On 30 October the local band, Monark, released the deluxe edition of their three-time SAMA nominated album Negatives. We sat down with the boys to talk about the album and their plans for 2016.
GLAMOUR: What have you been up to this year?
Monark: We’ve done a lot of cool shows and the highlight has been the release of four new tracks on the deluxe edition of our album Negatives.
GLAMOUR: Why did you decide to release a deluxe edition of the album instead of a new one?
Monark: Everything started out very quickly for us two years ago. After the first single the hype just blew up, we’ve been trying to catch up with everything. We thought about it and because our following grew so much in the last year, we figured let’s just promote it again.
GLAMOUR: What can we expect from the new tracks?
Monark: Sound-wise it’s always a continuous process, we kept on writing. Music is fast-paced and things change so quickly, we wanted to keep up with that. We are music fans and we always try and incorporate what’s new into our sound and discovering what we really like. The new stuff is more Monark, it’s more us, but we’re still really proud of our previous work and we stand behind it.
GLAMOUR: Who are your music icons and influencers?
Monark: It’s a wide variety of artists, that’s cool for us, because we’ve realised that Monark is where all the paths cross. It’s a mix of composers – who are running the industry – and then the bands. We idolise Max Morton and Dr Luke, they run the charts because they write for a host of artists. They started out with Britney Spears and Westlife back in the day and currently work with the likes of Taylor Swift. Maroon 5, The Weeknd and One Republic have a big influence on us.
GLAMOUR: Where can we find you this festive season?
Monark: At the end of November, we’re in Cape Town for Synergy and we’re planning a massive end of year tour, keep your eye on our social media pages. At the end of December we’ll also be at the Jameson Vic Falls Carnival.
GLAMOUR: What can we expect from you in 2016?
Monark: We are planning some international travel and we are always working on new songs; maybe we’ll even work on a new album at some point in the year.
GLAMOUR: Which trend do you hate to see on women?
Monark: Wedges and platform sneakers. Really long nails and nail art – a simple manicure will do!
GLAMOUR: What are your first date DON’Ts?
Monark: DON’T ask her to bring a 2L bottle of Coca-Cola on her way over to your place for the first time. DON’T let her pay for her own meal. DON’T eat any garlic-infused food. DON’T go to the cinema – it’s two hours of not talking to each other.
Monark consists of Eugene Coetzer (vocals,percussion), Ewald Jansen van Rensburg (guitar,synth), Deon de Klerk (bass), Graeme Wuth (drums). The deluxe edition of Negatives is available on iTunes.
To stay up to date with everything going on in South Africa, keep your eye on our GLAM Guides.
