Preserving South African Musical History
Studio band formed in 1977 by Dan Hill and Kevin Kruger, involving various session musicians and singers, including singers Mercedes Kornfield, René Veldsman, John Weddepohl and Jytte Fältskog, guitarist Trevor Rabin, keyboardist Duncan Mackay and drummer Cedric Samson.
Their first album, House Of The Rising Sun (from whence their name is formed) was released in 1977, followed by Forbidden Fruit (1978), In-A-Gadda-Da Vida (EP, 1979) and Heads Or Tails (1980).
Formed by Julian Laxton in the mid-1970s it was always a studio project
more than a formal band with a fixed lineup which toured. Julian Laxton was initially guitarist with Freedom’s Children and Hawk (in both of these instances he was not one of the original members).
The Julian Laxton Band released one album, Celebrate, in 1977 and several singles which all received radio play on the SABC. These included “Celebrate” (1976), “Blue Water” (1976), “Fooled Around and Fell in Love (1977), “Down The Line” (1977) and “Make A Stand For Love” (1981).
Over the years the Julian Laxton Band included the vocalists Eugene Savage (1976), John Weddepohl (1977), Frankie Gibb (1978), Ronnie Padlas (1980), Cedric Samson (1980) and Huey Bush (1981). Bass guitarists included Trevor Rabin, Ronnie Robot and John Hawkrigg, drummers included Neil Cloud,
Kevin Kruger and Larry Friedburg while keyboard players included and Alan Goldswain and Arthur Stead. The Stockley Sisters and Patrick Van Blerk occasionally featured as backing vocalists.
After 1981 he focused more strongly on film music, writing the very successful theme music for the Shaka Zulu television series, the theme song of which (“We Are Growing” [1986] performed by Margaret Singana) charted in European countries despite the cultural boycott.
He has continued to perform in and around Johannesburg and work as a producer for the likes of Lucky Dube and Mango Groove.
Johannesburg-based group who evolved out of Conglomeration in 1975.
An earlier version of Rabbitt led by Trevor Rabin has been convened as a studio group to record a cover version of Jethro Tull’s “Locomotive Breath” (1972) for the South African market.
They also released a follow-up single “Backdoor Of My Heart” (1973). The version of Rabbitt that achieved huge success in South Africa were: Trevor Rabin (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Duncan Faure (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Neil Cloud (drums) and Ronnie Robot (Ronnie Friedman, bass).
They released two albums, Boys Will Be Boys (1977) and A Croak And A Grunt In The Night (1977) before Trevor Rabin left the group. The remaining three members released the album Rock Rabbitt (1977) but soon after they broke-up.
Their single “Charlie” (1975) is regarded as a classic South African pop song.
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.