HAZEL FRIEDMAN meets the Springbok Nude Girls, the Boland rockers set to share a stage with Bjork
BOY toys for the thinking babe, Nineties musos sans machismo, in touch with their feminine sides and all that crap. That’s just some of the hype surrounding the Springbok Nude Girls – a band that was born only two years ago and has already been invited to perform at Radio 5’s 21st Birthday bash alongside luminaries such as Bjork, Tracey Chapman, Spin Doctors, Bayete and Youssou N’Dour.
But what questions do you ask guys reputed to be the cutest kings of cock rock? Their opinions on rugby, pornography, current post-feminist debates? “Er, given the fact that the name of your band is an, um, parody – I mean, springboks are symbols of everything that is testosterone-loaded – don’t you think there is an irony in calling yourselves girls?” The response is a blank stare. Well, not actually a stare. More like a disbelieving gaze.
Perhaps I should have started the interview with questions more appropriate to royal rock jocks, like: “Hi guys. Mmm, love your pectorals. Y’awl must be Taureans!”
Still, in all fairness, les girls are pretty cute and vocalist Arno Carstens is widely regarded as the wettest dream of all. And intellectual too. Which means their IQ levels can be measured on something bigger than a thermometer. They studied at Stellenbosch University. They are suburban subversives. Which means they didn’t have to be born on the street or graduate cum laude in cunnilingus to get street cred. They talk all at once – all that is except for Carstens, whose eyes speak volumes while he plays the “Who me? I’m just a dumb blonde” role to perfection. They even have the odd sensitive, humorous insight. That is, when they’re not acting like rock stars. Oh yeah, and they use the words “tense” and “intense” a lot. So much so that after the tenth refrain, I’m tempted to ask: “Past, present or future?”
“How did you come up with the name Springbok Nude Girls? From watching the world cup rugby series while simultaneously paging through Hustler?” Actually the answer is far more poetic. It came to Carstens in a dream via a cover from the Seventies Springbok Hits albums with the psychedelically coloured silhouette of a nude girl with wild flowing hair.
“How would you describe your music?”
“Fusion … an eclectic conglomeration of rock, folk, reggae, metal, jazz and blues. We all come from different musical places which is what gives our music its richness.”
It all began with Carstens (lead vocals) and Theo Crous (guitar and back-up vocals) fooling around on a friend’s four track recorder. Next step was to hire drummer Francois Kruger and finally, bring trumpet player Adriaan Brand into the fold. In keeping with the gender-specificity of the group’s name, the rest is “herstory”.
And a fairy tale, given the vagaries that plague South African music – from exploitative record companies to a notoriously apathetic home audience. They played their first gig in November 1994 to a rapturous Stellenbosch crowd, followed by performances countrywide. At the recent Sound Zone Bandslam concert, Radio 5’s Barney Simon called them the most wanted band in the country.
Do they realise that James Philips sold more CDs at his memorial concerts than throughout his career, that if Johnny Clegg had to rely on South African record sales for his livelihood, he’d be hanging out in soup kitchens? Doesn’t that make them just a teeny weeny bit terrified of singing for their supper in South Africa?
“We know its a struggle, but we’re doing it our way and we’re going to get there. We think it’s wrong for South African artists to encourage people to support South African music and then leave the country. We’re going overseas later this year but only to suss out what other musos are doing abroad and bring it home.”
They’ve already recorded two albums – the first, Neanderthal 1, produced under their own independent Bluegum label and the second, an audio cassette compilation from their recent Missing Fling tour. They’ve also brought out a video, Managing Mula. And in virtually true Nineties style, they are participants in a “love local music” project on the Internet.
At this point eyes start to glaze over and tongues hang out. It’s not because of the scintillating conversation. These springboks are anxious to head out to the nearest watering hole, or the closest equivalent.
“Okay girls. Interview over.”
The Springbok Nude Girls are playing at the Radio 5 Birthday Bash on October 26