A standard trick of the music journalist: interview rock bands on a Sunday morning after a huge gig. The come down opens them emotionally and the hangover makes them impatient. The facts come hard and fast. And we’re always looking for that something extra.
I got lucky. Taxi Violence have just come off tour – one long gig. And the interview had to take place during front man George van der Spuy’s shift at Kill City Blues, of which he’s the co-founder and owner. The phone rings. George picks up the receiver and puts it down – the first of many calls he hangs up.
“Why did you do that?” I enquire, alert to a possible opportunity to dig some dirt.“Because I’m busy with this interview right now,” he answers a matter of fact.
My god, what a nice guy. Not the treatment I expected. Especially as a member of the press. He’s even made me a fresh cup of Ricoffy. That could have been a business call for all I know.
The members of Taxi Violence are renowned for being friendly. Their sober appearances at odds with the image of Hard Rock. They’ve just released Long Way From Home – a greatest hits album meets unplugged set. After introductions, we get to talking about it.
“We redid all the songs. From the start, the complete bottom” says George. “And we’ve added three new ones” adds bassist Jason Ling. “But don’t be mistaken, we haven’t made mellow acoustic rock.”
For much of the album Jason’s Fender Bass and Rian Zietsman’s Gibson Firebird are still very much plugged in and drummer Louis Nel still bangs with sticks not brushes. “I hate brushes and I can’t play softly. And Jason loves overdrive too much” smiles Louis. “Look, this is as ‘unplugged’ as we’re going to get.”
Long Way From Home is a director’s cut, a rare glimpse into the business of tracking down the ‘feel’. Hammering guitar riffs have evolved into buzzing blues harp fills. Rhythms are accented in unexpected places. The bands country and blues roots, embedded in past albums, have come to the fore. “I remembered the day Rian phoned me up and said ‘you have to see this!’ It was Dave Ferguson recording a track on harmonica. He’s amazing and did everything in one take,” recalls Louis still excited by it.
“We were just trying to think of more songs he could play on” says George. “He’s one of the best musicians.” The album also features Cellos, keyboard and slide guitar. It’s an attempt to build up the sound, without getting louder. A brave move, suicidal in a world where critics wait to pounce on any sign of musical ambition.
Back in 2009 Your LMG [Cape Town based live music guide] printed an unsettling review of Taxi Violence’s previous album, The Turn. A complaint letter followed, arguments ensued and filled an entire page in the following issue. Mahala’s [online music & culture site] vicious comment board had a field day, following a controversial article by Max Barashenkov that lambasted the band and personally insulted Jason. The battle spilled over onto various blogs. The furore looked set to jeopardise the future of the band and Kill City.
George recalls: “It was the first album we recorded here. It was a total DIY job and I had too much to do. I recorded, mixed, produced. At night I went home and did vocals. At least eight takes for every song. From there, I picked the best verses and combined them.”
Jason says of the album “we wanted it gritty and it was too gritty for some. And the track list on the first run of printed sleeves didn’t follow the CD.”
By all accounts, it was a trying period. From which Taxi Violence have emerged, determined as ever not to conform to the expectations placed on them from outside. It took Taxi Violence nine months to start work on the new album, compared to the three year gap between the first and second releases.
“We took a whole year to record. Did all the pre-production and the rest at Heritage Studios. We pitched a song to three different mixers and hired the best. Got an independent mastering job done and co-produced with Brendyn Rossouw” says George.
Everyone’s complimentary of Brendyn’s ‘good ear’ and agree it’s important to have a second opinion, otherwise you get too involved. Of the past Jason says: “This album does respond to the criticism and it also doesn’t. We’ve always done what we like. We’ve since fired our manager and got a PR person. It’s all over. We’ve worked hard.”
It seems the change in sound is not a superficial one, but rather the result of a different approach to the recording process. Taxi Violence, comparatively old dogs on the scene, are learning some new tricks.
The only drama that still exists, comes from living a rock and roll life on the road. George tilts his head laughing and wipes his face, “I don’t think we should tell him.” He looks at the rest of the band. “Okay, but the name of the idol, is strictly off-record.”
At the recent Up The Creek festival, George intoxicated on psychedelics, was dared five thousand Rand to puke on an Idols celebrity, also on the line-up. He did and is still awaiting payment.
George looks down and leans on the counter. “Sex, drugs and rock and roll, we’ve done it,” he laments. “Just like everyone else. We’re not young guys anymore. We’ve been together seven years and apart from Rian, we no longer indulge with groupies. We all have girlfriends now. Mine still gets jealous when I speak to a pretty girl who’s a fan but I’ll always interact with my fans. The band was here first.”
“And we’ve become a band’s band” adds Louis.
Before Taxi Violence, there was no hard-rock revival in South Africa, no ballsy Van Coke Kartel, no Great Apes and no Revelators, who recently called it quits. They’ve kept the naive promise every new band makes on formation: doing it their way. Knowing well it’s a long way to the top if you want to rock and roll.
“We went down south for a while” concludes Louis. “But we’re back.”
Check out Taxi Violence – Long Way From Home album review
For more information on Taxi Violence click here
Written By : Johann M Smith
Photo : Deborah Rossouw
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