THE NOTION

From left to right: Brendan Campbell (Lead Guitars and vox), Andrew 'Spac' Lingwood (Drums), Byron Grobler (Rhythm Guitar and vox) and Dean Boxshall-Smith (bass)

A quirky, fun, crazy group of guys ready to rock your faces off. From Johannesburg and recently reformed, this group of hunky hunks are ready to take the local music scene by storm. With an EP in the pipelines and an incredible team behind them (the ever so awesome, (STM) Stimulate records) you should certainly keep an eye out for them!

How long have you guys been performing for?  

The Band has been around since late 2009 however we have had a year off to rework all the music and bring something unique and exciting to the industry.

What, in your opinion, is the most enjoyable / fulfilling part of being a part of this industry?

Doing what we love as a living. We are basically sharing our lives through our music.

What would you consider to be your least favourite part of being in the industry? 

It’s an extremely tough industry to break into. Our least favourite part is probably just not being taken seriously.

Have you ever encountered any Crazy fans/ incidents with fans during a show or out in public?

There is always that one drunk guy that will come and ask you id you know how to play that song by that band. We also tend to have a few crazy fans or at least Spac does!

Where are the majority of your performances based (area wise) and how do you advertise your upcoming shows to the public?  

We play all over really, but if we had to say it would be Pretoria or is that just where we have the best after parties? Hmmm :P  We advertise on all our pages facebook, twitter, myspace etc. We also advertise via STM records who promote the band.

If you could be any super hero, who would you be and why?

Spac: Adam Sandler from click ;) to control time would be freakin awesome! Can do sneaky shit and relive stuff.

Byron: Upright man. Making the world a better place one posture at a time.

Bren: Midlife Crisis man. One day you have a family and a station wagon the next day a prostitute and a Harley. IT’S A GOOD LIFE!

Dean: Johnny Bravo… Hey there pretty momma…

If you could work with any current artist/group, who would it be and why?

Bren: Madonna … Its just so intriguing how she is STILL current..

Spac: Steel Panther! Rock and Rooolll!!

Byron: Dave Grohl… Living Legend!!

Dean: The Wombats… Boy band with distortion.

If you could play any festival, both in SA and internationally, what would it be and why?

We would love to get on the bill for Oppikoppi and all the bigger festivals in SA. Internationally definitely the vans warped tour, Download festival, wow honestly any big festival.

Describe the kind of music you play, to those who haven’t heard you before.

 Haha this is always the hardest question.  We have changed our genre so I guess no one knows how we sound. So maybe everyone should find out.

What are your future intentions with the band?

We are currently finishing up our brand new album. So a tour is definitely on the cards!

What is your pet hate, with regards to the band? (E.g. Comparisons, internal arguments, finances, sound check, etc.)

Internal disagreements are always a bit annoying but then spac gives us snacks and food answers all of life’s issues.

What is your main message you’d like to give out to your fans/following right now?

 The Notion is back and better than ever before! Watch this space.

Where can we catch you next?

We have a few gigs coming up.

6^th Rumours JHB

7^th Cool Runnings Moreleta  park

13^th Pretoria state theatre

Views on Justin Bieber:

Spac: woohoo!! Hahaha Justin… Can’t stand the music, but hey, the bi***es love him, I cant hate.

Byron: hahaha! He is aight. We actually almost replaced Spac with him as our drummer last year.

Bren: True Story!

Dean: hmmmm his mom is quite nice!

Who is your biggest personal influence?

Spac: Mike Portnoy (Ex Dream Theatre drummer)…

Dean: Brendan Campbell cause he has perfect hair all the time!

Byron: Spac… Oh… Em… Geee... He is sooo cool!

Give a random fact about yourself.

Spac: Im actually a registered shark wrestler...

Bren: When I was 8 months old, I pulled an infant child from the relentless jaws of a grizzly bear… now 22 years later, we are still together… True Story... 

Byron: Sometimes I wish I was a honey badger, they’re really badass.

Dean: My band mates are actually real life super heroes.

What did you want to be when you “grew up”  

Dean: A ninja but I could never find the guys to train me… Well played ninjas well played!

Spac: A gun wheeling, tobacco chewing cow boy of the mid-west… or west rand.. Whatever…

Bren: I wanted to be a pilot but I’m afraid of heights…

Byron: I wanted to play cricket for SA but that was a bit unrealistic! Now I wanna be a rock Star!!

Biggest fear:

Spac: Crocodiles…

Dean: Running out of petrol or money haha.

Byron: Driving past weed eaters with the windows down, pure panic!

Brendan: Snapping a string and losing an eye… hmmm

Favourite part of each show you perform.

When people sing along to our songs and jam to the dancy tracks. Also the after party!!

Describe your personality using any Movie title.

Dean: Superman returns.

Byron: Ice Age (I’m super chilled)

Spac: Narnia (Cause his whole world is inside the closet)

Bren: Free Willy

 To find out more about THE NOTION, check out their facebook page!

TOYA DELAZY

Toya DeLazy is without a doubt one of South Africa’s most precious Gems. With a funky attitude, incredible sense of style and jam-able music, this combination is a definite win for both the Local and international music scenes. Slamming into the South African charts with her hit single “Pump it On”, she made it perfectly clear she meant business, and has stuck to her guns with follow up hits like “Love is in the air” and my personal favourite, “Heart”. Take a peek at what this powerful lady is all about.

Who is Toya Delazy?

Well, I come from eMahlabathini near uLundi, KwaZulu-Natal, but I grew up everywhere.

I’m a young artist that is forward thinking and encourages people to be themselves and live their lives. I use my music to spread a positive message that hopefully encourages people to follow their hearts, be true to themselves and never give up on something they love.

Tell us about your childhood background i.e how were you like growing up?

I would say I was very spirited, adventurous and a little mischievous. I loved the outdoors and sports, so I was always active. I loved my culture and singing, watching cultural shows and just having a good time. I come from a very religious family and I went to a convent from a young age, so I’ve always been surrounded by religion and structure. I think it gave me the discipline I need today.

How you ended up in the music industry?

Music has always been a part of my life. From the age of nine I started playing classical piano and I would say that was when I started composing music.

Learning classical piano at that age helped structure my musical understanding of how heartfelt chords are formed, how to read music and have agility discipline on the keys.

I knew I wanted a career in music and I began performing at various places. One day a very talented producer, Markus Els, heard me at a live show and he invited me to record a few songs in studio. Vusi Leeuw was given the demo and he presented it to Sony Music. They liked what they heard and soon I was part of the Sony Music team.  

How has the journey being like so far?

It’s been extremely educational. I had to grow up really quickly; I had to learn the business of music and I had to understand that my life was changing. It’s been an amazing experience so far, and I look forward to what the future holds.

(photographs courtesy of Ross Garrett)

How has South Africa received your debut album Due Drop?

The response has been amazing. I’ve been getting tweets and messages from fans and they really seem to be digging it, thus far. I’ve also just released Due Drop Deluxe which is a 2CD set including two new tracks, remixes and a bonus DVD with all 4 single videos (“Pump It On,” “Love Is In The Air,””Are You Gonna Stay?” & “Heart”) plus the behind-the-scenes documentary film shot earlier this year entitles ‘It Takes A Lot To Make A Classic.’

What is the inspiration behind your music?

My daily life experiences. My music is all about my journey, it simply my story. I take what I go through, the emotions I feel and I translate that into music.

Describe your sound?

I think I have a very unique sound. It’s a fusion of Jazz, Electro Hop and Pop, so I call it JEHP and it’s definitely something that is different and appeals to many listeners. You’ll see my album has an electro hop element but it is not going to be the main element. My music is a fusion of various genres so people can expect some soul, some Jazziness and acapella pulling through. I describe it as a lucky packet, everyone walks away with something great.

Who would you say are some of the musicians that have had the strongest influence on you and how?

My influences come from variety of genres. My love for music grew from classical, songs such as Debussy's 'Clair de Lune' for example basically unlocked my creativity and influenced the way I construct my chords. So did Orchestral works like the 'Psalms of David' sang by choirs in cathedrals, the voices in harmonic beauty made me happy & soothed my spirit. Thanks to watching the movie 'Sister-Act' at a Convent Primary School in Eshowe, I got my first taste of Lauryn Hill and I loved her singing and her soul (she influenced me too).

I’ve also been influences by artists such as Kate Nash, John Legend, Radiohead, Tracy Chapman, Asa, Goldfish, Imogen Heap, Adele, Kings Of Leon, Regina Spektor, John Lennon, Norah Jones, John Mayer, Black Eyed Peas, Sara Bareilles, Nirvana, Deadmau5 and Skrillex.

How would you describe your style?

Style is a way for me to express myself. My mom was very stylish. I come from a very conservative background but I like my street wear and I mix it up with vintage items. I like to arrange my outfits so it’s still funky with a classical touch.

Tell us a bit more about your connection with Reebok?

Reebok approached me last year and chose me as brand ambassador for the Reebok Classics Drop R range. Basically they liked my style, music and what I do and I will be representing the brand throughout Africa. I can also “certify” my own “Classics”. This can be anything from musicians, designers, cars or even movies that I think are cool and deserve “Classic” status. This is a very fun campaign and I’m excited to be a part of it.

What does the future hold for you? Any plans to go international?

Things have been happening so quickly these last two years. I’m using the time I have now to grow personally and also to get to know my country. I’d love to go international and it’s definitely one of my goals. Hopefully I’ll be performing overseas in the next few years.

Any sites for fans to visit if they want to read more about you?

They can follow me on Twitter @ToyaDelazy, they can chat to me on Facebook at www.facebok.com/toyadelazy and they can visit my site www.toyadelazy.com

A huge thank you to Ross Garrett for his incredible Photographs and SONY music for their assistance - Riki

LONEHILL ESTATE

If you haven't heard of Lonehill Estate yet, that rock you're living under must be pretty darn soundproof. These guys must be one of the most entertaining, interesting, hilarious group of people I have ever seen put together on any kind of stage. Their witty sense of humor intertwined in their lyrics, and their incredible stage presence makes for VERY interesting performances. Even the way they present themselves makes you curious to listen to what they've got. And let me tell you, it's worth a listen. They can jump from beautiful ballad like melodies like "Green Pocket" and "Binocular head" to jumpy tunes like "Daans!" and my ultimate favorite, "Ginger biscuit". I was lucky enough to steal a few minutes from the Crazy front-man, mister Nathan Ro, to answer some of my silly questions. Here's what he had to say!

How long have you guys been performing for?

7 Years

What, in your opinion, is the most enjoyable / fulfilling part of being a part of this industry?

The fact that every day is different and full of fear and adventure.

What would you consider to be your least favourite part of being in the industry?

Sound checking... and then everything changes anyway.

Have you ever encountered any Crazy fans/ incidents with fans during a show or out in public?

O sure but it's mostly just the drunk ones who try rape band members. Most people are pretty cool.

Where are the majority of your performances based (area wise) and how do you advertise your upcoming shows to the public?

Mostly Joburg because we are based here and we advertise using WOM and Facebook and twitter...

Check out their video for "Techno Band" :)

If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?

The ability to manipulate gravity... cos then you could pretty much do anything. And apparently chicks dig that.

If you could work with any current artist/group, who would it be and why?

Would love to work with a DJ called Probs n Mayhem or I Scream And The Chocolate Stix

What are your future intensions with the band?

To keep going.

What is your pet hate, with regards to the band?

Sound checking.

Where can we catch you next?

Tanz Cafe 16th November

click on the image to go to the Tanz Cafe FB page :)

Who is your biggest personal influence?

James Alexander

Give a random fact about yourself.

I have extra cartilage in my ear that makes it look like an elf ear.

What did you want to be when you “grew up”

A Cartoonist

Biggest fear.

Old lady standing and staring at me in my garden at night

Favourite part of each show you perform.

When the crowd sings along

Check out their video for "Daans!" :)

Describe your personality using any Movie title.

Mr Poppers Penguins

Out of all the Major Shows you’ve performed, which was your personal favourite, and why?

I really enjoyed playing Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland because no one had ever heard of us but they partied hard to the music.

Describe your image, and where the inspiration for it came from. E.g. The green guy:)

We are from the future where man and reptoids are friends

Most memorable moment with the band

Playing after Evanescence at a festival but they blew the sound system so we just stood on stage and watched all the people leave the stadium.

Lonehill Estate is slowly but surely taking over the South African music scene. Do yourself a favor and check them out. I can guarantee you wont be disappointed. For more info on Lonehill Estate, check out their facebook page, here. 

Their latest single dancing on radio stations nationwide... "Look Good"

ALBUM OUT NOW!!!! (Go get it... like seriously.. DO IT!)

LAST CHANCE KID

From left to right: Dean (bass/ Girly vox), Donovan (Drums), Genelee (Guitar/backing Vox) and Rob (Lead Vox, Guitar)

“Punk's not dead. Never was, and never will die” – the opening line to the beginning of their biography on their page. In my opinion this ultimately describes the bands attitude to life and their music. They’re raw, fun, all RIDICULOUSLY good looking and insanely good at what they do. You can definitely hear their influences, but they certainly stick to their guts and give their own individual twist on it. Seeing them live is an experience of its own. Screaming girls (& squeaking boys), “insane guitar riffs”, and a little flash back to the 80’s, these boys are well on their way into the hearts of every South African Lady, and every true punk rocker. I took a teeny bit of their time to ask them a few fun questions about themselves and what life’s like being a rock star:

How long have you guys been performing for?
We Have Been Performing since February 2011.

What, in your opinion, is the most enjoyable / fulfilling part of being a part of this industry?
We love it when people sing our songs back to us! No better feeling!

What would you consider to be your least favourite part of being in the industry?
 It's extremely hard to be taken seriously at first. So basically the initial stages of the band.

Have you ever encountered any Crazy fans/ incidents with fans during a show or out in public?
Are there any normal fans? We play punk rock and act like idiots, so do our fans. Lol.

Where are the majority of your performances based (area wise) and how do you advertise your upcoming shows to the public?
Most of our recent shows have been around the Joburg area, but it's more of a split between Joburg and Pretoria. We advertise on Twitter and Facebok.

The boys live in action

If you could be any super hero, who would you be and why?
ROB: Himself
DON: Rob
DEAN: Rob
GENELEE: Rob.. His girly voice is the ultimate super power...

If you could work with any current artist/group, who would it be and why?
We would love to work with bands like BLINK 182 or SUM 41... these guys are the reason we do what we do.

Are there any South African Artists you’d like to work/ collaborate with, and again, why? 

We haven't done a collab. yet... Hmmm maybe Bouwer Bosch?

Who gets more female attention out of the four of you? In other words, who is the lady killer?
Most definitely Don.. But Rob is the smoothest guy on the planet.

What are your future intentions with the band?
We would like to be signed eventually and tour SA and Europe.

What is your pet hate, with regards to the band? (eg. Comparisons, internal arguments, finances, etc.)
Hahaha... No comment...

What is your main message you’d like to give out to your fans/following right now?
 Have fun while you still can. Party as hard as you can WHILE YOU CAN!

Where can we catch you next?
September -22: SCHIVAS ROCK, 

September -23: ROCKING FOR RHINOS. 

AARDKLOP!!!

Their official music video for their killer single "She Doesn't Know"

Is it difficult to keep up with your personal lives and the on goings of the band at the same time? Or have you all learned to handle it.
Was difficult at first but we all manage now.

Who is your biggest personal influence?
GENELEE: My biggest personal influence is Billy joe armstrong, lead vocalist for green day. Specifically in the songwriting element

Give a random fact about yourself.
ROB: I'm dating Don's sister..
DON: computer nerd..
DEAN: I just got a new car..
GENELEE: I'm a Ninja

What did you want to be when you “grew up”.
ROB: Rock star or car gaurd.
DON: Travis Barker
DEAN: Famous Athlete.. FAIL
GENELEE: A Ninja.. WIN..

Biggest fear.
ROB: Spiders
DON: Um...
DEAN: Girls
GENELEE: The rest of the band...

Favourite part of each show you perform.
ROB: Crazy guitar riffs
DON: Rocking out
DEAN: Bringing out my girl voice for "Video killed the radio star"..
GENELEE: Jamming with the crowd

Describe your personality using any Movie title.
 BAND: SUPERBAD..LOL

These guys are the epitome of punk rock, bringing fun, crazy vibes back into action in the music scene. For more info on "Last Chance Kid", check out their Facebook page Here

YOU WONT REGRET IT