Monday Morning You Look So Fine: This Is Music.

What is important? My background, my roots, my city. They provide foundation for my daughter to grow...

"I stand accused, just like you,
For being born without a silver spoon,
Stood at the top of the hill over my town...
I was found." - The Verve, This Is Music.

Later.

"We love this place."

To the crowd that grabbed Tsholo and me during TKZee's set: Thank you. Was feeling the love. There will be more to come of this Mamelodi night on Speakerbox in the upcoming week.

Thanks to all the people and moments that made the night a memorable one (including Tumi's Crème brûlée tweet about Bonang. Too true.)

And to TK(Zee)... you brought back too many memories. Amazing. And Tokolo was FEELING it!

Later.

New Kidofdoom promo shot... bitch!

Decided to take a day off, just the sprog and I. But made sure to swing by the Kidofdoom sound-check for their Pretoria launch of the new album at Tings & Times.

Sprog was game... Johan is her favourite drummer... he hits harder than Paulo of The Volume, she says. Anyway, sprog decided it was time to take photos... with my cell... investigated the stage, chatted with Johan, and then sent me off to call the band together: "I want one with them all in..."

Daddy's little girl. You can tell she is part of the new wave of music photographers, 'cos she wears bright colours, chimps on stage and fusses with her hair.

She is 5 through... and I love her.

Aaaaaaaw Later.

Sketchy.

Been sitting with masses of work on my desktop and drive, the clutter driving me mad. Finishing off projects, starting new ones, waiting on decisions on final selections, for album covers and such.

In the meantime, I've received a few (read many) requests and Q&As on Bookface and Twitter and elsewhere. Having checked through mails lately to clarify certain picture selections, I have realised that there were a few (read few) people still waiting to see my Oppikoppi photographs.

This year was an odd one for me, one of my busiest Koppi's yet. Mainly, I was working on something new, as well as a series of portraits (still on Speakerbox here).

As far as the performances were concerned, I realised later I was sketching more than I was goinfg for a completed, er, painting(?)

Anyway, metaphor aside... I have decided to put some of my favourite sketches up exclusively on Speakerbox for now, from Day 01 (the 7th) and Day 2 (the 8th)... there's still something I am trying to do with the 9th, for now.

Bands featured include The Black Hotels, Ree-Burth, The Sick-Leaves, Bed On Bricks, Isochronous, Van Coke Kartel with Gerald Clark, the fantastic Balthazar, Foto Na Dans, Riku Latti and aKING. Drop me a comment here or there as to what you think, so I at least know you nagging bastards (read both of you) are happy now.

Later.

Coming soon.

On Speakerbox. A full VanFokKingTasties gallery. As soon as I get out from under this workload. Belowe. Owe.

Later.

Remembering Herman.

I will have more to say on the matter (and the event) later... but for now, there are photos of the 3rd Vredefest Memorial up on Speakerbox (I only caught a few of the bands, busy as I was that day...)

Later.

My faith in war, er, Kidofdoom.

Something new up in the meantime, a whole gallery here on Speakerbox. All this for the new kidofdoom album, "My Faith in War". Check out their Bookface page for details of the launch.

Later.

Put a spring in your step...

... *groan*. Okay, rather obvious, that one. But yeah; things will be quiet for a while, Spring tomorrow and all., quieter than they have been so far. There'll be Red Bull Sound Clash stuff coming, amongst other Speakerbox offerings.

I'll be starting something new, and keeping it very much under wraps for now... the blog will hibernate... er...

So get out and make babies, or something.

Birds do it.

Bees do it.

Later.

Seriously? Seriously.

Really, get to Carlton Sky Rink for the Red Bull Sound Clash tonight... rehearsals were just a taste, and it is going to be amazing.

Later.

Awwww no...

My camera is fucked. Not from what happened above though; that was in Belgium, 2006. After Wynand had wet the crowd (as he is wont to do) and me and my camera (not as common an occurrence) I ran over to a ruddy cheeked young Catholic Belgian lad, watching from the sidelines of the youth hostel we were passing through, and DEMANDED he remove his jacket, as it was the most absorbent thing I could spot around me.

After I dried the camera off, I handed it back so he could dry off his tears.

Actually, that last bit's not true... Belgians are such sweet people, I am sure he was actually cutting and braiding his hair into a rescue-cloth while I frantically wiped rock-jizz off my Canon. Which survived, mind you.

No, what happened this time was simple wear and tear. Every 5D shutter has a limited life cycle, and mine went the way of Lance Armstrong's left (right?) ball right in the middle of Ashtray Electric's set at Oppikoppi.

Luckily my spidey-sense was tingling before I left for the festival, and I had a back-up body, and didn't have to scream at any Belgians... though I did have a spirited discussion with a member of Balthazar (below) as to whether his t-shirt featured Lou Reed or Noel Gallagher... do you really want to argue with me about the brother's G? Even if you are a Belgian?

Anyway, more on that very soon on Speakerbox, where there is more than enough on Koppi at the moment to keep you entertained until I get to finally sit down and finish my article... when I am not driving around sorting stupid gear. Meh.

Later.