The Hiatus Is Over
Last week Oppikoppi made what is personally the most exciting artist announcement for this year’s edition of the festival: Tweak are reuniting to play Oppikoppi 21.
To all the bewildered musical purists, my excitement is in no way linked to the creative intelligence and innovation of the group’s music. The excitement here is fuelled purely by nostalgia. Tweak, which was one of the biggest local bands at their prime, is one of the bands that introduced me to rock music alongside the likes of Just Ginger and Squeal when I was in primary school.
Before the middle class knew anything about kwela-inspired indie or trippy psych music, Tweak was the rowdy punk soundtrack to my rebellious youth. At a time before proudly South African was fashionable, Tweak got me singing about revenge filled birthday cards, house parties being raided by the FBI, and Britney Spears. Tweak was my Blink 182.
The band decided to call it quits and start Crash Car Burn to pursue a mature sound and lyrical content which didn’t involve the romantic lure of possum worship. Considering the recent scandals which involved Blink 182 and their attempt at keeping the band together, maybe it was for the best that Tweak ended it when they did.
Oppikoppi announced the return of Tweak and the band announced that they are going on a once-off 10 year anniversary tour. In conjunction with the announcement, the band released a new single called “The A Team”. The single carries on exactly where Tweak left off musically and fires shots at all things Generation Y including hipsters, skinny jeans, DJs, MacBook’s, Booty, and selfies as they summon 1998.
The Tweak reunion got me thinking about all the other bands I would have nothing against seeing live once again.
Your Name In Neon
I have faint memories of seeing this band live at Tempos when I still used to wear one black sock glove around my right hand and a pair of bright red skinny jeans. There weren’t many local bands like Your Name In Neon with their luminous blend of screamo and metal with a touch of electronic music. The band unfortunately separated whilst busy on their follow up album to The Endeavour.
Two of the bands members have recently launched a new alternative folk project called Lunatic Wolf.
Tennyson Extended
The memory bank here leads me to the section marked Cool Runnings Victory Park archives. Tennyson Extended was performing and this was one of those performances that will forever be etched into my cranial capacity. It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly what the band sounded like and there is nothing online to remind one of their brilliance. They were an effervescent experimental math rock outfit which at some stages reminded me of Aha Shake Heartbreak Kings Of Leon.
Their previous guitarist, Andrei Van Wyk, launched a solo experimental sonic project called Healer Oran. His brother Dustin, has released a single as Kyubey and has a ton of unreleased material.
Eyes Like Mirrors
Eyes Like Mirrors played their last live show during 2013 at Arcade Empire, but two years is a very long time considering the fact that I have never seen them perform. There was really no better way to experience their sonic storytelling than in a live setting. Free of any vocals, the band used their instruments to take your emotions on journeys prompted only by ethereal visual cues. Eyes Like Mirror is arguably South Africa’s best post-rock export.
All the members of the band are serial musicians and have been involved with a variety of other musical projects including Jaysynth, Her Stems Spiral, Bye Beneco and Drift Prism.
Test Tube Babies
Last time I saw Test Tube Babies was at a very special intimate gathering where I was the only one in the crowd. Who am I kidding, the intimate gathering was a band practice to which I was invited. Although, I still consider it to be a special moment. Too often, bands try to create a new sound or aesthetic only to find themselves as empty vessels without a shred of authenticity. Test Tube Babies kept things simple and authenticity shines through in their indie and jazz influenced style of adult contemporary. It’s music that’s too sad to be happy, but too happy to be sad.
Test Tube Babies vocalist, Josh Wood, launched a new project at the beginning of this year called Kingdom Animalia.
Airship Orange
The final band on my list is one I have absolutely no experience with having never seen them live or heard any recordings of their music. My lack of knowledge on Airship Orange is the exact reason why I would like for them to reunite. There a few musical sages within my circle of friends whose word I take as golden note when it comes to music discovery. Each one of them hold Airship Orange in high esteem which is why I would love to experience what The Fuss was all about.
Jacques Moolman and Isaac Klawansky went on to form Shadowclub in 2007.
The Comic Book Theory
To some this may seem like a contrived inclusion on this list due to the fact that I was a member of The Comic Book Theory. I personally feel this is the most authentic band I could include on my list as there was not many things I enjoyed more than making music with my best friends. I started The Fuss shortly after the band went on an indefinite hiatus in an effort to create an appetite for local music. However, no amount of discovery will fill the void that creation does.
Michael Ronald, lead vocalist, still creates music which I am in the process of convincing him to record and release.
There are many bands out there we’d all love to reunite even if just for one live performance. In discussion with the rest of the contributors various names came up including City Bowl Mizers, Ashtray Electric, Half Price, Fire Through The Window, Greenisforturbo and Us Kids Know.
Who are one of the bands you’d like to see reunited?
