This year my journalist friend Roger Young asked me to shootsome images for an article he was writing for Rolling Stone SA on Durban’sfavourite ‘Afropunk flops’, Fruits and Veggies. Having known this bunch for agood couple of years as both friends and non paying clients (Durban musiciansare perpetually broke) I was overjoyed to land this assignment, not even takinginto account that it would be going into the Rolling Stone. I struggled for a longtime to come up with a conceptual shoot for this project, especially after the success of this: http://www.behance.net/gallery/Fruits-and-Veggies/5116259

We decided to stay true to the reputation of the band andinstead of planning anything elaborate we rented a hotel room in one of thedodgiest ‘pay by the hour’ hotels in town for a night. I followed the bandaround for an evening, starting at sound check, pre drinks at a different bar, shenanigansin the band room, and then shot the gig. After that we all went off to theWillowvale Hotel, where there was a trance party in progress on the groundlevel. We partied with some middle age hippies and proceeded to our room. Itwas supposed to be a lock in with the band, myself and Roger but it had somehowturned into an after party for their show. The hotel room was quickly destroyedand I moved the band into the bath, the only space which was free.

Roger wanted to beef up the article a bit, so I took somemore photographs of the Veggies at Oppikoppi – a music festival located anunpleasant 10 hours drive away from Durban. A portrait of vocalist Purityalmost made the cover, having been approved by the NY branch but Bob Dylan shaton our glory. I then also took some set up and lit photographs of Purity and her daughter andthe entire band in a pool. Our assignment was published as a 14 page story inthe October 2012 issue of the Rolling Stone.

Hear some of their music here: http://www.reverbnation.com/fruitsveggies
Fruits and Veggies on FB: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fruits-Veggies/79335485728