Lee Cole appeared on Cape Talk recently discussing his music and the upcoming show this Sunday at Concerts in the Park. Take a listen, get your tickets, and join us on Sunday for Prime Circle, Jesse Clegg and Lee Cole!
We chat to Nick Knightshade from Dukes of Note ahead of a show in De Waal Park on Sunday 29th Jan with Matthew Mole & Will Linley
Dukes of Note founded in 2014 is a Carnival Rock band from Cape Town combining elements of Balkan rhythms, gypsy punk, vintage blues and swing with good old-fashioned rock ‘n roll; an eccentric blend of dark yet playful theatrics.
The band is Nick Knightshade Singer & Guitar, Andy Abels – Bass & Backing Vocals , Matthew Cox – Drums & Backing Vocals
The band have new music out, a wonderful take on a classic “Hit the Road Jack”.
I chatted to Nick Knightshade founder of the band ahead of their show in Cape Town on 29th Jan with Matthew Mole and Will Linley.
What is your job description?
Many hats , Guitar Teacher, Voice Actor, Singer, Guitarist, Artist, Writer, Producer, Performer.
What does music mean to you?
Music has always been a bit of a mystery for me. The more I discover, the closer I feel to unlocking the mystery – only to find yet another rabbit hole to go down.
My music is about…
A whole lot of fun & imagination
What is your motto?
You need to dare to dream, and then dream some more.
Fame is about…
What other people think of you.
Retirement will happen when.
There is literally nothing left to do.
I would love to co-write with.
Danny Elfman
Where do you go for inspiration to create?
All I really need is a quiet room
What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work?
On Stage, singing my heart out.
The song you must do during every show?
Voodoo – was written for the purpose of breaking the disconnect
between the band on stage and the audience watching us. Let the fun begin.
Any funny moments on stage?
It takes a certain kind of skill to burp off-mic between singing your lyrics, don’t drink fizzy drinks.
My heroes are…
Hard-working individuals with real creative talent and the drive to make their ideas come to life.
My style icon is…
“Jack Sparrow” most say Johnny Depp.
Which living person do you admire most and why?
My parents – they’re an awesome team and I mean, I wouldn’t be anything without them – literally.
What is your most treasured possession?
My laptop – it’s got all my creative projects on it! Boring but true…
It’s your round; what are you drinking?
I’ll have a shaken margarita & a gold tequila on the side.
Dream gig to do?
Download Festival with all the alternative greats.
Any nicknames?
My full name being Nicholas, guess the possibilities.
If you were not a musician, what would you do?
Honestly, I don’t know ,it’s the area of my life that fulfils me the most & brings me the most joy.
Pick five words to describe yourself?
Outgoing, charismatic, loyal, understanding & maybe a little stubborn sometimes…
Five must have songs on your Spotify playlist please
Start Wearing Purple – Gogol Bordello
The Wine Song – The Cat Empire
Hell – The Squirrel Nut Zippers
Survival – Muse
Pink Elephants on Parade – Circus Contraption
And any Dukes of Note Music
Greatest Movie Ever Made?
The Nightmare Before Christmas.
What book are you reading?
The Night Circus.
What song changed your life?
Bat Country – Avenged Sevenfold, was the first song of theirs I heard and it just had a good mix of all the elements I didn’t know would inspire my teenage spirit to want to play the guitar & be in a band.
Who do you love?
My heart is reserved, if that is what you are asking?
What is your favourite Word?
Coffee.
Your greatest achievement?
Building the balanced life I want to live & never giving up on my dreams
What do you complain about most often?
Depends how often we get load shedding
What is your biggest fear?
Never having enough time to spend with friends and family as well as not being able to
complete all my projects and make my ideas come to life.
Happiness is…
Switching off after a long day of melting tasks and being able to sink into the chill zone with my partner.
On stage, I tend to…
Give 100%.
The best life lesson you have learned?
Frugality – Finding value in the little things in life
What has been your favourite journey so far?
The journey of discovering my creative abilities & chasing the knowledge to be able to bridge
the gap between the imagined and the real.
Do you do charity work, and if you do – what do you do?
Funny you ask, I was contacted today and asked if Dukes of Note would team up with Noon
Gun Brewery to help raise funds to donate and rebuild some of the Muzenberg beach huts. They are in danger of being demolished and have been recognized as a valuable historic & iconic attraction for the area. So come join us on the 10th of February as we’ll be helping raise funds to contribute at The Noon Gun Tap Room in Muizenberg. I would love to work with more charities so looking forward to arranging more fundraisers for good causes in the future.
Wishes and dreams?
More people would work harder to achieve consonant harmony in the dissonant
cacophony of the world.
YouTube link
Hit the Road Jack
Dukes of Note YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLoAzFis6r7GfyVAG-ZWUCQ
Social media links
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DukesOfNote
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dukesofnote/
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/DukesOfNote
Will Linley had an amazing 2022, what with opening for One Republic at Grand West, playing Switching on the lights late Nov in Cape Town.
Now he gets to play De Waal Park in Cape Town on Sunday 29th January with Matthew Mole and Dukes of Note. Tickets are R99 bucks from Quicket
Hailing from Cape Town, songwriter and musician, Will released his highly-anticipated second single in March 2022 “Wrong Time” via BMG – who represent artists like 5 Seconds of Summer, Louis Tomlinson, Maxwell, Jason Mraz, Natalie Imbruglia – and the new track follows his 2021 debut with much praise and excitement. Written during a Zoom session with songwriter and producer John Samuel Gerhart, “the song is about meeting the right girl at the wrong time,” notes Will. “It’s a very personal song and means a lot to me as an artist. I love the up-tempo guitar riffs and it always makes me wanna vibe out!”
He cannot remember a time in his life without music. He grew up singing as a hobby but never imagined that his passion could translate into a career.
Once the pandemic hit, Will found himself stuck at home writing music as a way to feel less isolated. He soon found a global connection with fans thanks to TikTok and his raw, relatable and now radio hit lyrics.
Will’s 2021 debut single “miss me (when you’re gone)” has garnered millions of global streams, over a million YouTube views, 5M+ TikTok views.
The single was written in October 2021 and was inspired by a real-life experience
“My first song ‘miss me (when you’re gone)’ is a very personal song for me,” Will explains. “I had met someone who I felt brought out the best part of me. The song is about me realizing that I’m going to miss the person that I am when I am around her, when we can no longer be together.”
Now the rising star has his second work out “Wrong Time”. “The song is about meeting the right girl at the wrong time,” notes Will. “It’s a very personal song and means a lot to me as an artist. I love the up-tempo guitar riffs and it always makes me wanna vibe out!”
I caught up with Will last week.
What is your job description?
I guess I’d say I’m a musician!
What does music mean to you?
Music holds a really special place in my heart. It was a huge part of my upbringing and so to be pursuing it seriously is incredibly exciting.
My music is about…
Life and different situations I find myself in.
What is your motto?
This too shall pass.
Fame is about…
I don’t know, if I’m being honest, I’ve never given it too much thought. For me fame isn’t the goal. My goal is to create music that people connect with and enjoy.
Retirement will happen when …
I don’t love what I do, but that won’t happen anytime soon because I LOVE WHAT I DO!
I don’t do…
Shark cage diving, no ways.
I would love to co-write with…
Jon Bellion or Chelsea Cutler
Where do you go for inspiration to create?
My journal or watch a movie to draw some inspiration.
What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work?
The live shows, I love connecting with my fans, they are the ones that are allowing me to live out a dream I’ve had as a kid. And meeting them and building a connection with them is my favourite thing to do.
The song you must do during every show?
Miss me (when you’re gone)
Any funny moments on stage?
Load-shedding hit during my set. So whilst the lights were off, we did a little impromptu acoustic set which was so awesome!
My heroes are…
My mum and dad
My style icon is.
This is a rather boring answer, but I honestly don’t have one, I don’t really know!
Which living person do you admire most and why?
I really admire my two producers David and Bubele, seeing the way they navigate the music industry and seeing their intentions on trying to shine a light on South African musicians is just so incredible. I really admire their work ethic and passion for what they do.
What is your most treasured possession?
My spotify playlists. I LOVE LISTENING TO MUSIC!
It’s your round; what are you drinking?
Plain and simple, a Stella Artois.
Dream gig to do?
Sell out Kirstenbosch Gardens in Cape Town.
What makes you stand out?
I am fun and energetic, and I don’t take life too seriously. I really try to just have as much fun as possible and I feel like that is pretty clear when people come and watch my live shows.
Any nicknames?
Willie or Goob
If you were not a musician, what would you do?
A Teacher for sure!
Pick five words to describe yourself?
Chaotic, Engaging, Extraverted, Anxious, Joyful
What are you streaming?
Little Freak by Harry Styles
Greatest Movie Ever Made?
Notting Hill
What book are you reading?
All you need to know about the music business by Donald S. Passman
What song changed your life?
I Love Anyone by Justin Bieber
Who do you love?
My family and friends
What is your favourite Word?
“Steeze”
Your greatest achievement?
Selling out my first shows on my first South African Tour!
What do you complain about most often?
I haven’t thought about this before, very interesting! I think a lot of the time I wish I had a bigger range in my voice? I guess I complain about that. But I try not to complain about things in my life. I’m dealt with various things and I’ve got to adapt to them accordingly. It’s pointless to sit back and complain about aspects of my life, and myself, that I can’t change.
What is your biggest fear?
Spiders!
Happiness is…
Doing what I love with people that I love.
On stage, I tend to…
Lose my voice quickly because I get too excited and shout too much.
The best life lesson you have learned?
It’s okay to make mistakes because that is where you tend to grow the most.
What has been your favourite journey so far?
The journey of music. It has been so awesome to see how my life has changed over the past couple months because of the songs I’ve created.
Do you do charity work, and if you do – what do you do?
My friend runs a drive called support a saffa and I try support her when I can.
Wishes and dreams?
To never lose my love and naïve nature when it comes to music. I wish that I never lose the sense of awe I have every single time I go on stage to perform.
YouTube links
Wrong Time: Will Linley – wrong time (Official Music Video)
Miss Me (When You’re Gone): Will Linley – miss me (when you’re gone) [Official Music Video]
Social media links
Facebook: Will Linley – Home | Facebook
Instagram: Will (@willlinleyy) • Instagram photos and videos
Twitter: WILLIAM LINLEY (@will_linley) / Twitter
TikTok: Will Linley (@williamlinleymusic) TikTok | Watch Will Linley’s Newest TikTok Videos
CONCERTS IN THE PARK JAN 29TH, 2023:
MATTHEW MOLE supported by WILL LINLEY, DUKES OF NOTE and MUIZENBERG school band
A Sure-Fire Way of Amplifying the Awesomeness of your January?
Simple: Matthew Mole x Will Linley x Dukes of Note x De Waal Park!
Fancy getting up close and personal with South Africa’s very own über-talented musical poster boy and export, the inimitable Matthew Mole? We in South Africa wax lyrical about this home-grown genius muso, his catchy, folksy guitar vibes and cute lyrics in hits like Running After You, The Wedding Song and Take Yours, but we’re not alone – folk all over the globe are humming these sweet tunes while going about their day-to-day business. That’s the stuff that classics are made of: creativity that crosses borders, oceans and continents with oodles of all-encompassing quality feel-good appeal. That being said, Concerts in the Park couldn’t be more chuffed to invite you to see Matthew Mole perform in person from the olde-worlde bandstand at De Waal Park on Sunday January 29th. If this doesn’t make you jump for January joy, we don’t know what will!
Not that you need any more convincing but … Empangeni-born Matthew Mole is no stranger to musical accolades: he made SA chart history as the first local artist to enter the iTunes album chart at number 1 with his first album The Home We Built. A string of nominations followed, such as that of Male Artist of the Year, Newcomer at the MK Awards as well as Best Pop Album 2014 at the 20th Annual South African Music Awards. At age 21 he won a competition run by Converse in London and with it came a recording contract; he was subsequently signed up to Just Music – and the rest, as they say, is history. None of these achievements, however, bring home just how fabulously talented and charismatic Matthew Mole is in person – but don’t take our word for it, come and experience it for yourself!
On the day Matthew Mole is supported by another legend-in-the-making, our own lookalike Ed Sheeran, Capetonian Will Linley, who initially kicked off his career as a TikTok sensation and hit the SA music scene running in 2021 with Miss Me (When You’re Gone). The catchy Wrong Time followed, and on the way Will Linley has built up a beefy following both locally and abroad. No surprises here – his recipe of memorable lyrics served up with copious quantities of cheer is guaranteed to get the crowd gagging for more. And the penultimate ace up our sleeve is the inimitable Dukes of Note, who need no introduction to the local scene – Cape Town’s own steampunk-carnival rock band that always leaves a lasting impression with their larger-than-life personas and imaginative vintage vibes.
Concerts In The Park feels strongly about nurturing budding young talent and giving a platform to inspiring young musicians from the community. We’re delighted introduce the fabulous Muizenberg School Band, who will be warming up the stage prior to the big guns strutting their stuff. We’re hard pushed to think of a better way to celebrate a sunny high summer’s day in Cape Town, and you’re cordially invited! Come along for a day of good vibes and unforgettable tunes, and in the process create enduring memories with family and friends – old and new! Tickets are available from Quicket.
