Nominees announced for the 2014 MK Awards

Ever since MK went off the TV and took residence on our computer screens, fears have been mounting that -in spite of what they unequivocally claim- they might be dead and/or dying. Facebook pages and other online campaigns have been launched to manipulate the powers that be into bringing MK back to the dying medium of the century.
Yes, I do believe that TV itself is dying, much in the way a caterpillar “dies” before it’s reborn, in TV’s case as a beautiful online butterfly.

I have said it before and I’ll say it again: MK is ahead of it’s time [in moving online], and if they play their cards right, they will still be able to remain one of the most powerful protagonists of South African music.

As if to prove my point, they have just released the nominees for the 2014 MK Awards.
I foresee a much more relevant and less mass-pleasing affair this year. People who support MK in its new cyber-incarnation, are much more dedicated to not only the channel, but to the music it plays and culture it represents. Voting, therefore, should reflect the opinion of the true fan and not just the fad fan.

Without further ado, here’s the list (and some of my thoughts regarding it):

Best Music Video:

Van Coke Kartel ft. Jack Parow – Chaos
Bicycle Thief – Goodbye Ian Curtis
Haezer – Troublemaker ft. Tumi
The Plastics – Best Pretenders
PH Fat – House of Clashes
Wrestlerish – Battleground
Shortstraw – Waterworks
Bittereinder – Kwaad Naas

I do believe that Van Coke ft Parow will take it. Of all these great videos, this one stands out to me because it’s not only an awesome video, but fits perfectly with the awesome song.

 

Best Live Act:

Bittereinder
Van Coke Kartel
Zebra & Giraffe
Desmond & The Tutus
Jeremy Loops
PH Fat

The fierce battle for the prize, in what I believe to be the most important category of any music awards program, is going to be a nailbiter. Although both Jeremy Loops and Desmond and the Tutus have put up some of my personal favourite shows of the year, nothing seems to beat the consistantly brilliant performances by Van Coke Kartel and Bittereinder. After a BLAZING Oppikoppi performance, I think that Bittereinder could very well edge past the Belville band in this one.

 

Album of the Year:

Gangs of Ballet – Yes/No/Grey
Shortstraw – Good Morning, Sunshine
Bittereinder – Die Dinkdansmasjien
The Plastics – Pyramid
Taxi Violence – Soul Shake

In certain respects, 2013 was a slightly quieter year when it came to good new album releases. The good ones that did come out though, were great. Due to the sheer volume of thumping hits and great party tracks on one album, I’ll give this one to Bittereinder as well.

 

Best Music Video under R15k:

Al Bairre – We Move On
Bye Beneco – On The Line
Moving House – Tongue in Cheek
The Plastics – Occasional Lies
Desmond & The Tutus – The Future

I am absolutely stoked with the inclusion of this category. For an upcoming band to be able to compete with the more established (or better sponsored) ones, is an almost insurmountable task. So kudo’s to MK.
This also proves that a good video does not necessarily require a budget capable of buying a Gupta.
For this one I nominate  The Plastics. Al Bairre’s song is cool, but seriously guys, that video has been done a million times…

 

Best Newcomer:

Al Bairre
Matthew Mole
Michael Lowman
Die Skynmaagde
Bye Beneco
Monark

All of the nominees have worked their asses off. Making a decision here is only made a bit easier by Matthew Mole’s insane growth spurt as a musical entity in the last year. It’s like this man can do no wrong…

 

Best Festival:

Up The Creek
Ramfest
Oppikoppi
Rocking The Daisies
Synergy

Oppikoppi will take this. Numbers talk in an audience driven voting system.
However, with 2014’s RAMFest line-up, next year’s awards could very well be a different ballgame.
I will say this however, I had my most memorable musical moment at RAMFest this year whith Rise Against.
Or was it Mango Groove, Fokofpolisiekar and The Narrow at Oppikoppi?
Hell, I don’t know. Help?

 

Best Afrikaans Group:

Van Coke Kartel
Jack Parow
Die Skynmaagde
Spoegwolf
Dans Dans Lisa
Die Heuwels Fantasties

Van Coke Kartel.
Next?

 

All that remains to be seen now, is who will host the awards ceremony. Jaco from Bittereinder and Desmond and the Tutus’ Shane set the bar pretty high last year… Maybe MK should ask me, coz you know, awesome moustache and all 😉

 

I look forward to see how my predictions correlate with the eventual results.
What do you think? Am I an insightful music-award-predicting guru, or should I cut down on the crazy pills?
I know opinions differ, for instance my mate Henno Kruger will probably try to convince me that he’s right :p Read his opinion here.

Go make your mark on the official MK Awards Voting site, and remember: Vote for the best, even though it might not always be your favourite.

5 van my Top 10 Old School Rustige Afrikaanse songs

Wat hier volg, is 5 van my eie, persoonlike gunsteling rustige Afrikaanse songs.
Dis deel van ‘n top 10. Kan jy raai wat die ander 5 is?
Laat weet my hier onder, en as jy reg is, wen jy ‘n hi5…

• Koos Kombuis – Lisa se Klavier
  Ja, dis sekerlik een van die mees holrug geryde cover-favourites in die geskiedenis van Afrikaanse musiek. Maar ek gee nie ‘n fok om nie. Dis ‘n awesome song met soveel memories aan gekoppel. Besides, as Oom Koos nie op die lys was nie, was my opinie niks werd nie. Obviously. Van Koos se ander songs, soos bv Onder In My Whiskey Glas, sou die cut maak, maar ek probeer nie meer  as een song per artist op te sit nie.

 

• Johannes Kerkorrel – Hillbrow
  Hierdie song was jare voor sy tyd. dis ‘n eye-opener, ‘n tranetrekker en verdien verseker sy plyk op die lysie.

 

• Koos du Plessis – Sprokie vir ‘n Stadskind
  In alle eerlikheid, sou ek eerder Gebed wou opsit, maar aangesien Koos hom nooit self opgeneem het nie, is Sprokie my verkose wenner.

 

• Richard van der Westhuizen & Lochner de Kock – Tussen Treine
  Ek glo dat Richard van der Westhuizen een van Suid Afrika se mees noemenswaardige talente is. Van liedjieskrywer en akteur tot kinder-tv voice-over artist… die man is alles. En hy is goed daarmee. Ek het paar jaar gelede die voorreg gehad om saam met hom op te tree, en dit was ‘n ervaring wat ek nooit sal vergeet nie.

 

• David Kramer – Skipskop
  Hierdie song som ‘n era, ‘n generasie, ‘n gemeenskap en eintlik ‘n hele kultuur op. Mens kan amper nie glo dat dit uit die pen van die persoon verantwoordelik vir songs soos “Meisiekind Sonner Haar Sokkies” en die lekker saamsing “Hier sit die manne in die Royal Hotel” uitkom nie. Maar Mr Kramer is diep, en gesëen met die talent om ‘n samelewing te kan verwoord.

 

Nou daar het jy dit. Wat dink jy van die 5?
Wat sal jy wil bysit om die res van my Top 10 vol te maak?
Sharing is caring, so deel gerus die post met jou vriende.

 

 

My letter to Loyiso Nkohla (NSFW?)

You might very well be aware of what Mr Nkohla did/said.

If you are not, take a look at the round-up on www.2oceansvibe.com

I couldn’t just sit still and do nothing. The sad part is that the only thing I could really do was to write a little letter. How pathetic am I? Probably a bit, but hey, at least I did something.

If you also want to mail him, here’s the address:  loyiso.nkohla@capetown.gov.za

So this is the mail I sent dear old Loyiso. Fair warning, if you faint at the sight of crude words, you might want to give it a skip…

———–

Ok, this is attempt number 3.

First I tried a polite yet sarcastic mail.

Then I deleted it and went all balls to the wall insulting.

I deleted that too.

I realised that you will probably not even bother to read this, seeing as you are such a busy man (or illiterate doos, whatever’s truer).

I still thought it good to give you a piece of my mind, and possibly even some advice.

You sir, are the reason that this country is going  to shit. YOU are the steps back when we try to move forward. You are the slap in the face of positive change. YOU are, to put it mildly, a quarter cunt.

You see, a cunt is generally speaking still good for something.

A quarter cunt, not so much.

And that is what you are. A worthless piece of country destroying, warmongering shit.

Don’t worry, you will get it.

What is IT you ask? Well, not the war you’re looking for, that’s for sure.

“It” is the day that people of South Africa, across borders, realise how they’re being duped by useless governmental arseholes like you. They will turn around, slowly, put down the banner you told them to march with, and as they get up they will give you one moerse poesklap.

You see, the people aren’t as stupid as you think they are, you bigoted racist opportunist. In spite of you and your fellow governmental arseholes’ best efforts, the truth has a way of getting through. People will learn that hate is not the only way. White is not always bad, black is not always good and opinions are allowed to differ without bloodshed.

That being said, I also believe that it’s still going to take a long, long time, especially with people like you in power.

Now, I would suggest you start owning up to what you did, acknowledge that it was wrong and that you are not fit for your post.

Resign, and fuck off to whatever hole you crawled out from.

We don’t need you.

In fact, just do the future of SA a favour, and off yourself at your earliest convenience.

Thank you for possibly reading my correspondence.

Goodbye.