“And a little anxiety too…”, echoes Frah, another voice of Shaka Ponk, evoking a “complex, psychological and emotional tug of war” in this decision which they nevertheless carefully considered.
“We find ourselves in a paradoxical situation, where we stop doing what we love to do. When we started this group, we would never have imagined that,” he adds.
“In sync with our beliefs”
But the der des ders cannot only be synonymous with tears and knotted stomachs: Shaka Ponk wants to demonstrate to the end his electro-rock energy, punk tendency, which has always characterized him.
The group, which exploded in 2011 with the album “The Geeks and the Jerkin’ Socks” – third opus including the hits “I’m picky”, “Sex ball” and “My name is stain” -, above all was designed for live performance. All the more reason to make this finale a great celebration shared with the public.
For fans unable to attend, the last concert will be broadcast in cinemas during a single screening on April 3. And their latest album, “Shaka Ponk”, has just been released in a reissue enriched with previously unreleased material. The group denounces “a lack of meaning” (“D’essence”) and calls to join the fight (“Resign”) at their side.
“Shaka” has never made a secret of its deep ecological and social values.
“I think that what binds us is also a need to be in sync with our convictions. At some point, it’s complicated to tell people to respect the planet, when you yourself have a professional activity which is polluting”, observes Samaha Sam.
Despite its efforts to make its own “as eco-responsible as possible” on tour, from the hunt for plastics to vegan meals including the refusal of certain brands not compatible with its positioning, the group came up against the environmental impact of displacement of thousands of spectators, a key but unchangeable parameter.
“Public speech”
Their initial concept, that of the monkey who explains to man the ineptitude of a happiness which resides in “overconsumption and social elevation”, gradually appeared to be out of step with their success in the music industry.
“It’s a kind of failure in the sense that we don’t have a solution. And as long as there is no solution, we stop,” sums up Sam, who specifies that this choice is “their own ” and that it is not a question of pointing the finger at other artists.
If each member is free to decide on their future projects, Frah and Samaha Sam intend to invest more time in favor of “awareness”, convinced that there are still “things to create”, solutions to invent, particularly in the entertainment industry, and a “public word” to be heard, in particular via the sounding board of social networks.
Will they stop the music altogether?
“I think that music, art in short, allows us to convey important messages,” says Samaha Sam. For his part, Frah is more clear-cut: “We have to put down the guitar and try to help the firefighters. It has become more urgent.”
This commitment will be carried out through The Freaks, a collective they have set up, made up of artists and personalities mobilized for the planet.
