Also, should we consider the fact that most bands in South African write songs in national languages even the music is about the sounds, rhythms and combination of both but the texts also matter to international audiences.
I would personally support that the statement which iss boring but when referring to the above elements, it seems quite reasonable that some might say SA bands suck and even more.
From daily experience, South Africans love their music no matter the reasons and if we look at bands such as 340ml, African Jazz Pioneers, Almost Famous, Babu, Bala Brothers, Baoba Three, Mafikizolo, Malaika, Salsa Candela, Springbok Nude Girls and so many more; we can see that South African music industry growing fast but the only problem is that artists and bands are not well managed and most of them are limited in terms of scenic production.
There a few bands that produce live concerts internationally in great venues such as Madision Square in New York, Bercy and Olympia in Paris, and at other international venues. Perhaps in this context, some might say SA Bands suck but except that, SA bands locally or nationally perform well and keep the audiences alive during scenic productions...
In my point of view, it depends on context to say whether SA Bands suck or not. Who says better?
It is correct to state that the statement should be viewed in a particular context. It is however wrong to state that performances from South African bands suck because of infrastructure.
ReplyDeleteSouth African bands deliver world-class performances when they hold live concerts and other performances. The quality of their music and their stage performances can be compared with the best in the world.
The language argument also does not hold water, as it is always argued that music is a universal language understood by all who listens and loves music. I have listened to Cuban bands perform live and eventhough I cannot speak a word of Spanish, I liked the music and even bought a CD. Therefore language should not be a barrier to enjoying good music.
What I would agree on, is that I am also of the opinion that some of the bands are not well managed and marketed, and therein lies the problem.
Yes, the music industry in South Africa is growing and winning international music awards by the bands is testament to this.
So in conclusion let me just state that SA bands suck, NEVER!!!