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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Bright Blue: Formed in Cape Town in 1983 with Robin Levetan (vocals), Tom Fox (guitar, vocals), Ian Cohen (bass, vocals), Dan Heymann (keyboards) and Peter Cohen (drums).
They released their self-titled debut album in 1984 and received radio play with their first single “Window on the World”. A second single “Living in Africa” did not do as well. The band lost some momentum when two band members (Dan Heymann and Ian Cohen) were conscripted to the army but released a second album The Rising Tide in 1988, by which time Robin Levetan had left.
The single “Weeping” topped the charts in 1987. A follow-up single “Where would I go” also received radio play. Later in 1988 they released the single “Time On My Own” which received some radio play.
After that Dan Heymann left the group when he moved to the United States.
The remaining three members released the 3-song e.p “Open Your Eyes” in 1996 and then in 2003 (with Dan Heymann) they released the song “Madiba” as a free-to-download single (recorded in 1990).
In 2008 the original five members reunited to play at an End Conscription campaign concert at Spier Estate in the Western Cape.
