Bernoldus Niemand
(James Phillips)
Wie Is Bernoldus Niemand?

Tracks:

1. Hou My Vas Korporaal [2.45]
2. Welcome To My Car [3.50]
3. Marie Ferrari [3.30]
4. Die Boksburg Bommer [2.55]
5. Snôr City [4.15]
6. East Rand Blues [2.58]
7. My Broken Heart [2.05]
8. Visse [2.41]
9. Tribute To Jody [3.18]
10. Reggae Vibes Is Cool! [6.15]

Musicians:

• Bernoldus Niemand (James Phillips): vocals, guitar, keyboards, harmonica
• Lloyd Ross: bass, guitar, keyboards
• Ian Herman: drums
• Warrick Sony: drums, trombone on 'East Rand Blues'
• Dan Chiorboli: percussion
• Rick van Heerden: alto sax
• Hanepoort van Tonder: Trombone
• Fritz van Vereeringing: alto sax

Release information:

LP: 1984, Shifty
CD: 1995, Shifty Records (distributed by Tic Tic Bang), Bang CD 007

Comments:

Oorspronklik as finale thesis vir Bernoldus Niemand se studies te Grahamstown gedien, dit is nie aanvaar nie. Dit is verban deur die universiteit en ook die SAUK. Liedtjies vanaf die plaat word bekende volkstreffers, soos die anti-konskripsie liedtjie 'Hou my vas korporaal' en die ode to Gerrie Coetzee, 'Die Boksburg Bommer'. 'Snôr City' daarenteen word een van die mees gebruikte benamings vir "die grooste afrikaner stad", Pretoria.
-- Saad Cloete, July 2001

A letter:

Howzit Mr Rockdigestive

I just wanted to charf you ous about this lekker CD that I scored the other day. It's called 'Wie is Bernoldus Niemand?' and is by an ou called Bernoldus Niemand. The tunes on this are like really cool and it says on the box that the ou lives in Springs because it gives him perspiration. Do you think he's like related to that sports politician ou Steve Sweaty hey? Anyways like I was saying this is like a real germ of a CD. It starts with a tune about him on the border and wanting to hug his Korporaal, now I'm not really into this whole homosapien thing, but jirre, sometimes out there you did just want to hug someone, so I can relate.

Then he sings 3 songs about his car. One is like where he lives in his car called Welcome to my Car then he sings about his car being like his chick and call it Marie Ferrari, but the best is when he calls his wheels the Bokburg Bomber and sings like on the Beatles song 'Twisting Shout' you know like in the beginning when the all go aaahhh but in different time, I think it's called harmonica or something. {actually 'Boksburg Bommer' is about boxer Gerrie Coetzee, but who's going to correct this ou, certainly not me. - ed}

Then there's a song about Pretoria called Snore City. I had a lekker lag at that as those ouens are like really sleepy there. But my one gubba charffed be that it's actually Snor city like in a musstarsh and we a had a real fight and I nearly donnered the ou. Maybe yous can throw a light on it.

The next song is like a weird one with old Bernoldus like telling about going into a bar in Springs looking for a jol, but it's like all in poetry and there's this like jazz type music playing. But the next song is really cool. He sings about his broken heart and sings to his cherry that he loves her for eternally. I said that to my chick and she like just cried. True romance I tell you.

He also does a reggie song like that Bob Marlene ou. This CD is so cool, I always play it loud in my Ford Concertina as we cruise around Bokburg. It's like that ou Rod Reeks and his Cold Flats. I can really relate to such ou's music although Bernoldus doesn't sound anything like Rod and he also sings in English and Afrikaans, I mean he's like troolie bilateral.

Anyway I just wanted to charf you ous that this is a lekker CD and that the ou at the shop said it only used to be available on final, but now you can get the CD. Kiff hey. The ou at the shop also said that the ou singing on the CD was really that James Phillips ou who died, but I charfed him he was wrong because it says Bernoldus Niemand on the CD and James Phillips would nooit have done like those Milli Vanilla ou's.

Jaws Troolie

Johnnie

(This letter was published in SA Rockdigest #142 in February 2002)

Webpage:

• James Phillips

Info supplied by Saad Cloete, July 2001. Some additional info thanks to John Samson, January 2002