One F Music media archive

Source: Johan Swarts (Johan Swarts se bl0g, 2008.10.27)

Ramfest 2008 se DVD launch by die Klein Libertas-teater [op Vrydag 24 Oktober - red.] was ‘n rasende sukses (met die klem op raas). Battery 9 het op dieselfde aand hul nuutste album, Galbraak, bekendgestel met ‘n goeie dosis industriële rock en aKing het die gehoor betower met nommers van hul eerste album, Dutch Courage. Beide groepe is op die DVD te siene. ‘n Sterk wind het nie gekeer dat talle aanhangers vir die geleentheid opdaag nie - en raas is daar geraas.

Wat Battery 9 aanbetref - ‘n vertoning met fut. Te min Suid-Afrikaners ken Paul Riekert se industriële spitsvondighede. Hulle behoort myns insiens tot dieselfde klas as Kobus!: al hoor ‘n mens dit nie altyd nie, is hul lirieke van die skerpstes op die Afrikaanse musiektoneel. Riekert is nie bang om ‘n ding op die naam te noem nie, maar hy het terselftertyd genoeg liriese vernuf om op alles behalwe ‘n hoop vloekwoorde staat te maak vir trefkrag. Luister gerus na "Die vraglied" (’n parodie van "Die vlaglied van Suid-Afrika") op die nuwe album.

aKing was self nie sleg nie. Laudo Liebenberg (voorman en kitaarspeler) en kie het liedjies van hul eerste album, Dutch Courage, gespeel. Liebenberg en Hunter Kennedy is ‘n gedugte skrywerspaar en Liebenberg weet hoe om ‘n solo uit te karring. Aanhangers was in hul noppies toe aKing hul tweede musiekvideo aangekondig het.

aKing op ‘n afstand

Voor die geraas is ‘n voorskou van die DVD vertoon. Boernoir produksies het hulself oortref met ‘n professionele produk. Die produksiewaarde van die twee DVD’s, wat onder andere walkaround footage (kan jy "fpersing" sê?) en die gekose liedjies van elke groep bevat, spreek van bevoegde filmvervaardigers wat weet hoe om te selekteer en te kombineer. ‘n Mens besef die omvang van wat hulle gedoen het eers wanneer jy ontdek dat deur hulle rofweg 15 960 minute se beeldmateriaal moes sif (dis omtrent 725 episodes van jou gunsteling televisiereeks) en die oorblywendes tot ‘n koherente produk van 4 uur moes smee.

Veral heuglik is Lark se heel laaste vertoning ooit, die Suid-Afrikaanse Air Guitar kampioenskappe (wat gewen is deur Heine "Lord Volmer" van der Walt) en Kobus! se opvoering van "Hoenderman". Elke band se instrumente is apart opgeneem via ‘n multitrack recorder en na die tyd gemaster om so goed as moontlik te klink saam met vyftien kameras se beeldmateriaal. Die resultaat is iets waarmee weinig ander plaaslike musiekfeeste kan spog.

Die uwe was bevoorreg genoeg om self agter die kamera in te klim:

Raai wie byt sy onderlip wanneer hy konsentreer?

As vanjaar se fees enigsins ‘n aanduiding is van Ramfest 2009, behoort daar volgende jaar dalk selfs ‘n beter produk te verskyn. Indien Boernoir weer gekontrakteer word om dit te verflim (ek sou hulle huur) kry hulle hopelik ‘n paar dollies en cranes vir Ramfest ‘09. Dan gaan die pixels eers spat.

Koop die DVD. Jy gaan enersyds ‘n opkomende, talentvolle produksiehuis ondersteun en andersyds ‘n bydrae maak tot iets moois wat besig is om te groei in die Suid-Afrikaanse musiektoneel. Blameer dit op die hoenderman.

Lees gerus Danie Marais se resensie oor Galbraak.

Source: Jess Henson (Levi’s Original Music Magazine, 2008.10.27)

To my mind, Ramfest is the alternative to alternative music fests in SA. And now they have their own DVD of Ramfest 2008 to prove it. Friday night’s combination of live acts and diverse fans at Klein Libertas Teater would agree with me.

Battery 9 are stalwarts. Their spirited, strings, snare, cylinders-and-spark-plugs sound has lasted years in a topsy-turvey industry, and their artistic growth has garnered the respect of music loving veterans and virgins alike. This night hosted the kick-off their album launch tour, "Galbraak" — a term people who’ve drunk too much free Chattabox understand…

aKING are unsung heroes. They’re teaching music lovers to chant poetry, seducing scenesters across the country with a smile and filling hearts with an altogether almost alien state of conscious celebration. Theirs is holy work in a land of hopes and tears.

Put the two together in Stellies, and you’ve got trouble…

Klein Libertas was a clutch of subcultures that clicked in the spring winds. The fascinating collection of crazies included long, tall, dark-haired dudes with stickyout silver things on their faces that made me think of Horrorfest; warm ones with big hair and fat smiles that made me think of Avontoer 2008, incey-wincey bokkies in their party best, all cleavage and stiletto and spikey smiles that made me think of Miss SA, and the T shirt-and-trousers brigade making up the majority that made me think, sjoe, but some bands really are ambassadors of sound in SA. This majority, by the way, also buy CDs and DVDs and beers and tickets to festivals, and the music industry respects them. So much, in fact, that the aching boys are hosting an exclusive designer t-shirt exhibition on Tuesday.

Battery 9 don’t fork around. They knife through sound like it’s Saturday night at the Shack and uNathi is chef — chop, chop, sizzle, slice, sigh. Clean, powerful, industrial mixes seasoned with compulsive vocals, and a side order of live art. Enough to renew your liver. Or your spirit. Hard, hopeful, and nothing short of gourmet.

For dessert we had Hunter and Hennie and Laudo and Jaco. These lovely boys have finally put the cherry on the top and now we can have our cake and stick it in our eyes as well as our ears. It’s taken them some time, and I’ve waited patiently and said nothing about a certain lack of s-s-ssomething on stage. And I won’t ever either, because they’ve passed that stage, and if you want a hard-happy sing-along that looks as good as it feels, get your dose of aching live. They are the crème de la crème of commercial rock. Amen.

We finish with an afterthought. If you drop your drawers whilst standing on a chair inside Klein Libertas, and pull the big boy out for other drunkards to admire, spare a thought for the odd innocent journalist walking by less than two meters from your manhood. Or thank your lucky stars she didn’t have a camera at the ready…

Danie Marais (Die Burger, 2008.10.23)

Paul Riekert is die donker man van Battery 9 wat geraas met groter geraas bestry. Danie Marais het ‘n paar vrae aan hom gestel.

Verlede jaar was Battery 9 se "Die hamster is dood" een van die songs wat my uit die bed uit gekry het. Vanjaar is dit "Geen genade" op die nuwe album. Wat kry jou uit die vere?

"Check one" van Leftfield, of as ek vinnig moet maak, iets hard en vinnig van Ministry. Die idee van vars gemaalde, goeie koffie kry my ook uit die bed uit.

In terme van kommersiële sukses sal Battery 9 waarskynlik ‘n marginale verskynsel bly, maar Galbraak is julle sewende album. Wat motiveer jou om aan te hou beweeg en geraas te maak?

Dis op ‘n manier nie eens ‘n keuse nie, meer soos ‘n kompulsiewe drang. As ek weer kyk, dan het ek nog ‘n album gemaak.

Was jou werkswyse op dié album dieselfde as in die verlede?

Min of meer – waar dit verskil van Straks is dat ek meer klanke en instrumente buite die ateljee opgeneem het, in hul "natuurlike habitat".

The Clash het in "London calling" gesing: "London is drowning but I have no fear, ’cause London is drowning and I live by the river." Het jy ‘n soortgelyke instelling oor Jozi en SA?

Ja, die gevoel word nogal raak beskryf, behalwe dat dit by my ‘n effe skisofreniese gevoel ook is; dis steeds waar ek verkies om te bly. Vir nou.

Galbraak is, soos elke Battery 9-album, vol woede, frustrasie en galgehumor. Wat maak jou gelukkig?

Ek is gelukkig as ek kan skep – in watter medium ook al. Nuwe musiek ontdek. Afsondering. Die "goeie lewe" – goeie spys en drank, gemak, ‘n mooi uitsig.

As jy een reël uit ‘n Battery 9-liriek kan kies vir jou grafsteen, wat sal dit wees?

Liewer nie, dis moeilik om Battery9-lirieke te vind wat nié onvleiend is nie. As ek moet, dalk "Maak ‘n nuwe begin…" uit "Nuwe begin".

Source: Danie Marais (Beeld, 2008.10.21)

Paul Riekert is die donker man van Battery 9 wat geraas met groter geraas bestry. Danie Marais het ‘n paar vrae aan hom gestel.

Verlede jaar was Battery 9 se “Die hamster is dood” een van die songs wat my uit die bed uit gekry het. Vanjaar is dit “Geen genade” op die nuwe album. Wat kry jou uit die vere?

“Check one” van Leftfield, of as ek vinnig moet maak, iets hard en vinnig van Ministry. Die idee van vars gemaalde, goeie koffie kry my ook uit die bed uit.

In terme van kommersiële sukses sal Battery 9 waarskynlik ‘n marginale verskynsel bly, maar Galbraak is julle sewende album. Wat motiveer jou om aan te hou beweeg en geraas te maak?

Dis op ‘n manier nie eens ‘n keuse nie, meer soos ‘n kompulsiewe drang. As ek weer kyk, dan het ek nog ‘n album gemaak.

Was jou werkswyse op dié album dieselfde as in die verlede?

Min of meer – waar dit verskil van Straks is dat ek meer klanke en instrumente buite die ateljee opgeneem het, in hul “natuurlike habitat”.

The Clash het in “London calling” gesing: “London is drowning but I have no fear, ’cause London is drowning and I live by the river.” Het jy ‘n soortgelyke instelling oor Jozi en SA?

Ja, die gevoel word nogal raak beskryf, behalwe dat dit by my ‘n effe skisofreniese gevoel ook is; dis steeds waar ek verkies om te bly. Vir nou.

Galbraak is, soos elke Battery 9-album, vol woede, frustrasie en galgehumor. Wat maak jou gelukkig?

Ek is gelukkig as ek kan skep – in watter medium ook al. Nuwe musiek ontdek. Afsondering. Die “goeie lewe” – goeie spys en drank, gemak, ‘n mooi uitsig.

As jy een reël uit ‘n Battery 9-liriek kan kies vir jou grafsteen, wat sal dit wees?

Liewer nie, dis moeilik om Battery9-lirieke te vind wat nié onvleiend is nie. As ek moet, dalk “Maak ‘n nuwe begin…” uit “Nuwe begin”.

Source: Caz (Underground Press, 2008.10.23)

As if you didn’t know

Battery 9 is the brainchild of Paul Riekert, who writes the lyrics and the music, and sings, plays, records and produces most of what appears on the cd’s in his own studio – the audio arm of ONE F Music. His music own Production Company. On stage he is joined by Hyser Burger – Dj, Live action painter and MC, also known as DJ Fokolnonsens, and Cesare Cassarino – the guitar player, best known for his work as a bassist in the South African jazz and session scene.

The Launch Review

Friday, 17th October, Rock Bar; OMG acronym!!! I sincerely doubt there will be a better launch this year. We got to the Rock Bar Melville just as the band was going on. I was so excited I literally had to remind myself to breathe. My photographer, not so much, as he had never seen battery 9 live before. I had to remove the camera from him and take photographs myself as he was too over-whelmed by the bands awesomeness. A feeling shared by most of the fans. In fact, whilst taking pictures I was aggressively told to "stop taking photos!" by a mad sweaty creature in the audience because "it’s Battery 9!!! You have to dance!!" I have yet to see an international act rile up a crowd that much. I must admit, there quite a few incidents where even I could only stop and stare. Why this band is not charting internationally is beyond me. It’s almost like we hog the best for ourselves!

After the show I was told to wait backstage for the guys to come offstage. I was dripping sweat and hoarse from screaming. Hyser Burger, the live artist/industrialist/Dj of battery 9 was the first to come backstage. He flopped into a bean bag and looked at me quizzically. I stammered out "uh…interview….uh…press". He smiled and said "maybe a bit later, we just have to catch our breath". What a nice guy. I came back later to find Paul Riekert there alone. No interviews. I was heartbroken. These men were a defining block of my youth and now I had missed the chance to interview them. He must have my disappointment and said "how about you give us a call and we arrange an interview"

The added extra

Monday, 20th October, my office; Spent all day trying to muster the courage to call. When I eventually did, I stuttered and stammered and must have sounded like a giddy little girl but got the job done! Now if my heart rate can go back to normal……

Caroline: Hi, this Caroline from UNDERGROUND press, I got your number Saturday night.

Paul: yes Caroline, how are you?

Caroline: (stutter) um, very good, um how are you.

Paul: Good thanks, how can I help you?

Caroline: I would just like to know if I could arrange an interview with Battery 9 ?

Paul: Sure, when’s good for you?

Caroline: uh … um… whenever you’re free.

Paul: you can interview me over the phone if you like?

Caroline: Yeah that would be wicked. Thank you, are you free now?

Paul: ah yeah. Why not, go ahead.

Caroline: So how feel about the launch you had on Friday night?

Paul: Very cool. I haven’t felt like that after a launch in a long time. We got to see a lot of old friends to, there were quite a few young faces in the crowd.

Caroline: This is your seventh CD Launch. How does it make you feel that you can still work up a crowd like that?

Paul: grateful

Caroline: Industrial music has always had huge following in Europe, yet we don’t seem to have any S.A. industrial musicians making it that far. Do you think there is a possibility for bands of your genre to make it internationally?

Paul: It’s difficult. It’s difficult. You need to have proper support from somewhere to make a crack but I think there is a possibility, ya.

Caroline: do you think it may be due to lack of South African industry support in S.A. bands?

Paul: In a way

Caroline: I remember the first time I saw you was in 1995, you are as incredible now as you were then, if not more so.

Paul: (laughs) thank you

Caroline: I have always thought if ever a South African band would make it overseas, it would be battery 9. Is there any chance of battery 9 going global?

Paul: We’re currently trying to set a branch with One F music, my record label, in Europe. You can check it out if you like www.onefmusic.com

Caroline: Do you have any active online fan support groups?

Paul: The biggest one I know of is the facebook group.

Caroline: Besides renegade journalists that hide out backstage to interview you, have you ever been stalked by any crazed fans?

Paul: (laughs) Occasionally. S.A. is not that hectic.

Caroline: Any message you would like to send to your fans?

Paul: I just need to thank them. It’s up to them then it’s up to them whether there’s enough money to launch another album. I’m really grateful for the support we have…it’s really…lekker.

Caroline: I think that’s all I really wanted to ask (star struck journo is almost passing out with joy of speaking to one of her childhood heroes). Thank you so much for your time.

Paul: oh ok Great. Thank you, Caroline.

Caroline: ok, take care then bye.

Paul: cheers,

(Giggling like a teenager because he said my name)

Source: Lloyd Gedye (Mail & Guardian, 2007.08.03)

The Bohemian in Richmond was the setting for a night of mayhem last Friday that had been dubbed Die Donderende Doodsnag (The thundering night of death). Regular punters would have noticed that Tshwane’s industrial rockers NuL, along with sidekick Thys Nywerheid, have been heading south once a month to bring their pounding live show to the armpit of Jo’burg, otherwise affectionately know as the Bo. This particular Friday the boys from the north had roped in eccentric Afrikaans singer/songwriter Riku Lätti and new electro outfit Devil’s Cartel.

The evening kicked off with Thys Nywerheid, the side project of NuL guitarist Dawid Kahts and DJ Jamie Sharpe, who describe their band as the “original big-beat rock spider”. Ultimately, what that sounds like is a fusion of Propellerheads/Chemical Brothers’ beats with psychedelic Hendrix/Pink Floyd guitar and insane political rants in Afrikaans. Although the band’s sound can be rather unsettling, I think that might just be the point — an Afrikaans version of Britain’s cultural noise terrorists Pop Will Eat Itself, if you will.

The faithful Bohemian crowd was then treated to a rare Radio Lava gig.

Radio Lava is the name given to the bunch of musicians Riku Lätti surrounded himself with last year to complete an album released under the same name earlier this year.

Alongside Riku Lätti on stage stood ex-Battery 9 guitarist, current Diesel Whore Arnaud van Vliet and mad genius composer/producer Jahn Beukes, who took care of the sampling. Lätti had the crowd wrapped around his finger with his brand of alternative Afrikaans pop music, as he and the band worked through the tracks from Radio Lava. The added guest appearances from Jim Neversink on lap-steel guitar and Battery 9’s Huyser Burger, who rapped his way through Sneeuwitjie se Partytjie (Snow White’s Party), added an extra dimension to this great show.

After a disappointing set from Devil’s Cartel, NuL took to the stage in the early hours of the morning, bringing the show to a pulsing climax with their powerhouse blend of killer beats, driving guitar riffs and stabbing synthesiser. NuL frontman Adriaan Pelzer is a man possessed on stage, the focal point for NuL’s dynamic show.

NuL effortlessly blend social commentary with healthy doses of humour to create a challenging yet thoroughly enjoyable live show. Musically they blend varied influences ranging from Battery 9 to Aphex Twin and Rammstein to Frank Zappa into their sound, which they have dubbed elektroniese revolusiemusiek (electronic revolution music).

Their second album aptly titled Twee is currently available at gigs, or you can download the entire album for free from the band’s website (www.nul.com.sg).

The Bohemian can be found at the corner of Park and Menton roads, Richmond, Johannesburg. Tel: 011 482 1725. Visit: www.thebo.co.za

Risky business

Lloyd Gedye chats to Nul frontman Adriaan Pelzer about giving music away for free

What led to the decision to publish your music using a creative-commons licence and to make it available for free downloads?

At the time, I was looking for a license similar to the Linux GPL, but with more freedom, and more geared towards music. Creative Commons met those needs exactly, especially with the freedom it gives you to decide exactly how restrictive you want your licence to be.

To answer the second part of the question, we as NuL believe music is inherently free, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. It’s like air. So, it’s not our decision to make it free.

In a new music industry that is geared more and more towards the free download, how do bands make ends meet?

With the music market being in the transitional phase that it is in today [paid-for music to free music] gives bands the unique opportunity to get a jump-start on marketing themselves by providing easy access to their free music, since many bands don’t realise the importance of that yet. That said, I think producing music in South Africa remains a high-risk, long-term investment, mostly done not to make money, but barely to survive, and enjoying the hell out of it! All the members of NuL have day jobs.

Your album and live show both have moments that are reminiscent of Frank Zappa, so to put to you a question that Zappa once posed rhetorically — Does humour belong in music?

That’s a big compliment, thanks! Yes, humour indeed belongs in music, and this is explored far too little in modern music. To quote Frank Zappa again, people think humour in music is where the trumpet goes: “Fwhaap, Fwhaap, Fwhaaaaap…”

How important is a band like Battery 9 to you as a band and to the SA music scene in general?

I think they opened the South African [and especially Afrikaans] music scene to a lot of variety by establishing a boundary quite far out, thus opening a lot of creative potential between what they did and the norm.

Source: Cornelia le Roux (Huisgenoot p. 90, 2007.07.12)

Die alternatiewe Afrikaanse groep NuL se tweede CD, Twee, is by www.nul.com.sg (klik op die bossie geld) beskikbaar. Dié van julle wat ‘n bietjie uit die vorige geslag trek as dit kom by blikbreine — skiet sommer reguit deur na www.nul.com.sg/koop en klik op die regterkantste rooi kol.