Some Taxi Violence for you?

The Cape Town based rockers are busy recording their brand new album.

After keeping things stripped down and mellow with their 2011 release, the Taxi men are eager to get back to their rock and roll roots.

Half of the upcoming album was recorded in 2012 and given to fans for free download as an early Christmas present. The first single off the upcoming album, Paint the Streets, was released in November 2011. The smash reached number 1 on Tuks FM’s SA Top 10 and Puk FM’s Top 40. The recording of the remainder of the tracks will be finished by the 15^th of March 2013. The album is set for release later this year – but the Taxi ranks are tight-lipped with regards to a precise date.

The album is being produced at Heritage Sound Studio by Brendyn “Rusti” Rossouw. Rossouw was part of the winning team that helped record the SAMA nominated release, UNPLUGGED: Long Way From Home. The great Theo Crous from Bellville Studios has been approached to mix and co-produce the album.

 

Online diary vibes.

Taxi Violence are giving fans an inside peek in their recording process, by keeping an online studio diary. You can follow their diary here;

http://www.facebook.com/taxiviolence/notes

Remember that hot and steamy video we could not get enough of ?

Unholy has been nominated for a MK Award. You have till Friday to vote Taxi for Best Rock Video for Unholy.

Visit the MK website to make your click.

If you have not yet heard the new  Taxi tunes…What’s wrong with you?

Listen to Taxi Violence’s new tracks here:

·         Paint the Streets >> www.soundcloud.com/taxi-violence/paint-the-streets

·         Love Sick Rock ‘n Roll >> www.soundcloud.com/taxi-violence/taxi-violence-love-sick-rock-n

Social realm.

http://www.facebook.com/taxiviolence

www.youtube.com/TaxisRockOutTV

http://www.soundcloud.com/taxi-violence

Photo: Baden Moir

Follow @taxi_violence_

Follow @SuneLotter

Van Coke Kartel keeping busy

For Van Coke Kartel, the open road is no new dragon to be slayed. Wynand Myburg happily states– the band loves touring. “We love being on the road and performing every night. That is what we do!”

The band’s currently putting tire to tar, taking their rocking vibe across country. On the 3^rd of October the band kicks off their Van Coke Kartel CHAOS Tour presented by Jagermeister, Monster Energy and Music Connection. This tour will also the Kartel take their show to the heart of big-hole country, Kimberley, for their very first Kimberley gig. This is proof of the Van Coke Kartel ideal; making sure their live music reaches all fans across the country.

Another exciting Van Coke feat to look forward to, is this year’s Heineken Symphonic Rocks. This is the first time an Afrikaans band will be included in the line-up. Van Coke Kartel will be accompanied on stage by a 65 piece Symphonic Orchestra. This is one show worth planning a road trip around. “We have always wanted to be part of Heineken Symphonic Rocks and this year it is happening. We are looking forward to the dynamics of performing with a 65 piece orchestra!” Wynand says.

Van Coke Kartel; Jaco Snake Venter

As if these rocking busy bodies are not …well…busy enough – Spring will also see Van Coke heading back to the studios to work on some new material with the great Theo Crous. The new material will see light of day next year. According to Wynand, it’s been 10months since the release of the hugely successful Wies Bang and its time put out some of the new material they have been working on. Wynand says, “We are not 100% sure when and HOW we will be releasing the new material. For now we are focusing on producing great tracks. We are also working closer with Theo on the new material as we liked his input on Wie’s Bang.”

Apart from all the touring, the symphony and the recording of new material, there’s also the case of the MK MVP that jumped into the Kartel’s pocket. This year Van Coke Kartel walked away with an MK MVP for Buitenkant II. They will be working on this project with Groundglass, one of South Africa’s leading director-based film production companies. “Music Videos are so expensive and it is great to get a nice budget from MK to produce one! Dankie MK! Buitenkant II was written in 2007 by Francois, Hunter and myself. Five years later we are making a video for an acoustic version.” says Wynand.

JAGERMEISTER, MONSTER ENERGY & MUSIC CONNECTION PRESENTS VAN COKE KARTEL CHOAS TOUR details:

DATE: 3 October 2012

Line-up: Van Coke Kartel

Venue: Memphis Rock, Potchefstroom

Address: 102 Steve Biko Ave, Potchefstroom

Contact: Kaihl Meades

Email: memphisrock@live.co.za

Cell : 072 125 2407

Tickets: R30 p/p at the door

DATE: 9 October 2012

Line-up: Van Coke Kartel Acoustic

Venue: Sinck Shack, Bronkhorstspruit

Address: 54 Cathy Street, Bronkhorstspruit

Contact: Deon Volschenk – 0787417597

Tickets: R100 p/p. Booking Essential. Limited Tickets.

DATE: 11 October 2012

Line-up: Van Coke Kartel and Other

Venue: Mystic Boer, Bloemfontein

Address: 84 Kellner Street, Bloemfontein

Contact: 051 430 2206

Tickets: R50 p/p at the door

DATE: 12 October 2012

Line-up: Van Coke Kartel

Venue: Halfway House Hotel, Kimberley

Address: 229 Du Toitspan Road, Kimberley

Contact: 021 762 1543

Tickets: R80 p/p at the door

DATE: 13 October 2012

Line-up: Van Coke Kartel & Other

Venue: Arcade Empire, Pretoria

Address: 256 The Highiway Str, Equestria

Contact: 087 980 3531

Tickets: R50 p/p at the door

http://www.facebook.com/ArcadeEmpire

DATE: 19 October 2012

Line-up: Van Coke Kartel

Venue: Tin Cups Witbank

Address: 44 OR Thambo, Die Heuwel, Witbank

Contact: Irene – 072 600 3897

Tickets: R50 at the door

DATE: 20 October 2012

Line-up: Van Coke Kartel & Other

Venue: Centurion Rugby Club, Centurion

Address: West street 270, Next to Super Sport Park Centurion, South Africa

Contact: Ronel: 0828751156

Tickets: R120,00 PP

DATE: 26 October 2012

Line-up: Van Coke Kartel & others

Venue: Mercury Live, Cape Town

Address: 43 De Villiers Street, Zonnebloem, 7925, Cape Town!

Contact: 021 465 7286

Tickets:  R50 p/p at the door

DATE: 27 October 2012

Line-up: Van Coke Kartel Acoustic

Venue: Rhapsodys Centurion

Address: Centurion Gate Centre, Corner John Vorster & Akkerboom Street

Contact: 012 643 1916

Tickets: TBC

Twitter: @vancokekartel

Band Blog: http://www.vancokekartel.co.za/dftwr

Music Videos: http://www.vimeo.com/vancokekartel/videos

Music: http://www.vancokekartel.co.za/hifi

Photo: Jaco S Venter

Follow @vancokekartel

Follow @SuneLotter

Ard Matthews’s solo “FirstOfferings” to hit stores in July.

Ard Matthews

The 30thof July 2012 will see Ard Matthews release his debut solo album, FirstOfferings.

Ard Matthews is one of SA’s most respected singer/songwriters. His music is real and his presence on any given stage, surreal.

Ard made name for himself as the frontman of the revolutionary South-African band, Just Jinger. With his deep hitting lyrics and melodic arrangements, he paved the way to the success of their debut album, All Comes Around. This album went on to become one of the biggest selling albums in its genre in SA – of all time . In a year’s time All comes Around reached double platinum status. The following year the band’s second album, Something for now, achieved the same status.

In 2012, Ard made the decision to venture onto a solo path. Ard’s extensive writing process literally took him all over the world – from sailing around the Mafia islands, to an extended trip to India. The album sees Ard draw off a diverse blend of themes and thoughts.

With a healthy dose of life experience and a brand new zest to his tracks, this new album is set to take Ard Matthews on quite the solo adventure.

“This album has been a diary of my life in a way. It is a musical depiction of where I’ve been over the last couple of years and I’m really excited to share it with everybody. I hope that the public are ready to listen to raw, unpretentious, brutally honest music, because that is what this is about ,” Ard says.

According to Ard the general theme is love .He simply puts it, “While trends and fashions come andgo, love always prevails.”

FirstOfferings is an independent release and will be distributed by MESH(Music & Entertainment Solutions Hub.) All tracks were written, produced, recorded and performed by Ard Matthews. Guest artists such as Tumi (and the Volume), John Ellis, Paul Hepker, Theo Crous, rugby great Alistair Hargreaves and big wave surfers Ryan Butcher and Greg Bertish are credited where they appear. The album was mixed in Los Angeles by Bryan Cook (Train, Five for Fighting) and mastered by Hans DeKline.

The live band representing this album is called The Ard Matthews Affair and features Ard on vocals and bass guitar accompanied by an all-star line-up consisting of John Ellis (Tree 63) on guitar and Josh Klynsmith (Gangs of Ballet)on drums.

For those fans amongst us, who cannot handle the anticipation anymore, FirstOfferings can be  streamed and is available for download in any format from Ard’s web store:www.ardmatthews.com/store

To catch Mr Matthews live, get yourself to one of his following live shows:

13th July – 5FM / Billabong Pro Music Festival -Jeffrey’s Bay – http://www.5fm.co.za/events/the-5fm-music-festival-the-billabong-pro

22nd July – Moyo – Kirstenbosch Gardens – Cape Town -(Acoustic/Solo) -http://www.moyo.co.za/contact-us.aspx

6th August – Gateway Barnyard Theatre – Durban -http://www.barnyardtheatre.co.za/findus.aspx?vid=4

29th September – Symphonic Rocks – Cape Town – http://symphonicrocks.co.za/

6th October – Symphonic Rocks – Johannesburg – http://symphonicrocks.co.za/

Ard is also socially connectable, and you can follow him on Facebook and twitter:

Twitter:@ardmatthews  Hashtag: #FirstOfferings.

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ardmatthews