SA ROCK DIGEST ISSUE #229 http://www.sarockdigest.com Established 27th January 1999 8 December 2003 ------------- IMPORTANT! ------------- Please do not reply to this newsletter! If you would like to contact us, rather send an email to mailto:editor@sarockdigest.com?subject=Digest ---------------------- IN THIS WEEK'S ISSUE ---------------------- First some important news for all our subscribers. The Digest will be taking a short break for the next two weeks, so this will be the last regular edition sent out during 2003. The next edition of the Digest that you will receive will be the annual year-end special edition with a recap of some of the best SA music from 2003. It appears that the Springbok Nude Girls are going to be around for a while longer ... Molteno is hosting a music festival ... There is an update on the annual RP Studios/Emerging Sounds competition that consistently uncovers great new SA bands ... And BOO! wanted to let everyone see a quick map of their upcoming Winter tour of Europe 2004. Acoustic guitarist and songwriter Dave Goldblum teams up with Cape Town jazz legend Dave Ledbetter for a one-off Cape Town gig ... There's a bumper selection of new mp3's at SAmp3.com ... We have a full list of all those November CD and DVD releases at One World ... and Carina gushes over the new Koos Kombuis and Valiant Swart joint album called ''n Jaar In Die Son'. In last week's Digest, a reader asked about The Byrds' ill-fated tour to SA during the '60's. Richard Haslop sent us a full report on that concert and we have printed that in full along with some of the other responses and memories we received ... Nadia Neophytou is now up in Gauteng and was at last weekend's OppiKoppi Festival at the Pretoria Showgrounds. She, along with many other attendees, was not that happy with how the festival turned out in its new home and tells us why below. LAD focuses the zaZone spotlight on State Far Better ... John Samson strips down the Street Level compilation called 'Bare Essentials' in light of a new collection on the way from the Cape Town studio and label ... There's also the usual weekly mp3 and album charts, recommended SA gigs, letters to Sound Solutions, old SA charts, Vinyl store specials, and SA punk gigs ... And that's SA Music (This) Week! ---------------- EDITOR'S NOTE ---------------- If you miss any issues of the Digest, then you can still read each week's Edition, in full colour, online at http://www.cd.co.za (updated Tuesdays). You can also find all the Previous Editions of the Digest archived at: http://www.sarockdigest.com/archives The deadline for Digest submissions and SA gig info is Friday 12 noon. If you would like to contact us, please do not reply to this newsletter! Rather send an email to mailto:editor@sarockdigest.com?subject=Digest Thanks! Ed. ------------------------------------- SOUTH AFRICAN ROCK DIGEST ONLINE ------------------------------------- For a full-colour and clickable HTML version of the SA Rock Digest with images, please visit http://www.cd.co.za where the online version of the SA Rock Digest can be found. Updated every Tuesday. -------------------------------------------- SOUTH AFRICAN ROCK DIGEST ON THE RADIO -------------------------------------------- Digest co-editor Stephen Segerman presents his SA music slot on the Bruce Millar Show on SAfm (103-106fm) on Monday evenings between 9 and 9.30pm. ----------------------------------------- THE SOUTH AFRICAN ROCK ENCYCLOPEDIA ----------------------------------------- From Abstract Truth to Karen Zoid, from 'Astra' to 'Zen Boulders', from 'Ag Pleez Daddy' to 'ZX Dan' ... visit the South African Rock Encyclopedia at http://www.rock.co.za ------------ SAGIGS.com ------------ The SA Rock Digest list of Recommended Gigs can be found at: http://www.SAgigs.com ---------- ONE WORLD ---------- Selling South African Music to the World http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.cfm?bec=4321 ------ GEMM ------ GEMM is your best source for impossible-to-find music! http://sugarmusic.gemm.com ----------- CONTENTS ----------- 1.NEWS: Springbok Nude Girls and Velve, Molteno Festival, Emerging Sounds, BOO!, Dave Goldblum and Dave Ledbetter, Elvis and Rod. 2.CHARTS: Top 30 SA mp3s & albums 3.NEW RELEASES: SA mp3s & CDs: Sonar, Old Mol, The Dollyrockers, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Koos Kombuis and Valiant Swart, November Releases from One World, State Far Better 4. USA FOR AFRICA: 5.A NAARTJIE IN THE UK: 'Bare Essentials' - Various Street Level artists. 6.HISTORY & TRIVIA: Springbok Radio charts, birthdays, Vinyl Junkies 7.SOUND SOLUTIONS: Letters and requests, a Readers' Forum 8.LIVE MUSIC: Events round-up, SA Punk, OppiKoppi 2003 9.INFO: Subscriptions & contributions ___________________________________________ 1.NEWS --------- TAKING A BREAK This current edition of the Digest, issue number 229, will be the final regular Digest for 2003. The next Digest you will hopefully receive will be our usual, bumper year-end special in which we review the SA pop-rock music year and list our Top SA songs and albums for 2003. This year-end edition will appear in your email boxes somewhere between the 28th and 31st of December. But we will still be updating the www.SAgigs.com website with live music, festival and workshop info on a weekly basis, so please continue to send gig info to mailto:sugar@sagigs.com?subject=gigs And the Digest Editors and Writers wish all our readers a happy and peaceful Festive Season! -------------- SPRINGBOK NUDE GIRLS AND VELVE IN CAPE TOWN Cape Town rock band Velve are about to premiere their new video for the song 'Fallen' and will be doing so at The Mercury Live on Saturday 13 December when they will also be performing as guest artists alongside the Springbok Nude Girls. The Springbok Nude Girls have been playing the occasional gig together since officially splitting a few years ago. Franie Kotze, the manager of the band, outlined the situation for the Digest: "The Nude Girls went to the UK in June this year to perform 4 shows in London. When we returned the word got out that the Nude Girls are back together, so we've had major interest from promoters and club owners for the band to perform. They are not gigging as much as they used to, only selected gigs. Since they have started performing live again they haven't done any shows in Cape Town. So the gig at Mercury on the 13th of Dec 2003 will be the first gig they will do in Cape Town since their breakup almost two years ago". The Nude Girls' current line-up is Arno Carstens [vocals], Theo Crous [guitars], and Francious Kruger [drums], Those three (of the five) members of the original Nude Girls line-up now have Brendan Jury [keyboards], Woody Swart [bass], and Alex Gibbons [trumpet] performing with them. Franie assures all the Nude Girls fans that "the show on the 13th will consist of a complete hits set, that will include all their hit singles like 'Genie', 'Blue Eyes', 'Bubblegum', 'Supergirl', 'Spaceman', and a hell of a lot more!" Nude Girls' vocalist Arno Carstens, currently promoting his solo album, 'Another Universe', is also performing at the Mercury on the 10th of Dec with his "New Porn" project. They will be performing songs from that album. Velve's drummer for the past while has been Anthony (ex New Flying Machines), but this will be his last show with Velve due to a tinitis problem. Velve will also be returning to Street Level Studios to record 'Scream', with Anthony drumming on the track. The 'Fallen' video will flight on TV in early 2004. Sat 13 December - Springbok Nude Girls and Velve - Mercury Live, 43 DeVilliers St, Cape Town Time: 9 - Cover: R40 Listen to our Springbok Nude Girls mp3 sampler at http://www.SAmp3.com/samplers.html Listen to Velve's 'Scream' and 'Fallen' at http://www.SAmp3.com/artists_t_z.html -------------- MOLTENO TO HOST MUSIC FESTIVAL The summer of 2003 will be one that the Eastern Cape will never forget now that Molteno has been chosen to host the Mojo Workin' rock and blues festival. Blue Notes Productions together with Talborne Products have got behind this project and promise that it will become an annual event. The festival's main attraction without a doubt will be South Africa's most popular rock 'n roller, Piet Botha, and his band, Jack Hammer. Piet has toured with all the greats including international acts like Deep Purple, ZZ Top, Uriah Heep and even Billy Bob Thornton. Piet's latest album, 'Die Mamba', was nominated as one of Geraas' albums of the year. Another highlight of the evening will be SA's most promising new act, the Southern Gypsey Queen, who with their exciting blend of rock and blues will keep you going into the early hours of the morning. The event will take place on Friday the 12th of December at Jan's Garden, a beautiful outdoor venue at 2 West Street, Molteno. Tickets are R50. Picnic areas and braai facilities are available. The venue and bar opens at 19:00 and the music will start at 20:00. Loads of prizes to be won! Make sure this is the one event you do not miss this festive season. To book phone Margie Wilson 0721803118 at Blue Notes Productions or Rene Botha 0826227520 at Talborne Products. See http://www.SAgigs.com for the full line-up -------------- RP STUDIOS UPDATE The November regional finals of the RP Studios Emerging Sounds took place yesterday, Sunday December 7, at the Coliseum Show Bar, Caesars Gauteng but the Digest hadn't received the results by the time we went to press. In action were Surreal and High Society (Jhb), Prelude (Krugersdorp), Hush (Pta), Aphonic Behaviour (Vaal Triangle) and Rule of Nine (Bloem). The group winning on Sunday will become the resident band at Tempos on Saturday nights during December and January. They will also walk away with a day's recording time at RP Studios with a sound engineer where they will record their most radio-friendly song to be featured on the first RP Studios Emerging Sounds compilation. Groups through to the regional finals also qualify for a 20% discount for Studio P8 at the SABC. Those groups entering either the weekly Johannesburg legs or the other monthly heats also qualify for a 10% discount to record at Studio P8. On Sunday the aforementioned groups performed for music fans and competition's panel of judges comprising - Peter Lacey (Musketeer Records ), Nick Grubb (programme manager 5FM), Jono Hall (arts editor SL magazine), Rapheal Domalik (Sovereign), Liezel van der Westhuizen (EMI/Virgin), Bojan (Sony Music) and Darryl Torr (Studio P8). There are two heats taking place during December at Tempos - Saturday, December 13 and 20 and then two in January - Saturday, January 17 and 24: leading up to the Johannesburg final on Saturday, January 31. To book your group contact Simon “Squire” Foulds on 082 770 7524. On Sunday, January 11 - the Coliseum Show Bar, Caesars Gauteng is hosting four of the groups that impressed the venue during the regional finals of the 2003 RP Studios Emerging Sounds. These bands are: Zolan Sky, Stock-X-Change, Nimbus Experience, and Undersound. Entrance is free on the day and the action gets underway from 15:00. So if you would like to see four of the top emerging groups to have come though the 2003 event then January 11 is a date to earmark in your 2004 diary. For further information contact Simon “Squire” Foulds on 082 770 7524 RP Studios has been sponsoring this event for the past six years and if you visit their website - www.rpstudios.co.za - you can see a 360 degree view of the studios. For further information contact Peter Jaquire on (011) 714 4666. -------------- A LETTER FROM BOO! Hello there. We wanted to let everyone see a quick map of our upcoming Winter tour of Europe 2004. We calculate 16 000Km on just the trip. So I think it is around 20 000 Km all together. More details at www.boolive.com/gig.html Sorry no France, Spain, Ireland, Scotland, Poland or Denmark on this trip. There was just not enough time. The world is getting small with the Boo! virus. See you there. Leon -------------- GOLDBLUM AND LEDBETTER Acoustic guitarist and songwriter Dave Goldblum teams up with Cape Town jazz legend Dave Ledbetter for one show at Distrix in Central Cape Town on Tuesday the 9th of December, kicking off at 8.30pm. Goldblum's recent appearances in Cape Town had him sharing the stage with Steve Newman (Tananas), while audiences will be familiar with Ledbetter's partnership with diva Tina Schouw, as well as the progressive jazz outfit The Truly Fully Hey Shoo Wow Band (with Marcus Wyatt, Buddy Wells, etc.). While Goldblum has been touring the country, playing at festivals like Splashy Fen and Oppikoppi, Ledbetter has just returned from one of many trips abroad, this time finishing a season in Dubai. The two artists will showcase their material individually, before ending the evening with a combined set. Dave Goldblum began his tour to the Western Cape with a show at The Dorp Street Theatre in Stellenbosch yesterday, and will be performing one other solo appearance at the Acoustic Cafe in Muizenberg on Wednesday the 10th.of December. -------------- JULIANS TO RE-OPEN! Julian Laxton's very popular music venue in Gauteng has moved to 120 Republic Rd, Malanshof, Randburg. The new club's opening night is on New Year's Eve and it is going to be quite a comeback party with great food and great music. The Mississippi Muthers will once again be opening the new place just like before. Entrance fee:R130 including food, R80 without food. Book at 083-260-4635 or 011-793-3848. For more info go to www.julianlaxton.com -------------- ELVIS AND ROD ON SATV Ahoy all Elvis Presley and Rod Stewart fans. These two will be the subjects of some upcoming musical programs on SA TV in the next few weeks. Rod Stewart will be appearing in 'It Has To Be You', a TV music special on Tuesday 9th December on SABC 2, 2003 from 22h30 - 23h30. Rod will be performing songs from 'It Had To Be You... The Great American Songbook' as well some of those old classics like 'Forever Young', 'Maggie May', 'Young Turks' and 'Hot Legs'. Then there is an Elvis Presley music special on SABC 2 on Wednesday 10th December 2003 from 21h30 - 22h30. The 'Elvis Lives TV Special', which is hosted by Chris Isaak, is a TV special documentary that includes comments from Bono (U2), Bill Clinton, Britney Spears, Kid Rock, Beyonce, Tom Petty and many more. There are also live performances of Elvis' songs from No Doubt, LeAnn Rimes, Dave Matthews and Norah Jones. ---------------------------------------------------- 2.CHARTS ---------- TOP 30 SOUTH AFRICAN MP3s OF THE WEEK http://www.SAmp3.com 1. [2] (1) Above My Room - Jo Day ('The Truth'/Indie) 2. [3] (2) All The World - Zen Arcade ('Release'/Indie) 3. [4] (3) Time To Change - Grant Nuss ('Diversity'/Bowline) 4. [1] (1) Things 2 Consider - Skwirmish ('The EP'/Indie) 5. [8] (5) Meisie Van Die Ooste - Alta Joubert ('Warrelwinde'/Hoezit) 6. [10] (6) Viagra La Buena - Nukular Stompers ('Can Of Worms'/Indie) 7. [26] (7) Hands Down - Track 4 ('Demo'/Indie) 8. [5] (4) Woman - Soil 7t7 ('Soil 7t7'/Indie) 9. [11] (9) Trash Like You - Martin Rocka And The Sick Shop ('Trailer Rash'/Gosatango) 10. [15] (10) Twisted - Believable Addiction (Indie) 11. [6] (2) Rich Folks Hoax - Amanda Strydom ('Verspreide Donderbuie/Scattered Thunder'/JNS) 12. [13] (12) Scream (demo) - Velve (Indie) 13. [16] (13) Face - Ystervark ('Living It Up'/Indie) 14. [7] (1) Castles (Remix) - freshlyground ('Jika Jika'/Freeground) 15. [18] (15) Mowgli - Zero Tolerance ['A Perfect Life'/Indie) 16. [17] (16) Jerk Motormouth - Michael Payne ('DeCOMpress'/Indie) 17. [22] (17) Anything - Mike de Jager and Adrian Clark ('With These Hands'/Indie) 18. [21] (18) Life Away - My Shade ('Bedtime Musick'/Indie) 19. [14] (1) Plan My Attack - Soulja (Indie) 20. [9] (2) Lilly Dance - De-Javu (Single/Bowline) 21. [24] (21) Duiwel Kom Ons Haal - Springcan ('Are You Confuzed?'/Indie) 22. [27] (22) My Favourite Song On The Radio - What Now?! ('Wicked Rock: Let Us Be Heard'/Wicked Rock) 23. [25] (23) Kuslangs - Myburgh ('Burnt Bachelor' EP/Indie) 24. [-] (24) An African Christmas (Sampler) - Various ('An African Christmas'/Gallo) 25. [28] (25) Noah (live 1994) - Urban Creep ('Splashy Fen'/3rd Ear Music) 26. [RE] (26) Seether Sampler - Seether ('Disclaimer'/Musketeer) 27. [20] (1) Humanarium - Bed On Bricks (Indie) 28. [19] (9) Only If It Rains - Off The Edge ('Site Under Construction'/Indie) 29. [12] (5) Suikerbossie Blues - Jakkie Louw ('Klein Karoo Cowboy'/Afrimusik) 30. [RE] (14) Rock And Roll Man - Bedrock ('Recovery'/Criminal Records) -------------- TOP 30 SOUTH AFRICAN ALBUMS OF THE WEEK http://www.sarockdigest.com/charts This week [last week] (highest position) Title - Artist (Label) 1. [1] (1) Rock The Bedsprings - Old Mol (Legend) 2. [4] (2) The Truth - Jo Day (Indie) 3. [9] (3) Breathe Sunshine - Various (Amabala) 4. [2] (2) Hello Crazy World - Prime Circle (David Gresham Records) 5. [6] (5) Diversity - Grant Nuss (Indie/Bowline) 6. [5] (1) Jika Jika - freshlyground (Freeground) 7. [3] (1) Verspreide Donderbuie/Scattered Thunder - Amanda Strydom (JNS) 8. [7] (1) Another Universe - Arno Carstens (Epic) 9. [10] (9) Melt With Me - Drop Dead Gorgeous (Indie/Bowline) 10. [11] (10) Power - Tribe After Tribe (RetroFresh) 11. [14] (11) More Fire - The Rudimentals (Indie) 12. [13] (4) Sagtevlei - Alex Van Heerden and Derek Gripper (Open Record/Bowline) 13. [8] (5) Tassenberg All Stars Volume 4 - Vari-ous (Trippy Grape/Bowline) 14. [17] (14) Luna - Luna (Indie) 15. [20] (15) Perelsvoordieswyne - Best Of - Johannes Kerkorrel (Gallo) 16. [22] (16) Can Of Worms - Nukular Stompers (Indie) 17. [12] (1) Inbluesstation - Delta Blue (Merchant/Bowline) 18. [16] (1) Back Seat Driver - Tait (Fresh) 19. [23] (19) 'n Jaar In Die Son - Koos Kombuis & Valiant Swart (Rhythm/Bowline) 20. [18] (1) Chasing The Sun - Karen Zoid (EMI) 21. [15] (2) Johnny Clegg - A South African Story - Live (Value) 22. [25] (22) Flat To Round - David Foster (Rhythm/Bowline) 23. [24] (23) Mkhukhu Funkshen - Skwatta Kamp (Gallo) 24. [19] (5) Greatest Hits - Tsepo Tshola And Sankamota (CCP) 25. [21] (14) Rough Cuts - Janie Jones (Sugar Music) 26. [28] (26) Sliq Angel - Sliq Angel (Sony) 27. [27] (2) Sui - Benguela (Open Record/Bowline) 28. [-] (28) Blomdoorns - Derek Gripper (Open Record) 29. [29] (1) Release - Zen Arcade (Indie) 30. [26] (15) J23 - Danny K (Gallo) READ http://www.rock.co.za/files/ LISTEN http://www.SAmp3.com BUY http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.cfm?bec=4321 _____________________________________________ 3. NEW, RECENT AND UPCOMING RELEASES ------ MP3s ------ All the mp3s listed here are available to download at http://www.SAmp3.com - the biggest South African mp3 website in the world. ------------- Bluescream - 'The Countdown' Roger Kaye (vocals), Robin Gallagher (guitar), Kevin Gibson (drums) and Tully McCully (bass & production) rock hard and loud with this McCully-penned track about abused women waiting for their knights in shining armour. "Jerry Springer used to make her laugh, now he just makes her cry". Powerful words in a power-filled song from this super-charged debut album from new Cape Town band BlueScream. Read more at http://www.rock.co.za/bluescream Mike de Jager - 'Shoshaloza' Guitar maestro Mike de Jager gives a new twist to an old familiar favourite. "Shoshaloza" (also spelt "Shosholoza" and originally "Chocholoza") means something like "go forward" or "make way for the next man". Luna - 'Step Outside' Beautiful piano-playing and singing from Stellenbosch singer-songwriter Luna. She has been compared to Kate Bush as well our own Lesley Rae Dowling and also Nianell. The Dollyrockers - 'Lovesong' Sneak preview from the new Dollyrockers CD 'The Heat' (see review below). "I think I'll write a song about love" drawls Greg Donnelly on this R.E.M.-ish track. Drop Dead Gorgeous - 'Blah Di Blah' Cool acoustic guitar intro leads into the catchy sing-a-long chorus of "blah di blah, you know I've heard it all before". This is the opening track off their debut CD and features the vocals of Michelle Steynberg. Larry Amos - 'Don't Walk Away' The man behind 70's blues-rockers Baxtop, Larry Amos, show his chops (and his love for Eric Clapton) with the wonderful slow-ish blues of 'Don't Walk Away' taken from his 2001 CD 'Going Up'. Koos Kombuis & Valiant Swart - 'Met My Stukkende Kitaar' Two stalwarts of the Afrikaans rock scene together on one album. The best of both worlds indeed. http://www.rhythmrecords.co.za Sonar - 'Rise' Metal riffing, pounding drums... and that's just the opening bars. 'Rise' is taken off Sonar's album 'Bitterwaste' and is a soaring rock song that Sum 41 would be proud of. Fokokpolisiekar - 'Fokofpolisiekar' Afrikaans punk rock with oodles of attitude. Fokofpolisiekar launched their debut album 'As Jy Met Vuur Speel Sal Jy Brand' ("If you play with fire, you'll get burnt") on Friday 5th December at the Mercury Live in Cape Town. This raucous self-titled track with explicit lyrics is not on the album and is exclusively available to download at SAmp3.com. http://www.rhythmrecords.co.za Die Melktert Kommissie - 'Jy' Chill out to the cool acoustic female-fronted sounds of Die Melkert Kommissie, produced by Valiant Swart. http://www.rhythmrecords.co.za --------------- SEARCH FOR MP3's Use the SAmp3.com onboard search engine, powered by Google, to search for mp3s on http://www.SAmp3.com by artist or song title. ----- CDs ----- THE DOLLYROCKERS NEW ALBUM AVAILABLE AT MABU The Dollyrockers are now officially a one-word-titled band and the Cape Town four-piece will be launching and releasing their new album, 'The Heat', in early 2004. However, supporters of the band who really cannot wait until then, will be chuffed to learn that the Dollyrockers have made some limited advance copies of 'The Heat' album available for sale at Mabu Vinyl & CD (opposite the Long Street Baths in Cape Town). 'The Heat' will also be available online at One World from later this week. The band have also made copies of their two previous albums, 'The Dolly Rockers' and 'Glory Glory', available at the Mabu store. So you can get the full set, and possibly even find a rare copy of the band's 'Consume Me' 12" single in the shop's SA vinyl section. The Dollyrockers current line-up is: Greg Donnelly (vocals, guitar and melodica), Anthony Bull (bass), Matthew Gervais (drums, percussion, and backing vocals), and Pitchie Rommelaere (guitars and "all other noises"). To order copies of 'The Heat' from Mabu Vinyl & CD, please phone 021-423-7635 or email mailto:mabu@sugarmusic.co.za or go to http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.cfm?bec=4321&searchfor=dolly Listen to an advance mp3 of 'Love Song', the first single off The Dollyrockers' new album, 'The Heat' at http://www.SAmp3.com -------------- MORE RODRIGUEZ TITLES NOW AVAILABLE IN LONDON The HMV store in Oxford Street, London, has expanded its Rodriguez section with the addition of three of the Detroit legend's other titles. Now available at HMV is 'After the Fact', which is Rodriguez's second album, recorded in London, and known internationally as 'Coming From Reality', but renamed in South Africa to tie in with the freak success of 'Cold Fact'. The other titles are 'At His Best', the respectable Australian “best of” compilation on the Blue Goose label, and 'Live Fact', which catches Rodriguez live in South Africa on his first tour in 1998. These three titles join the consistently-selling 'Cold Fact', which has already been available at HMV for a while. The South African-produced short feature film about the search for Rodriguez, called 'Looking For Jesus', has been receiving regular screenings on M-Net and the DSTV film channels over the past few months. Rodriguez has been receiving a lot of interest and publicity in the UK recently due to the success of David Holmes' version of 'Sugar Man' with remixes by Gonzalez and backing vocals and raps by Rodriguez. Everything you ever wanted to know about Rodriguez can be found at http://www.sugarman.org -------------- THE V.A.S. PROJECT Controversial ex-MetalMorphosis front man, Marq Vas (now based in the U.K.), has finally commenced the recording of the V.A.S album, earmarked for release in early 2004. The band, with core members Marq Vas - vox, Dean Smith - guitar (ex Brothering, 2 Dogs Funking) and Dan Stevenson - guitar (ex Bloodstone) are using guest artists to fulfil the bass and drum obligations. The band have already caused a stir within the underground receiving interest from as far as the U.S., Australia, Japan, South Africa and mainland Europe, and have been offered a European tour in early 2004, turned down due to recording obligations. For more information check out www.marqvas.com -------------- ''N JAAR IN DIE SON' - KOOS KOMBUIS EN VALIANT SWART [RHYTHM/BOWLINE] Two rockers talking with guitar and voice, sometimes Valiant in the Namib desert, then again Koos at an old harbour in the quiet night. Together they take you on this road that never ends. "Langs Die Goue Rivier", where they've left their mark, and where they want to come back, untie their shoes and sip a cold one. "Dis die stories in die rook, en die wyn in die kitaar, dis die hoofstraat op die vlaktes en die engele in die bar, dis die lyne in die water en die whisky op die jet, dis die paartie in die teater, en die movies in die bed." You can see Valiant grinning with the first pluck of the strings, and just like that, you walk next to him. "Dis die padkaart op die dashboard en die maan op die matras, dis die weerlig op die wipers en die t-shirts in my tas." See how love - the kind that doesn't give up after the first sign of trouble - shows herself through Valiant's hands and guitar. "Ja, dis hoe dit vir my is met my ysters in die vuur, ek tackle maar die slotsom op my eie manier, en as dit als verby is, en jy is nog hier, gaan bly ons op daai plaas langs die goue rivier." And now they show you Hillbrow, the litres of Tassenberg for the rocker's throat, the hungry poets, the old tackies, scuzzy bar owners, wild angry girls, heated hearts and the rebellion in the roots of rock. Koos says he knows he was quite the twerp in previous relationships - “Ek wens ek kon jou troos, ek weet ek was 'n doos.” Ayup, he knows some people still hate his guts, but with “'n Kaartjie van Koos” he manages to balance that duh-yeah-I-was-a-doos with “ ... maar jy ken die ander Koos.” All in a catchy lil' reggae tune. Schweet, Bru. But wait, now you get to open the door. “'n Jaar In Die Son" takes you to the sidewalks in Sunnyside, the communes, the road trips. Listen for the whisper of the sand from the West Coast lisping at your back door. The hunger for equilibrium, the grasping for peace in a world where sometimes you had to ask for money to phone home. "Ek het gehuil op die skouers van vreemdelinge, ek het gelag in die gesig van gevaar, gebewe in die ysige wastelands en gesweet vir my nuwe kitaar." OK, so even if you don't know anything about guitar chords, the weirdly claustrophobic vibe of a commune, or the skanky old sheets of some hotel in a godforsaken little town, you will want what the rocker wants. "Ek soek net een wolklose winter, ek soek net een windstil seisoen, geen sopnat en snerpende koue, gee my 'n jaar in die son." It gets deep and quiet in "Salaam" written by Koos and Valiant's "Kleinmond Koebaai". The notes and thoughts will revisit you in the quiet times. Koos tells you about "'n Hawe waar die mossels klou", about the "berg wat soos 'n tafel lyk ... waar wolke soos gordyne wapper by die oggendson verby..." and the old times where the harbour's company comprised elegant coaches, royalty and sailors suffering from eternal horny loins and scurvy. "As die swart Suidoos om Valsbaai woel en drome waai in Langstraat rond, weet ek die duiwel rook sy pyp, met Van Hunks al halflyf teen die grond”. You can taste an exotic sense of desperation in "...drie eeue, drie tale, drie kringe in my naam ..." and the horses are just behind you with "dis 'n gekabbel oor keistene tussen perdepote deur". Then - close your eyes and listen to the quiet climax in "... drie woorde vir Salaam, ek was eers bang dat ek alleen is, maar eintlik, eintlik is ons SAAM ..." The strength of this song is in the simple but evocative way Koos keeps you close. "En ek onthou nog hoe jy myne was in die tyd van sout en sand, toe jy so op die grondpad my naam kon uitspel met jou hand." Valiant's song for Johannes Kerkorrel is a timeless gesture from deep within, taken out of an old suitcase where many stories linger. Stanislav Anguelov's accordion is soft and sad. "Wie wou jy naby aan jou hê, by wie wou jy vir oulaas lê, by wie gooi jy jou laaste draai, Kleinmond koebaai." Quite easy to start crying right here. Even if you never knew the man behind the piano, his Hillbrow or his poems. "En toe verloor jy ons deur die krake in die pad, toe jou engele jou op ander paaie vat, en toe verloor ons jou op die lange duur, nou mis ons jou en wens jy was hier." Here's a kick right in the gut for George Bush. "Who Do You Sue?" asks it straight, without hesitation. "You left your footprints on the moon and your rubble in Iraq, your sportsmen are on steroids and your children are on crack, you're the leader of the free world, especially in Afghanistan." Koos talks with the tongue of many fathers. "You believe in family values and you trust in God above, yet it's a crime to pray in school and you need Ecstasy to love." The drums are cold and rigid. Koos continues. "What's it to you when the only enemy that's left to kill is you? What do you do? Who do you sue?" The anger goes on in his "Liedjie Vir Marleen" where he sings for his daughter. “Die ou mans wat die oorlog maak dink nooit aan jou, Marleen" and more so in "... soveel kinders wat daar ween, die stede woes en leeg onder Satan se hakskeen." And of course he has to promise: "Vir jou maak ek die wêreld reg, vir jou besteel ek keisers rot en kaal, vir jou haal ek die laaste trein voordat die vrede van ons planeet verdwyn, vir jou leer ek my mooiste, mooiste taal." Now. The blues takes you by the short an' curlies, shakes you like a baby rattle and throws you out in the street with the vrot old barfly. First there's the slow sensuous slide guitar, and gooseflesh erupts. "Ek is die spook van die murasie, die herder van die veld, tussen troppe wilde diere en dae sonder geld." This is raw blues, with torn pants, dirty feet, weed in your hair and the virus of the guitar in your blood. Just let loose, your body will go nuts anyway. "Die meeue krys soos deure sonder olie in die nag," and your spine feels like a garden hose, slithering to a town with no name - "... nou los hy my in die reën, stokalleen, met my stukkende kitaar." “'n Jaar In Die Son” is real, makes you grin, doesn't make excuses, kicks your butt, makes you dance like a voodoo priest and makes you sad. A keeper, I scheme. Katvrou (CL) READ LISTEN BUY http://www.rhythmrecords.co.za -------------- NOVEMBER CD AND DVD RELEASES AT ONE WORLD Buy all SA Music online at http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.cfm?bec=4321 DVD Johnny Clegg With Savuka & Juluka - 'Live! And More .... ' The ultimate collection! This includes footage of Savuka Live In Paris and Juluka Live In Cape Town! with plenty of Savuka and Juluka Videos. Stimela - 'Steam Tracks - Best Of'' (DVD) A worthy and anticipated DVD release that features tracks like 'Whispers In The Deep', 'Trouble In The Land Of Plenty', 'Zwakala' and many more. Vuyo Mokoena & Pure Magic - 'Live At The Civic Theatre' (DVD) All the best live tracks from Vuyo And Friends' great concert. Features 'Lungisa Indaba Yakho'. Jazz Miriam Makeba - 'Live At Bern's Salonger, Stockholm, Sweden, 1966' Rare Swedish concert recording now on CD Hugh Masekela - 'Liberation - Best Of' All his finest moments, like 'Grazing In The Grass', and previously unavailable tracks like 'Lady', a song made famous by the late Fela Kuti. Tsunami - 'From Clay' Highly-rated, contemporary SA jazz Band with some serious up-tempo tunes like 'Concord'. The title is inspired by The Cradle Of Humankind, right here in SA Gloria Bosman - 'Nature Dances' The SA diva is back with covers of the Bee Gees' 'Too Much Heaven' and Billie Holiday's 'The Look Of Love' alongside some of her own tracks. Produced by and featuring Wessel Van Rensburg. Kalamazoo - 'Kalamazoo 4 - New Crossings' Pops Mohamed and Sipho Gumede release the fourth in their brilliant series McCoy Mrubata - 'Best Of The Early Years' Like the title says, these are the Hits that made him famous, some previously unavailable Condry Ziqubu - 'Condry And Friends' This is being regarded as Condry's "welcome back" album and contains tracks like 'Skorokoro'. Carlo Mombelli And The Prisoners Of Strange - 'When Serious Babies Dance' A new album for lovers of serious jazz by the the amazing Mr Mombelli and his group that includes other SA jazz greats like Marcus Wyatt and Sydney Mnisis. Various Artists - 'Best Of Township Jazz' 13 tracks as the title says featuring contributions from the heroes of the genre like Don Laka, Themba Mkhize and Elite Swingsters Pop & Rock TK - 'Black Buttefly' An impressive new album of 14 US-style R&B tracks one of which features Tokollo. Various Artists - 'C Weed Three - Universal Rock' (2CD) 40 tracks focusing on the pop-rock talents to be found around Durban and the East Coast. With artists like Ian Henderson, Squeal, The AK Massive and many more. Jerusha - 'Got To Have It' The talented and very beautiful Jerusha with 13 new pop/R&B tracks. Dozi - 'Rockin' The World' Dozi covers tracks like 'Stand By Me', 'Unchain My Heart' and 'Ain't No Sunshine' in his own unique way. Anke Pietrangeli - 'Silver Lining' (CDS) First single release from the popular young blonde singer from the Free State who won the recent second SA Idols competition. Township Pop Brenda - 'Mali' Our Brenda is back with her Xmas offering and another sure-fire smash hit for SA's pop queen. Various - 'All The Hits Vol 5' The consistently big selling series continues with 20 of the year's biggest Kwaito, House and Pop tunes. Kwaito Mafikizolo - 'Kwela' SA's award-winning and massive selling marabi-pop group are back with another album that is sure to bust into the charts and airwaves. Arthur - 'Skulvyt' This latest 14-track offering from SA's long-time "King of Kwaito" is sure to see him retain the title! M'du - 'The Godfather's Party' A great album from a true kwaito pioneer that includes some turntable trickery, all with the intention of making us get down and dance. Revolution - 'The Journey Continues...' Traditional mixed with house and kwaito is the name of the game here. Like the name says, this album picks up from where their first, huge-selling album, 'The Journey' left off Alaska - 'Sentenced To Success' A fresh and new sound from the Madzandzandza gang, featuring Mzekezeke and Mafikizolo. Doc Shebeleza - 'Fihla' The controversial and notorious Doc is back and singing about his fiancée who disappointed him! Ag shame! Various Artists - 'Gaz'lam II' A follow-up album from the popular TV show. Packed with a kwaito punch that will floor the competition and featuring Mapaputsi, Zola, Ishmael and more. Various Artists - 'Ya Chesa Mo' A host of SA artists on one album to celebrate the annual Coca Cola Cup soccer spectacular. Speedy - 'Still Standing' The S'gubhu Samampela brother with his second album (released under Arthur's label) that has plenty of those trademark catchy basslines. Thabiso - 'Sek'Shubile' The title means "Things Are Getting Out Of Hand", but with the boys from Jazzworx at the production helm everything went all right here. Amza - 'Spane Spane' A new album with 15 quality tracks on offer from a fairly unknown artist in the kwaito scene. House Various Artists - 'Mzansi House' (2CD) The "Who's Who" in SA's House scene and the first compilation of its kind. 24 tracks from the best house Dj's and producers SA has to offer featuring Vinni Da Vinci, Christos and Oskido and more Traditional Shabalala Rhythm - 'Umaqondana' This album is along the same lines as those from Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Soul Brothers - 'Kuze Kuse' Yet another release from the very prolific Soul Brothers, similar to their other albums in addressing the social ills of our current society. Tucan Tucan - 'Xiluva' A touch of salsa jazz on this vibrant album featuring Buddy Wells, Jimmy Dludlu and many more - Kaya Fm "CD of the week" Nothembi - 'Akanamandl' Usathana' A traditional/ gospel album from this female guitarist - the title means "The Devil Has No Power" Comedy Jeremy Mansfield - 'Raw Traffic Jokes' (2CD) 64 jokes from the legendary morning radio show. Instrumental Derek Gripper - 'Blomdoorns: 8 String Solo Guitar' The 5th release by Derek Gripper on the ever-surprising Open Record label, featuring Alex Van Heerden and a very special *custom-made 8-string guitar - rev. Afrikaans Koos Kombuis & Valiant Swart - ''n Jaar In Die Son' These two major Afrikaans artists, and best old pals, unite for a new and long-overdue collaborative album. Various Artists - 'Tassenberg All Stars 4' The latest instalment in the successful series features 18 live tracks from a stellar line-up including Jack Hammer and Valiant Swart. Anton & Vrinne & Die Bushrockband - 'Live In Die Staatsteater' (2CD) A recording of the recent live concert by Anton Goosen and all his friends. Die Melktert Kommissie - 'Volroom' Die Melkert Kommissie is a 5-piece band (3 girls and 2 guys) who recorded this album of original Afrikaans pop-rock songs at the famous Sunset Recording Studios in Stellenbosch. Rene - 'Die Verkeerde Kant Van Reg' With 12 acoustic Afrikaans music tracks and a music video. Jodan - 'Water' These 14 tracks are a mixture of both Afrikaans and English ballads. Vanessa Van - 'Leef Die Droom' 14 tracks and two new music videos for fans of this new SA Blonde bombshell, featuring the track 'Afrikaner Surfer Boy'. Elkan Butler - 'Symphony Of Life' Elkan Butler - 'My Prayer' Two albums from Elkan with the one focusing on Gospel tracks and the other containing songs like 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight'. International Various Artists - 'Hope For AIDS' A compilation for all the best reasons featuring messages from the former Miss Universe Carol Anne Becker and tracks by Liam and Danie Niehaus. Gospel Ricardo - 'You Are The Reason' Eight new tracks from the man who brought us that smash hit, 'I Love You Daddy', when he was just a kid Choir Imilonji Kantu Choral Society - 'Hymns: Songs Of The People' 22 tracks in all languages and styles from this famous choir. Christmas Rob Hack And Miranda Basset - 'Christmas Carols - Guitar And Cello' An instrumental Christmas album with all the usual Xmas tunes. Classical Mimi Coertse - 'Sings Operetta' Mimi showing off her great voice on some German operetta pieces. (Form an orderly queue please, no pushing at the back!) Wessel Van Wyk - 'Plays Piano Favorites' 15 classical tracks on piano, beautifully performed by Mnr Van Wyk. All titles available at One World - Selling South African Music to the World http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.cfm?bec=4321 -------------- THE ZAZONE.COM SA BAND SPOTLIGHT http://www.zaZone.com LAD, the dedicated webmaster of zaZone.com, throws his regular spotlight on one of the many SA bands currently affiliated to his SA music site. STATE FAR BETTER Cape Town-based State Far Better is a dynamic band made up of Sebastiaan Bock on vocals, Deon Conradie and Gideon Kretschmer on guitars, Nicky Bernard on bass and Yuan Van Der Sluys on drums. You may have heard of State Far Better before -- 4 of their songs have been "made public" already: 'What About Me' is on the December issue of SL magazine and 'Brand New Day' was playlisted last Sunday on 5fm, and 'Million Miles' and 'Everytime' have been played on various campus stations and other radio stations during the past few months. 'Everytime' even spent 4 weeks in the top 10 of the Hi5@5 on 5fm. Their song, 'Million Miles', is really, really fantastic and shows this band's talent off very well. Their music is powerful, energetic and is very rock radio-friendly! The band has played at KKNK and tons of venues around SA, building the band's abilities and growing their talent into a well-oiled machine. The band will be recording an as-yet-unnamed album in April 2004 with Musketeer (Seether) in Johannesburg. The band will be moving to Johannesburg shortly to record the album and to perform at bigger festivals -- what a loss for Cape Town! Because of the move to Johannesburg the band has had to change drummer and bassist. Yuan has already taken up the role of drummer in the new line-up. The new band line-up seems to be gelling quite well and I think that this band will go quite far. The band is undertaking a December East Coast Tour which should be really exciting to attend. You can see (and reach a) "State Far Better" on the 12th of Dec at the Independent Armchair Theatre in Cape Town; on the 20th at Ghecko Bay in Hermanus; on the 21st at Weldonkaya in Plett; at Boneyards (Port Elizabeth) on the 22nd; at Toby Joe's (also Port Elizabeth) on the 23rd; Buccaneers in East London on the 26th; Al's in Knysna on the 29th and they will be rounding off the year by playing at the New Year's Bash in Plett on the 31st. LAD LISTEN http://www.SAmp3.com/artists_l_s.html -------------- If you're in an SA Band or are an SA artist and would like to appear in this slot please mail mailto:tony@zazone.com Sponsored by zaZone.com Promoting SA Music... http://www.zazone.com -------------- Email your mp3 reviews to mailto: editor@sarockdigest.com?subject=mp3reviews Download South African mp3's from http://www.SAmp3.com South African Music: Loud 'n Proud -------------- ONE WORLD http://www.oneworld.co.za/index.cfm?bec=4321 Selling South African Music To The World --------------- MORE REVIEWS --------------- More reviews can be found at: Open Record http://www.openrecord.co.za Amuzine http://www.cd.co.za/reviews.htm ______________________________________ 4.USA FOR AFRICA ------------------- Texas-based Kurt Shoemaker gives his unique views on SA music. Kurt is taking a well-deserved break and will be back full steam next year. Kurt Shoemaker, Blanco, Texas mailto:kurt@sarockdigest.com -------------- 5.A NAARTJIE IN THE UK London-based John Samson gives his own twist on SA music: BARE ESSENTIALS…THE HITS - A STREET LEVEL COMPILATION Street Level is a well-respected studio in Cape Town that has played host to a number of prominent South African recordings since setting up circa 1994. Set up by James Stewart (The Usual) and Richard Black (McCully Workshop) there was soon an agreement with BMG to help launch some of the Mother City's burgeoning talent. Released in 1996, 'Bare Essentials' is a taster of what was happening round then, and boy does it taste good. Six bands contribute 2 songs apiece while a seventh (Southern Blue) has a solitary contribution. Each band having a different feel and differing levels of success. The album opens with a track by Psycho-Deli called 'Low Rinse' (and before we get any letters from Johnny from Boksburg, no this is not about Low Rinse van der Post) a funky Chilli Peppers-sounding track. Their other contribution, 'Giant Sun', is grungier in a spacious kinda way. Before they were in Semisane, Chris Acker and Sascha Muller were in Black Diamond. The latter contribute 2 slices of quality pop rock featuring strong acoustic guitar and catchy tunes. Woodshed featured Andrew Janisch on vocals and guitars. His solo album 'Moved to Chance' received much critical acclaim last year. Woodshed's 2 tracks are similar in feel and sound to Black Diamond, being acoustic guitar-led rock pop. Apart from featuring 2 members of McCully Workshop, The Rupert Mellor Band also boasted Swamp Funk Quarteter Yo-yo Buys. 'Hello' is a fine bluesy, jazzy song while 'Long Time Ago' sounds like one of Billy Joel's good songs. The Groove Kings feature another Swamp Funker in the shape of Ted Baumann as well as Asylum Kid, Steve Howells. Their funky blues are given a brassy boost by Adriaan van Niekerk's sax. 'Send A Letter' by Southern Blue is a quiet rocker. Probably the most successful band on the compilation was The Usual whose marvellous 'The Shape That I'm In' is complemented by the funky and equally marvellous 'If I Gave You My Heart'. Street Level might not have given us their heart in this compilation, but they gave us 13 fine SA Rock tracks and have continued to give us quality music and long may they continue to do so. John Samson, London mailto:john@sarockdigest.com STREET LEVEL http://www.streetlevel.co.za ----------------- SPECIAL FEATURE ----------------- THE BYRDS' SA TOUR 1968 In last week's Digest #228, Ben Badenhorst's email asked: “The Byrds undertook a short tour of SA during July 1968. Anyone out there who were at any of the shows who can share some of their memories? I was also wondering where in SA they performed and how many shows they did. The Digest received a great response to Ben's request and below are just four of those replies. -------------- Richard Haslop, the renowned SA and International music fundi, writer, and broadcaster emailed the Digest the following info and article: By way of introduction, Richard writes: “I saw them (The Byrds) in Port Elizabeth. A few years ago I wrote this for an Internet "twang" discussion group I was part of. It's still up on a site dedicated to Gene Clark. I was 15 years old, so what did I know? I'll never forget it though”. “They also lip-synched in branches of OK Bazaars (!!) round the country to promote the tour and, no doubt, the new album. This was, of course, the last hurrah of the McGuinn/Hillman axis, Hillman joining Parsons in the Burritos shortly after they returned. As McGuinn said when he walked on stage wearing a suit and, as I recall, no shoes (Hillman was barefoot, too, I think, and spent much of the time sitting impossibly coolly on his bass amp), "So this is Port Elizabeth, huh? Weird!". “By the way, the "older friend" mentioned in the piece who first told me about Carlos was Trevor Herman, who emigrated to the UK a few years later and ended up running the Stern's Earthworks label, home of some fantastic South and other African music (including the Indestructible Beat Of Soweto series)”. -------------- 'The Byrds In SA' By Richard Haslop As some of you may know, since it seems to have been one of the most notorious of rock 'n' roll tours, the Byrds visited South Africa in 1968 following the release of 'Sweetheart Of The Rodeo' and some dates in the UK when they were joined on stage by Doug Dillard, if memory serves. I seem to have read on the list recently that live recordings from these gigs are included on a recent Gram Parsons bootleg. Anyway, the group, then consisting of McGuinn, Hillman, Parsons and Hillman's cousin, Kevin Kelley (ex-Rising Sons) on drums, were due to tour SA directly afterwards. However, Parsons never got on the plane from London to Johannesburg. History has it that he found SA's apartheid policies too objectionable. I was fortunate enough to interview McGuinn and Hillman a couple of years ago for a radio show on the Byrds and Burritos and Hillman's view was that, while this may have had something to do with it, Gram actually just wanted to continue hanging out with the Rolling Stones. Membership of the Byrds had given Parsons a rock 'n' roll profile, and his friendship with Keith Richards would raise that profile. Whatever the reason, it seems he only told the group on the day they were leaving England. By the way, I found Hillman to be a terrific interviewee, very friendly and forthcoming and, needless to say, a huge Gene Clark fan, which didn't hurt my impression of him either. Of course, South Africa was expecting a four piece, and a four piece was what we got, roadie Carlos Bernal stepping somewhat shakily into the breach, and spending most of the concert I saw - and, according to reports, most of the tour - with his back to the audience. He clearly didn't know all the chords and, according to McGuinn, who recalls the tour as being "very weird", didn't actually play much at all. He appeared in newspaper photos of the band, identified as Gram Parsons - those of us who bought Melody Maker and New Musical Express and knew what Parsons looked like were confused, since Bernal looked nothing like him, but only discovered later what was going on. An older friend of mine met the band and told me that the rhythm guitarist was actually a roadie called Carlos. Whatever happened to him? Does anyone know? I was 15 years old and completely taken with the fact that my clear favourite band - only the Kinks competed - was playing in my town. I was then living in Port Elizabeth and, if SA was isolated, PE was totally off the map. I don't remember much of the concert, though I was convinced, and remain so, that it was stunning. The reality was probably quite different. Besides the shortage of one member, McGuinn had been ill and Hillman did a fair amount of the singing - I specifically recall him singing 'The Christian Life', for example, and maybe even 'You Ain't Going Nowhere'. McGuinn's extended 'Eight Miles High' held me enthralled, and I was most impressed that Kelley hit the drums hard enough to break his sticks. The group was panned in the press. English and Australian P2-ers might be interested in the fact that the concert in PE was reviewed by Peter Pollock, then a South African cricket player and journalist on the local paper (his father was the editor) and now SA's national chairman of selectors. He liked the support band, local poppers, the Staccatos, who had hits with covers of the Bee Gees' 'Spicks And Specks' and Solomon Burke's 'Cry To Me', and hated the Byrds. He was a bit of a local celebrity, easily recognized by a cricket fan like myself, and I saw him walk out of the show early. The group was hounded by negative press throughout the tour, with dark murmurings of left-wing politics and drug-taking following them around, and to say they left under a cloud is an understatement. Who knows why they came. Only a few of us knew anything except 'Mr Tambourine Man' and 'Turn Turn Turn' (people kept yelling for these throughout the show), though 'You Ain't Going Nowhere' got a bit of radio play while they were in the country. I'm glad they did, though. Richard Haslop -------------- Bas Möllenkramer added these Byrds memories: I was at boarding school in Salisbury, Rhodesia in 1968 I recall that the Byrds did a concert there at the Salisbury Showgrounds on a Saturday afternoon. Sadly I missed the event. I was 14 and terribly annoyed that I couldn't see an international band. My school (Allan Wilson) was near the site and I recall slipping away and hearing some booming noise from a distance. I would have liked to give a more accurate account but this is the best I can do. Cheers, Bas Möllenkramer -------------- Peter Barnett wrote: Hi, I was 10 when I saw The Byrds in Cape Town. I think it was at the Alhambra Theatre. (A fine Moorish-style auditorium with spiralling balustrades and a dark domed ceiling with twinkling stars). I remember one (or maybe more) of the guys wearing a jacket and bellbottoms. I remember 'Mr Tambourine Man'. Don't remember much else. Good luck Peter Barnett -------------- From: Randy Gouws Reply to Ben Badenhorst. Issue 228 Hi Ben, On that tour the Byrds did one show in the Port Elizabeth Showground Hall to an all-white audience (they may have played Durbs and Joeys as well). They were a 4-piece and only Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman were original. That night 5 young musos (big Byrds fans) drove from Grahamstown to check it out. The show was opened by Steve Lonsdale and the Staccatos who, as usual, delivered the goods and went down well with the mixed age-group audience. After interval The Byrds wandered onto the stage and immediately got it wrong with the audience. The opener 'Feel a Whole Lot Better' was far too loud and unbalanced and simply flew over the audience's head, therefore receiving no reaction from the P.E. crowd. After this McGuinn lost interest and simply went thru the motions playing all their overseas hits which were virtually unknown to most people here and the show went downhill. I remember some of the comments McGuinn made from the stage as well. "So this is Port Elizabeth, Huh! That's weird man!!". "So what do you cats do for kicks around here? Surf ??". "Is there anything you would like us to play?" A guy in the audience shouts, 'Play Simple Simon Says'. By the end of the show half of the crowd had already left and as far as SOME of the PE audience and the PE Press were concerned the show was a disaster. Later that night the 5 young musos drove back to Grahamstown and were as happy as pigs in Sh*t. We had just seen our heroes "THE BYRDS" live!!!!!!!!! Regards, Randy Gouws P.E. _________________________________________ 6.HISTORY & TRIVIA -------------------- SPRINGBOK RADIO CHARTS http://www.cd.co.za/charts This week [Last week] Title - Artist 30 YEARS AGO (30 November 1973) 1 [1] Heaven Is My Woman's Love - Tommy Overstreet 2 [2] Do You Love Me - Geli & Billy 3 [9] Angie - Rolling Stones 4 [4] Baby Blue - George Baker Selection 5 [3] Funny Face - Barbara Ray 25 YEARS AGO (01 December 1978) 1 [1] Kiss You All Over - Exile 2 [2] Dancing In The City - Marshall & Haine 3 [3] Break It To Them Gently - Burton Cummings 4 [5] One For You, One For Me - La Bionda 5 [6] Teddy Bear - Tommy Dell 20 YEARS AGO (02 December 1983) 1 [1] The Safety Dance - Men Without Hats 2 [2] Love Is A Stranger - Eurythmics 3 [5] Shadows - éVoid 4 [6] Wrap Your Arms Around Me - Agnetha Faltskog 5 [12] IOU - Freeez 15 YEARS AGO (01 December 1988) 1 [1] The Locomotion - Kylie Minogue 2 [2] The Race - Yello 3 [4] Domino Dancing - Pet Shop Boys 4 [5] Nothing's Going To Change My Love For You - Glenn Mederios 5 [3] Forever Young - Rod Stewart http://www.cd.co.za/charts ------------- CHART CHAT ------------- Tommy Overstreet kept Geli & Billy at bay for a 3rd week running in 1973. The Rolling Stones meanwhile were enjoying their biggest SA hit to date with 'Angie'. Since the beginning of 1969 the Stones had only notched up 2 previous hits, both of which only stayed a single week on the charts with 'Brown Sugar' peaking at 20 in 1971 and 'Tumbling Dice' peaking at 19 in 1972. Exile spent a 2nd week at number 1 in 1978, a week that saw the top 3 unchanged. 'Kiss You All Over' would end up being the 3rd biggest hit of the year behind Boney M's 'Rivers of Babylon' and Clout's 'Substitute'. Tommy Dell popped back into the top 5 after having dropped out of it the previous week. Men Without Hats were immovable at number 1 in 1983 and would retain the top spot for the remainder of the year. It would also be the Eurythmics' 4th week at number 2. Agnetha Faltskog was more accustomed to being in the top 5 with Abba, but she followed fellow Abba singer Frida into the top 5. Frida had peaked at 5 late in 1982. 'IOU' had almost topped the UK charts, peaking there at number 2. In 1988 Kylie was at number 1 this week and would remain there till the end of the year. The top 5 songs remained the same, although the order changed. This slowing down of movement on the charts was probably due to the phasing out of the 7" single as a medium. The SA Singles charts would only last till mid-February 1989. South Africans at number 1 this week: Mammy Blue - Charisma (1971) The Buccaneer - McCully Workshop (31 December 1977) South African New Entries this week (till the end of the year): 01-Dec-72 Everlasting Faith - Lincoln 03-Dec-76 Stand Up Like A Man - Maria 06-Dec-74 She's A Woman - Neil Herbert 07-Dec-73 What's Your Mama's Name Child - Lance James 07-Dec-73 Turn Back The Clock - Lorne Shields 08-Dec-72 Wake Up, Wake Up - Jessica Jones 10-Dec-76 Michaelangelo - André (Full name André Allen) 10-Dec-76 I'll Keep Coming Back - Lionel Petersen 11-Dec-70 Look Out, Here Comes Tomorrow - Dealians 12-Dec-69 Does Anybody Miss Me - Ken J. Larkin 14-Dec-73 The Wonder Of Your Love - Jody Wayne 16-Dec-66 Ramblin' Boy - Des Lindberg 16-Dec-77 Fantasy - Trevor Rabin 18-Dec-70 Sacha - Eric Smith Movement 19-Dec-81 Die Royal Hotel - David Kramer 21-Dec-73 One More Night - Ken J. Larkin 22-Dec-67 Shock Wave - Invaders 23-Dec-77 Gettin' Thru' To You - Rabbitt 24-Dec-65 How The Mighty Hath Fallen - Emil Dean 24-Dec-71 Tokoloshe Man - John Kongos (UK #4 hit) 26-Dec-75 The Greatest Christmas Gift - Lance James & Barbara Ray 26-Dec-81 We've Got The Love - Dale Stephens 26-Dec-87 My Kinda Girl - Cinema 28-Dec-73 Goodbye Mama - Alan Garrity 30-Dec-66 Land Of Milk And Honey - Dream Merchants 31-Dec-71 In The Summertime - Gentle People John Samson ----------- BIRTHDAYS ----------- December: 12 Mike de Jager (1958) 16 Duncan Faure (1957) 27 Gene Rockwell (1944, born Gert Smit, died 3 July 1998) 30 Dickie Loader (1945) ______________________________________________ 7.SOUND SOLUTIONS --------------------- A Readers' Forum featuring a selection of the email requests, questions, searches, and other pieces of random info we receive each week at the Digest. Sometimes we can assist, other times we look to you, our collectively well-informed and erudite readers to please contact these writers and help out as well. Thanks if you do! --------------- DOWN WITH PRICES! Hi Folks, I've just spent 2 weeks in the UK in mid-Nov and was amazed to find that at Virgin and other stores, a fair range of DVD's are being offered at below CD rates. A top music publisher said that that has been the case for some time and he's baffled why. That said, a DVD in a high street store costs anything from £6.99 on special and they had loads to offer (R11.50 to the £) to £17.99 at the top, which is still cheaper than SA by far ...? I think we are being overcharged on DVD's for sure!.... the prices were so good I even shelled out money on DVD's! I think CD prices are outrageous and the artists don't get anywhere near the retail price as we all know it. Think about it! Alec -------------- INFO ON ROBERT SITHOLE! The District Six Museum is gathering information about the pennywhistler Robert Sithole, as part of an ongoing research project into his life and music. Sithole played in a trio called the Kwela Kids, who achieved some fame in Cape Town during the early '60s. He went on to play in the bands Black Slave, Skyf, Ghetto and Nightcruiser. He then lived in London between about 1986 and 1999, playing with other South African musicians such as Chris McGregor and Dudu Pukwana. Robert's brother, Josh Sithole, was a well known session muso, and died in Cape Town. I would appreciate hearing from anyone who has reminiscences, anecdotes, contacts, photographs, audio/video recordings, news clippings, etc relating to Robert Sithole or any of the groups he played for. I am especially looking for a copy of the LP 'Nightcruiser' (EMI, 1991) and contacts for the album's producer Phil Smith; as well as contacts for Phil Smith's brother (a filmmaker), and contacts for photographer David Levine (who apparently took pics of Robert during the '80s). Many thanks Julian Jonker District Six Museum Cape Town Maito:liberation@mweb.co.za -------------- CRANKSPIV? Hi, Crankspiv Records is looking for bands for Volume 8 of our Compilation series. This is the biggest CD yet and we have made the concept bigger so please if you are in a band, check the details at http://www.angelfire.com/ab7/crankspiv/ Thanks Mike Crankspiv Records Mailto:crankspivrecords2@yahoo.com -------------- '46664' FAN #1 Hi I don't think us UK-based music fans are going to get a chance to see the AIDS gig on TV - is it going to be released on video or DVD? If not, could anyone over there copy a video for us unlucky Brits? Cheers Ian Higginbotham Mailto:Ianatome@blueyonder.co.uk PS Are Trevor Rabin's Rabbit CD's (or any other CD's he is on) still available in S.A.? -------------- '46664' FAN #2 Hi There! It was with a darkening feeling of pure and utter homesickness that I watched the gig here in Manchester - running in between my PC (working on my PhD) and the telly. On the one hand I was transcribing interviews by Cliffie Moses, Basil Moses, and all the guys. Talking about Cape Town and 'the good old-bad old times'.... on the other hand I was jealous as hell that I missed the gig in the new 'place' that I saw half built in Easter (was home for the North Sea Jazz Fest). Anyway Thanks for telling us (that aren't home) about it. Lots of Love Jostine - the PhD student from Manchester Mailto:jostineloubser@hotmail.com -------------- '46664 FAN #3 Hi, I am writing to you because I heard of the 46664 concert which was yesterday in Cape Town. It looks very interesting. I'm looking for someone who recorded it (audio and/or video) and would like to trade with me for it. Perhaps you have such recording or you know someone who has? Thanks! Piotr Bizacki mailto:piotrus@venco.com.pl -------------- STREET TO HONOUR JOEY RAMONE Hi, Here's a story from the New York Post: An East Village street corner half a block from the birthplace of punk is being renamed after Joey Ramone, more than two years after the towering singer's death. The gangly Ramone, whose real name was Jeffrey Hyman, died of lymphoma in April 2001 at 49. Officials announced this week that the corner of East Second Street and the Bowery - near punk palace CBGB - will be renamed Joey Ramone Place. A punk ceremony attended by the Ramones' two surviving members will be held Sunday. Bassist Dee Dee Ramone died of an overdose last year at age 50. Thought some of your older punk readers may appreciate this! Hank in NY -------------- JUNE DYER Hi, My mother, June Dyer, made 8 LP's in her day - 'Durban Cookie Look'. Do you have anything on her - I think she made them prior to 1962? Thanks, Debbie Mailto:debbiek@archive.co.za ED. - Take a look here Debbie http://www.rock.co.za/files/june_dyer_index.htm -------------- BOKIE Hi, Looking for ancient South African record called 'Bokie' that my Dad bought in the 1950's. Can you help me find it? I don't know the artist's name. Dad said it was a big hit when he was there. Would really love to hear it again. Thanks Linda Mailto:pinetree@batelnet.bs -------------- HOW COME JOHHNY'S GETTING HIS OWN EMAILS NOW??!?? Hey Ed, Can you tune Jonny van boksburg if he nous if Alan(is) Morriesette is from Capetown. I think she is a busker an she is homeless as she sings about having "one rand in my pockittt!!!" cheerz Jamez Ed. - We asked Johnny to reply personally to Jamez Howzit Jamez Ja, Alana is now from Capetown but was first from Boksburg. She yoused to live down the road but she was like a bad girl. When the Rolling Stones was in South Efrika she was like their supplier of druks. Thats why she did that 'Jaggers Little Pills' album. But After that she felon hard times. If you see her charf her howzit from me. Cheers Johnny ------------- GOT A QUESTION? Please email any musical questions to mailto:editor@sarockdigest.com?subject=soundsolutions ----------------------------- THE DIGEST CLASSIFIED ADS ----------------------------- To advertise in this section please email: mailto:editor@sarockdigest.com?subject=classifieds -------------- GEMM Your best source for impossible-to-find music! http://sugarmusic.gemm.com -------------- MABU VINYL & CD Cape Town's finest record and CD store is now at the Top of Long Street. At No. 2 Kloof Street - diagonally opposite the Long Street Baths. Visit our new Sugar Music CD Sale on the Pavement Piazza in front of the shop. Mabu stocks SA and International CD titles as well as a growing list of independent SA CD and CD-R releases. Latest vinyl additions: Amampondo - 'Live - Uyandibiza' (LP) Kabasa - 'Searching' (LP) Various - 'Concert In The Park' (double LP) The Flames - 'Soulfire' (LP) Brenda Fassie - 'Black President' (LP) Dog Detachment - 'Fathoms Of Fire' (LP) Falling Mirror - 'Shattered (Best Of) ' (LP) Johannes Kerkorrel en die Gereformeerde Blues Band - 'Eet Kreef!' (LP) Latest independent SA CD additions: 'The Heat' - The Dollyrockers 'More Fire' - The Rudimentals 'Breathe Sunshine' - Various 'When I Grow Up' - Guy Buttery 'Teaching Afrikaans As A Foreign Language' - Buckfever Underground 'Jika Jika' - freshlyground 'A Moment In Cape Town' - Various Artists (with new, revised tracklisting) 'Steady On' - Moodphase 5ive 'Parallax View' EP - Lazarus 'Rough Cuts' - Janie Jones We buy and sell LP's and CD's Please contact: Jacques Vosloo - 082 534 6006 Stephen Segerman - 021 423 7635 mailto:mabu@sugarmusic.co.za -------------- VIBES VINYL Stadium-on-Main, Main Road, Claremont This week's specials: African Jazz Pioneers - 'African Jazz Pioneers' (LP) Bayete - 'Hare Yeng Hae' (LP) Outsiders - 'Outsiders' (LP) Inhouse Records Promo Copy Tom and Joanna - 'Living it up' (LP) Usuals - 'Law of the Jungle' (LP) V/A - 'A Naartjie in our Sosatie' (CD), featuring artists such as: National Wake, Corporal Punishment, Bernoldus Niemand etc. V/A - 'Soul for Gold' (LP), featured artists are: Outlet, Roy Petersen, Roy Harris, Calder's Collection, A.M. Stragglers, Candy. We pay top prices for top quality. Want Lists Welcome! Call us at: 021-683 5676 mailto:claus@vibesvinyl.com Visit our website at http://www.vibesvinyl.com Website catalogue now also at Gemm and Netsounds: http://www.vibesvinyl.gemm.com and http://www.netsounds.com/vibesvinyl -------------- VAGABOND MUSIC & WEB (now part of the Sugar Music Group) Get your band or business online. We design from scratch or take over the maintenance when your hotshot designer gets bored with updating. Our design philosophy is to create sites that pull people in and keep them coming back, through user-friendly designs, good web architecture and cost-effective web-marketing. If you want a quick, friendly and fun website, then Vagabond Music Web is your answer. Vagabond Clients include: Bluescream Street Level Fresh Music Rhythm Records Entertainment Industry Services Piet Botha Off The Edge 25 Hour Studio Gregs Golf Tours 4 Sure Golf Tours James Stewart Tait Bright Blue Jack Hammer Janie Jones Brian Finch Soil 7t7 Rodriguez Steve Louw and Big Sky Lorraine Shannon Joe Public Please contact Brian on 082-567-8779 or visit http://www.sugarmusic.co.za for more info. --------------- SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC QUOTA COALITION Support the SAMQC, as this SA musicians' initiative, looking to greatly increase the amounts of SA music played on the nation's radio stations. Join the movement, sign up, or read more at http://www.samqc.org.za -------------- The Sound Solutions and Digest Classified sections are sponsored by SUGAR MUSIC: Sugar Music promotes, markets, informs, exposes and spreads the good word about SA Music in all forms and genres through its various web & media channels including the SA Rock Digest, Amuzine, SAmp3.com, SA Gigs, SA Klank, the SA Rock Encyclopedia, the SA Rock Hall of Fame, the One World online CD store, Sound Solutions, SAFm, and Mabu Vinyl & CD. Contact: Stephen Segerman - (021) 461-9541 mailto:sugar@cd.co.za ______________________________________________ 8.LIVE MUSIC --------------- ------------------- UPCOMING EVENTS ------------------- Full details at http://www.sagigs.com Watch out for: SPRINGBOK NUDE GIRLS AND VELVE IN CAPE TOWN - Cape Town rock band Velve are about to premiere their new video for the song 'Fallen' and will be doing so at The Mercury Live on Saturday 13 December alongside the Springbok Nude Girls. Velve will be performing as guest artists on the bill. JULIANS - Julian Laxton's very popular music venue has moved to 120 Republic Rd, Malanshof, Randburg, and is re-opening . CARLO MOMBELLI - You are invited to Carlo Mombelli's Masters recital (In partial fulfilment of the requirements of M.Mus. in composition) at University of the Witwatersrand: Wits School of Arts on Thursday, 11th December 2003 at the Wits Theatre at 19h00. The `Prisoners of Strange´ will be performing the works with Carlo Mombelli. AUTHENTIC IDEAS ARTISTS GIGS - December 2003 will see 16Stitch, Boo!, Cutting Jade, Jo Day, Summersalt, Tweak, Wickhead, Wonderboom, Zen Arcade gigging all over SA right through to 2004. SEETHER - All the details of Seether's return tour to South Africa - dates and venues. SOUL PROXY - Soul Proxy will be touring South Africa in December together with Seether (formerly: Saron Gas) as part of a promotional tour of the country. A MONTH OF SUNDAYS - Heather Mac and Ayala Katz will be performing a selection of songs that inspired them as kids. They will be joined by musicians Brydon Bolton on double bass, Sheldon Thomas on piano and Mark Harris on guitar. Performances every Sunday night in December [7/14/21/28] L/B's upstairs at Jo'burg Bar, 1st Floor, 222 Long Street Cape Town GUY BUTTERY - After blowing away audiences in and around Cape Town in July earlier this year, Guy Buttery will be returning to the Cape in December for 8 shows BENJAMIN'S FATHER - The European singer/songwriter will be touring South Africa in December and early January. SOULJA - some upcoming gigs from the Cape Town hard rockers including their 'Gunslut' debut album launch at Stones, Long Street in Cape Town on Thurs 11 December THE SOVEREIGN ANNEXATION TOUR - featuring bands like Prime Circle, Marlowe, The Finkelstiens, Killjoy, and Ghomez the Geek, in a club near you this December THE 'SUMMER VIBES' TOUR - Kelly Rowland and Ludacris will be performing in South Africa (JHB, Durban and Cape Town) as part of the 'Summer Vibes' series of concerts taking place from December 12-16. GRANT NUSS - the Cape Town singer-songwriter will performing at Artscapes' 'Red Wine & Roses' evenings, at Nino's (Alteatro) on Sunday evenings in December (7th,14th and 21st December) STATE FAR BETTER - State Far Better will be relocating to Johannesburg in early-2004 to begin recording their debut album. The popular Cape Town band will first complete their December national tour before entering the studio to start working on the album, which should be on our shelves by June. SERVING SUGGESTION - the Cape Town band are off on their 'Whistle Stop' Tour of SA. DELTA BLUE - The SA blues band, currently enjoying success with their 'Inbluesstation' CD and 'Milk Cow Blues' single, are taking themselves on a national tour to Gauteng and then around the Garden Route. 'THE AMAZING DisasTOUR' - This national punk rock tour runs through December with headliners, ATFN ("All This For Nothing") from Pretoria, and Mr. Smug from Durban. 'ROCK THE BAY 2003' - 26 December at Firlands, just before Sir Lowry's Pass on the N2, past Somerset West. Barney Simon will be introducing the strong SA rock line-up featuring 17 bands including Jesse Jordan Band, Jo Day, Zen Arcade, Cutting Jade, Wonderboom, Not My Dog, Southern Gypsey Queen, Tamarin Seed, Serving Suggestion, Six of Nine, and Soul Proxy. SUGAR BUSH FESTIVAL 2003 - Thursday 18 December - Sunday 21 December in KwazuluNatal SEMISANE - South Africa's premier pop/rock band return with new material, and new lead singer Holly Rose. A nationwide tour is planned for November/December UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS IN SA: RONAN KEATING - Big Concerts International, Jacaranda 94.2 and KFM 94.5 are very proud to announce that Ronan Keating will be performing in Sun City for New Year's Eve, 31 December and in Cape Town's picturesque Kirstenbosch Gardens on the 2nd of January 2004. -------------- TWEAK AND OTHER TOP SA ACTS LEAD 'THE HEADLINE TOUR '03' TO WAVE HOUSE. Girls go mad, as the country's most exciting punk rock outfit, Tweak brings their much-applauded fame to Wave House this 12 December. From just being four friends entering into a school talent show for the fun of it, Tweak has come a long way since then… From winning the regional Battle of the Bands, reaching the No.3 on the 5FM Modern Rock chart and being selected to appear on 5FM's Unearthed Compilation. Along with featuring at many major music festivals such as Woodstock, and Oppikoppi, Tweak has stolen the hearts of many teens across SA. Their love for music clearly transcends their lyrics, as they write songs about life issues. With their mission to bring something new to the SA music scene, Tweak has drawn upon rap, reggae, swing and punk to produce original songs that remain lodged in your memory. And it is their eminent tracks like; 'The Long Road', 'Friends' and 'Girls Rule the World' that really get their gigs rocking. Along with other hot musical acts such as Cutting Jade, Wickhead and 16 Stich, this December's “Headline Tour '03” is set to be a punk rock sensation. Cutting Jade alone has made both national and international success as they have played at a festival in France and completed a joint UK tour along with label brothers, Wonderboom. Their first single, 'She Says', from their emotional first rock album, 'So There We Were', reached No.10 on the 5FM Top 40 and featured on the 5FM Showcase III Unearthed compilation. The first song off their second album, 'Between Two Lives', skyrocketed nationally, becoming Cutting Jade's first Top 40 No.1 hit. Described as an emotional rock band, Cutting Jade continues to impress at their live shows throughout the country and internationally. With such hot musical acts heading to Wave House for an awesome rock, punk party, it would be madness to miss out on SA's best. -------- SA PUNK -------- By Daniel Neville, who is away on a trip to Australia till January! SA PUNK RECOMMENDED GIG GUIDE: BOKSBURG - TROTTERS - Mon 8 Dec (R20,9pm) The Amazing DisasTOUR *ATFN, *Mr Smug, *Gary Two Teeth and the Slashdogs, *The Stevie Wonderfuls See http://www.SAgigs.com for details and other SA Punk gigs. -------------- LIVE IN SA -------------- This year's OppiKoppi Festival was held at the Pretoria Showgrounds a week ago, and this consistently successful and well-supported regular annual music festival seems to have experienced a bad year, as our Gauteng correspondent, Nadia Neophytou (now covering the Johannesburg scene since her move north from Cape Town), reports below. -------------- OPPIKOPPI 2003 By Nadia Neophytou If you didn't go to Oppikoppi in Northam this year and only made the one in Tshwane, then you may have struggled to find that familiar Oppikoppi spirit. You know, the mingling between fans and musos, the staying up all night by a campfire talking about nothing, some guy playing guitar next to his car, the drunken hazes between strangers who become friends - okay those were still there… but for the most part, this music enthusiast had to constantly focus on the Oppikoppi backdrops of the stages to remind her where she was. The website says 15000 people attended the Northam part of the festival. Tshwane was to be the main leg of Oppikoppi this year. But it seems that the low attendance at the show grounds speaks for itself; people would rather go to the bush than stay in the city. “It's not an effort for people to get here,” reasoned Sean Ou Tim, drummer for Godessa (who, ironically, had driven 20 hours to be there). “Because it's in the city people can choose whether to come here or go to Ster Kinekor for the evening.” Hanu, an Oppikoppi regular who is the vocalist for The Narrow, said he felt splitting the festival this year was a huge learning curve for the organisers. Oppikoppi has been intrinsically linked with its environment. Having big exhibition halls and being in the city just didn't complement the nature of the festival. Basically it didn't feel like a festival. “It feels like we're at the Rand Show,” commented Brendan Ou Tim, one of Tamara Dey's Boys, walking past the signage for swimming pools. This is perhaps where the problem lay. In their earnest attempts to find a place that would both prevent any risks, like that of rain, from ruining the festival and also highlight the urban feel the festival has since its inception acquired, the organisers sacrificed vibe for venue. I found myself even yearning for the cold night chill if only to get back the spirit of Oppikoppi. Very few musicians stayed behind after their gig, there were perhaps 3 or 4 tents camped on the grounds, and those who attended the Friday night didn't attend the Saturday (or vice versa). The Skelm stage, the smaller stage, was not intimate and a huge gap in front of the stage prevented that close interaction between musician and music appreciator. But the festival is there for one reason - and that's to showcase exceptional music talent. While I didn't find that traditional Oppikoppi feeling, I did find a great crossover of artists and music. As Krushed 'n Sorted DJ Fletcher put it, a lot more 'colour'. The festival's progressive line-up has been its most exciting feature. Each year has presented new collaborations and additions to the line-up that have reflected the growing, fluid nature of SA music. From Rudeboy Paul to Ryan Dent, Tumi and The Volume to Tweak, Brenda Fassie to Bed on Bricks. Also, the interaction with overseas artists has grown to become a fixed highlight of the fest. This year, fans were treated to Canadian DJ extraordinaire, A-Trak, who played a killer 2-hour set that left the audience with jaws dropped in amazement when they should've been dancing to the blocking beats he was dropping, and scratching, and mixing! Blacklisted, Casa da Capoeira, Kapa Dech, Mabulu and our own 340ml ensured a large contingent represented Mozambique. Belgium's 't Hof van Commerce had the audience in the 206 hall in the palm of its hand. As did Dutch reggae group, Beef, sounding more like they were from Jamaica than Europe. E-Quad featuring Louis Mhlanga and Eric van der Westeren was a great treat - even if there wasn't a large crowd to enjoy it. As for our own artists, Karen Zoid and The Narrow rocked Friday night. Particularly amusing was Ms Zoid's impersonation of Justin Timberlake's 'Rock Your Body' and her bit of self-promotion: “Dis nog 'n liedjie van ons nuwe album, 'Chasing the Sun'. Koop hom, dit maak a great Kersfees present, by jou naaste Look 'n Listen stalletjie (pointing to the stall in the corner). Ek voel soos Kurt Darren maar dis lekker!” A blond, shaggy-haired little girl joined her on stage for 'Afrikaners is Plesierig' - an adorable face of the Zoid generation. Max Normal can still get a crowd going and the hip hop offered by the 206 hall served up some tight rhythms and rhymes. Disappointed that H2O was a no-show, though. Sound problems marred Arno Carstens' set. Said one fan: “I left because I didn't want the bad sound to ruin my memory of how he sounds.” The beginning of Skwatta Kamp's set had to be re-done because the guys were not happy with the sound, but after that, their set was full of testosterone-filled energy. Had to strain to see over the screaming girls though! On at the same time was Brenda Fassie - a real showstopper! She enthralled the audience on the “Upper Pit Stage” and in true Ma Brrr style, asked The Narrow's Hanu De Jong, who was standing right at the front, for his dop! BVK were their usual energetic selves. As was Boo! And Godessa, after not having slept for the drive up, had more spunk than the audience. Corne and Twakkie, the resident comedians were hilarious. Getting Dave van Der Linden from Bed on Bricks to make and then drink their hangover combat remedy was even more side-splitting. Later, he swore he didn't swallow any of it! Though the emphasis of Oppikoppi is supposed to be the music, it has become legendary for the atmosphere and memories it creates. But the organisers have been in it for the long run, for almost a decade now, and with the injection of sponsorship from Levi's for the next 3 years, it is certain that the festival will move past the snags to truly create an even bigger and better Oppikoppi experience. Nadia Neophytou -------------- ----------- GIG GUIDE ----------- The SA Rock Digest list of recommended gigs can be found at: http://www.SAgigs.com Please send all gig info, in a plain text e-mail by Friday 12noon, to: mailto:sugar@sagigs.com?subject=gigs ___________________________________________ 9. INFO ------- ------ LINKS ------ Links to artists, gig guides, resources, record labels, recording studios, music trivia and more at: http://www.sarockdigest.com/links ---------------- SUBSCRIPTIONS ---------------- To subscribe - please send e-mail to: mailto:subscribe@sarockdigest.com?Subject=NewSubscriber Address changes - please send e-mail to: mailto:subscribe@sarockdigest.com?Subject=SubcriberAddressChange To unsubscribe - please send e-mail to: mailto:unsubscribe@sarockdigest.com?Subject=Unsubscribe ------------ BACK ISSUES ------------- http://www.sarockdigest.com/archives Online and keyword searchable ----------------------------------- PRESS RELEASES & CONTRIBUTIONS ----------------------------------- Please submit all press releases, contributions, reviews, gig & festival dates, requests, searches and comments to: mailto:sugar@sarockdigest.com?subject=SARockDigest ---------------------- EDITORS AND PUBLISHERS ---------------------- Brian Currin & Stephen Segerman mailto:editors@sarockdigest.com?subject=SARockDigest --------------- CONTRIBUTORS --------------- BC - Brian Currin SS - Stephen Segerman JS - John Samson KS - Kurt Shoemaker CL - Carina Laubscher (Katvrou) TL - Tertius Louw SN - Shiloh Noone DN - Daniel Neville ML - Moonshine Lee LR - Lindsay Ravenscroft WM - Wicked Mike DB - Don Bryce DM - David Marks DS - Don Sweeto LAD - LAD MC - Michael Currin (Curmic) MR - Mick Raubenheimer And others too numerous to mention, but gratefully acknowledged! 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