Van Coke Kartel News

Since releasing their critically acclaimed third album, Skop, Skiet & Donner in March last year, Van Coke Kartel has continued to go from strength to strength - with a SAMA nomination for Best Afrikaans Rock Album, an MK Award for Best Live Band, radio and music video chart successes and a continued presence on local radio playlists. Both music videos from the album, Voor Ons Stof Word as well as Ondier Kom!, reached the Number One position on the MK Top 10 and stayed on the chart for several weeks. "Skop, Skiet & Donner is the album which gave us our unique identity as band, post-Fokofpolisiekar," says Francois Van Coke. "It has laid the foundation for the new band and album. We are excited about the future."



Pic: Craig Kolesky


Van Coke Kartel's SAMA nomination for Skop, Skiet & Donner in the Best Afrikaans Rock Album category was announced in April 2011. Drummer Jason Oosthuizen commented: "We are hoping to win another one this year. It will be great to follow on Waaksaam & Wakker with another SAMA." The video for VCK's sixth and final single from Skop, Skiet & Donner, Man Sonder Missie will soon premiere on DSTV Channel MK, whilst currently enjoying airplay on a number of campus and regional radio stations across South Africa. The video was created by Dames En Here Productions from footage captured at VanFokKingTasties in Hatfield Square in 2010 and Thornfest 2011, and features the band giving one of their trademark high-energy performances. Watch the video for Man Sonder Missie HERE.

In February this year, VCK won an MK Award in the category Best Live Band. The addition of Jedd Kossew on lead guitar and Jason Oosthuizen on drums in 2010, is widely recognised as having catapulted VCK to the very top of the league of South African live acts. "It's just great to finally have a Van Coke Kartel line-up with which we are truly happy," said Wynand (Myburgh, bass). "There is a lot of energy and creativity; Jedd and Jason lends the edge we've always felt was missing from our act. Both Jedd and Jason also write music with us and these two great friends and musicians have changed the dimension within Van Coke Kartel to a powerful musical force." Jedd Kossew, previously from 7th Son, is widely hailed as one of the country's top guitarists, whilst Jason Oosthuizen won the SA's Fastest Drummer competition in August 2010. Click HERE to see Jedd run through the Ondier Kom! lead guitar solo for VCK fans, or HERE to see Jason in drumming action.

Since the end of 2010, VCK started writing and recording demos for their upcoming album, having by now amassed more material for recording than ever before. The official pre-productions on their fourth studio album will start at the beginning of July and, depending on their time schedules, either award-winning producer Theo Crous or Fokofpolisiekar band mate Johnny De Ridder will be in the producer seat. "We have already written so much material, far more than for any of our previous albums at this stage in the process," says Wynand. "There is a huge variety of songs and we are looking forward to sharing these with a producer and getting his input. Ultimately, the album will probably contain about 12 tracks again."

2011 Will also see VCK touring extensively, playing to fans in London and Holland in May and June alongside Fokofpolisiekar and Springbok Nude Girls. Upon their return, VCK will embark on an acoustic tour in the second half of June. On this tour, the band will be treating fans to acoustic versions of material from their first three albums. In July, VCK will embark on a full scale, big production countrywide tour with Zebra & Giraffe. VCK and Z&G will also be collaborating on a track on the upcoming VCK album.

Later this month, a Van Coke Kartel comic book entitled Wie's Bang? will be launched. Wie's Bang? is part of the launch campaign of VCK's forthcoming album, and is the brainchild of art director Marais Janse Van Rensburg of interactive advertising agency WonderMutt. "We did a TV commercial with Van Coke Kartel for another advertising agency last year, to be entered into the Loerie Awards, and the band agreed to do it at no charge. I then undertook to contribute to the band's next album launch campaign if the ad won. The rest is history, and this year we came up with the idea for a comic book centred around Van Coke Kartel, which will lead up to the album's launch. However, the comic book is but one of the campaign elements." To watch the Loerie Award-winning commercial featuring VCK, click HERE.

The team working on the Wie's Bang? project comprises of Marais Janse Van Rensburg and Lohan Grobler from Proud Creations, who are responsible for the basic storyline. Stefanus Nel and Griff (godfather of Zef from Wat Kyk Jy) are the project's writers. The illustrations are done collectively by Says Who, Merwe Marchand, Louis Minnaar and Proud Creations. "Working with Van Coke Kartel was really humbling and makes me feel bad about complaining about long working hours," says Marais. "Their endurance and work ethic is phenomenal. They are the most professional artists I have ever worked with, and it is with good reason that they have reached the top."

Wie's Bang? will be available for free download from the VCK website around middle May. Teasers will also be available on the website, as well as the WonderMutt Facebook page, Says Who and on Wat Kyk Jy.

Van Coke Kartel's fans can look forward to a brand new VCK single by August this year, a countrywide tour in July and August and their fourth studio album to be released by end November 2011.

See below some of VCK's tour flyers and complete tour dates for their London/Holland tour with Fokofpolisiekar and Springbok Nude Girls in May and June, and their acoustic tour in June.