Chemistry is often the driving force behind creativity in music. Chemistry is what is evident from the opening song with Matt Wilson and Hezron Chetty. The duo are known as The Incidentals and have just completed a tour of the coasts of KZN and the Western Cape.
Vocalist and guitarist Wilson is well known on the Durban music scene with his groups Sibling Rivalry and, more recently, Carboot Vendors. Violinist Chetty has played with many artists locally and nationally, moving from house to punk to rock.
The two are also part of a bigger group, The Accidentals. This is a quasi Durban supergroup which includes musicians from the drumming crew THC, underground punkers Low Level and Sibling Rivalry.
The Accidentals made their festival debut earlier this year at Retrofest where they went down exceptionally well.
Says Lappies, drummer of The Accidentals: “We are planning to take the country by storm. We are now a six-piece, which includes two guitars, a violin, bass, drums and a saxophone.”
The Accidentals have been rehearsing furiously for a huge gig at Live – The Venue on Saturday night.
In the meantime, the acoustic duo that is The Incidentals are playing at gigs in and around Durban, including at the hipster- frequented Corner Café in Glenwood.
Watching them perform on Saturday afternoon, it is clear the two complement each other. Wilson’s gravelly voice and penetratingly honest lyrics are propelled by Hezron’s sensitive understanding of music. They play songs mostly from the vast repertoire Wilson has written over the years. An opportunity to work in Thailand suddenly arose in 2011 and within a few days he had left our shores and Carboot Vendors. During his sojourn he wrote and recorded a solo album.
The two met when Wilson did a guest spot with Fruits & Veggies for which Hezron was the violinist.
“I was missing being in a band,” recalls Wilson.
“We had always chatted about working together,” says Hezron. “I love working with other songwriters and am one myself.”
“We are becoming a songwriting team,” says Wilson.
Lappies, who, for the past 20 years has been active on the Durban music scene as a promoter, musician and events organiser, put the two of them together. However, the idea of a band grew, resulting in The Accidentals.
While there are big plans afoot for The Accidentals, Hezron and Wilson also saw a lucrative and simple way to make money through their music in the form of a two-piece, featuring violin, vocals and guitar, hence the tour which they did by bus, car, train and plane.
They played from Mthatha to the Grahamstown Festival to Port Elizabeth to Cape Town and were very happy with the responses.
Their production company, Groundsweep Records and Productions, put on parties around Durban. There’s an event once a month at Jack Rabbits where they have themed parties.
The two say they are fed up with musicians being taken for a ride by venues and promoters and have decided to do something about it. So these proactive musicians, off and on stage, are gearing up a notch.
• Check out the Gig Guide on Friday for the latest Incidentals performances, but certainly catch The Accidentals at Live – The Venue on Saturday.