MAGDALEEN SNYMAN
THE NEWSPAPERS
What is the best thing about performing in front of a massive group of students?
Jared: The atmosphere.
Stefan: Ja, die mense. Dis `n lekker crowd wat jou ook laat lekker voel. Hulle gee jou energie.
Who is your favourite artist performing at Hatfield Carnival this year?
Brink: Kongos.
Stefan: Van Coke Kartel.
If you weren’t musicians, what would you be?
All: Brainsurgeons!
Stefan: I’d be a rocket scientist.
If you could give the students at Tuks any message, what would it be?
Jared: Moenie opskop nie.
Being from Witbank you’re often compared to Prime Circle who also originated there, how do you feel about this?
Jared: Better than being compared to The Parlotones.
What was it like working with Nathan Waywell from Casette on “King Of No Book”?
Brink: Dit was cool gewees, hy’s `n baie goeie musikant.
If you could collaborate with any South African artist who would it be?
Brink: Dan Patlansky.
What can The Newspaper’s fans look forward to when coming to a live performance?
Stefan, Brink: Meredith’s dance moves!
Fans can download some tracks for free on your Facebook page, what made you decide to release your music in this way?
Brink: To get the music out there so that when people come to our shows they can sing a long and know some tracks.
What and where was your most memorable live performance thus far?
With the Kongos at Arcade Empire.
If you could meet any band/musician, dead or alive, who would it be?
Dave Grohl.
What can we expect from the Newspapers in 2012?
Jared: Music videos, our first CD and a cookbook.
KONGOS
What is the best thing about performing in front of a massive group of students?
Danny: Well if it’s anything like any of the other Campus Invasions! We heard it’s going to be like that but bigger so it’s going to be mad. We have the best crowds, it should be a lot of fun.
Jesse: And it’s nice to be a part of the party before schools starts again.
Who is your favourite artist performing at Hatfield Carnival this year?
Jesse: The Newspapers, also Bittereinder. And Van Coke Kartel is one of the tightest acts we’ve seen.
If you weren’t musicians, what would you be?
All: Musicians.
Dylan: Unemployed
Danny: Organic farmers maybe. We have a garden back in Phoenix where we grow things organically. Everything. Tomatoes, brinjals … pizza.
If you could give the students at Tuks any message, what would it be?
Well, we’re depressed because we have to go back to America after this and that the Pretoria crowd are just our best crowd ever and we love it.
What is your fondest memory so far of South Africa?
Johnny: Obviously the shows.
Dylan: The game farms, even though we got the whole flood thing. These game farms, you can’t get them anywhere else in the world.
Jesse: And our Arcade Empire show was really, really fun.
Your single “I’m Only Joking” has done really well on South African radio, what was the inspiration behind this song?
Dylan: We actually like letting people interpret it for themselves. People come up with some funny things. When it comes to the record we were inspired by Burundi drums and some Eastern melodies.
How does being brothers affect you as a band?
Johnny: Well we don’t know any different but I think we’re much closer and it doesn’t make it harder.
Jesse: I mean we find each other f**king annoying but I can’t think of any other people that I could spend this much time with.
Who are your favourite South African musicians?
Jack Parrow. Paul Simon. We’ve been listening to some traditional old township jazz. We’re into kwaito, and we’ve discovered Mandoza (who’s probably old school to you guys now but it took a while to reach America).
Can your fans look forward to another South African tour in the near future?
Definitely. We’ll come back even if it’s not to tour. The fans are insane, nowhere else comes close.
What can we expect from the Kongos in 2012?
We want to release the album around the world, keep the ball rolling. Shoot some music videos and keep touring.
JR
What is the best thing about performing in front of a massive group of students?
Performing is my favourite thing but because they’re students they just want to have fun, they have no reservations. They know what they want and they’re out to get it. I specifically cater to the youth market.
Who is your favourite artist performing at Hatfield Carnival this year?
My friends, who I respect so much, Die Heuwels. Van Coke Kartel as well, I’m a really big fan and they’re some of my really good friends and they’ve solidified themselves in the industry.
If you weren’t a musician, what would you be?
I’d probably be an actor. I studied drama so I think I’d try to be an actor.
If you could give the students at Tuks any message, what would it be?
Have fun. Don’t drop out because you don’t know how hard it’s going to be. If you want to be a musician or artist there’s no guarantee of a glamorous life.
What can the students of Tuks look forward to when coming to a JR performance?
We always make sure we give 150 percent.
Your music attracts fans from all different walks of life, how do you manage to keep your music diverse enough to appeal to so many people?
It’s who I am you know, I’m not trying to force a certain market. I’m friends with so many different guys from all different walks of life. It all depends on your musical background.
What was it like to work with Jack Parow and Die Heuwels Fantasties?
Oh my God, biggest headache of my life. Nah just joking, he’s another one of my boys. We grew with each other’s bands. When I first heard his music I knew he was a really good rapper. He had that X-factor, or in his case the shock-factor which was a very clever brand move and he’s a lyrical genius. The Afrikaans youth needed a voice and he said the things people say behind their high fences.
For the fans who don’t know, what are JR’s ColourFull Nites?
Basically it’s a big party. We’ve booked hip hop and then house artists, we’re very big on live performances and there’s an event every month.
Who are your biggest musical influences?
Michael Jackson, the Rat Pack, Eminem and Frank Sinatra.
What advice would you give to young South African rappers?
Be open-minded. Serve everybody. Find a gap in the market.
Who would you like to collaborate with in the future?
Prime Circle, Van Coke Kartel and internationally, Maxwell.
How important do you think it is to allow fans to communicate with you on social networks like Twitter and Facebook?
It’s important but it depends on what you say. It’s still about what you put out there. I use social media but I prefer meeting my fans in person.
BITTEREINDER
Ons hoor Jaco is `n onderwyser wanneer hy nie optree nie, is die kinders in jou klas aanhangers van Bittereinder en behandel hulle jou enigsins anders as die ander onderwysers omdat jy in `n band is?
Party van hulle dink ek’s `n celeb. Ek gebruik dit maar om hulle soet te hou in die klas. Haha. Al die kinders in my skool is Setswana sprekend, en baie van hulle gee ons groot support, maar meeste van hulle kan nie regtig Afrikaans praat nie, so ek sou hulle nie “aanhangers” noem nie, nee.
Julle is trotse Pretoriaaners, wat is dit van die Snorstad wat julle inspireer?
Ek dink die versie van A Tale of Three Cities sê presies wat ek hier sou antwoord …
Julle het al `n hele paar collaborations gedoen, wat was sover julle gunstelling en hoekom?
Goeie vraag. Ek dink nie daar’s een wat ons nie geniet het nie. Daai excitement om `n ander kunstenaar se bydrae op ons eie liedjie vir die eerste keer te hoor is flippin lekker.
Wanneer kan julle aanhangers julle volgende album verwag?
Voor die einde van 2012. Ons werk hard aan elke woord en klankie, die eerste album het ook meer as 18 maande geneem om klaar te maak.
Wat was die inspirasie agter “Die Dinkdansmasjien”?
Arcade Fire, criticism, instant gratification, fame, trends, TS Eliot.
Watter visuele verassings kan aanhagers na uitsien van Louis se kant af in julle komende videos en optredes?
Wel, die Gregorian-space-monk-priests het nou al drie optredes in Potch, Stellenbsoch en Pretoria oorleef, so ek’s seker ons gaan nog baie in daai lyn sien. Musiekvideo’s vir twee nuwe singles is ook in die pyplyn.
Hoe balanseer julle Bittereinder met julle ander voltydse werk?
Dis eintlik vir ons baie lekker dat Bittereinder ons almal se “tweede job” is, dis wat ons doen vir fun. Dit hou die energie en die kreatiwiteit vars, met minder druk. Al drie van ons vind maar verskillende maniere om die twee lewens gelyktydig te laat gebeur.
Jaco. Jy het altyd in Engels geskryf wat het jou laat besluit om eerder in Afrikaans te begin skryf en Bittereinder te begin?
`n Hele paar dinge en mense. Dis eintlik `n moerse lang storie, maar ek kan definitief groot krediet gee vir Tom Gouws, Jana Viljoen, Michael Naude, Fokofpolisiekar, Straatligkinders, Tim Beumers en Christa Badenhorst. Hulle het my almal aangemoedig om my moedertaal te konfronteer na `n lang en ingewikkelde geskiedenis met my taal.
Wat is die beste deel van voor `n massiewe groep studente optree?
Om te weet dat hulle ook almal Maandag oggend vir klas moet op-pitch.
Wie was julle gunsteling kunstenaar by Hatfield Carnival hierdie jaar?
Bittereinder. Haha. Nee, almal was cool, dit was regtig `n indrukwekkende line-up.
As julle nie musikante was nie wat sou julle wees?
Louis sou `n visuele kunstenaar wees, Jaco sou `n onderwyser wees, en Peach sou `n tennis speler wees.
As julle een boodskap vir die studente van Tuks kan gee wat sal dit wees?
Koop die tyd uit omdat die dae boos is.
VAN COKE CARTEL
Wat is die beste deel van voor `n massiewe groep studente optree?
Francois: Ons is in general mal daaroor om in Pretoria te speel.Om hier te speel is fokken awesome want ons songs word hier gespeel op die radio stasie.
Wynand: Ons is van Cape Town maar ons het van ons beste shows hier gehad byvoorbeeld Vanfokkingtasties in Hatfield Square en vanaand is exceptionally packed weer. As `n venue packed is dan kry jy soveel energie van die crowd af wat dit makliker maak om te speel. Die booze flow en die audience is amped so ons kan ons self geniet.
Wie is julle gunsteling kunstenaar by Hatfield Carnival hierdie jaar?
Wynand: Heuwels as vriende en kuier buddies defnitief. Kongos, Yesterday’s Pupil, ons is goeie vriende met Peach ook. JR is befok obviously, ons wil `n song saam met hom doen.
As julle nie musikante was nie wat sou julle wees?
Francois: Afgetrede rugbyspeler.
Wynand: Band manager.
As julle een boodskap vir die studente van Tuks kan gee wat sal dit wees?
Francois: Moenie nou worry nie dit raak beter.
Wynand: Soos Frannie daar sê as mens jonger is het jy die tendency om fokken erg te stress oor jou toekoms en jy voel baie pressured. En dan … gebruik altyd kondome. That’s it.
Waarna kan julle aanhangers uitsien wanneer hulle die album koop?
Wynand: Ons het sopas “Dis `n Land” as `n single gelaunch. Die next step vir ons is om te werk aan ons volgende single wat “Tot Die Son Uitkom” is, ons eerste regte ballad. Daar sal nog videos kom daarvoor. En obviously gaan ons al die MK Awards wen, dis pretty exciting. Mense kan vir ons gaan stem vir die verskillende catagories. Dit sal baie nice wees as hulle doen.
Watter liedjie op die album was julle gunsteling om op te neem en hoekom?
Francois: Ek hou baie van “Nou of Nooit”, die opening track van die album.
Wynand: Ek hou meeste van die goed wat vir my anders voel as wat ons al voorheen gedoen het soos “Einde Van Die Wêreld”. Dit voel vir my soos progression so dan’s ek nogal trots daarop. Maar ja, ons hou van alles.
Wat was die beste en slegte deel van julle toer sover?
Francois: Die beste en ergste was 31 Desember.
Wynand: Ons het vyf uur die oggend opgestaan in J-bay na `n show, toe ry ons Stilbaai toe op stage geklim, in ons van geklim, gery Cape Town toe, ingebook, gevlieg, Hatfield Square toe gery, gespeel, en toe weer gery. Dit was k*k en lekker. Maar die slegste was Woensdag oggend hierdie week toe ons by etv `n live talk te doen en te perform en dit het in `n nagmerrie uitgedraai en toe moes ons Bloemfontein toe ry met `n hangover. Dit was pretty f**king aaklig gewees.
Francois: Ek dink daai was my nuwe most embarassing moment.
Kry julle ooit `n blaaskans wanneer julle toer en as julle tyd af het wat doen julle graag?
Wynand: Toe ons jonger was het ons nie regtig af tyd gehad nie en ook nie die geld om vakansies te vat nie. Vandat ek en Francois getroud is besef ons jy moet net tyd met jou vrou spandeer.
Francois: Ons het Januarie afgevat en ek het getrou en was op honeymoon. Jason het `n girlfriend so ons spandeer altyd maar bietjie tyd saam met ons girls, behalwe Jed, hy werk net.
Wat is julle all-time gunsteling liedjie om live te sing en hoekom?
Wynand: Ek en Jason geniet al ons nuwe songs, dis f***en lekker. Ons like veral Doosdreigenmente.
Francois: “Vir Almal” is een van my gunstelings.
Hoe balanseer julle al die verkillende bands waarvan julle deel is sonder om enige projek af te skeep?
Wynand: Dis baie moeilik. Ons het al baie gehad dat iemand nie die show kan maak nie en dan staan iemand van een van die ander bands in. Dis obviously nie die ideal nie maar ons hou dit bymekaar. Ons almal het `n natural connection so it became like one big f**k-fest basically.
Waarna kan julle aanhangers uitsien op die akoestiese Vanfokkingtasties album wat later vanjaar uitkom?
Francois: Elke band doen een nuwe song en twee akoestiese verwerkings van hulle ander songs.
Wat is die malste ding wat `n aanhanger al ooit by een van julle optredes gedoen het?
Francois: Ons het by Hot Box gespeel en toe het daar `n meisie na die show reg voor die stage gesquat en gepis. Dit was nogal hectic.
Julle verwerkings van “Skadu’s Teen Die Muur” en “Dis `n Land” is ongelooflik suksesvol, hoekom het julle juis díe Afrikaanse classics gekies om te verwerk?
Wynand: “Skadu’s” was `n full blown cover gewees. “Dis `n Land” was actually net daai een lyn en die chorus se riff.
Francois: Ek’t half geneurie bo-oor dit en Hunter was die dag daar by ons toe sê hy dis nogal snaaks. Vir ons beteken die song iets heeltemal anders as die original obviously.