THE LOTTERY TICKETS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY THOMAS PEPLER
WEBSITE: www.myspace.com/thelotterytickets
COUNTRY: South Africa STYLE: Indie / Powerpop

HOW DID YOU GUYS DECIDE ON THE BAND NAME “THE LOTTERY TICKETS”, I GUESS YOU DON’T PLAY THE LOTTO ALLOT?

It came to Robert in a dream; Shaka Zulu appeared over his sleeping bag and told him that he should call the band that. So we did. It’s been alright ever since.We actually had the idea of taking out the lotto before every show…became a mission or either forgot, so not actually.

IF THREE MILLION RAND OR MAYBE POUNDS DID “FALL OUT OF THE SKY”, WHAT WOULD YOU BUY?

Proper instruments first of all. Then maybe a watermelon farm. And a few Gatsby’s.

ON YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE UNDER “GENRE” YOU GUYS DESCRIBE YOUR SOUND AS “POST ZIMBABWEAN RHODESIAN SOFT ROCK”, HOW HAS THE BAND’S SOUND EVOLVED SINCE YOU GUYS STARTED AND IN WHAT DIRECTION DO YOU SEE THE BAND’S SOUND MOVING IN THE FUTURE?

The bands sound will move to Port Elizabeth. We will have to find a new one then in the Cape Ads. Seriously though, we learnt to play our instruments together at the same time. So that’s been a good thing.

FROM WATCHING THE VIDEO ON YOUR MYSPACE, I SEE YOU GUYS USE WHAT I THINK ARE FENDER GUITARS, WHAT OTHER EQUIPMENT DO YOU GUYS USE?

Mike swopped his BMX for a sketchy bass guitar, Robert used the band fund to buy a no-name Fender Rip-off, Reggy has nice drums and cymbals and James has too much money, pedals, tuners, amps, the works!5.

HOW MANY GIGS DO YOU GUYS HAVE UNDER THE BELT AND WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR 2009 WHEN IT COMES TO PLAYING LIVE?

Wow…good question, let’s see…about 20 – 30. So we are still stage virgins.

IS THERE ONE VENUE THAT HAS BECOME YOUR “HOME” FOR SOME REASON… THE ONE PLACE WHERE YOU SEEM TO PLAY THE MOST?

Not really, maybe The Hidden Cellar, it feels like home. Deidre and Jose know how to make people feel at home. The after show shots are always classic.

HOW ARE THINGS LOOKING ON THE RECORDING FRONT FOR THIS YEAR AND WHERE CAN PEOPLE STILL GET THEIR HANDS ON “THE LOAN SHARK EP”?

They are sold out. Download, copy some else’s, look in Cash Crusaders. We are looking at recording soon. Looking forward to get some new songs down.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE TITLE “THE LOAN SHARK”… THERE ISN’T A GUY OUT THERE NAMED BORIS THAT WANTS TO BREAK YOUR KNEECAPS IS THERE?

We’d like to hope not! The concept is based on the story of a lonely great white shark with no friends and a passion for jazz.

ON A SCALE OF ONE TO TEN, HOW GOOD CAN YOU DEFEND YOURSELF?

It varies. James A: 10 James R: 8 Robert: 4 Mike: 1

WHAT SUBJECTS DO YOU GUYS LIKE TO COVER IN YOUR LYRICS?

English HG, Afrikaans HG, History HG, Economics HG, Art SG and Biology HG.Nah, mostly girls and other tear jerking subjects like that.

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU CAME UP WITH “THE BEST SONG EVER” IN YOUR HEAD BUT THEN FORGOT IT AGAIN?

Well…James went overseas to the Shetland islands and had a epiphany about life, wrote a song that he claimed to be the next thing, met a rare otter. Came home and forget it. Arsehole.

I SEE THAT A NUMBER OF POP STARS ARE PERFORMING FOR RICH PEOPLE AT PRIVATE FUNCTIONS FOR A FEW MILLION A PERFORMANCE THESE DAYS WOULD YOU GUYS EVER CONSIDER THE WHOLE “WEDDING SINGER” THING IF THE MONEY WAS GOOD ENOUGH?

Hell Yes!!! We are sell-outs! We do weddings, funerals, 21’sts, Matric Dances, Bar Mitzvahs, Initiation Camps, Memorial Days, and Bingo Evenings. You pay, we play.

ANY LAST COMMENTS/ADVISE OR PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO THANK?

Thanks to Patrick Swayze and Keuna Reeves for Point Break. It changed our lives.
It will change yours. Watch it.