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State Society is a band that is on the rise in the South African music scene and with good reason. With some cool gigs lined up and a brand new single released, we chat to the band about who they are, where they are going and more.
Give us some insight into who State Society is and where they fit into the South African music scene?
State Society is a collection of some of the coolest guys with a passion for playing music. As cliché’ as that sounds, we pride ourselves on the fact that we enjoy playing our music and showcasing what we’re all about to anyone who comes to check us out or stream our music online. Right now, we see ourselves on the rise in the South African music scene. Things have been quiet in the public eye but we have been hard at work behind the scenes ready to take 2014 by the horns.
Starting your journey in 2011, what have been some of your highlights and how much has the band evolved?
When the band started out, the aim was to record and release an album reflecting the band’s message of positive music with an edge. Highlights include performing over 100 shows in the span of a year as well as sharing the stage with some of the country’s biggest artists such as Van Coke Kartel and Chromium.
You released your debut album “This Life” independently. What was that feeling of accomplishment like and how has the album been received by fans?
Ah man, to have your music on an album which is available for fans to buy and own is indescribable. We have received an amazing response from people who have brought the album and we are constantly pushing people to share the music and come out to the shows to check us out.
Which tracks on the album are your favourite and why?
This is quite a topic of conversation among all of us. Mike and Petri, who are more of the ‘metal heads’ of the band enjoy ‘Breath of Life’ and ‘Sun Will Rise’ as they are the two harder tracks on the album. ‘Stand Up’ and ‘Love To Feel’ are two of our more popular tracks which we all enjoy performing so I guess it would those as the response for these tracks is great when we perform live.
When can we expect a new album from State Society?
We have actually just released our brand new single ‘Dance’, which is available on iTunes, Nokia Music Store and more! We are constantly writing and recording new material so an album is on the cards. In this day and age, the ‘single release’ strategy, we feel, is the way to go so we will be releasing new tracks as they get finished. Once we have a solid collection, we will probably put it out on a full album for our fans to own. You can give our new single a listen right here:
Mike Pocock has recently joined the band on bass. What new aspects does Mike bring to the band and how was he welcomed into State Society?
Yeah, Mike was on the cards with the band for awhile. Our previous bassist left due to personal reasons and we have no bad blood with him so we got in touch with Mike and welcomed him into the band. His style of playing as well as his immense knowledge of the local music industry will only benefit us and we look forward to sharing the stage with him on this crazy journey!
In your opinion, what are the pro’s and con’s of being a South African band?
Pro’s are that we can take control of our own destiny. Right now, in South Africa, the music scene boasts such great talent and it keeps you on your toes to deliver a product that fans will not only want, but also give an edge over what else is out there. We like to think that SA bands work together for the greater good of the scene and build followings that will be life-long fans. The one con is probably the lack of venues for live bands in smaller towns across the country. Gauteng boasts the best venues, in our opinion, and the venue owners are all awesome guys who work hard to keep the scene going. We just want to get out there and perform anywhere and everywhere possible that can accommodate us.
The local music industry has grown massively over the past few years. What’s your take on this and has it benefited you?
We love it! There is nothing better than seeing your own band grow as well as our peers in the industry. We feel privileged to have shared the stage with some of the country’s biggest acts and their success is nothing but inspiring for us to get to the top as well. We also salute all those fans who always go out and check out bands at any venue. They are the reason the scene is thriving!
What is a week in the life of State Society like?
Well, we all get together at least twice a week to rehearse and work on our live set. That’s what it’s all about. Ensuring that our show is the best it can be for anyone who comes out to watch is top of the list for us. We all work on different aspects of the band be it the bookings, graphic design, marketing, whatever, together and all collectively decide on what’s best for the band.
Explain each band member in 5 words?
Cliff: boat-loving guitar-weilding singer
Marchant: fitness-freak axe-master magician
Petri: polite gentle giant drum-master
Mike: curses a helluva lot at everyone (sorry that’s 6 words)
What upcoming shows have you got lined up?
We cannot wait to perform at our upcoming shows. We will be sharing the stage with Newtown Knife Gang, Kinky Robot, Cito from Wonderboom, Woodstock Mafia, Conquering Chaos, Bombs And Issues, Lighter Sight and Man As Machine to name a few at our upcoming shows. Below are our upcoming shows so we hope to see you at one, or all of them!
30 April – Take A Load Off – Rumours Lounge with Newtown Knife Gang, Kinky Robot and Lighter Sight.
10 May – SPCA Rocking for the Paws – The Brazen Head Sandton with Cito (Wonderboom), Justin Serraro, Stone Griffin, The Carolina Bridal Party and more.
17 May – Death Row Fest – Sundowners (Alberton) with Conquering Chaos, Riddlebreak, Mercury Child, Bombs And Issues and more.
24 May – Arcade Empire with Woodstock Mafia and Man As Machine.
What plans do you have for 2014?
To perform across the country as well as release our new single ‘Dance’ to radio followed by another song that will soon be recorded as well. We have some music videos up our sleeves for about three of our tracks. We are also discussing a possible countrywide tour with 3rd World Spectator for later in the year, so loads of exciting things are on the cards!
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