James Phillips was arguably one of the greatest musicians that South Africa ever produced. His music kickstarted Afrikaans rock music with far-reaching effects. Read more →
The unbearable tension of being Medicine Boy
Medicine Boy have released their final album entitled Take Me With You When You Disappear Read more →
Vogue
Prisoners Go Go
In the apartheid years the Nationalist government strictly controlled what was heard on the radio in South Africa. Music fans had to be inventive if they wanted to discover bands that were different from the usual fare that was played on State-controlled radio stations. Innovation One such person was Yunus Momoniat, who lived with his family in Lenasia, a suburb… Read more →
Some pieces from the Neil Goedhals archives
Neil Goedhals was an influential artist who started the band Koos with the actor Marcel van Heerden. Read about the band here and here. At the end of 2016 I was lucky to visit the Neil Goedhals archives and I am posting some interesting pieces from the archives on this page. After Neil Goedhals’s death, Koos morphed into a band… Read more →
Film Music – Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
Karen Zoid Back with a Banger
Friday brought a bonanza day of new music for South African music lovers with both Arno Carstens and Karen Zoid releasing new singles. Both artists have acknowledged how Johannes Kerkorrel influenced them as musicians. Read about the connection between Zoid and Kerkorrel here. In another coincidence, Theo Crous produced Zoid’s new single. Crous plays lead guitar in the Springbok Nude… Read more →
Studio 54 Revisited
Arno Carstens is back with a fresh new sound. The new single, Empire of the Night, with its up-tempo, pop feel is a big departure from his more recent recordings and indeed from his work with the Springbok Nude Girls. The song has more hooks than an I&J trawler. The driving beat and lush vocals, reveal Arno at the peak… Read more →
Kalahari Blues
In 1987 a young protest singer by the name of André le Toit, who would later become known as Koos Kombuis came across an album by Bernoldus Niemand at a flea market in Greenmarket Square. Kombuis was so inspired by the lyrics and music of this album that he recorded a demo of his own music and sent it off… Read more →
It Was Thirty Years Ago in March
Thirty years ago in March 1989 the Eet Kreef! album by die Gereformeerde Blues Band was released. Read more →