We’ve been following you for a while now, and it seems like every day is different for you. But what does a normal day for you consist of?

Well, we’re on course to play upwards of 150 shows this year… so I suspect a normal day in the sense that ‘this is what I do on more days than not’, involves waking up, sitting in a van or bus driving from venue to venue, smashing through interviews and band promo stuff during that drive, and then playing a show that evening. Then we would meet tons of people after the show, sign things and hang out, and then sleep in a hotel or at one of our many friends around the world, and then wash, rinse, repeat. That’s my normal day, but I’m not sure if it can be considered a normal day, so to speak.[laughter]

Can you tell us a bit about Greenpop and how people can get involved?

Greenpop is a tree-planting organisation I founded five years ago with two friends. We plant trees in under-green communities all around Southern Africa and to date we’ve planted more than 60,000 trees. The plan was to make tree planting cool - because, seriously, anything can be cool - and the way we did that was by introducing music and culture and art and intelligent design and progressive language to the way we do business. Anyone who wants to get involved can look us up on greenpop. org, and click on the volunteers tab.

As well as starting up Greenpop, you’re obviously also a musician, when did you start getting into music?

Around the time I was 20. I wasn’t enjoying college, but I had found great release in my guitar. So in the evenings, it was financial maths or the guitar… seems a pretty easy decision in hindsight. [laughter] Thankfully I managed to graduate nonetheless, but I had the bug, so to speak.

Do you have an inspirational place or a particular person that inspires you?

People in general inspire me. My family, other musicians, artists, inspiration is everywhere. I think South Africa as a nation inspires me, as much as it troubles me too. People forget that to come from the history we have come from and to not have had a civil war during the changing of power is pretty remarkable. We’re not without our problems but inspiration should be found in any story where achievement and/or output far exceeds expectations and limitations.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

‘The skillful warrior stirs, but is not stirred.’ Sun Tzu said that. Unpack its meaning. That is powerful stuff! 

What is your favourite beach in the world and why? 

Noordhoek beach, or specifically a surf break called Dunes, which is right by my home in Kommetjie, just on the outskirts of Cape Town. Great waves, great beach, smells and feels and is - home. What more does one need?