SA ROCK DIGEST ISSUE NUMBER 27
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The South African Rock Music Digest
is a weekly, free subscription e-mag,
delivered direct to your e-mailbox.
Subscription and back issue
information at the end.
Established January 1999.
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INTRODUCTION
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The SA Rock Digest is a discussion forum for Rock music;
South African and International; past, present and future.
Read it, digest it, enjoy it, send in your comments
and tell your friends....
"Rock" is a very general term encompassing rock and roll,
pop, folk, rock, ethnic-rock, prog-rock, jazz-rock, country-rock,
soul, R&B, metal, indie, alternative, new wave, reggae, etc, etc.
Don't get hung up...if you want to say something about the music
YOU like, go ahead, say it.
Contributions and comments:
http://www.rock.co.za/files/contactme.html
or...
mailto:brian.currin@new.co.za
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NEWS
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SAVE THE WINSTON
Dave Campbell
The latest on Save The Winston Mission. Bands will play from 20h00 to 02:00 on Friday 21 August & Saturday 22 August. All bands will play a half hour set and will turn around every hour. The Cover Charge will be R20 on both nights and their will be plenty of give-aways as well as autographed CD auctions of some of SA's top bands.
Cuervo Gold will be there giving everyone a healthy dose of wicked stuff and so will anybody who has done anything in the Durban music industry in the last few years. A number of out of town bands have already shown interest in making the trip to do this thing as well as all the Durban favourites. We are still finalising sponsorship and PA for the night so if you can't make the gig then why not sponsor a portion of the poster & flyer printing. All sponsors whether private or companies will be acknowledged.
We have a chance of saving a live music venue that has supported the Durban live scene forever. If we lose the venue then we may lose new talent. Without new talent there will eventually be no bands and then their will be no industry. No need for music shops no need for media. - Think about it.
If you have any product that we can use as give-aways or auctioning please mail them to me at P O Box 624 Durban 4000 and e-mail your company logo to me for advertising.
The Winston is one of the good guys and its pay back time.
Dave Campbell
Fruit Fly Navigators
082-8998729
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MONTH OF THE DRUMMER
Various drum workshops are planned around Cape Town
during August.
16th Afro-Cuban with Ivan Bell
23th Jazz with Kevin Gibson
30th Electronic at Paul Bothner, Claremont
Contact Bothners on (021) 6744030 or...
mailto:info@bothner.co.za
http://www.bothner.co.za
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NAKED LIVE @
| 206 |
|
206 Louis Botha Avenue |
August 14th |
| Pancho Villa's |
Witbank |
|
|
August 27th |
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FORUM
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CLASSIC SONG OF THE WEEK:
THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT (WIMOWEH)
Brian Currin
A traditional Zulu folk-song titled 'Mbube' was recorded in 1939 by
Solomon Linda's Original Evening Birds. Since then it has been known variously
as 'Wimoweh' and 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight'. Adapted in 1951 by Paul Campbell
with English words by Roy Ilene and recorded by The Weavers as 'Wimoweh'.
Revised in 1961 by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, George Weiss and Albert Stanton
and recorded by The Tokens, a New York-based folk, country-and-western
teenbeat vocal quintet, who had a million-seller with this song re-titled
'The Lion Sleeps Tonight'. It was US #1 for 3 weeks and reached #11 in UK.
Recorded by Karl Denver in 1962 titled 'Wimoweh' and went to UK #4. It was recorded a few more times during the 60s, notably by Bert Kaempfert on his Swinging Safari album which reached UK #20 in 1966.
Recorded in 1971 by Robert John, and reached #3 on the US charts in January 1972. Another million-seller. Also recorded in 1972 by Dave Newman and achieved UK #34.
Recorded by Tight Fit in 1982 and went to UK #1.
Appeared as a brief excerpt sung by Timon and Pumbaa in Disney's animated classic The Lion King in 1994. Released as a full version by Lebo M in 1995 on the Rhythm Of The Pridelands CD - a cash-in release after the success of the Lion King movie.
Other artists who have recorded versions of varying quality include:
Pete Seeger
The Nylons
Seven Deadly Finns (featuring Brian Eno!)
Roger Whittaker
Mory Kante
The Kingston Trio
The Main Attraction
The Sugar Beats
M'Lumbo
West India Company
Sandra Bernhard
Hotline (featuring PJ Powers)
Mango Groove
Miriam Makeba
Which version is your favourite?
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SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC STRONG AND HEALTHY
Stephen Segerman
While kwaito continues to be the new, hot music genre of choice in SA, an equally exciting genre has begun to emerge from the techno/trance/rave scene of the past few years. For want of a better and shorter title, we'll call it 'Live Ambient African Trance' (arrange these words as you feel best!), and it has already spawned three new acts, all with excellent debut albums under their belts. These albums combine the look, feel and fun of the psychedelic era of the '60's with the electronic trance sounds of the late-'90's. Nothing new there except these albums incorporate the indigenous instruments and sounds of Africa to form a trippy and relevant soundtrack to the end of the Millennium, and all the celebrations that will accompany this historic event. For a taste of this sound, try Nagual's 'Shamanarchy', Jorge Carlos' 'Trip Of Africa' or THC's 'Toward Higher Consciousness'.
But while these 'Hip-E' groups turn out their own brand of chill music, two of SA's top rock outfits, Sugardrive and the Springbok Nude Girls, have released their 1999 albums. Although the Nude Girls' 'Surpass The Powers' is the harder rocker of the two, Sugardrive's 'When I Died I Was Elvis' has impressed all their fans and everyone else with its depth, intelligence and hidden charms.
Halfway through 1999 and the SA music scene is looking strong and healthy.
Reprinted from Amuzine - South Africa's Online Music Magazine
http://www.cd.co.za
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ROGAN REMEMBERS SOME MORE
Rogan Coles
I was at junior school with Tim (Parr). He was a few years my junior - remember him
as being something of a mamma's boy and asthmatic. He was the only kid in
the dorm with a guitar - maybe the whole school. He was playing more
'angelic' stuff then. Next time I saw him was in a coffee shop in some funny
old 2 storey building along the top drag through Hillbrow and above where
the old Hillbrow Records shop used to be. Him and Heather Mac. She was in
fine feather and Tim seemed a little out of it. Heather was doing her Annie
Lennox thing and I guess this was at a time before Annie Lennox became Annie
Lennox, if you see what I mean. Some strange act but an interesting
performance. This was around '84-'86 somewhere. Saw them on and off around
JHB in one iteration or another. This was also around the time I saw them do
this act with Tribe After Tribe and I think this was T after T's last act
before their breakup or, they were going overseas or something. An
interesting performance where they did this shared change over where T after
T came on stage while Parr and crew were doing this number. T after T joined
in and then Parr and crew moved off stage and let T after T finish off the
song and move on into their set. Cannot remember what Parr's band was called
on this occasion.
There was a time where I thought I was the only geek documenting all this shit.
That was then - by way of photography. I gave up. Like you, I just
have the memories. The pictures and all that stuff are, or were stored all
over the place. Some in RSA, some in the UK and heaven knows where else.
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CARGO
Listen to MPs at:
http://www.mp3.com/artists/38/cargo.html
Listen to MP3s of other South African artists at:
http://www.mp3.com/regions/africa/south_africa/
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DID YOU KNOW?
Pendulum's pop classic from 1975, Take My Heart, has its melody
line based on Ketelbey's In A Persian Market.
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AROUND THE WORLD
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WOODSTOCK SURVIVOR
Andrew Bond
I'm back in 'Lauderdale after survivng Woodstock. What a mission, hardly
worth all the effort and four day journey to get there. Sharing a festival
with 300 000 people just isn't fun and the spirit of '69 just wasn't there.
It didn't rain, and few people were cavorting naked in the mud, I ought to
ask for my money back! All the same, it had to be done and I now have the
souvenir T-shirt (for what it's worth), the band line up was good (saw the
Offspring, Counting Ccrows, Dave Matthews band, Jewel, Alanis Morisette,
Metallica, Korn, Megadeth, 'Chili Peppers, Rusted Root - brilliant new
discovery-, Tragically Hip, Fatboy Slim, Bruce Hornsby, and lots of breasts!
missed: Sheryl Crow, Bush, Rage... & Live) although a brisk 40 minute
walk to get to the east stage from our camp site was hardly fun, but more
fun than the portaloos.
I was quite impressed with the enterprising fellows who set up a stand
selling disposable cameras and employed two girls to dance naked on top of
their vending van! Made a killing.
If you get to watch highlights on the TV, look out for my SA flag in the
front row of the Dave Matthews set (did you know he grew up in SA?), by the
end of the afternoon, more than 30 South Africans had showed up for company
(and a few lonely Kiwi's), there was even a Zimbabwean and Malawian flag out
there. These damned 'japies' are everywhere ek se, too bad most Americans
around us had to ask which flag it was (some dumbasses thought it was the
Virginia state flag!)
After three days of peace, Love and music (and a lot of commercial ripoff -
cheapest fastfood was $5.00) disgruntled delinquents tore the place apart
Sunday night which was a shameful way to end. So that was Woodstock,
sometimes the legend and reality are two completely different things.
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REVIEWS
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FETISH - FETISH (1997)
Stephen Segerman
You have to be brave to call your band
and debut album 'Fetish'. Among the various definitions of the
word fetish is "something evoking irrational devotion or respect".
So here we have a Cape Town band who have in a short time
evoked quite some devotion and respect except, in their case,
it is anything but irrational.
Fetish are a five person band with Michelle Breeze writing all the
lyrics, handling the vocals and providing the focal point for, well,
let's look at another definition of fetish to answer that one:
"something abnormally stimulating or attracting sexual desire".
That, in a nutshell, is Michelle Breeze. From initially being a shy,
no eye contact, singing softly through her fringe-type vocalist,
Breeze has blossomed into a confident singer who is obviously
enjoying singing her thoughts and simultaneously milking the
rapture of her adoring, and growing, flock of devoted fans. It's
tempting to try and pinpoint her influences but comparing her to
Siouxsie or Beth Gibbons from Portishead would be
semi-accurate but unfair because this is a songstress who is
carving her own legend.
The album, which was produced, engineered and recorded by
Malcolm Aberdein and Brian Sepel, contains twelve tracks which
are all individual in style and feel yet as a whole all illustrate the
wondrous chemistry that exists between the words and the
music. Dominic Forrest on guitar and David Fiene on keyboards
provide tight and complimentary backdrops of sound to Breeze's
vocals. Jeremy Daniels (bass) and Croc E. Moses (drums)
underpin the melodies with a solid and understated beat. The
initial 1000 copies of the album are all packaged in a different
fabric covering and have a number on the box which only shows
up under a UV light.
The album kicks off with the single 'Never Enough', which
charted at no.6 on 5FM's chart. It's a frothy, gothy
song with keyboard and guitar licks swirling around the vocals,
building to a strident chorus and then dropping back into a soft
ominous swirl. 'Motherhush', 'Blue Blanket' and 'No Time' all
illustrate the strong arrangements and crafted synchronicity
between the instruments and vocals that create the beautiful
yet ominous sound of Fetish. 'pc' is more acoustic and talks
about "Jesus coming back and being crucified again or broadcast
on the Internet". Now there's a thought!
'Mist' and 'Smoke' are atmospheric with sound effects rippling
through the songs to emphasise the titles. On 'Heat' Michelle
sings: "Wheels turn and we learn that the sun has become the
enemy". While this could be interpreted as a Goth credo, the
music is too sweet to assume anything else but that tanning is
bad for you. 'Fetish' is highly recommended for its strong songs,
evocative vocals and lyrics and for the fact that it grabs you by
the collar and forces you to listen to it obsessively to uncover
all its layers. It is best summed up by a third dictionary derived
definition:. "An object worshipped as magical by primitive
peoples". You have been warned!
See the cover scan and original review at Amuzine:
http://www.rock.co.za/reviews/music_review_fetish.htm
Nebula BOS records,
the home of the Indie Music Explosion http://www.indie.co.za
have supplied a copy of this 1997 CD as a prize this week.
This copy is the black cloth version, so even if you already have this CD,
but not in this colour, here's your chance...
Question: Name Fetish's lead singer (and its not Helen Hurricane)
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AMUZINE REVIEWS
Stephen "Sugar" Segerman has been writing CD reviews on SA and
international releases for a number of years now and these are all available on-line at:
http://www.rock.co.za/reviews.htm
There are currently over 100 reviews there, including...
(numbers in brackets are Sugar's points out of 10)
Dantai - Operation Lahlela (9)
Amersham - Upside Downside (7)
Anouk - Together Alone (7)
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty (9)
Beck – Mutations (8)
Black Diamond – Me And My Friends (8)
Busi Mhlongo - Urbanzulu (9)
Deep Purple - Live And Blue (9)
Dorp – Danger Gevaar Ingozi (8)
Eidolon – See Saw (8)
Jimmy Page and Robert Plant - Walking Into Clarksdale (7)
Johannes Kerkorrel - Tien Jaar Later (8)
Koos Kombuis - Mona Lisa (Die Mooiste Love Songs) (10)
Jorge Carlos - Trip Of Africa (7)
Just Jinger - All Comes Round (8)
Karma – One Day Soon (8)
Koos Kombuis - Madiba Bay (10)
Lithium - Zennon Supertrooper (8)
Louise Carver – Mirrors And Windows (7)
Mahube - Music From Southern Africa (7)
Die Naaimasjiene - Die Saai Lewe (8)
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - The Best Of (10)
Off The Edge - On The Run (9)
Oom - Beats and Peaces (9)
Paul Hanmer - Trains to Taung (10)
Pops Mahomed - Ancestral Healing (10)
Pops Mahomed – How Far Have We Come? (8)
Qkumba Zoo - Big (9)
Samite - Silina Musango (10)
Sugardrive - Sand. Man. Sky. (10)
Springbok Nude Girls - Afterlifesatisfaction (10)
Tim Parr - Still Standing (8)
The Usual - Like A Vision (8)
U2 - Pop (8)
So visit the Amuzine reviews page and expand your mind...
http://www.rock.co.za/reviews.htm
All SA CDs are available from One World.
http://www.oneworld.co.za
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NEW RELEASES
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QUALITY MOMENTS - LOVE SONGS
Brian Currin
This SABC3 sponsored release of South African pop songs, lives up
to its name. Moments of real pop quality, remastered in excellent
quality (the cover doesn't say, but probably remastered by Peter Pearlson
at Forest Studios), to help you relive those quality moments spent with a loved one.
Accompanied by detailed liner notes (by an uncredited author) this CD covers
a decade of SA pop history from the late 60s to the late 70s. From The Staccatos slow shuffling 'Cry To Me' through to the uptempo 'Living Inside My Head' by John Ireland.
If you, like me, grew up in South Africa in the 70s, then this CD will bring back some wonderful memories. If the first waltz at your wedding was Dave Mills' 'Love Is A Beautiful
Song', (I know mine was) and you've always wanted it on CD, then here it is. Talking about weddings, Jody Wayne's 'The Wedding' is also included here.
These 21 pop classics, every one an SA hit, are sure to bring some treasured memories rushing back. The Flames, Alan Garrity, Richard Jon Smith, Margaret Singana, Tommy Oliver and Bruce Millar are all here. Have your handkerchiefs ready as the late Roy Bulkin sings 'Make Her An Angel' (written by Nick Taylor) and Peter Lotis sings about losing his 'Honey'.
So, if you love pop music and you want to relive some memories, get this CD.
Available from One World
http://www.oneworld.co.za
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POP QUIZ
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SHOWCASE - THE 5FM SA BAND COLLECTION
SonyMusic SA very kindly supplied 2 copies
of this new CD as prizes on last week's Digest.
Question:
What is the name of the new Springbok Nude Girls album?
Answer: Surpass The Powers
Thank you for all the replies, however we could only have 2 winners,
and they are: Adrian Dunlop and Stephen Johnson.
This CD is available from One World
http://www.oneworld.co.za
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VOTING BOOTHS
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Visit these voting booths and cast a vote for YOUR favourite...
SA Rock albums, from the 60s to the 90s and beyond...
http://www.freevote.com/booth/sarock
All-time Great SA Pop and Rock songs
http://www.freevote.com/booth/sapop
McCully Workshop albums
http://www.freevote.com/booth/mccully
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LINKS
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SOUTH AFRICA'S ROCK FILES
The online archive for the History of South African Rock
http://www.rock.co.za/sarock/
TOO GOOD TO BE FORGOTTEN
Message Board for SA Rock
http://www.insidetheweb.com/mbs.cgi/mb311757
AMUZINE
African MUsic magaZINE
http://www.rock.co.za/
ONE WORLD
Selling South African Music to the World
http://www.oneworld.co.za/
5% discount for Digest members!
Type "Digest Member" in brackets
after your name when submitting info.
POWERZONE
The Hub of South African Music
http://www.powerzone.co.za/
INDIE MUSIC EXPLOSION
The Ultimate Independent Music Site in South Africa
http://www.indie.co.za/
GALLO MUSIC
Supporting South African Music
http://www.gallo.co.za/
BACKSTAGE
The Musician's Resource
http://www.backstage.co.za/
THE GIG GUIDE
Whats on in Cape Town
http://www.gig-guide.co.za/
ZA@PLAY
What's on in Cape Town and around South Africa
http://www.mg.co.za/mg/art/music/listing/music-ct.htm
SLY
Online magazine
http://www.sly.co.za/
STREET LEVEL RECORDS
Cape Town's Independent Record Label
http://www.streetlevel.co.za/
MUSICADS
Free musical equipment classifieds ad website
http://www.twisted.co.za/musicads/
SA MUSIC DATABASE
Over 100 links relating to South African music
http://members.xoom.com/samusicd/links.html
RIESTER INTERNATIONAL RECORDS
South African independent record company
http://www.riester-records.co.za/
JOL
News, updated daily
http://www.jol.co.za
FRESH MUSIC
Independent multi-faceted music group
http://www.fresh.co.za
AFRICAN INVASION OF ROCK
News, reviews and opinions
http://www.air.org.za
MOUNTAIN RECORDS
Music from and about Africa
http://www.mountain-africa.com
STAGE
SA Music magazine
http://www.stage.co.za
SCREEN AFRICA
broadcast • film • commercials • video • music • interactive
http://www.screenafrica.com
ARTSMART
arts news from kwazulu-natal
http://www.artsmart.co.za
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ADVERTS
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ONE WORLD MUSIC
http://www.oneworld.co.za
One World has an extremely wide range of CDs including Afrikaans Volksliedjies, African Traditional music, music of the Kalahari Bushmen, Sounds of Nature, Kwaito, Johnny Clegg and a host of other genres, styles and artists.
Also unique releases like Chris de Burgh's "Live In South Africa" and the "Cosmos" TV series soundtrack CD which are very difficult to find anywhere else in the world.
SA Pop/Rock compilations like Benjy Mudie's Sharp Cuts series; the ultimate SA music collection, the 6-CD The Best Of SA Pop; and the anarchistic A Naartjie In Our Sosatie
are all available from One World.
If its Made In South Africa and its on CD, then its available at One World.
One World has also started introducing videos now as well.
Visit http://www.oneworld.co.za and remember SA Rock Digest members get a 5% discount off their purchases. Just put "digest member" in brackets behind your name when filling in the secure order form and they will do the rest.
Or e-mail your requests to mailto:sugar@cd.co.za and he will sort you out.
One Stop, One Shop, One World
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SPLASHY FEN BOOK
Chris Chapman
(031) 3036466
mailto:chris@artworks.co.za
http://www.splashyfen.co.za
Also available from Indie Music Explosion
http://www.indie.co.za
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VIBES MUSIC - N1 CITY, CAPE TOWN
An extensive selection of vinyl and CDs.
Big supporters of South African music.
Speak to Neil or Alan on (021) 5953220 or
email Neil at: mailto:vibes@fast.co.za
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OUTLAW RECORDS, CAPE TOWN
Vinyl and second-hand CDs.
Always something new.
Plenty of South African stuff.
10% discount for Digest members!
Branches at:
Cape Town Central:
55 Castle Street (off Long Street), Cape Town
Phone: (021) 4238145
Wynberg:
3 CHB Building (opposite the entrance to Wynberg Hospital),
Maynard Road, Wynberg
Phone: (021) 7972482
Claremont:
45 Main Road (next to Pick 'N Pay), Claremont
Phone: (021) 6717887
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RADIUM WRECKORDS
Looking for Radio Rats, Popguns, Chauffeurs or Glee Club recordings?
Contact Johathan Handley for a catalogue at:
Radium Wreckords
Suite 207
Postnet
Private Bag X10
Flamwood
2572
Klerksdorp
mailto:jhandley@aghs.co.za
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JEFF BECK: CRAZY FINGERS
by Annette Carson
The first and only definitive biography of Jeff Beck - published in South Africa
in January 1999 and available by mail order from the author.
Trade paperback format, 256 pages, with a comprehensive discography.
SA price R85,00, or R100,00 including registered p&p. International orders
by surface mail US$18.00 or 13 British pounds, by airmail US$30.00 or 20
British pounds. E-mail mailto:carson@global.co.za or call (011) 883 3619.
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BACK ISSUES
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All Digest back-issues can now be downloaded as one
small zip file (less than 300kb).
Go to: http://www.rock.co.za/files/sarockdigest.zip
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INFO
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Editors:
Brian Currin and Stephen "Sugar" Segerman.
For the basic rules of the Digest please visit:
http://www.rock.co.za/files/sa_rock_digest.html
or we can e-mail them to you.
_____________________________________________
SUBSCRIPTIONS
-----------------
Reading someone else's copy of this e-mag?
Firstly thank the person who sent it to you, for being someone of
incredible good taste and perception...
...and then subcribe yourself by sending an e-mail to
mailto:brian.currin@new.co.za with any words or phrases that vaguely
indicate acceptance.
Y'know, like "I'm in", "That's great", "OK", "Here's R1000 send me a
copy"...whatever.
Or...visit http://www.rock.co.za/files/contactme.html and fill in the form.
--------
Want to unsubscribe from this e-mag?
Surely not, but if you really must, then just send me an e-mail,
saying "I hate SA music", "I'm bored" or "get my out of here" or
"I've had enough" or whatever, I'll get the idea, eventually.
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