“I used to really like reggae but John liked African music, so we mixed styles and created Lusaka By Night,” he says of one of their first and most recognisable tracks. A true mash-up of genres (including hip-hop, carnival and ambient electronica) with a strong African influence, John Wizards have created a consistently happy, dreamlike world that never fails to bring smiles and move bodies. Having scored a deal with Planet Mu, last year saw them release their brilliant self-titled debut album and recruit four of John’s most musical friends to join their live band. Touring festivals until September, they’ll be back in London for a few shows in October before an Australian tour and finally time off to work on the next album. Midway through the festival circuit, we rescued a very charming trio (John, Emmanuel and guitarist/keyboardist Geoff) from the heat of their Latitude dressing room, sat by the lake and had a lovely chat about Cape Town, wizards and the ultimate jingle.
What music did you grow up listening to?
John: When I was a kid my mum used to play me lots of music. We listened to a lot of classical hits, like The Nutcracker Suite. She liked Nick Drake and Leonard Cohen, so we listened to that a lot too.
Your music is like, the opposite of Leonard Cohen!
Geoff: My Dad had a recording studio in the 80s so I remember listening to a lot of his stuff, lots of Jazz and Steely Dan and stuff. Then for ages I would just steal cheesy hip-hop from my brother.
Emmanuel: Back in East Africa I liked reggae like One Africa.
A real mix of musical backgrounds! How would you describe John Wizards in 3 words?
Geoff: SUPER
John: INTERESTING
Emmanuel: I really don’t know…
Let’s just go with super interesting! You seem to have a really varied fan-base…
Geoff: Yeah, we do. In South Africa, there’s kind of a thing where if a band ever does well overseas, people get pretty happy about it. I mean, we’re not massively popular back home, but when people read an article in the local paper about how we’re actually doing quite well overseas, people – both young and old – support that sort of thing.
You’ve been playing festivals all summer! What’s been the best experience so far?
John: Down The Rabbit Hole in Holland was really cool!
Geoff: Yeah, they had a jacuzzi backstage…
John: …and the soccer was one cause there was a Dutch game and the atmosphere was really great.
Geoff: Primavera was awesome too, and Field Day.
What’s your favourite place to hang out in Cape Town?
Emmanuel: Kemps Bay, where the ocean meets the land. There are a lot of tourists but the beach really beautiful. When you come from Cape Town you head up and over a mountain and down to the beach and it’s like they have different weather over there – it’s so relaxing. It’s the place I like to be.
John: I really like Table Mountain. It’s beautiful and if you live in town it’s only like a ten minute bus ride away!
Geoff: I really like a place called Kalk Bay which is a little bit out of Cape Town but it has the warmer beaches and really great food. I know a friend with an apartment there so I have great memories there.
You’ve been travelling a lot for shows, but is there anywhere you’d like to visit that you haven’t been yet?
John: I’d like to go to Italy and Japan.
Emmanuel: I’d like to go to Israel!
John: Isreal?!
Emmanuel: Yes, because it’s a historical place and a lot of musician friends I have been there. I’d like to see the places from the Bible.
If you guys could collaborate with any other musician or producer, who would you pick?
Geoff: I think it would be cool to collaborate with Nozinja, the Shangaan Electro producer guy. He’s really cool and I feel like that would be crazy.
John: Yeah, Shangaan Electro is a super super fast electronic South African genre. There’s this one guy who really popularized called Nozinja and he’s just signed to Warp. He’s cool. We’ve got a track, Limpop, that plays on the style and I met up with this guy’s manager for a drink and he showed me a picture of him listening to our track with a confused and slightly pissed off look on his face. I don’t think he knew what to make of it.
Emmanuel: If I could have collaborated with Bob Marley or his family I would make an exception because they were the ones that made me like music.
When we play your music at i-D HQ, everyone gets super happy. What makes you happy?
John: It’s gonna sound really cheesy but my girlfriend makes me happy.
Emmanuel: Singing in front of people live.
Geoff: Being tickled and outside swimming.
John, you used to work producing jingles. In your opinion, what’s the greatest TV ad jingle of all time?
John: Obviously the classic Coca-Cola one… that really stood the test of time.
Finally, who’s your favourite wizard and why?
Geoff: I would have to go with Radagast the Brown from The Hobbit. He’s so cool.
Emmanuel: I don’t know any wizards…
You know, like a magic man…
Emmanuel: Well my name means magic. Lots of people used to call me magic because I’m interested in magic things, but I don’t know if magic and wizards are the same. Someone can tell you a story and it has impact on your life and makes your positive thinking grow and helps you understand more just through a story. That’s why I’m known as magic story. You can write a song and people listen to the message, it’s like magic.
Credits
Text and photography Francesca Dunn