Ever heard anyone talking about "Australian/English/American/ Music" as a collective term?
Of course not! So why does everyone keep referring to it as "South African Music"? Like it's this little bonsai in a jar that we are all obliged to watch, tend and promote as a single entity. Firstly, by now it's obvious that with all the many genres, styles and artists pouring out of this fair land, it's a little simplistic to categorise it under one handy definition. Secondly, by doing so, all that is happening is that it just remains a bonsai, when in reality it's a whole forest. Those indignant articles about why "SA Music" hasn't yet cracked the international scene on a major level are beginning to fly around again.

To extend the simile, it's like "SA Music" is this single share on the stock market whose progress we all monitor with great expectations. Crap! it's a whole portfolio and each individual part needs to be promoted, handled and encouraged separately according to its own special needs and targets. Why hasn't "SA Music" achieved the international success that our cricket or rugby has?, they cry. Who calls it "SA Sport" anyway? The thing is that a lot of the music coming out of South Africa is just not that good. But there are enough decent albums and artists to keep the average high and those are the ones that need to be pushed. If an album is rubbish, say so! One may then run the risk of being seen as a traitor to the cause, besides receiving angry responses. But so be it. Let's call a spade a f***ken shovel and create a critical environment where our artists can be judged fairly and not sycophantically. The short term effects will be nasty but in the long run, "SA Music" can only benefit and the cream will rise to the top. Then the great listening public out there will no longer get caught by the hype and will begin to pay closer attention.

So, this column will henceforth focus (critically) on any music available in South Africa, regardless of its origin. No special favours for the hometown crowd. It may piss off some people, but ultimately it will be OK because it is an attempt to be honest, impartial and objective. That's our new direction and to that end we will be featuring some new writers who prefer a platform where they can say what they like without being lynched from the Gallo building. If you feel that describes or attracts you, then drop me an email at sugar@cd.co.za.

Stephen "Sugar" Segerman

Any thoughts, requests, problems, complaints, praise or interesting and relevant SA music news, please email it immediately to: sugar@cd.co.za

Contributors
editor: Stephen "Sugar" Segerman, webmaster: Alan Levin, maintainer: Brian Currin