Gangs of Ballet: "You always feel like you can do better ..."

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Gangs of Ballet has been touted as one of South Africa’s next big bands for some time and their debut album, Yes/No/Grey, has just been released. Lead singer Brad Klynsmith answers some questions.

Good day, Brad. How are things?

Really great. Just got home from my brother’s wedding in Sri Lanka.

Congrats on the release of your debut album, Yes/No/Grey. How are you guys feeling about it now, a while after the release? How are you experiencing the general response, including playlisting?

Thank you! The general reaction has been more than expected – really great reviews, and people have been kind in sending messages. I think we've learned a lot from the whole process and we've enjoyed touring it. You always feel like you can do better, so we're already energised to write for the next one.

You guys have had massive success on YouTube with “Hello Sweet World”. What is it about the song that makes it such a hit? Where did it come from?

It's hard to say why something works. I guess we put a lot of time into it and tried to craft it. It's based on a dream that Josh [Klynsmith, drums] had one day and it's a bit if a journey from this dark space towards the light at the end of the tunnel. 

While you were constructing the album (especially since it was your debut album!), did you find it hard to choose which songs would be included and which wouldn’t? How did you experience the process of lining up the songs and letting them complement one another?

We're obviously new at it and we approached it the same way we would a live show and try to take the listener on a journey. We ended up tracking songs and not using them because they didn't represent us properly and then also tracking our current single “Don’t let me go” in one day and on the last day of deadline as a last-minute addition. 

Many figures in the industry believe the time of the “album” is over, that artists will be more inclined to release single after single in the future. What is your opinion regarding this, especially in the light of having just released the album after having had success with singles?

I personally love the concept of a full album, I love the idea of producing a body of work as an artwork. There is the potential of creating a masterpiece. The single thing is probably where it's going, but it's over-saturating the market with one-hit wonders and they are potentially taking the place of great artists. 

You guys are based in Durban. I’ve done a few interviews with artists from your area who think it’s a bit of a wasteland regarding the local music scene, with few venues and a lack of gig-attending culture. Is this true? Do you have any plans of moving, or are you happy to build a career in Durban?

The whole country is short of live venues, so it's difficult everywhere. It's actually been a bit of an advantage being from Durban, I reckon, because when we go to other cities we haven't really been there in a while so it feels like there is some expectation. The scene in South Africa is small, so it's very easy to over-saturate the market quickly.

According to the bio on your Facebook page, three of the band’s four members are music students. What role does this play in the songwriting process and the challenges you set for yourselves as a band?

The main thing the studies have done is to push the boundaries in your mind. We've been brought up on white boy rock ‘n roll and it's pretty one-dimensional, so being exposed to jazz and Afro and standards really gives you the freedom to go further. Our songwriting is certainly affected by our studies.

You’ve done quite a bit of touring and gigging around the country now – any particular highlights so far? Conversely, any places you won’t be visiting again soon?

I'd say Pretoria has been really special to us every time we've played there. Most recently we travelled through the night to play to 80 people in a probably 12 000-person venue, but you take the good with the bad and show your audience respect by playing like there are thousands even if there are only 80. 

What does the near and far future hold for Gangs of Ballet?

Still a lot of work to do with Yes/No/Grey and hopefully an overseas trip.

What is the meaning of life?

Love God, love people.


Photo: Ravi Panchia

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