Showing posts with label Dirty Skirts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dirty Skirts. Show all posts

17 Jan 2011

Yes, I'm guilty...

As a true original, rock-loving, leaning-towards-acoustic singer songwriter lyrical loving music type girl, I feel I've commited some sort of music sin...

I've got Musica partly to blame for making such music so accessible and reasonably priced at R99.95. And for a double CD - score! Now, it is time to admit my little secret and tell you just what it is that I bought... Any guesses thus far? Any particular CDs you would consider as a shocking purchase?

Well, the moment of truth is that the album I bought isn't even an original album. Its a compilation. Ok, so that's the second hint. Double CD compilation. Ok... so, I have just become the owner (by choice of course) - of Now 56! Does that make me a bad music person?

I have this thing about not supporting big international commercial artists unless they are true musicians and passionately into their art. Especially since this is where most record labels tend to spend their marketing budgets, because they know that these are easy artists to sell. So instead of investing in local talent, they'd rather spread the next J'Lo or Justin Bieber - of which neither probably writes their own songs, music or gets involved with much more than photo shoots, press events and live performances.

But what did ease my conscience was just how many SA artists are actually on the album. And also, the reason I bought it - as is often the case with music - is for purposes of nostalgia...

You see, this trip to SA has been just shy of four fabulous months - and I've been loving my driving time, while listening back and forth between 5FM and KFM. And with many awesome SA tracks on the radio a lot more than I've recalled in the past, its been delightful to hear some great SA songs on radio.

While the SA artists on Now 56 are the more well known SA ones, at least they are on there. And at 9 tracks out of a total 41 on the two CDs, that is nearly 25% which is akin to the local radio station local radio play. I hope that by Now 58 we are at 50% of local stuff versus international commercial overkill.

SA artists on Now 56:
- The Arrows: Lovestruck
- Goldfish: Get busy living
- The Parlotones: The stars fall down
- Locnville: Love rush
- Prime Circle: Breathing
- Civil Twilight: Next to me
- Arno Carstens: Heartbreak Monday
- Freshlyground: Fire is low
- Jax Panik: Get up (if you're hot)




Other SA songs on local radio that I'm totally digging right now:
- Evolver One: Move along (wow, incredible when really loud and in a private driving space)
- What now: Toy soldiers
- Mccree: What is it
- Jax Panik: Rockstar (how can you not be in a good driving mood when this comes on! And the crazy cool video for this fabulous track is being released today - keep an eye out)
- Dirty Skirts:  Strike the match
- Civil Twilight: Love letters to the sky
- Good Luck: Taking it easy

Rock on local music getting out there,
x

2 Apr 2008

April Fools?

Wow - was I impressed yesterday when I saw the back of the London Lite newspaper - advertising the Hyde Park Calling concerts in June... and here's why:

Now, while I can't decide which one I wanna go to - Sat 28 June sees Sheryl Crow, Eric Clapton and John Mayer whereas Sun 29 June sees the last ever UK performance of The Police alongside KT Tunstall and Starsailor... And the latest additions are up, none of which particularly swayed me towards either the Sat or Sun - except that I was blown away to see our very own homegrown Arno Carstens on the line up!

Well done indeed! Now I have heard rumours of him coming here - and we know that he will be playing some gigs at some festivals as well as with fellow CT band The Dirty Skirts in May. But wow again, well done Arno! Your name will now be across many papers in the top listing of a super festival.

With temps predicted around 15 degrees this week, it seems all we need is some sunshine to top of the onset of summer!

And as for what is going on back in SA - I am lucky enough to be heading home for a few weeks in mid April where I will be sussing the local scene - and the likes of Mpumi Dhlamini - thanks for the recommendation!

Rock on SA artists in the UK!
x