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I find it crazy that I haven't posted a blog in so long, Its not for a lack of trying I might add. My life has been filled with such magical music moments that would be "Blog worthy" but hey... the moment is gone now.
I feel so inspired today. It may be my man vocalist crush (Jonny Craig) that is sound tracking my day today or possibly that magical moment of the the years first snow... As odd as that may seem, it is in fact snowing in Johannesburg today. People are going nuts. It is all everyone can talk about. Peasants!!
Don't worry, this blog is not about the snow in JHB.
What it is in fact about is...well... hold on, ill be right back.its SNOWING AGAIN!!!!!!
The are a few things I can not say "no" to and somewhere close to the top of that list is refusing Free Shit. I don't know what it is. Call it my inner black, if you will, or as some may refer to it as your "Inner Jew". That is the inexplicable inability to refuse free hand outs which is not to be confused with your "Inner Indian", which is an inexplicable desire to barter and or negotiate price.
It is this "Inner Jew" that resulted in my standing lock jawed and paralyzed with fear on a bridge 216m above nothing but sheered rocks and a shallow river pools. I am quite convinced I saw the crushed skull of the last idiot that got 'dooped' into doing this on my way up here. But shhhh... I cant show fear in front of the guys.
It was day 6 of the ReeBurth Tour with Fire Fly and we had performed a very chilled acoustic set in Plettenburg Bay the night before. It was at this show, at a venue called Swing Cafe, that we were approached by a gentleman named Braden who thought it to be a good idea to throw five black guys off a bridge. For his own personal amusement no doubt. Playing at all our "Inner Jews" he made it free for us.WHO WOULD SAY NO!!!
So that is how I found myself on the highest Bungy Bridge in the world with my knees just seconds from collapsing and my breath everywhere but in me. Half my band had already done it. I couldn't chicken out now. But every time I would look down over the edge, I was overwhelmed with crippling nerve spasms that would shoot through every limb of my silently quivering body and squeeze all the breath and bravery out of me. It was the involuntary influx of images of every possible thing that could go wrong that was screaming as loud as logic to GET THE F%CK OUT OF THERE!!!
It takes a lot to over ride that Flight Instinct when faced with with danger. Its so unnatural to tell your body that jumping off this bridge head first towards that gouge is what you want it to do. But I HAD to do it. I HAD to show a brave face, After all they all did it.(instantly pictured a lecturing mom saying "if all you friends jumped off a bridge would you??? well...) Plus there was a really hot girl watching. This school yard alpha "Boy" mentality was the only difference between my jumping and not!
My last thought, seconds before taking the plunge, was " if i die from this, my mom is so gonna kill me".
...and so I did it.
I wont even try and describe with mere words the sheer euphoria that is Bungy Jumping. I could do it no justice descriptively but I will say this. YOU HAVE TO TRY IT.
In these videos you see us just before jumping. Stocking up on tons of Monster to hype ourselves up and even Oscar acting all hardcore about jumping. Oh BTW he eventually jump. Or should I say collapsed off.
More Videos ???? Ok ill post some of this day soon, Including the actual jump. Dont forget to follow me on twitter (Tumin2D) and follow the blog after leaving your most random, preferably unrelated comment. :P
Its been too long since last I sat typing a blog. Its been way too long since last I've wanted to share something with everyone, or better yet had something worth sharing. I have had what they call Bloggers Block otherwise known as having a life.
Now that I'm back from tour, I sit in this empty room and reflect on what an amazing time was had by all. But reflection need not be a solitary activity, that's why I will be posting a bunch of Video Blogs, uploading tons of Videos to my YouTube page and blogging some of the crazy sh#t we got up to.
But lets start with who "we" is referring to. To some of you that know me personally, you will know that I have recently joined a band called ReeBurth. Those of you that know me but didn't know this, well maybe you should take a second to reflect,in solitude, as to how well you think you know me. The Band is a rock band out of South Africa's biggest township, SOWETO.
Cool music and great stage vibe, but I will be sure to tell you all about them in a separate blog all together.
The band just got back from a very successful winter tour up and down South Africa's Eastern Coast. We decided to take along with us long time band friends Fire Fly who added an amazing dynamic to each show.
It was a crazy 2weeks of proper road tripping. Each nights show funding the trip to the next town. Every nights performance to a different crowd and every day being a massive party,
The Tour started as most tours do... with no transport and no money. This problem was eventually solved and the rental car you see in video below was our means to get to CPT. But not before a quick petrol stop and the chance to stretch our legs. This was shot in Bloemfontein's only garage at some ridiculous hour of the morning.
Take Two
look out for more posting on this crazy tour, including bungy jumping of the worlds highest bungy and busking for money in Port Elizabeth
I have spent allot of time in front of camera's. It's quite easy that side. Especially when I'm sweaty on a stage, more often than none drunk out of my skull and oblivious to not only any flashing camera's that may be snarling their white soul capturing flash's at me, but the chords my fumbling fingers are attempting to squeeze from my guitars neck. It has become, dare i say, fun but what about the other side of the camera? My escapades in "The life of Brian" has been more than just a chance to watch some of South Africa's most talented musicians but also a chance for to me to indulge in something that I have always secretly loved, amateur photography.
But before I post some of my pics I would like to introduce you all to a friend of mine, Brett Schewitz, now living in Austria who makes this whole photography thing look easy. Check out his latest for a competition he is in. Just click "GO BRET YOUR BEAUTY" and like his pic :) We are all about showing support.
Bellow are a selection of pics I have taken in "The Life Of Brian" at the beautiful Digital Forest Studios.
They were shot on a Canon EOS 5D ,
hope you like.
Cape flats. . . . Flats. . . . Not flats. . . How is it I have lived my entire life thinking the Cape Flats were... well, flats – noun(American apartment) a set of rooms on one floor, with kitchen and bathrooms, in a larger building or blocks- I can’t be the only one that thought this. It was my first time in the cape flats the other day and the lack of drive by shootings and, well, flats was rather disappointing. Its just flat-adjective, flat; without rise or fall-
It may be a joburg thing but ill be shocked to find I’m the only one. I can’t be .
I'm a Fly. I am a fly on the sound proof, acoustically treated walls of which Brian O'Shea resides with in. I am a massive black fly wielding a camera in his chambers like a ninja. I am a ninja in my picture snapping ways. A ninja fly in 'the life of Brian'.
It must be said though, that it is a pleasure to watch this man when he is in work mode. Very sterile, precise and deliberate in his art. He definitely knows what he wants. If not, he know what he doesn't want. It is now Day 2 at the beautiful Digital Forest Recording Studios and it has started, as I had assumed the rest of the weeks mornings would, with me in absolute awe at how, nestled deep in Constantia's old money vineyards, where great old Cape Dutch Style mansions sit elegant, heals crossed, guarding their politely lined up grape trees, could there be such a high-tech, forward thinking recording studio. The thought is of two conflicting images but it is a surprisingly pleasing amalgamation of the two.
After my mandatory 5min 'perving' at the scenery it was into studio and straight to work. Andy Mac wasn't in studio today so the band had to work without him. This made for a very drawn out day with the band members looking around to the other with un-surety at the absence of their faithful leader. " Andy has a larger than life personality and its clearly evident in every ones mindset when he is not here. Its like something is missing " said producer Brian O'Shea. This was it exactly and the momentum of the previous day seemed to have been lost.
Brian seeing that something needed to be done insisted on a lunch break to refresh every ones batteries. This was welcomed by all especially me as this 'ninja fly' was starving. The fresh Cape Town air and vineyard sound tracks of chirping birds and playful squirrels made for a well needed meditations pause for all. It became clear then why a place like this works so well, because after lunch every one had a brand new vigour about them.
But this vigour could only last so long, for as quickly as the hours were burning away, fatigue had begun to set in. No amount of scenery could save this situation so it was time to call it quits. Ive heard Brian say it before that there is no point in drilling at a song when you so tired you are dulled out to the process. " The best idea is te leave it te fresh ears in the mornin" he would say in his Irish Durban-ite accent.
