Press OK
Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa | SELF
Music
Press
WITS University may be severely lacking in many areas - parking spaces, healthy food options and winning soccer teams come to mind. But there is one element at Wits which is definitely not in short supply, musical talent.
One of the bands at the forefront of a new wave of talented young Wits bands is the always funky Press OK . Vuvuzela recently met up with guitarist Andrew Orkin to discuss the band, its future and surfing monkey dogs...
Press OK have been quick to establish themselves on the local music scene. Having only been together since September last year, the band have already accrued a substantial fan base. The friends met at the Wits music school and a shared love of music led to the formation of the band.
Press Ok consists of Chris Lesapo on vocals, Andrew Orkin on guitar, Nicolas Williams on bass and until recently, Sipho Mpisane on drums. When Mpisane left the band he was replaced by Michael Wright, who is also a member of dear reader.
Orkin says one of the main challenges when starting up the band was coming up with a good name. The name was suggested by a friend after seeing the “just press OK” adverts on DSTV and fans quickly warmed to the name.
Press OK are definitely a close-knit group of friends who like to have fun. “Taking cane shots to the eye with Nick is pretty much the closest we have come to a fight as a band,” jokes Orkin. He also says that if Press OK could have any artist open for them they would like to “revive Jimmy Hendrix’s frozen corpse and bring him on stage”.
Press OK believe that if their band was an animal it would definitely be a “surfing monkey dog” and when asked which member of the band gets the most ladies the reply was a quick “definitely not Chris”.
Orkin says one of the band’s most enjoyable shows was a recent gig at the popular student hangout, the Bohemian. Playing alongside fellow Wits band Earl Grey and Croquet, the crowd of rowdy youth was exactly the audience the band likes playing for. “We deal best with drunk students,” said Orkin.
Fans can catch Press OK at Joburg Burning on March 27.
- Vuvuzela Newspaper
Discography
Wasting Away
Front Line Force
Wasting away featured on the Other Mother podcast, as well as Eldos and UJ FM.
Photos
Bio
Formed in September 2009, Press OK jumped straight into the deep end, immediately drawing the attention of ears bored by the monotones playing from their radios.
Playing a dirty brand of Funk and Blues, Press OK draws from each of the individual member's influences that span from metal to mbira to create a foot-tapping, mind-blowing, in-your-face combination that cannot be ignored.
The members met studying music at Wits University and gelled due to an uncompromised mission to fuse the music around them without conforming to ideals of what they should or shouldn't play.
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