In 2009 Joe performed at a World Aids Day event in Douglas organised by the Department of Health. It was here that he met his producer, Aron Turest-Swartz who, at the time was performing with Freshlyground. They got talking and the following year, Turest- Swartz contacted Joe again in prison and they began talking about their visions for their lives. Joe explains, “I was 27 at that stage and I realised that I spent so many years thinking that life is about survival, and you just take what you can get. I didn’t have a vision but then I had a dream, and now I have a vision. I still wanted to break in at that stage – but into people’s hearts and their minds, and their perceptions about life, and changing their mentality to show what they can contribute, to make society a better place.”
Turest-Swartz visited Joe in prison in February 2010, and listened to some of the songs that he had composed. They decided to record Joe’s CD called Crazy Life and do a music video in a single cell in the Douglas prison. The CD was released on the 13th December 2010 – the same day that Joe was released from prison – and he performed in a huge concert on the prison grounds that day. Ever since then, Joe and Turest-Swartz have built up his career, and also his position as a positive role model. Joe feels that there are so few positive role models amongst the poor and less fortunate communities in South Africa, and who better to tell his story to people who are possibly in the same circumstances as he was – he’s been there and done that, and he knows what it is like for these people. He hopes to inspire people and give them hope and show them that even in the darkest places, the light can still shine. “I only discovered myself four years ago, and I found out that it’s okay to be vulnerable and sensitive. There are different kinds of prison – if
we’re scared, it’s a prison; to be illiterate, it’s a prison; and if we’re unemployed, it’s a prison. People tend to get stuck in their prisons, and believe that they can’t do anything about it, but actually they can!”
Joe now travels around the country, performing at school and prisons, and he says it’s been an amazing journey so far. They have also just come back from the Netherlands, and will be performing there again in September. On some advice for budding musicians in South Africa, Joe says, “First of all, you should first find out if you really can sing, if you have talent. Cling to your dreams, aim for the moon, and if you miss that you might end up amongst the stars. I’m sitting here now because I had a dream.” Turest-Swartz adds, “It’s a dream that we have now, for our lives and our communities, and our country. It really is about ‘what is your dream – for yourselves, your family, your community, your country?’ and then just working towards that, one step at a time.”
Larry Joe will be releasing his new single and music video towards the end of March. You can find out more about Larry Joe on his website
www.larryjoelive.com, and on Facebook and Twitter.
50 Management Today | April 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103