message that they shouldn’t be taken too seriously. Mike Eagan on lead vox and rhythmic guitar, Rory Shein, the lead guitarist and backing vocals, Daniel Amber on bass and Marc Wilson on drums, this is Gangsterdam.

DS: A band name like “Gangsterdam” surely has a story behind it. Do you mind sharing that story with our readers?

GD: Our friend was playing Xbox against a 10 year old named gangsterAdam, but he misread it as Gangsterdam. That’s how the seed was planted.

We just decided to use it as a band name since it is ambiguous, which we like.

DS: How long have you guys been jamming together and how did Gangsterdam come to be?

GD: The Bassist, Daniel and I have been friends since we were thirteen. We played in various high school bands and decided to start our own band, added Rory and Marc and we have been together ever since.

DS: Do you guys have day-jobs or are you solely dependent on the band’s success?

GD: We are a group of professionals including a computer programmer, chartered accountant, doctor, and masters’ student. Besides our day jobs, we love making personal videos. We record ourselves and make stories. We love to party with the rest and having a good time.

DS: Who have been your greatest musical influences?

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GD: Offspring was my favorite band and the main reason I started. I listen to a variety of metal music.

At the moment I’m listening to Eminem, One Direction, Weezer and Tokyo Police Club. I took my younger sister to One Direction when they were visiting South Africa and admired their form of execution aswell as the energy they have on stage. Those are just some of the bands we like to listen to. All of us like The Beetles.

They are legendary.

DS: What did you want to be when you grow up?

GD: We all wanted a career plus be part of a band.We understood that we needed a base to work from.

DS: What is an average band practice like?

GD: We normally practice at night. We try to fit in two practice sessions per week. The first hour and half we use to set up and mess around a bit, then practice for an hour. We use headphones and after sessions we listen back to recording. Do some editing and see where we can improve and tweak it a bit. We normally practice at the drummer’s house in Emmerentia as he has his drums set up already.

DS: What inspires you?

GD: Human relationships how people interact with one other. We love watching various series and also use some characters for inspiration. Like to see how we connect to some of the characters. We build stories based on what we see and how we interact

with other people. Also what we watch on screen. Some of the series include: “It’s always sunny in Philadelphia”, “Workaholics”. “Nathan for you”, mostly good comedies.

DS: What would you like to contribute to the SA music scene GD: We want to create a sense of brotherhood. We strive to make everyone succeed together. Although the music industry is very competitive, we would like to create a sense of supporting one another to do the things we love to do instead of breaking each other down. We would also like to create a strong sense of community and be positive influences, promoting and encouraging everyone to better themselves.

DS: Is there a formula or procedure that you stick to when writing music? Is one person responsible for the writing and composition of new material or do all the band members get involved?

DS: I (Mike) am the main lyricist. I create the basis of the story for the song. We then work from there and every member contributes in the end. Brainstorming new songs is a different process each time. Depending Bustruptatem ut porecta spienem on what we are writing about.Most ofvolecus. the time it’s a collaboration. I dobasic structure, roughly 30% and the occaectiae sumquos sincims rest of the members give their take fromvoluptata their perspective peliaerio intst alibusdaes sundeles. Ebiti and according instrument theyvoluptatetur play. officto tethe molenitaque solore aborioneEd essundicae ne prerchi asped elessitatur?

Id etur, cum repratur, aut lit DS: Where do you guys let your hair down? aut aut rerati ius et atis ra dolorior sin nQue GD: Our main hang-out at the moment is Hell’s kitchen DESIGN MGZ 6 | 35

in Melville. We have very busy lives so we fit it in when we can.

DS: Plans for the future?

GD: We are planning on doing another tour in December.

Long term we are recording a new album. We are also releasing a new video soon. Before the end of the year.

We have 3 new songs which will also be released as soon as it’s all wrapped up.

DS: Advice to bands just starting out?

GD: Practice makes perfect. Just keep on keeping on.After enough time enough time you will see everything coming together. You will start becoming more comfortable being together and performing together and create a beautiful connection. Don’t give up.

DS: When are you guys coming to Cape Town?

GD: We’ve had a lot of invites and we are trying to coordinate everyone’s schedule to see when we are all together at the same time and in the same place.

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DS: Which social media platforms do you make use of?

GD: We use mostlyPARTICAULAR Facebook, but we do Twitter and TITLE GO HERE Instagram aswell. We tryMAY to post as much as possible and share the posting work amongst ourselves.

Obviously the more we perform the more we post.

DS: Last year you guys shared a stage with international acts like Cat Power and Kiikii at Oppikoppi where you closed the Bruilof stage. Tell us about the experience?

GD: Oppi was amazing. One of our best experiences.

We got to meet Willy Mason which was a dream and playing with such a big sound system was pretty Bustruptatem porecta spienem to awesome as we are normallyutmore accustomed volecus. club stages. occaectiae sumquos sincims voluptata peliaerio alibusdaes sundeles. Ebiti DS: Where are youintst performing next? offic te molenitaque solore voluptatetur GD: Kitcheners, Braamfontein, 13 ne August. aborioneEd essundicae prerchi asped elessitatur? Id etur, cum repratur, aut lit aut aut rerati ius et atis ra dolorior

DESIGN MGZ 6 | 37

INTERVIEW

IMAGES BY MIKE OLCKERS

WORDS BY YOLANDE GYPSYCHILD

SHELDON PAYNE &The Blue Veins IF I SAY “THE BLUES” AND YOUR FRAME OF REFERENCE IS LIMITED TO RAY CHARLES AND BB KING OR YOU ARE OF THE UNDERSTANDING THAT THE GENRE IS PREDOMINANTLY RESERVED FOR GERIATRICS, I URGE YOU TO EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS – ALL THE WAY TO RANDFONTEIN, REGARDLESS OF HOW MUCH EXPANDING THAT MAY REQUIRE ON YOUR PART. THIS IS WHERE YOU WILL FIND A BLUES QUATTRO WITH A FULL, EDGY SOUND WHOSE INFLUENCES, CLAPTON, HENDRIX AND MCDOWELL ARE SUBTLY NOTABLE. IN THEIR OWN WORDS “…12-BAR TO ALL THE FUZZ FILLED FOOT STOMPING BLUES BOXING RHYTHMS THAT PAY HOMAGE TO YESTERDAY, TAKES TODAY AND SHOWS IT TOMORROW…” SHELDON PAYNE, CHRIS KENNEDY, SIAS OLCKERS AND MATT KENNEDY ARE SHELDON PAYNE AND THE BLUE VEINS

DS: Where are you all from?

SPBV: We come from a small town called Randfontein, on the outskirts of the West Rand, Joburg.

Sheldon on lead vox, that makes sense, but “The Blue Veins”? Is this a reference to the blues running through your veins?

SPBV: Haha, yeah the Sheldon is half the band name. The other half actually references one of DS: “Lady” just made it to the TUKS fm SA Top our favourite bands, the Racountours, with a song 10 chart, surpassing Prime Circle and aKing. of the same name… and it rhymes. No innuendos Please share your thoughts? #winkyface SPBV: It was a total surprise to us, and an honor to be recognized among bands of that caliber. We DS: What do you think are attributes to a didn’t even think we would reach charts, let alone successful band dynamic? What are the things it number 1 on the local chart, and feature on the that could make or break a band? international chart. We’re also super proud of our SPBV: Well working and playing together brother bands, Blazin Gooch and Scarlotte Will, plays a big part in our dynamic, and inter-band who also rock the charts, and you have to keep an communication, but we’re still figuring it out. eye out for Carri Wolfe, who are up next from our We’ve all been in a few bands before this, but not corner of the world. making the band about the music is probably the fundamental cause. And Yoko Oh-no’s DS: The name, please do tell? Obviously with 38 | DESIGN MGZ 6

DS: Some categorize you as “indie”, what would you say the difference is?

SPBV: Sigh… Next question please DS: Tell me about your first gig together?

SPBV: Our first gig was kicking off a tour, at a sweet venue called The Bohemian, Midtown Jozi. We had one rehearsal behind us, and the show was fueled by whiskey (So we don’t really know) DS: You were part of the “Once in a Blue Moon” tour in 2014, tell us about that? Do you guys cope well on the road together?

SPBV: We could speak about TOER for ages [laughing]. Well it had all the ingredients for a great tour. Great bands, like Blazing Gooch, Scarlotte Will, Carri Wolfe and The Barking Trees and of course, a license to drink.

It started in KZN, had a memorable stopover/ breakdown in Kokstad, and went all the way down to the Eastern Cape. Great gigs night after night, getting off the hook with a smoke filled van, pretending to be a gospel band. Luckily we found ourselves on toer with a bunch of like-minded rebel rousers, so all debauchery was mutual.

DS: Let’s talk releases, albums, EPs, downloads… Where does one buy Sheldon Payne and The Blue Veins?

SPBV: Currently we are about getting into the earballs of as many people as we can. However, the music is freely available on all major forms of social media. Twitfacetagramcloud, if you know what I’m sayin’…

DS: What’s your take on garden gnomes?

SPBV: We don’t always take Garden Gnomes…

But sometimes! You’re a few drinks in, standing in a stranger’s garden, staring at Noddy’s face at 3am on a Wednesday morning, and you say to yourself, “This is a fking nice gnome”, you know?

But we’re more the ‘swim in a fountain’ kinda folk DS: What is next? What can we look forward to from Sheldon Payne and the Blue Veins and where do we look for it?

SPBV: We are about to reveal a bit our softer side, and we’re hoping to hook up some gigs with some A-listers, so Cape Town is obviously in our crosshairs. Keep an ear out on all social wiggiwams.

DESIGN MGZ 6 | 39

ARTMODE IMAGE BY ARTMODE

WORDS BY CHRISTELLE SCHEEPERS

The setting for the 3rd ArtMode, 24 July 2015 was initially shrouded in icy darkness with the wind speed blasting at “Full speed ahead, Mr. Sulu” outside. However, upon stepping inside the Palms in Woodstock the mood was warm and inviting. Owing to a couple dozen candles placed around the warehouse to evade Eskom’s attempt to dampen the spirits, the ambient light seemed to embrace the art works on display and bring them to life in an infatuating manner.

Admittedly, whilst it was easier to get around, I was a bit saddened when our turn at load shedding came to an end. One thing that we were all thrilled about was having the music on at last.

As for the Art, ArtMode sets out to be a platform where new and established artists can showcase their art to the backdrop of toe-tapping live music and this was most certainly achieved by the organisers. There were a number of different disciplines on display at this particular event ranging from sculptures and paints to photography and mosaics, it therefore managed to satisfy a range in tastes all the while serving as the perfect cross discipline to educate and introduce art lovers to new ideas as well as new artists. Of the favourites was the collectively housed display of Knobs and Tassels.

The creator of Knobs and Tassels (K&T) radiated a contagious positive energy as he spoke of his idea and vision for K&T. Blake Combrink is on a mission to flame the African art flames, his goal being to make art accessible for all (as opposed to charging exorbitant fees for their art like other galleries do) whilst providing a safe space for artists to hone their IMAGE TITLE their wares for us to relish. talents as well as showcase GOES HAERE The star in the stable, or most certainly the attention grabber of the group, was Andy Neuro. Neuro’s works are a collection of colourful thought provoking pieces that could very easily leave one spellbound. Neuro’s works are a collection of colourful thought

provoking pieces that could very easily leave one spellbound.

Even though they are created from commercial and repossessed timber, Simon Max Bannister’s wildlife sculptures are scarily realistic. Bannister manages to bring his creations to life by means of the use of shading and different textures and lengths of timber and it is doubtful that anyone else could capture the spirit of beasts like the rooikat or lioness the way he does. Perhaps what made them that much more lifelike was more natural-looking candlelight that gave one the eerie feeling that they are about to come to life at a moment’s notice. Small wonder that Bannister was Londolozi’s artist in resident. He was also awarded the Wildlife Artist of the year by the David Shepherd foundation.

Next on the list of eye catchers was Sylvia de Villiers.

It was amazing and enthralling to see how the use of (in some cases) simple colourful and bold strokes culminated in such vivid imagery. Some of her works were a tad on the peculiar side, but it left one pondering on the subject matter for a while after moving on to the next stand. Her creations by my definition - engaging.

Her wildlife pieces were gorgeous and left one with a nostalgic sense of wanting. Wanting to be in the bush, wanting to see the magnificent creatures that she captured on canvas and of course, wanting one of her pieces for oneself.

WRITTE HERE A PARTICULAR

40 | DESIGN MGZ 6

Another thoroughly enjoyed piece was that of Stephen Rae’s Parachute Flares. A candlelit display, sure is a thing of beauty. Rae shares that the little parachutes, with their brightly coloured jars attached to the bottom, symbolises the firing of a flare as a distress signal, in the vain hope that someone will come to your aid, but then realising with time that the help or salvation

was inside you all along. Beautiful.

Along with the adorable little chutes Rae also had his 40 Days of Victory Skies on display. Victory Skies comprises a collection of 40 varying size canvases that trace the sky over a period of 40 consecutive days, excluding Sundays.

Apart from Art and Music, ArtMode also had a couple of food stalls available to attendees and not one of them disappointed. Of the samplings devoured included a hot dog with onion and red cabbage on it. “Weird”, was my in initial thought, but it worked like a “Tannie Hilda soet-suur combination” and as for the monster choc chip cookie that I KO’d after that? Let’s just say my tummy was all smiles.

This article may encompass only a few highlights of a delightful few hours spent at ArtMode (otherwise this would unquestionably turn into a varsity worthy essay), but may it be the beginning of a beautiful relationship of DS, food, whiskey, art, people, music and above learning something new at all future events. Hope to see you at the next one…

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FEATURE

WORDS BY YOLANDE GYPSYCHILD

IMAGES COURTESY OF KWAAI

In December 2012 eight of Sweden’s most talented urban artists came to SA to record with some of our best MCs in JHB and Cape Town. They returned to Sweden with 25 tracks laid down and a documentary. In 2013 the members were reunited for a tour of Sweden where they performed as one of the closing acts at the Way out West Festival in Gothenburg, leaving 27 000 plus people delirious with corybantic enthusiasm. This hip-hop exchange between SA and Sweden, now an international phenomenon, is finally bringing it home! Africa, get ready for KWAAI.

TOUR SCHEDULE: 25 - 28 August Barefeet Festival Lusaka, Zambia 30 August - 5 September Harare, Zimbabwe 7 - 10 September Johannesburg, South Africa 11 - 19 September Cape Town, South Africa 42 | DESIGN MGZ 6

Top row: Adam Tensta (Sweden) Kanyi (SA) Kosh (SA)

Upon receiving word that KWAAI is finally bringing it home, I jumped at the opportunity to introduce them to those of you who are not yet familiar with the SA – Sweden Hip-Hop exchange come success.

Their first album, “Worldwide” won the Swedish Manifest­ Award (independent Grammy) for

Bottom row: Driemanskap (SA) Ranto Bokgo (Zimbabwe)

“Rhythm of the year” in 2014 and has over 1 000 000 streams on Spotify! And their debut video, shot right here in Cape Town, has over 175 000 plays on youtube.

This exceptional live act consists of 15 artists and they deliver energetic, uplifting hip-hop, dancehall, electronic beats, gospel as well

DESIGN MGZ 6 | 43

as African music, crisscrossing between Swedish, isiXhosa and English.

This African tour’s purpose includes but is not limited to showcasing their own music and also hosting workshops for the youth in rap, DJ-ing, music production and dance. The dates and locations of these workshops were not yet available at the time of this issue’s publishing, however, you may keep an eye on our social media pages for updates regarding those.

Some of the artists expected on this tour are our very own Driemanskap, the pioneers of the Ranto Bokgo has an unmistakable voice and his Spaza movement, representing Cape Town music sounds like a mix of reggae, hiphop and with a rhyme style that combines their mother soul. tongue, isiXhosa, with English and Cape Flats Femtastic is a network of female artists, DJs and promoters with a common goal: creating slang.

Kanyi, one of South Africa’s most respected structural change in a male dominant industry.

Since 2010 they’ve been rappers, known for part of revolutionizing her lyricism and I learned that the more I let others participate Sweden’s Hip Hop rawness. She won scene by promoting Best Female Artist in my music, the better it becomes. Instead of women in hiphop. at the South African holding so tightly to the reins and think that if it In 2013, Femtastic Hiphop Awards in does not turn out as expected, it won’t be good . started the “FATTA” 2012. campaign against rape.

Adam Tensta became Mofeta -Initiator and Project Manager The song and video for one of Sweden’s most the campaign is based celebrated rappers and created a fresh sound by fusing Hip Hop on 100 letters written by victims of rape and with house. Since then, Adam has travelled sexual assault. The campaign promoted new laws the world performing and experimenting with for sexual consent and has been debated as far up as the Swedish Parliament. Femtastic will be new electronic sounds.

Auriela Dey a Swedish singer, DJ and Dancehall represented by DJs Ney Ney and Eka Scratch.

Queen. She has roots in Ghana and studied Other names include Dirty Jens, Khosh, Mofeta & Tabs. dance in Los Angeles.

“

“

44 | DESIGN MGZ 6

Images Opposite page(left to right): Aurelia Dey (Sweden) Dirty Jens (Sweden) DJ Ney Ney - (Sweden) Eka Scratch - (Sweden) Opposite page: Mofeta (Sweden) This page: Mic Substance (Sweden) Tha Cutt (Sweden) Eli Maysarah (SA) Below: KWAAI crew

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THE IRISH MUSO REVIEWS

08:00 I’m up. Looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day. The sun is shining, but it’s cold out there. Cold. A beautiful winter’s day in the Cape!

But alas, it is time to do some work, so, it’s off to work I go, into my garage office, lights on, oh it’s cold in here, computer on and kettle on.

I’ve got my hot coffee cupped in my hands, my first cigarette of the day teetering on the edge of the ashtray. OK, let’s rock and roll Colin. Check those emails.

You have 145 unread messages! Let me see now, click,click, spam spam spam spam, delete, click, click, spam, delete, click, friend requests..mmm.. never heard of you, or you, or you, delete, click, click, clickety-click. Pop ups, click, click and delete.

Oh!..what is this?

Digital Soul Magazine?

Yes! They’ve answered my email. Click,click, clicketyclick.

Yes! The editor is going to give me a chance to write a feature piece for their next issue. My first published article! Oh I wonder what it could be about? Perhaps an interview with somebody really famous? (It’s not published yet Colin!............the editor) Scroll down, let me see..deadline..wow, that’s close.. fee..mmm..oh, here we are..”and I would like you to do a piece on the following, here’s the website:paigemac.com see what you can come up with.

Good luck!” That’s it?

Who? Who is paigemac? Never heard of you. For that matter, what is paigemac? Never heard of it. Let me check out this website. Clickety-click, clickety-click.

Ah ha! Ah ha!

PAIGE MAC! 46 |MAC DESIGN 6 PAIGE isMGZ a band!

PAIGE MAC is a person too!

Ah ha!

Paige Mac is a gifted singer-songwriter, originating from the farmlands of Kwa-Zulu-Natal and she fronts, what is now, a three-piece band of the same name.

At the tender age of nine she started plucking on the acoustic guitar, as opposed to plucking chickens and over the next 10 years she grew up a little, experiencing a few of life’s hard knocks along the way. But Paige kept on keeping on. The guitar and her voice becoming very good friends.

Strumming and strumming, humming and humming and wait a minute, there’s a song in here somewhere!

With a pluck pluck here and a word or two there. Until it became a song, but the flow didn’t stop there. One song begat another, singing about the sufferings, the pains, the loves, the hurts, the what could have been, all flowing out of her pretty little head onto a welcoming blank page. With all of this going on what could a humble farm-girl do? Paige decided to pack her bags, turn over a new leaf in her songbook and head for pastures new.

In 2011 she arrived in Cape Town, virtually penniless (just like me) but with a goldmine of songs and teamed up with her cousin, Garry van Vuuren, to form what is now Paige Mac - The Band.

Clicking on, I see that Paige Mac have been busy gigging, playing events big and small, from the Brass Bell to the Grahamstown Festival and also slotting in a couple of TV appearances along the way on “Top Billing“ and “Expresso”, (Who gets up that early in the morning? Farmers do. I should know. Ever tried milking a cow by hand at 04:30?)

Clickety-click. Garry plays bass guitar, djembe and cowbell. (I’m intrigued by that cowbell!)

The original two piece has expanded to incorporate the services of drummer Giorgio Laporta and newcomer, David van Niekerk on guitar. Quite an eclectic ensemble.

(Sorry, I had to squeeze that word in somewhere.

All music writers love using it. A word that is hard enough to pronounce sober and certainly never heard in normal conversation at your average bar!

Oh I wonder what it means?)

searing, soaring, sizzling guitars, booming bass grooves, thundering drums that have passion in the cymbals or vocals that go from a whisper to a soulful growl and all the way up through the ranges and falsettos to join a celestial choir of angels!

(Ok, how many words is that?) Here’s one word to describe that type of writing.......rubbish!

I wasn’t prepared for what happened. Is there such a thing as love at first sight? Is there such a thing as love at first listen? Yes there is. I firmly believe in both. Funnily enough, I listened to all of these OK, clicking on again, methinks it’s time to have a tracks by Paige Mac, in what I didn’t realise at the listen.......quite a few tracks here to check out and time, was a more or less chronological order. What some “Youtube” video too. Good. I haven’t seen a great way to see the birth and growth of a band Paige Mac live yet, so this is bound to help me. and a songwriter. Like a fish in Kalk Bay, I was Time to see what all the fuss is about. The proof Hoeked! (ouch!) of the pudding is in the eating as the saying goes!

Clickety-click.

So the rest of my beautiful day was further enhanced Click. and I basically just gave up writing altogether and listened to Paige Mac over and over for hours.

08:00 (Next day) (Honestly, I am not joking here!)

What happened to the last 24 hours? I will tell you. How can I describe my reactions? Shocked I guess.

Yesterday was a beautiful day and it just got better I wasn’t expecting this. Local is lekker so the locals and better. I thought I could sit down, listen to a say, but I have to admit I am always very sceptical couple of tracks and scribble off a thousand words and critical. (I am an Irishman after all! A foreigner!) of music writer jargon and job done. (Writers get paid per word!) You know the kind of stuff I mean. The sound? Subtle, soft ,sweet, serene.....soothing I could write a whole pile of nothingness about and seriously seductive, sucking meMGZ in 6song DESIGN | 47 by

How can I describe my reactions? Shocked I guess.

I wasn’t expecting this. Local is lekker so the locals say, but I have to admit I am always very sceptical and critical. (I am an Irishman after all! A foreigner!)

The sound? Subtle, soft ,sweet, serene.....soothing and seriously seductive, sucking me in song by song.

Let’s put it this way. If I was driving on the highway with the Paige Mac band blaring full blast, (and no, they don’t blare) I would certainly be in the left lane, nestled behind a couple of trucks, no rush to get to the destination, cruisin’, in fact I might even pull over altogether and light one up! (must be that one reggae song that got to me!)

In fact I would go so far as to say that, if Paige Mac and the boys were given airtime on every radio station, at least 5 plays an hour, every hour, especially during rush hour, this city, this country and this world would be a better place. Drivers would be courteous, careful, waving hello with smiles on their faces instead of throwing the finger and I tell you, four way stops would be a gentle breeze.

But don’t be fooled folks! This isn’t just acoustic folk(s!) One of their songs, “Corner Post” is chugging along quite nicely, with just a hint of rock edge and I for one, was expecting big drums and bass to come crashing in but they didn’t! Yes I was fooled! You got me there!

I guess if was the producer I would end up doing the obvious, a bit of tweaking here and there, lay on the effects, got unlimited empty studio tracks to fill up with overdubs and by the end of the exercise, Paige Mac would have an orchestra behind (not a bad idea actually for the future!), brass sections, backing vocalists and a four on the floor remix. The result?

They would sound like everybody else. Boom boom boom boom.

The drums and guitar do make their presence felt on one of my already favourites “Train.” But you see, they don’t come crashing in. That subtlety still prevails. They jump lightly aboard the soulful train.

Clickety-clack clickety-clack. As for Paige’s vocals throughout? Yes, yes, soft and soothing and yes, there is occasional soulful growling, and it’s obvious there is more where that came from. As for the high registers, this passionate princess can make those angels fear for their jobs, but above all, Paige is melodic.48She holds a 6tune. On one of my favourites, | DESIGN MGZ (did I just say that before? Look, all these songs are

my favourites!) -“Just Like You” - she holds the word you-ou-ou-ou-ou clear and precise, no frills or trills, no hip hop coloratura here. Beautiful in a nut shell.

And then there is “Atrophy.” This is THE song. It’s all about.....well I won’t tell you the story, listen for yourself.

Who do Paige Mac sound like? They sound like Paige Mac, who else? I am absolutely not going to mention other names or influences or pigeon-hole them into any one category. That happened to my band many moons ago, when we were heralded as the next U2! We sounded nothing like them at all but, hey, we came from Ireland and that was enough for most people. I will let you decide what you think on your own.

(As you probably have gathered, we didn’t become the next big anything!)

I could go on and on and on layering superlative upon superlative, adjective upon adjective but as all of my friends say “Colin you talk too much.”

So, in conclusion, as all long winded politicians say, let me describe Paige Mac not in a thousand words but two. Two simple words that everyone these days understands and if I may say so, use too often for all the wrong reasons. I will forgive myself for saying it, but I mean it - TOTALLY AWESOME! I am now going to check how many words I have written, then I am going to count up my remaining bucks in my deflating wallet, get some petrol in my car, leave some for a few beers and I am heading off on a little pilgrimage to an aforementioned venue by the sea, to hear and see live, ladies and gentlemen- live, the one and only PAIGE MAC! DESIGN MGZ 6 | 49 Bye bye, click.

FYI

OPPIKOPPI 2015

THE THEME FOR THE 2015 OPPIKOPPI FESTIVAL IS THE FANTASTIC MR. VOS VOS. THE FESTIVAL TAKES PLACE FROM THE 7-9TH AUGUST. TICKETS ARE R750 AND WILL NOT BE SOLD AT THE GATE. INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED GOGOL BORDELLO FROM THE U.S WILL BE SHARING THE STAGE(S) WITH AN ECLECTIC ARRAY OF LOCAL ARTISTS SUCH AS THE PLASTICS, THE T’S AND C’S, JOHNNY CLEGG AND CORTINA WHIPLASH, JUST TO NAME A SELECT FEW. REMEMBER TWEAK? (IT TOOK ME A MOMENT TOO…) WE SUPPOSE THE BOYS HAVE 50 | DESIGN MGZ 6 BEEN FINDING IT MORE

DIFFICULT TO SCORE OF LATE AND FIGURED IT’S TIME TO GET THEIR GROUPIE BACK ON; SUBSEQUENTLY RESULTING IN THEIR TEN YEAR “REUNION” AT THIS 21ST OPPIKOPPI FESTIVAL, COMPLETE WITH NEW SINGLE AND SPECIAL MUSIC VIDEO! BESIDES FOR THE ROCKING LINE-UP, OFFSTAGE ACTIVITIES (OTHER THAN THE EXPECTED DEBAUCHERY, OF COURSE) INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE 1000 NAKED RUN DASH, THE REASONABLY GRAND PARADE, CAMPFIRE SONGS AND COLOURS OF OPPIKOPPI. IT MUST BE MENTIONED, THAT RULE #5 LISTED IN OPPI’S

“WET EN WANORDE” (TRANSLATES TO “LAW AND CHAOS”) STATES IN ALL CAPS: NO TRANCE MUSIC. BUT OTHER THAN RULE #5 AND RULE #4 “NO FIRES ABOVE KNEE HEIGHT” THERE ARE NO OTHER BLATANT COMMANDMENTS RELATING TO “THOU SHALT NOT…” OPPI WILL ONCE AGAIN BE CASHLESS. THIS MEANS THAT YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO TO BUY A PRE-LOADED CARD ONLINE AT PLANKTON.MOBI. YOU

MAY COLLECT YOUR PRE-LOADED CARD FROM THE INFO TOWER IN THE CAMPING AREA’S MAIN ENTRANCE ON THURSDAY BETWEEN 14H00 AND 21H00.

STRICTLY NO UNDER 18’S, FIREARMS OR ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES. GUYS, DON’T BE A D!CK, DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE. RESPECT YOURSELF AND EACH OTHER AND

REMEMBER: PARTY SAFE – DRINK LOTS OF WATER DESIGN MGZ 6 | 51

INTERVIEW INTERVIEW

“What’s that coming over the hill? Is it a monsta? Is it a monsta?”

Kicking it back somewhere between the Sudwala Caves and Sabi, you will find Ramon Garnier. No stranger to the DJ box, his name on line-ups at clubs like Truth, most probably long before you were even a dirty thought. He has played - as is still playing events such as Party Safari, Tswaing Crater Gatherings, One Festival and Earthdance Mpumalanga.

I asked Monsta a few quick questions in an attempt to introduce to you, the DJ who has been there, who is doing that. Afterall, any man who still owns Pink Floyd on vinyl deserves a Bells, don’t you agree ?

DS: What genre(s)/subgenre(s) do you play?

MONSTA: I specialize in 3 hour plus sets starting at 100bpm all the way through to 125bpm. I range from 52 | DESIGN MGZ 6

downtempo, Balearic sounds through to Deep House following through to Techno.

DS: Pleasedescribe your sound as you would to a person who has no frame of reference to what music is MONSTA: If you are looking for instant gratification, you won’t find it here. I play a consistent, building, journeyful sound. Adding organic musical forms into electronic music is what I aim for.

DS: Was there a pivotal moment / epiphany when you realized that this is what you want to do?

MONSTA: I used to promote my own events and i was always the backup DJ. After hearing numerous times that you played a good set i couldn’t ignore this and decided to take the plunge headfirst!

DS: Do you pre-plan sets before gigs?

MONSTA: I do now! During my residencies i just played

off the top of my head. Planning now involves more listening than actual practicing. I recently have found a balance of set preparation and off the cut decisions during my sets….the best of both worlds.

DS: How has your style and track selection changed /developed since you first started playing?

MONSTA: My sound has changed many times over the years! I have branched out into Breaks, Minimal, Garage, Prog, DnB but I always end up with my first love…moody and strong 4/4. If one doesn’t experiment growth is limited!

DS: Tell us about the best set you ever played?

MONSTA: Crater Festival 2015……after a year sabbatical I came back with a bang!

DS: Which artists have you been listening to lately?

MONSTA: Djs……Solomon , he can do no wrong at the moment! John Digweed as a staple diet.

DS: Is there a DJ / producer who you admire or that you draw inspiration from?

MONSTA: Sasha and John Digweed from the Renaissance and Global Underground days. I would say John Digweed, then and now! One never hears bad press about him, always humble, always cutting edge and in my opinion grown from strength to strength

over 3 decades.

DS: What are your feelings on mash-ups?

MONSTA: Did you say Mash potatoes?

DS: Tell us about the scene back when you where first introduced to it? How has it changed? What is different?

MONSTA: The scene has changed a huge amount, something like this, in the late 90s and early 00’s we were trying to make electronic music “overground”, now one can’t get underground enough! With that said I try not live in the glory of the past but rather the present and hopefully have insight into the future!

DS: Have you ever cleared a dance floor? If so, when? What happened?

MONSTA: The date was 09 November 2013, ONE Festival between the hours of 15h00-17h00. I over prepared and didn’t have a plan B or C. DS: Do you have any pre-gig rituals or traditions?

MONSTA: I never practice on game day and I always use an intro when beginning my set.

DS: Any big gigs or releases in the new future?

MONSTA: Nothing big…but very special, Hidden Festival….jolling on the beach is always special.

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