"People kept asking us why we're so quiet" says KALLITZ band member Boere, "but we actually never took a breather. The first months of this year were very hectic. We were invited to a lot of big shows and we won the SABC 2 GMT Music Award for 'Best Hip Hop Album'. 

"Over the last couple of weeks we did a lot of studio work for our new album, but we'll first release a special edition of our award winning debut album 'die ding ruk mal' for Christmas. It will have some bonus tracks on it and a remix of 'situasies', featuring Steve Hofmeyer. When we met Steve at the SABC 2 GMT Music Awards we started talking about this, and Dokter is now putting the finishing touches on the song."

KALLITZ have been doing a lot of 'behind the scenes' work, writing their version and shooting a music video of 'suikerbossie' for SABC 2's 'Pasella', which will be screened later this year, doing some shows for DSTV's new music channel 'MK 89', and studio work on their new album, as well as collaborations.

KALLITZ have also done some shows, such as Good Hope FM's 'Cape Town Live' 40th Birthday Bash, and kept themselves busy re-arranging the group after the departure of band member Skelm.

KALLITZ' member and producer Dokter explains: "Skelm was always a rocker at heart, and with the exposure he gained through KALLITZ, he got an opportunity to join a rock band. We didn't want to stand in his way, but his departure does influence KALLITZ in terms of song structure, performance and so on. So we're re-shaping the act to fit our new profile."

KALLITZ up coming performances include gigs at Elsies River High School on Woman's Day, Tuesday, 9 August 2005, and at the Promenade Shopping Center on Friday, 12 August 2005, before they go back behind bars for a benefit gig at Drakenstein Correctional Services, the Paarl prison from which Madiba walked to freedom.

"We've also been booked for the entire Rittelfees in Vredendal from 25 - 29 October 2005, and we're very excited about that. Watch out for the first live performance of KALLITZ and Steve Hofmeyer at that one" adds Dokter.

Watch out for Karin Burger's feature on KALLITZ latest developments in Rapport on Sunday, 7 August 2005.

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