Monday Morning You Look So Fine: Not In Our Lifetime.

This is actually being written Thursday the 29th, but is certainly an accurate reflection of what was going through my mind again and again on Monday morning...

Come early Sunday morning, I was busy shooting for a long term project that looks at xenophobia, amongst other aspect's of South Africa's history; this amidst the recent wave of xenophobic violence that gripped some of our larger cities. This project has been in the planning/research stages since January 2006, but even so, I had to rush back from the Botswana border area to make it to Jazzworx Studios to help out a friend or two. Lee Kasumba (with me, below) and Slikour of Skwatta Kamp have put together an initiative that saw a wealth of South African musicians, producers and engineers come together to raise their voices against the violence... it is perhaps best explained here, in The Star.

Anyway, Monday morning all I had in my head was the loop of the track everyone had been working on, along with some powerful and moving lyrics... Tuks and MXO made a particular impact on the opening.

Monday night I was still in the studio, after a brief respite, having the hair on the back of my neck raised by the vocals of Simphiwe Dana and a singer from Côte d'Ivoire; so much work had already been added after I left in the wee hours of Monday morning. I was sitting with HHP, trying to decipher Tuk's lyrics at about 20:00 the Monday night, but we were struggling; though a prominent voice in Tswana, HHP tells me that Tuks not only speaks a very proper form of the language at times, he also uses a lot of poetic licence and seane, or proverbial reference.

Regardless, the effect is striking, and what we were able to glean (both of us are open to correction) is below.

"Pump! Pump lebole up!
Sun shines on the wicked... the just...
The poor... the plush...
The free, so we must,
Be a God given right, even for the refugees,
Pump lebole up,
Thari ka sebilo go bokejwana ka manchwe..." - Tuks for Not In Our Lifetime

Some of these images will be shown in connection with Not In Our Lifetime in the upcoming days, with a selection appearing in One Small Seed; plans will also be made to sell artist's proofs, with the proceeds going to help the cause...

But for now, it is about the song. Keep an ear out for it... and be mindful of its message. And now and as the campaign gathers momentum, please do what you can to help the victims of the violence, those on the ground and those in their white towers that constantly put down this country and simply compound the frustration that led to such tragedy in the first place.

Later.

Navashinganyeka Vana Vavo.

Maybe the start of something new. First memories, and when my Dad was about the age I am now... today is about remembering, about new directions, but also about family, blood and otherwise, and old starting points.

For me, anyway.

Later.

Say it Rudi... say it.

You know you want to.

Later.

Monday Morning You Look So Fine: Owusu & Hannibal

Can't help it; still hooked, still good to listen to, and I also found the lyrics on their MySpace page the other day. Plus, Lonnie's Secret has one of the best basslines I have heard... period.

Glad I got to meet Robin (Hannibal, above) in Cape Town, and get a hold of this (thanks again to Erik).

"Turn you inside out,
Upside down.
Someone's playing you,
Playing you hard.
Heard you in the dark,
Heard you cry.
Marco Polo Marco Polo
What you trying to hide?" - Owusu & Hannibal

I have also been listening a lot to Joy Division. Can you tell?

Later.

"Cameron, what have you seen today?"

Cameron: Nothing good.

Ferris: Nothing - wha - what do you mean nothing good? We've seen everything good. We've seen the whole city! We went to a museum, we saw priceless works of art! We ate pancreas!

And yeah... that's a Jackson Pollock.

Later.

"That would be like calling your kid 'Lampshade'..."

Got to cleaning up some, backing up snapshot files from London, 2006.

That, and watching too much Jarmusch; Helmut and YoYo.

Later.

Since Ben asked...

... in a manner of speaking; here are some more from that night.

A soundcheck, a discerning fan/wine drinker, Critical Hits (featuring Mr Sassquatch himself) and a very aftermathic Pierre Greef.

Later.

They talk a lot for an instrumental band.

This is the kind of shit I get up to when cannot sleep: trawling sites like the Levi's Original Music Magazine for my favourite bands and (it turns out) what they have to say about me.

This all about a Kidofdoom gig I was down to shoot in Stellenbosch last year October, as told by the drummer and the guitarist... the very same show shown above (along with Lark manager Dom and then Doomer manager Elisma in the aftermath):

"Friday Left early with Peter to Cape Town to go pick up a guitar amp from Jeremy (Dirty Skirts). He was on his way to the beach. Then met up with Rudi (Ashtray Electric) and Liam Lynch to go fetch the lights at the Cape Town Convention Centre - that place is massive. Rudi has a bakkie so he really helped out a lot to transport the lighting to Stellenbosch. Rudi is cool, he taught me a new word "bedoos" and always uses phrases like "Yes my son". We got to Hidden Cellar quite early and set up the equipment and played some blues and polka music… Liam used to play for the Slashdogs so he picked up the bass and then we played some Black Sabbath…..Fuck Yeah!!! "- Johan

"I only got to leave Pretoria on Friday the 12th, the night of the launch. I still had a shitload of work to do for varsity; this was the last day I would hand in a project. Ever. Got onto the plane and was privileged enough to sit next to the two hottest girls flying to Cape Town. This was gonna be a great weekend. Madri and Elena: thanks for the company, best flight I've had this year. Dominique (Lark) picked me up and we missioned through to the Hidden Cellar. I get to the top of the stairs and there's Barend, Richard, Johan and Liam playing 12-bar blues in a place that really looks like the one where everybody knows your name." - Ryk

And damn right I played Sabbath! War Pigs could destroy your town right now!




Later.

We Have A Map Of The Piano.

Urg... delirium.

Shoot on Tuesday, and then sick... home to fever. Not just my daughter, but me as well. Remember how cherished the thought of staying home from school was? I say 'the thought', because in twelve years of schooling, I never stayed home once. Now I get to do it with my kid, as she demands lollipops, and to watch the Strawberry Shortcake movie again.

Not as bad as it sounds... well, it was, but only because I was sick. But in coming to now, little bit of rest behind me and a whole mess of meds and caffeine, I have been finding interesting things for the projects ahead...

Things be dawning on me... projects named for the girl above, and others, to be completed with a helping hand from Zander Blom. Keep an eye out... stay healthy... back to work.

Later.

Monday Morning You Look So Fine: Buckfever Underground.

Been reading a lot of beat lately. Been hassling an old friend, via another old friend, for some lyrics in that vein... they are from 2006 (I am told). As are the photos (I know).

Liam is me, in case you were wondering. That's my story, and Becs and I are sticking to it.

"I was standing behind warrick sony at the wizards inc copy shop waiting to ask something
we both looked up at the tv where pink was finishing her song
then oasis started and I sensed he was more interested, liked it better than pink
it was wonderwall, their greatest song
on a tv above a sign that said ‘no cheques accepted’
then the bass kicked in at that perfect moment
noel knew how good it would feel to people maybe liam too
warrick knew he knew what made it good..." - Toast Coetzer

Later.

A Mother's Day Afternoon In The 'Burbs.

As you do... late afternoon Sunday, washing required for Monday morning.

And I know what you are thinking; the glassy eyes, the shaggy, lanky haircut, the faux leopard-print tights: My 4-year-old daughter is modelling herself after Damn Right.

But you are wrong... they are modelling themselves after her. That's why their pants are tooo tight.

Later.

Monday Morning You Look So Fine: Göran Dahlström.

Believe it or not, without even the song to guide me, I have one line constantly repeating through my head...

"And I'm always hungry..." - Göran Dahlström

Someone send me an MP3... please!

Later.