If This is My "CULT" then let there be another.

I arrived tired, Like utterly tired I was about to grab some decor from the famed venue (CCHQ) and pass out on a couch but alas I had to jerk myself out of that mind frame and get with the programme as this programme was a rigorous one. Four Bands, Four Movies one stage and then a viewing room upstairs... I was in for the long haul.

I had to blink my eyes awake and start realising that this was a hybrid event with a whole new dementia to it. So yes I plead guilty to going to the bar and ordering a drink, how could one resist a half price Sailor Jerry Rum with cola? Yup up went my spirits the First movie was the one from the USA “Blood drips” tantalising and poetic yes this was yet to be more interesting than I thought. Then some random band came on and really dampened everyone spirits (at this point I wish to add a disclaimer that I don’t do hate mail well and I have not mentioned your band.) well anyway distress hit then along came a dancer... with a stunning performance and the venue was well alive again, Miss Cherry Thomas was exceptional entertainment for all who came early and were lusty for what the evening had in store or i.e. the long night ahead.

The turn events lead us to a brilliant screen of a visual delight of Kitty Kill by the guys of Blackmilk Productions hailing from Cape town... at this point I think I’m tangling up the Line up of the evening so I’m just going to spit it out and say the other movies screened on the evening by the guys from Blackmilk were astounding, twisted, bizarre, dark and some mind blowing beautiful works of motionary art... the kind of stuff we should be seeing more often. There was also the special screening of “kult without a name” by the Johannesburg film house “Flymachine Films” which left the audience with a gasp and some discrepancies about 2012 and the love of incest. I quite enjoyed watching the crowd more at that point.

Then those guys of Shots Fired ransacked the audience with a cover of the Misfits... when that happens, what is the term “a goody”. Yes RUCKUS!!! The evening, the hybrid event with all kinds of folks was now pivoting as the venue was starting to get the gist of ‘Rock ‘n Film’... This event was not aimed to genre specific and when the voodoo was put back by submachine it was A ok we knew the skeletal projection behind them were jamming just as hard as the spectators in front of them. Then it was the ever ready Slashdogs (it is rumoured that this was their last gig) there was emotion at this point but they played hard and steadfast. Ok so I’m not reviewing the bands as I should but heck I enjoyed these three bands thoroughly...

All in all I had an A Class Time at a stunning venue and some point I forgot I was even working my ass off on the event, needless to say this may be a bias review I have worked on many events and this has to be one of my most memorable events. ‘Film ‘n Rock’ makes a good affiliation and in my opinion I would do it again with minor errors aside but hell I noted some people having a good time and enjoying every aspect of the night.

Written for January 2011 Issue of Vixxen Magazine

iHid My Exhibition

I got the chance, that one phone call every artist waits for “would

you like to exhibit?”... Pause the heart skips a beat the answer
should be “well I’ll get back to you” but no I instantly said “YES”. I
needed this turning point in my life, Like those turning a new leaf in
your life scenarios. Much needed get your inner artist out and get
your trade to good use out there. I was grateful Clair Cantrell had
asked me to be the Launching Artist of her new venue the Supperclub
and I had a deadline to work towards and a new hidden me to
rediscover.

What I had discovered while making the artworks was sense of
disorientation and a perception that I was lonely and I was hidden
from myself for way to long... the thought process was one that had to
simulate the beauty of self mutilation without any mutilation or harm
done. The art was self photography at late night moments went my
thoughts could no longer bare the suppression of my mind and long gone
memories that could never become once more. I know that the presence
is within the art and the mediums I used, the viewer may relate in a
different voyeuristic interpretation and that is what is the
uncomfortable or comforting portrayal was meant for.

Also on the evening I did a performance in my wedding dress {note I am
happily divorced}. This “Ritual” is known as Play Piercing which was
safely and professionally done by Rheta of voodoo Ink. 5 hypodermic
needles were inserted in my shoulder. For me this was to illustrate
redemption for a new found freedom... the leaf not only has been
turned but has been blown away and may it whisper no more.

On the opening night many of my friends contributed towards a grand
affair, Fire dancing by inflamed and kind sponsorship by Sailor Jerry.
Subjects latex clothing sponsored clothing for the hostesses for the
evening. The band Sloppy Folk performed a song with my daughter and
then did a busking set which many enjoyed. The Supperclub did a superb
job by preparing the most decadent layout and preparation of Foods and
hosting, I am forever appreciative can’t mention that enough.
The evening turned out to be a celebration of a kindling of mixed
emotion and an enlighten that I can be the artist that I once was and
possible should be.


Once again I couldn’t have done it without all the factors, friends
and outside influences in my life.
And she hid until she hid no more.

They Scare Me

Submachine



Co-Written With Dylan Ellis

Before and After. They scare me. And if it be fear what draws me to their resonance then I say “HELL YES”. Crazy crowd before/after shock tactics. The percussionist put the voodoo back with the voodoo wielding skeleton shaman, when once asking this Percussionist what was it was like going into the audience and playing amongst the “pogo’ing” madness of what the band summon from the audience whilst playing, some other intruder answered on his behalf and replied with “it’s like being reborn” but the percussionist look wasn’t one of reincarnation It was more of an Adrenaline high initiation. Now tell me who’s got the voodoo.

What is this music, who ‘are’ these people why do they scare me. Oh sweet oblivion, they keep on coming like they are the soundtrack to the four horses of the apocalypse and a ‘set of pins’ to make the musical hoodoo that scars the mental sad sacks out there. “So where the Fuck are the stage crew” are the likeliest chants you will here at intervals in-between the heavy bass’d songs that are thee fastidious given from Mr Evil D and the oh so righteous percussion of Storm’s Skull dolly ensemble that accompanies Pat Riot’s sweet-sweet tappity tap don’t go back dexterity on the drums. Huey voodoo gruff-voice-man interaction with the audience man, Mr Flee jamming with what should be a banjoree-man. These two sure know how to arouse spectators using their “orator skills”, along with all their other-worldly guitar rhythms. Thus one can say steadfastly have Submachine gathered a following waitin’ and a wantin’ – yes I do admit I am one those.

So these guys have painted faces and dolls on stage while they play, yes dolls in living form and plastic. Enter the realm of “blue’s en vogue”. Are they invoking the performance art realm while ritualistically kicking it up and having a good time and nailing it six-love as they habitually cause pandemonium PsYkOVoOdOoBlAcKnOiSe style. They scare and scar me, the substance be the music, the eye may cut my thoughts but this is Submachine, one thought provoking “hell-of-a-good-time” cluster of musicians doing the voodoo.

So we got to shoot these real live wires for their fifth birthday and an amorous amount of voodoo sneaks out. We had cake and delight and a whole lot of disordered discordance which I do believe is prevalent in their music as well as in their core performance on and off stage. When listening to their recording this discordance of whatever genre they may be can be heard so here’s to submachine happy five years and may you guy’s helter skelter for ever more!
So now you know why they scare me,


~Gen Twoco







The Making of the Album :


While in Production Stages of their recording we spoke to their Producer Dylan Ellis who had this to say about “the whole get go” of how the recording went down:
When the guys first got in contact with me I was already neck deep in a lot of work and I was worried that I wouldn't be able to take on the project. I had seen them live a few times and I knew they were a band that I really would enjoy working with, so we had to make some tight plans to make all this magic happen. Huey Voodoo had already recorded a few tracks in his studio so we only had 6 new ones to lay down.

If you have seen SUBMACHINE live you know they are an explosion of raw, beautiful chaos, a band that tears the stage apart completely in a psychedelic fit of musical glory. It would be a challenge for anyone to take this amount of primal energy and do it justice on a recording. Let alone to do it in just four days.

It was obvious to all of us that recording it live in studio would be the best way to start capturing all this insanity on a recording, and then overdub vocals and any other production layers thereafter.

Day one: Set up, sound check Rock out!:

I knew that to get the best out of them as a band we had to make sure that everyone could see and hear each other clearly, which would be a challenge as each sound had to be separated to ensure an easy mixdown, so we started off by setting up specific environments for each element of the music. We put up partitions in the live room separating the drums from the percussion and the guitars, The sound of the bass was so huge we had to set Evil D in the control room with me, we were running 26 mics so they all had to be placed perfectly to avoid bleed or phasing issues. Once this was all set up I had to make sure that the drums and percussion were in tune with each, other which took roughly two and half hours to do before we even got levels, so time was going quickly, the heat was definitely on.

When we were finally good to go the tracking was pretty much easy going from there, the band was well rehearsed so it was just a matter of getting the rite vibe and feel in the performances. We occasional had to re-tune some toms and we took regular breaks to keep well hydrated and stamina up, We worked long and hard and. It was exceptionally tiring work, on a pretty hot day so by the end of it the guys were knackered... and because most of them play in more than one band they all had a gig to go to straight after. An early night was not in the cards for anyone.

Day two: more awesomeness and picking the best bits.

Day two ran quite smoothly. We laid down some fresh takes of each song and it was clear that we had a lot of good takes to choose from, so we all sat and went through everything we had so far and picked out the best bits

We then did a few extra layer of guitar to beef things up a bit and by 6 o’ clock we had everything we needed and called it a night.

Day 3 (split into two evenings) Guitar, Percussion and vocal.

We started the overdubbing process with every percussion toy you can imagine, if it shaked, rattled, hummed, rolled, cracked or pinged we used it. Storm, Pat Riot and Huey Voodoo brought the magic to the table until Storm’s hands were blue from the royal beating he inflicted on the tambourine.

We had some amazing moments of inspiration and brilliant performances a very good evening indeed.

The Following evening Mr Huey Voodoo was up first to put down his distinct flavour a couple of hours and good takes until we stopped so not to burn out his voice, and Evil D and Mr Flee took over with the backing vocals and chaotic rants.

Day 4 (Split into two evenings) more vocal, last bits of chaos.

We continued with Huey Voodoo’s vocals until everything was down and rocking, and did some reggae freestyles with Evil D, another good night of recording, and at the end Huey and Evil D enjoyed a good cold beer for work well done.

The last little bits that were left were capturing some of Mr Flee’s guitar scrapes and some of Storms signature tom throws. In a no time at all everything was down and we were all pretty chuffed that we got all the Voodoo awesomeness down onto a recording, all that was left was for me to move to a new country and start the mixing process.

~Dylan Ellis



Original Feature For Vixxen Magazine 2010 June.

Photography by Abel Scholtz.

Every One Should be Stoned. Strikes Immortal

I never knew terms and conditions applied when I was growing up but when I visited the private hospital which was incredibly busy due to the recent strike it stung me when my daughter said “mom the government hasn’t got much to do”. Yeah ponder on that one. So the phlebotomist arrive clearly over-worked takes my daughters blood with as much patience and caress as she could because she has been put on the prem-babies ward from the over flow from the natalspriut hospital where the nurses refuse to work for their own bid ~ yes gone are the days where “care-workers” actually work to care. So after she is done she asks me to bag my own daughters blood samples and mark them, now I know how scary and vast this strike is... It has gone into over-drive. I just bagged and tagged my own daughters blood samples for an over worked phlebotomist’s who actually in my own words does give a shit because as she walks out she smiles at my daughter and says “please pretty girl stay healthy during this time” we reply “stay safe”.

We take my daughter to the spur afterwards as she has no school due to the massive union strike and low and behold the spur of all places is packed why because the parents are on over-flow as well the kids are practically on holiday, kids going to school with skeleton staff are being told that teachers that are not there are, well for lack of better word “off sick” – sick my ass. My kid is suffering and for a really dumbass thing to say so are all the waiters at spur with the over abundance of patrons. So now we have no education but hey who the fuck cares, they do the strikers the fighters, what will they achieve? Or are the threats that hinder their progression. next encouraging topic ~ a school newsletter being sent out for fathers to come and be vigilante heroes in case the school where my daughter attends is ubder attack and there may be some harm or violent occurrence as they do not know whether or what will happen, yeah I love my country – Yeah I Love my people.

I sit here and wonder is it worth it to add the angle of the political addendum? I think no because I truly believe we are all being affected by this in the most non-chalance manner. The unions are now targeting the non strikers for being human so a round of applause to them, if they want a communist nation they should carry on – that’s my opinion – “to stop work is to create work”. There is gonna be junk on the street shortly we will look beautiful this country and over-flow with pride with dead bodies and trash when we bid for the Olympics – ‘they the us’, ‘they the we’, want everything so in the immortal words of bob Dylan “everybody must get stoned”

Death Valleys Blues Band – Bootleg Album Review

This Bootleg Album confirms that the realms of the “Blues Brothers” does in fact exist as do their clergy. Ever put in that disc without a cover and think what on earth did I just spend my 50 rands on... well ‘bang bang bang baby’ and then some. This is the kind of music that makes you want to not only sing along but act out the Lyrics at throttle so “START YOUR ENGINES” and if you lucky enough to get your hand on this rare bootleg that is well produced with an exceptional sound and 8 tracks that you just can’t break away from. Well all I can add to that other than five stars is DVBB deserves a round of tequila’s and Applause for shaking our tail feathers.

Written For Vixxen Magzine www.vixxen.co.za