South African artist Jon Shaban (the SHABS) sits in on the DIRT FROM THE ROAD pod to discuss the intense lockdown in Cape Town, as well as what it's like to tour and make a living as a South African indie artist.
EXCERPT: (full audio below)
Brett: So you guys, The SHABs have started to make a pretty cool impact as a touring band. What is it like being a band from South Africa? There’s not a lot of you, and especially not a lot of you who tour internationally. You’re about as far away as you can be for tours, as far as Europe and the U.S. What’s it like? How do you do it?
Jon: I mean, it’s tough, no doubt. But it’s super exciting. When we were starting bands when we were kids in South Africa, we felt that touring overseas meant you made it. If you can to the States, or Europe, you’ve made it as a band. And over the years, I’ve fibured out that that’s not how it works.
South Africa is, like you mentioned, far away from everywhere else. But that little pipe dream you have growing up as a youngster, it gives you this cool incentive to try touring, and you got a kind of interesting story to tell on the road.
Brett: Totally.
Jon: It’s quite novel. People come to our shows and are like, “What? You’re from South Africa? White guys who play rock music in South Africa? What the fuck’s up with that.” But it’s cool! South Africa has a pretty interesting history, which comes up in conversation, and it’s been really rad to introduce people to our country, even though it’s on the other side of the world. We’ve been able to tell people about South Africa, and have a lot of friends we’ve met overseas come and visit us over the years.
Brett: You talk about, as a kid, the idea of touring in another country—you get it in your head that if you do that, you’ve made it. But really the definition of success is a lot different now. And while you and I are not playing stadiums, or selling out theaters, I think you guys HAVE done it.
You’ve kind of made it, you’ve had such great success, and I feel like the cards are even MORE stacked against you, because of travel and the South African Rand. It’s an uphill battle for you, and the fact that you’ve established a band that makes money on the road is pretty phenomenal, and it’s inspiring.
Jon: Thanks man, that’s cool to hear. But at the same time I think the term “making it as a band”, you imagine someone fetching you in a limo from the airport and staying in separate hotel rooms, and having catering at every show. You know more than anyone else I know how rough it is out there on the road. I guess that’s why we’re having this chat right now. Just to tell some cool stories about the experiences we had. MORE ON THE SHABS.
Listen to the pod to hear some of those stories and more!…
