Latest Update

Yesterday we started shooting our upcoming music video for "To Amber", suffice it to say we have a new found respect for all the actors we've previously demeaned and insulted. Glamorous it was not but we're super excited about the the end product and can't wait till we can share it with everyone. Yipee!

We're also off to Durban again later this week and we're taking our good friend and photographer Chris Stamatiou along to document the journey. Chris is going to be bound by a strict, water-tight confidentiality agreement in the unlikely event that any unsavory photographs end up in the batch...hehe

Check out some of Chris's work at:

http://chrisstamatiouphotography.blogspot.com/

Have a listen to our music :

http://www.reverbnation.com/cortinawhiplash

Pay The Musicians!

"Lately, I’ve been saddened to hear about artists who are fighting for payments from event organisers or promoters. This past week, I’ve spoken to at least 3 artists who are engaged in a deadlock over due money. Sadly, without contracts, they’ll probably never see a cent from those rat bastards.

In fact, forget about what I’ve just said, I’m actually enraged about this. Here’s the simple and plain truth from your friendly neighbourhood music journalist: don’t bitch about not being able to live off of your craft if you continue to devalue it and refuse to utilise contracts (they’re like the equivalent of condoms, while the music scene is pretty much the filthy whore).

If you’re playing without a 50% upfront fee and a contract, please go to your garage right now (I’m not joking, do it!), dig around in the toolbox for the heaviest hammer you can find, go inside the house and smash your instrument to pieces – I’ve just saved you. Hallelujah!

Passion vs. money

Sometimes, when you’re asking for money, which seems to be a curse word in this godforsaken industry, slick and shady characters might question your passion levels or genuine love for music and probably tell you stupid shit like “where’s the passion, dude? You should be grateful to just get your art out there” or “this is an awesome opportunity for you. You should actually be paying me to reach the masses”. Despite these brain-farts and warped sense of reality, the truth is that if you play, they should pay. It’s really a no-brainer here. You diminish your value and worth as an artist every time you get up on a stage for peanuts. Yes, artists also have a right to get paid.

Think you’re selling out by playing for money? Well, then I’m a sell-out for writing for money. The promoter is a sell-out. The venue is a sell-out. Your mom is a sell-out. Heck, even your dog is a sell-out for eating branded dog food – get my point? Selling out is a redundant term in a society that needs (not wants) money to survive – shit doesn’t just grow on trees, you know?

As the girls from Cortina Whiplash said, “Musicians spend a lot of time rehearsing, travelling, maintaining their gear, studying and working on their trade; what gives anyone the right not to compensate them for that?” "

- Sergio Pereira

Go read more here:

Next Big Thing - LW Mag interview

"We interview the funky, spunky, fiesty and super-talented ladies from Cortina Whiplash - the Next Big Thing and a band sure to shake things up in the music industry. Be prepared for some no holds barred answers - these ladies are the furtherest thing from dull, will make you laugh and most importantly - make you want to check out one of their gigs! We think they're awesome!"

-LW Mag

Here`s the link link!

http://lwmag.co.za/music/next-big-thing-cortina-whiplash/

As 2010 winds to a close

we reflect on what we've achieved, what we've done wrong, who wore what where (not really).

and in conclusion, as a band we've realized that as cool as we think we are we'll never be cool enough for some people, and instead of wondering what we can do to change that perception we've accepted that all the money in the world can't buy those people taste. It's been a tough acknowledgment to have to make but we've finally realized that their poor taste has nothing to do with us because we're just plain awesome. (Hey, we love ourselves and that's ok).

Did we ever want to be in a position to have to convince people to buy our 'product'? No! we just want to be freakin' musicians and if there was a way to do that fulltime without having to make money from it well then you probably wouldn't see us scrambling to get recognition from this industry. That's right, we'd be existing happily in our little world where artists add value to society, making music and trying to get in touch with the truth behind our existence. So excuse us if we don't eat s*&! to do what we do. One day maybe people will realize that freedom of expression has more value than insurance brokers or meat dresses. Hell maybe one day the doctors from Medecins sans frontieres will get a reality tv show and some respect for what they do instead of the empty, shallow crap we get bombarded with every day.

We're musicians who dream of a brighter future and in the meantime we express ourselves through our music and try as best as we can to fit into this strange, backwards world we find ourselves a part of.

Peace in the Middle East