Willim Welsyn

Willim Welsyn (William Welfare)
Willim Welsyn performing at Zeegunst, Vleesbaai. Photo by Jessica Botha.
Background information
Birth name	John William F. Barnard
Born	(1984-09-17) 17 September 1984 Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, South Africa
Origin	Ladismith, Western Cape
Genres	Rock, folk, Sunshine rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter, guitarist, bassist, podcaster
Years active	2002–present
Labels	Next Music Welfare Records
Associated acts	Willim Welsyn en die Sunrise Toffies
Website	www.williamwelfare.co.za
Notable instruments
Swedish Custom Vintage Hagstrom P46 Epiphone Custom Les Paul SG Martin & Co. -DCPA5K Epiphone Korina Explorer Squier Stratocaster Washburn D10CE Orange and Marshall Guitar Amplifiers

Willim Welsyn aka William Welfare (born William Barnard: 17 September 1984), is a South African rock singer/songwriter, filmmaker and podcaster originally from Ladismith in the Western Cape. He is better known as the lead singer and guitarist for the Afrikaans Rock band, Willim Welsyn en die Sunrise Toffies and as former photographer, features writer and podcast host for the South African Rolling Stone magazine.^[1][2]

History

Willim Welsyn recorded his first self-titled solo EP in 2002 at the age of 17. In 2004 he recorded his first full-length solo album, "Feromoon Rose'". In the same year Welsyn met up with Panna Dekker (bass guitar) and Etienne Nel (drums) during a SABC 2 television interview where Welsyn asked Dekker and Nel to pose as his backing band for a promotional music video clip that would air with the initial interview. After the interview they formed Willim Welsyn en die Sunrise Toffies and recorded their first full-length album, "Buikspraak in 2005.

Willim Welsyn en die Sunrise Toffies started touring and shot two music videos for the songs, "Toastersport" and "Coca Cola Sunrise". Dekker left the band soon hereafter. For three months Welsyn and Nel performed as a two-piece band, when Welsyn approached a bass guitar player from Jeffreys Bay, Gerhard Grobler, to join the band. In 2007 they recorded their second full-length album, Kompos en Kraai. Shortly after the Kompos en Kraai recording they signed a record deal with Next Music. Shortly after the release of Kompos en Kraai they released two music videos from the album, "Soos ’n Skoolhoof" en "Die mooiste van dit alles".

In 2008 drummer Etienne Nel was involved in a serious car accident in Stellenbosch. He suffered multiple injuries and was temporarily replaced by Tim Rankin, the sound engineer who worked on Kompos en Kraai and the drummer for the Cape Town-based band, Bed on Bricks. In the same year Welsyn recorded his second full-length solo album, Maanplaas, with Schalk van der Merwe, also from Bed Bricks, on bass guitar and Tim Rankin on drums. Van der Merwe also produced the album. Maanplaas`s sound differed from Willim Welsyn en die Sunrise Toffies's previous high-paced rock albums, taking a more relaxed, country and folk direction.

In 2009 Welsyn enrolled at Stellenbosch University, Grobler enrolled at the Cape Audio College and Nel started working full-time. Willim Welsyn en die Sunrise Toffies still kept performing occasional live shows, while Welsyn also pursued his solo career.

In 2010 Grobler travelled to Thailand and was replaced by bassist Louis Esterhuizen, who was previously the bassist and guitarist of Rooibaardt. In September 2010 Welsyn recorded his third full-length solo album, Smeer die Weerlig, with Nel on drums, Jo Ellis on organ and piano and Welsyn on guitar, vocals and bass guitar. Smeer die Weerlig was produced by Jo Ellis, who also produced Welsyn's first two albums and Willim Welsyn en die Sunrise Toffies's first album.^[3]

Rolling Stone South Africa

In 2012 Welsyn graduated with from the University of Stellenbosch with a bachelor's degree in Humanities ^[4] and then started working full-time at the South African Rolling Stone magazine as online editor, features writer and photographer. ^{[5][6][7][8][9]}

In March 2013 Welsyn launched the Rolling Stone SA podcast show on www.rollingstone.co.za which he produced and co-hosted with RS editor in chief, Miles Keylock and RS digital editor, Anton Marshall. The podcast show featured a mixture of in-depth conversations, interviews, previews of upcoming feature articles and discussions of relevant topics of the day.^[10]

William Welfare

In September 2013 Willim Welsyn changed his name to William Welfare (an English translation) for his first upcoming English album set to be released in 2014. “4 Cups Of Dust" is the first official single and video by William Welfare.

The video sees Welfare and drummer Kyle Gray recording the track live at Blooroom Studios in Ladismith and then traveling to the Oppikoppi Bewilderbeast 2013 Festival.

The footage was shot by Welfare and Gray on a GoPro knock-off camera while they were both covering the festival for Rolling Stone SA Magazine in August 2013. Welfare interviewed most of the artists seen in the video during the festival. Some of these artists include Chino Moreno from Deftones, Koos Kombuis, Black Cat Bones, Bittereinder, Shadowclub, Jack Parow and Tumi Molekane from Tumi and The Volume.

“The video shows how fast-paced and crazy my job as a traveling music journalist and musician is. There’s no time to set up shit and get the lighting right – I have to be in 10 places at once. It’s a DIY point an’ shoot mash-up”, said Welfare.

When asked why Welsyn translated his name and decided to record his first English album he said, “I always figured that if a 1000 people in South Africa could dig my Afrikaans music then maybe 10 000 people around the world could dig my English music.”

In 2014 Welfare released Shunt on 180g vinyl via Valve House Music and Publishing.^[11]

WAT Met Willim Welsyn Podcast

Willim Welsyn interviewing Anton Goosen on his WAT Podcast show.

After Rolling Stone South Africa magazine closed its doors in 2014, Welsyn started a weekly Afrikaans podcast show called 'WAT Met Willim Welsyn'. Released on Thursdays, the show features interviews with fellow musicians and legendary South African artists, writers and comedians.^[12] On 8 April 2016, after releasing 51 episodes, WAT Met Willim Welsyn became the first Afrikaans podcast show to reach the number 1 position on iTunes South Africa's podcast charts in the Performing Arts category.^[13]

Awards and nominations

Discography

• Willim Welsyn - Willim WelsynEP 2002
• Willim Welsyn - Feromoon Rose 2004
• Willim Welsyn en die Sunrise Toffies - Buikspraak 2005
• Willim Welsyn en die Sunrise Toffies - Kompos en Kraai 2007
• Willim Welsyn - Maanplaas 2008
• Willim Welsyn - Smeer die Weerlig 2010
• William Welfare - Shunt 2014
• Willim Welsyn - Blitzkriek 2017 ^[20]

Filmography

• "Zeegunst: By Invite Only" - Documentary 2014

In 2014 Welsyn got commissioned to shoot a behind-the-scenes video of a private music festival. During post production the video began to take the shape as a documentary. Valve House Music and Publishing decided to release the film on DVD. Hidden among the South African dunes of Vlees Bay and Fransmanshoek’s nature reserve and conservation area you’ll find the private holiday property of the four Hanekom brothers named Zeegunst. The documentary investigates the four Hanekom brothers’ logistical building blocks and motives for hosting one of the most secretive new year’s festivals in the country. With interviews and live recordings of some of the most legendary local fringe bands and artists like Piet Botha, Akkedis, The Black Cat Bones, Albert Frost, Gerald Clark, Ann Jangle, William Welfare, Southern Gypsey Queen en Dirk Ace of the Voëlvry movement – "Zeegunst" tells the underground story of one family’s ambitious efforts to begin the new year on a high note.^[21]

References

External links

• http://www.willimwelsyn.co.za
• http://www.williamwelfare.com