Preserving South African Musical History
Formed out of Simba Morri’s band in 1987 with Steve Newman (guitar), Gito Baloi (bass) and Ian Herman (drums). They began by playing gigs at Jamesons in Johannesburg and recoded their debut album Tananas with Shifty Records in 1989.
This was followed with five more albums with major labels in the 1990s.
Gito Baloi and Steve Newman continued with solo careers and tragically Gito Baloi was murdered while driving through Johannesburg in 2004.
Formed in Cape Town in 1987.
Released the Ep The Believers in 1988, including the minor hit “Romance”.
Formed in the 90’s, The Dollyrockers’ sound stretched from the post-punk Of ‘Ziggy Played Bizarre to the dark pop of ‘Lovesong’ and ‘Suicide Annie’.
The core of the band consisted of Greg Donnelly (Vocals & Guitar), Pitchie Rommelaere (Guitar), Anthony Bull (Bass) and Arnold Vermaak (Drums).
In their existence, the band released 3 full length albums ‘The Dollyrockers’ (1995), ‘Glory Glory’ (2002)and ‘The Heat’ (2004) as well as the vinyl e.p. ‘Consume Me’ (1992).
Their songs have been used in soundtracks for movies such as ‘Once Upon A Roadtrip’ and ‘Twist’. The band also penned the theme song for TV series, ‘Couch Trip’ and ‘Sleepy Town’ was used in the TV series, ‘Going Nowhere Slowly’. Lovesong’ off their final album was listed on the 1001 South African Songs You Must Hear Before You Go Deaf.
After their successful reunion shows in 2017 they were approached by One F Music to release a double cd retrospective called ‘Dive – A Collection’. CD1 consisted of studio material and CD2 consisted of live material from various shows and included the hard-to-find ‘Live At The Playground’ recordings which were only ever previously released on cassette. These recordings are a real snapshot into the world of the Cape Town live music scene of the Nineties. These recordings were remastered by Paul Riekert. The band also released a limited edition 7” vinyl consisting of ‘Suicide Annie’ and ‘Lovesong’.
Johannesburg band formed in 1983 with Vernon Matzoupolos (tenor sax), Winston Nyaunda (alto sax), Harvey Roberts (tenor sax), Themba Sehoete (bass), Jimmy Florence (keyboards) and Steve Howells (drums).
Released the EP Switch It On And Wind it Up and the single “Thugs” in 1984.
Thereafter they travelled to England to make a go of it there but after a year they broke up mainly because from the outset Winston Nyaunda had not been allowed into the UK.
The band reformed in 1992 with some of the original members. Released the album Organic! in 1996.
Formed in Durban in 1979. Kevin Flame (lead guitar, vocals), Tim Rocker (bass) and Sydney B God (drums).
They released the single “School Kids” in 1980 and the album Gents in 1982. The song “Nobody Nobody” from the album received some airplay on Capital Radio in 1982.
The band broke up in 1982.
Energetic Cape Malay rock fusion band who formed in Cape Town in 1986 with Hilton Schilder (keyboards, vocals), Mac Mackenzie (bass, vocals), Gerard O’Brien (guitar) and Ian Herman (drums).
Released their debut album, Goema, in 1986. They were joined by Mac Mackenzie’s father, Samuel ‘Mr Mac’ MacKenzie for their second album, Mr Mac And The Genuines released in 1987.
They released two further albums in the early 1990s before breaking up.
Formed in Vereeniging in 1981 with Bernard Binns (guitar, vocals), Pete Koen (guitar), Bert Askes (bass) and Maciek Schejbal (drums). In 1985 Peter Koen left and in 1986 Nik Matzukis replaced Maciek Schejbal on drums and Alistair Broadhead replaced Bert Askes on bass. Paul Hughes (guitar, vocals) also joined in 1986.
There were other comings and goings during the band’s existence, although it is not clear to us exactly when these took place. The band’s debut single was “Flying High” released in 1981 but it was with “Mysteries And Jealousies“ in 1984 that they rose to prominence in South Africa.
They released several more singles until 1987 and an EP, What Affair, in 1988 after which they broke up. They also released two albums: Love Attack (1985) and In The Flesh (1987).
Durban-based group formed in the mid-1980s under the mentorship of Darius Brubeck: Zim Ngqawana (alto sax, flute), Victor Masondo (bass), Lulu Gontsana (drums, percussion), Kevin Gibson (drums), Andrew Eagle (guitar), Melvin Peters (piano, keyboards), Nic Paton (tenor sax, soprano sax) and Johnny Mekoa (trumpet, valve trombone), and Rick van Heerden (alto sax, tenor sax).
Released the album We Have Waited Too Long in 1988 and toured the USA.
Johannesburg-based group formed in the mid-1980s by Gary Herselman: (aka Methylated Purple) on vocals and guitar, Gary Sparks (aka Citrus Orange) on bass, and Neil Fishwick (aka Crimple Green) on drums.
Released the album Ek Sê and single “Golden Days” in 1988 and the album Chrome Sweet Chrome in 1995.
The Leather Omnibus was a multiracial band comprising students at Rhodes University and residents of Rhini Township outside Grahamstown during the apartheid-era of the late 1980s.
The band played a mixture of covers and original material commenting on the socio-political conditions of the time.
They released one single, ‘Neighbours’ which received airplay on the local campus radio station, ‘RMR’.
The classic line-up was: Leon Lazarus (bass & vocals), Mini Dial (drums & vocals), Brett Lock (guitar), David McCluskey (saxophone), and Nombelelo Futuse (keyboards and backing vocals).
For their final run of gigs in December 1989 at the famous club Jameson’s in Johannesburg, they were augmented by: Chris Letcher (lead guitar), Alan Finlay (keyboards), Vusi Kama (percussion), and Rene Benade (backing vocals).