Born in Kwazulu-Natal , as a teenager leant to play guitar and went to Johannesburg in 1969 to work as a gardener. He met Johnny Clegg and the two began to play music together, soon performing at folk gatherings as Johnny and Sipho before changing their name to Juluka in 1979.
In 1985 Sipho Mchunu left Juluka in order to focus on his family and his farm.
In 1989 he recorded the solo album Yithi Esavimba released in France and followed that in 1990 with the album Umhlaba Uzobuya with Third Ear Music.
Poor marketing and distribution meant that neither album achieved the sales they ought to have done. He continued to perform with Johnny Clegg as Juluka from time to time and they brought out a further Juluka album in 1997.
He joined Johnny Clegg as a guest artist for some of Johnny Clegg’s final shows.
Formed in Soweto in 1976 with David Masondo (lead vocals), Moses Ngwenya (keyboards), Zakes Mchunu (bass), Tuza Mthetwa (guitar), American Zulu (guitar, vocals), Pompie Sofibo (alto sax) and Lemmy Mabaso (sax).
Released the single “You Said You Loved Me” with Jane Dlamini in 1977 before releasing their first single in their own right “Ake Niyeke Botsotsi” also in 1977 and the album I Feel Lonely Without You in the same year. They went on to become one of South Africa’s top selling bands over the next three decades releasing a constant flow of singles and albums.
They were beset with tragedy as three of their members were killed in car accidents: Tuza Mthetwa and Pompie Sofibo in 1979 and Zakes Mchunu in 1984.
There were several membership changes over the years but David Masondo and Moses Ngwenya remained throughout.
Formed in 1981 by Sipho Mabuse, to record just one album – Soweto Soul Orchestra – which was a prelude to Mabuse’s solo career.
He used a variety of musicians including vocalist Malie Kelly on the track “Take It Easy”.
It was a one-off exercise and thereafter Mabuse left Harari and pursued a solo career proper.
Spirits Rejoice was a jazz-fusion band formed in 1975 by bassist Sipho Gumede (1952 – 2004), and pianist, saxophonist, guitarist Bheki Mseleku (1955 – 2008). The band released two albums, African Spaces (1977) and Spirits Rejoice (1978). Their single “Shine On” charted on Capital Radio 604’s Top 20 chart in 1980.
Reggae band formed in the early 1980s.
Recorded two songs, “Who say so?” and “He Knows” released on the Regional Jive compilation by Observatory Productions in Cape Town in 1983.
In 1983 two members of the group Splash – Jose Charles and Rufus Radebe – were sentenced to effective four-year prison terms (later reduced to 17 months) for singing ‘revolutionary songs’ at a Wits Free People’s Concert.
One of the songs was a cover of Steel Pulse’s “A Tribute to Martyrs”, which included a reference to Nelson Mandela.
Stellenbosch-based alternative rock band formed in September 1994. The name references the glamour models featured on the covers of the Springbok Hit Parade compilation series. The founding lineup comprised Arno Carstens (vocals), Theo Crous (guitar), Arno Blumer (bass) and Francois Kruger (drums). Adriaan Brand (trumpet, synthesizer) joined in April 1995, and in August that year they independently released their debut album, Neanderthal 1, which was subsequently picked up by Epic Records.
A string of albums and EPs followed on Epic: Afterlifesatisfaction (1997), Surpass the Powers (1999) and Relaxzor (2000). Surpass the Powers won the South African Music Award for Best Rock Album in 2000, and the band were voted the best South African rock band in a 5FM listener poll. A best-of compilation, The Fat Lady Sings, appeared in October 2001, after which the band announced an indefinite hiatus.
During the break, vocalist Arno Carstens launched a successful solo career, winning a SAMA in 2006 for his album The Hello Goodbye Boys. Guitarist Theo Crous went on to form KOBUS! and became a prominent producer, working with Prime Circle, The Parlotones, Fokofpolisiekar and Karen Zoid, among others.
The band reunited in 2006 and released Peace Breaker in March 2007 on Sony BMG. They served as opening act for U2 in Cape Town in February 2011. Apes With Shades followed in December 2011, supported by a tour with Van Coke Kartel. Further albums Beautiful Evolution (2018) and Partypocalypse (2021) followed.
Steve Kekana is a successful South African singer who started out with The Hunter in 1974 before becoming a solo artist in the late 1970s.
He is very much a pop singer who is able to sing in a variety of African languages as well as in English.
Already established in the black South African market, he successfully crossed-over into the white English market with the single “Raising my family” (1980), which reached number one in Finland and Number 3 in Sweden.
His career went into decline after his involvement in the Bureau for Information’s “Together we will build a brighter future” (1986) but he continues to record and release albums.
Singer who was born in Dundee, Scotland and began his music career in the UK, including in the band Scene Stealers. After they broke up Irving came to South Africa and joined Ballyhoo as vocalist.
In 1985 he launched a parallel solo career, releasing his first single ‘The First Cut Is The Deepest’. A subsequent single, ‘Superstar’ received airplay and television coverage.
He released further singles in the 80s and in 1991 left Ballyhoo.
Formed in Johannesburg in 1981, comprising several veterans who had been part of the South African music scene for years. They evolved out of The Cannibals with Ray Phiri (guitar), Isaac Mtshali (drums), Lloyd Lelosa (keyboards), Jabu Sibumbe (bass) and Charles Ndlovu (synthesizer).
While Phiri and Mtshali had been members of The Cannibals, Lelosa and Sibumbe joined from The Movers. In 1985 Janji Mayo replaced Jabu Sibumbe.
In 1982 they released their first album Mama Wami and in 1983 “they released their first (12”) single “I Hate Telling A Lie”/“I Love You.
During the 1980s they released several classic albums such as Fire, Passion, Ecstasy (1984), Shadows, Fear and Pain (1985), Look, Listen and Decide (1986), Unfinished Story (1987) and Trouble In The Land of Plenty (1989).
They worked with Paul Simon on the Graceland album, bringing international attention to their music. In 1992 Ray Phiri left the group to embark on a solo career. The band continued with releases into the 1990s and a much later album, A Lifetime … in 2010.
Russell Stirling and Michael Tellinger were a vocal and guitar duo.
Russell Stirling had previously been bass player for Rooster (formed 1978) while Michael Tellinger had started a solo career with the release of the single “Hazel” in 1982. Shortly after that duo came together and released the single “Call Me” in 1983, along with the album Talking From The Heart.
In 1984 they released a follow-up single “Nice Girl” but were unable to secure any further releases. They broke up after four years together. They released a best of CDr compilation in 2002, including the two new versions of the two above-mentioned singles.
