taxi violence

Since getting together over a jam session at a military base in June 2004, Taxi Violence have gone on to stake their rightful claim as one of South Africa's most prized independent rock acts, rocking crowds, winning awards and gathering a legion of ardent followers wherever their music is heard. With an attitude towards their music that shuns conventional record industry practices (sign to a major label, release an album, break-up), the band have managed to single-handedly, and independently, achieve in four some years what a lot of bands don't achieve in a lifetime, whilst still retaining their artistic freedom and integrity.
From the get-go, everything about this hard working rock band that hails from Cape Town has been stamped with a sense of the unique. Not content to follow the herd and belt out the popular sound of the day, Taxi Violence chose the path less traveled, adopting retro rock 'n roll/ Southern swamp blues as their medium of artistic expression.
When the front covers of South Africa's daily entertainment newspapers throughout three different cities announced the arrival of "The next BIG things!" early on in 2006, it was with a sense of uncanny prophecy, for in the months that followed, Taxi Violence would, through sheer dedication and solid musicianship, rise from relative local obscurity to being a band in national demand.
From radio to television and in print, Taxi Violence are that band whose songs take up welcome residence in your mind for days on end. Raw, unprocessed guitar, driving bass, powerful drum beats and in-your-face, yet melodic vocal styles are the fundamental elements that define the sound of Taxi Violence.
Live, on stage is perhaps where the music of Taxi Violence is best experienced. Regardless of whether playing all acoustic on stage in a small club to a handful of fans or at full throttle in a stadium to thousands, Taxi Violence's music is a tangible force that is as palpable as fine Southern bourbon, and as equally intoxicating. No music festival in their home country has dared not have them appear somewhere in the better part of their draw-card line-up.
In boldly ploughing an independent route Taxi Violence have been an inspiration to a lot of new bands that seek to follow in their footsteps.