#MusicExchange: BrotherBrother

16 Apr 2019

Theunis van der Merwe, Roelof van der Merwe and Paul Avenant make up the band BrotherBrother - a family formed indie-folk band hailing from Cape Town. They launch their EP on Tuesday, 16 April 2019 at Café Roux in Cape Town.

Their first single off the EP entitled Old Heart is currently receiving good rotation on campus radio nationwide. Expect good things from this band in the second half of 2019.

I recently caught up with all three band members.

What does music mean to you?

Music is a memory like smell and taste. Creating music is a way of taking an experience and preserving it in song so that it can never be forgotten. But at the end of the day, music is just pure fun.

What is the most enjoyable aspect of your work?

Seeing strangers enjoying and appreciating your creations.

What drives you: ego or humility?

Humility, without a doubt

Your heroes?

Batman; helping those in need; great cars; filthy rich and most of all he has a bat cave!

What is your most treasured possession?

Our instruments.

It’s your round, what are you drinking?

Double brandy and water. Half dehydration, half rehydration and “Dit smaak soos nog!”

Dream gig to do?

While we are dreaming – locally, Cape Town Stadium would be pretty awesome and then internationally, Royal Albert Hall for a more intimate show and Glasgow or Coachella for a festival vibe are definitely up there.

Nicknames?

Paul goes by many names including Polla, Paulster, Tight Pants (long story), etc.

If you were not a musician what would you do?

Paul – A teacher.
Roelof – I’d be working as an engineer.
Theunis – Working in marketing and advertising or even farming.

Pick five words to describe yourself?

Laughter, loyal, motivated, punctual, ambitious.

What song changed your life?

Paul – “Ocean” by John Butler.
Roelof – “Happy Birthday”; still changes my life every year.
Theunis – “Vier Seisoene Kind” by Gian Groen.

What is your favourite word?

Paul – Beflip.
Roelof – ‘Tsek.
Theunis – Babelas.

Favourite fashion garment?

Paul – The Crocs that I rock.
Roelof – Whatever is clean.
Theunis – All my sneakers.

Give us some real proper slang and what it means

Paul – “Kwaai lappies”, meaning everything is good.
Roelof – “‘Tsek”, meaning bugger off or go away.
Theunis – “Aweh”, used as a greeting or in excitement.

Top of your bucket list?

Paul – Playing music with Glen Hansard.
Roelof – World tour with own music show.
Theunis – A high speed-lap around the Nürburgring.

Your greatest achievement?

Paul – Being a musician.
Roelof – Getting the first song we’ve ever recorded playlisted on radio stations (quite surprised they even liked it!).
Theunis – Managing this band and not losing my patience with the other two.

What do you complain about most often?

Paul – Rude people.
Roelof – Heat (I’m a winter person) and people who drive like idiots.
Theunis – Inconsiderate people.

What is your fear?

Death Cab for Cutie has this song “What Sarah Said” and the words go “love is watching someone die, so who’s gonna watch you die?” So, having no one to watch you die.

On stage, I tend to?

Paul – Spill drinks.
Roelof – Sweat a lot!
Theunis – Swear at Paul.

The best life lesson you have been taught?

It takes an eternity to build a name, which can be destroyed within a second. If you really value what you do, do not do it for free. This is how we run the band, as a business with income and expenses.

Do you do charity work and, if you do, what do you do?

At the moment we are in the process of working with the Hannah Cornelius Foundation, so keep an eye on our social media for what we are planning to do.