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Remembering James Phillips


30 years ago, on the 31st of July 1995, James Phillips died from complications resulting from a car accident outside Grahamstown earlier in the month. He was in Grahamstown for the National Arts Festival. To commemorate Jame’s life and his influence, we have put together two 15-song mixtapes.

The first includes a cross section of songs from his recordings with Corporal Punishment, Illegal Gathering, the Cherry Faced Lurchers, James Phillips and the Lurchers, as Bernoldus Niemand, and under his own name.

The second includes versions of his songs recorded by others, other musicians’ songs on which he featured, and songs written as tributes to or dedicated to James. The covers are: ‘Shot Down’ – Urban Creep, ‘Afrika is Dying’ – Vusi Mahlasela, ‘Snor City’ – Blues Broers, ‘My Broken Heart’ – Matthew van der Want, ‘Positive’ – Phillipstines, ‘War Song’ – Wendy Oldfield and the Cherry Faced Lurchers, and ‘Snor City’ – Johannes Kerkorrel. The Phillipstines was a James Phillips tribute band especially formed for Concert for James. Similarly, the Cherry Faced Lurchers reformed at the Concert for James with Wendy Oldfield on vocals for ‘Warsong’. Other performers’ songs which featured James Phillips included here are: ‘Paranoia’ – Koos Kombuis (James on backing vocals), ‘Absoluut Goed’ – Joannes Kerkorrel (James plays blues harp), and ‘Bigger Than Jesus’ – Kalahari Surfers (with James on backing vocals). Songs in some way dedicated or in tribute to James include: ‘Home’ – Matthew VD Want and Chris Letcher, ‘Sunny Skies’ – Robin Auld, ‘Baby, Baby’ – Pressure Cookies (The full ‘Swallow’ is dedicated to James), ‘So I Can Die Easy’ – Dorien Du Toit (off the 10 Years of Splashy Fen compilation), and ‘Groove for James’ – The Dynamics.

James Phillips, who never properly received the attention and rewards his talent warranted, was a singer, songwriter, guitarist, keyboard and harmonica player who started out as a musician in the late 1970s, initially with Corporal Punishment and Illegal Gathering before releasing a solo album under the name Bernoldus Niemand, and then going on to form the Cherry Faced Lurchers (which later became James Phillips and the Lurchers).

Corporal Punishment formed in Springs in 1980 with James Phillips (guitar, vocals), Carl Raubenheimer (bass, vocals), Herbie Parkin (rhythm guitar), Mark Bennet (keyboard, vocals) and Chris Hattingh (drums). Hattingh was replaced on drums by Henry Jantzen. Recorded two songs for the WEA Records Six of the Best (1979) compilation: “Victim’s Victim” and “Goddess of Depression”. Released the 7 inch ep “Fridays and Saturdays” in 1980, including four songs: “In The Night”, “Brain Damage”, “Johnny’s Conscience” and “Rock And Rolls Royce”. The band broke up but James Phillips, Carl Raubenheimer and Steve Howells (drums) reformed the band in 1982 to record new versions of original Corporal Punishment songs in the Shifty Records studios. These recordings together with original Corporal Punishment recordings were released on cassette along with the James Phillips and Carl Raubenheimer project, Illegal Gathering, in 1986.

Illegal Gathering formed in Cape Town in 1981 by Carl Raubenheimer (guitar, vocals) and James Phillips (guitar, vocals) with (initially) Brett Murray (bass) and Brian Rath (drums). After an initial attempt at getting things going Murray and Rath left and were replaced with David Ledbetter (bass, guitar, vocals) and Wayne Raath (drums) when the band reconstituted later in 1981. In early 1982 they recorded a few songs, some of which ended up on marginal compilations (For example, “Emphasis Shift” and “Buttons your lip” on the 1983 Regional Jive cassette compilation and “”Johnny Cool” on the 1984 Out of the Blue compilation LP).

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.

The Cherry Faced Lurchers formed in Johannesburg in 1984 with James Phillips (guitar, vocals). Lee Edwards (bass), and Michael de la Hunt (drums) who was replaced by Richard Vos. They released the album Live at Jamesons in 1985 (including the iconic song ‘’Shot Down’), and recorded The Otherwhite Album in the late 1980s but it was not released until 1992.

In 1991 James recorded a series of demos which were later posthumously released as Soul Ou under his own name.

In 1993 the album Sunny Skies was released as James Philips and the Lurchers with James Phillips, Lee Edwards and various new members and session musicians. The Cherry Faced Lurchers developed a cult following in the 1980s and performed live over the years, including the performance of many songs that have not been released on any of their albums.

All of these albums (as well as the Concert for James) can be purchased for download on the Shifty Records page on Bandcamp.

Also look out for two excellent James Phillips documentary films which were both released on DVD:
James Phillips: Famous For Not Being Famous (Lloyd Ross/Shifty, 2006)
The Fun’s Not Over: The James Phillips Story ( Michael Cross, 2018)

Volume 1: Remembering James Phillips

  1. Goddess – Corporal Punishment
  2. Darky – Corporal Punishment
  3. Brain Damage – Corporal Punishment
  4. Johnny Cool – Illegal Gathering
  5. Changing My World – Illegal Gathering
  6. East Rand Blues – Bernoldus Niemand
  7. Hou My Vas Korporaal – Bernoldus Niemand
  8. Toasted Take Aways – Cherry Faced Lurchers
  9. Shot Down – Cherry Faced Lurchers
  10. Heavy Ous – Cherry Faced Lurchers
  11. Detainees – James Phillips
  12. Polling Day – James Phillips
  13. Where Will You Be – James Phillips
  14. The Fun’s Not Over – The Lurchers
  15. Moses – The Lurchers

Volume 2: Honouring, Covering And Featuring James Phillips

  1. Shot Down – Urban Creep
  2. Afrika Is Dying – Vusi Mahlasela
  3. Snor City – Blues Broers (Concert For James)
  4. My Broken Heart – Matthew Vd Want (Concert For James)
  5. Positive – Phillipstines (Concert For James)
  6. War Song – Wendy Oldfield & The Cherry Faced Lurchers (Concert For James)
  7. Snor City – Johannes Kerkorrel
  8. Paranoia – Koos Kombuis
  9. Absoluut Goed – Joannes Kerkorrel (James plays blues harp)
  10. Bigger Than Jesus – Kalahari Surfers (With James doing backing vocals)
  11. Home – Matthew Vd Want And Chris Letcher
  12. Sunny Skies – Robin Auld
  13. Baby, Baby – Pressure Cookies
  14. So I Can Die Easy – Dorien For James (Off Splashy Fen compilation)
  15. Groove For James – The Dynamics

 

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Remembering Darren Scott

Back in 2020, when we were all locked down, and mixtapes had recently been launched, we asked Darren Scott to be our first guest DJ, compiling a list of his favourite 20 South African songs from the 1980s. True to form, Darren eagerly came up with a selection of great songs. We repost this mixtape today, remembering Daren Scott, and all he has done for Capital Radio and South African music.

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A South African Christmas

After a few years of mixtapes we have finally relented and compiled a Christmas mixtape. Yup, that pagan festival adopted and co-opted by one of the world’s leading religions, and which, in some places, has turned into a shopping, eating, and drinking festival. This mixtape is not motivated by the desire to celebrate or commemorate Christmas, rather it is an attempt to provide an alternative soundtrack to the stuff we are subjected to every time we venture into a shopping mall or supermarket during December. So you won’t find any Boney M or Mariah Carey here. But that doesn’t mean you won’t wince now and then. That’s the nature of Christmas-themed compilations.

Nevertheless, the plan has been to put together something clearly South African but also not too cringey, so something you wouldn’t mind accompanying you on a shopping outing. We have managed to find 25 pieces which vary in all sorts of directions and which span well over half a century of recordings. Some are very different to what we normally hear at Christmas time and some are different – perhaps even subversive – versions of Christmas songs with which we are very familiar. Hopefully you can put your ear or headphones on, block out the pervasive hackneyed stuff, and listen to these songs instead.

  1. Happy Christmas Happy New Year – Mabel Mafuya
  2. O Little Swinging Town Of Bethlehem – The Buskaid Soweto String Project
  3. Silent Night – Soweto String Quartet
  4. The Sun Shines Down (On Christmas Day) – Ed Jordan, Shaluza Max & Bongani Masuku
  5. Ke Mmoloki Jesu – Kings Messenger Quartet
  6. Ukhisimusi Uqedo Amadola – Mahlabathini
  7. Jabulani Christmas – Mabel Mafuya
  8. Kisimus Time – The Skylarks
  9. Xmas Message – The Heroes
  10. Compliments Of The Season – Reggie Msomi And His Hollywood Jazz Band
  11. Inkanyezi Nezazi (The Star And The Wiseman) – Ladysmith Black Mambazo
  12. O Holy Night – Q Zoo
  13. An African Christmas – Judith Sephuma
  14. All I Want For Christmas – Ndlovu Youth Choir
  15. Christmas In Kakamas – David Kramer
  16. Happy Christmas To All In The Land – Richard Jon Smith
  17. Christmas Song – Duncan Faure
  18. Happy Christmas (War Is Over) – Toxic Shame
  19. My Heart Is Heavey (AS A Stone Is) – Marshall Harmse
  20. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Soft Shoes
  21. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Jimmy 12 Inch
  22. Psycho Christmas – Psycho Reptiles
  23. Little Drummer Boy – Martin Rocka & Danny De Wet
  24. Merry Xmas – Jack Parow
  25. Xmas In Krugersdorp – Kalahari Surfers
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Springbok Hit Parade Vol 1: SA Songs Covered

Do you remember when you stopped believing in Father Christmas? And do you remember when you first realised that Springbok Hits records didn’t feature the original artists? Quite remarkably, a series of records comprising session-musician covers of contemporary hits, not only shifted enough copies to make a profit, but actually sold hundreds of thousands of albums over a period of more than fifteen years, and became as much a part of the South African musical landscape as CNA record bars and the Pop Shop television show.

The Springbok Hit Parade series was conceived by Ken Talbot, making its debut in 1970 with the goal of providing South African consumers with affordable and accessible music hits. The series was inspired by the Springbok Radio Top Twenty on Springbok Radio on Friday nights, hosted by David Gresham. Released by MFP (Music For Pleasure), the series was initially produced by Robert Schröder, followed by Gresham, and later by Mike Pilot, who oversaw its final volumes in the 1980s.

It was a sort of coming-of-age thing for many (especially white) South Africans – to buy at least one Springbok Hit Parade LP – preferably from CNA or the OK Bazaars, where often low price special deals were on offer. And the series itself seemed to come of age in a sexist way, moving from animated art work to actual Scope Magazine-like photographs of scantily dressed women (the transition happened in early 1976, on Springbok Hit Parade no 26). The models were always white women: after all, these were Springbok hits, and only white people were allowed to be formally represented by the springbok – whether playing rugby, cricket, or posing on the cover of a Springbok Hit Parade record. However, black musicians could be covered by session musicians on the records, as is seen on this mixtape which includes songs originally performed by Joy, Lionel Petersen, Pacific Express, Letta Mbulu, Margaret Singana, and Steve Kekana.

The only significant change to the branding of this series was in early 1980 when the Springbok Hit Parade records became simply Springbok records, the first to mark this change being Springbok 47.

For many, the relationship with Springbok Hits follows the trajectory of a romance novel: we fell in love with Springbok hits records, thinking they were the real thing (we bought a few or more) and we had wonderful times together, but then alas, we discovered that Springbok Hits had cheated on us, they weren’t what they said they said were. We hated session covers, and we discovered they were exactly what we hated. So we broke up. The break up was sudden and it was nasty. They became a source of embarrassment and regret. Then many, many years later, we rekindled fond memories of them. We reminisce about them with our family and friends, we even begin to romanticise them. We discover that some of the sessions musicians were renowned South African musicians, and they were often good versions of songs. Some of us even hook up with ones we grew up with, giving them a curious listen on a lonely Friday night at home.

For this mixtape we have put together 20 Springbok Hit Parade sessions versions of songs originally released by South African musicians. Was that the mark of success? To feature on a Springbok Hit Parade album? You can decide! In the list of songs below we include the original South African artists, and the Springbok Hit Parade record on which each appeared.

  1. Ain’t Gonna Stop Til We Get To The Top (Joy, 47)
  2. Grips Of Emotion (Lesley Rae Dowling, 57)
  3. Man On The Moon (Ballyhoo, 51)
  4. Better The Devil You Know (Stingray, 46)
  5. Nightmare (Peach, 54)
  6. Tokoloshe Man (John Kongos, 5)
  7. Blue Water (Julian Laxton Band, 32)
  8. Buccaneer (Mccully Workshop, 37)
  9. You’ve Got All Of Me (Clout, 41)
  10. Charlie (Rabbitt, 29)
  11. Ek Verlang Na Jou (Sonja Herholdt, 23)
  12. Bouncy Bouncy Bounce (Lionel Petersen, 25)
  13. Give A Little Love (Pacific Express, 42)
  14. I Need Your Love (Letta Mbulu, 9)
  15. Mama Temba’s Wedding (Maragret Singana, 19)
  16. Feel So Strong (Hotline & Steve Kekana, 62)
  17. Vyfster (Lloyd Ross, 63)
  18. You’re Living Inside My Head (John Ireland, 42)
  19. Face In The Mirror (Century, 45)
  20. Paradise Road (Joy, 49)
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Elections 2024 Mixtape

The theme of this mixtape is the coming week’s election, including a selection of songs which deal with South African politics, politicians, protest, and elections. May 29th is South Africa’s 7th post-apartheid election. It marks 30 years since the ‘advent of democracy’ but the situation in South Africa is a mess. As South African citizens are urged to vote on Wednesday, many wonder if there’s any point to it. Clearly, power does not lie in the ballot box, but in the warped and corrupt partnerships between corporates, organised crime, and politicians – ‘mafia bank-rolled politicians’ as Sinazo Mdlalo calls them (in “Gravytrainspotting”). Indeed, some people think politics is actually organised crime, with the wealthy stealing from the poor. Shamrock (in “Political Party”) laments the futility of elections: ‘You can vote for anybody it’s the same problem’.

For one thing, politicians are quick to make promises but slow on delivering. Simmah (in “The Money Never Lies”) asks ‘What happened to promises? What happened to solutions?’ And Skwatta Kamp (in “Politics”) noted, you can vote for the government, but then it’s case of ‘ANC you later’. In “But In Time”, The Pressure Cookies summed up the ballot box dilemma: “I have to make a choice but they all look the same. They all make the same noise”. Sankomota capture that confusion, asking the “Politician”, ‘What’s going on? I have the right to know, don’t leave me here’.

In “Change” Hugh Masekela asks “Why does everybody want to stay in power forever? … Everything must change.” He lists various African leaders who clung on to power for decades, and notes that Mandela set a different example. Whatever complaints we have about our continually failing government, at least our leaders are constitutionally obliged to step down after two terms. However, while the leaders may change, the story has remained the same. The ANC government who now head the most unequal society in the world, which for Freshlyground is a “Banana Republic”. They warn that we are currently in another state of emergency, under the rule of a corrupt and harmful government.

Several songs on the mixtape deal with aspects of the bananarization of our country: Sinazo Mdlalo’s “Gravytrainspotting”, Vusi Mahlasela’s cover of James Phillips’ “Africa Is Dying”, “Potholes And Politicians” by Fuzigish, Tony Cox’s “House Of Parliament Blues” and “Die Fokkol Song” by Koos Kombuis. The Kiffness use laughter as a tried and tested political weapon with their cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick In The Wall’: ‘Hey Voetsek! Leave those funds alone. All in all Mzansi is just sick of it all.’ In “Blue Light Brigade” the Kalahari Surfers let Julius Malema speak for himself. ‘Fuck you” he swears at a journalist at a media conference. But given his extreme wealth, he might as well be saying this to the electorate. The government’s blue light brigade is an example of the repressive and belligerent nature of our leading politicians, forcibly clearing the roads so that they can race around without concern for those in their way. Indeed, a case of ‘ANC you later’.

Some of the songs on this mixtape capture an uncertain moment, in the late 1980s and early-to-mid ’90s, when there was hope that democracy and elections might lead us closer to equality and human rights for all. Johnny Clegg and Savuka hoped that “One (Hu)’man One Vote” would be a solution, Prophets Of Da City hoped that we would “Neva Again” see one group oppress another (the Marikana massacre was still to come), in “Moses”, James Phillips and The Lurchers appealed to Mandela, “Please don’t turn out like all of the rest”. And in “Polling Day”, written prior to the 1994 elections, James Phillips suggests that the solution lies outside of the ballot box: “Just let us find ourselves in our own way, then maybe we might just not be needing polling day”.

The mixtape ends with more songs recorded during the apartheid era which, while applying to that context, still apply today. It’s a reminder that the struggle for people’s rights did not end in 1994. Bright Blue warned that ‘We’re on a ship with no direction’ and that we need to “Rock The Boat’ to change the direction of an unjust government. Indeed in 1989 the Kalahari Surfers (in their cover of the Who song) warned us not to be fooled again: that ‘the party on the left’ could become ‘the party on the right’. As has happened. In the 1980s Roger Lucey warned that there would be “No Easy Walk To Freedom”. Little did we know how difficult that road would turn out to be, despite the 1994 elections, and how wide the distance between rich and poor would become.

  1. One (Hu)’man One Vote – Johnny Clegg and Savuka
  2. Change – Hugh Masekela
  3. Political Party – Shamrock
  4. Politics – Skwatta Kamp
  5. Banana Republic – Freshlyground
  6. Gravytrainspotting – Sinazo Mdlalo
  7. The Money Never Lies – Simmah
  8. Blue Light Brigade – Kalahari Surfers
  9. Africa Is Dying – Vusi Mahlasela
  10. Polling day – James Phillips
  11. But In Time – Pressure Cookies
  12. Potholes And Politicians – Fuzigish
  13. House Of Parliament Blues – Tony Cox
  14. Die Fokkol Song – Koos Kombuis
  15. A Song For The ANC – The Kiffness
  16. Neva Again – Prophets Of Da City
  17. Politician – Sankomota
  18. Moses – James Phillips & the Lurchers
  19. Rock The Boat – Bright Blue
  20. Don’t Get Fooled Again – Kalahari Surfers
  21. No Easy Walk To Freedom – Roger Lucey
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Woza Weekend!

While we tend to take weekends for granted it is worth remembering that workers struggled hard for centuries for the luxury of two days off at the end of the week. New Zealand was the first country to officially adopt a two-day weekend in 1908, and thereafter more and more countries followed. Today, weekends are a part of life in many cultures, providing opportunities for recreation, family time, relaxation, including partying and listening to music. During the apartheid era, employed black South Africans relished any time in which they could escape from their employers’ hold over them, so weekends off work, if experienced, were especially cherished. This mixtape includes a selection of South African songs which celebrate the weekend, mostly from the apartheid era.

We start off with two of South Africa’s most iconic weekend celebratory songs: eVoid’s ‘Jiving To The Weekend Beat’ captures the sense of fun which the weekend jol promised, while Juluka sang a love song to the coming weekend, a worker viewing the weekend as they would a lover. Many of the songs here follow similar themes, either looking forward to the weekend or simply enjoying it when it arrives. Brenda and the Big Dudes, however, warn against being used by someone simply as their ‘Weekend Special’. As Brenda Fassie sings, ‘I’m no weekend, weekend special’. We end off with Seba Kaapstad’s ‘Friday That’s Good’: “Friday that’s good, uhm, that’s good, that’s good, uhm, that’s good, that’s good, that’s good, that’s good, that’s good, that’s good, that’s good, that’s good, that’s good, that’s good.” Indeed!

  1. Jiving To The Weekend Beat – eVoid
  2. Woza Friday – Juluka
  3. Phelaviki (Let The Weekend Come) – Irene And The Sweet Melodians
  4. Weekend Special – Brenda And The Big Dudes
  5. Friday (Zis’imali Yam) – Peto
  6. Woza Weekend – Respectors
  7. Weekend – Jazz Maniacs
  8. This Weekend (Vocal Version) – The Dynamics
  9. Saturday Night Special – Vairkweru
  10. Weekend – Springbok Nude Girls
  11. Welcome To The Weekend – The Parlotones
  12. Feels Like Friday – Louis And The Jive
  13. Friday Night – Vusi Shange
  14. Saturday Night – Supa Frika
  15. Saturday Fever – Jivaro
  16. Saturday Night – Pacific Express
  17. Saturday Night – Rebecca
  18. Woza Friday – Mapaputsi
  19. Friday Morning – Neville Nash
  20. Ready For The Weekend – MarcAlex
  21. Friday That’s Good – Sebe Kaapstad
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Songs by South African artists on the UK and USA Top 100 singles charts

With Tyla’s ‘Water’ making it into the US charts, going viral on social media, and being awarded a Grammy, there has been some discussion in the media about previous songs by SA artists making the US charts. There haven’t been many, and there have been a few more that have made the UK charts. We decided to research the US Billboard and UK top 100 charts and put together a mixtape of songs which have charted in either country. They appear in the chronological order in which they charted. The list below indicates the peak position of each song, and the date on which it reached that position.

Interestingly there are no songs which appeared on both the USA and UK charts. In fact there isn’t even a single South African artist who has charted in both charts. One song charted twice on the UK top 100: ‘Scatterlings Of Africa’ – first the Juluka version, and four years later the Savuka version.

The mixtape selection is restricted to South African musicians and groups who are regarded as wholly South African (for example, this does not include songs by Manfred Mann who only began his musical career once he had emigrated to the UK, Yes when Trevor Rabin was a member, or Freshlyground doing a collaborative song with Shakira, and so on). Collaborations of those sorts can be a focus for a future mixtape!

Some of these are probably very familiar to you, and others you might have hardly ever heard at all. Give them a listen and enjoy!

  1. Pata Pata – Miriam Makeba no 12 on 25 November 1967 (USA)
  2. Up Up And Away – Hugh Masekela No 71 on 13 and 20 January 1968 (USA)
  3. Master Jack – Four Jacks And A Jill No 18 on 8 June 1968 (USA)
  4. Grazing In The Grass – Hugh Masekela No 1 on 20 July 1968 (USA)
  5. Puffin On Down The Track – Hugh Masekela no 71 on 19 October 1968 (USA)
  6. Riot – Hugh Masekela No 55 on 8 and 15 February 1969 (USA)
  7. He’s Gonna Step On You Again – John Kongos No 4 on 22 May 1971 (UK)
  8. Tokoloshe Man – John Kongos No 4 on 20 November 1971 (UK)
  9. Substitute – Clout No 2 17 June 1978 (UK)
  10. Scatterlings Of Africa – Juluka No 44 on 5 Feb 1983 (UK)
  11. She’s The Master (of the game) – Richard Jon Smith No 63 16 July 1983 (UK)
  12. Impi – Juluka No 87 on 6 August 1983 (UK)
  13. The ABC Of Kissing – Richard Jon Smith No 77 on 30 March 1985 (UK)
  14. Scatterlings Of Africa – Savuka No 75 on May 10 1987 (UK)
  15. Lies – Jonathan Butler No 18 on 1 August 1987 (UK)
  16. Holding On – Jonathan Butler No 92 on 24 October 1987 (UK)
  17. Asimbonanga – Savuka No 94 on January 24 1988 (UK)
  18. Take Good Care Of Me – Jonathan Butler No 89 on 13 February 1988 (UK)
  19. Cruel, Crazy, Beautiful World – Savuka No 86 February 4 1990 (UK)
  20. World In Union ’95 – PJ Powers & Ladysmith Black Mambazo No 47 3 June 1995 (UK)
  21. Inkanyezi Nezazi (The Star And The Wiseman) – Ladysmith Mambazo No 33 15 November 1997 (UK)
  22. Ain’t No Sunshine – Ladysmith Black Mambazo No 42 16 October 1999 (UK)
  23. Broken – Seether No 20 in 2004 (USA)
  24. When You Come Back 2010 – Vusi Mahlasela No 70 on 10 July 2010 (UK)
  25. Water – Tyla No 10 on November 28 2023 (USA)
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The 23 Best of 2023

As another year fades out we have once again taken the opportunity to reflect on our favourite tracks of the year, as well as others that have caught our attention. We’ve included 23 new songs which capture a spectrum of South African musical styles.

Several of this year’s artists have appeared in our songs-of-the-year mixtapes over the previous three years and are back again: Stanley Sibanda (‘Clusters’), Julia Church (with a solo acoustic version of ‘Lullaby’, also released as an electronic track with PRAANA), Nakhane (‘Standing In Our Way’), Lucy Kruger & the Lost Boys (‘Burning Building’), We Kill Cowboys (‘Journey’), Alice Phoebe Lou (‘My Girl’), and the West Coast Wolves ‘Knuckles Tight’).

Two musicians who have been releasing music prior to the current century are back with new albums. Jonathan Butler released his first music as a solo artist back in 1975 and here we have included ‘Silver Rain’ from his Ubuntu album. Vusi Mahlasela released his first album with Shifty Records back in 1992, and returns with a new album, Umoya – Embracing The Human Spirit, from which we feature ‘Tsietsi La Letswalo’. In addition, veteran musician Gary Rathbone (with 1980s bands What Colours, Aeroplanes, and the Spectres) is back with his latest initiative, The Weathervanes (in collaboration with Nechama Brodie). Here we feature ‘Heart-Shaped Box’ from their debut EP.

We also include several musicians who have been on the scene for a while but who this year feature for their first time on our songs-of-the year list. These include East London-based Bongeziwe Mabandla (‘Soze’), Gauteng-based musicians Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness (BCUC, ‘The Woods’), Acid Magus (‘Caligulater’), Shameless (‘Victim of Data’), and Tyla (‘Water’). Also included are Kwazulu-Natal based musicians Wren Hinds (‘Dream State’), The Lion, The Bear, and The Panther (‘Something Real’), and Jim Neversink (‘Man’s Best Friend’). We also include Cape Town-based musicians Bhex (‘Demons’), Ethyl Ether (‘Dead Conversation’), Beatenberg (‘Don’t Call Her Over To You’), Matthew Mole (‘Good Thing’), and Asher Gamedze (‘Wynter Time’).

Much has been made of Tyla’s ‘Water’ being the first song by a solo South African musician (or South African group) to reach the USA Billboard Top 10 since Hugh Masekela’s ‘Grazing In The Grass’ in 1968. It has been viewed over 100 million times on YouTube. Which is crazy (by comparison the Weathervane’s ‘Heart-shaped Box’ has less than 30 views). Popular musicians keep putting their music out there, regardless of what might happen to it, hoping that at the very least some listeners will enjoy it. We hope we have introduced you to something that connects with you. Give this mixtape a listen, and support the musicians who catch your interest. More than ever they need your support – buy their music, go see them live, and tell your friends about them! Enjoy …

  1. Soze – Bongeziwe Mabandla
  2. Clusters – Stanley Sibande
  3. Lullaby (acoustic) – Julia Church
  4. Dream State – Wren Hinds
  5. Tsietsi La Letswalo – Vusi Mahlasela
  6. Silver Rain – Jonathan Butler
  7. Standing In Our way – Nakhane
  8. The Woods – BCUC
  9. Demons – Bhex
  10. Burning Building – Lucy Kruger & the Lost Boys
  11. Journey – We Kill Cowboys
  12. Dead Conversation – Ethyl Ether
  13. Something Real – The Lion, the Bear and the Panther
  14. Man’s Best Friend – Jim Neversink
  15. Don’t Call Her Over To You – Beatenberg
  16. My Girl – Alice Phoebe Lou
  17. Heart-Shaped Box – The Weathervanes
  18. Good Thing – Matthew Mole
  19. Knuckles Tight – West Coast Wolves
  20. Caligulater – Acid Magus
  21. Victim Of Data – Shameless
  22. Wynter Time – Asher Gamedze
  23. Water – Tyla
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Sunny African Summer

Well, it’s been a while since our last mixtape, but the South African sun has emerged from a reclusive winter, beckoning us to compile a shiny, happy, compilation. So we decided to do something that celebrates the returning South African summer. We might have loadshedding, inflation, corruption, potholes and pot-bellied politicians, but at least we have the sun. And we can dance. As Harari sing, “In the summertime, everybody should be dancing.”

This mixtape is scattered with happy upbeat tunes, kicking off with Robin Auld’s tribute to James Phillips, “Sunny Skies”, a great way to get us up and jiving, followed by similarly buoyant songs by Bright Blue (“Living in Africa”), eVoid’s (“Under blue skies”) and Nude Red’s “Seaside Dreams”. Things turn a bit funkier with Phillip Mallela’s “Sunny Day”, Clout’s “Sunshine Baby”, Harari’s “In The Summertime” and Kabasa’s “African sunset”.

South African summers would not be the same without some Dollar Brand/Abdullah Ibrahim, and his “African Sun” reminds us why. Miriam Makeba sings “African Sunset”, not related to Kabasa’s tune, but written by Sipho Mabuse. Apart from enjoying summery tunes, we also pause for a moment to remember Zahara, who died this week. Her “Brighter Day” fits very well with the theme of this mixtape.

Vusi Mahlasela’s “Africa The Sun Has Risen’ is hopeful that apart from getting brighter, things will get better. Here’s hoping! Hugh Masekela and Herb Alpert join forces to celebrate the “African Summer”, while Juluka sing their somewhat anthemic “December African Rain” which made a lot of us feel better about things forty years ago.

The mixtape ends with an assortment of sun-referenced songs, from Chris Letcher’s “The Sun! The Sun!” to “Happy Person” by the aptly named, The Sunshines, and McCully Workshop’s “(We All) Look For The Sun” and “Summer Journey” by the Soweto Licks.

Finally, Johannes Kerkorrel plays out on a very relaxed note announcing the arrival of the summer sun. Wherever you are – in the South or the North – turn up the volume and enjoy!

  1. Sunny Skies – Robin Auld
  2. Living In Africa – Bright Blue
  3. Under Blue Skies – eVoid
  4. Seaside Dreams – Nude Red
  5. Sunny Day – Phillip Mallela
  6. Sunshine Baby – Clout
  7. In The Summertime – Harari
  8. African Sunset – Kabasa
  9. African Sun – Dollar Brand
  10. African Sunset – Miriam Makeba
  11. Brighter Day – Zahara
  12. Africa The Sun Has Risen – Vusi Mahlasela
  13. African Summer – Hugh Masekela & Herp Albert
  14. December African Rain – Juluka
  15. Perfect Day – Robin Levetan
  16. The Sun! The Sun! – Chris Letcher
  17. Happy Person – The Sunshines
  18. (We All) Look For The Sun – McCully Workshop
  19. Summer Journey – Soweto Licks
  20. Somer – Johannes Kerkorrel