Tuesday, December 19, 2006
1st Project on Mnet
Tonight we were very proud, and excited if you had any idea of the frantic sms’s that were flying between all the girls from our office, to sit and watch an hour special on Mnet, of one of our favourite groups – 1st Project!The girl’s were drooling, as with much of the female population of SA I am sure, over one of the hottest live shows you can imagine! Industrial drumming at its most frenetic, and energetic, and a stage presence that had their live audience eating out of their hands, these guys are very cool!
We have been raving about them to a number of our clients, and have had a few bookings, so it is all the better now that they have reached a wider audience.
Play it to break it!
That’s their motto. And they look like they want to break it!
Lenny was commenting on what a great 'stage presence' they have, and that their show wasn’t only musically exciting, but they kept everyone entertained too… I think she was just getting sucked under the influence of the other girls who were fantasizing about all kinds of future ‘auditions’ that the Peak office would HAVE to conduct!
But then again – I do agree – with them having a great stage presence that is! They were very cool!
I know they are off to do some skiing in Switzerland over Xmas, and already the fan mail has started rolling in… but we’ll keep you updated about how you too can get hold of a copy of their new DVD - Play it to break it!
In the meantime – here is an ad I found of 1st Project promoting SA Music Week 2002 – they have been around for 7-years already… and it feels like your first time… Don’t worry – better late than never!
Labels: 1st project, drumming, industrial, mnet, shows
Taliep Peterson...
It’s difficult to talk about the brutal, senseless, cruel and crazy murder of South African composer & entertainer, Taliep Peterson.Angie had just emailed him on Friday discussing an enquiry a possible job gig, but so even though I wasn’t close to him, we did have dealings – and that makes it more difficult.
We’re disgusted. It’s a loss for South Africa, it’s a loss to the world – but it must be a terrible loss to his family.
That’s all I can say for now.
Friday, December 15, 2006
Tutu appeals on behalf of the Bushmen
Sometimes a little bit of pressure from the right people does have the desired results! Desmond Tutu recently made a video appeal to the world to get the Botswanan government to halt the eviction of the San Bushmen from their lands in the Kalahari.This film was first released on 6/11/2006 by the Gana and Gwi Bushmen's organisation, First People of the Kalahari, and I read last night that the evictions were ruled as illegal on Wednesday, by two of the three judges on the case.
Of course, we don’t know if it was his appeal that had an effect, or whether the case presented had the power to convince, but regardless, the ruling is a great victory for one of the most ancient of cultures.
The world is such a fast moving place and greed causes us to make decisions that we might regret one day, but are powerless to reverse.
Labels: botswana, bushmen, desmond tutu, kalahari
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Camping
We've been up the coast again - thats the reference to camping - no running around in ladies clothing or anything like that! We have got Mince for that, so there is no way I would even attempt to compete!We spent a long weekend at the Palmiet campsite, in Kleinmond, Overstrand, and only returned later yesterday afternoon. And what a stunning site?!
The silly season hasn't started yet, so we had most of the site to ourselves, with the kids having the freedom to cycle and run around freely, the beach almost deserted and the nights as quiet as one would hope to have when out in the bush.
Since Lenny stuck her finger through the screen of our laptop, I haven't been able to connect while on the road, but that did make the break just that - a break.
So more posts will follow, including some exciting news of national and international stars that we will be working with in 2007!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Solomon Linda's Mbube
In 2000 South African journalist Rian Malan wrote an article for Rolling Stone magazine about the origins of the mega-hit track The Lion Sleeps Tonight, and how Solomon Linda, who first sang the track at Gallo Studios in 1938, died a pauper without the recognition he deserved.He likened the track to being as South African as Australia’s Waltzing Matilda is Australia, in that if it had been correctly credited, South African music would have been on the map a lot earlier. And Solomon would have ended up waltzing a lot more in his own life-time, if he had received even a fraction of the royalties earned on the track.
Instead, it was stolen. Colonized. Ripped off by some honky hilly-billy American folk singers (Pete Seeger, left, was honky-tonk #1) who claimed it as their own… After that countless other groups tried to make better, what was already a great track – can you imagine that Solomon and his group the Evening Birds had already sold some 100 000 ten-inch 78-rpm records to South African audiences between 1939 and 1949?Not even Eric Gallo had expected this to happen when he first recorded the improvised track onto a spinning block of beeswax, which was then sent to England to be mastered, and then sent back. And they had to repress so many copies that the original master eventually just disintegrated!
But across the waters the track took on a few different names The Lion Sleeps Tonight / Whimaway / In the Jungle, etc.), with changes made by different artists over the years, until it made its biggest impact as part of Disney’s animated film The Lion King and the stage production of the same name. But during all the hype and excitement, Solomon Linda and his family were left penniless…
I was really chuffed when Spoor & Fischer, a group of attorneys from Johannesburg, filed a copyright infringement claim in South Africa against the US company, The Walt Disney Company, to recoup royalties on behalf of the family. Remember that according to British Law, under which South Africa was ruled when Solomon sold the track to Gallo (that's the origional recording pictured right), the royalties should have reverted to the family 25-years after its author’s demise – and Solomon died in 1962! But this was completely ignored, and Rian Malan, in his original article estimated that the Linda family could have earned some US$ 15 million… That’s not exactly small change!Eventually S&F won a relatively short court battle and were able to hold Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse and other Disney characters hostage until their claim was taken seriously. And that has started happening now – since last year a number of companies have agreed to pay royalties to the Linda estate. It’s like the Lion has been allowed to come home to sleep – and I think it’s very cool that in this ‘David & Goliath’ situation, David got to klap Disney!
Here, then, is the real Lion King song - "Mbube" - by Solomon Linda!
Labels: gallo, lion king, mbube, rolling stone, solomon linda
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
CODA comes alive!
Today I was very pleased to see ‘Erik the Driver‘, arrive as he was delivering a very special package to us – the first official footage on DVD of CODA!
We had been promised a copy of their Top Billing & Noted footage, both programs from SABC 3, who had done features on the group in the last month. Top Billing, because CODA was nominated for Momentum’s Lifestyle Award, and Noted, to promote the launch of their new album Believe…
And believe you me – At Last I Say!
As I have mentioned so many times before, we’re so proud of this quartet, having had a hand in their coming together. But before the album was released at the end of last month, our many clients had to rely on our word as to how hot & sexy they really are! Sending half finished demo’s and a couple of studio shots just isn’t the same as being able to hear and see what it is that we are raving about.
In fact, if you get out and buy the December issue of Reader’s Digest, you’ll be able to read an article about how video and sites like YouTube are making my life so much easier – by being able to refer clients to see for themselves, and sending them links to video’s that we have posted online. I am pretty chuffed, as I was contacted by Jane-Anne Hobbs, the author of the piece, and she does feature much of what I said in the article (see page 24 & 25 for some inspiring quotes!).The point is that video makes music come alive. If you can see it, it is far easier to be able to place it; far easier to be able to see the particular artists at your own event; and much easier for me to say, ‘Hey, if you liked the sound, just wait till you watch the video, because after that you will want them live!’
So I have taken some of the Noted footage, and put a little piece together to entertain you, to make you fall in love with the music, and to show you just how sexy the music scene is in Cape Town!
Labels: cape town, cello, coda, dj, electronica, music, violin
Friday, December 01, 2006
Thabo Mbeki sings!
In my previous post I made no mention of President Thabo Mbeki - and with good reason. To date he hasn't made a stand on HIV Aids policy, and with some of the more stupid comments made by him (I do not know of anyone affected HIV Aids...) and his government ("Mr Zuma said in court on Wednesday he had left his bedroom after having sex with the woman and taken a shower because this "would minimise the risk of contracting the disease [HIV]"He is obviously wanting to make a difference, otherwise his deputy Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka wouldn't have taken over from mad Manto, and the government wouldn't be making an about-turn on previous policy...
And then I found this: a statement warning the world about HIV Aids... I don't know how we could have all missed it! And I certainly didn't know Thabo had such a cool singing voice either!
The saying 'it isn't over till the fat lady sings' has just been blown out the water, because the fat lady has been told to shut up, and now Thabo tells it like it is...
Hope you have a good, and safe weekend!
Remember World Aids Day!
Today is World Aids Day.I will have the flag out, flying in the wind, with a black ribbon attached to remember all those who have died as a result of this dreadful disease.
How did it become so big? How can it be that over 27 million people have already died from it, and it is still not the most important message that every person in a leadership position is making a stand against?
It’s crazy!
South Africa is starting to realize the error of its ways, and has thankfully silenced the biggest clown in the circus, our very own Health Minister Manto Tshabalala-Msimang, by taking advantage of her own ill health by sending in the cleaners to get rid of all the shit she was talking before, that didn’t help this countries situation. I wonder how many lives that have been lost, she is directly responsible for, with her quack theories?
I mean – look at some of the stats for SA from 2005:
- More than 10% of South Africans are HIV+
- More than 800 South Africans per day are dying of HIV related illnesses, approximately 300 000 per year!
- It is estimated that there will be 3 million Aids orphans created within the next 10 years.
- 30% of pregnant South Africans are HIV+
- 16% of South Africans aged 15-49 are HIV+
- 8% of men in South Africa are HIV+
- 13% of women in South Africa are HIV+
Those are not positive. And although Manto’s stance about veggies isn’t totally off the mark – yes we all need to eat healthier to be able to lead healthier lifestyles – she definitely caused the death of many, many people by telling them that ARV’s are toxic, and just a ploy by the greedy West to make more money! Crazy!But – lets get away from Manto – cos I wanto – and focus on what intelligent people are saying.
People like Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Richard Branson and Nelson Mandela; the message that our little hero Nkosi Johnson gained so much respect for, before he himself died from the disease. “I want people to understand about AIDS, to be careful and respect AIDS. You can't get AIDS if you touch, hug, kiss, or hold hands with someone who is infected.
Care for us and accept us--we are all human beings.
We are normal. We have hands. We have feet. We can walk, we can talk, we have needs just like everyone else. Don't be afraid of us. We are all the same!”
We all have to make a difference, make people around us aware of the realities of the disease, and protect ourselves against it.
Condoms aren’t the most romantic things to take to a date, but damn, they sure make a difference in the long run! And now that we have Pronto, sex has another novelty to make protection more fun!
So today, remember those who have died; think of those that have been left behind; and let’s educate them about how they can get to stick around a little longer.Remember that more people have died from HIV Aids related illnesses than the sum total of all the wars, famines & floods, and that this continent cannot develop into a power-house if we become a continent of orphans. Then we will always be looking to others to bail us out.
