South Africa Rocks: The Parlotones
posted in: Music News • Pop • Rock
Starting a band is fairly simple, but building one into a success in Johannesburg, as The Parlotones have, took more legwork due in large part to the lack of a strong music scene. A household name in their homeland of South Africa”outselling bands like Oasis and The Killers in the country”The Parlotones still catch a who? outside of their homeland. But the Johannesburg-bred quartet are quickly permeating the global market with their rock, including the recent US debut of their release Stardust Galaxies.
It’s [Johannesburg] an eclectic mix of cultures, languages, makeshift venues, musical genres and DIY events that can be likened to running on a treadmill, says vocalist Kahn Morbee, who like the rest of the band, covers up in black with some sprinkles of red, wrapping his eyes in spindly threads of noir liner like a new Tim Burton character. A lot of effort goes into it, but it seems to go nowhere. It’s kind of like a genius kid”it shows a lot of promise but never quite taps into it effectively. Still, a deficient music scene had little affect on the band’s love for their homeland. They’ve since relocated to London for easier access to Europe and the US but always consider Johannesburg home. In fact, Galaxies is a melodious homage to their hometown with its Nelson Mandela-inspired, synth-fused anthem, Should We Fight Back, stirred by the former president’s autobiography and Long Walk to Freedom, a more nostalgic ballad. Remember When wishes a real Batman would have come along during tough times.
All is not solemn but more reflective on Galaxies. It’s an echo of better times and worse days via South African upheavals and insidious epidemics”the relief of which is something the band thoroughly supports in their work as AIDS and malaria activists. Still, Galaxies is more than an indoctrinated call to the country’s socioeconomic issues. Pop-infused Push Me to the Floor leaves Morbee in a subtle Bryan Ferry moment of swoon while Fly to the Moon””perhaps The Parlotones’ own indie rendering of the Sinatra standard (Fly Me to the Moon)”about soaring into space with his Cinderella”is more love-bitten sentimentality. The title track is the perfect end to Galaxies, sweetly driven by Kate Bush-like vocals from South African colleague and Freshlyground’s vocalist Zohlani Mahola.
With a record officially out in the US and worldwide, 2010 has been quite an eventful year for The Parlotones. They even launched their own wine (three debut bottles named after Parlotones’ songs) earlier this year. In 2011 they’ll return to the US, marking the second leg of their tour in support of Galaxies and including several SXSW dates. The band is also finishing work on a 3D film set for next spring; the idea for which was sparked by the band’s first 3D project with Sony 3D World in Nelson Mandela Square during the FIFA Kick off concert. Coming from a territory that does not have a track record for producing global names in music, we have found we always need to be innovative and forward thinking, says Morbee. With the world being at the dawn of the 3D era it seemed like the perfect vehicle to present the band to a global audience. We cannot give away too much at this stage but we are going to bring our fans worldwide a new and unique experience.
Even if The Parlotones are not a household name on every continent, they’re diligently working on getting there.
By Tina Benitez
Tina Benitez is a contributing writer, who covers music, wine and pop culture from her New York home office for publications like NY Press, Royal Flush, amNY, Men’s Fitness, Venus Zine and Wine Spectator.