So Many Animal Calls

Welcome to the SMACM label stable!

2012-02-03T11:20:00.007+02:00

There's plenty to be excited about in 2012, including a Martin Scorsese kid's movie, Mass Effect 3 & the world not ending! Over at the SMACM stable it's not too different, especially with the way this year has been kicking off. We've got hopes and dreams of a split release with KRNGY, unveiling Lavaman, launching a killer web site designed by Nanna and seeing full length albums from Vampire9000 and Eye Like Mirrors. While I'm holding thumbs that all these dreams will come to pass, we're gonna have to wait a while to see them happen, but there are three things definitely going down soon and getting us incredibly excited for the imediate future of So Many Animal Calls Music. Over the next while we'll be putting out recordings from 3 very different acts, who all share a common trait of pure, un-brideled awesomeness; may I now present to you the latest additions to the SMACM stable!

PETITE NOIR!

Petite Noir is the solo project of Yannick "Iamwaves" Ilunga, an over-achiving busy body and a perfect fit for SMACM and our "just go out and do shit" attitude. Yannick's distinctive voice should be familiar to most of you as the lovely set of pipes behind Cape Town's Popskarr, easily one the best (if not the best) live dance act the country has to offer. He's also a part of globe-trotting style collective Capital of Cool. Releasing his debut solo EP "Masion Noir", independantly last year, we're super excited to be joining him in spreading the Noir gospel with our release of his second EP "Till we Ghosts"! While still in production, it's safe to say I can't wait for this one, just going on the first single "The Dance". If you're not feeling the same after hearing this then i think you may have misplaced your soul:

GREENISFORTURBO!

Following on with the "catch-up on putting out great unreleased music from 6 years ago" agenda we started with last year's release of Martianmartian, we can't wait to put out Greenisforturbo's "GIFT". They were one of the cornerstones of the incredible creative community that exploded out of pretoria between 2005 and 6, shone with a blinding bright light and then burnt out, with barely a trace left by the end of 08. Greenisforturbo join Mogwai and Los Campesinos as one of the only band that have moved me to tears when seeing them live. I'll write heaps of history and gushing praise for what they were when we do put GIFT out, for now let me say it'll be a little milestone for the label as our first full length release! It'll also be presented in a massive package that will, hopefully, stand up as ridiculously extensive document of just what this lost gem of a band were.

WHITNEY NICOLAAS HERMINGSTEAD ØLOFAN RëENEN!

Whitney Nicolaas Hermingstead Ølofan Rëenen, or Nicolaas van Reenen as his mom calls him, is the latest in this string of wild stallions to join the SMACM stable. Best known for playing half the incredible guitar-lines with Bateleur and all of them for Spoek Mathambo, Nic has also been busy crafting strange little genre-defying ditties of instrumental brilliance. We'll be releasing his debut EP, Wrestlemania shortly (most probably while Nic is touring the states with Spoek and before his return to SA and the release of Bateleur's highly anticipated second EP). Need some proof on that sweeping "brilliance" statement - how's this?

Free Music Friday! Super Special Bumper Edition!

2012-01-27T10:02:00.005+02:00

Are you excited? You should be!

Today I'm happy to announce the very first "Super Special Bumper Edition" of Free Music Friday, featuring freely downloable aweomeness from not 1, but 3 fantastic local acts!

First up, the biggest of them all; a release that's being called an EP, but with 8 full songs and one 28 second long casio loop and people screams jam, it's closer to short album than an EP. I was lucky enough to get a taste of the joy of Beach Party in Cape Town a few weekends back. Comprised of 4 boys and a girl, this band is easily one of the most exciting new acts to emerge out of South Africa in 2011. And considering they've already recorded and released what pretty much counts as an album in my eyes, they're showing the kind of can-do attitude that's just what we need to save us from the usual snail-pace lethargy that plauges so many local acts.

DOWNLOAD

BEACH PARTY

"BEACH PARTY"

Next, firm "Free Music Friday" favourite, Yo Grapes, breaks into the new year with yet another gem. This time, Craig's filling you in what he's getting up to over his holidays!

DOWNLOAD

YO GRAPES

"HOLIDAY"

And finally, Yesterday's Pupil has unveiled the second installment in his ongoing, free-to-download series of singles, leading up to the release of his second album. Once again collaberating with his frequent partners in crime Louis Minnaar & Tumi, "Deul" see's P-Dawg further expanding his borders with two songs that sound nothing like anything he's released to date!

DOWNLOAD

YESTERDAY'S PUPIL

"DEUL"

Days like Television: Rebel Alliance 4 Trailer!

2012-01-26T10:56:00.004+02:00

Seems like this blogs become pretty over-run by space kittens in the buildup to Rebel Alliance 4 on Saturday. I'd like to write a "happy new year everyone" post and get round to listing my favourite stuff from 2011, but just not getting round to it between juggling preparations for Saturday and getting into the Nigerian educational video scene. Till things clear up a bit, you'll just have to make do with this torrent of Alliance related posts.

Today I'm happy to share the trailer for the next instalment of our cinema-rocking "fuck yeah" fest!

We do this all the time: Rebel Alliance 3!

2012-01-25T12:13:00.006+02:00

With Rebel Alliance 4 going down this Saturday, I'm very happy to share with you this collection of pics from Rebel Alliance 3, shot like a defenseless womp rat by Anti-Empire-Activist and photography-jedi Hanro Havenga!

Days like Television: Bateleur - Further Away Than I Usually Am.

2012-01-24T12:59:00.003+02:00

I'm still writing a proper post on the awesomeness that was Rebel Alliance 3. While that's still on the way, might I direct you to one of the highlights of the event, a little music video that was launched on the night, directed by Chris Bisset and set to the ridiculously great soundtrack of a little band called Bateleur.

You are invited to "Rebel Alliance 4: A Mew Hope"

2012-01-18T13:28:00.006+02:00

After the dark silence of December Holidays, The Rebel Alliance rises up like a phoenix once more!

Joburg's only music & moving image mash-up event returns on Saturday the 28th of January. Rebel Alliance pt.4 "A Mew Hope" marks a celebration of all things sci-fi and spacey, run through distinctly South African filter. This month's rebels include:

EYES LIKE MIRRORS To make up for not being able to make RA3, The Mirror's return to their favourite venue! Expect their usual cinema-rock explosions, plus the debut of brand new inter-stellar visuals!

SPACELINGS Our own sequel to November's "Earthlings" feature, Spacelings collects 4 sci-fi music videos from South African bands. Featuring gems from Kidofdoom, Havoc Vultures, Die Heuwels Fantasties & Yesterday's Pupil.

JAYSYNTH presents CLOUDS OVER HILLS Multi-instramentalist and cross-medium art renegade Jaysynth makes his sophomore Alliance appearance, unveiling "Clouds over Hills" his latest single and accompanying music video!

ALIVE IN JOBURG Neil Blomkamp's sci-fi short about aliens trapped in Jozi, the ingenious concept that would later be brought to life in his feature film masterpiece District 9.

Book here!

RSVP here!

We do this all the time: Rebel Alliance 2 (pt2)!

2012-01-18T09:15:00.006+02:00

Rebel Alliance 2, as shot by Hanro Havenga

Love will tear us apart.

2012-01-17T11:38:00.005+02:00

Hard to believe, but it's already time for the 12^th and final entry in High-5's compilation series. Over the past year, through parties dressed up as imaginary compilation records, High Five has explored the vast oceans of dance-floor ready rock and roll from surf and swing to garage-rock and funk. For the final episode of this series, we're happy to present to you a night dedicated to one of the most explosive chapters of rock and roll history. This month's High Five DJs have been hand picked to provide you with a near lethal dose of raw-power from the pioneers of post-punk & new-wave plus numbers from the modern day athlete's that carry the torch those forefather's lit more than 30 years ago.

RSVP here!

You are invited to "We Are Beautiful Looser 2"

2012-01-14T13:15:00.003+02:00

*Yaaaaawn!* OH HAI!! So I hope everyone had really lovely, sleepy Decembers and 2012's so far? I'm still waddling my way out of hibernation. I don't expect I'll be able to feel like this for much longer. While I am still down in Cape Town, enjoying my last few days of holiday before I head back to JHB, in a few hours I'll be kicking out the video-jams with Bateleur! I'll be joining the band for their performance at this: Apparently last year's installment of "We are Beautiful Loosers" was one of the most awesome nights that went down in Cape Town last year. With the lineup they've got this year, I don't imagine it'll be any less awesome this time around. I'm especially excited to be playing in conjunction with Stuart, the band's usual visuals-creating-dude. Stu and I will each be playing out to our own screen while the band plays. I've never done anything like this dual-projection-VJ-battle-madness before; I can't wait!

Still sleeping...

2012-01-09T10:54:00.001+02:00

Fell asleep so deeply I didn't even remember to post this:

You are invited to Do the Doo Wop

2011-12-20T13:45:00.003+02:00

RSVP here!

Free music Friday! ELM "Crusades"!

2011-12-16T14:36:00.003+02:00

Last Friday I shared the Martianmartian EP, The 4th release on SMACM. Today, I'm pleased to inform you that Crusades by Eyes Like Mirrors (The EP that inspired me to start this little label) is now also up for free download!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

EYES LIKE MIRRORS

CRUSADES!

T.O.D.W.M. Artwork revealed (kinda)

2011-12-14T12:43:00.000+02:00

Back in October, while reading Bernard Brand's blog, I was very excited to see the awesome The Ocean Doesn't Want Me, have been in studio, recording material for their second album.

Now, Bernard has revealed he's be doing the art for said album! While the final artwork is still being kept secret till the album's release, he has released some intriguing sneak peaks of how it's coming along.

Consider me excited!

Good Weekend: Monster Hospital.

2011-12-13T10:28:00.011+02:00

This weekend starts, on the last Friday of October, with Richard and a giant prawn; After heading out to buy a whole bunch of decor supplies, Anja and I return home to find Jared, Richard and the afore-mention giant prawn waiting for us at The Lister. We head up onto the roof and proceed to spend the next few hours hanging out, crafting decor & outfits for Monster Hospital the next night.

At some point, a huge mass of clouds blow in... ...we grab our cardboard creations, dash inside... ...and stare at the apocalyptic thunderstorm that starts falling across Johannesburg. By Saturday afternoon, the day of the party, the weather's still looking pretty rainy. It means we need to move indoors. It's a bit of a bummer, not to be having the show under the stars, but at least we have someplace to hang the crazy chandelier Anja and Jared created. MJ and Lizzy arrive and get straight to work making awesomeness for their Sangoma Republic photobooth.

The KRNGY kids pull into the parking lot with a boot-load of decor for their elevator. Kyle, Kathy, Olivia & Scott show up and start helping out with making things. Cam, Lindi, Silas & The Mirrors all join us and the next thing I know we're a small army of 20 people transforming Private Practice and The Lister elevators into something more awesome than I ever imagined Monster Hospital would be. Time flies by and next thing I know the soundchecks are over, the doors are open and deranged doctors, dead patients and blood-drenched nurses start streaming out onto the roof. Chinxxx arrives, plugs in her laptop and proceeds to provide the most perfect backdrop to the awesomeness that is Make Overs.

In the intermission Kaptien MJ starts shooting his Sangoma magic.

I dish out the best dressed prizes for the night's most excelent guy, girl and couple.

Franci gives the members of the ELM squad giant 3rd eyes.

Then I throw Seafox over my shoulders and we kick out our Mirror-jams! We have a frightfully fun time, then vacate the stage for The Vampire to make his live debut. The crowd response to this new incarnation of Vampire9000 playing it's first show is just awesome too see. He's unveiling a bunch of new material, and even the three songs from his Colours EP have changed drastically when moving from recordings to live entities. In spite of this, people are just going nuts, clapping along in time to his loops and generally loving being a part of the vampiric joy.

Nathan Scott Phillips takes over, just as the heavens break open. The people hanging on the roof, dash for cover. The Sangoma Republic relocates to a drier home.

One set of excellent later, NSP tags out and Marc Latilla tags in and continues tearing the dancefloor apart.

All too soon though, it's past our closing time of 2AM. Marc starts winding things down. I make a little sing to run through the visuals and break the sad news to everyone that The Monster Hospital is dead. And so endeth one of the best parties Ri and I have ever thrown together.

Free Music Friday! Albino Beach Discography!

2011-12-09T09:44:00.003+02:00

Last month I posted up a video, announcing that Jozi instrumental-heores, Albino Beach have made their triumphant return. Today, for Free Music Friday, I'm very happy to direct you to direct you to their bandcamp, where The Beach have made all their recordings free for your ears to enjoy.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

THE ALBINO BEACH DISCOGRAPHY!

And as a little bonus, here's their video for their awesome song Angola Girls

Rebel Alliance 3 trailer!

2011-12-08T11:27:00.003+02:00

Rebel Alliance 3 is going down this Saturday! Here's the wee trailer we whipped up for it!

We do this all the time: Rebel Alliance 2!

2011-12-07T11:01:00.012+02:00

So I've been wanting to do a post on how great Rebel Alliance 2 was. But before I can do that i need to catch up and write about how great Monster Hospital was. Yeah... not doing a great job on the blog front for the last while...

Aaaaanyway, with Rebel Alliance 3 happening this Saturday, I figured I at least had to get these out there. Prepare your eyes for the work Rebel photo-fighter Hanro Havenga, as shot at Rebel Alliance 2!

Bateleur: FATIUA BTS

2011-12-06T12:12:00.003+02:00

This weekend I'm involved in throwing two parties; the first show Cape Town fun-squad Bateleur will be playing in Johannesburg. First, on the Lister Rooftop on Friday and then the next night at Rebel Alliance, our monthly event at The Bioscope. At last Rebel Alliance we screened the bands awesome video for "Thanks India". On this tour the band will be launching a brand new video for killer new track "Further Away Than I Usually Am". In anticipation of this, the fine people of Complet Films have released a wee teaser, showing some of the behind the scenes action on, what promises to be a really fantastic music video.

Free Music Friday! Martian Martian EP!

2011-12-02T11:57:00.008+02:00

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD MARTIANMARTIAN NOW!

Back when SMACM released Vampire9000's Colours EP back in September I gushed about how putting that EP out was such a big deal to me. Today, I'll be doing the same for another EP, although, for your sake, I'll try keep the gush as concise as possible this time.

This story starts back on a Summer's night in October, 2005. At the "Secret Pirate Party" I would be playing what would still have been one of my first DJ sets, alongside Ri, my then constant DJ-companion. At the party I was given a CD-R by a Pretoria kid called Jean de Wet.

I'd met Jean a few times, but didn't really know too much about him, outside of the fact that he also loved the Go Team and the fact that our mutual friends Werner and Johan had taken every possible opportunity to tell me how much I reminded them of Jean and how we'd be best friends if we got to hang out. Now, Jean was handing me a CD-R, full of songs he'd recorded in his bedroom, hoping I could squeeze one of them into the set I'd be playing in a few hours. Unfortunately I didn't a chance to listen to the disc before i started my set and, not having any idea what this Martianmartian stuff sounded like, totally failed to play one of Jean's creations for The Secret Dancefloor.

At the end of the night Jean, and the rest of the Pretoria gang that had come through to the party, landed up coming over to crash at my place. We hung out, got pleasant and slowly one by one, people began disappearing into bedrooms, finally leaving Jean and I alone with cups of tea and coffee. It occurred to me that this could be a good time to play the CD-R Jean had given me, and what followed is burnt into my mind as one of the most special moments of the very special years that were my early twenties.

The early morning light creeping into my lounge and the sound of Martianmartian pouring into my ears for the first time, it felt like my heart was getting crushed in a vice. I don't know if there's a proper word for that feeling, but after close on 28 years of being in love with music, I still don't know how to describe it in any concise way. It doesn't happen very often at all, but from time to time, I'll hear a song, and it's as if the vibrations going into my body are just to much to bear, like the song has placed some kind of creature in my chest and it needs to rip my skin open and burst out my ribcage. This moment where, it's as if soundwaves are resonating at the same frequency as soul, it's rare as hell, but it's the way I felt the first time I listened to The Pixies or Trail of Dead or Godspeed, and in those moments I've felt more alive than I have in any others. Now, at 4AM on this particular October morning, it's the way I felt hearing Martianmartian for the first time.

I quite quickly made up for not playing Martianmartian that night, making his song regular fixtures in my DJ sets in those days. I passed it along to friends whenever I could and worked it into mixes whenever possible. When I started Sovereign Academy in 2006 Jean began DJing the nights as Edward Appleby, and later, dressed as a panda with a stage full of crazy props, Martianmartian took to the academy stage as a full live show. When we first took the parties on tour, Martianmartian was there, playing for crowds between Cape Town and Stellenbosch. Over this time a bunch of great new bands and acts started up between Pretoria and Joburg. Some of them got to record songs, other's didn't and all of them hold their own special places in my heart. But, coming out of that era, I could confidently say that nothing recorded by Kidofdoom, The Tutus, Greenisforturbo, 5 Men 3 Missing, Us Kids Know or anyone else from that community could come close to the Martianmartian recordings that had come out of Jean's bedroom back in 2004/5. The strange thing is that, while he had a whole album of songs recorded before anyone else had even started their band up, Jean had never properly released the beautiful creatures he had brought into the world.

As venues closed, bands broke up, shops went bust and regular parties faded away, our once healthy community, silently crawled into an unmarked grave and died. With everyone enacting this un-written, mass suicide-pact, Jean played his part, leaving Preotira for Cape Town in early 2008. There, he continued to churn out an endless stream of wonderful creations, but now far more focused on illustration than music. Martianmartian became a like strange ghost of some great dinosaur; Once it made the earth shake, but now hadn't left behind enough fossils for any future archeologist to ever hope to know what it had been.

At the start of this year I decided to start up a little record label to release the Eyes Like Mirrors EP. I created SMACM, to try document the awesomeness I hope we'll see coming out of Pretoria and Joburg the next time we have something as exciting as 2006 and 7 happening. But, while I'm still waiting for new kids to start new bands and make things happen, for now it seems appropriate to play catch up and help release some of the greatness that soundtracked some of the best years of my life. With this agenda, my first priority was finally putting out the lost treasure that was Martianmartian. While (in the spirit of analphabetapolothology) I was all for releasing every one of the 40 something gems Jean had recorded between 2004 and 2007, Jean instead picked out 7 songs that he felt complimented each other and (outside of his later, more acoustic numbers) concisely summed up what Martianmartian was all about.

Packed in hand crafted 10" sleeves, adorned with unreleased art drawn in the same era that these songs were recorded, it's safe to say the physical packaging of SMACM004 is the coolest thing we've released in the label's short history.

While Jean has only made 35 of these awesome little things, we're happy to be able to share these seven songs with whoever wants them, free for your ears thanks to the magic of the internet. So, epic gush and nostalgia trip aside, if you still haven't got it:

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

MARTIANMARTIAN NOW!

You are invited to Invisible Cities Drive-In!

2011-12-02T11:14:00.007+02:00

The Skeleton Crew's Invisible Cities gigs have been the freshest new events to pop up in Joburg this year. Celebrating our awesome city by bringing together two very different musical acts and presenting them to people in new, undiscovered parts of the city every time, the past events have been nothing short of inspired. But i cna quite safely say that the concept for this month's instalment out does anything else the Crew dreamt up in the past;

Loop technician, Skeleton Crew founder and all around good-guy, Joao Orecchia recently bought himself a small radio transmitter. From the rooftop of The lister building, he's been using this to broadcast Invisible Cities pirate radio across the CBD. Now, using it for something even more awesome, he's creating his own rock and roll drive-in for one night only!

This weekend I'll be down in Cape Town, totally gutted I can't be at this. I trust you'll enjoy it on my behalf.

RSVP here!

INVISIBLE CITIES DRIVE IN

Carlo Mombelli x Bittereinder

Sunday 4 December, 2011

14:00 to 19:00

1. Throw your friends and party hats into your car.

2. Make sure your radio works. You're going to need it!

3. Drive to Invisible Cities DRIVE IN.

4. Tune into ICR.Invisible Cities Pirate Radio on 102.2fm!

5. Local radio is not dead. Drive ins are not dead. As ethereal as Invisible Cities Drive In may be, it is soon to be the only drive in Johannesburg. The last one standing. We lost Top Star to the gold rush 2.0, and Velskoen is now also leaving us.

The city is invisible.

Entrance R50 per person plus R20 per car.

14:00 - 16:00: Live radio show by Boombox!

16:00 - 18:00: Live performances by Bittereinder and Carlo Mombelli feat. Marcus Wyatt, Sidney Mnisi and Justin Badenhorst.

18:00 - 19:00: More live broadcasts.

Plus a special surprise performance.

50-52 Pritchard St

btwn Rissik and Loveday

in the shadow of the iconic Barbican

-26° 12' 11.78", +28° 2' 29.36"

Free Mix Friday: Jo Fo's "Gold Flake Paint" Tripple mix!

2011-12-02T09:52:00.005+02:00

It's been a little while since I've had a good mix from some local DJ to share with you dear readers. Today, I'm very happy to say i have not one, but three amazing mixes to brighten up your Friday, assembled by honourary South African, Lex, Kel & Jun, who some of you my know as Jo Fo.

In celebration of the band's ultra-lovely new album, Johnny Foreigner vs Everything, the fine people of Gold Flake Paint roped each of the band members into putting together a wee mix. Outside of Lex's infernal obsession with Uffie (why Lex? WHY?!) all three mixes are packed with the most awesome awesomeness you could ever hope to treat your ears to.

CLICK HERE TO VISIT GOLDFLAKE PAINT

AND DOWNLOAD JOHNNY FOREIGNER vs MIXTAPES!

You are invited to watch Bateleur in the sky!

2011-12-01T10:59:00.004+02:00

As I mentioned on Tuesday, we'll be hosting Cape Town dynamos Bateleur at the next Rebel Alliance. Today I have some more good news: Ri and I will also be teaming up to do a show with the band the night before. The location is none other than The Lister Rooftop, the scene where Ri and I threw last month's ridiculously fun Monster Hospital. That night was awesome and, with the really stellar line-up Ri picked for for the night, this next gig should be no different!

RSVP here!

ROADEN A NEW SOUND and SO MANY ANIMAL CALLS team up for a night of sonic escapism with 4 post-everything acts.
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BATELEUR (CPT)
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❂
6 Piece Instrumental Awesomeness from Cape Town.
Download "Mountain EP"
Check out their video for "Thanks India"
They will also be unveiling their latest video for "I'm Further Away Than I Usually Am!" on the night!
See how it's coming along
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JOÃO ORECCHIA
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❂
Finally we get to host the line-up of Joao Orecchia, Mpumi Mcata and Tshepang Ramoba at Private Practice! Electro-acoustic glitch jam noiseniks.
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GIVAN LÖTZ
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❂
Hypnotic love strum, soothing vox... Music to drone you by.
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EYES LIKE MIRRORS
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❂
Jozi's favourite lightspeed champions. Cinematic Adventure Time.
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ZAR50
Safe & secure parking inside building - entrance on Bree Street.
Directions:
GPS Co-ordinates for Bree st. entrance:
S 26° 12. 022’
E 28° 02. 740’

Free music Friday: Mine All Mine Two Hundred!

2011-11-30T13:02:00.002+02:00

Free Music Friday posts are generally reserved for awesomeness from South Africans. Today, I'm making a bit of an exception (kinda).

US-based record label "Mine All Mine" have been keeping busy. Very busy. So busy, that the young label have already put out more than 199 releases! To celebrate their 200th release, they've put out "Mine All Mine Two Hundred", a compilation of 28 songs. It just so happens two of these 28 songs are tracks from our very own SMACM artists, opening with some awesomeness from Jaysynth and later featuring a number by Eyes Like Mirrors!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

MINE ALL MINE TWO HUNDRED!

You are invited to Rebel Alliance 3!

2011-11-29T09:03:00.004+02:00

I'm very happy to invite you to this one: Sometime last year I stumbled across a free-to-download EP from a Cape Town band I'd never heard of. On my first listen of Bateleur's "Mountain" I totally freaked out and proceeded to listen to it again five times over before leaving work, heading to band practice, playing the EP for The Mirrors and seeing them freak out in much the same way I did. Ever since then Bateleur have been the one local band ELM have most desperately wanted to play with live. Now, more than a year down the line, this dream is finally coming true; Bateleur will be heading up to Gauteng to play some shows and celebrate the release of their latest music video. One of these shows just happens to be the next Rebel Alliance. needless to say I can't wait for this night to come around.

RSVP here!

Jozi's only music/ animation/ film cross-over night makes it's final appearance of 2011 with Rebel Alliance 3 "Retirement of the Sith". Expect a night of audio and visual thrills featuring:

Bateleur!

The Cape Town 5-piece bring their unique brand of instrumental awesomeness to The Bioscope for the first time!

Eyes Like Mirrors!

Alliance favourite's ELM, armed with the power of cinema rock mayhem. continue their crusade against The Evil Empire.

Slave Race 2!

The second installment of Matt McFarlane's animated rebelion! This month: Secret Societies and their subversive impact on South African history.

Teen Creeps!

The premier screening of this debut film from upstart awesomeness collective, “Lovechild”!

I'm further away than I usually am!

Coinciding with their live performance, Bateleur unveil their highly anticipated new music video, directed by Christopher Bisset.

“Turn Your Light Up High” vs “Pixel Pirates”!

Jozi's renegades of technology return with a brand new bag of freshly hacked video and lighting tricks

Jo Fo Euro: PS not soon enough

2011-11-24T13:19:00.003+02:00

While I'm dragging my feet posting the final chapter of our Jo Fo Euro tour adventures, here's a little video I made to celebrate the release of the band's third album, Johnny Foreigner vs Everything.

In part it's made up of clips that were used as visuals on the tour itself. Landscapes, shot from our van which I animated Lewes ghosts flying across and play live across the rest of the tour. Then there's footage of our failed attempts at floating little "boats" down some water feature in the lovely park we stumbled across in Kiel, Germany. Finally there's live stuff, us in Wimbledon, captured in slow motion radness by my dear old friend Phil Davies.

You are invited to Blame it on the Boogie!

2011-11-22T17:22:00.003+02:00

RSVP here!

Martianmartian artwork revealed!

2011-11-18T12:16:00.005+02:00

Tomorrow night at Rebel Alliance 2 SMACM will be celebrating the launch of our next release, the self titled Martianmartian EP! I just got some photos of the artwork, a 10 inch, hand-drawn/ painted/ crafted gem created by the Martian himself Jean de Wet!

We do this all the time: Rebel Alliance 1 (pt2)

2011-11-17T10:34:00.006+02:00

Last batch of pics Hanro Havenga shot at the premier Rebel Alliance last month. Don't forget, the second Rebel Alliance is going down on Saturday and the night's lineup will also feature some awesomeness from Hanro's band, Balcony.

Rebel Alliance 1 in videos!

2011-11-16T12:23:00.003+02:00

With the second installment of our music/ film/ animation cross-over event just around the corner, I thought it'd be neat to share the clips that formed the not-live part of the night!

First, Jaysynth's original soundtrack to "The Impossible Voyage" which he put together to celebrate the release of his debut EP (which you can download here!)

Then (an abridged version) of Russell Grant's story about taking back the city in animal suits, Fuzzy John.

And finally, Cool Your Jets' music video for Vampire9000's "Colours" (if you don't have it yet - grab his EP here!)

Rebel Alliance 2 is going down this Saturday. We have a killer lineup for this one and it just so happens that 10and5 are giving away a pair of tickets for the night right here!

You are invited to A Candy Coated Event!

2011-11-16T10:58:00.003+02:00

The girls from 2InTwine are building up a reputation for organising some of the most fun, super-sweet parties Johannesburg has to offer. Their last gig, I Scream for Spring, was a really fun night featuring rock and roll, dance moves and free icecream-cones. This next one should be just as fun, with the icecream being replaced by candy floss and caramel vodka. Eyes Like Mirrors will be joining the night's really diverse lineup and I'm really looking forward to playing this one!

RSVP here!

Make-Overs: Surfbored Music video.

2011-11-15T13:36:00.005+02:00

The ultra-prolific rock and roll/ illustration/ animation/ production/ scream-machine that are Make-Overs have just released another new music video! This time they've made some visual awesomeness to go to the sounds of fan-favourite Surfbored. The track will be getting a vinyl release through US lable HoZac Records. Word on the street is that a couple copies of the 45's will be sent over to South Africa and I'll be damned if I don't get my paws on one of them babies!

P.S. Don't forget, Make overs are currently on a tour through South Africa - get all the dates right here!

We do this all the time: Rebel Alliance 1

2011-11-14T10:00:00.008+02:00

Here's a wee collection of pics Hanro Havenga shot at the premier Rebel Alliance last month. Don't forget, the second Rebel Alliance is going down on Saturday! The night's lineup will also feature some awesomeness from Hanro's band, Balcony.

You are invited: Desmond & the Tutus and Friends!

2011-11-11T10:34:00.006+02:00

Tomorrow night I'll be DJing/ VJing what promises to be a really fun party! The Tutus have booked out the Alex Theatre and asked a bunch of their friends to come kick out the jams! This is easily the biggest lineup of quality music I've seen going down in Johannesburg in ages!

RSVP here!

ROOFTOP:

16:00 - Some Grow Young

16:30 - Gil Hockman

17:00 - The Skabengas

17:45 - Shotgun Tori

18:30 - Yo Grapes

19:15 - TBC

20:00 - Beateberg

20:45 - Rambling Bones

21:30 - Shortstraw

22:30 - Ashtray Electric

23:30 - Desmond & The Tutus

00:30 - DJ Sassquatch

DJ FLOOR

21:00 - Data Takashi

22:00 - VGA & Haasbroek

00:00 - Richard The Third

01:00 - Musical Chairs

Free Music Friday: New Yesterday's Pupil!

2011-11-11T10:21:00.002+02:00

Yesterday's Pupil is in the process of releasing his second album. He's taking a pretty interesting approach with how he's going about it, releasing the album for free download in several parts and the first of these has gone live!

click here to download

YESTERDAY'S PUPIL

SINGULARITY pt1

And while you're at it, check out the neat little video Louis Minnaar put together for the first single from the album!

You are invited: Rebel Alliance 2!

2011-11-10T12:57:00.004+02:00

Buy tickets here!

RSVP here!

Jozi's only rock and roll/ animation/ film mash-up night is back with Rebel Alliance 2 “Attack the Clones”!
For this month's installment we've lined up:

Poseidon Adventure!

Our live act for this month, unveiling a brand new show, taking you along with the legendary Oom as he travels through time and space!

Swart Koffie!

A short film by PJ Kotze; Racist Lizard-people, a flying boer, Proffesor Mystery & The Voortrekker Monument collide in an explosion of B-Grade Afro-Sci-Fi Awesomeness.

Earthlings!

A collection of local music video's celebrating South African landscapes, with gems from Bateleur, A Skyline on Fire, Wreslerish and Balcony.

Slave Race!

An unruly new Rebel Alliance monthly feature! For it's debut installment, expect rebellious words from George Carlin, set to animation by Matt McFarlane.

Martian Martian 2004-6!

The lastest release on SMACM; a posthumous offering of various songs from the now dead, genre-defying bedroom noise-pop producer, Martian Martian. Complied with a zine illustrated by Jean de Wet, lucky Alliance attendees can win copies and for the rest it'll be playing in The Chalkboard Cafe before and after the event.

“Pixel Pirates” vs “Turn your lights up high”!

The city's most creative visual hackers are back with more eye-melting goodness.

***

I probably don't need to mention the fact that I'm excited about this.

You are invited: Electric Affair "Beardo Weirdo"

2011-11-07T09:22:00.005+02:00

The King of Town in back in town! A total pioneer, former amazing event designer, super-producer and quite possibly the best DJ to emerge from our generation of Gauteng DJs, King of Town changed the face of South African nightlife from when he started "The Secret" sometime in 2004 until he left Jozi for London in 2009. His remix of "Kiss You" launched Desmond and the Tutus into the international spotlight and since then has been commissioned to remix artists ranging from Wild Beats and Franz Ferdinand to Phenomenal Handclap Band.

On Friday The King will be coming home for a few days. Under the guise of Paul Holden he'll be launching his latest book, and while he's back in town we thought we'd throw a little party.

More than two years back Marc Latilla suggested he and I should throw a disco party. The Electric Affair was born and with King of Town and Young Smuts completing the lineup, our debut night turned out to be a huge success. We always wanted to do a follow-up party, but circumstance always seemed to be against us. Now, years down the line, I'm really happy that we're finally making it happen. Tragically Latilla isn't able to join us this time around, but with Data Takashi filing in for him it's still a totally solid lineup of disco-loving-DJs!

RSVP here!

Free Mix Friday: Plaat Japie's "Monster Mash Mix"

2011-11-04T08:25:00.003+02:00

Click here to download

PLAAT JAPIE

MONSTER MASH MIX!

Albino Beach - Irukandji

2011-11-03T12:35:00.003+02:00

Albino Beach, the very sorely missed Johannesburg instrumentalists, are back! Unfortunately you won't be able to experience their great live show again anytime soon, but the band are recording and releasing new material! (Along with their 2008 EP) you can grab their new single here and check out the video for it below!

You are invited to Jaco & Z-Dog and Poseidon Adventure

2011-11-02T13:49:00.004+02:00

Pretoria's premier "adventure rock" band, Poseidon Adventure, are surfing back to Jozi! They'll be kicking out the jams with art noise maniacs Jaco and Z-Dog on a night that will also feature the oh-so-pleasant Plaat Japie on DJ duty and your friendly neighborhood Sassquatch on visuals! This is gonna be a good one!

RSVP here!

Monster Hospital is two days away!

2011-10-27T10:22:00.003+02:00

It's almost upon us! Monster Hospital is going down this Saturday!

Some of you might like to win free tickets and have some extra money to spend on your costumes, so we thought we'd point you in the right direction to do that!

First, our fiendish friends at Between 10and5 are running a comp here!

And the devilish dudes at Revolution Daily are doing one too, right here!

Then, to be sure that you don't miss your favourite abysmal act here's the lineup for the night:

20:30 Plaat Japie

21:00 Make Overs

22:00 Eyes Like Mirrors

23:00 Vampire9000

23:40 Sassquatch

00:25 Nathan Scott Phillips

01:10 Marc Latilla

Lastly, it's currently looking like we have a 50% chance of rain on the night. If this happens the party will be moving indoors, to Private Practice. You will still be 19 stories up, with an awesome view of the CBD, the only difference is you'll also have storm clouds and lightning bolts too for extra spooky-power!

All right freaks – see you all on Saturday!

Monster love:

Broaden a New Sound

So Many Animal Calls

VAMPIRE9000 DEBUT VIDEO IS OUT!

2011-10-26T09:28:00.006+02:00

Last Friday we launched the debut vampire9000 music video at Rebel Alliance. I am now very happy to announce the video is online for the rest of the world's viewing pleasure!

Vampire9000 - "Colours" music video from Cool Your Jets on Vimeo.

The video was produced by our friend James, shot by SMAC-BFF Lindi Goosen and animted by my sorta-still secret animation collective "Cool Your Jets".

If you missed it, click here for behind the scenes weirdness from Patrick Dinneen!

Don't forget, this Saturday the current incarnation of Vampire9000 is making his live debut at Monster Hospital!

And if you don't have it yet click here to download the debut vampire9000 EP!

MONSTER HOSPITAL CATOWEEN PROMO!

2011-10-24T13:33:00.003+02:00

This Saturday our Halloween party of epic proportions is going down! The lovely Lindi Goosen whipped up a promo video for it, with a little help from a feline friend!

Catoween from Lindi Goosen on Vimeo.

Make-Overs will be going (against all odds) on a misadventure!

2011-10-21T09:47:00.003+02:00

Next Saturday the Make Overs will be playing Monster Hospital but it's just one of many dates on a their summer tour!

Click here to visit KRNGY news and see all the confirmed dates of the tour!

Good Weekend: Rebel Vampires in Mirrors!

2011-10-19T08:32:00.010+02:00

I doubt anyone's noticed, but if you scroll through the past 2 months worth of blog-posts you'll see what I mean. All I've been doing is quick posts, inviting you to some event, or sharing a video or leaving some obtuse one-liner that made me lols. What's been missing is my trademark super-longwinded report backs on awesome weekend adventures, playing gigs, dancing, playing with kittens and my x-box.

It's not like I haven't been having good weekends. The disco inferno of September, or the Launch of the 2nd Make Overs LP or the boobfest of Poseidon Adventure all made for awesome tales. The reason SMAC has been devoid of these "Good Weekend" posts is things have just been crazy. Too crazy to allow me the luxury of time to write them. But, at least over the past few weeks, a big part of all that craziness was in aid of things that resolved themselves this weekend, which means "Good Weekend" can now make it's triumphant return!

To begin with, I'm moving out The Lister Building. While I've been loving sharing a rooftop with Ri and Chi, other things have really been getting to me, basically I'm just not cut out for dealing with the madness of the CBD. This descision has left me frantically looking for a new home for the past few weeks. Thankfully that search came to an end, when on Thursday morning I signed the lease for my new home, a lovely flat in the lovely neighborhood of Ilovo.

So, while I had that great weight lifted off my shoulders, the rest of Thursday was still stressful as hell, preparing for Rebel Alliance on Saturday. Cue lots of After Effects, staring at white gloves, eating Falafel's at Matt's and staying up too late.

Friday was even more hectic; last minute finishing touches and racing to The Bioscope to set up, wondering why I do this to myself. And next thing I know the moment so many of us had put some much time into, came about. Cam and Bojan arrived with bags full of LED's, magnets and batteries in tow. (Being the first time I've mentioned him here I feel Bojan needs a wee introduction; he works as a programmer at Frog with Cam. Through his own visual-hacking project, Pixel Pirates, Bojan is teaming up with Cam on creating some really exciting visual hacks, and Rebel Alliance marked the first event where their collective super-powers have been combined.) Within a few minutes of being at the Bioscope little spots of light started appearing on metalic surfaces around the venue as the boys started taping together throwies.

The head-honcho in Vampire-video-crime, Matt McF shows up and then a steady stream of old and new faces start fulling up the Chalkboard. Fast forward a little and said faces are watching the opening credits for the first ever Rebel Alliance. Then it's the story of people in animal suits taking back the CBD with Fuzzy John, the turn of the century magic of Méliès to a new Jaysynth score and finally the Vampire video we worked so hard on. Here and there it's a little rough around the edges, but I'm super proud of what we've created and seeing it unveiled on a huge screen like this is just the best feeling.

There's a wee interval, everyone streams out of the venue and we prepare for the 2nd part of the evening - the live installment. The Mirrors and I sling our rockandrollweapons over our shoulders and wait for the crowd to return. It's not long before we're enveloped in darkness with just our visuals burning behind us. The crowd is just lovely. Hanro takes lovely photos. Being back in The Bioscope is lovely. Everything is really just lovely.

After two songs we spring a surprise on the Alliance. Although he's only officialy making his live debut at our Halloween party, V9K will be playing a song to celebrate the launch of his video. While he's only surprising the theatre with one song I should point out it is a 9 minute long re-imagining of Colours. Ola (of Fulka fame) joins him on vocals and, as a a spur-of-the-moment kinda thing I start running the music video in the background. As different as this version of the song is, it's at the exact same BPM as the original, so the video just falls straight into place.

A few minutes in I launch something else special Cam and Bojan whipped up; They've split the video signal we're running out to the screen. The duplicated signal is running to my projector, which is currently just shinning onto a piece of cardboard right in front of it. As I raise the piece of cardboard, the image hits a mirror ball and bounces all over The Bioscope.

I'm left standing there, grinning like a total idiot. Watching vamp's surprise attack, hearing the sound of this familiar song brought to life in a whole new way. The video that Matt and James and Lindi and I slaved over, projected behind Chriatian and Ola and tiny reflections of itself scattered all around us. It's just beautiful. A moment that makes all these weeks of preparation so so worth it.

All too soon it's time for Eye Like Mirrors to kick into the second part of our set. We play an as-yet untiled new song, then two tracks from our EP. From time to time I raise the mirrorball-projection-barrier and spray the visuals across the room, almost loose my balance a at a couple of points and generally just have the best time possible.

Afterwards everyone seems really excited by what's just happened. Chat to bunch of people that will hopefully be contributing to future nights. We sell a bunch of EPs and T-shirts and Jaysynths. Discover we're going up against the Kings of Leon with Monster Hospital. I'm still confident the party's gonna be a big success, it's just funny to discover my little band is faceing off against the biggest band in the world. We pack up. Hang with Kathy and Kyle on a the sidewalk and then head home. PJ's come to spend the night. He introduces me to this awesomeness:

Laser Runner by daikaiju

And then we sit playing the Scott Pilgrim game to a soundtrack of Adebisi Shank till 4 in the morning. We sleep for a bit, wake up, head into town for breakfast supplies. PJ finds a giant Flat Eric doll in the streets of Jozi.

We eat croissants and watch Adventure Time.

PJ heads back to Pretoria. I proceed to have some quality catch up time with my X-Box, playing the stellar Bastion and From Dust.

Sunday isn't all that different, although a replay through the last 2 hours of Mass Effect is thrown in for good measure. I take a break fom X-Boxxing to brush Chi and watch the fun go down from our rooftop.

In the evening Ri and I have an epic Fringe Marathon, tearing through a good chunk of Season 3.

So there it is, my triumphant return to the world of long-winded tales of weekend adventures. Let's hope we can do this again sometime okay?

You are invited to Kill Rock Stars!

2011-10-18T14:25:00.004+02:00

It's time for the next compilation from High Five records! For this months episode Ri and I are getting back to our roots, dedicating the night to the alternative rock that shaped our teenhoods and the underground gems we'd only discover years later.

RSVP here!

Fire through the window - Lonely Hearts

2011-10-17T11:04:00.001+02:00

Free Music Friday! Jaysynth is out!

2011-10-14T09:35:00.006+02:00

It's Friday! This means today, i can finally tell you to:
CLICK HERE TO
DOWNLOAD
JAYSYNTH
!!!
As you no doubt know we'll be celebrating the launch of this great EP at Rebel Alliance tonight. Drop by to see Jaysynth's original score of The Impossible Voyage and buy yourself one of the limited edition physical copies of the EP!

You are invited! Monster Hospital!

2011-10-14T09:10:00.004+02:00

RSVP here!

It's almost upon us! Enter Haloween 2011 from the deepest darkest heart of Johannesburg's horrific CBD as Broaden A New Sound and So Many Animal calls join forces for a night of unmatched mayhem. With an undead army of bands and DJs, we're taking the underground and raising it up (19 stories into the sky), invading the rooftop of The Lister Medical Building for MONSTER HOSPITAL.

Starring:

EYES LIKE MIRRORS

VAMPIRE9000

MAKE OVERS

MARC LATILLA

NATHAN SCOTT PHILLIPS

PLAAT JAPIE

VJ SASSQUATCH

Plus:

Trick or Treat - goodie bags for the first 50 through the door!

***

Haunted Elevators and demented décor from

DOKTRINE

***

Live lighting wizardry from

TURN YOUR LIGHTS UP HIGH vs THE PIXEL PIRATES

***

Unholy visuals from

CHINXXX & COOL YOUR JETS

***

Possessed music and merch giveaways from

KRNGY & SMACM

***

Soon-to-be-unvieled tie-in-screening's at

THE BIOSCOPE

***

Phantom Photobooth by

SANGOMA REPUBLIC

***

Free "Day of the Dead" mixes from

PLAAT JAPIE

***

Monsterous prizes for the best dressed boy, girl and couple!

***

Cover: R50.

No costume: (we cut you up with a chainsaw and then you pay) R100.

We do this all the time: Vampire9000 music video shoot!

2011-10-13T11:47:00.007+02:00

Tomorrow evening at Rebel Alliance we'll be unveiling Vampire9000's "Colours" music video. The video was produced by James Carrol, shot by Lindi Goosen and features animation by Cool Your Jets. The 20th's Patrick Dineen was at the shoot, documenting what went down, and in the build up to tomorrow, I'm very happy to share some of the stuff he got!

SMACM! Next release!

2011-10-11T16:52:00.005+02:00

I'm very happy to announce the next thing we're putting out on SMACM is the fantastic 5 track EP from Jaysynth! Jaysynth is the freshly un-vieled new solo project of Jason Sutherland. Jason currently plays guitar for Joburg cinema-rockers Eyes Like Mirrors and, under the monkier of On Travel, released several EPs and splits through US label Scotch Tapes.

As with our previous release, Vampire9000's "Colours", The Jaysynth EP will be put out in a free-to-download digital format as well as in a highly-limited physical release. We're launching it this Friday, the 14th at Rebel Alliance. To celebrate Jaysynth has composed a new score to the 1904 French Sci Fi Triumph "The Impossible Voyage".

You are invited like television! Rebel Alliance 1 Trailer!

2011-10-11T09:35:00.003+02:00

If you missed it, on Friday night we're launch the brand new monthly SMAC night, Rebel Alliance! Here's the wee trailer i whipped up for the event:

Don't forget - you can book tickets to the show HERE!

You are invited! Poseidon Adventure vs iMPAC!

2011-10-07T10:29:00.004+02:00

This might comes as a shock to some of you, but a surf rock band has started up in South Africa. Even more surprising is the fact that they're from Pretoria. Poseidon Adventure are playing their first show in Joburg on Sunday, and doing so in the most awesome way possible. The band will be closing the Jozi-instalment of the excellent iMPAC festival (if you didn't know, Preotoria's instalment of it was amazing). Taking advantage of playing in front of The Bioscope's big screen, the band will be presenting a celebration of the female form, with yours truely supporting the band on vi-tar duties. This is gonna be mad fun!

RSVP here!

You are invited! More awesome stuff to do with your Thursday!

2011-10-06T08:15:00.004+02:00

If you can't make it to PTA for Breinmasjien tonight, fear not - there's all kinds of fun to be had on Joburg side.

The vinyl Vultures are swooping back into Bramfontein. I really can't express just how awesome the last one was (it was really really really awesome) - and tonight should be no different! It's going down in Kitchener's, tonight, the 6th of October and it's gonna be a night of all vinyl fun!

RSVP here!

Hooray for Humans: The 20th vs V9K!

2011-10-06T07:59:00.003+02:00

Back when we shot the soon-to-be-released Vampire9000 music video, SMAC-super-pal Patrick Dinneen did a few portraits with The Vamp himself. Prepare your life for floppies and style bikes!

You are invited! Rebel Alliance takes off!

2011-10-05T10:06:00.005+02:00

Okay, this is a really exciting one:

I'm very happy to announce I'm starting up a new monthly night at my favorite independent cinema - The Bioscope! I'm planning something complete different to the dance parties I've thrown in the past. Instead I'm planning a night where 68 people can get together, take a seat and enjoy a selection of short films, animations, live music, VJing, visual hacks and hopefully projects that blur the lines between two or more of these. As with my thinking with Dynamo, I really hope to try create some kind of beautiful, big thing by combining the powers of the lovely creative community we've got going down between Johannesburg and Pretoria. How exactly things will play out, only time will tell, but i can say I am pretty damn excited about what we have planned for the debut Rebel Alliance!

***

BOOK TICKETS HERE!

***

RSVP HERE!

***

EYES LIKE MIRRORS

Full live show!

***

VAMPIRE9000

Celebrating the premier screening of the music video for "Colours", animated by Cool Your Jets, produced by James Carrol.

***

FUZZY JOHN

A short film by Russel Grant, soundtracked by Joao Orechhia.

***

TURN YOUR LIGHTS UP HIGH vs PIXEL PIRATES

Joburg's most blindingly fun visual hackers, unveiling their latest creations.

***

JAYSYNTH vs THE IMPOSSIBLE VOYAGE

To celebrate the launch of his debut EP, Jaysynth presents a whole new score to the 1904 French Sci Fi classic.

***

These are dark days. A great evil has fallen across the systems. The citizens of The Empire, enslaved by shadowy figures, are turned into an army of identical clones. Banging their heads against walls to the soundtrack of soul-less machines marching further and further into the darkness.

While the dark-side has corrupted or stamped out almost all those who stood to oppose it, there are still a handful of warriors of the light that survived. In a time like this, these final knights of light-side are left with only 1 option; they must band to together, jump into far cooler looking star-fighters, launch themselves out into space and collectively fire a proton torpedo of pure awesomeness right up the exhaust shaft the monolithic dark forces that stand against them. The time has come for the Rebel Alliance to rise, so sign up and start fighting the good fight!

PREGNANT SEABASS ARE AT YOUR PARTY!

2011-10-05T09:59:00.002+02:00

WHO WANTS CAVIAR?!

Days like Television: Make Overs - "It's Unnatural"

2011-10-04T14:15:00.004+02:00

Last week I freaked out over the awesome inter-changeable album art for the killer new album by Make-Overs. Today I discovered there is in fact a music video where the astronauts, bats and mystical-men of this art come to life! Prepare your brain for craziness...

You are invited! Breinmasjien exhibition!

2011-10-03T15:24:00.004+02:00

SMAC Fav, super-artist and all around awesome-girl Maaike Bakker is having an exhibition of the wonderful stuff her brain tells her hands to make. It's going down on Thursday at the lovely +27 Cafe and the night will also feature an acoustic show by the oh-so-amazing "A Skyline on Fire".

RSVP here!

Free Music Friday! Foreigner's in America: Philly Special Edition!!!

2011-09-30T09:44:00.006+02:00

I've got a really special Free Music Friday for you this week.

In this special "Foreigner's in America" edition, I'm happy to share with you EPs by two of the three awesome bands we shared the basement with when we played in Philadelphia's Sprinkle Kingdom. The night really was a highlight of our tour of the States (for the full story head here then here then here), thanks mostly to the awesome kids of Philly, but also thanks to the totally rad music they make. At the time we played with the Skateboards and Bonjour, neither band had recorded a song. Now, a little more than a year later i'm really happy to be able to share the debut EPs of both bands with you now!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

SKATEBOARDS

BAD DAD'S DOIN' BAD DAD THINGS

For fans of:

8-bit tinged instrumental super-power pop, Fang Island, Anamanaguchi, Pizza, Dads & X-treme extremities!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

BONJOUR

MOTIVATIONAL SUICIDE

For fans of:

Noodley guitars and screamy bliss, The Kinsela-rock-family-tree, Revolution Summer, Algernon Cadwallader, taking emo back!

You are invited! Exhibition Thursday!

2011-09-29T12:22:00.004+02:00

Hi Joburg! This evening there are going to be some nice exhibitions in you!

First, SMAC favourite Jean de Wet is up from Cape Town, doing a solo show at Wolves. This is gonna be amazing.

RSVP here!

And while you're in the hood for that, come by Mooks, have a drink and say hi to me while I customise sneakers. Feiyue are throwing a little wrap up party for the Shapes campaign they invited me to do a canvas for a couple weeks back! All four of the pieces made during the campaign will be on display, plus all four of us artists will be customising sneakers. And there will be good music. And free drinks. So basically it's gonna be cool.

RSVP here!

Hooray for Humans: New Make Overs album has four covers!

2011-09-20T14:12:00.005+02:00

As I hope you're aware; Make Overs are awesome. You may also be aware that the band are releasing their second album this Friday. What you may not yet know, is that "...by natural selection" will feature no less than four interchangeable covers, illustrated by the holy hand of Andreas. Check it out!

I can't wait to get my hands on one of these babies. Personally I'll be going with the astronaut cover and dog cover! "Make Overs by natural selection" is launching this Friday at Shiva's rock. The excellent Skyline on Fire and my cinema rock squad will also be kicking out the jams to celebrate it's release. You should join us!

Days like Television vs America!

2011-09-19T11:08:00.004+02:00

The world is only a few weeks away from the impending assault of Johnny Foreigner vs Everything, Jo Fo's 3rd proper album!

In the lead-up to the release, the band have set up a youtube channel where they're slowly releasing a tidal wave of videos. 6 videos have been released so far, and today I'd like to share two of them, cut from bits of our 2010 tour of The States.

First, here's a clip from the end of our second set at the Music Hall of Williamsburg in New York, which was quite possibly our best show of the tour.

And then here's us in high spirits, singing in a trailer park, having just taken a chunk of our RV's roof off.

Free Music Friday! Yo Grapes - Dehydration!

2011-09-16T11:11:00.003+02:00

Free Music Friday regular Yo Grapes is back with yet another free to download new song, "Dehydration"! I have been a massive fan of all the songs The grapes have released so far, but I think it's safe to say this latest one could be my favourite since their debut hit "Outside". Dehydration by Yo Grapes

Don't forget to catch Yo Grapes live (in person!) at Kitchener's next Thursday!

You are invited! September!

2011-09-15T15:00:00.004+02:00

RSVP here!

Days like Television: Fire through the window - Succubus

2011-09-15T12:05:00.007+02:00

Discovering this little gem came as quite a shock to me. Not only is it a really fun, cool video, but this song just made my day. It's exactly the kind of thing I wish there was more of in this country, people playing guitars, girls singing and fun times being enjoyed by everyone involved. The track is the third single from Fire through the Window's second album, "All these people are golden". It was released last year, but somehow totally flew under my radar. Needless to say, after listening to this song 20 times I went here to rectify this great mistake, ordered myself a copy of the album and one of the lovely shirts Hruki have made for the band. Aaaaaanyway, may I now present to you the awesomness that is Succubus!

You are invited! Yo Grapes & Ampersand broaden a new sound!

2011-09-14T10:52:00.003+02:00

SMAC BFFs Broaden a New Sound are launching a new series of Thursday night gigs at Kitchener's. For the first of these new nights they're hosting geriatric acoustic soloist Ampersand and fresh-faced new kid's on the block, Yo Grapes. This is gonna be a good one!

RSVP here!

Jo Fo Euro. Intermission: The Juneypics pt.2

2011-09-14T08:11:00.006+02:00

You are invited: Make Overs launch "...by natural selection".

2011-09-13T10:18:00.004+02:00

Pretoria's most prolific noise art label KRNGY are set to make their next release, a brand new full length from guitar/drum super-duo, Make Overs. The band's debut made my top ten local releases of last year and I'm pretty sure their sophomore effort will be making an appearance on my 2011 list. Basically, I'm expecting this album to be pretty awesome.

To celebrate the release of their 2nd album the band are throwing a launch at Shiva's on the 23rd of this month. What's more, they've invited mantra pop pioneers A Skyline on Fire to join them, as well as my own cinema-rock assault-squad Eyes Like Mirrors. I can't wait for this!

RSVP here!

vampire9000 - Colours EP is out!

2011-09-09T09:06:00.010+02:00

Of any free music I've posted up on this blog, nothing has made me quite as happy as what I'm about to share with you now;

For your listening pleasure, I'm proud to link you to the 2nd release by my little record label SMACM, "Colours EP" by vampire9000!

As SMACM's next release after my own band's "Crusades EP", I'm obviously pretty damn enthusiastic about the three songs that make up V9K's "Colours", but I'd like to take a moment to explain why "pretty damn enthusiastic" doesn't even explain how excited I am to be releasing this EP.

Vampire9000 is the solo project of man caled Christian Henn. I first met Christian in the streets of Pretoria back in 2002. Christian and I immediately became super-friends and with our other new-best-friend Maaike Bakker a little gang was born that, almost a decade later, I still hold close to my heart as some of my dearest friends. Right from when I first met him, Christian was hands down the most dedicated and passionate musician I had ever met. And while Chrisitian's talent and commitment to music should have seen him blowing people's minds ever since then, he was always his harshest critic and his ridiculously high standards meant none of his musical creations ever left the front door of his home.

All that changed back in 2009 when Maaike threw a little illustration exhibition called City Slickers. She invited Christian to play some music on the night and, opting to try make simplified pop music, vampire9000 was born. Recruiting Hanre Malherbe on drums and myself on visuals, vampire9000 made it's debut on the 13th of August 2009. The band made it's return at our Dynamo Halloween party. And while Hanre departed for asian adventure Christian kept The Vampire alive, heading into Benjamin Studio to record with Pretorian electronic legend Jacob Israel. It's been a long ride, over the past year and a bit full of adventures, from banjo-related injuries, to vamp putting finishing touches on the EP to Maaike blowing us all away with the artwork she created for it to now, the 9th day of the 9th month where you can click here download this three song labour of love.

But with all the personal back-stories aside, when it comes down to it Colours is just a fantastic creature. Three songs that go so far beyond what we've come to expect from South African music. Songs that are overflowing with creativity, enthusiasm and joy. And what's most exciting of all, this is just the start; we've got great plans for where this project will be going and I couldn't be happier to have all of you along for the ride!

So if you haven't done it yet:

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

VAMPIRE9000'S

COLOURS EP

Days Like Television: Jo Fo vs Euro

2011-09-08T09:42:00.003+02:00

We do this all the time: She Vox!

2011-09-07T14:33:00.004+02:00

Hi5's "She Vox"

Kitchener's, Johannesburg

Sat 8 Aug 2011

Vampire 9000 Colours EP: Artwork revealed!

2011-09-06T12:00:00.005+02:00

Christian Henn has spent more than a year bringing it to life, but we're very excited to announce that the debut Vampire 9000 three track EP "Colours" is a mere 3 days away from being released! Produced by Jacob Israel and featuring art by Maaike Bakker, V9K's first recordings are a hurricane of fresh air, and in my eyes some of the most exciting new sounds to emerge out of South Africa in ages. I'm so enthusastic about these three songs that Colours will be released on none other than So Many Animal Calls Music. And, because we love you guys, we're putting this out as a "free-P"! A highly limited edition run in a physical format will be made available on the 9th of October, but till then you'll be able to download a full quality version of the entire EP (plus artwork) as of the 9th day of the 9th month of this year!

New keytar for Ben!

2011-09-05T13:21:00.001+02:00

Anja brought this up for me. I'll be accepting suggestions for names.

So Many Animal Calls

Welcome to the SMACM label stable!

Free Music Friday! Super Special Bumper Edition!

Days like Television: Rebel Alliance 4 Trailer!

We do this all the time: Rebel Alliance 3!

Days like Television: Bateleur - Further Away Than I Usually Am.

You are invited to "Rebel Alliance 4: A Mew Hope"

We do this all the time: Rebel Alliance 2 (pt2)!

Love will tear us apart.

You are invited to "We Are Beautiful Looser 2"

Still sleeping...

You are invited to Do the Doo Wop

Free music Friday! ELM "Crusades"!

T.O.D.W.M. Artwork revealed (kinda)

Good Weekend: Monster Hospital.

Free Music Friday! Albino Beach Discography!

Rebel Alliance 3 trailer!

We do this all the time: Rebel Alliance 2!

Bateleur: FATIUA BTS

Free Music Friday! Martian Martian EP!

You are invited to Invisible Cities Drive-In!

INVISIBLE CITIES DRIVE IN

Carlo Mombelli x BittereinderSunday 4 December, 201114:00 to 19:00

Free Mix Friday: Jo Fo's "Gold Flake Paint" Tripple mix!

You are invited to watch Bateleur in the sky!

Free music Friday: Mine All Mine Two Hundred!

You are invited to Rebel Alliance 3!

Jo Fo Euro: PS not soon enough

You are invited to Blame it on the Boogie!

Martianmartian artwork revealed!

We do this all the time: Rebel Alliance 1 (pt2)

Rebel Alliance 1 in videos!

You are invited to A Candy Coated Event!

Make-Overs: Surfbored Music video.

We do this all the time: Rebel Alliance 1

You are invited: Desmond & the Tutus and Friends!

Free Music Friday: New Yesterday's Pupil!

You are invited: Rebel Alliance 2!

You are invited: Electric Affair "Beardo Weirdo"

Free Mix Friday: Plaat Japie's "Monster Mash Mix"

Albino Beach - Irukandji

You are invited to Jaco & Z-Dog and Poseidon Adventure

Monster Hospital is two days away!

VAMPIRE9000 DEBUT VIDEO IS OUT!

MONSTER HOSPITAL CATOWEEN PROMO!

Make-Overs will be going (against all odds) on a misadventure!

Good Weekend: Rebel Vampires in Mirrors!

You are invited to Kill Rock Stars!

Fire through the window - Lonely Hearts

Free Music Friday! Jaysynth is out!

You are invited! Monster Hospital!

We do this all the time: Vampire9000 music video shoot!

SMACM! Next release!

You are invited like television! Rebel Alliance 1 Trailer!

You are invited! Poseidon Adventure vs iMPAC!

You are invited! More awesome stuff to do with your Thursday!

Hooray for Humans: The 20th vs V9K!

You are invited! Rebel Alliance takes off!

PREGNANT SEABASS ARE AT YOUR PARTY!

Days like Television: Make Overs - "It's Unnatural"

You are invited! Breinmasjien exhibition!

Free Music Friday! Foreigner's in America: Philly Special Edition!!!

You are invited! Exhibition Thursday!

Hooray for Humans: New Make Overs album has four covers!

Days like Television vs America!

Free Music Friday! Yo Grapes - Dehydration!

You are invited! September!

Days like Television: Fire through the window - Succubus

You are invited! Yo Grapes & Ampersand broaden a new sound!

Jo Fo Euro. Intermission: The Juneypics pt.2

You are invited: Make Overs launch "...by natural selection".

vampire9000 - Colours EP is out!

Days Like Television: Jo Fo vs Euro

We do this all the time: She Vox!

Vampire 9000 Colours EP: Artwork revealed!

New keytar for Ben!

Carlo Mombelli x Bittereinder

Sunday 4 December, 2011

14:00 to 19:00