'Music is like the wind'- Franco

Chippa Legodimo | Wednesday January 8, 2014 15:10

While his most recent albums failed to create the excitement that greeted releases like Ke Lela Le Lona and Robala Nnana, Franco still attracts music promoters even beyond our borders.

He recently performed alongside some of South Africa's greatest musicians at Moretele Park Annual Festival in Northwest Province.

'Even locally people still attend my shows in satisfactory numbers. 

This tells me that people are still interested in my music. Yes, the album sales have dropped but that happens for every artist due to the high rate of piracy,' he said.

He denied that he has lost his creative touch though one would argue that the quality of albums such as Majakathata and Spekere are a far cry from Ke Lela Le Lona and Robala Nna.'Music evolves with time.

 It blows like the wind changing directions all the time that is why one moment it is Franco the next it is someone else,' he said.

Franco said: 'The other thing that people should consider is the fact that when one emerges as a musician there are a group of people who follow you from that stage and they grow older and ultimately their lifestyle changes and so does interest in music.'

But according to him the major hurdle has been piracy, which he said has reached an alarming rate.

He contended that there is no way the arts industry will lift the economy if the problem is not aggressively addressed.

'The Copyright Act is so ineffective. 

As a musician trying to chase people pirating your materials, you could end up being locked up for harassing them. Government should put a complete stop to this.

 It is easy because these people run their businesses in open areas. When they are raided, all their stock should be taken not only those of local artists,' he emphasised. 

Franco is planning to release a DVD for his last album Ke Fela Pelo, but is worried that the wrong people could make money out of it.