Jesse Clegg, the son of legendary South African musician Johnny Clegg, continues to carve out his own musical path.
He has released four Top 10 singles and has been nominated for three South African Music Awards. Clegg, www.jesseclegg.com, and his father will perform April 18 at City Winery, 1200 W. Randolph St., Chicago.
I had the chance to talk to Jesse Clegg about the upcoming show and his other activities.
Q - Great talking to you. This is your first North American tour. What made you want to tour North America and is the tour living up to your expectations?
It is inspiring to be touring in such a musically rich place - the States and Canada are home to some of my favourite artists. I’m very excited not only to be performing here but also to experience the different places and cultures that we visit.
I really enjoy traveling and meeting new people. So far, the reception has been very positive.
The audiences have been welcoming and I’ve felt a good connection during the shows.
Q - You've made quite an impact with your music, including achieving platinum success in your native South Africa. Does your success surprise you? What were your goals in becoming a musician?
It was very surprising. I didn’t write the songs on my first album with the intention of releasing them, so when it started charting on radio I was shocked.
After that, I became more used to it but it's always a little strange. My goals in becoming a musician were really just to write songs.
I have grown up in the music industry and so I was always amazed at the power of music to move people and communicate an idea. I always wanted to be able to write songs that had that magic. I never really considered success or fame as a motivation.
Q - You spent the first six years of your life touring with your father, noted musician Johnny Clegg. What was that experience like? Do you think that gave you a taste of what it takes to be a musician?
Growing up in the music industry was a double edged sword for me. On the one hand I saw the power of music, but on the other I saw what a difficult life it can be and how unpredictable it is.
I had a very unglamorous view of it and it made me hesitant. But when I started writing my own material, music became my outlet and that’s when I really decided that it was my calling.
Being a artist is a life of risk, and that risk is only worthwhile if you love what you do. Q - Your father actively campaigned against apartheid through his music and he formed the first prominent racially mixed band in South Africa. What's it like to be a musician performing in South Africa post apartheid?
It’s very different landscape today. There is a lot of unique music emerging now that there is no state censorship.
The industry is still small, but there is a lot of progress being made. Music festivals are becoming more popular, there are some amazing new venues and online platforms and there is a general sense of excitement among the artists.
Being in the rock genre myself, it’s interesting to see how much things are progressing. Rock, which is a niche genre in South Africa, is becoming more prominent and there are some excellent young bands coming out. Q - Of course, you will be performing with your father in Chicago on April 18. What is the best piece of advice that he has given you?
To be disciplined and work hard. The harder you work, the luckier you get.
And also to stay true to your own sense of self. As a creative person, it's very important to be sensitive to that part of you that feeds your creative world. Q - You have carved out your own musical path. In becoming a musician, did you feel pressure to be as political as your dad has been in his music? What does it mean to you to be an ambassador for the Nelson Mandela 46664 foundation?
I live in a different time to my dad and I interpret the world in my own way. I am not an overtly political artist, but I often write with political issues in mind.
The song "Winston (Another Time)" for example, was written about Orwell's "1984" and the plight of the individual in a totalitarian state. The yearning for freedom in that character was very real to me as young person living in post-apartheid South Africa.
Sometimes writing about an issue through implication can have a stronger impact than charging at it head on.
I feel very honored to be able to contribute in some small way to Mandela’s aspirations for Africa. The 46664 Foundation did some amazing work to raise awareness and provide treatment for Aids victims.
It is a privilege to help with this cause. Q - I understand that you are working on your third album. What should people expect from the new album? Will you be building on what you created with your second album?
I like artists that are unafraid to reinvent themselves and experiment with different styles and genres. My next album will likely include some electronic elements and some experimental songwriting ideas.
It will still be routed in melody and lyrics but I think the production will be edgier. My music is very personal and so it evolves as I progress through my own life.
Q - What are your short term and long term goals? Short term, I have a lot of shows this year in the States, South Africa and Europe. I want to really focus on those shows and bring as much emotion and energy to the performances as possible.
I am also going to be recording my next album towards the second half of this year and so that is a priority as well. Long term, I’d like to do more work overseas.
I’d like to release this third album in the states and tour as much as possible here. I love traveling and taking my music to new places so I hope I can continue to do that.
You should believe the hype when it comes to Chicago band Midwest Hype.
With the release of its fourth album, "The Time," Midwest Hype continues to bring a fresh sound to the local music scene. To celebrate the release of the new CD, the band will bring its urban garage jazz to Double Door, 1572 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago, on April 4.
The show starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $10, available at www.ticketfly.com. I had the chance to interview Midwest Hype drummer Max Kepler about the new album and the band's latest activities.
Q - In sitting down to make the album, what were your goals and do you think you accomplished them?
For this record we really wanted to make sure to do the record WE
wanted. We didn’t really have outside opinions and we didn’t have a lot
of time to mess around with arrangements and re-writing because we only
had 72 hours.
We wanted to try new things on this album for sure, and
get down a lot of songs that we have loved for a long time but had never
made it to the soundboard. We were all very pleased with what we were
able to accomplish in three days.
It’s not easy doing that much in that
time, but we are all very happy with it.
Q - You
worked with Willie Waldman on the album, who has collaborated with
everyone from Tupac to Prince. What do you think he brought to the
project?
Willie is a character. We met him in our hometown in Indiana where he grew up
and we had always talked about getting out to California to do some recording.
Finally, we were able to get it together at the right time and it was
great. He introduced us to Dave Aron who owns the studio and it was a
really great fit.
We wanted to make sure to have a little bit more of a
hip-hop vibe on this record and Dave’s studio is perfect for that.
Thanks Willie!
Q - It seems like there should be a story behind the album's title. Is there?
Well, it might seem like it, but it’s not that much of a story. George
had this song we had been trying to get done for a while and just before
we headed out to California we had it pretty well laced so when we went into
the studio we made sure to record it because it has a distinct funk
sound that we wanted to make sure was on the record.
That song was of
course “The Time” and we just felt like that song kind of set the tone,
not only for the album, but for where we feel we are professionally now
as well.
Q - I
understand that you are self-releasing the album after a deal with Sony
fell through. Do you think that it is better that the band will be
self-releasing the album?
Yes we are. We had partially chosen our studio because of that
opportunity, so we were all very upset when it didn’t work out, but with
things like that you really don’t know what the actual benefits are
going to be.
We have done releases independently in the past and when
we found out it wasn’t going to happen we immediately said, “Okay, let’s
get this music out.”
Our management team has been a big help and we
are excited about what is to come.
Q - It
seems as though you are trying to reach out to the nation's youth
through songs like "Generation Why" and "Youth Rise." You talk a lot
about empowerment on the songs. What messages were you trying to convey
on those songs and on the album overall?
We are all about awareness, but we always try to frame it in what we
hope isn’t an obvious way. We aren’t a political band per say, but we
all do feel strongly about what is going on culturally and politically.
I
think as a band we are really mostly about making sure that culturally
everyone is thinking, and finding information for themselves.
Q - I am sure you have heard the band's music described in different ways. How would you describe the band's music?
This is a question that we get asked a lot because we do blend so many
styles, and the best way I think we can say it is “Reggae, funk,
hip-hop, rock."
We have called it “Urban Garage Jazz” in the past as
well. A longer answer is that we are fans of so many types of music that
we never set out to write one kind of song or style of songs.
We
always listened to everything and if we liked it we listened extra hard.
When George comes to us with songs it's usually a combination of a lot
of our favorite styles of music because that’s what we think is fun to
play and that’s how he writes material.
Mixing up genres is a lot of the
fun for us and it seems natural when we are writing new material. I
think “The Time” as an album is an excellent reflection of that.
Q - Are you happy with how the band has evolved since forming? What are the band's short-term and long-term goals?
Watching the band evolve into what it is now has been the most rewarding
and interesting thing I could have asked for. We have transformed from
a quartet of high school Sublime fans (and beginner musicians) into
something that I think is challenging, interesting, and unique.
We are
more excited about our new album than we ever have been and I think
after listening it’s easy to understand why. As far as goals: we are
currently working with our new management team to figure out our next
moves, but tours, videos, and more music are all on the horizon and
everyone is very excited about it.
Q - What do you think of the Chicago music scene and how do you see the band fitting into it?
The Chicago music scene looks very exciting now. A lot of creative new
music has been catching national attention from here for the past few
years and I think it’s a great time to be doing something new in this
city because people seem to be looking for what will be the next hot
thing out of the Midwest.
Our band has always had the ability to
chameleon into several different sounds, but still be very distinctive
so I think we are in a good place. It’s going to be a great year.
As demonstrated on its latest album, "Small Reveal," Canadian quintet Aidan Knight continues to make introspective, intelligent music.
The band, www.aidanknight, will perform March 27 in a sold-out show at Lincoln Hall in Chicago, supporting James Vincent McMorrow.
I had the chance to talk to frontman Aidan Knight about the album and the band's current activities.
Q - Great talking to you. You recently premiered the video for "Margaret Downe," which was directed by William Wilkinson and Oliver Brooks. What was your vision for the video and do you think the end result fulfilled your vision?
Will and Oliver can take all the credit for their amazing work in that video. They put all of it together in about 2 weeks, and shot it in two days.
It's incredible to me that we live in a time where it's possible to put something like that together so quickly.
Q - What was the thinking in recording "Small Reveal" in 10 different locations? How did you think that helped the album's overall sound?
It's a common thread in creative people: how can we make this thing great, in less time, for less? We had some kind friends and family who allowed us to use their spaces to destroy sound in.
It shaped the overall sound in the sense that we had to put things back together afterwards.
Q - I understand that part of the album was recorded in a cabin and that you had to create a makeshift studio. How was that process?
Long. Many wheelbarrows. No cars on the island.
It sounds romantic - the concept of it, kind of a Canadiana/Bon Iver/vacation but the reality was swimming in the ocean everyday, recording while looking into the woods and cooking whole fish with your close friends.
And then you tear it all down in wheelbarrows and take a ferry home.
Q - You have referred to "Small Reveal" as being the first full collaborative effort with your band. Do you think that was a natural evolution of the band? Was it a more fulfilling experience for you working that closely with your band, as opposed to working on your own?
It was natural, yeah. The guys (Olivier, David, Colin, Julia) and I have been touring and making music since 2009. There's a closeness and natural collaboration that happens when you play together longer and longer.
I can only imagine a family band must be an intense musical bond.
Q - I am sure you have heard your music described in many ways. How would you describe your music and who are your biggest musical influences?
I don't describe my music much anymore, but I do count many musical heroes: Constantines, Julie Doiron, Wilco, The Clash, Broken Social Scene, Emmylou Harris, The Band and David Bowie.
Q - Do you have any dream projects or collaborations?
Any of those guys up there would be dreamy.
Q - What can we expect from the band after the current tour ends?
I think the expectation is to write more music and record it, but we'll have to see what life brings. It's already been a great year, wouldn't want to overdo it.
Led by the powerful vocals of Rachel Bonacquisti, Chicago band Burnside & Hooker has injected a fresh sound into the local music scene through its intoxicating mix of folk, soul and indie pop/rock.
Burnside & Hooker will perform March 21 at Goose Island's Wrigleyville Brewpub, 3535 N. Clark St., Chicago. Honey & the 45s, Mystery Loves Company and The J.R. Miller Project are also part of the bill.
The show starts at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $8 in advance, $10 at the door, available by going to www.ticketriver.com. The show is part of Merch Madness, where one can get tickets for free with the purchase of band merchandise. I had the chance to talk to guitarist Mike Vogus about the show and the band's current activities.
Q - Great to talk to you. Of course, the band is part of Merch Madness. What
made you want to be part of this promotion? Do you have any favorite
venues to play in Chicago?
There are quite a few reasons we wanted to
play this show. We've always had a great experience working with Swizzle
Steve.
The first show we played as Burnside & Hooker was at Goose
Island, so we have a good history with them. When they brought the idea
of Merch Madness to us, we thought it was a great way to [offer] our
fans something new and different.
Then we found out we'd be playing with
Honey & The 45s and Mystery Loves Company; it was a no-brainer!
We have been fortunate to play most of the great venues in the city -
Goose Island, Beat Kitchen, Schuba's, Lincoln Hall, Metro, House of
Blues... any place where people show up is a great venue!
Q - Last year, you released your debut album, "Rail Yard Hymns." In sitting
down to record the album, what were your goals and do you think you
accomplished them?
We had a few goals and I think we accomplished most
of them. First and foremost, we wanted to have something to shop around
the city for booking shows and getting radio play. http://burnsideandhooker.bandcamp.com Our sound is
constantly evolving the longer we play together and the more we write
together. I think the album captures the essence of who we are as a band.
I
think on our next recording, we'll try to capture more of the feeling of
our live shows. We really didn't go for that this time around and I
think that will be the goal for the next one.
Q - So what's the chemistry of the band like? Does each member have
something unique to contribute to the band? Is six members a good size
for the band?
Similar to the music, our chemistry is constantly
evolving, as well. We are definitely starting to hit our stride a bit,
and it feels like with every practice, every show and every new song we
write that we are getting better and tighter as a group. And the more we
play together, each member continues to contribute more and more.
Each person definitely contributed unique elements to the album and to
the live show. We all have unique backgrounds and influences, and when
we pull that all together we get a very interesting sound and style.
Rachel (vocals) has brought in a hefty dose of blues and jazz, Diana
(viola, keys, vocals) is classically trained and plays in a metal cover
band, Teddy (cello) is also classically trained and is in to the current
indie scene, and Michael (drummer) used to be a rapper and loves hip
hop.
I grew up playing in alternative rock bands... so as you can see
the styles are all over the map. But we feel that having all of the
influences will keep our style interesting and unique and will appeal to
a lot of people.
Q - What do you think of the Chicago music scene and where do you see
yourself fitting into it?
Personally, I love the Chicago music scene.
There are so many interesting bands and people in this city.
We've made
some great relationships in the scene, and we hope some of them like us!
I've always felt that we would know we're successful when people in
other bands in the city will say "Burnside & Hooker, yeah I've heard
of those guys, they're good!"
Q - What are the band's short-term and long-term goals?
Short-term, we are
focusing on shows and festivals for the summer and we're targeting
getting back in the studio towards the end of the year. Long-term, we
just want to keep playing together and make music that has a positive
impact on the Chicago scene.
