'We have great hair' says Dead Alphabet

What is your background and how long have the band been together?

We've been together for the last 5-6 years. We learned to play our instruments together and we were all friends in high-school. We're are lucky - I mean, it doesn't often happen that you find people so close to you that have the same tastes and you can work well with. Being in a band is like a marriage and you can lose your temper easily with people you are close to.

Is this your first time at Oppikoppi?

It is our third time as Dead Alphabet, although we played a few times as The Kick.

And what do you think?

There are so many people this year. You can clearly see that the SA music is changing - over the past few festivals it seemed people were more interested in getting drunk but now, you see the main stage and the audience is packed. People seem to be responding more to the music. Also, the line-up is bigger and there are more international bands.

What makes you different?

We have really good hair - there seems to be some really bad hair in other bands. Ha ha! We're unique in that we have a really interesting dynamics. We really enjoy heavy and hard music but also incorporate more jazzy and bluesy sounds, for instance. There are a lot of other bands that do it too, but our difference is in the way we do it. Also, we view our music as more than a hobby - it is an obsession for us. We put as much of our free time into it as we can. We pride ourselves in being a live band - we want to entertain people as much as possible.

Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians?

Don't be afraid to stick to your sound. Work hard at learning your instrument. There is no reason to compromise - work consistently and as much as possible. Don't have an ego about it - if someone tells you you suck, then strive to improve.

Photos by Schalk Groenewald www.pawz.co.za

http://deadalphabet.com/