“Two bands, one song. It’s edgy, if you’re smooth. It’s hard, if you’re soft. It’s rock, if you’re pop.” – Jezebel.

Dans Republic started out as many other great projects started – in a bar. The guys from Foto Na Dans met Tamara Dey from Flash Republic while promoting her band’s CD Launch at a bar in JHB. Jagermeister flowed and before long a firm friendship was formed.

A while later, at the SAMA Awards, Victor Edward from music channel MK asked the guys from Flash Republic to consider a collaboration with a rock band. They thought it a great idea and suggested Foto Na Dans. And so Dans Republic was born.

Back in Cape Town, the two bands met up and started discussing how to make it all a reality. The main challenge was merging Rock-Dance-Afrikaans-English into one track. Ideas were thrown around and it was decided that the song would kick off with a remix one of Foto Na Dans’s unreleased tracks.

Remixes & reworks were bounced between Foto Na Dans and Flash Republic over a period of 3 months. Eventually, at the end of August, both bands got a chance to enter a pre-production studio together. Three days, eight bottles of Jagermeister and a lot of chemistry later, a hit-single-ready-for-studio was born.

Studio time was booked and Afrikaans was recorded at Jazzworx Studios in Jo’burg. The track has just been playlisted on national radio station 5fm and looks to be a hit!

Download the mp3: Afrikaans – Dans Republic

Thanks to Gigwise for the info.

Swedish music streaming service Spotify has released the 100 most listened to tracks in 2009 based on the number of streams delivered in the six countries where the company operates.

Top slot is taken by Black Eyed Peas with I Got A Feeling and again at number 7 with Boom, Boom, Pow. Flo Rida is second with Right Round and third is Sexy Bitch by Akon and David Guetta.

Despite a fairly insipid autotuned top 3, art-performance diva Lady Gaga takes up fourth place with Poker Face, Kings of Leon are sixth with Use Somebody and amazingly MGMT are at number ten with their excellent tune Kids.

Kings of Leon’s Sex On Fire also appears at number 13 and at 61, so would possibly have appeared in the top 10 twice had the album and single version not been counted separately.

The complete top ten tracks are:
1. I Gotta Feeling by Black Eyed Peas
2. Right Round – Amended Album Version by Flo Rida
3. Sexy Bitch (Featuring Akon;explicit) by Akon, David Guetta
4. Poker Face by Lady Gaga
5. Halo by Beyoncé
6. Use Somebody by Kings Of Leon
7. Boom Boom Pow by Black Eyed Peas
8. Ayo Technology by Milow
9. When Love Takes Over (Feat.Kelly Rowland) by Kelly Rowland, David Guetta
10. Kids by MGMT

The full countdown can be found here and you can listen to the countdown here.

xx

yours in musical madness

We all know the power of the internet in creating online stars and French-born Sliimy (pronounced Slim-e) is no exception. He was discovered on Myspace by Perez Hilton in December 2008 with his cover of Britney Spears’ Womanizer. He also happened to signed his first recording contract straight out of high school thanks to the aforementioned cover.

The pop star (whose real name is Yanis Sahraoui) boasts over one million MySpace song streams, and his album ‘Paint Your Face’ has risen to No. 2 on the French charts.

Sliimy is ready to take on America. He’s already opened for Katy Perry and Britney Spears in Europe, and had a short tour of the U.S  in September.

Oh, he happens to have an adorable English accent when he sings. He also wears colourful and quirky clothing with XXL glasses. You just have to love him.

Enjoy the video for his cover of “Womanizer” by Britney Spears below

xx

yours musical music

They are glamorous. They are sleazy. They are pop. “Imagine… the lust child of Ziggy Stardust and Britney Spears”. They are The Dirty Disco.

In an interview I did with Olly last year he told me “we began writing songs together with an aim to be different, outrageous but without being too extreme. We quickly found we had an ability to write catchy songs without being too cheesy yet retaining a rock and electronic edge.” And that’s exactly what they do and they do it well.

Take Florence and The Machine’s “soul inspired indie” and mix it with “an unhealthy dose of glam” and you’ll have The Dirty Disco’s cover of Rabbit Heart (Raise It Up). I love it. You will too.

They are currently hard at work on their debut album, which will include mixes by the uber talented Grammy nominee Dylan Dresdow (who worked with the Black Eyed Peas on their latest album). Expect the dance floor to be filled with their beats very soon.

Are you ready for The Dirty Disco?

xx

yours in musical madness

Download the mp3:  The Dirty Disco – Rabbit Heart (Florence And The Machine Cover).

His name is Emyr Humphreys but he performs under the alter-ego Perry Wimbleton, he hails from Aberystwyth, Wales and would describe his sound as “harmonious lo-fi trip hop” .

He started out playing drums then branched out to guitar and keyboards and he muses “I guess my favourite instrument has to be drums as I’m most comfortable playing them but the guitar’s steadily becoming my favourite as well..”

He is most heavily influenced by “Beck, as his music really inspires you because of it’s sheer innovation. Every album has its own unique sound and is the perfect mood for how you feel that day. Animal Collective and Panda Bear also for innovation and their progressive attitude towards making music. I also love how completely non-linear their songs can be. Bon Iver is also a huge influence as the whole recording in the cabin thing inspired me to keep a bit of a lo-fi ethos.”

How he came to pick the name Perry Wimbleton “is quite a funny story actually… It came right from the top of my head when my band had to have a manager sign the contract for a small festival we were playing. I think it must have had something to do with it being around the Wimbledon tennis season or something…” He laughingly adds “I guess that shows how suggestible I am!”

He is also in a band, Violetones and the band met as “we all went to the same school in Aberystwyth, and the original couple of people who wanted to be in a band started out taking guitar lessons in the first year. Then as time went on different people got involved or lost interest and took up different instruments etc. It then got going with more or less the same lineup today properly round about the end of 05 after practicing and school gigs…”

He started making music as Perry Wimbleton as “it was almost a natural progression from being in a band, especially seeing as we’re all getting more mature and so are out music tastes. I’ve always wanted to write some songs and make some cool music on my own and it’s this year that I started out getting things out there and finding out what works best for me as an artist.”

As to whether he prefers playing as Perry Wimbleton or with the Violetones he cant’ really say yet as he’s “only had one gig as Perry really which was terrifying, but it was a great feeling I created or at least sampled everything everyone hears.. That said though, the ‘tones have been playing for so long and we’re just so laid back and on the same wavelength, it’s just good fun. If had to choose, then it would be as part of the Violetones, but that may change in due time the more I lay as Perry – and I’m definitely planning on gigging more.”

He’d like “a long and fulfilling career full of festivals and rave reviews!” He laughs and then carries on “I’d definitely to make a career out of music. That would be a dream come true. I know lots of artists say it’s all about the music and not the money, but as long as I make enough money through music to get by, and to get new cool sound makers, I’m happy and will continue to make music nevertheless.”

His favourite thing about performing is “definitely the suspense right before going on and setting up. As a musician you’re pumped. As an audience, they’re excited to see you or at least are in a mindset to listen to new music and appreciate it, otherwise they wouldn’t be at the gig. Obviously the small local gigs I’m playing now are different to, say, waiting for a big act take to stage in a festival, but if I were able to create that, I’d love it. The ecstatic vibes before you go on and as you set up, the audience in good spirits and talking to each other and getting excited, a good tune on but not too loud, to create that vibe and turn excitement into sheer rejoicing when going onstage would be perfection.”

Recording the songs that appear on his Myspace was “mostly quick and inspired. They came in a flash of inspiration and I finished them either within the day or early the next day. All done lo-fi through my usb mic and music software, and sampled. These new ones I’m writing I plan to really take my time over, and send lots of prototypes and sketches to people for feedback. I intend to sample less as well.”

He’s planning to record an EP and he’s “just started writing” he continues “I think it’s going pretty well, I have a few sketches and I’m always getting ideas here and there. I’ll write songs in full on paper out of them then I can get to the nitty gritty of tweaking, recording mixing and distributing. It’s pretty early to say but it will definitely come about next year. I think the important thing is, like I said before, to take my time on these songs and let them take on a new vibe to what I’ve done already..”

His plans for the future include “getting new songs written, then recording and releasing the EP. Fine tune my live show. I’ll hopefully lay more live shows nationally and with other musicians. I’m planning collaborations with artists like Convoi Exceptionnel and theMOOSH. These new songs will be a lot different or at least sound it, so I might actually start a new project for them and work on that. That’s the big decision I will have to make.”

For now, as Perry Wimbleton, things are looking good. I look forward to hearing new and exciting things from him.

]]> http://musicalmover.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/perry-wimbleton/feed/ 3 musicalmover Perry Wimbleton http://musicalmover.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/cold-war-kids-behave-yourself-ep-on-itunes/ http://musicalmover.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/cold-war-kids-behave-yourself-ep-on-itunes/#comments Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:11:42 +0000 musicalmover http://musicalmover.wordpress.com/?p=4687 ]]>

Long Beach California rock/soul quartet Cold War Kids has just released their new 4-song Behave Yourself EP today, available exclusively on iTunes before the Jan 19th physical release. Frontman Nathan Willet explains that the EP “…is a form that makes a lot of sense to us. It’s a fun, more frivolous way of putting music out.” Get your copy today and check out Billboard.com’s in-depth article and interview with Cold War Kids here.

xx

yours in musical madness

In the  battle of Rage Against The Machine and X Factor Joe McElderry’s bid for the UK Christmas number one, things are starting to get heated.

It just so happens that X Factor McElderry’s single, The Climb, is a cover of Miley Cyrus.  I mean seriously? How is it even conceivable that it’s a contender for the number 1 spot?

It’s no wonder even Sir Paul McCartney backs Rage Against the Machine. The former Beatle said if the American rockers beat the X Factor winner to the coveted chart spot, it would “prove a point”.

Speaking to Sky News, McCartney, who performed on the ITV show’s final and sang with McElderry, he said: “Everyone expects Joe to do it. “If he goes to number one then good luck to him. He’s just some kid with a career ahead. I’ve got nothing against that, but it would be kind of funny if Rage Against The Machine got it because it would prove a point.

“It’s normally not that kind of record that makes it, it’s only every so often that something comes out of left-field. I haven’t heard the track but I’m into the idea and he “[thinks] that’s a cool aspect, don’t you?”

Today’s official figures showed that McElderry’s single, The Climb, a cover of the Miley Cyrus hit, is now just 9,000 sales behind Rage Against The Machine’s Killing In The Name.

The rockers said they plan to donate all the royalties they receive from the campaign to charity. Now there’s some good old fashioned goodwill.

Guitarist Tom Morello said: “The people in the U.K. are tired of being spoon-fed one schmaltzy ballad after another and they want to back their own charts, and we are honoured that they have chosen our song to be the rebel anthem to try to topple The X Factor label.”

The official Christmas number one will be announced on tomorrow evening.

My money is on Rage Against winning. Actually I’m just futilely wishing they will, anything other than a cover of Miley Cyrus has to. Right? Right.

xx

yours in musical madness

Update: I was right. Thank goodness. Congratulations is in order to Rage Against The Machine who calimed the UK no.1 spot at 7pm today, selling 502,672 copies, ahead of Joe of the X Factors measly 450,838. Merry Christmas!

There isn’t anyone I know who doesn’t love a party bus and free music.  Nokia have a winning formula, that of combining popular bands including Ashtray Electric, Taxi Violence, Mix n Blend, Straatligkinders, aKing and Loyiso with that of a Comes with Music Party Bus.

The Party Bus and bands are sure to take South African coast by storm this festive season and lucky beach and mall goers down South Africa’s South Coast will be serenaded by some of South Africa’s hottest bands.

Sarah Crowe, head of marketing for Nokia South Africa says that the bus is just another way in which Nokia is showing its support of local talent. “Nokia has exercised support for the local industry throughout 2009 with the launch of the Nokia Music Store and then the Comes with Music service. The Comes with Music party bus is a great way to end off the year and we look forward to giving fans a chance to see their favourite artists perform live over the festive season.”

As part of the tour, Nokia will be handing out free Nokia Music Store vouchers giving fans access to tracks from their favourite performers. Tracks include ‘The Dance’ by aKing, ‘Quite Overstared’ by Ashtray Electric and ‘Shall We Swing (feat, Fletcher)’ by Mix n Blend. The tracks will be given away at each performance of specific bands per day.

The Nokia Comes with Music Party Bus started its tour in Durban and will travel to Margate, Port Elizabeth, Plettenberg Bay and Cape Town.

It’s going to be a rocking tour. Look out for the bus. You won’t miss it.

For more information about the tour, check out Nokia’s blog on Moral Fibre.

9th December - Umdloti, Durban: 11h00 Ashtray Electric and 15h00 Taxi Violence
10th December - Westbrook Beach, Durban: 11h00 Taxi Violence and 15h00 Ashtray Electric
11th December - Anstey Beach, Durban: 11h00 Ashtray Electric and 15h00 Taxi Violence
12th December - Amanzimtoti, Durban: 11h00 Mix n Blend:DJ and 15h00 Straatligkinders
13th December - Amanzimtoti, Durban: 11h00 Straatligkinders and 15h00 Mix n Blend:DJ
14th December - Margate Beach, Margate: 11h00 Ashtray Electric and 15h00 Taxi Violence
15th December - Margate Beach, Margate: 11h00 Mix n Blend:DJ and 15h00 Straatligkinders
17th December - Hobie Beach, Port Elizabeth: 11h00 Mix n Blend:DJ and 15h00 Straatligkinders
18th December - Hobie Beach, Port Elizabeth: 11h00 Straatligkinders and 15h00 Mix n Blend:DJ
19th December - King’s Beach, Port Elizabeth: 11h00 Mix n Blend:DJ and 15h00 Straatligkinders
21st December - Beacon Isle Beach, Plettenberg Bay: 11h00 Mix n Blend:DJ and 15h00 AKing
23rd December - Ratanga Junction, Cape Town: 11h00 Mix n Blend:DJ and 15h00 Straatligkinders
24th December - Cape Gate Centre, Cape Town: 11h00 Taxi Violence and 15h00 Mix n Blend:Band
26th December - Ratanga Junction, Cape Town: 11h00 Mix n Blend:Band and 15h00 Taxi Violence
27th December - Somerset Mall, Cape Town: 11h00 Taxi Violence and 15h00 Mix n Blend:Band
28th December - Blue Route Mall, Cape Town: 11h00 Ashtray Electric and 15h00 Mix n Blend: Band
29th December - V&A Waterfront, Cape Town: 11h00 Mix n Blend: Band and 15h00 Ashtray Electric
30th December - V&A Waterfront, Cape Town: 11h00 Ashtray Electric and 15h00 Mix n Blend: Band
31st December - V&A Waterfront, Cape Town: 11h00 Mix n Blend: Band and Loyiso

xx

yours in musical madness

340ml would like you to write, produce and shoot their next music video for their new single “the other side” off the album “Sorry for the delay”

The rules are simple:

-You can use any medium to create the video, be it stills, stop frame animation, Flash or even film.

-The band¹s inspiration for the song came from a road trip experience, so let the summer holidays be your inspiration.

-If you want, use the lyrics of “The Other Side” and let it be your guide to putting together a storyline that will work visually.

-Basically let your imagination and creativity run wild, but remember they want a finished product, edited and ready for TV broadcast and internet usage.

-Finally upload your masterpiece onto Youtube and post the link on the 340ml video project Facebook group.

-Group members, members of 340ml and fans alike will vote for the best video. All votes will be live on the website.

-The winning video will not only win a cash prize of R5000 but it will also become the official music video for 340ml¹s single “The Other Side”.  You can also win cool gifts from Levi¹s® and 340ml, you will also receive prominent promotion through the use of all media channels available to 340ml, their record company and Levi¹s® original music.

-The winner will be announced on 1 February 2010.

What are you waiting for? Go. Go. Go.

Thanks to MIO.co.za for the info.

xx

yours in musical madness

Die Heuwels ft. Jack Parow

Jack Parow is everywhere. If you haven’t heard of him, you haven’t heard of the next big thing as far as Afrikaans rappers go. His debut video for Cooler as Ekke was released just weeks ago and has caused a major stir.

He is featured on Die Heuwels Fantasties track, Die Vraagstuk (which happens to be one of my favourite tracks). They’ve just released the video for Die Vraagstuk which was shot at Aandklas in Stellenbosch in October and was directed by Jaco “Snakehead” Venter and co-directed and edited by Adriaan Louw.

Enjoy it. I know I do!