It’s the mid-90s, the height of the grunge scene, and it is at this time that a young Afrikaans boy who is about to attend high school is introduced to rock music.
Music from bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam find its way into his heart and form the insatiable need within him to make music, and from then on starts his fascination with the genre.
It was a surprising love to acquire given that as a child he grew up listening to the classical music his father would play and the gospel music his mother would find peace through. The love of rock music would give rise to Francois Van Coke who has captivated the Afrikaans community for the past 20 years.
The Northcliff Melville Times sat down with this rock star just before he gave an exhilarating performance at Höerskool Linden when it welcomed the community to its Lindenfees. He said it was a privilege to perform there as this was his first time.
“In the Afrikaans community, my music can be offensive at times, so we do not get the opportunity to play at schools often,” he said.
The Toe Vind Ek Jou singer shared how his musical career started back in 2003 with his band Fokofpolisiekar which he still plays with, and is also part of Van Coke Kartel. Although Van Coke grew up with music, it was not the genre he has found himself playing all these years. “I never got a rock n roll education from them [parents] but I got into music because of them,” he said adding that as a child his parents and he would watch loads of Disney musicals together.
The Afrikaans rock star was far from being naïve about how his music could be viewed as offensive to some. However, he recognised that for the most part, the Afrikaans community were supportive of artists such as him who sang in Afrikaans as it gave them something they could identify with.
“Even if people are not necessarily into the genre of music I do which is hard rock, some people look past the genre and identify with the lyrical content because it’s Afrikaans.”
Now married and a father of two, his life has changed completely, from being the young boy who just wanted to rock the world to be a man who wants to rock the world but still get home in time to tuck his children into bed.
“When I was younger and touring, my mission was to be on the road and party every day, now I have a family and a house to go home to and this changed my perspective.”
Van Coke’s fans will be happy to know he has no plans to stop rocking any time soon. As someone who admires bands that have longevity, he aims to live up to this with his bands for the next 20 years and beyond.
