What if… just what if some of today’s popular bands changed to Afrikaans music… What would we end up with?

• Pet Shop Boys – Troeteldierwinkel seuns
• Smashing Pumpkins – Platgemoerde Pampoene
• Frankie Goes to Hollywood – Frikkie Gaan Fliek Toe
• Johnny Rotten & the Sex Pistols – Jannie Vrot en die Pomp Revolwers
• Spice Girls – Aromat Slette
• Simple Minds – Dofkoppe
• Mariah Carey – Meraai se Kerrie
• Joan Armatrading – Johanna Wapenhandelaar
• Four Jacks and a Jill – Vier Latte en ‘n Platte
• Queen – Moffie
• Ace of Base – Baas se As
• Hughie Lewis and the News – Louis Luyt in die Nuus
• Iron Maiden – Yster Sussie
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo – Mevrou Smit se Swart Mambas
• Bananarama – Piesangmagarien
• Meatloaf – Vleisrol

What other band names can you think of?

I’ve always been amazed at the power of music. During school I realized its power. Regardless of whether I’d had the crappest day ever, I’d put on a recording of the weekends trance sets from the local radio station and lay on my bed, eyes closed. I’d slowly but surely feel the music moving through my body like the way you feel hot coffee moving down your throat after that first sip. Except it wouldn’t stop in my stomach, within minutes my entire body & spirit would be lifted beyond my problems, beyond my troubled world and I’d be in a surreal happiness.

Music, and for me, uplifting trance, can bring about a sense of euphoria that couldn’t possibly be rivalled by the most intense of ecstacy trips. Its a feeling that goes beyond your blood stream into the very essense of you.

Is this just me?

Today, I found a yet unlistened to set by Armin van Buuren and Ferry Corsten. They were playing live at GodsKitchen in a rarely seen/heard back to back set. For the first time in a long time, I heard songs that sent that same familiar feeling rushing though me. I was left with what I thought was a lump in my throat. I’m talking about an emotional experience here, brought on by music!

Ah the bliss…The euphoria. All too soon, an hour and twenty minutes passed by and the set faded out to silence.

I took a deep breath, opened my eyes and came back to the reality of work. On my face, only a slight smile to remind me of my journey.

Music rocks my world.

More and more lately, I’ve found myself being wowed by the wave of awesome South African music thats being released. I’ll be honest, don’t hate me, but previously I’ve not been a huge fan of South African music as a whole. There were a handful of bands that I enjoyed – Just Jinger, Watershed etc. But for the most part, South African music sounded, well, South African.

Now before you start throwing stuff, let me say that I’m now reformed… The plethora of South African music thats being played (thankfully) on our local radio stations is really impressive and I’ll be the first to say that I’m thoroughly enjoying it. In fact, this morning I purchased and downloaded Karen Zoid’s new album ‘Postmodern World’. How cool is that tune ‘Aeroplane Jane’!

Flat Stanley, Prime Circle, Seether (they still considered South African?), Watershed, Karen Zoid, Freshly Ground, Nudies, Arno… so many South African bands and artists that are finally making it big and making music that we, and of course they, should be damn proud of.

Do yourself a favor and check out some South African bands. The quality of music has risen dramatically in the last little while and its becoming very listenable. And props to South African radio stations for playing local music.

‘s lekka ne?

Oh my, oh my… It’s been a while since I’ve heard a song that gave me shivers, but this one definately does. Obadiah Parker is a group out in Tempe I think, in Arizona US. The guys looks Amish in his video of this song on YouTube but nonetheless, his rendition of OutKast’s “Hey Ya” is truly beautiful. It’s soft, melodic and a really unique version of this hit song. Sort of like Counting Crows meets Outkast…

I managed to track down an mp3 of this song and I’ve made it available for download for ya’ll. Trust me, its worth listening to.

Here you go: Download Obadiah Parker “Hey Ya” – Outkast cover

How do you rate this song:

I recently discovered the marvels of audio streaming and man, there’s a whack of awesome radio stations and music channels that churn out the most incredible tunes.

Digitally Imported Radio is mostly a dance music channel, but it features 24 hour streaming of Trance, Vocal Trance, Chillout, House, Hard Dance, Euro Dance, Progressive, Goa/Psy Trance, Hard Core, DJ Sets, Ambient, Lounge and a kak load of others. In addition, for the not-so-dance-inclined, there’s an impressive array of Sky.fm music channels with hip hop, girly pop, rock, 80′s classics and more. I’d recommend you use Winamp to listen to their 96k streams.

One of SA’s more popular radio stations, 5fm, recently got a facelift by Stonewall and (TG), redid their streaming setup, altho it STILL seems to cause fatal errors in IE and FF…dunno why. Even if it does work, the quality’s a bit kak tho – 26k-ish… But we can thank Telkom (@#%*!) for that.

If loungy, jazzy, more chilled beats are your ‘thang’, then check out DaTempo. Awesome, soulful lounge streams that are really deep and sexy.

I’m sure there’s plenty more, so feel free to recommend your own preferences…

Having a past as a DJ playing at everything from weddings to clubs, I have a pretty open mind when it comes to music. My 40gb collection ranges from Buddha Bar to Chevelle and everything in between. On the days when my mood desires something quiet and chilled, I struggle to beat a UK group called Zero 7. They’ve selected vocal artists that have the most hauntingly beautiful voices that grasp at something deep inside your emotive being, whilst keeping the slow tempo rhythm slightly jazzy, always soulful and always down tempo.

The perfect cd to put on and just let play at dinner parties, on chilly Sundays and when you’re keen to just chill out in style.

All the subtle flavors of my life are become bitter seeds and poisoned leaves without you.
You represent what’s true. I drain the color from the sky and turn blue without you.
These arms lack a purpose, flapping like a humming-bird. I’m nervous ’cause I’m the left eye you’re the right.
Would it not be madness to fight? We come 1!

Whilst waiting for @Home to wrap a wedding gift I had just bought, I decided to go over to Look & Listen to see if they had any Faithless dvd’s… It turns out, they had just one! Live At Alexandra Palace is Faithless’ first dvd, and as far as I could make out, their only live performance dvd. The fact that I’m writing this review is testimony in itself to how friggen awesome this dvd is!! OMG!! I’ve never before seen a live act on dvd that so captures the spirit and energy of a performance! If you’re a Faithless fan this is a must!! All the songs are brilliant, but for me, We Come 1 stands out as probably the best on this dvd.

Also, if you haven’t yet heard it, the Salva Mea (Way Out West Remix) on the Irreverence CD is, in my opinion, one of the best dance songs around atm! Kicks ASS!!

 Peace out…Â

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There’s a lot of talk on the go at the moment about Quotas, representation and enforcement thereof. Personally I regard this as something of a contentious issue. I have been reading various posts submitted on the debate surrounding the SAMQC (South African Music Quota Coalition). I am behind SA Music all the way, (one of my favourite bands are South African, and haven’t even made massive headway on local playlists yet). South African artists in general however; I can’t say that I enjoy all of it, but I do support their cause, their creative talent and the mere fact that they are South African. My Ideas on quotas on the whole however are not so sympathetic.

Everyone who is a sport loving South African must already be incensed about the hotly disputed Quota system in place in our Provincial and National selection processes respectively. A lot of that is meant in good spirit to redress past transgressions. Super Idea! Except in practice it has detracted from the overall standard of our export quality where our National Sports are concerned. The employment climate in SA, pretty much echoes the same sort of ideals with the same sort of problematic reality. A reality that doesn’t sit well with everybody.

To be perfectly honest, it doesn’t sit well with me either. I believe people, services, goods even music should be chosen or promoted on the basis of merit, not on the basis of disadvantage.

Before everyone involved with SAMQC send me death threats and start poking hatpins into wax dolls made in my likeness, let me say that I do also believe that the imported drivel we are forced to listen to on our Radio playlists are by and large no better than their South African counterparts. Furthermore, I think we are suffering the legacy of bad habit, the unfortunate by-product of democracy and the typical side-effects of Pop-Culture, which is that the Pete Watermans and the Sony™ Musics of this world actually dictate to the ready and willing masses what is “in”, what is “happening” and what is “mainstream”.

The Legacy of Bad Habit
Alex Jay should have retired a long time ago and because someone is hiring him, leads me to believe that they are out of touch with their own listening audience. The people who control the Radio Stations and Media Houses are not adventurous or progressive enough when it comes to sourcing good music. Granted, you cannot please everyone, but that is why there are CD Shops selling Kenny G and Shakira. They follow trends and someone else’s crap decisions on the other side of the world are just propagated here and we are forced to listen to it, while our SA talent suffers the consequences and have to gig for peanuts while we pay International Bands fortunes to stumble around pissed on stage.

The Un-Fortunate By-Product of Democracy
I would much rather be a wise cynic than an oblivious optimist. No disaster in the history of the world has ever been averted by sheer optimism. Cynics always see it coming first. Democracy is an terrible example of misplaced trust. Just listen to the High 5 at 5 on 5FM and then come and argue the point. People vote for that song. I remember when I was in Matric and there was a Public Referendum that year and I recall that only those kids who had turned 18 that year, in other words those who had failed a previous year, were allowed to cast their ballot. The irony escaped everyone else. Democracy was the same super vehicle of human rights that put GW Bush in power for two consecutive terms.

The Typical Side-Effects of Pop-Culture
I have two words for you: Pop Idol. How we dress, what we listen to, how we wear our hair, we decide almost none of that. It all cascades down, via the medium of Pop-Culture from The United Kingdom and America. We were not put on this earth to walk in the shadows of others, and sometimes when I consider the means required to liberate us of the shackles that bind, and the unchallenged diet of Pop-Culture then I think I would rather risk the inequity of Quotas than watch South African bands and artists lick the boot heels of Corporate Radio and Music South Africa.

I just have to share the good news because its recently come to my attention that very few people actually know about this marvellous concert…

During March 06, the CocaCola Colab Massive Mix concerts will be happening in Cape Town, Johannesburgh and Durban. These monstrous concerts will last a rocking 12 hours so bring your Voltaren gel and Red Bulls to make sure you don’t fade. The concerts feature a plethy of awesome local (SA) and international bands to cater for every taste. How about this wikkid lineup…

• Metallica (USA)
• Collective Soul (USA)
• The Rasmus (Finland)
• Simple Plan (Quebec – Canada)
• Fatboy Slim (UK)
• Finkelsteins (South Africa)
• Parlotones (South Africa)
• Prime Circle (South Africa)
• Seether (South Africa)
• Flat Stanley (South Africa)
• State Far Better (South Africa)
• Spoonfeedas (South Africa)

The artists will each perform for 45 – 60 minutes, on two different stages.

R525.00 : Blocks A7 to A12 & E5 to E2
R525.00 : Golden Circle Standing
R425.00 : Blocks A13 to A15, E1, D6 to D7
R370.00 : Blocks A16, B1, D4 to D5, Field Standing & Disabled Platform
R270.00 : Blocks B2 to B3, D2 to D3
R220.00 : Blocks B4, C1 to C7, D1

Ticket prices have increased since they announced that Metallica has been added to the line-up, so I assume that the earlier you get your tickets bought, the cheaper they’ll be.

This is probably gonna set the records for the best concert to hit South African shores. Now if they’d only add the Foo Fighters…

Full Story
Booking

I was sitting watching TV the other day when this gigantic penny dropped for me. Seriously, it was like the size of Enriques mole, which now apparently lives in a jar next to some fans bed. Don’t get me wrong, i’m not dissing Enrique, schucks, I would prefer to look like him than me in a blink but it must’ve sucked spending the first 30 years of his life seeing photographers struggle to hide the right side of his face away. Hiding that mole is an event comparible to a Solar eclipse of the moon. Perhaps David Copperfield should have been his make-up artist, he even hid a jumbo jet away once…

Imagine only ever letting peeps take pics of the left side of your face :::

But this isn’t about Enrique or his mole, the penny that dropped was about someone else… So I was sittin on the couch looking all cool and stuff when this thing came on about Madge, she was running around on stage in Japan with her hand down her pants and her tongue flappin’ ’round like a basset hound. (My rhymes are ill, peace) The program called her the “QUEEN OF POP”.

Then it struck me, At 47 years old with 2 kids, the inventor of the Pyramid bra, ex-girlfriend to Dennis Rodman, publisher of a book called “SEX” and still running around with her hand in her pants on stage, she’s not the “QUEEN OF POP”, she’s more like the “QUEEN OF WORS”! What a skank! Madonna the “Queen of Pop and Wors”. What do her kids think when they see her runnin’ around girating on the microphone stand? There’re some deep seated emotional issues coming up there. Madge’s kids are certainly gonna be interesting. Watch that space…