Jim Neversink

Jim Neversink (Michael Whitehead of Famous Curtain Trick) and his band of merry music makers are currently one of Johannesburg’s most exciting live bands - they play mutated rock ’n roll, country and blues with an urgent indie edge. Jim Neversink is an awesome singer song-writer who pens truly South African songs about heartache, suicide pacts, serial killers, copywriters and Benylin addicts that are both entertaining and thought provoking, but the band are as at home ripping through great covers like ‘That’s Alright Mama’, ‘King Bee’ and ‘You Gotta Move’.

Neversink’s wild lap-steel playing, along with Katherine Hunt’s chilling violin phrases add a fresh edge to Jim Neversink’s live performances, but it’s the sum of all parts that make this a truly remarkable live experience. Warrick Poultney is the understated but ‘solid as a rock’ drummer who holds it all together with Katherine on bass (when she is not playing violin or mandolin),whilst Matthew Fink (rhythm & effects) and Jim both play the guitar like it’s meant to be played – with empathy!(see Neil Young, Keith Richards, Johnny Marr). From shambolic to wild to swinging this band rocks and rolls with feeling and emotion long-gone from the live scene and replaced with the ‘American copy cat rock’ currently endured at most South African venues. In short, it’s a cut above the usual fare dished out across the country and it’s something that anyone who takes their music seriously needs to experience.

Jim Neversink and band’s influences include Hank Williams, Sonic Youth, Velvet Underground, Gram Parson, The Clash, Tananas and The ‘Voelvry’ Movement – local trainspotters are comparing them to Arcade Fire or The Bright Eyes.

Jim Neversink’s self titled debut album (produced by Matthew Fink) was newspaper The Star Tonight’s! ‘Album of The Year’ and was also in Afrikaans newspaper Die Beeld’s Top 10 albums for 2006 – for more check out www.myspace.com/westernworld.

‘…an alternative for film, TV, and media functions – the creative people are at all their gigs anyway…’