Into a scene littered with acts that are all-too-often carbon copies of those dominating the global music charts comes The Sick-Leaves, a band whose debut album, Tunnel Vision, signalled a sea-change in South Africa’s rock landscape.
The Sick-Leaves is the brainchild of singer, songwriter and guitarist Eksteen Jacobsz. After spending two years in London, performing extensively with his band, The Infidels (performances included sharing the stage with The Libertines; one of the most influential Brit rock bands of the last decade), he returned to South Africa in 2004 to study contemporary music/guitar and further his career in rock’n’roll.
During the winter of 2004 he met drummer Warrick Poultney through a small, untidy, scribbled ad posted in a music shop. With both musicians sharing a love for dark psychedelic music they hit it straight off to start work on new original material. After numerous provisional names they decided on The Sick-Leaves. “I was jobless at the time and the idea of being able to take sick-leave and get paid at the same time while nothing is wrong with you really appealed to my muso mindset. The name also played on the double meaning…”. Months followed where they unsuccessfully looked for the suitable bassist with numerous auditions failing to supply the missing link. Says Jacobsz, “ It was ridiculous. Not being able to find a bassist who was compatible with our personalities and music influences, we sort of became a White Stripes outfit. Songs were crafted at a prodigious rate though and it laid the foundation for Tunnel Vision in the regard that the guitar became the main focal point and the bass was secondary.”
With time relentlessly moving onwards and patience running out Jacobsz decided to record a full length album. Producer Mathew Fink was brought in and the album was recorded in 8 days during Dec 2005 and Jan 2006. “ There was a lot of pre-production(a whole year of it) but looking back I would not have done it differently. Obviously you would want a longer period in the studio but there were budget restraints and I feel all in all that with what we we had we did the best we could”, says Jacobsz. Fink also mixed and mastered the record.
Out of the blue the bassist suddenly arrived in the form of James “Strangelove” Botes and everything suddenly fell into place. Botes brought a new angle to the live act with energetic, explosive performances on bass and synth bass. Without so much as having played 5 shows together the band was signed by Sheer Music for a distribution and marketing deal in April 2006 and the album was shortly released thereafter on 20 May 2006.
“Tunnel Vision, the 13-track offering from this newcomer to the music scene conjures up a sonic brew that takes its inspiration from the best indie Brit rock on the block but filters that through enough of an individual musical approach to create a sound that’s fresh to even the most jaded musical ears.” Diane Coetzer – Entertainment Africa.
The album received critical acclaim across the board from South African publications and was nominated by Blunt Magazine as one of the best 2006 South African releases.

On the album the band augmented the feverish Brit-rock blueprint of bands like Placebo (“Kiss & Tell”) with an array of influences that take in 60s garage rock grit (“Coffee Break”) and pop smiles (“Short Skirts”), deft doses of 70s psychedelia (“Across The Line”) and glam rock (“Tell You All”) and unadorned 80's disco punk (“The Usual Favours”).
While a truly inspired layering of guitars creates a compelling sound on the album, what’s most striking about Tunnel Vision is that the songs are so impeccably served by Jacobsz astonishingly skilled guitar-playing. The albums title track, for starters, is capable of notching up loads of radio-play with its combination of a melody that sticks in your head like bubblegum, and lyrics that ensnare with ease. Other songs are just as strong-Such a Waster boasts an insistent hook and provides an ample showcase for Jacobsz voice (which recalls Placebos Brian Molko in its high-pitched intensity) and Par Avion reveals Jacobsz ability to write songs about universal subjects, like aloneness and relationships gone skew.
The band’s first short national tour was undertaken in June 2006, playing ten dates in Bloemfontein, Stellenbosch, Cape Town and Hermanus. A nasty curve ball gave the band a big set back however in the following month when both Poultney and Botes had to leave the band due to other commitments.
Jacobsz was very lucky though to find drummer Wesley Robus as a permanent replacement and bassist, Quinn Hawley, filling in temporarily. Robus (who has played with Zolan Sky, Short & Root and Colourblind and has no stamp collection) was born in Durban but moved to Johannesburg in the late 1980s. Heavily influenced by funk it made for a different rhythmic approach that has helped the band move away from its originally labelled indie sound.
The Sick-Leaves once again made history when they played the main stage at the legendary Oppikoppi rock festival in Northam after having played only five shows together as a three piece. The show was not without incidence though due to a horrific throat infection Jacobsz suffered on the day and the lack of show fitness. Reviews were nonetheless positive with comments that this was a band to look out for in the very near future. Support shows soon also followed with renowned South African acts Prime Circle and Fokofpolisiekar at the world famous Blues Room in Sandton City.
In January 2007 one of the best bass players and most versatile musicians in South Africa became a permanent member of The Sick-Leaves, named Lionel Naidoo(influences cited - anything that is not being played on radio). It also marked the return of previous bass player James Botes on Synth, Backing Vocals and Acoustic Guitar. This fortunate chain of events has changed the dynamics of the band immeasurably. With a sound bigger than 10 freight trains pulling into Liverpool station at once, the stage is set for this adventurous, energetic and innovative young band to take the world by storm.
Now honing their live act, the group is taking their set of songs on Tunnel Vision to a local audience hankering after an authentic rock experience.

“We believe that we have an album and live show that can stand up to anything released and played internationally and with so many rock fans living in places like America and the UK its a logical step for us to spread our sound as wide as possible”, Jacobsz says. “Making music is not a hobby for The Sick-Leaves. It is our lives.”

The Sick-Leaves is getting an exceptional amount of airplay on all radio stations and is sure to become a house-hold name in South Africa.