Preserving South African Musical History
In 1983 James Phillips recorded the single “Hou My Vas Korporaal”/”My Broken Heart” using the pseudonym Bernoldus Niemand (Bernoldus Nobody) as a separate musical identity to his work in his own right.
He followed this up with another single, “Boksburg Bommer”/“Jody” in 1984 and then released the album Wie Is Bernoldus Niemand in 1985.
Having retired the Bernoldus Niemand persona in 1985 he resurrected it for the Afrikaans Voelvry tour in 1989.
Western Cape band formed by Steve Louw in 1989, after the break up of All Night Radio. Effectively Big Sky was Steve Louw (vocals, guitar) with various guest musicians who varied from album to album and when performing live.
First album was Waiting For The Dawn (1990) followed by Horizon (1995), Going Down With Mr Green (1997), Beyond The Blue (2002) and Trancas Canyon (2007).
The first album featured additional musicians Jimmy Mngwandi (bass), Godla Mgcinda (drums), Robbie McIntosh (guitar), Benmont Tench (piano), Don Laka (piano) and McCoy Mrubata (saxophone).
Real name is William Boardman. Born in Kimberly and started his music career singing in Johannesburg in 1958.
He performed in various bands in the late 50s and early 60s (including The Drifters, The Silhouettes and The Giants).
He started his solo career in earnest in 1963 with the release of “Somebody’s Smiling”. He went on to release dozens of singles at regular intervals during the 1960s, 1970s and into the 1980s.
He also released several albums during the same period, from Seven Letters in 1965 to Wings of a Dove in 1987. Parallel to his successful solo career he was also a member of the group The Dream Merchants who released several albums between 1966 and 1991 and a few singles in the 1960s.
Johannesburg band who were originally known as Lincoln. Changed name to Bite in 1980 when their line-up was Shaun Potts (lead vocals, guitar), Kevin Mason (guitar, vocals), Gawksy Madiera (bass), Gus Thompson (keyboards) and Ian Webster (drums). Sandy Robbie (guitar) joined in 1981 and Deon Mattheus replaced Gawksy Madiera on bass.
They released four singles in 1980 and 1981, with “Loud Radio” receiving airplay in 1981.
Heavy metal band based in Rolf Prommel (vocals, synthesizer), Carl Appels-Riley (guitar), Ian Simpson (drums) and Mark Proctor (bass).
Released the album Live By It (1984).
Blondie And Papa Makhene started out singing as a duo in 1977.
They released the single “Don’t Burn Your Bridges” in 1978 and over the next few years went on to release several more singles and three albums: (“Tell It All Brothers”, 1979; “24-Hour Service”, 1980 and “Together” in 1982).
They broke up in order to pursue solo careers.
Brothers Rob and Ferdi Bolland were born and grew up in Port Elizabeth before moving to Holland with their parents during their teens. They made their living as produces but did release a series of singles and albums from the early 1970s right through into the mid-1990s. Their song ‘You’re in the army’ (1982) is their most well-known song and was covered by Status Quo in 1986. It was taken from The Domino Theory album released in 1981. They are also known as Bolland and Bolland.
They produced and co-wrote the hit ‘Rock Me Amadeus’ with German singer, Falco.
Formed in Soweto in 1969 with Vusi Xhosa (guitar), Vusi Nkosi (bass), Lukas Pelo (saxophone) and Phillippe Mziza (drums).
Released a steady flow of singles throughout the early to mid-1970s, beginning with “Boyoyo 800” in 1972 and including “Puleng” (1975) which Malcolm McLaren famously ‘used’ for his song “Double Dutch”(1983).
They later released two albums, Back in Town (1983) and TJ Today (1987).
Johannesburg group who began as the backing band for Blondie And Papa but became a band in their own right in 1983 when Brenda Fassie joined as their leading vocalist.
The rest of the band were: Rufus Klaas (guitar), David Mabaso (bass), Desmond Malotana (keyboards), Dumisane Ngubeni (keyboards) and Job Mlangeni (drums).
Released the highly successful Weekend Special EP and single in 1983. Thereafter released the albums Let’s Stick Together (1984), Higher and Higher (1985) and No! No! Senor (1986). In 1987 when Brenda Fassie left the group to go solo they continued as The Big Dudes, releasing three further albums: Pulling Very Hard (1987), No Share For The Boys (1988) and S’good S’nice (1989).
Cape Town born singer who began her music career at 16 when she moved to Johannesburg and joined Joy as temporary member.
She went on to become the lead singer for Brenda and the Big Dudes until 1987 when she went solo with the release of her debut single “Mr.
No Good” and solo album Brenda.
She went on to become one of South Africa’s top selling singers, releasing albums such as Too Late For Mama (1989) and Black President (1990).
She died in May 2004.
Photograph of Brenda Fassie courtesy of Harold Gess Photography.
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