Cape Town – If the only thing that pops into your head when you think of Jungle is Tarzan, then this article is for you!
Yes, Jungle is a band, and yes, they will be playing at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens in Cape Town on Friday 1 April and in Johannesburg at Sowing the Seeds music & lifestyle festival on Saturday 2 April.
With the 1970s-style funk band’s visit to our shores just around the corner, we decided to go and find some interesting facts for your reading pleasure.
Check out these 8 facts about the band:
1. They have a secret past
They were shrouded in secrecy when they first emerged on the scene at the beginning of 2013. Known as only J and T, they released a video for their song Platoon on Vimeo and YouTube in June 2013 which featured a six-year-old girl named Terra break-dancing. Needless to say, the video went viral.
2.They have the same take on fame as Sia
People have figured out that J and T is short for Tom McFarland and Josh Lloyd-Watson, but they seem to be very chilled about the whole anonymity thing. In an interview with Esquire Magazine in 2014 they said: "We’re not trying to hide who we are, we just want to be known for the music and what we create visually. The music’s more interesting than we are." Cudos.
3. Best friends forever
The British funk collective have been friends since they were nine years old, where they lived next door to each other in Shepherds Bush, London. How sweet!
4. Prince Harry?
When searching for a photo of Jungle on US stock photo agency Getty Images, this random photo pops up: (At least Prince Harry is also British!)
5. Blondes have more fun!
Before forming Jungle, they created the psych-pop group Born Blonde who released one album in 2012.
6.Crak! Smack! Doef! Quack!
They use weird everyday noises and sounds in their music. In 2014 they told Rolling Stone magazine that their song Drops features the sound of Lloyd-Watson's bedroom door creaking open and shut. Ostensible drums are created out of a set of car keys, a Coke can pull-tab, a crunch of Pringles potato chips or a pack of cigarettes hitting the table. "I slap myself in the face a couple of times on Son of a Gun because it sounds like a snare and that's hilarious," McFarlane told Rolling Stone.
7. Seven! Seven! Seven!
They perform live as a seven piece band. Impressive!
8. They like us! They really, really like us!
And lastly, they love getting their fans all excited for their shows, like this shout-out to their SA fans on their Facebook page: "Really looking forward to playing in South Africa next week. See you there. Jungle x"
Tour details:
Cape Town
Venue: Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Date: Friday, 1 April 2016
Ticket Price: R425
Tickets available from Webtickets
Support Act: Goodluck
Gates Open: 18:00*
This is an all ages event.
*Times subject to change.
Johannesburg
Sowing The Seeds music & lifestyle festival 2016:
Venue: Emmarentia Dam, Johannesburg
Date: Saturday, 2 April 2016
Ticket Price: R495 pp. (Children under 7 years enter free)
Tickets Available: via the website
Support Act: Goodluck
Gates Open: 10:00 (subject to change)
(Sources: Rolling Stone magazine, Esquire magazine, Wikipedia, Getty Images)