Johannesburg-based guitarist and vocalist. A founding member of Baxtop, formed in 1978 alongside Larry Amos, the band won the SABC Battle of the Bands in 1979 and released the album Work It Out on WEA Records. When Baxtop dissolved, Parr formed the Tim Parr Band.
In 1981 he spotted vocalist Heather Mac performing at folk club Mangles in Braamfontein and invited her to collaborate. From this partnership grew Ella Mental, who formed fully in 1983 with Heather Mac (vocals), Adrian Levi (bass) and Hermann Eugster (drums). The band released the album Uncomplicated Dreams in 1984 on EMI and became one of the decade’s most acclaimed South African acts, with singles including “Pressure” (1984), “See Yourself (Clowns)” (1984) and “30 Million Lonely People” (1985). The band relocated to Ireland in 1986 and subsequently recorded their second album in Los Angeles with producer Stewart Levine, releasing it on Warner Brothers internationally in 1989. Ella Mental disbanded in 1992.
On returning to South Africa, Parr formed the Zap Dragons, who released Zap Dragons Live in 1990. His solo album Still Standing followed in 1996. He has continued to perform and record, releasing the EP Revolution in 2021 and Malachi’s Dream in 2025. He is based in Cape Town, where he performs with the Greenworld Collective.
Short-lived band formed in 1985 as an off-shoot of the Radio Rats: Jonathan Handley (guitar, vocals), Dave Davies (vocals), David Allen (bass), Peter Peyerl (Drums).
Released the single “Padded Rooms” and other songs including “Agony”.
Short-lived group who released one album and did live gigs in the late 1990s. Formed by Warrick Sony of Kalahari Surfers (keyboards, guitar, vocals) and Brendan Jury (viola, vocals) after Urban Creep broke up. They released the album Killing Time in 1998.
Songwriter, composer, vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist and producer who rose to fame in the mid-1970s with the group Rabbitt (formerly Conglomeration).
He left Rabbitt in 1977 to pursue a solo career while also an in-demand session guitarist and was involved in the studio projects Disco Rock Machine and Come With Me.
Launched his solo career in 1978 with the singles “Fantasy” and “Stay With Me” and the album Beginning. This was followed by Face to Face (1979) and Wolf (1981) before he joined Yes for their album 90125.
He continued after that with Yes, as a solo artist and a very successful composer of film music.
Formed in Johannesburg in 1984. After the break-up of the Asylum Kids, Robbie Robb (guitar, vocals) formed Boys Next with Fuzzy Marcus (bass), Neils Jensen (keyboards), Bruce Williams (drums).
Williams changed to keyboards when Clive Dickenson came in on drums.
They released the single ‘Between the sky and the stone’ in 1984. In 1985 they changed their name to Tribe After Tribe and released the Bob Dylan cover ‘As I Went Out One Morning (Damsel)’ as a single and the album Power.
Robbie Robb relocated to the USA soon after and a second album – Tribe After Tribe – was released in 1991.
The 1991 release saw a substantial change in the band’s line-up. Joining Robbie Robb were Robby Whitelaw (bass guitar, bass synth, vocals), PK (drums, percussion) and Barry C. Schneider (techno primal drums). Four further albums were released over the following 16 years.
