MY NEW MUSIC VIDEO IS LIVE. WHERE'S YOUR FIRE?

GERALD CLARK has a released a new music video for his song, FIRE. Fire comes from his latest album, AfroBoer & The GoldenGoose, which was released November 2015.

“The song is about passion and fulfilling your purpose in life. If you don’t have the fire inside to follow through, it’s in vain.”

Fire was written by Gerald a long time ago and he has been developing the song over the years, playing with different musical ideas. One night he woke up, started playing this piece of music and hooked lyrics with it.

“The idea for Fire started off very simple. It was about the compassion I felt towards people in Transkei that has to give up their homes in that beautiful homeland and travel to the cities like Johannesburg and Cape Town to find work in order to support their families back home. It evolved to the motivation inside ourselves that no matter what your background is, to fulfill your dream and make a difference in life.”

The video was shot by Mark Chipps from Goosebumps Productions, and co-directed by Mark, Gerald and his manager, Melissa Fontini. In September 2015 Gerald traveled to Transkei to shoot the scenes from the video which features Ongx Mona on vocals. The rest was shot in Cape Town earlier this year.

For the Transkei shots, they stayed at Ongx Mona’s family’s ‘rondavel’ where he grew up as a kid. For the CT shots, Gerald got the whole band together that recorded on the album and found a venue in Paarden Island well known for film shoots. They invited people to a very intimate gathering where they all faced one another with people standing around them while they played.

“We were looking for those glances off excitement and interaction of a crowd that is captivated by music and its message. The music video is about two people with different backgrounds that share the same passion and fire for a similar dream and how they both follow their hearts to reach this destination amidst adversity.”

“In creating art, I feel that the artist will always be on a road to grow closer to convey a truthful story and the feelings that
coincides with the concept. A never ending road that will lead you victoriously to your end in this life but never reaching the destination created in your mind. But I feel good about where I am standing with this. Fans can look forward to great footage of Transkei and a heartfelt performance by the musicians. The shots are beautiful and the song honest and strong.” 

Last night we walked with the almost full moon.

Crept with the fire. And we ate like cowboys. 

It was a grey night in Nieu Bethesda with a band of horses galloping down the dirt road an ince after midnight just before the longest night. It was perfect. And cold. 

DIVING WITH THE DOLPHINS

STRAB 2016 was a jol, but Gerald and I always look forward to our adventures more than anything else when heading over the border. This year we decided to swim with the dolphins again. With such warm water and these majestic animals, we couldn't resists. 

It's an early morning wake up call as I tickle Gerald and one of our friend's feet, it's dark and after a night of dancing, there's no time for coffee. As we stepped into The Dolphin centre we were greeted by Wayne and his team, snorkel fittings, and a cup of 'boeretroos'. Sune, our friend, packed Ouma rusk. Perfect. 

The team at Ponta has an incredible bond with a group of wild dolphins and therefor it's rare to encouter them so naturally. The Dolphin Centre crew's dedication to conservation of their magnificent surroundings are one of the first things you will notice and with their knowledge of the area and these mammals, they intrigue you with stories while you learn more about the dolphins. 

This time around, we didn't spot any fins, unfortunately, but you cannot control nature. Our trip didn't end there, we were taken to a beautiful reef where we spent some time snorkelling – we instantly forgot the MIA mammals. The ocean even made for the perfect setting for a Scenic Session, which in turn contributed to the wrong side of motion sickness. 

Ponta do Ouro, is a special place and not far if you live in the north of the country. So, when planning your next holiday, keep some money aside for your dolphin swim. It's truly amazing.

Check their site out and see what they have to offer: http://www.thedolphincentre.com/

We will definitely see Wayne and his team at The Dolphin Centre on our next trip to Mozambique.

Silverback Scoop to STRAB

It's Gerald's 10th year at STRAB and he is planning to get their a little differently – on a Silverback Single Scoop fatbike.

Gerald and I will be hitting the road on Sunday morning to border where I will kick Gerald out of the car so he can embark on his cycle journey. We will welcome ourselves with a cold one in Mosambique and then he will take those fat wheels to the dunes. On this Silverback Gerald can ride terrain no other musician has explored before. The fat tyres provide traction in all terrains such as the loose sand on the way to the festival.

I cannot wait to see what will happen. We've tested the bike over the dunes in Strand and it's great – Gerald is going to be a favourite for more than just his music this year. 

Keep an eye out on our Social pages for updates on the Silverback/STRAB mission. 

Dance Baby Dance

If you haven't seen the Scenic Sessions yet, check it. 

Gerald and the GoldenGoose have a thing for poplar forests. Strange, but true. Follow their journey through South Africa Facebook and Instagram. @geraldjamesclark

Looking Over a Musician's Shoulder

Last night we had the pleasure to share an intensely cool evening amongst the best musicians in South Africa while shooting Gerald Clark's new music video. No one can describe the feeling of being so close to these talented guys that it actually seems like you are jamming the beat. It was unreal. 

Keep your eye out for what's to come. 

Freedom is on a horse's back

Gig life can get pretty rough sometimes. Don't get me wrong, Gerald and I love this part of our lives, but we also like stepping out of the ratrace and spending time in the shadows of the mountains. 

After a wild evening in Bloemfontein, we set out to a farm outside of Clarens called Bokpoort Cowboy Ranch. We've camped there once before, but we didn't really have the time to get to know the surrounds. This time was different. 

We arrived with Christo already saddled up and ready to ride. We were a group of six with Christo taking the lead alongside Gerald and Dan at the rear of the line. Gerald's been on many outrides, me not so much, but this proved to be one of his favourites. Christo, who is a real South African cowboy, is the 5th generation on this farm and he knows the ins and outs of the mesmerising valley. He tells you memories from his grandparents to interesting tales about the vegetation as he picks a rose hip in passing and pops it into his mouth. 

“It’s like swallowing a bunch of tiny porcupines. ”

Christo is a very interesting man and you can feel his love for horses and the valley he knows so well. And for those, like me, who aren't very experienced with horses, he is a patient teacher. I now feel much more comfortable after riding with him. The horseback adventure takes you through rivers, over the edge of a cliff, to the most beautiful views, and galloping across fields with grazing black wildebeest. 

Back at the ranch we shared personal experiences and reflected back on the morning over a well-deserved, ice cold beer. But the day at Bokpoort doesn't stop in the bar. We were invited for dinner and we had the pleasure to learn more about his industry. We all joined a long wooden table to enjoy a authentic South African meal – eland steaks served with pap and smoor. A treat to a born Free State boy. 

We woke up to a view of the red mountains and Gerald was ready to take on the MTB trails. So, if you are looking to experience the Eastern Free State in all its splendour, visit Bokpoort. Yes, Clarens is an interesting visit to your creative side, but Bokpoort is for the adventurer. You can feel free to sit back, relax, or to go explore, it's up to you. Bokpoort promises a no nonsense, easy weekend away. 

We even made it a stop for the third episode of the Scenic Sessions. 

For more information on their ranch and accommodation, visit their site at http://www.bokpoort.com/ 

Scenic Sessions Episode 2

After a bath with an epic view, it was time for Gerald to bring you a groove from his latest album, AfroBoer & the GoldenGoose. The setting is idyllic – Away with the Fairies, Hogsback.