The Chiz

Punk In Africa Already Lauded!

David — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:55:00 GMT

Since early 2009 David has been working on a documentary on the history of punk in South Africa as an associate producer.

Now, based on the ten-minute promo version of the film, SPINearth.tv chose “Three Chords, Four Countries, One Revolution: Punk in Africa” as one of the 'Best of 2009: Top Ten Music Documentaries!'

You can read more about it here:

http://spinearth.tv/report/2009s-best-music-documentaries

Adieu rock and roll dream; Dave Chislett writes a book

David — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 07:14:00 GMT

Renowned journalist Fred De Vries interviewed David Chislett for The Weekender a while back... here is the unabridged version.

"Music journalist Dave Chislett has written a book. Or: the doyen of Joburg alternative culture has assembled over a dozen of short stories he has written over the last fifteen years and with the help of Ge’ko publishers has turned them into a collection.

Chislett himself would prefer the second depiction, because one of the reasons for him to publish this anthology, he stresses repeatedly, is that he’s eager to move away from the limiting label ‘music writer’.

“I do a lot more than that and always have’, he says in a coffee shop in Linden, not far from his flat. “I far rather have people know me as a writer who does music and other things as well. I’m interested in so many other crazy things that I don’t wanna get stuck as a music writer.”

To read the full article, click here

Backwards In Time Through Cape Town

David — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:03:00 GMT

It’s been a while since I was in Cape Town at my own recognisances and it was a novel feeling. I remembered why I loved living there, and why I no longer want to right now. Although I also met some people who were very persuasive e about me returning.

I launched my short story book, “A Body Remembered” at the Book Lounge in Roeland Street. What an awesome place. And while the launch was great, the poor turn out of friends and professional acquaintances reminded me of the old Cape Town adage that no-one is coming to your function unless they are there. Clearly, other more cool stuff came up for many. For those who did attend though, I think we had fun!

Went for dinner at a nice restaurant afterwards, annoyed a good friends girlfriend SO much she stormed out the place and met up with and Old Son Of Trout down the road at And Union afterwards. All in all, a typical Cape Town night out.

My sojourn also involved a Buck Fever Underground show (and getting Toast’s book), a visit to the Mercury where I saw loads of the old faces, but no bands. (too busy talking) and the requisite wild party at the Harfield Village den of iniquity.

In justifying my continued presence in JHB when I have so many friends down south and it is admittedly so beautiful, I have two weapons. One, I have set a series of actions in motion that I would be foolish to leave now that they are rolling. And to take full advantage, I must stay where I am. Secondly, Johannesburg has become my muse in many, many ways. Perhaps it always was. But it has become a metaphor for my own struggles with life, love and change and a big canvas upon which I am allowed to sketch my wild ideas.

Being back also triggered the thought that gives this post its name. After returning to JHB at the end of 2003 after not living here for 6 years, I was continuously struck by my past. I moved back to the side of town where I grew up and went to school. I was continuously turning corners and seeing into the past and memory lane. I realised in CT when that started to happen to me (I have now not lived in CT for 7 years!) that in many ways, I still see it through the filters of my experience there. It is easy to because, due mainly to its geography the city doesn’t change much.

I return to Johannesburg and a new chapter in my life. One I put in motion two years ago. I have no idea if it is still going where I initially intended, but it sure is going. And while Cape Town is lovely and has a very specific lure right now, I am committed to staying here. Very committed. Ambition has found me late in life, and I want to make my vision real. Interesting. Well, clearly to me anyway!

Moshito 2009

David — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 08:25:39 GMT

Moshito, the South African music industry conference and exhibition, took place from 2 until 5 September this year at The Museum Africa in Newtown.

As has been the case now for the last 3 years, I considered myself privileged to be a part of the proceedings. In 2007 I met Andrew Missingham at the conference and complained to him about how I saw Moshito not really representing everyone, and having a vested interest, and being poorly organised. His response has informed everything I have done since. He said, “Well if that is the case, you need to get on board and take it over don’t you? Make it serve the purpose you think it should.” Or words to that effect.

This year, once again, various sectors of the industry, a lot of big companies and some representative bodies did not participate. Some because they don’t see the point, others as a deliberate boycott. And this state of affairs got me thinking back to Andrew Missingham’s words. What do you do if you do not participate? You lose the opportunity for constructive engagement and the ability to directly influence events. If you’re not there, how can you introduce you concerns into the general conversation? If you are not putting effort and commitment into a structure, how can you expect it to change to reflect your ideas of concerns?

The tragedy of Moshito is that, for whatever reasons, year in and year out, it has failed to mobilise the entire industry. It seems the business is just too factionalised. I am sure some of the concerns of various non-participants are totally warranted. And that is precisely my point, if you are serious about addressing those concerns, improving Moshito and hopefully contributing more meaningfully to our industry, you MUST be there.

And this year, there was amazing content on offer. There was a raft of international speakers that offered content of such a quality and desirability I felt sorry for any artist, manager or record label person who was not here to absorb it. Phil Tripp, David Stopps, Matt Jenson and Gordon “The Commissioner” Williams in particular were giving away FREE the kind of information and contacts that you would take years and years to figure out on your own. It was inspiring, humbling and deeply gratifying.

Phill Tripp David Stopps Matt Jenson

So, as no doubt someone will point out, I was employed by Moshito this year as their MC, so I sat in on all the big discussions in the plenary room. My comments come from no desire to cast Moshito in a GOOD light, as I have had my issues with them as well. BUT I do feel that if we all got on board WE could make it a better event by our mere presence, and certainly be a part of making it a more constructive and contributing forum than it currently is.

I am talking guerrilla activity. Attend, hand out your own leaflets, hijack Q&A sessions, put on shows around the area at night, attack, contribute, comment, whatever, but DO something to get more involved. If your there, you cannot be ignored. By staying away, you render you concerns easy to gloss over.

So, for Moshito 2010, come and join me in making your voice heard. Bring your friend AND your enemies. For it is only as a unified industry that we can solve the challenges that face us and hope to compete globally.

Catch District 9

David — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 06:33:05 GMT

So, District 9 opens in South Africa today. Trust me there is no good reason NOT to see this film! It is awesome!

O, so yes, it is a sci-fi fliek which if course is already putting loads of people off. But for us as South Africa’s it is way more than that. It is parable, allegory, myth building and soul searching all rolled into one.

Let’s just start with what it looks like. It is shot in almost a hand held, documentary style that gets you right up into the face of the action and the characters. A film crew tracks Wickus Van De Merwe through the film, recording his mission. It is nervy and tense and you do leave the cinema feeling like you have been in a fire fight. That’s what I love. What other sci-fi film can you remember that puts you so full face and frontal in the action?

Hen there is what it sounds like. Man, Township music, South African language, swearing continuously in Afrikaans… Man it rocks! Admittedly it takes a while to get used to hearing your own accent on a screen when you’re so used to those Americans, but once you get over that, you sink into an eerily familiar world. Yup, right down to the Nigerian gangs!

The cast is great too. Vanessa Haywood and Charlto Copley are really believable as the principle couple and the prawns, for all their weirdness, work! Despite the fact that this is a pretty serious film, you kind of get a sense that everyone had fun making it. The performances are that comfortable.

Then the content. Well, obviously for us, it’s a re-casting of District Six, forced removals and the apartheid mentality, the xenophobic attacks and most of our very chequered history. The thing is film maker Blomkamp doesn’t so much dissect one thing as plunge into many things which set your head to reeling and free associating. Once question you must come out of this movie with is, “How much have things changed?” Are we all not just prejudiced at heart? Protecting what we hold dear against ANY difference? Is that not the human condition? (sic!)

I am sure if you conducted an in-depth socio political analysis of the story, you’d find lots on inconsistencies and perhaps even contradiction. But this is also a tale of redemption and is NOT a historical document.

District 9 perfectly captures the sense of mania that living in Johannesburg can entail. By jamming real aliens into the mix, it also reveals the isolation and fear of living in a big city, but welds it with pure human moments of change, and growth.

In short this is a great film, and I am not surprised the Americans lived it... And wow, the aliens came to Joburg, Not LA, who woulda thought?
Just be warned that it is pretty violent and gory! Those alien weapons are hectic bru!
But make sure you see it! This is a big film. For us, for Blomkamp, for everyone in it!

Getting Up: Thoughts on Falling

David — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 04:47:21 GMT

Collections of writing are odd beasts. Once never really knows how to name them or hold them down exactly. Collections like this one by Andrew Miller are even odder as it combines searingly autobiographical material with political diatribe and satire.

“Getting Up: Thoughts on Falling” is a collection of essays from JHB based writer, Andrew Miller. Andrew has been a writer for a very long time. He is well respected as a poet, and as an essayist with some astute views. He also works very hard uplifting artistic communities and artists. He also suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy, Type II.

Andrew’s stories and recollections of his childhood, the progression of his disease and the mental/emotional journey it has taken him on are open, sincere and devastating. At no stage are they whiney, self pitying or even vague. He just talks you through it. It is YOU the reader that freaks out.

And then, on the next page, a calm discourse on politics, global zeitgeist, whatever. This roller coaster through the book tears your heart and mind one way and then the next, and you are left wondering if THIS is what it is like in Miller’s head as intellectual preoccupation battle for head-space in the midst of a debilitating disease that is very reluctant to surrender centre stage.

This is not a comfortable read. Even the politics are of the "make you think" variety. Miller even scratches around in history looking for the British roots of the apartheid ideology (and finds them). His style is like a well washed window… clear and simple, although you are sometimes not sure if you are seeing more of your own reflection than what lies beyond.

If books are to be judged by the impact they have on your way of thinking, this is a great book indeed. The best part about this impact is that it is not, as you might assume, due to any empathy that we might develop with Miller due to his illness. Rather it is because we can be shamed by our own lack of bravery, intellectual rigour and willingness to contemplate alternatives.

But if a book is to be judged on how good it makes you feel, then it fails horribly. Or does it? Does not the sheer human scale of determination and will inspire and exalt through the pages of pain and confusion? That may well depend on your own disposition.

Getting Up in then end would seem to exhort all of us to do just that. As a nation, as human beings. The only alternative is to stay fallen down…

You can buy this remarkable book online by clicking here.

Mexican Hill

David — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 05:45:53 GMT

I got a call a couple of weeks ago from Greater Than PR in Cape Town wanting to know if I would come with them to Oppikoppi for one night. When I was told it was Jose Cuervo event, my reaction swung around confusedly. Hmm, once night, lots of tequila, tent, hell!

But no, that was not how it was to be.

Cuervo have just launched a new variety of tequila into the SA market, Cuervo Black. The event was to be an invite only VIP bash on the Cuervo deck at Oppikoppi. I, along with other media and VIP’s, was to be chauffeured to Oppi in a bus, put up in a hotel and fed and watered before being chauffeured back to my car in JHB. OK, I admit, I caved!

A VIP location at Oppi, complete with couches and carpets, was an amusingly incongruous idea. But I loved it. This was my 13th Oppi and I was just glad not to be in the dust and contemplating a small section of sleep in a tent. So I admit I stayed up there the entire time, occasionally glancing at the heaving mass of humanity in front of the main stage below.

But look, I had good company! I was chatting to Cindy Nel (ex Miss SA and Pasella presenter) and actress Vanessa Haywood (she’s in that new SA sci fi movie District 9) so things were a tad distracting up there.

Dave Levenson did some weird ass (but hilarious) Zorro impersonation to unveil the new bottle and then I don’t remember much!

I have been working with Cuervo for a long time. I was first involved with them in the late 90’s when I ran a band sponsorship programme for them out of CT. Then again in the 200’s when I did a similar thing from JHB. Whatever the talk, they have always been big supporters of SA music, particularly rock. So I am always happy to support them.

So, the tequila. It is an Anejo… darker in colour, almost teak coloured, oak matured and smoother than the Gold. But I promise you, it kicks just as much for all its smoothness! Most were far happier to drink it than normal tequila. A quick whip around tasting at a bachelor party two nights later confirmed that everyone really likes the new smoothness and warm flavour. But yeah, its still tequila. So don’t be expecting cognac smooth you hear?

An interesting event to add to my list of reasons why I have been to Oppikoppi over the years! The deck was great, with a stunning view, and it’s a big thanks to Brandhouse and Greater Than for playing host to me. I didn’t really get to see any bands at all, so I can’t even to pretend to write a review here, but I did re-connect with some cool people from the biz as well as meet some very cool VIP’s (see above) Always nice to see how cool people can be in the flesh as opposed to how you might have thought they would be.

I kind of feel like Gwen Gill writing this piece, but rest assured, I am not going to crit anyone’s dress sense or hairstyle! What I will say though, is if you like Tequila, you must try this Black stuff. And if you don’t, I can recommend trying it anyway, you will be pleasantly surprised!

A Body Remembered

David — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 04:40:48 GMT

A Body Remembered

By David Chislett

Johannesburg: Ge’Ko Publishing is pleased to announce the launch of “A Body Remembered” the debut collection of short stories from author David Chislett.

Chislett previously created and edited the Urban series of short stories which showcased new and previously unpublished authors from 2001 until 2003. “A Body remembered” is his first collection of entirely his own work.

The book contains fifteen stories that range from straight-out horror tales to curious slice of life vignettes from the underbelly of South African urban life.

“My primary concern with most of my writing is the exploration of identity and the meaning it either creates or doesn’t” says Chislett. “This I explore in most of the stories either through structural or thematic devices. But on the surface, I hope that they are just plain good stories that are fun to read. Short stories are the fiction of today: bite sized, easy to digest and prefect for reading on the hoof. I hope that lots of people agree with me!”

Andrew Miller, publisher at Ge’Ko said, “We are pleased to be working with David, who has established himself over the last 10 years in the literary scene in South Africa. We've loved developing this book with him and, we are looking forward to a partnership that will see a lot more work forthcoming.”

“A Body Remembered” will be available in all good bookshops from mid September and can be pre-ordered NOW by clicking HERE!

Published by Ge’Ko and distributed by Blue Weaver, “A Body Remembered” is an independent publishing project.

Do Something Every Day That Scares You

David — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 08:15:52 GMT

Yeah, another cheesy mantra from the school of self help. And not that I buy it, but last week I did just that. After fifteen years of music journalism, and nearly ten years after my last turn on a proper stage,., I played a live show on Friday night.

And the thing is, I was terrible. I elected to play six covers of cool songs on acoustic guitar and sing. I think on the whole the singing went pretty well, but man, did I play guitar badly!

I got so nervous right before I was due to play that the leg my guitar rested on was jumping uncontrollably and I basically lost fine motor control of my fingers. Tricky when you need them to shape cords. And I really really battled to keep my rhythm.

In my defence, I have always been a bass player, Guitar playing is something I have only ever done at home, and not something I have ever focussed on. I spent 5 weeks, practicing about 5 hours a week for this gig. But it wasn’t enough. I could tell by how comfortable I was with the songs I have been playing for about ten years as opposed to the new ones.

The result was butchered chord changes, mangled structure, horrible lyrical and vocal compromises and a very embarrassing experience.

Luckily, it being an acoustic gig, most of the audience seemed not to notice nor care. But I did, and was not happy.

So, will I do it again? I think so. I love to play, and the best way to keep playing is to push yourself, and gigging is a great way to push yourself.
I may, however, bring in someone else on guitar. And re-think my song choices! And will most certainly practice way more for the next one!

Anyway, that will be at least a month away, and hopefully by then I will have worked something out. So, do I feel better for having done something that scared me? Sheesh, ask me after the next gig!

Bands, PAY Attention!

David — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:54:52 GMT

Enter The Other Schalk

David — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:42:00 GMT

unless you are a serious SA music fundi, chances are the name Schalk Joubert means little to you. Which is a pity, because this man is doing some outrageously incredible things. Currently bashing about Europe with various artists, Schalk took some time out to answer some questions.. and as you will see, the answers make for VERY interesting and educational reading.

be warned, this is a long one, but its worth it!

1)Big Things first: Where are you now and who are you playing with/for?

I am currently in Amsterdam, I have been spending a few days of leisure here and in Paris but came over to do some performances with Breyten Breytenbach and an incredible Dutch jazz pianist called Jeroen van Vliet as well as some shows with Afrikaans Poet/Singer-songwriter Gert Vlok Nel. It is Breyten's 70th birthday this year and they had a whole week of festivities of music as well as exhibitions of his art and books etc in the Netherlands.

I also come to the Netherlands a lot with Gert Vlok Nel. He got signed to Munich Records here and have been playing sold out shows all over the Netherlands for the last few years including great venues like "The Paradiso" in Amsterdam (this is where the Rolling Stones recorded one of their famous live albums).
Apart from this tour I have just returned from the States where I have been touring with American singer/songwriter Michelle Shocked for almost two months.
We did an West Coast Tour in April and an East Coast Tour in May.

In SA I still regularly perform with Artists like Anton Goosen, Lesley Rae Dowling, Laurinda Hofmeyr and a whole array of freelance and studio jobs

2)Can you explain how that came about? How did you get the job?

With Michelle it came via Grahamstown Festival. She came out to perform at the festival in 2006 and only brought a trumpeter/multi-instrumentalist called Rich Armstrong with her. She asked for a rhythm section and myself and Kevin Gibson (we were playing with Robin Auld at the same venue and she got to hear us there) got to play with her.

This was great since I have been a fan of her music for many years and knew all the songs so we got to walk onstage with almost no rehearsal and just clicked immediately. She then came back to SA for another few shows organized by the people of Oppikoppi promotions. Myself and Johnny Clegg's fantastic drummer, Barry van Zyl did a mini tour with her. We stayed in touch and then she booked myself and Barry along with a Guitarist called Duane Jarvis and a Keyboard player from LA called Carl Byron for a long tour in England, Scotland and Wales.

Since then I have also played festivals in Australia with her and the the long tours in the States earlier this year. Further tours are planned in the UK and States from September to November. On the last two tours I have also been the musical director in her band which involves me rehearsing the band or the freelance musicians we play with.

3) What’s it like touring with a big international star?
Well, the biggest lesson was to experience the 200% dedication she walks out on a stage with every single performance and her ability to get an audience to eat right out of her hands. This intensity also forces you to step up your game a bit and to deliver shows with the same vigor and focus.

We did quite a lot of smaller performances in the States where it was just myself and Michelle doing unplugged duo gigs. This was a great experience since it gave me some real chance to play very creatively and focus on sensitive musicality in contrast to the bigger shows which relied a lot more on groove and energy.
Michelle has a great management team which also makes sure that everything goes according to plan so all you really need to do is to focus on the music and performances during the tours.

4) Would you say your grounding as a gun for hire in SA helped you do this?
Absolutely, I think that every person that you get to play with or that crosses your path in your musical journey teaches you something, even if it is what not to do he he! It also teaches you the basic Psychology of working with people and how to be someone that is a pleasure to work with. A lot of great musicians have no work because of their attitudes. Over the last ten years or so I have had the priviledge to have work with fantastic artists in SA like Vusi Mahlasela, Anton Goosen, David Kramer as well as some great jazz musicians like Gloria Bosman, Shannon Mowday and many more. Then there were hundreds of album recordings, pantomimes, TV stuff etc. Everything adds up in the end to make you a better player and more importantly a great team player in music.

5) Looking at the standard of musicians that you play with every day, so you think many SA guys you know could also jump on the circuit or do we need to up our game?
Absolutely, we have some outstanding world class musicians here in SA but then again, the level is very high overseas. You will walk into any tiny little bar in New York or LA or London and hear unknown guys playing fantastic songs and playing the hell out of their instruments. The trick is to be aware of what that level is I suppose and to be really hungry and focused to go out there and seize every chance you get to move a step up in your career.

6) Looking back at the SA music business from where you are now, what’s the biggest thing that needs to change in order for our industry to grow?
The music business in South Africa is a very strange thing indeed. I am not always sure if most musicians have any idea how it works out there. (I am talking more about commercial music here because I think the Jazz musicians might have a better idea of how it works in the global industry.)

A lot of the bands seem to think that you play gigs at your local club or a few selected venues around the country and maybe a few festivals, win over a few thousand or hundred local fans and that the next step is that you stand a chance to get signed to some major label and they will turn you into a big star.
This is not how it works. There is a hell of a lot of music out there in the world so the chances of this are very very small!

Also, there are many many layers and levels of success between being in a band that has a bit of success locally and some band the size of Radiohead, U2, Metallica or the Red Hot Chilli Peppers.

The first thing they need to realise is that it is a full time job and that you will need to get off your ass and start touring, touring touring.
Look at Johnny Clegg, who has had huge success in his career, he still spends 6 - 8 months of the year all over the world touring and taking his music to the people.
A lot of bands in the world might never make it to the cover of Rolling Stone magazine but they have very successful careers touring the circuits in Europe, the States, Australia etc.

On some those circuits you will find people like Suzanne Vega, Geoffrey Oreyema, JJ Cale, Tower of Power and a whole list of other people that you might never even hear of in your life all playing the same venues to sell-out audiences and making good money.

Bands here need to get connected to good promoters overseas. A lot of the venues attach more value to the promoters' name than that of the artists they represent.

That is talking about overseas market but if you just think about touring in SA, I think that a lot of these Afrikaans singers, whether you like them or despise them have all realised that South Africa does not only consist of JHB/Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban and Bloemfontein. They get in their vans and play every town hall, school hall and motorcycle funeral house or whatever they can get in every little town and dive across the country.

That is why those guys like Theuns Jordaan, Steve Hofmeyr etc sell hundreds and hundreds of thousands of records, not just because there is a loyal fan base in Afrikaans people but due to the fact that they bother to take their music to the people.

7) How is playing Bass for Michelle Shocked helping your own musical career (creatively speaking)?
At the moment it is an amazing way of meeting great people, engineers and musicians in various parts of the world. I suppose it also gives gives you some confidence in the fact that years of working at your craft meets a certain standard that can compete globally.

It is all still in beginning phases for me in the way I see it, so I hope that it will continue to expose me to better and better things in life. I have released my own solo cd in 2007 called Kayamandi with which I have had the opportunity to play some national and international festivals as well (for more info please google "Genting International Jazz Festival 2008"). Michelle has been giving me quite a lot of exposure on this as well since she gives me a feature solo spot on all the gigs that we do as a duo.

8) Is it as glamorous as everyone likes to make out touring the world in a band?
Not always, touring is hard and it is not always easy to get along with the people you tour with. Sometimes it takes a lot of grinding on your teeth. The gigs are always great but it always involves a lot of schlepp; early flights, long drives in tour vans or cars, constant sound checks, hotel check-ins, rigging, de-rigging and time away from home and your loved ones.

However, having said that, it gives you the chance to see places and meet people that you would never get around to do otherwise. Also, having the opportunity to play music at a high level to very appreciative crowds is the thing that most musicians strive towards so it really makes it feel like this is where you belong as a musician. The important part for me is to always keep things in perspective. As I said, there are many levels of success and many levels of skill so it is important to try and keep things in balance in your life and to use success as an inspiration to work harder at what you do in order to keep on doing better things in music rather than to give yourself a pat on the back and to think that simply by the fact that you appear on a stage makes you more important as a human being. You normally find that the best musicians are also the most down-to-earth and humble people.

9) What are the single most challenging, and the most rewarding things about what you are doing now?
As I said just now, the hardest thing is to keep a check on yourself and to realise that there are many levels of success and to always try and better yourself. Also, to try and appreciate every moment and chance that you get. As a musician there is no certainty that things will continue the way they are. For me it is important to try and walk out on stage every time that I get to perform and to do it with the best of focus and attitude that I can. There will always be people that see you for the first time and it is up to you to respect them and give them all you have.

10) Once this current tour is over, what lies ahead for Schalk Joubert?
Well, more touring, touring touring. There are tours planned with Michelle to the UK and the US later this year. Also a tour to Japan with two of my friends from New York, Mike and Nick who used to play in Sons of Trout with me. I will also be producing Koos Kombuis' new album a bit later this year. I produced his last album and we had a blast doing it so I am really looking forward to it. I am also writing again for a new solo album. Also looking forward to just spending a little time at home, I live on a wine farm in Stellenbosch and I really miss that!

District 9

David — Thu, 21 May 2009 07:56:09 GMT

Thirty years ago, aliens made first contact with Earth. Humans waited for the hostile attack, or the giant advances in technology. Neither came. Instead, the aliens were refugees, the last survivors of their home world. The creatures were set up in a makeshift home in South Africa’s District 9 as the world’s nations argued over what to do with them.

Now, patience over the alien situation has run out. Control over the aliens has been contracted out to Multi-National United (MNU), a private company uninterested in the aliens’ welfare – they will receive tremendous profits if they can make the aliens’ awesome weaponry work. So far, they have failed; activation of the weaponry requires alien DNA.

The tension between the aliens and the humans comes to a head when an MNU field operative, Wikus van der Merwe (Sharlto Copley), contracts a mysterious virus that begins changing his DNA. Wikus quickly becomes the most hunted man in the world, as well as the most valuable – he is the key to unlocking the secrets of alien technology. Ostracized and friendless, there is only one place left for him to hide: District 9.

Directed by Neill Blomkamp

Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell

Produced by                Peter Jackson
                    Carolynne Cunningham
Executive Producers        Ken Kamins
                    Bill Block
                    Paul Hanson
                    Elliot Ferwerda

Cast Sharlto Copley
David James

Happy Anniversary (sorta)

David — Wed, 13 May 2009 07:42:21 GMT

Hmm

OK, I managed to miss the 3^rd anniversary of my own blog.

So yes, The Chiz has been live for three years as of April 2009. A quick look at the post history tells its own story.. I am not the blogger I used to be, that much is for certain.

But for those of you that are still visiting and reading (yes I see you on my Google stats): Thank you!

I am not sure what I am going to do with this thing next, but rest assured, you will read it here first!

Free BMW's Start On Thursday

David — Mon, 04 May 2009 12:53:00 GMT

YES! The Mmino BMW’s: FREE Business Music Workshops start this week!

The BMW’s kick off in May in Bloemfontein and run for six weeks, visiting major centres around the country and spreading music industry business expertise to the young up and coming entrants into the industry.

Facilitated by Deon Maas, Sibu Molefe and David Chislett the workshops are offered FREE of charge (after an online registration process has been completed). The workshops are intended to equip newcomers with knowledge of the basic outline of the business side of the music industry so that they are capable of climbing rapidly and understanding their business. The workshops form the fist part of a 3 year programme that will see a selection of successful candidates graduate from the workshop phase in 2009 into a mentorship programme in 2010 before the elite are hand placed in music industry learnerships with real businesses in 2011.

The workshops are the brain child of Maas and Molefe, the workshops are aimed at raising the basic business and industry know how of young entrants into the industry. For many years the shortage of any form of music industry training has been lamented, and these workshops are the first step in attempting to redress that situation.

Candidates wishing to register for the course and to find out more about the programme should log onto www.mminobmw.co.za and read through the site before completing the online application form. Numbers will be limited so it is imperative to register online in order to attend the courses.

Courses are currently to be held in:
Bloemfontein, Potchefstroom, Pretoria, Mamelodi, Johannesburg (west), Johannesburg (central), Soweto, Nelspruit, Polokwane, Durban, Cape Town and Stellenbosch.

For More info contact:

Meerkat Media
011 888 5019
info@mminobmw.co.za
www.mminobmw.co.za

Ahh, It's A Pity But...

David — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 09:17:11 GMT