Music News & Info With A South African Flavour
A 12″ EP released in South Africa in 1985 by EMI. Catalogue number: EMI, 12EMIL(C) 11236
Thanks to Leon Rossouw for the cover and videos.
Nielen and Allan’s original collection of songs which would go on to appear on their iconic albums Zen Boulders (1979), The Storming of the Loft (1980), and Fantasy Kid (1981).
Released February 2, 2023
Lyrics and vocals by Nielen Mirror
Guitars and piano by Allan Faull
Recorded and Produced by Tully McCully
At Spaced-Out Sound Studios, Cape Town
Unreleased and previously unavailable material from the iconic South African Alternative band, Falling Mirror.
In memory of Allan Faull and Pat Humphreys.
Proceeds go to Nielen Mirror.
For the Falling Mirror fans: I found a rare quarter inch tape, buried in my storage area, with the first demos Allan and Nielen did before recording their debut album. Very interesting to listen to 45 years later. It’s available on Bandcamp where you can name your price if you are feeling generous. All money will go to support Nielen and your support is greatly appreciated.
I will be posting some more rarities in the future so please follow and share the Bandcamp page
Tully McCully, February 2023
Engineers – Tony Manuel, Graham Handley, Hennie Hartman, Julian Laxton and Greg Cutler
All songs written by Ramsay Mackay
Produced by Ramsay Mackay
1982, Principal, PRC 005
Thanks to Andrew King for info.
“Silent Water” (with “Saint Judas” on the b-side) was originally released as a single in 1978.
“I Like The Rebel” was released on the b-side of the single “Strange Light” in 1980, and credited to Ramsay MacKay and the Bushveld Pygmies.
“Mumbo Jumbo” was originally recorded by Hawk and released on “Live And Well” in 1974.
“Silent Water” was covered by Brian Finch on his “Living For Yesterday” album in 2014.
1996, Gallo, CDRED 603 J
A powerful compilation from the soulful voice of Margaret Singana. Different to the 1973 album with the same title. Margaret has covered a number of classic South African rock tracks, including Freedoms Children’s ‘Tribal Fence’, The Julian Laxton Band’s ‘Johannesburg’ and Hawk’s ‘Orang Outang’.
Brian Currin
She is probably most famous for ‘Mama Tembu’s Wedding’ from ‘Ipi ‘N Tombia’ and also the brilliant theme song from the Shaka Zulu TV series, ‘We Are Growing’. This song went to number 1 in The Netherlands in 1989.
Patric van Blerk wrote a few songs for her and also produced most of her albums. Trevor Rabin makes an appearance on some of her songs as well.
There are also some very strong soul songs on this CD including ‘I Never Loved A Man’ (sounds nothing like the Aretha Franklin song with the same title, actually a cover of John Russell’s ‘I Never Loved A Woman’), Jimmy Cliff’s ‘Many Rivers To Cross’ and Tammy Wynette’s ‘Stand Up Like A Man’ (done in a reggae-style).
So if you enjoy strong female vocals with a touch of rock, a bit of Africa and a lot of soul, then ‘Lady Africa’ is for you.
This classic album been released at least 4 times with different track listings. It was first released in 1972 in South Africa. It was then released in 1973 in Europe with a slightly different track list and credited to Jo’Burg Hawk. In 1998 an unofficial CD was released by the Never Never Land label in Japan with a different cover and track list. In January 2004 Retrofresh released a CD of the European version with bonus tracks.
The album cover was a gatefold with the image actually sideways. It is shown here in the “wrong” position for better effect. Cover painting was by B. Funnêll. The European album release has the same cover, but “Hawk” is replaced with “Jo’Burg Hawk”.
Compiled by Benjy Mudie and originally released in 1993. Streaming playlist expanded in 2023.
Ken E Henson passed away 24th May 2007.
Brian Finch passed away 20th May 2019.
June Dyer was born in Durban on 19 June 1942. She was not deterred by the fact that she was almost totally deaf from the age of 10, and mastered lip reading and getting the music beat by holding the piano or bass. June won several talent competitions and eventually caught the eye of talent scout, Alan Marshall. She passed away 14 January 2011.
Tertius Louw
“Ain’t Necessarily So / Take Five” not available on Spotify.
LP: 1970, Uptight, STIC 101
CD: 2005, Mason Records, MR 56409 (unofficial release, included all tracks from Silver Trees as bonus tracks, except for “All The Same”)
CD: 2005, RetroFresh, freshcd146 (omitted “Ain’t Necessarily So / Take Five”, included all tracks from Silver Trees)
LP & CD: 2009, Shadoks (Germany), SHADOKS 111
The album ‘Totum’ was recorded in Johannesburg over a single weekend using a 4-track machine. The album was released in early 1970. “According to today’s standards it’s pretty rough,” says Henson, “but I guess it was an honest interpretation of what we were doing.”
In a newspaper review reporter Carl Coleman had this say about the release of Abstract Truth’s debut album: “Sean, Brian, Robbie and Ken have lifted South African pop from the syrupy blare of bubblegum music to new heights of progressive pop. What an achievement!”
The Freak Emporium online store had this brief review of ‘Totum’ on their website: “Excellent early ’70s melodic wistful freak rock blends with African sounds featuring assorted instruments: keyboards, flutes, electric guitars, saxophone, percussion, etc. A refreshing approach.”
Most of ‘Totum’ consists of unusual reworkings of jazz, folk and blues songs. The only band composition is the sitar-drenched ‘Total Totum/Acid Raga’. Donovan, Dylan, Gershwin, Simon and Garfunkel and others all get given the special Abstract Truth treatment that is reminiscent of early King Crimson in places.
Brian Currin
Ramases, born Kimberley Barrington Frost (1 January 1934 to 2 December 1976), was a British psychedelic musician who released two cult albums in the early 1970s.
Wikipedia
Bonus track on 2002 Official CD:
LP: 1971, Parlophone, PCSJ (D) 12075
CD: May 2002, RetroFresh, freshcd 126
In the 18 months I worked at EMI South Africa the group I believed the most in was Freedom’s Children——this is with the line up of Julian Laxton, Colin Pratley, Ramsay Mackay and Brian Davidson. In fact I believed so much in them that I came close to leaving EMI to manage the group full time with a view to trying to get them to London to “make it” on the world stage, so to speak. In those days, however, there were all sorts of obstacles with work permits, UK Musicians Union, SA Exchange Control, etc, not to mention the fact that I was only 23, had no capital and had virtually no contacts anywhere outside of SA……..so nothing came of this particular “dream” and sadly the limitations of their having to try and evolve creatively within the narrow confines of the SA music scene at that time, coupled with personal differences some of the members were having, ultimately led to the disintegration of what in my opinion was then and probably still is today (30 years later) the only SA rock group that given the right circumstances in the right geographical location, could have become an internationally successful rock band just by being themselves and doing what they did.
Clive Calder, January 2002
Bonus tracks on 2005 CD re-issue:
All songs written by Ramsey MacKay
Produced by Clive Calder and Freedoms Children
LP: 1970, Parlophone, PCSJ(D) 12066
8 Track: 1971 Parlophone X8-PCSJ-12066
LP: 1990, PVB Music, PVBC 7
Cassette: 1990, PVB Music, ZPVC 7
CD: 1993, TRC 029 unofficial German CD re-issue
CD: 1997, 3eM, CDRED 619 official CD release, distributed by Gallo
CD: April 2005, RetroFresh, freshcd 145 official CD release
The Kid He Came From Hazareth was covered by Wildebeest and released on the Bushrock 1 album as ‘Russian And Chips’ (cleverly combined with a traditional Russian folk song). Piet Botha (Wildebeest bassist in the early ’80s) performed this song as an unplugged version on his Summer 2001 tour.
‘Russian and Chips‘ was covered by Jack Hammer (featuring Piet Botha) and released in April 2005 on the album The Pilgrim.
Tribal Fence was covered by Rabbitt (featuring Margaret Singana) on their A Croak And A Grunt In The Night album. Margaret Singana herself also recorded a very powerful version of ‘Tribal Fence’ which was released on the Lady Africa compilation CD. ‘Tribal Fence’ was also recorded live by Wildebeest (featuring Piet Botha) and released on the Bushrock 1 album in 1981. In April 2005 ‘Tribal Fence’ was covered by Jack Hammer (again featuring Piet Botha) and released on The Pilgrim.
Slowly Towards The North was covered (and extended) by Hawk on their Live And Well LP in 1974. This track was also recorded live by Wildebeest and renamed ‘Pofadder’ when released on the Bushrock 1 album.
The Homecoming: An edited version (2:50) was released as a single in 1971.
A 16-minute live version of ‘The Homecoming’ (including a drum solo) was released on Galactic Vibes.
Brian Currin
Movement One:
Movement Two:
Bonus on CD re-issue
All tracks written by Ramsay MacKay.
LP: 1969, Parlophone, PCSJ 12049
CD: 2008, Fresh Music, freshcd 152
This album has all the wonderful excesses of early progressive rock; the deep “meaningful” poetry, spoken words, majestic organ-playing, sound effects, choirs, long guitar solos, etc. I love it!
The unusual Scottish/South African accent of Ramsay MacKay guides us through this album of contrasts. From the country sounds of “Country Boy” to the Traffic-style rock of “Judas Queen” this album does not let up for a moment. It rocks, it soothes, it challenges, it even refreshes (thanks to the inclusion of a Pepsi advert!). A great album, which has seen the light of day on CD (at last!), thanks to Fresh Music.Brian Davidson says that he sang a bit on this album, but this is unconfirmed.
Stevie van Kerken was Robert John “Mutt” Lange’s first wife.
Brian Currin
November 1981, MFM (distributed by Gallo), ML456
You’re So Good To Me … I’m not supposed to be alone with you…” sings the 21 year-old P.J. Powers (born Penelope Jane Dunlop in Durban in 1960). Is he married? Or is she? Possibly a same-sex liaison, or more likely the lyrics refer to an inter-racial relationship which was illegal under the Apartheid system of the time. A powerful song which never fails to stir the emotions.
Brian Currin
‘You’re So Good To Me’ was a South African #8 hit in February 1982, backed by ‘So Cold’. ‘So Cold’ is one of my all-time great magic moments in South African Rock – stunning vocals, driving bass-line… this track rocks, man!
Brian Currin
The title track for ‘Burnout’ actually only appeared on their second album ‘Help’ in 1982.
All songs written by J.S. Martin & Jake Gunn, except The Top (Moonshine Lee & Jake Gunn), One For The Angels (Raymond Smith & Jake Gunn) & Diana (J.P. Botha)
Recorded at Wolmer Records and produced by the Jack Hammer Band, Lanie van der Walt and Moonshine Lee.
CD: 11 November 2022
Download: TBC
“Second Chapter” by the Jack Hammer Band does what it says: without any pretences, the album blasts straight into the driving rock sound that has come to define the longest-standing South African rock band.
You immediately find yourself at a Jack Hammer gig, with Duke steady behind the kit, Bean towering over his black bass like a watchkeeper, and Johno and Jake Gunn wringing rock ’n roll out of their guitars as if their lives depended on it.
There is also the tall presence of the man of myth and his Stratocaster that goes by the name of Green Mamba – it would be difficult to imagine Piet Botha laying down the guitar after departing.
The album, co-written by Johnathan Martin, member of Jack Hammer since 1996, and Jake Gunn, who joined the ranks in the 2010s, was initially set out as an impulse to craft ten songs out of the kinship shared between the two. It soon became what had been called for: an album for Piet. The album’s path was led by an eleventh track – a reworked, never-before recorded version of ‘Diana’, a song Piet Botha left behind.
Raymond Smith, Piet’s brother-in-law, urged the band to write and record as Jack Hammer again and helped to bring it all together. He also wrote ‘One for the Angels’, a song inspired by one late-night party with Piet Botha.
Through songs shared and learned on stage, the band are creating a living archive, not only by telling Piet and Jack Hammer’s musings and stories in musical form, but also by revisiting undocumented material and channelling an immense discography.
Come celebrate the official album launch of “Second Chapter” on 11 November at the JARR Bar & Restaurant, Pretoria’s home of sound.
The Jack Hammer Band are: Johnathan Martin (vocals, guitars and piano), Tertius du Plessis (bass guitar), Paul Van de Waal (drums and percussion) and Jacques Groenewald (guitars, vocals, piano and harmonicas). Gerry Robinson, honorary band member (acoustic guitars).
“Second Chapter” was recorded at Wolmer Records and produced by the Jack Hammer Band, Lanie van der Walt and Moonshine Lee.
~ Written by Jannike Bergh, 2022.
As with the trajectory of the blues and rock ‘n roll tradition, revisiting comes with reshaping and maturing. “Second Chapter” is a homage to Piet Botha and Jack Hammer precisely in the way in which the band members affirm themselves and their own musical stylings.
Jannike Bergh
“Second Chapter” by the Jack Hammer Band does what it says: without any pretences, the album blasts straight into the driving rock sound that has come to define the longest-standing South African rock band.
You immediately find yourself at a Jack Hammer gig, with Duke steady behind the kit, Bean towering over his black bass like a watchkeeper, and Johno and Jake Gunn wringing rock ’n roll out of their guitars as if their lives depended on it.
There is also the tall presence of the man of myth and his Stratocaster that goes by the name of Green Mamba – it would be difficult to imagine Piet Botha laying down the guitar after departing.
The album, co-written by Johnathan Martin, member of Jack Hammer since 1996, and Jake Gunn, who joined the ranks in the 2010s, was initially set out as an impulse to craft ten songs out of the kinship shared between the two. It soon became what had been called for: an album for Piet. The album’s path was led by an eleventh track – a reworked, never-before recorded version of ‘Diana’, a song Piet Botha left behind.
Raymond Smith, Piet’s brother-in-law, urged the band to write and record as Jack Hammer again and helped to bring it all together. He also wrote ‘One for the Angels’, a song inspired by one late-night party with Piet Botha.
Through songs shared and learned on stage, the band are creating a living archive, not only by telling Piet and Jack Hammer’s musings and stories in musical form, but also by revisiting undocumented material and channelling an immense discography.
Come celebrate the official album launch of “Second Chapter” on 11 November at the JARR Bar & Restaurant, Pretoria’s home of sound.
The Jack Hammer Band are: Johnathan Martin (vocals, guitars and piano), Tertius du Plessis (bass guitar), Paul Van de Waal (drums and percussion) and Jacques Groenewald (guitars, vocals, piano and harmonicas). Gerry Robinson, honorary band member (acoustic guitars).
“Second Chapter” was recorded at Wolmer Records and produced by the Jack Hammer Band, Lanie van der Walt and Moonshine Lee.
~ Written by Jannike Bergh, 2022.
I’m at my favourite record store in Cape Town bemoaning the lack of decent second-hand vinyl these days, when the conversation shifts to collectable South African records – is there such a thing you may ask, as a collector’s market for SA vinyl?
Among aficionados both local and international one thing is certain – LP’s from around the world have become more and more collectable when it comes to certain artists, but more importantly, SA vinyl from the early 1950’s onwards has not escaped the attention of serious collectors worldwide.
“So, what’s the value of a decent copy of Time to Suck by that notorious band SUCK, on the Parlophone label?” I ask.
“Well,” says the owner, “we’ve recently sold a copy to a Russian collector for 20 G’s.”
“Whaaaaat?” I croak, choking on my croissaint!!! 20000 rand for a piece of plastic!!
In 1970 when the record was released, you could buy a new copy for R1.99 at the local record shop, so do the math – it’s about a million and some percent profit over 50 years.
Even cryptocurrencies can’t beat that performance it seems, so what’s going on?
And here’s the story: during the late 60’s local Johannesburg-based music promoter Clive Calder saw currency in 5 of the then ” happening ” groups of the time viz. Freedoms Children, Hawk, Otis Waygood Blues Band, Abstract Truth, and ominously, SUCK.
They began recording for Calder at EMI and each released albums over a period of some 5 years, in the process creating some of the most vital and original music ever to be released on these shores.
In most cases only very limited numbers were stamped at EMI’s plant and sold to the public, and unlike European and American markets, were never released again. This is why their values have skyrocketed over the years. In most instances the groups themselves never became wealthy individuals, Calder later built a multi-million-pound music empire in the UK.
Unlike cryptocurrencies which have become huge investment traps, vinyl has some unique qualities which are much more attractive: you get something tangible. a large piece of plastic with a concentric layer of grooves, a central label identifying artist and record company, and most importantly – a hole in the centre!
Removed from a sleeve, most of which are visually gratifying to the eye, the shiny disc is placed on a turntable and the phono cartridge does the job of conveying the music to your ears. Unlike your cryptocurrency, the LP record doesn’t spin out of control over bad news in the marketplace, it keeps appreciating in value over the years with successive hearings.
The thing that really intrigues me with the Suck album is this – essentially, it’s a collection of heavy rock cover versions, only one original song on the entire record. Played with some ferocity, you can’t help thinking these are some pretty mean dudes involved. The cover doesn’t help, a young boy sitting in front of somebody’s bass drum.
That drum belonged to Savvy Grande, who whacked the skins for Suck, along with cohorts Andy Ionnides, Louis “Moose “Forer and Steve Gilroy.
Open the cover and there you see the gringos in all their glory, in the heyday which saw them become the most notorious group in the country: they beat a path of musical mayhem and destruction around the country, eventually disbanding because no theatres would allow them to play.
“I certainly didn’t get any money from Suck” says a chagrined Savvy, “instead I invested in the restoration of motorcycles, some of which are sold to collectors around the world, some ending up in museums in countries such as Portugal”. Cryptocurrencies don’t interest me at all, I prefer to earn a living using my hands and my technical skills.
Steve Gilroy, a savvy Englishman who came to SA in the 60’s has a different story:
After Suck disbanded, he started a publishing company in Johannesburg, and then began experimenting with home-made beer-making. After several years he expanded his skills into brewing fulltime. He established Gilroy’s in Muldersdrift, which has become popular for his craft beers and his Up Yours poems.
Talking it up has been the making of cryptocurrencies worldwide, but the vinyl revival has ensured that collectors around the globe have achieved more than satisfactory returns from their own collection investments – probably on a far greater measure both aurally and visually.
For those who have SA collectibles the news is good – those shiny plastic discs contain gold – kids, check out dad’s or grandpa’s record collection, there’s bound to be something valuable in there – so much more exciting than sitting on the pc chasing after shadows in the crypto world!
Garth Chilvers / Tom Jasiukowicz
Garth Chilvers and Tom Jasiukowicz published History of Contemporary Music of South Africa, 1994, Toga Publishing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time_to_Suck
http://www.rock.co.za/files/timetosuck.html
Sugar Music 