In a blast from the past, Fetish have released a new album. No, they are not taking part in an episode of MTV’s Bands Reunited — they are “hoping to tour the album one more time at the end of the year — hoping being the operative word”, says bass player Jeremy Daniel.
The songs on the album, aptly titled Remains, were originally recorded as demos between 1999 and 2001. They were the beginnings of Fetish’s third album. But, as fate would have it, the band split up before the project could be completed. These were the last studio recordings made before vocalist Michelle Breeze and guitarist and composer Dominic Forrest relocated to the United Kingdom to try to take Fetish a step further with a new line-up. They called it quits at the end of 2004 and agree that Remains is a “fitting conclusion to the band’s journey”, as writes drummer Ross Campbell in the album sleeve.
So, for all intents and purposes, this is the last we’ll hear from Fetish. Curious that it is in the form of a new album, not a big-bang farewell performance. This unorthodox way of ending an era raises more than a few questions, not only about the band, but the South African music industry as a whole — questions best left to the band members to answer.
1. Where are you now, what are you up to and what are your plans for the future?
David Fiene: I am working as a corporate merger and acquisitions attorney in Amsterdam and have no plans to pursue a musical career any further.
Dominic Forrest: I’m in London and have been for the past four years. Along with the recent work on Remains, I’ve been working on several soundtracks for PlayStation and computer games — the recent Brian Lara Cricket and Soldiers: Heroes of WWII. Plans for the future are still formulating, but are likely to involve some musical studying in the near future. I’m also interested in the film-scoring side of things, so this is a possible area to pursue.
Jeremy Daniel: I’m a scriptwriter/director in Johannesburg, working on films, TV shows and multimedia projects. I’ve started a fresh new band called The Black Daniels with Daniel Buckland as the lead singer.
Michelle Breeze: I’ve been living in London for five years and at the moment I’m almost finished recording a new musical project called Pretty Ugly. It should be released within the next six to nine months, and will also be released in South Africa. I have to say I’m not really sure what the future will bring. I’m just taking it one day at a time, trying to do the things that make me happy and satisfy my creative needs.
Ross Campbell: I’m in Cape Town working as a typesetter for and playing with (as a drummer) Simon van Gend. We have an album out now and some exciting plans for the next 18 months. I also play with Benguela. We’ve been around for 10 years, and recorded three albums and an album with Tony Cox at the end of last year. I also own/run a record label Open Record — the most recent album released was Felix Laband’s Dark Days Exit.
2. How did Remains come about and what was the reasoning behind its release?
David F: The songs were just sitting there on demo recordings. We only played a handful of them live. We always wanted to release them (or at least complete the recordings), but it’s a big task and wouldn’t have been contemplated without the prospect of a release. So [record-company owner] Karl Anderson’s enthusiasm was instrumental in getting the project off the ground. Dominic and Chris Tuck really drove the process (musically, at least). They put in a tremendous amount of work and, quite frankly, deserve most (if not all) of the credit for this album. Over the years, Chris almost became a sixth member of the band — his paw prints are all over the album (as well as the So Many Prophets album).
DF: After the band split, I think all the band members felt it was an injustice that we hadn’t had the opportunity to record and release a third full album. It was always our intention that the demo tracks we had recorded would be the basis of the next album, so it seemed a logical progression to work on these and get them heard.
JD: Remains happened because we all knew how strong the songs were, and thought that they deserved to be heard. The legwork was done by Dominic and Chris Tuck in London. Chris was the guy who originally recorded the demos, so he had been sitting on them for the past couple of years. Karl Anderson signed us to Virgin (EMI in South Africa), so when he left to form Just Music, he made a deal with Virgin on the rights to the demo recordings. Karl had been wanting this album to happen for ages.
MB: I really never expected these songs to be heard and, in retrospect, I’m very happy that Jeremy and Ross had the foresight to believe in this project. I kind of have a coping mechanism in my mind that can be harsh when dealing with these kinds of things that say get up, move on, let go.
RC: At the end of 2004, I heard from Dom and Michelle and suggested we look at the material we’d recorded before that and see if Karl would be keen to release a last album. I just thought it would be a waste for those tracks to go unreleased, and that we’d regret it down the line. Karl was keen and Dom and Chris worked on the tracks through 2005 in London while I got going on the cover with Rox, who also designed the So Many Prophets cover.
3. When and how did your Fetish days end?
David F: I left in early 2001 to complete my law studies. Motivation? A lifestyle change. It wasn’t easy to give it up, but I have never regretted the decision or, for that matter, the time I spent with Fetish.
DF: After moving to London, the band reformed and continued to build up a support base, play the London gig circuit and write new material for a couple of years. In the end, I think we basically ran out of steam and lost some of the motivation that you need to succeed as a band. It wasn’t anything in particular that brought this about, perhaps just a need for myself and Michelle to try something different musically and to have a break from a project we had been working on for five to six years. The band had probably reached the end of its natural life and perhaps we were aware of this deep down.
JD: Sadly. In an atmosphere of disappointment and frustration at the lack of progress and amid mounting debt. I was the one who formed the band right in the beginning and I was the first to leave. I took a plane to New York and enrolled at a film school.
MB: Fetish really ended in South Africa when Dominic and I left to come to the UK. It was never the same band again. We tried to make it work in the UK, but I think there was a certain something missing; maybe it was the naivety and excitement of doing something for the first time.
RC: Mine ended when Michelle and Dom decided to go over to the UK. This was after Virgin decided they were no longer keen on us, and after Jem and Dave had left. I said I would be keen to go over if there was interest and gigs, but not to stay — I have kids here.
4. Do you feel Virgin gave you enough support while you were signed to it? If so, what support did it give? If no, what do you feel it could have done for you to further your success?
David F: Yes. I didn’t then (and don’t now) have any gripes with Virgin — they provided the usual support for a new band (funded the recordings, did what they could on the marketing front).
DF: I think the initial relationship we had with Virgin was quite good and they seemed keen to develop the band and to let it grow naturally without having unrealistic expectations regarding CD sales in South Africa. The aim for the band was always to look at countries outside of South Africa, and I think this is where Virgin fell a little short. There was very little effort to sell the band overseas and to try and generate interest in other countries. We all knew that, in order for the band to succeed, we would have to break out of the relatively limited South African music scene. Perhaps the financial men at Virgin had too much say and retrieving invested money became the main priority for them. To be fair, this sort of short-term thinking is prevalent throughout the music industry and is not one specific to South Africa.
JD: Now you’re asking tricky questions. I think the label did the best they could under the circumstances. We were never a huge-selling band, which is hard for a big label to swallow. They paid for the recording of So Many Prophets and did the publicity on it. The problem was more a management one than a record-company one. We took bad advice and made bad decisions for the group when things got tough.
MB: There were a few key people at Virgin who believed in us and their enthusiasm and support were felt. They did what they could but, in the end, the financial strings were held by someone else and I felt that not enough financial investment was made into trying to place us in the European market. We had two releases in Germany and the media reviews were excellent. People loved the band, but nothing came of it. Major record companies are by their very nature self-serving and self-destructive; they need to make large sums of money to keep the wheels turning, but in doing so they have to suck the creative blood out of music. I think you will find this example in most corporate entities. It’s all about playing it safe and not risking too much of the budget on projects that are seen as risky and need development before they can make a financial return.
RC: Initially it was all great and they got behind us in terms of decent studio time with a good producer and an advance, which we used to get the band kitted for performing the tracks live — this was largely due to Karl’s belief in us. I think it was the Virgin boss who didn’t want to continue with the second album and pulled the plug. The whys and whos are all still vague, but we didn’t want to remain signed to a label that wasn’t going to release an album, so we got out of the contract.
5. What influence did your record company have on your career as a member of Fetish?
DF: There were certainly positive influences, especially in being given the opportunity to record in high-quality recording studios and in the overall raising of the band’s profile throughout the country. On a less positive note, [there was] the inevitable pressure to produce singles and music that would be “accessible” to the South African public. While we were certainly capable of writing commercially successful music, these things should develop naturally. I don’t think the pressure put on us was a positive thing. If you look at the bands that have lasting success globally, they tend to have their own sound. Unfortunately, a major record company’s primary concern is the creation of profit and not the creation of music.
JD: The influence of the record company was more theoretical than anything. They were in Jo’burg, we were in Cape Town and we had management that didn’t really want us to speak to the record company, for some unfathomable reason. We operated far more successfully and happily when we were making our own decisions.
MB: I learnt about the business side and it made me a little bit cynical.
RC: We were really committed and focused on making it happen for us, and being signed to Virgin was confirmation that we were doing the right things and being taken seriously — the more good people around you, the more gets done.
6. Do you still follow the South African music scene? Are there any particular local bands that you’re into?
David F: I’m based in Amsterdam, so it’s difficult to follow developments in South Africa. What I’ve heard of Lark’s stuff, I enjoy. I’m looking forward to hearing the album.
DF: In all honesty, the answer is no. This isn’t intentional, but it’s pretty difficult to stay in touch with things when you’re living in the UK. The only thing I’ve heard recently was the soundtrack to Tsotsi, which isn’t really connected with the rock/pop scene, but is great music nonetheless.
JD: I started taking an interest again after turning my back on it for a long while. There is some great music being made and played. I’m looking forward to Farell Adams (from Nine) his solo album, plus Cassette and a couple of others.
MB: I have to say I don’t follow the scene at all.
RC: Very much so. Lark are great, Matthew van der Want and Chris Letcher are brilliant, and the musicians on Open Record: Derek Gripper, Alex van Heerden, Brendon Bussy, Enkeleen, Felix Laband …
7. Fetish were very much a top band in the late Nineties, along with the likes of the Springbok Nude Girls, Boo!, Sugardrive, Wonderboom … What do you think of bands such as these and their progress nowadays?
David F: Didn’t know any of them were still going — as bands, anyway.
DF: At the time, I always felt we stood a little apart from these bands. I don’t mean that in an arrogant or dismissive way, just that we seemed to be trying to do things differently from them on a musical level and in our general ethos. In retrospect, perhaps those differences weren’t as great as we imagined them to be at the time, and all these bands deserve credit for what they have tried to achieve. I can’t really comment on their recent developments as I haven’t been following them, but hopefully they’re all still involved in music in some way.
JD: I have a lot of respect for all those people, bands and musicians who did and continue to do great work. I know how hard it is to keep a band going in South Africa.
MB: We were very different to all these bands. The Nude Girls had some brilliant songs, but were limited in their international appeal. I saw Arno Carstens’s new band in London, but it really wasn’t my thing at all.
RC: Mmm … I much prefer what Arno Carstens is doing now with New Porn and Chris Chameleon with his solo thing — he was brilliant at Oppikoppi’s Easter Fest this year. Sugardrive were always impressive as a band, very tight. Same as Wonderboom, really bloody good live!
8. What is your perspective of the South African music scene then, now and in the future?
David F: Again, I’m based out of South Africa now and find it difficult to comment on developments back home.
DF: For all its limitations, I think the music scene at the time was a good place for young bands to hone their skills and develop musically. The problem was then, and probably is now, that very few bands were able to take the next step up and it becomes very hard to sustain things in such a limited environment. Hopefully, lessons will be learnt and future acts will find it easier to convert their local success to the international stage.
JD: I’m amazed at how naive we were as a band. And how innocent the music scene was just a few years ago. I think it’s much more professional and a little more lucrative right now than it was six years ago. There are some great bands and some beautiful music right now, but we’re still waiting for someone to cross over into the world scene in the same way that Charlize Theron did for film. There’s a frustration and a critical shortage of funding for alternative/progressive rock’n’roll, and it’s very hard to get into the international game without money behind you. Same old story.
MB: Back then, it was very small and overblown. We really struggled in the beginning as people could not get their heads around what we did. At the time the scene was male-dominated and the music reflected that. We brought something cerebral and feminine and they thought it wouldn’t work in the headlining slots at festivals, but it actually worked better in those slots. I still suppose the scene is sexist as even the UK scene has that element; people just don’t seem to take female rock musicians seriously.
RC: How long do you want this to be? It’s getting better slowly and crap like Popstars doesn’t help — not the participants so much as the concept. It’s all about TV and dosh, not music. We’re up against huge odds on one side — diminishing sales and conservatism — and then there’s huge potential on the net on the other side. But again, who pays and who in South Africa downloads? Right now it’s trendy to be behind local music, but only as long as it fits in with the ad campaign.
9. Local rock bands in South Africa seem to reach a plateau and few progress further. Would you agree? Why or why not?
David F: Simple: the bands I assume you’re referring to play music for a niche market, which means they’re not going to sell many albums locally. So the goal is invariably to get an international release, which is misconceived. It doesn’t matter if you’re signed to a major, you still have to convince that major’s branches in other territories to release your product, which means you’re in direct competition with every other band in your genre (globally) that also wants to be released in those territories. And many of those bands are in a position to provide tour support for their releases. It’s a no-brainer for the record companies.
DF: I think in general that’s true, although a band like Seether seem to be an exception to that rule, having done well in the United States. I think Fetish reached a point in South Africa where there was nowhere else to go, and I imagine most bands reach a similar point. My personal view is that if a record company feels confident enough to sign an act initially, then they should have the belief and foresight to at least attempt to take them to the next level internationally.
JD: I agree that there is a plateau — and we hit it, just like everyone else. We just don’t have a big enough market to sustain successful artists, so they end up playing the same gigs over and over again. And the secret to big international success is an elusive one to everybody.
MB: I agree 100%. The market is too small to support a career in music, especially if you do something that is niche. You do have to try overseas and I think someone will break through eventually. People seem to be a little shortsighted when it comes to their career development. As a musician you have to step back and see the bigger picture.
RC: Very much so. It’s kind of easy to get in and rise up if you have a good band together, but the market is so limited, because we continue to market “white” music to white people on white radio and so the perception is that we need to get out to more white people — and that’s really hard, because other territories only really take care of their own rising talent. Foreign music tends to only come in through their sister record labels if they think it’s going to crack it locally. And it’s only going to crack it if it’s already on VH1, MTV, et cetera. Labels don’t want to spend energy on stuff that’s hard to sell. The bands from here that do go over to the UK tend also not to have any follow-through, they just go for the jol — no release, no promo.
10. In hindsight, what advice would you give local bands, based on your experiences as a well-known and popular South African band?
David F: One, get your priorities straight. Music as a profession is about three things: being able to play/sing, being able to write songs and being able to perform. If you want to be celebrity first and a musician second, know that you will fail (simple, I know, but I think many musicians fail at this first hurdle). Also, songwriting and recording are crafts that can be learned. Don’t con yourself into believing that you have to wait for inspiration — practise and learn from everything and everyone. Incidentally, the Idols concept is one of the biggest travesties of popular culture. Two, learn your craft and be honest with yourself about your abilities. Three, you cannot be average. People don’t buy albums they’re not sure about. You can be mediocre in almost any job and get by, but a mediocre musician plays for pennies on the sidewalk.
DF: Judge your music by the standards of the best bands internationally and not just on a national level. Have faith in what you do and try to get your music exposed outside of South Africa.
JD: Enjoy it to the full; it might not last forever. Be more experimental in the early days, when you can be. It’s also your only real chance of being noticed. Work with people who excite and challenge you and surround your band with people that you trust to help you.
MB: Don’t get caught up in the hype. If you’re serious about a career in music, you need to set your sights on the overseas market. In South Africa it’s just the big-fish, small-sea syndrome.
RC: Burn your own discs and sell them at gigs. Once you’re selling enough units, labels will start knocking on your door and then you’re in a position of power.
11. On a lighter note, what is your best memory from your Fetish days?
DF: The moments of magic and chemistry that occurred during the composing of songs, and in the live performances. There is a certain clarity and purpose that comes with these rare moments that’s very hard to replicate in other areas of life.
JD: Driving through the Karoo listening to music at sunset, late for a gig, but excited. Making some amazing music in the rehearsal room that no one else will ever know about and that bonds you forever. Being part of something that is bigger than you and acquires a life of its own.
MB: Hearing our music for the first time on the radio.
RC: We had some really great times recording with Brian O’Shea and Chris Tuck and playing with bands like Skunk Anansie, but the best part was making fantastic music with great musicians.
Looking back: A Fetish timeline
1997
Band form in Cape Town
1998
Band release first self-financed, self-titled album in South Africa and Europe
Single Never Enough makes it into 5fm’s top 10
1998 to 1999
Band signed to Virgin (EMI) for a five-year period
Band records and releases Shade of a Ghost EP
Band chosen as support act for Lenny Kravitz, Goo Goo Dolls and The Cult on their South African tour
1999
Recording and release of So Many Prophets album
Single Permanent makes it into 5fm’s top 10
Single So Many Prophets reaches number one on 5fm
2000
Band chosen as support act for Skunk Anansie on their South African tour
Band chosen as support act for Smashing Pumpkins and James at their performance in Jo’burg
2001
Michelle and Dominic relocate to London and reform the band with a new line-up
2002 to 2004
Performances throughout London at top venues such as Cargo, Ocean and Shepherd’s Bush
Live performance of four songs and interview on BBC World Radio
2005 to 2006
Reworking of demo recordings for a final album
Album Remains is released in South Africa
For news and MP3s of Pretty Ugly, e-mail [email protected]. For more info, log on to www.simonvangend.co.za and www.benguela.co.za
Review
Fetish
Remains (Just Music)
Knowing the album’s background makes it difficult to review Remains. Listening to it inspires hope in the future of bands such as Fetish — and then reality hits, along with the knowledge that this is no more than the closing of a chapter, an ode to what might have been. The talent was there. The drive was there. The right circumstances were not. Nevertheless, it is good to hear the final word from a world-class band, and good words (and melodies) they are. Fans will appreciate the bitter-sweet closure Remains affords. — Kelly Fletcher