Preserving South African Musical History
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.
Gary Herselman is best known for his band The Kêrels, but prior to forming The Kêrels he began his career in the music industry by forming various bands while at school before getting a long-standing job at Hillbrow Records in 1980 and during that time playing in the band Hard Lines (contemporaries of The Asylum Kids) and then The Kêrels.
Musically, from 1989 until the late 1990s, Gary was involved in other projects, such as being a member of Johannes Kerkorrel’s Gerefomeerde Blues Band for the Eet Kreef (1989) album and on the Voëlvry tour, playing on the Koos Kombuis Niemandsland (1989) album and on the Radio Rats Big Beat (1990) album and also playing with the Radio Rats around the same time. In the mid-1990s he formed his own record company, Tic Tic Bang, recording some South African music and distributing both their own and other independent artists as well as licensing overseas music.
He worked with the likes of Matthew van der Want, Jo Edwards and Sue Charlton in recording music in the late 90s/early 2000s period. After the demise of The Kêrels and Tic Tic Bang, Gary working with other musicians, including co-producing (with Matthew van der Want) the tribute to Koos Kombuis Kombuis Musiek (2002) compilation album and periodically putting out his own music, including Die Lemme’s Rigtingbefok (2014) album in which he collaborated with several South African musicians and House For Sale (2018).
Formed around lead singer and songwriter Ralf Rabie (aka Johannes Kerkorrel) in 1988. Johannes Kerkorrel (vocals), Willem Moller (guitar), Gary Herselman (also known as Piet Pers, bass) and Jannie Hanepoot Van Tonder (drums).
Released the singles “Ry/Hillbrow” in 1988 and the single “Ossewa”/”Liefde” and the album Eet Kreef in 1989.
Were one of the main attractions of the Voelvry tour (along with Koos Kombuis). Broke up when Johannes Kerkorrel decide to pursue a solo career without them.
Started out as an Afrikaner writer under the name of Andre Le Toit. He decided to become a singer songwriter in order to reach a wider audience. His first album, Ver Van Die Ou Kalahari, was released as Andre Le Toit.
He changed his stage name to Koos Kombuis under which name he has released all subsequent albums: Niemandsland & Beyond (1989), Elke Boemelaar Se Droom (1994), Blameer Dit Op Apartheid (1997), Madiba Bay (1997), Mona Lisa (1999), Equilibrium (2002), ‘n Jaar In Die Son (with Valiant Swart, 2003), Bloedrivier (2008), Koos Kombuis (2009), Dertien (2012), Lente In Die Boland (2013) and Langpad Na Lekkersing (2016).
He was also a pivotal member of the Voelvry tour and appears on the Shifty Records Voelvry and Voelvry tour compilation albums.
Photograph of Koos Kombuis courtesy of Harold Gess Photography.
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