VAN COKE KARTEL
PHOTO COURTESY OF RHYTHM RECORDS  l  WEBSITE: www.vancokekartel.co.za

Interview answered by Francois van Coke (Vocals / Guitar)

THE ANTICIPATION FROM FANS SEEMS TO BE OF THE SCALE FOR YOUR THIRD AND YET TO BE RELEASED ALBUM TITLED “SKOP SKIET EN DONNER”. WHY DID YOU GUYS DECIDE TO CHANGE YOUR SOUND SO MUCH FOR THIS ALBUM?

We never intended to make the same album twice and we felt that we needed a bit of a gear shift.

HOW DID THE COLLABORATION WITH PEACH VAN PLETZEN (YESTERDAY’S PUPIL) COME ABOUT FOR THIS ALBUM, AND DID YOU ALWAYS KNOW HE WAS A REALLY GOOD DRUMMER?

Me and Peach worked together on songs for a play that we did in 2009. It was called 2- 21 and we performed it at the Afrikaans art festivals. The songs that was used in the play was also released a couple of months ago as – Oorlog Frankenstein. It was great working with him and I loved his creativity and the music he made. Me and Wynand decided to approach Peach to produce the new album and while he was at it also do the drums. He is a great creative drummer and we knew that all along.

APPARENTLY THERE WILL BE A FEW ENGLISH SONGS ON THE ALBUM AS WELL. FOKOFPOLISIEKAR DID AN ENGLISH COVER A WHILE BACK; WAS THAT WHAT KIND OF GOT YOU INTERESTED IN DOING A FEW ENGLISH SONGS?

Fokofpolisiekar did a cover of ‘Shake the disease’ by Depeche Mode for a compilation a couple of years ago, but it had nothing to do with VCK doing 2 English cover versions for ‘Skop, skiet & donner’. We started playing a version of ‘Cocaine’ live a couple of months ago, just because we liked the song. Our version is going on the album and then there is another cover. Something that people won’t really expect from VCK, but we had fun doing it.

WOULD YOU EVER CONSIDER DOING A FULL ENGLISH EP OR ALBUM OR WILL AFRIKAANS ALWAYS REMAIN YOUR “CORE” LANGUAGE OF CHOICE?

I think it sounds better when I sing in Afrikaans, so for now I think we will stick with Afrikaans as the core. We haven’t considered doing a full English album, but you never know. It can happen.

LYRICALLY, IS THE BAND A BIT MORE “HAPPIER / OPTIMISTIC” ON THIS ALBUM THAN THE BAND WE HEAR ON SONGS LIKE “WAT HET VAN ONS GEWORD” ON YOUR PREVIOUS ALBUM?

We felt more positive and excited to write the songs for ‘Skop, skiet & donner’. We just did whatever we wanted to do, no holds barred. In the writing process if something was sounding weird, we would just go with it, because it was unique. It was great working like that.

WHEN YOU GUYS WRITE LYRICS DO YOU AIM FOR SOMETHING THAT SOUNDS CATCHY AND FITS WITH THE SONG OR MUST THE LYRICS AT LEAST HAVE SOME MEANING AND RELATE TO ONE OF YOUR LIFE EXPERIENCES (IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN)?

Obviously lyrics are important, it is the first thing most people listen to. Music is still a way of expression and release for us, so…yes.

WHAT MADE “VOOR ONS STOF WORD” THE FIRST CHOICE AS THE FIRST SINGLE FROM THE ALBUM?

All of us, Me, Wynand and Peach loved the song since we started writing it and while recording the songs we decided to go with it as the first single. The sound of the song is not that far separated from what we have done in the past, but it had a new edge and a catchy chorus. Luckily on ‘Skop, skiet & donner’ we believe we have a couple of singles and we didn’t really have any singles on the previous albums. So, we are feeling it.

THE VIDEO FOR “VOOR ONS STOF WORD” (VIEW HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTY1_JBjNgE) LOOKS AMAZING TO SAY THE LEAST. I WANT TO KNOW HOW THEY FILMED FRANCOIS RIDING ON THE BACK OF THAT CREATURE TOWARDS THE END OF THE VIDEO. WAS HE RIDING A GREEN BOX OR HOW DID THEY DO THAT?

I was riding a foamalite horsebox of sorts. It was very weird filming that part and the rest of the guys had a moerse laugh.

AFTER LISTENING TO “VOOR ONS STOF WORD” I WONDERED HOW THE BAND WOULD PLAY IT LIVE BECAUSE IT MIXES ACOUSTIC AND ELECTRIC GUITARS IN THE SAME SONG OR HAVE YOU GUYS ADDED A SECOND GUITARIST TO THE LIVE LINE UP?

Ja, a great guitarist Nathan Smith played on the album. He is a friend of Peach and they play in a Queen tribute show together. Live we also added a lead guitarist. We just did our first tour with the new band and it was amazing, we did 3 tunes off the new album to give our fans an idea of what is cutting. Peach was on the drums and another great guitarist Jedd Kossew played lead guitar. For bigger shows we would like to add a Hammond player and some strings.

THE BAND MUST OBVIOUSLY HAVE A LOT OF TOURING PLANNED FOR 2010. ARE THERE ANY PARTS OF SOUTH AFRICA WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO PERFORM MORE THIS YEAR?

‘Skop, skiet & donner’ launches early March and we will tour the country with the new band and album in April. We haven’t been to Durban in 2008, so we will try and spend some more time in Kwazulu Natal this year.

ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ANYTHING ELSE FANS SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR?

Obviously the album is coming soon. 13 Tracks. Laudo from aKING co-wrote one of the tunes and we are quite excited to hear that one, it is still being mixed.

INTERVIEW BY NEIL VAN ZYL