A loner with a passion for life and music, Alicia decided to make her music a reality by going to record her album, Beyond My Dreams, at B Sharp Studios.
The famous Cape Town electro collective with a track off the official Moxyland Soundtrack compiled and selected by African Dope’s HoneyB and author Lauren Beukes to complement the futuristic urban thriller.
Kaapse Mengsel has 15 of Bill Knight’s most popular songs, all recently re-arranged and newly-recorded and delivered in his distinctive Cape-Folk style coupled with insightful lyrics in English and “Kombuistaal” reflecting Bill’s deep love of the Cape and its colourful “Mengsel” of Peoples.
Best Of MotherCity Records Vol 1 is a compilation of some of the best music Cape Town has to offer, here’s a track from one of Cape Town’s best known rap groups.
Mingus is a well respected figure in SA Hip Hop who gathered all his friends from Germany,Sweden, the U.S. and South America to contribute to Beneath The Underdog his highly jazz influenced debut album.
Prime rat instigator Jonathan Handley wrote the tracks for this album, Spooky Obsession inspired by a real incident. Handley can be heard on bass, drums, vocals, spoken monologue and harmonica.
The recent musical show Crazy Diamond- A Tribute to Pink Floyd has been released as a double live album with 31 hit Pink Floyd songs, interpreted by guitar guru Mel Botes and his multi-talented band.
The first single from this two-man acoustic punk/rock band from Pretoria formed as a side project by Deon Roos from Die Onbekende, and Raymond Roy Horn from Neontetra.
Fabian Josephus (aka GlamaBoy) started free-styling at parties and worked with many underground hip hop artists from the Cape Flats before starting GlamaBoy’s Risk Taking, the group that won the Western Province Talent Promotions.
Heather Mac rose to prominence in the 80s SA rock music scene as the lead singer of Ella Mental – here with a track off her new album, WITHIN , a collection of personal songs gathered from the last 25 years of her life.
On his debut album Life & Death , hip hop artist Shane Q sings about growing up with a love of music and his musical inspiration, American rapper 2 Pac.
On Veraz’s debut album, From Joburg to Jamaica , this hip new local artist sings songs about ordinary life in Jeppe Street, xenophobia, love, nature and unity to workers.
Fabian Josephus (aka GlamaBoy) started free-styling at parties and worked with many underground hip hop artists from the Cape Flats before starting GlamaBoy’s Risk Taking, the group that won the Western Province Talent Promotions.
Heather Mac rose to prominence in the 80s SA rock music scene as the lead singer of Ella Mental – here with a track off her new album, WITHIN , a collection of personal songs gathered from the last 25 years of her life.
On his debut album Life & Death , hip hop artist Shane Q sings about growing up with a love of music and his musical inspiration, American rapper 2 Pac.
On Veraz’s debut album, From Joburg to Jamaica , this hip new local artist sings songs about ordinary life in Jeppe Street, xenophobia, love, nature and unity to workers.
First single to be released off thisoutstanding new bluesy-rock 5-track EP Are We Fine Yet ,from this emerging and very talented Cape Town-based female singer.
Single from his debut album Feelings Out OfSight , this old-school country musician still plays his Yamaha FG180 from the sixties on some of the songs he has written over the years.
A song from this SA vocalist’s debut album Love Constant, on which her sultry soulful sound and poignant lyrics are the perfect ingredients for an adult contemporary album.
A hip hop artist, songwriter, singer, and record producer from KZN whose newly-released Durban Kings album rocks the house with pumping sounds and great beats.
A hip hop artist, songwriter, singer, and record producer from KZN whose newly-released Durban Kings album rocks the house with pumping sounds and great beats.
A new single off the album Outatime by this exciting new funk-pop band on the SA music scene, with a sound that is both fresh and funky fusing several genres like Funk, RnB and Rock.
This newly-released nostalgic album Goud & Silwer – Silver & Gold, performed by Steve D, features well-loved golden oldies dusted off and presented in a unique way.
Egmond returns with the smashing first single off their upcoming sophomore release, Vuil Wasgoed – a duet with songbird Yolandi,who also featured in Egmond’s #1 hit Dis Elektries from his debut album.
A track off the album 4 seasons , an all original collection of some of the best numbers from this “WorldTraveller’s” extensive career, and is his first album on the “IMG Eden” label.
Breathing Dreams – Title track off the new album from the artist voted one of the top 5 vocalists in South Africa, on which he composed, produced and recorded 16 beautifully crafted brand new Rock/Pop songs.
Monique Leite is a passionate singer who delivers a special performance and message in each song of this album Success. It has a song for everyone out there English and Afrikaans, the partygoer, the romantic soul, the rock-a-billy boy and the country girl.
More Afrikaans Rock ‘N Tjank sounds from this singer-songwriter who is building a strong reputation for his incisive lyrics. This track is off his debut album My Hond Fanie.
This Storm Rekordz artist is a Malawian by origin, grew up in Zimbabwe and Mozambique and was selected to represented South Africa in Sweden at the Ethno Music Festival. This song is from the album Never Walk Alone .
A new single off the Painting With Sound album from this Cape rock trio featuring Nelius Nortje, Jade Abbott and her booming bass, with Morné (Mojo) Barnardt on drums.
The first single from Ben Caesar, who will soon be launching his debut solo albumLe Tigra, an original and modern mix with insightful lyrics to express the theme of “the dynamic contrast between the grace and fierceness of the tiger”.
This newly-released self-titled album by Pretoria-based rock outfit shows why they ruled the country’s rock stages for almost a decade with their progressive nu-metal live performances.
The first single from Ben Caesar, who will soon be launching his debut solo albumLe Tigra, an original and modern mix with insightful lyrics to express the theme of “the dynamic contrast between the grace and fierceness of the tiger”.
This newly-released self-titled album by Pretoria-based rock outfit shows why they ruled the country’s rock stages for almost a decade with their progressive nu-metal live performances.
One of the number-titled tracks off Neo Muyanga’s latest mathematical opus, called Dipalo (Mixtape), which was composed, arranged and performed by this innovative SA artist.
String is the second Ses Snare album and is a mixture of Afrikaans, English, Covers and no doubt, some mind blowing original works from Mathys Roets, Pieter Smith, Leon Ecroignard, Thean Kotze, Wouter van de Venter and Blackie Swart.
Sterling “Electric Quartet” has taken the South African entertainment industry by storm with their album, Nova,and their genre-defying musical style and sensational live performance.
A song off the album The Journey: Marabi Moments, on which this specialist a capella group, in the mbube tradition, deliver a tribute to the music of two gifted South African composers.
Lovely first single and title track off the new album from the acclaimed Johannesburg singer-songwriter Laurie Levine’s third album “Six Winters” has just been released through Rhythm Records.Laurie’s blend of American roots music and the ‘Nu-Folk’ sound has earned her critical acclaim and a growing audience.
Ash (Ashwell Erasmus) – See Yah – Something fresh from this very popular Port Elizabeth-based Gospel-Rap artist off his debut solo album, ‘House Party Vol.1‘.
Some Goema sounds from the Cape Kings of the genre off the ‘Voelvry’ compilation album of the wave of “alternative” Afrikaans music that swept the country in 1988/9. From Mr Mac & The Genuines.
The Otherwise is a four piece band out of Durban whose music is a blend of creative, dirty-sounding guitars and smooth, punchy bass lines over loud disco/punk/rock beats. Off She Doesn’t Care, She Wants To Dance.
Bronwyn Reddy’s debut album, Love Constant, is produced by the world renowned, SAMA award winning Mark Fransman. Her sultry soulful sound and poignant lyrics are the perfect ingredients for an adult contemporary album.
This is one of the questions I get asked very often by South African musicians.
In 2002 I was involved with creating the SAmp3. com portal for promoting South African music through free downloads. However there was no real way, at the time, to monetize these free give-aways.
Currently Rhythm Music Store is only able to accommodate artists and labels with bank accounts in South Africa.
For selling MP3s on Rhythm Music Store we require a physical audio CD or CD-R for for the following reasons:
Quality Control
Naming Convention
Creation of 30 second samples
Single songs are also fine (we list it as a album with only one track, and with its own artwork and blurb), but we still require the music to be supplied on an audio CD, please.
Postal address:
Rhythm Music Store
PO Box 399
Century City
7446
Cape Town
Physical address:
Brian Currin
c/o Mabu Vinyl
2 Rheede Street
Gardens
Cape Town
[Click here for a map]
Free Promotional Give-aways:
Please contact:
Stephen “Sugar” Segerman: email: sugar@samp3.com Phone: 021-423-7635 (office hours)
We will need your song(s) on an audio CD or CD-R, mailed, couriered or hand-delivered to us, so that we can rip the mp3s. We will also need some info about the band/artist and your authorisation of our use of your tracks as free mp3 downloads. You need only supply one copy of each album for both Rhythm Music Store and SAmp3.com
For free promotional give-aways you can also email your MP3s to brian@samp3.com
By sending MP3s to brian@samp3.com you are authorizing them to be used as free downloads.
Please do not send MP3s for selling on RhythmMusicStore.com, please see reasons above.
Postal address:
SAmp3.com
PO Box 399
Century City
7446
Cape Town
Physical address:
Mabu Vinyl
2 Rheede Street
Gardens
Cape Town
[Click here for a map]
Contemporary music has always played a huge role in the celebration of Christmas – for years Bing Crosby’s ‘White Christmas’ was the biggest-selling single of all time. In more recent years John & Yoko celebrated world peace with ‘Happy Xmas’ (War Is Over) and Band-Aid raised millions for starving people in Africa with ‘Don’t They Know It’s Christmas’. These are just a few examples of how pop music has played a positive role at Christmas time.
Now, Cape Town’s premier radio station, Good Hope FM, has rallied some of Cape Town’s leading artists and invited them to make their own personal contribution to Christmas through music. The result is stunning beautiful and heart-warming. There are new versions of old festive chestnuts – plus brand-new compositions – all performed in a joyous Christmas spirit – celebrating Christmas …and Cape Town.
The beauty of Christmas meets the beauty, peace and good-will of Christmas in this truly wonderful collection of songs by some of Cape Town’s finest – made all the more special by the fact that Good Hope FM is sharing this spirit and love with all the people of Cape Town …all those who live here – and all those who visit from all over the world.
We wish you truly Happy Christmas!
Track Listing
1. Hark The Herald Angels Sing – Karin Kortjie
2. Happy, Happy Christmas Day – Edith with The NAC Children’s Choir
3. Let It Snow – Acoustica
4. Joy To The world – Coda Ft. Zami Mdingi and Given Phike
5. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town – Richard Caesar
6. This Christmas – The Black Ties Ft. Chad Saaiman, Lloyd Jansen and Keeno Lee
7. Give Love On Christmas Day – The Rockets
8. O’ Little Town Of Bethlehem – Paul Petersen
9. Silent Night – D7
10. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas – Claire Phillips and Caramel
11. Christmas Song – Byron Clarke and Monique Hellenberg
12. O’ Holy Night – Emily Bruce
13. Christmas In Cape Town – NAC Children’s Choir
14. The First Noel – Allou April
Bonus Tracks
15. I Want You For Christmas – Akili Ft. Melissa Smit
16. Tis the Season to be Jolly – Brasse van Die Kaap
17. Auld Lang Syne – Tucats
This compilation was put together in the mid 80’s in conjunction with and to help raise awareness for the End Conscription Campaign. The ECC played an important role in dismantling apartheid by providing crucial emotional and strategic support to those men who rejected conscription on religious or political grounds, as well as acting as a conscientising force for the youth and parents.
How good was the ECC at its task? Ask the experts. General Magnus Malan described the ECC as “just as much an enemy of the Defence Force as the African National Congress.” Minister of Law and Order Adriaan Vlok accused it of being “the vanguard of those forces that are intent on wrecking the present dispensation and its renewal”.
All of the bands featured on this album played at ECC concerts. Though some of them, like The Softies, The Facts and Nude Red weren’t overtly political by nature, the situation in the country couldn’t help but work its way into their songwriting. For other artists like Stan James, Jennifer Ferguson and James Phillips, reflecting the state of the nation was the dominant feature of their art.
Tracks
Pambere – Mapantsula
National Madness – The Aeroplanes
Potential Mutiny – Stan James
Numbered Again – The Facts
Shot Down in the Streets – The Cherry Faced Lurchers
1. Why Can’t It Rain [4.12]
2. Hardcase Woman [2.34]
3. Ice Lover [3.05]
4. Four Walls [2.40]
5. Stargazer [2.48]
6. Rush Hour At Midnight [3.42]
7. Jackin’ Around [2.04]
8. Head For The Moon [4.00]
9. The Circus [4.00]
10. Years Of My Life [3.19]
11. Fast Car [3.41]
12. Séance [3.05]
Release information: LP: June 1970, Trutone, STO 727 CD: February 2003, Merry-Go-Round Records,
a division of Beatball Music (Korea), BMRC-0001 CD: October 2009, Fresh Music, freshcd167
Musicians:
Tully McCully: Vocals, bass, guitar
Mike McCully: Vocals, drums
Richard Hyam: Rhythm and acoustic guitars, vocals
Glenda Wassman: Organ, vocals
Ian Smith: Trumpet, flute, flugelhorn
Additional musicians:
Allan Faull: Lead guitar on ‘Why Can’t It Rain’, ‘The Circus’, ‘Hardcase Woman’ and ‘Stargazer’
Alan van der Merwe: Vocal harmony and organ on ‘Why Can’t It Rain’ and ‘Stargazer’
Melanie Hyam: Vocal harmonies on ‘Why Can’t It Rain’ and ‘Rush Hour At Midnight’Produced by Billy Forrest
“Of all the albums we’ve heard from South Africa this one scores top What a beautiful masterpiece. Pepper-influenced underground music with great songs, lovely vocals, strong harmonies, great distorted guitar work.” — review on Psychedelic-Music.com website.
The McCullagh brothers, Tully (born Terence on 31st May 1953) and Mike (born Michael on 7th April 1947), have been an integral part of the South African music scene for five decades now.
In 1965 they started as a folk-rock trio with Richard Hyam and called themselves the Blue Three. Richard had been in a folk duo, Tiny Folk, with his sister Melanie. After a few personnel and name changes, like The Blue Beats and Larfing Stocke, the line-up settled down (for a while) in 1969.
“I had my own studio in the garage since I was 12” remembers Tully. It was a single garage in the garden of their home in Plumstead, in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. The brothers’ father, radio personality Michael Drin (his stage name), painted the name “McCully Workshop, Inc.” on the garage wall. “McCully” was an easier-to-spell version of McCullagh and the “Inc.” was a tongue-in-cheek addition. “We had been playing music for 6 years” remembers Mike McCullagh. “In 1969 I was 22 and Tully was 16, along with Richard Hyam, his sister Melanie and Allan Faull the group started.”
“We all wrote our own songs”, continues Mike, “and we just took the best ones for the album. Tully wrote ‘Why Can’t It Rain’ in the middle of the night and this became a hit single putting McCully Workshop on the charts for the first time.” This song went to number 12 on the Springbok Radio charts in July 1970 and also reached number 13 on the LM Radio charts.“Why Can’t It Rain” drew the attention of the Gallo label, and they said they wanted an album. McCully Workshop signed probably the first independent licencing deal with a major label in South Africa.
Billy Forrest (born William Boardman in Kimberley in 1940) was the “top guy” at the time and was appointed as producer. He had recently had chart success with The Staccatos ‘Cry To Me’ and many others including The Dream Merchants and Quentin E Klopjager (one of his many pseudonyms).Tully remembers Forrest’s catchphrase at the time was “could happen”.
The “Inc.” album shows a variety of styles and influences including The Beatles, Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd. “’Sgt Pepper’ was very important, as were the pop charts at the time”, recalls Tully.Another big influence, according to Tully, was The Moody Blues ‘Threshold Of A Dream’ which was released in April 1969. Echoes of Graeme Edge’s poems can be heard in Mike McCully’s spoken words during the moon landing-inspired ‘Head For The Moon’. A photo of the garage was used as the album cover. The photo was taken by Sigurd Olivier from the Argus newspaper and the cat’s name was Sirikit.
When asked to name his favourite song on the ‘Inc.’ album besides ‘Why Can’t It Rain’, Tully says without hesitation, ‘The Circus’. This song is an up tempo psychedelic pop-rocker with strong vocal harmonies, distorted guitar sounds from Allan Faull and great flute playing from Ian Smith. Asked about an interesting studio story, Tully remembers feeling a few tremors and stuff falling off the walls one day during recording. “Everybody got a fright and rushed outside”, says Tully, “we thought it was a passing train.” Turned out to be the Tulbagh earthquake of 29th September 1969. The sessions were done, but another song was needed to complete the album, so a studio jam called ‘Jackin’ Around’ was added. Great organ sounds from Glenda Wassman, and a drum solo play-out from Mike McCully.
Alan van Der Merwe was a music teacher friend of Mike’s and was responsible for the vocal harmony arrangements. Tully cites South African band ‘The Sandpipers’ as an inspiration. This folk quartet, which consisted of two girls and two guys, and not be confused with the US folk trio, released an album titled ‘A Bird in Hand’ in 1967.
After “Inc’
McCully Workshop, with the McCullagh brothers always at the core, released a number of albums over the years including “Genesis” and “Ages” and of course are best known for their big 1977 hit ‘Buccaneer’ . 40 years after those first recording sessions in late 1969, Tully is still involved in recording and runs his successful Spaced-Out Sounds Studio in Cape Town. Mike regularly packs out concert halls with his various nostalgic revue shows including ‘Sixty Something’, ‘Station 70’, ‘Music Of The Millennium’, ‘Country Classics’ and many, many others. McCully Workshop still perform live on occasion and their first hit ‘Why Can’t It Rain’ is almost always included in the set list.
Glenda Wassman later married Richard, and they formed the pop band Pendulum and had a big hit with ‘Take My Heart’ in 1976. Glenda then went on to major success worldwide with the all-girl group, Clout, who had a huge hit with ‘Substitute’ which went to number 2 in the UK in 1978. Allan Faull formed Falling Mirror in the late 70’s with his cousin Neilen Mirror (nee Marais).
The legends of South African pop and rock live on…
South African alt. pop diva channels Kate Bush and Lesley Rae Dowling on this haunting opening track off her debut album ‘Hand Around The Heart’, which includes songs of frustrated housewives, army widows, teenage lust, dreams, fear and coping with it. Released on the seminal Shifty label.
Hip indie dance rock combo celebrate Heritage Day (aka Braai Day) by hooking up with heavyweight hip-hop players HHP and JR, and the Grammy winning Soweto Gospel Choir. It’s a contagiously fun colab with Die Heuwels’ Pierre Greeff singing in English, HHP and JR keeping it real and the Soweto Gospel Choir adding their soaring African harmonies: “So it’s a flyday. We call it a braai day….”
Toast Coetzer (vocals, lyrics) leads his band of post-ontological rock outsiders deep into the belly of the phantasmatic beast on this stream of consciousness serenade about our contemporary condition. Off their brand new live album, ‘Limbs Gone Batty’.
“I know my language has always been my limit…/the heart of the fool lives inside of his mouth,” serenades Laudo on this spanking new symphonic rock power ballad off the indie rock darlings’ brand new CD, ‘Against All Odds’. Produced by the multiple award-winning Theo Crous.
Legendary singer songwriter maps the moment he morphed from Andre Letoit into mythical alternative Afrikaans troubadour Koos Kombuis on this classic Voelvry-era acoustic ballad off his excellent debut, ‘Niemandsland & Beyond!’.
Bored by those Bellville Rock City stereotypes? Well, if this breezy new exclusive single off their forthcoming album is any indictaion, then these upwardly mobile Stellenbosch indie rockers are destined for the big time.
Hunky Cape Flats soul brother gives fans of Danny K and Loyiso their smooth R&B fix on this uplifting urban contemporary jam about perseverance and positivity. It’s a funky midtempo Channel O and MTV Base jam off his new album, ‘Today.’
A slice of classic protest pop from the ’80s. Definitely worth tuning into before you head off to the End Conscription Campaign 25th Anniversary Concert featuring the Rudimentals, Freshlyground and the once off Bright Blue reunion taking place over the weekend of Friday 30 October to Sunday 1 November at Spier in Cape Town.
Classy Cape songbird shares this haunting indie folk pop gem off her forthcoming album. Charismatic crooner Chris Chameleon adds some of his ethereal vocalese to the trippy Eastern ambience.
Soul, funky reggae, jazz, dub and pop rub shoulders on this fresh new dose of future fusion from the Mother City ensemble’s forthcoming debut album, ‘Chapter One’. Fans of Sade’s cool urban pop siren call, this gem’s for you.
Winston’s Jive Mixup was indeed a mixup. It was 1986 when Mbaqanga saxophonist Winston Nyaunda joined up with Adam Reinecke, a folky groove guitarist to form a new Jive band. Winston had learnt his trade playing penny-whistle on the streets of Joburg, later touring with the Soul Brothers and Mahlatini & the Mahotello Queens, and then went on to lead the exuberant ska/mbaqanga outfit the Dynamics.
The mid-80’s was a rough time in RSA, and there was a partying audience out there, needing to dance. Winston and Adam were joined by Hammond-Organist Sipho Duma steeped in Zulu traditional Maskande music, trombonist Jannie Hanepoot van Tonder fresh from touring with the African Jazz Pioneers, and violinist Melissa James. After various rhythm section shake-ups, ex-Dynamics drummer Steve Howells came to liven things up, and Jive Mixup soon became known as the liveliest live act around.
The music was a true cross-over “mix-up”, with the band-members from diverse backgrounds collaberating to cover Mbakanga, Maskande, Jive and even a bit of Boeremusiek thrown in. There were legendary tours including performances at Jamesons & the Pool Club in Johannesburg, Indaba & the Mix in Cape Town, the Rainbow in Pinetown and CAW outside Durban.
A gig with Jive Mixup was inevitably a 3-hour marathon with the audience trying to out-do the band, while the 3-piece trombone/sax/violin front-line showed off their semi-choreographed moves in between playing tightly arranged harmonies, and Winston’s haunting saxophone solos churning the major scale in a way that would make any blues-man proud.
“Of all the albums we’ve heard from South Africa this one is topscore. What a beautiful masterpiece. Pepper-influenced underground music with great songs, lovely vocals, strong harmonies, great distorted guitarwork.” — review on Psychedelic-Music.com website.
The McCullagh brothers, Tully (born Terence on 31st May 1953) and Mike (born Michael on 7th April 1947), have been an integral part of the South African music scene for five decades now.
In 1965 they started as a folk-rock trio with Richard Hyam and called themselves the Blue Three. Richard had been in a folk duo, Tiny Folk, with his sister Melanie. After a few personnel- and name-changes, like The Blue Beats and Larfing Stocke, the line-up settled down (for a while) in 1969.
“I had my own studio in the garage since I was 12” remembers Tully. It was a single garage in the garden of their home in Plumstead, in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. The brothers’ father, radio personality Michael Drin (his stage name), painted the name “McCully Workshop, Inc.” on the garage wall. “McCully” was an easier-to-spell version of McCullagh and the “Inc.” was a tongue-in-cheek addition.
A photo of the garage was used as the album cover. The photo was taken by Sigurd Olivier from the Argus newspaper. The cat’s name was Sirikit.
“We had been playing music for 6 years” remembers Mike McCullagh. “In 1969 I was 22 and Tully was 16, along with Richard Hyam, his sister Melanie and Allan Faull the group started.”
“We all wrote our own songs”, continues Mike, “and we just took the best ones for the album. Tully wrote ‘Why Can’t It Rain’ in the middle of the night and this became a hit single putting McCully Workshop on the charts for the first time.” This song went to number 12 on the Springbok Radio charts in July 1970 and also reached number 13 on the LM Radio charts.
“Why Can’t It Rain” drew the attention of the Gallo label, and they said they wanted an album. McCully Workshop signed probably the first independent licencing deal with a major label in South Africa.
Billy Forrest (born William Boardman in Kimberley in 1940) was the “top guy” at the time and was appointed as producer. He had recently had chart success with The Staccatos ‘Cry To Me’ and many others including The Dream Merchants and Quentin E Klopjaeger (one of his many pseudonyms).
Tully remembers Forrest’s catchphrase at the time was “could happen”.
The “Inc.” album shows a variety of styles and influences including The Beatles, Frank Zappa and Pink Floyd. “’Sgt Pepper’ was very important, as were the pop charts at the time”, recalls Tully.
Another big influence, according to Tully, was The Moody Blues ‘Threshold Of A Dream’ which was released in April 1969. Echoes of Graeme Edge’s poems can be heard in Mike McCully’s spoken words during the moonlanding-inspired ‘Head For The Moon’.
Alan van Der Merwe was a music teacher friend of Mike’s and was responsible for the vocal harmony arrangements. Tully cites South African band ‘The Sandpipers’ as an inspiration. This folk quartet, which consisted of two girls and two guys, and not be confused with the US folk trio, released an album titled ‘A Bird in Hand’ in 1967.
When asked to name his favourite song on the ‘Inc.’ album besides ‘Why Can’t It Rain’, Tully says without hesitation, ‘The Circus’. This song is an uptempo psychedelic pop-rocker with strong vocal harmonies, distorted guitar sounds from Allan Faull and great flute playing from Ian Smith.
The sessions were done, but another song was needed to complete the album, so a studio jam called ‘Jackin’ Around’ was added. Great organ sounds from Glenda Wassman, and a drum solo play-out from Mike McCully.
Glenda Wassman later married Richard, and they formed the pop band Pendulum and had a big hit with ‘Take My Heart’ in 1976. Glenda then went on to major success worldwide with the all-girl group, Clout, who had a huge hit with ‘Substitute’ which went to number 2 in the UK in 1978.
Allan Faull formed Falling Mirror in the late 70’s with his cousin Nielen Mirror (nee Marais).
Asked about an interesting studio story, Tully remembers feeling a few tremors and stuff falling off the walls one day during recording. “Everybody got a fright and rushed outside”, says Tully, “we thought it was a passing train.” Turned out to be the Tulbagh earthquake of 29th September 1969.
McCully Workshop, with the McCullagh brothers always at the core, have released a number of albums over the years and of course are best known for their big hit ‘Buccaneer’ from 1977.
40 years after those first recording sessions in late 1969, Tully is still involved in recording and runs his successful Spaced-Out Sounds Studio in Cape Town. Mike regularly packs out concert halls with his various nostalgic revue shows including ‘Sixty Something’, ‘Station 70’, ‘Music Of The Millennium’, ‘Country Classics’ and many, many others.
McCully Workshop still perform live on occasion and their first hit ‘Why Can’t It Rain’ is almost always included in the setlist.
The legends of South African pop and rock live on… Brian Currin
South African alt. pop diva channels Kate Bush and Lesley Rae Dowling on this haunting opening track off her debut album ‘Hand Around The Heart’, which includes songs of frustrated housewives, army widows, teenage lust, dreams, fear and coping with it. Released on the seminal Shifty label.
Hip indie dance rock combo celebrate Heritage Day (aka Braai Day) by hooking up with heavyweight hip-hop players HHP and JR, and the Grammy winning Soweto Gospel Choir. It’s a contagiously fun colab with Die Heuwels’ Pierre Greeff singing in English, HHP and JR keeping it real and the Soweto Gospel Choir adding their soaring African harmonies: “So it’s a flyday. We call it a braai day….”
Don’t be deceived by that ‘trio’ billing, Dane Taylor and good mates Justin Mark (drums) and Rob Shaw (bass) rock out on this bluesy first single about falling in love off their debut EP ‘ForeWord’.
Legendary singer songwriter maps the moment he morphed from Andre Letoit into mythical alternative Afrikaans troubadour Koos Kombuis on this classic Voelvry-era acoustic ballad off his excellent debut, ‘Niemandsland & Beyond!’.
“I know my language has always been my limit…/the heart of the fool lives inside of his mouth,” serenades Laudo on this spanking new symphonic rock power ballad off the indie rock darlings’ brand new CD, ‘Against All Odds’. Produced by the multiple award-winning Theo Crous.
Bored by those Bellville Rock City stereotypes? Well, if this breezy new exclusive single off their forthcoming album is any indictaion, then these upwardly mobile Stellenbosch indie rockers are destined for the big time.
Garage rock, blues and country meet at the crossroads on this deceptively laid back ballad about selling your soul for rock ‘n roll. Off the CT combo’s debut album, ‘Cutting Heads’, produced by the multi award-winning Schalk Joubert.
Classy Cape songbird shares this haunting indie folk pop gem off her forthcoming album. Charismatic crooner Chris Chameleon adds some of his ethereal vocalese to the trippy Eastern ambience.
Looking for the perfect candlelit slow dance to consummate your romantic supper club come on? Tune into virtuoso SA pianist Charl du Plessis’ jazzy instrumnetal gem off his album, ‘Trio’.
African mbube choral traditions meet and greet American doo-wop soul and gospel on this beautiful multi-layered harmonic ballad off the a cappella combo’s brilliant second album, ‘Aza’pella’.