Francois Van Coke is playing it forward

Francois Van Coke had a roller coaster of a year in 2015 and he’s kick-starting 2016 with a new release. After the atrocious attacks in Paris which occurred on the 13th of November 2015,

The Eagles of Death Metal issued a challenge to other musicians to cover their song I Love You All The Time:

“For every cover sold, we pledge to donate 100% of the publishing income to The Sweet Stuff Foundation. We ask that you also donate the money generated from sales of the song to the charity.”

Because Francois Van Coke believes unifying and healing power of music, he felt moved by this plea to help raise funds for the victims of the Paris attacks and followed suit.

“I felt that I wanted to be a part of the Play It Forward campaign because I was touched by the attacks at the Eagles of Death Metal show. I also feel a bit of a connection with the band because we played with them when they were in South Africa.

I am a huge fan of the band and I Love You All the Time was my favourite song on their new album. It was an honour to record this song.”

Francois Van Coke’s stripped down and pure version of I Love You All the Time was recorded with Theo Crous at Bellville Studios

Jedd Kossew played guitar on the track. He translated the French part of the original version into Afrikaans: “I translated the French part to Afrikaans to make it more my own, plus my French pronunciation would’ve been bad.”

Francois’ version of I Love You All the Time can be purchased from iTunes. I had a listen to it and I must say that I think that it’s pretty legit, the Afrikaans parts really does add an interesting flavour and substance to it.

Listen to Eagles of Death Metal’s original version HERE.

Great news is that Francois van Coke and Karen Zoid’s super fantastic live DVD, Toe Vind Ek Jou, will hit the stores on the 8^th of February 2016. The show could only be seen on Box Office for a period at the end of 2015, but the demand was so huge that DVDs had to be manufactured and made available for fans to purchase.

This collector’s item is packed with beautiful rock ‘n roll moments shared between two of South African rock’s greatest. The popular Toe Vind Ek Jou live shows are regularly sold out, so this DVD serves as the perfect keepsake and gift for fans.

The Vrede Foundation – founded by Herman Pretorius, who lost his battle with cancer eight days before his 30th birthday in 2009 – is dedicated to raising awareness, early detection, as well as funds for young South Africans with cancer. South African rock legend and Pretorius’ close friend, Francois Van Coke has partnered with Relate Bracelets to sell a bespoke Relate bracelet to raise funds for the Vrede Foundation.

Francois Van Coke comments on his involvement in the Vrede Foundation

“Herman and I have a long history. From playing in bands together in high school in the 90s to being part of the rise of the Bellville rock scene in the 2000s, he was truly my blood brother. His death was a blow not only to those of us who knew him and the South African rock scene, but also to the people he was reaching through the Vrede Foundation. Partnering with Relate on this bracelet is the least I can do to honour him, his legacy, and the message he was trying to deliver.”

The Francois van Coke Relate Bracelet, retailing at R50, will be launched on 18 February in Cape Town (Fire & Ice Cape Town) & 23 February in Pretoria (Fire & Ice Menlyn), when Van Coke performs a FREE acoustic show. The bracelets will also be on sale at all of Francois’ 2016 shows and concerts.

You catch Francois live at RAD in Centurion on Friday the 29th of January, at the UFS Jool in Bloem on the 3oth of January, at Park Off at the Jan Marais Nature Reserve in Stellenbosch on the 31st of January, at United Trustco Sport Grounds Olympia in Windhoek on the 20th of February, at Good Luck Bar in Johannesburg on the 25th of February, at Trademarx in Pretoria on the 26th of February, at Annibrandfees in Uitenhage on the 27th of February and at Atterbury Theatre in Pretoria on the 28th of February.

Watch this space for regular updates in the Music News category on SA Music Zone.