South African Music Zine
edited by Sugar
Google

Search WWW
Search SA Rock

SECTIONS
HOME
REVIEWS
LAGER MENTALITY
interviews
MY BACK PAGES
features and columns
LINKS
ARCHIVES
News, New releases, CD of the week, Concerts and tours, Charts, Worth buying

Download South African MP3s


Search the world
for your music!
The South African Rock Encyclopedia

Buy South African CDs at Sugar Music

SA RECORD COMPANIES
BMG, David Gresham Records, EMI, Fresh Music, Gallo, MELT 2000, Primedia Music, Sheer Sound, Sony Music, Street Level, Third Ear Music, Rhythm, Universal, and USM
SOUND SOLUTIONS
Looking for an album, song or musician? Got a question? Ask Sugar!

www.sugarman.org - the Official Rodriguez website
[]
[]
Contents


This week's contents:

Editorial: The week in brief
News: Gito Baloi, Limp Bizkit, 5fm Easter Rock Festival, 'School of Rock', Splashy Fen, NSJF Writer's workshop, line-up changes and free concert, Marq Vas, 2004 OppiKoppi Easter festival, 2004 Kaktus Oppi Vlaktes, The V-Town Music Festival, Cutting Jade, Toyland, Mel Lowe, Musica.
Charts: SA Rock Digest MP3 and Album Charts
New Releases: New SA MP3's and CD's, Caytie Marvelis, Believable Addiction, Thys Nywerheid, David Starke, and MacAngel; Celeb:Select with Leon Economides and Benjy Mudie; 'Big Red', Bob Dylan, 'BuddHadda And Mr Mo Present Jimmy Bling Bling and B-Lovely', Southern Gypsey Queens.
Classic SA Rock: USA For Africa; A Naartjie In The UK; Vinyl Junkies; South African Rock Lists
Sound Solutions: A reader's forum - letters, info, questions and answers
Live Music: Events round-up, SA Punk: Zero Tolerance, 'Realisation Of Purple Head Tour', Erik Windrich in London. New Model Army in SA, the 'Clash Of The Titans'.
SA Music Links And Resources: Contact Details

[]
Editorial

THE WEEK IN BRIEF

The South African music community is in shock following the news of the murder of Gito Baloi in the early hours of Sunday morning in Johannesburg ... Last Thursday morning was not a very funny April Fool's Day for many South African Limp Bizkit fans, when Edgars, 5fm Music and Big Concerts had to regretfully announce the cancellation of the US band's pending South African tour ... After a year's sabbatical, the Rand Show will once again host the 5fm Easter Rock Festival on Saturday 10th April 2004 ... 'School of Rock' is now on circuit and UIP in conjunction with Ster Kinekor are linking up with Emerging Sounds to give one person who attends any of the RP Studios Emerging Sounds events during April the opportunity of winning a brand new Gibson Epiphone SG400 guitar ... The 15th annual Splashy Fen festival is ready to rock this Easter weekend from Thursday 8th to Monday 12th April.

The North Sea Jazz Festival Cape Town 2004, in collaboration with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism is, for the second year, offering a free seminar in jazz criticism to young journalists and aspiring journalists ... There is also news of some last minute changes to the festival bill, the name of the new, fifth stage, and the details of the free concert to be held in Greenmarket Square as a warm-up for the weekend's events ... Over the last few weeks, rumours in the music industry have been mounting about the return of Marq Vas from London ... A slightly more intimate variation on the Bush, Braai's and Tunes-theme, the 2004 OppiKoppi Easter festival will be held from the 9th to the 11th of April.

The 2004 Kaktus Oppi Vlaktes line-up is filled with some of the best and biggest artists in South Africa, and takes place on 10th April at the traditional Kaktus venue; the Oudtshoorn sport grounds ... The V-Town Music Festival is an all day event that will be rocking the Vaal Triangle on the 1st of May 2004 ... Logan Grobbelaar has been chosen as the new vocalist for Cutting Jade ... Toyland is now beginning a search for a new vocalist to take up front man duties for the band ... Melanie Lowe is linked to some squirmy "goggas" (that is "insects" for our overseas readers) ... And, in an unprecedented move to help combat declining sales in South Africa's music industry, Musica has announced their intention to bring down the cost of their Top Twenty CDs.

This week we have five new songs for free downloading at SAmp3.com by Caytie Marvelis, Believable Addiction, Thys Nywerheid, David Starke, and MacAngel ... Leon Economides and Benjy Mudie feature in this week's 'Celeb:Select' section ... We look at the tracks on the new 'Big Red' compilation of songs from the TV Series, 'Going Nowhere Slowly' ... Thought we'd share an NME review of the new Dylan Bootleg Series CD with you ... Vetseun reviews the new African Dope release called 'BuddHadda And Mr Mo Present Jimmy Bling Bling and B-Lovely' ... And we spotlight the Southern Gypsey Queens.

John Samson reviews 'Dorpstraat Revisited' by Valiant Swart with subtitles in English ... Kurt Shoemaker gives us his usual Texan take on Chicco's 'Black Man White Wife' album ... Cape Town bands, Liquid Sky and Nothing Said, are both trying to find new drummers ... Zero Tolerance return to the SA Punk scene and there is a review of the 'Realisation Of Purple Head Tour', and how that strange name came about.

John Samson was at Erik Windrich's gig at the Troubadour in Earl's Court in London last week ... Francis Bryan, a new Digest contributor, was at the New Model Army gig in Johannesburg and then caught the band's acoustic set down in Cape Town, and tells us all about them ... We also hear about the 'Clash Of The Titans' gig in Cape Town.

There's also the usual weekly mp3 and album charts, recommended SA gigs, letters to Sound Solutions, Digest Classifieds, old SA charts, and what's new on the shelves at Mabu Vinyl and CD and Vibes Vinyl.

And that is some of SA music, this week ...

If you would like to contact us, please send an email to
mailto:editor@sarockdigest.com?subject=Digest

Thanks!
Ed.

----------------------------

[]   SA TOP SELLING CDS
    []
1. Rodriguez - Cold Fact
2. The Thula Project - SA Lullabies
3. Freshlyground - Jika Jika
4. Ipi Tombi - Original Cast Recording
5. Saron Gas - - Fragile
6. Rodriguez - After The Fact
7. Chris de Burgh - Live In SA
8. Moses Molelekwa - Finding One's Self
9. Blomkrag - Boerecountry
10. Cashless Society - African Raw Material Vol 1
[]
   

Springbok Top 10 songs
15/20/25/30 Years Ago

    []
Supplied by John Samson

35 YEARS AGO (04 April 1969)

1 [3] Dizzy - Tommy Roe
2 [1] Crimson And Clover - Tommy Jones & The Shondells
3 [4] What Am I Living For - Percy Sledge
4 [2] Atlantis - Donovan
5 [5] Fox On The Run - Manfred Mann

30 YEARS AGO (05 April 1974)

1 [2] Love's Theme - Love Unlimited
2 [1] If You Need Me - After All
3 [7] You're Sixteen - Ringo Starr
4 [3] Little Jimmy - Gwynneth Ashly Robin
5 [9] Hello Girl - Dr. Marigolds

25 YEARS AGO (06 April 1979)

1 [3] Hold The Line - Toto
2 [2] Too Much Heaven - Bee Gees
3 [1] Le Freak - Chic
4 [4] My Life - Billy Joel
5 [10] Song For Guy - Elton John

20 YEARS AGO (06 April 1984)

1 [1] Red Red Wine - UB40
2 [2] Reggae Nights - Jimmy Cliff
3 [5] Sunshine Reggae - Laid Back
4 [8] Radio Ga Ga - Queen
5 [3] Dolce Vita - Ryan Paris

* See 'Chart Chat' in 'Classic SA Rock' section below.

[]
   

Top 50 New SA Music Titles

    []
1. Arno Carstens - Another Universe
2. Oliver Mtukudzi - 'Tsivo'
3. Mzekezeke - 'Storotoro'
4. Kekana, Steve - 'Best Of'
5. Freshlyground - Jika Jika
6. Benguela - 'SUI'
7. Tait - 'Back Seat Driver'
8. Strydom, Amanda - 'Verspreide Donderbuie/Scattered Thunder'
9. Skwatta Kamp - 'Mkhukhu Funkshen'
10. Various Artists - 'Who Left The Boks Out?'
11. Danny K - J23
12. Zen Arcade - 'Release'
13. Various Artists - 'Meloding'
14. Swiegers, Andre - 'Turn On The Light'
15. Lee, Virginia - 'Spanish Nights And You'
16. Jonathan Butler - 'The Ultimate Butler'
17. Eden - 'Point Of No Return'
18. Sliq Angel - 'Sliq Angel'
19. Andries Bezuidenhout - 'Insomniak Se Droomalmanak'
20. Grant Nuss - 'Diversity'
21. Senyaka feat DJ Bakstina - 'Pay Back'
22. Chris Tokalon - 'Soulbird Sound Journeys'
23. Michael Payne - 'DeCOMpress'
24. My Shade - 'Bedtime Musick'
25. Rodriguez - 'Coming From Reality'
26. Watershed - 'Wrapped In Stone'
27. Soil 7t7 - 'Soil 7t7'
28. No Friends Of Harry - 'Best Of'
29. Saron Gas – 'Fragile' (Revised Edition)
30. BOO! - 'TNTLC'
31. Piet Botha - 'Die Mamba'
32. Ghetto Muffin - 'Paralyzer'
33. Various Artists - African Ivories
34. Mike Ratu Makhalamele - The Very Best Of
35. Jabu Khanyile - Wankolota
36. Swazi Tlokwe Sehume - (In Concert) Mmino Wa Thaba - My First Love
37. Jannie Du Toit - ....So Ver
38. Various Artists - Praise & Worship In Africa
39. Radio Rats - 'Into The Night We Slide'
40. Tribe After Tribe - Power
41. Chiskop - Sunday
42. Soweto String Quartet - Our World
43. Don Laka - The Best Of Kwai-Jazz
44. Skwirmish - The EP
45. De-JaVu - Lilly Dance
46. Bushmen Of The Kalahari - !Ngubi Tietie
47. Tumi And The Volume - At The Bassline
48. Old Mol - 'Rock The Bed Springs'
49. Sacha - 'Sacha'

  []
   

WORTH BUYING

    []
The 5 Sugar currently recommends...

1 The Dollyrockers - 'The Heat'
2004's first big SA rock album, featuring the alt.country rock leanings of band leader, guitarist and vocalist, Greg Donnelly. With 'Lovesong', and a sizzling new version of old favourite, 'Silverfish'.


2 Soulja - '21 Gunslut'
Debut album from the Cape Town hard rock band who inpressed all when they supported Sepultura. Tough rock with strong elements of melody on songs like 'Plan My Attack', and a touch of reggae-rock with new single, 'War/No More Trouble'. Soulja are on the March.

3 Various Artists - 'African Dope Sound System'
The third in the series of fantastic compilation albums from the African Dope label to follow 'African Dope Vol 1' and 'Cape Of Good Dope'. A selection of the finest and hippest new SA break beats, electronica, ragga, dub and more.

4 Fokofpolisiekar - 'As Jy Met Vuur Speel Sal Jy Brand'
Great name for a great new Afrikaans punk band from Bellville featuring the lads who were previously New World Inside. Currently building a following nationwide with this fresh blast of take-no-prisoners SA punk.

5 The Rudimentals - 'More Fire'
Dynamic debut album from Cape Town's finest ska-punk outfit. Includes the first single, 'Noh TV' and 'Gangsta'.



SOUTH AFRICAN ROCK ENCYCLOPEDIA

From Abstract Truth to Karen Zoid, from 'Astra' to 'Zen Boulders', from 'Ag Pleez Deddy' to 'ZX Dan'... visit the online archive for the history (and future) of South African Rock at:

http://www.rock.co.za

The SA Rock Encyclopedia is an archive of South African pop and rock music - past, present and future - and includes sections on classic albums, rock legends, rock lists, charts, trivia, family trees, a hall of fame, weblinks and more...

----------------------------

SAGIGS.COM

The SA Rock Digest list of recommended gigs can now be found at: http://www.SAgigs.com

If you cannot access SAgigs.com then e-mail gigs@sarockdigest.com and we will e-mail the gig guide to you each week.

----------------------------

SAKLANK.COM

Sluit aan by http://www.SAKlank.com deur e-pos te stuur aan intekenaar@saklank.com

Alle rasionele idees, gedagtes, bydraes, briewe en konsert-/CD-resensies is altyd welkom!

----------------------------

THE OFFICIAL RODRIGUEZ WEBSITE

'Cold Fact', the classic album from the 70s, as well as 'After The Fact', the second Rodriguez album, have been re-issued and both are now available at Sugar Music.

All Rodriguez Info at:
http://www.sugarman.org

----------------------------

SA ROCK DIGEST
http://www.sarockdigest.com

If you would like to receive all the SA music news on this page, as a free weekly Monday morning email newsletter with no attachments, then please enter your email address in the SA Rock Digest banner on the left.

News

GITO BALOI SHOT DEAD IN JOHANNESBURG

The South African music community is in shock following the news of the murder of Gito Baloi in the early hours of Sunday morning in Johannesburg. The popular and talented bass player was a founder member of the internationally renowned trio, Tananas, alongside Steve Newman and Ian Herman.

The shooting occured when Gito Baloi was returning from a Saturday night gig and had stopped in Nugget Street in the city centre on his way to his home in Kensington. Although robbery was thought to be the motive, all Baloi's music equipment was left in the car by the gunman.

According to eye witnesses, Baloi managed to drive away, after which he got out, and walked a few meters before collapsing.

The Digest extends its condoloences to all Gito's family and friends.

For details on the memorial service please contact New Town Music Hall on (011) 834-1717.

-------------------

LIMP CANCELLATION NO APRIL FOOL'S JOKE

Last Thursday was not a very funny April Fool's Day for many South African Limp Bizkit fans, when Edgars, 5fm Music and Big Concerts had to regretfully announce the cancellation of the pending Limp Bizkit South African tour. The cancellation by the controversial US band left thousands of their SA fans, and other ticket holders, extremely disappointed, although many thought that the April 1st announcement was an April Fool's joke!

The tour, which had already been postponed from earlier dates, was set to kick off in Cape Town on Sunday (April 4), but was cancelled on Wednesday (March 31), when tour promoters, Big Concerts, were advised by the band's agent, Rod Macsween, that Limp Bizkit has decided not to fulfil their obligation in relation to the South African tour. The band travelled straight back to the USA after their European tour and in fact did not perform in Dubai either.

The following statement was later received from the band: "Limp Bizkit is regrettably unable to fulfil their touring obligation to South Africa at this time, for undisclosable personal reasons. Limp Bizkit would like to apologise to their South African fans, 5fm, Edgars and Big Concerts for any, and all inconveniences caused by the cancellation. The band intends to re-schedule the tour."

Full ticket refunds can be obtained from Computicket. For further refund information, please call the Computicket call centre on 083 915 8000.

5fm, Edgars and Big Concerts are extremely disappointed with the cancellation and would like to apologise for any inconvenience this cancellation has caused.

[Editor's Note: There is however, one bright spot in this sad story. In anticipation of the Limp Bizkit tour to SA, Cape Town radio station, KFM, relaxed their extremely rigid selection policy to include Limp Bizkit's recent cover version of The Who's 'Behind Blue Eyes' on their playlist.

This (very!) MOR station, which plays a serene selection of what they describe as "Best hits and memories", have thus sent out a clear signal to all those SA artists still struggling to get their songs on to the station - forget about original material, just dig up an old, as yet un-covered track from way back (if you can find one that hasn't yet been covered), record a naff version of it, and you're in. If it can work for Limp Bizkit, then it can work for you!

We think KFM, and all our other major radio stations, are really missing the 'Idols' competition, and the many playlistable cover versions that those glorified Karaoke contests generated. Ag shame, maybe they should take a glance at the songs on the SAmp3 charts below...... and not a cover amongst them!]

--------------

ROCK IS BACK - 5FM EASTER ROCK FESTIVAL AT THE RAND SHOW

Rock is back at the Rand Show 2004! After a year's sabbatical, the Rand Show will once again host the 5fm Easter Rock Festival on Saturday 10th April 2004. This year's event introduces a new feature to the rock fest which is the 5FM Chill Out Lounge (Cool! - Chilled Ed.)

This area will be exclusive to concert VIPs as well as lucky audience members who will be randomly selected from the crowd and invited to be part of the experience. The Chill Out Lounge will feature tattoo artists, a piercing booth and henna tattoo artistes, MTV screens, Playstation consols, punk hairstylists, juice bars, bean bags and many other "super kewl" features.

The 5fm Easter Rock Festival features the absolute best in chart-topping SA Rock music. Artistes performing include 16 Stitch, Jo Day, Summersalt, Tweak, Wonderboom, Prime Circle, Mean Mr Mustard, Cutting Jade and Boo! and will be hosted by 5fm's Barney Simon and Koula.

There is no additional charge for the 5fm Easter Rock Festival once patrons have paid the Rand Show entrance fee. Make sure you diarise to get to the Rand Show from Friday 2nd - Sunday 18th April 2004 at the Expo Centre, Nasrec.

As in previous years this premier rock event will host a merchandise marquee where fans can not only view and buy band t-shirts, beanies, CDs and other merchandise but they can also meet the band members and have their purchases personally autographed.

Line-up: Summersalt, 16 Stitch, Jo Day, Prime Circle, Cutting Jade, BOO!, Tweak, Wonderboom, Mean Mr Mustard

5fm co-hosts: Barney Simon & Koula

Details:
The 5fm Easter Rock Festival starts at 12-midday and ends at 20h00
Ticket prices: Adults: R40, Children under age 12: R20
Senior Citizens over 60 with valid ID: Free on all days
Children under age 2: Free on all days
For more information log onto www.randshow.co.za
or call the info line on: 083 913 SHOW or 083 913 7469

--------------

WIN A GIBSON GUITAR

For those about to rock we salute you! Especially those at the School of Rock! And, if your air guitar skills strike the right chord you could find yourself strumming a brand new Gibson Epiphone SG400.

'School of Rock' is now on circuit and UIP in conjunction with Ster Kinekor are linking up with Emerging Sounds to give one person who attends any of the RP Studios Emerging Sounds events during April the opportunity of winning this guitar.

To qualify for the grand finale when the guitar is given away at Tempos on Saturday, April 24th (during the monthly Johannesburg finals of the RP Studios Emerging Sounds) all you have to do is attend any of the previous events - be it the weekly Johannesburg legs, or the monthly events in Pretoria, Nelspruit and Durban (should those from Nelspruit or Durban qualify for the finals they have to make their own way through to the finals), including the next monthly regional finals at Caesars Gauteng.. Those who attend Tempos weekly rock events on Sundays will also have the opportunity of qualifying.

At each of the following events at least two people will win a hamper of goodies from Ster Kinekor - which then qualifies the winners to go through to the grand finale.

· Saturday, April 10 at Tempos in Johannesburg
· Sunday, April 11 at Tempos
· Friday, April 16 at the Winston Hotel in Durban
· Saturday, April 17 in Nelspruit
· Saturday, April 17 at Tempos in Johannesburg
· Sunday, April 18 at Tempos
· Tuesday, April 20 at Caesars Gauteng
· Thursday, April 22 at Nile Crocodile, Pretoria
· Saturday, April 24 the grand finale at Tempos when the guitar is given away during the monthly Johannesburg finals.

So dust off your air guitars - practice at home - see the movie at Ster Kinekor and then get to any of the aforementioned venues and join the School of Rock.

For further information contact Simon "Squire" Foulds on 082 770 7524.

--------------

ALL SYSTEMS GO FOR SPLASHY FEN 2004
Easter weekend - Thursday 8th to Monday 12th April

The 15th annual Splashy Fen festival is ready to rock...and send adrenalin levels soaring, inspire 'One-Tribe' unity, heal jaded souls, thrill with exotic sights, delight young minds, deliver cultural insights, tempt with unique handicrafts, tantalise the taste-buds and, as always, surprise with the unexpected...

The musical line-up promises the widest ranging and most accomplished roster of artists ever. From rock's multiple sub-genres to pan-cultural funkiness and earthy blues, the finalised stage lists are a veritable who's who of long-standing crowd favourites, more recently-emerged chart-busters and word-of-mouth 'underground' bands alike. While striving to ensure that the spectrum of talent to be aired is as broad as possible - for the benefit of festival-goers as well as the local music scene - quality control was priority number one at Splashy HQ when submissions came pouring in.

Shamanzi, Prime Circle, Pestroy, Ketamine, Marlowe, Jo Day, Squeal, Cynosure, Nemesis, The AK Massive...Nibs van der Spuy, Syd Kitchen, Guy Buttery, Deluxe, Maqhinga, Bobby & The Dynamites, Dan Patlansky & The Mississippi Muthers - a mere sample of the chock-full 'menu' but evidence enough that all tastes are sure to be fully satisfied.

The Drum Cafe is promising its highest-profile presence to date, along with eliminating the term 'rhythmically-challenged' from anyone's vocabulary. Alternative therapists of every conceivable discipline are set to swell the Rainbow Village into a teepee land-marked 'healing magnet' of considerable size and spiritual strength. Power displays of an altogether different - and louder - nature will take the form of 4x4 adventures, Iron Man versus Twin-Cab contests and Quad-Bike ascents of nearby mountain passes.

Float serenely above the festival site in the basket of a Hot-Air Balloon, fling yourself into thin air aboard a hang- or para-glider, explore the Stone Age cave dwellings of the Berg's original inhabitants and the more recent historic reminders which dot the surrounding countryside. Relive the 'No-Man's Land' days of old when smugglers roamed free and easy, and stroll leisurely through terrain hotly contested by Boer, Brit and the Zulu empire.

See your youngsters transformed into drum-wizards and initiated into the mysteries of camel riding. If that 'altitude' is a bit too daunting, perhaps they'll be more drawn to the low-level approach of a pony-cart. The Menagerie will introduce its 'family' of orphaned and rehabilitated wild animals and birds to help cultivate those nurturing instincts. Magic and mime, puppets and face-painting plus all manner of fun and games are scheduled at regular intervals to allow parents to plan ahead their 'free time' for rocking and rolling.

Ocean View Montessori School, which runs the professionally-staffed Festival Crèche where much of the Children's Programme takes place, will also maintain 'between acts' activities designed to keep those hard-to-please bundles of energy fully occupied and enthralled.

And don't forget the now-legendary Beer Tent, as proceeds play a significantly charitable role in the local community, thanks to an arrangement with the Sani 152 Round Table.

Splashy Fen 2004...the chance to do good and feel good for an entire long-weekend custom-created to please all interests. This one-of-a-kind event already tops the list of South African 'outdoors experiences' - our milestone 15th annual extravaganza is guaranteed to boast more than enough fine music and additional thrills to ensure its status as 'trail-blazer' for Splashy's new era.

It's all fired up and ready to roll... so be there, or be somewhere else and miss the party of the year!
www.splashyfen.co.za
Pedro Carlo
General Manager
082 892 6176

--------------

NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL CAPE TOWN 2004 - UPDATES
Saturday 10 April and Sunday 11 April at the Cape Town International Convention Centre

1) Changes to the Line-up:

With less than a week to go to the fifth staging of the North Sea Jazz Festival in Cape Town, the organisers of the Festival, esp-Afrika and Mojo, have announced some adjustments to the festival bill.

Stimela will unfortunately not be able to appear at the festival as previously announced. Taking their place on the festival bill will be the popular South African singer, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, who will open the proceedings on the Kippies Stage on Sunday evening.

Yvonne Chaka Chaka, who is widely known to her many fans as the 'Princess Of Africa', has been charming audiences for the past two decades with her lovely voice and winning mix of Afrobeat and dance pop, as evidenced on her two recent albums, 'Yvonne And Friends' and 'Kwenzenjani'.

In another interesting change, due to popular demand, Grammy Award-winning jazz singer, Cassandra Wilson, has been persuaded to perform on both nights of the Festival, a move which is sure to thrill her many fans who plan to see her perform in Cape Town for the first time.

Cassandra Wilson will perform an additional concert slot when she opens the bill on the new Rosies stage on Saturday night. She will then appear again in her original slot on Sunday night when she follows Yvonne Chaka Chaka on to the main Kippies Stage.

2) New Fifth Stage Named:

The fifth stage at the Festival's new venue at the Cape Town International Convention Centre is to be called 'Moses Molelekwa', in honour of the South African pianist who died tragically a few years ago. The other four stages - Kippies, Rosies, Manenberg, and Bassline - were named after some famous Cape Town jazz clubs. But in a break from this tradition, the organisers have decided to name this additional stage after a much-missed member of the SA jazz family.

Moses Molelekwa was a member of the first group of South African jazz artists who were invited to attend and perform at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Hague in the late-'90's. His and his fellow South African artists' performances were so well-received, that the Dutch festival organisers established a new showcase stage for SA musicians in The Hague, and began planning the Cape Town version of the festival with their SA partners, esp-Afrika.

3) Free Concert On Greenmarket Square to Launch 2004 Festival:

It has become North Sea Jazz Festival tradition over the past four years for esp-MOJO to stage a Free Jazz Concert for the people of Cape Town, a day prior to the main festival. This year the free concert will again be held in the lovely confines of Greenmarket Square in the heart of the city, and it will take place on Thursday 8 April, from 18h00 till 23h10.

Tasha's World and Basilio Marquez Y Eclipse will be representing the Festival artists, with The Little Giants and the Roots Rockers completing the evening's bill. It promises to be a diverse, exciting and entertaining bill. Tasha's World is a Dutch group featuring Rotterdam-born singer, Natascha Slagtand. Her vocal talents have been compared to Jill Scott and Erykah Badu, and this is due to her rootsy 'neo-soul' and organic sounds, complemented by sparse but tough hip hop beats.

Basilio Marquez Y Eclipse. Basilio Marquez is Cuba's leading jazz trumpeter, and fans can expect big things from him and his dynamic group. Marquez is renowned for melding Latin jazz with the Eclipse catalogue of complex arrangements of jazz standards, and has introduced original jazz treatments of Cuban classics from the early 20th century.

The Little Giants are a 12-person group featuring a range of Cape musicians - all extremely talented, and all under the age of 20. The Little Giants play a broad selection of Light Jazz and African Jazz. They were formed in 2000 by Ezra Ngcukana, the group's conductor and musical arranger, with the help of George Werner and Wayne Bosch. The Little Giants are back by popular demand after their sensational appearances at the past two free concerts.

The Roots Rockers are a solid drum and bass, 'Afrikan-Reggae', band with a social conscious. Originally formed as a 3-piece by the Ebden brothers in 1987, Roots Rockers are now a 5-piece band consisting of Gavin 'I.G.' Ebden (lead vocals), Trevor 'I.T.' Ebden (keyboards); Mzwakhe (keyboards); 'Aykes' on bass and Kevin Gibson on drums. At the height of the apartheid repression the Roots Rockers were one of the first groups to jam on Greenmarket Square, and because of their 'protest' songs like Free Mandela and Unification Ina Jah Land - they often clashed with the police. Now, 17 years later, not only can they play on the square and sing what they like - but they can do this with police protection! Isn't democracy wonderful?

The free concert offers a great evening of jazz for all those who may not be able to attend the two nights at the main festival, as well as those fans who do have tickets but wouldn't miss this Festival "warm-up".

The sponsors of this year's free concert are the Cape Town Partnership and Cape Town CCID; the Department of Cultural Affairs & Sport and the City of Cape Town. Other sponsors of the festival, like Gold Sponsors MTN, SAA, SABC and Standard Bank, Silver Sponsors SA Breweries and SA Tourism, still remain involved with the free concert..

This free concert starts at 18h00, which will encourage many city workers to remain in the city after work that day, avoiding that heavy homeward-bound traffic. They will join many music fans who will be coming into the city to experience the vibe of the Festival in the Square with its many busy pubs, restaurants, and hotels, and some great jazz echoing off the surrounding historic buildings.

The full Free Jazz Concert program:
18h00 - 18h45 Roots Rockers
19h00 - 20h15 Interval
20h20 - 21h05 Ezra Ngcukana with The Little Giants
21h20 - 22h05 Basilio Marques Y Eclipse
22h20 - 23h05 Tasha's World

The public is advised that the following roads will be closed:
Cnr Longmarket at Long Street - from 18h00 on the 7th April until 09h00 on the 9th
Cnr Burg at Hout Street - from 18h00 on the 7th April until 09h00 on the 9th
Cnr Burg at Wale - from 18h00 on the 7th April until 09h00 on the 9th
Cnr Church at Adderley - from 15h00 till 00h00 on the 8th April

4) Reviving The Drunbeat - Jazz journalism training at the NSJF 2004:

South Africa has a rich tradition of jazz criticism, prominent in such early newspapers as Imvo and Umteteli wa Bantu, and perhaps reaching its apex in the writing of Todd Matshikiza for Drum in the 1950's.

As part of its commitment to development, The North Sea Jazz Festival Cape Town 2004, in collaboration with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism is, for the second year, offering a free seminar in jazz criticism to young journalists and aspiring journalists. The seminar covers three main areas of jazz writing: press conferences; profiling musicians; and reviewing live music, and also provides a basic toolkit for writing about music events plus a special focus on jazz photojournalism.

Designed to provide learning that will integrate with journalism studies under South Africa¹s new National Qualifications Framework, the writing seminar is run by Gwen Ansell, former Executive Director of the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism. Ansell, jazz columnist for Business Day, is currently a freelance media consultant. She is also the author of Soweto Blues: Jazz and Politics in South Africa, to be published by Continuum (NY) in August 2004. Visiting lecturer is distinguished US jazz journalist Dan Ouelette of Downbeat magazine.

The photojournalism seminar has been added to the programme in response to requests from last year's jazz journalism course participants. It will focus on the visual discourse of jazz photography. The seminar will be opened by veteran US photographer Herman Leonard, responsible for some of the world's most enduring jazz images. Other participants will be South Africans George Hallett and Alf Khumalo, who immortalised South African players at home and in exile.

This workshop is suitable for entry-level journalists wishing to specialise in arts writing, or for post-matric students of any discipline who hope to enter arts journalism later in their careers, and for all photojournalists.

Coupled with appropriate practice, it will provide learning useful for the proposed MAPPP SETA Print Journalism Unit Standard "Operates Effectively as a Journalist in a Specialist Area¹ and towards one option of the proposed MAPPP SETA National Diploma in Journalism: Sub-editing and will provide valuable background and insight for photojournalists and camera-people seeking to attain qualifications under the Audio-visual SGB.

Thursday 8 April: Writing workshop
9am 5:30 pm -- venue TBA
9-10:30: Criticism & reviewing the basic toolkit - Gwen Ansell, IAJ
10:30 11 Break
11- 12:30 The jazz profile; writing about musicians - Gwen Ansell
12:30 1:30 Lunch
1:30 3:00 The stories behind the festival: covering events - Gwen Ansell
3:00 3:15 Break
3:15 4:00 Making the most of press conferences - Dan Ouelette, Downbeat
4:00 5:30 Reviewing a live performance - Gwen Ansell
5:30 depart to review free concert.
Friday 9 April: Photojournalism seminar
9:30 - 12:00 -- Venue TBA
9:30 - 10:00 Keynote address: The sound and the image -- Herman Leonard
10:00 Break
10:00 Open panel discussion: Herman Leonard; George Hallett; Alf Khumalo
12:00 Lunch and course close

5) Festival Details:

'Africa's Grandest Gathering' will be taking place at its new home at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th April.

There is a North Sea Jazz Festival - Cape Town 2004 hotline at +27 83-123-JAZZ (or 5299) and line-up updates and other festival info can be found at www.nsjfcapetown.com/

Ticket prices will be R260 (single day) and R399 (weekend).
Tickets are available at Computicket.

--------------

THE RETURN OF MARQ "THE VASTURBATOR" VAS

Over the last few weeks, rumours in the music industry have been mounting about the return of Marq Vas from London. The former Metalmorphosis frontman, and live music correspondent for Barney Simon, has been based in Northampton in the UK for the last three and a half years.

On his weekly live crossing to Barney Simon on 5fm this Sunday, Marq Vas then confirmed that the rumours are true, and that he is indeed returning to the republic, and more specifically, to Egoli.

"I have a new musical project that I am initiating," explained the singer, "and South Africa is the most logical place to do it. I am looking for a new crew of young, enthusiastic and committed musicians to join up with V.A.S. Inc and to get out on the road."

Although reluctant to make much available in the way of details, Vas went on to encourage interested parties to visit his website for more details at www.marqvas.com

"I'm not gonna say exactly what it is I am up to now," declares Vas, "Suffice to say that you will need to keep an eye on press for details, and get your asses on down to the shows that will follow. I promise you won't be disappointed!"

Marq's musical career was started in 1991, when he formed the short-lived Sleeze Patrol. But it was not until 1993 when his band Metalmorphosis lurched into view, that Vas shot to national prominence. Their wildly visual show, featuring many inches of Vas's tongue, spitting, madness and on stage gyrations, soon garnered a cult following on the Metal scene.

After playing Johannesburg and surrounds to death, Marq decided to break up the band and head off to the UK. Here he became perhaps even better known as the Sunday evening voice from the UK on Barney Simon's 5fm show, doing gig reports, celebrity and SA musician news.

Now in 2004, he returns to Jozi, with a plan. And a tight set of lips.
Watch this space for details.

Download Metalmorphosis mp3's at http://www.SAmp3.com/artists_l_s.html

--------------

THE OPPIKOPPI EASTER FESTIVAL

Easter weekends can be dreary and lots of people actually just do not know what to do with the extra time. The Oppikoppi "You check the level, the level is fine for me" Easter Festival will help you shed your hours and days.

A slightly more intimate variation on the Bush, Braai's and Tunes-theme, the 2004 Easter festival will be held from the 9th to the 11th of April. The Easter fest also represents the most reputable way of fully preparing oneself mentally and physically for the onslaught planned around the 10th year celebrations of the OppiKoppi festival in August.

Bands confirmed for the weekend are Dan Patlansky and the Mississippi Muthers, Jack Hammer, The Narrow, Valiant Swart, Albert Frost, Prime Circle, Akkedis, Ravis Regis and Louis Mhlanga, The Finkelstiens, Not My Dog, The Fake Leather Blues Band, Piet Planter, Laurie Lavine, Bomskok, Duck and Cover, Peepshow, Soil 7T7, Auriel's Habit, Liela Groenewald, Stefan Dixon, Anika, Brixton Moord en Roof, Little Oblivion, Gordon's Suitcase and Loose Cannon. These will be making their way to the world-renowned wooden stage on top of the hill.

The Easter festival is planned and executed as a deliberate form of rock 'n roll escapism from city life for people who like tunes and sitting around thinking about things. The tickets are only R160 for the entire long weekend, making this one of the most affordable ways to lounge away the Easter in the company of quality tunes and dubious friends. Tickets will be available at Computicket for R160 (R171 including the service charge) or at the gate at R160.

Please note: No map is included - put your car in auto cruise mode and it will follow the goedertierendheids-field by itself.

Information will be carried on the website: www.oppikoppi.co.za.
The phone line for more information is 012 460 7431 or 012 346 2011.

--------------

KAKTUS OPPI VLAKTES 2004

The year 2004 is indeed one of celebrations. At a quick glance one would almost think that everything in South Africa is ten years old (or rather young), and in a lot of ways it is. Things to celebrate this year include, in no particular order:

The first ten years of Democracy in South Africa. Ten years since the Springbok Nude Girls first stepped onto a South African stage. Ten years since the first unruly band weekend took place on a Bushveld farm called Nooitgedacht in a pub called Oppikoppi. It is also the second ten years for Rock Legend Piet Botha and Jack Hammer. And then there is a little town in the Karoo called Oudtshoorn. Having played a huge role in the rise of the Ostrich feather industry which crashed in 1914 it became famous again ten years ago with the first Klein Karoo National Arts Festival.

Kaktus Oppi Vlaktes has played host to an enormous amount, and huge variety, of South African icons over the past ten years. Some of these names include Koos Kombuis, Valiant Swart, Johnny Clegg, Miriam Makeba, Jack Hammer, Johannes Kerkorrel and Anton Goosen to name but a few.

With all this in mind it is just natural that the KKNK, and particularly Kaktus Oppi Vlaktes, will pull out all the stops come April 2004. Not only will it be a celebration of the years that passed, but also the start of something new and exciting. It was felt that with the tenth birthday it would be good to breathe some new life into Kaktus Oppi Vlaktes and the KKNK asked Snoop Mishy Mish Productions to get on board and manage the show on their behalf.

One of the first things that was unanimously agreed upon was that the tenth edition of Kaktus Oppi Vlaktes should be a show that is fresh, new and vibrant and that it should break out of the mould of being an Afrikaans show only, but instead cater to people across the scope of South Africa. Thus, the 2004 Kaktus Oppi Vlaktes line-up is filled with some of the best and biggest artists in South Africa. In order to accommodate more of them it was also decided to add a second stage to the festivities.

The show will consist of a nice mix between some of the Afrikaans stalwarts, some exciting new artists and a handful of the best in South African hip hop and rock and punk bands.

The show takes place on 10th April at the traditional Kaktus venue; the Oudtshoorn sport grounds. Tickets will go for a mere R77-00 and are available at Computicket and at the gate on the day of the show. If you have a student card a ticket will only cost you R62-00.

The confirmed artists are, in alphabetical order: Bed on Bricks (with Nick Turner and co from Sons of Trout), Brasse Vannie Kaap, Kristoe Strauss. Ddisselblom and Koos Kombuis (an exciting new collaboration), Finkelstiens, Fokofpolisiekar, Godessa, Kobus!, Mandoza, Max Normal, Valiant Swart

For more information:
www.kknk.co.za
www.oppikoppi.co.za

--------------

THE V-TOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL

The V-Town Music Festival is an all-day event that will be rocking the Vaal Triangle on the 1st of May 2004. The event will become an annual showcase of exceptional South Africa rock and top talent and its debut line up includes some of the absolute best performance artistes in the country.

Juanne and Armand, two local Vereeniging successful businessmen, who had a passion for big events and good music, felt that they wanted to expose the natural beauty of their hometown whilst developing the community at the same time.

The V-Town Music Festival will feature Wonderboom, Tweak, Cutting Jade, Jo Day, Mean Mr Mustard, Arno Carstens, Wickhead, 16 Stitch, Zen Arcade, Summersalt, Tait, Jesse Jordan Band, Six of Nine, SMS 3 and Swallow 15 to showcase their unique sounds.

The event also features a specially created VIP lounge, games, fleamarket stalls, food traders, massive competitions and give-aways and an after party at the venue. The Music Festival will be hosted by Barney Simon from 5fm.. Proceeds of the full day event will be donated to the Vereeniging Child Protection unit.

Tickets to this event will be available at these selected Musica outlets: Randfontein, Vereenigning, Vanderbijlpark, Sasolburg, Campus Square, The Glen, Hatfield, Brooklyn, Menlyn, Potchefstroom, Randburg Waterfront, Cresta, Fourways, East Rand Mall, Key West, at a variety of High Schools around the Vaal Triangle and at the gate. Ticket prices are R75 in advance and R85 on the day.

There are one hundred VIP tickets available for sale through the promoters. These VIP tickets will allow the holder into a special VIP area, where drinks and snacks will be on sale at a preferential price and the select few will get to socialise with local celebrities and band members.

Children under the age of seven get in free, while children below 12 pay half price. Special identification armbands will also be on sale for the purchase of alcohol; these however can only be purchased when presenting a valid ID.

The V-Town Music Festival will also feature a large merchandising area where all the bands' CD's and fan paraphernalia will be on sale and where artistes will meet their fans and autograph their purchases.

--------------

CUTTING JADE REPLACE VOCALIST

Cutting Jade, one of South Africa's top performing rock acts, had been riding the top of the local popularity charts for some time when vocalist Andrew Duggan decided to embark on a solo career. This came at the time when the band were attempting to restructure themselves as an independent band and were looking for a release from their record company and it came as a tremendous blow to the morale and confidence of the group.

After much soul searching and tremendous support from their fans, other bands and the South African music industry at large, the group decided to find a new vocalist and continue with their careers as professional musicians. So band and management started the nationwide search for a suitable vocalist replacement.

Nearly 50 vocalists auditioned for the position. Demos were recorded, presented and rejected. Then three vocalists were chosen as finalists and on Sunday 28th March, auditions were held at The Nile Crocodile. One performer, Logan Grobbelaar, was chosen as the new vocalist.

Logan starts his career with a baptism of fire, with three rehearsals, a photo shoot, a media evening, a TV broadcast performance at Newlands Cricket Grounds, a charity show at Key West Shopping centre as part of the Shave-A-Thon drive and a headline performance in front of 15 000 people at the annual 5fm Easter Rock Festival on the 10th of April at the Rand Show and a headline performance at The V-Town Music Festival in Vereeniging on the 1st of May.

--------------

TOYLAND LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS!

After lengthy discussions and much thought, Toyland has come to the decision to part ways with vocalist Nicolas Rix and guitarist Annis Moriera to allow them to pursue other interests. Remaining in the band are Joe Mullin (guitar), Wallace Warner (bass), and Alastair Pursch (drums).

The parting of ways is very amicable, and the remaining members of Toyland wish Nicolas and Annis every success in their future projects.

The band has cancelled shows, but will still play together in the original line-up at Moshfest 4 in Parow, Cape Town at the end of April.

Toyland is now beginning a search for a new vocalist to take up front man duties for the band. There remains the possibility of looking for a second guitarist as well.

If interested please contact Joe on 083 406 4063
or toyland@telkomsa.net

Download Toyland's 'Bliss' mp3 at http://www.SAmp3.com/songs.html

--------------

QUOTE OF THE WEEK!
(The Digest felt we needed to share this quote with all our readers - it formed part of a release that we received about Melanie Lowe's upcoming gigs and how her fellow artists feel about her....)

"David Fourie, one of the few Idols performers who can perform in the Afrikaans market as well as to English-speaking audiences, described Lowe: "What a thrill to know this chick! I met Mel while shooting Idols in 2002 and I will never forget the first time I heard her voice. It was different and in a sense scary because I had to compete with that! Real friends are a hard thing to come by in this industry, but every now and then you discover a diamond. The cameras are switched off now and the reporters have gone home, but we are still friends. She is going to be around for a long time. I'm going to change that saying into my own version 'Even at the end of the world there will always be cockroaches and Mel!'"

Cockroaches and Mel??? That's very nice...

--------------

AND FINALLY!!

(A first in our new, occasional, "read between the lines" section. This release was received this week from the good folk at Musica, South Africa's biggest music chain store)

MUSICA CUTS PROFITS TO HELP SAVE MUSIC INDUSTRY

In an unprecedented move to help combat declining sales in South Africa's music industry, Musica has announced their intention to bring down the cost of their Top Twenty CDs to R99,95 or less. The industry has been increasingly paralysed by escalating prices for some time now, which in turn has contributed significantly to the growing number of CDs being pirated or downloaded illegally from the internet.

Rather than simply criticising the situation the music industry finds itself in, Musica has taken the decision to cut its own profit margin in order to help bring the cost of CDs down, making them more affordable for more music lovers, and vows to hold out for as long as they can.

While a heavy-handed approach to curbing music piracy has been recently launched in South Africa, with offenders facing heavy fines or possible prison sentences, Musica believes addressing the root of the problem may well be more effective in the long run. Musica believes if music is made more affordable in the first place, fewer people will be tempted to make illegal copies or downloads. Musica describes their approach to the problem as "taking a stand for the love of music".

Music consumers will be delighted to know that they can now buy Top Twenty CDs from artists such as The Black Eyed Peas, Linkin Park, Evanescence, Norah Jones, Will Young, Josh Groban, Enrique Iglesias, George Michael and Janet Jackson, as well as compilation CDs such as Now 36, for only R99,95 or less.

The question now is, will the rest of the music retail industry follow Musica's example? Musica's response to this question was: "For the love of music, we can only hope so."

Ed. - So do we....!

--------------

CHARTS

SA ROCK DIGEST TOP 30 SOUTH AFRICAN MP3s OF THE WEEK
http://www.SAmp3.com

1. [1] (1) Gangsta - The Rudimentals ('More Fire'/Indie)
2. [3] (2) Gimme Da Weed - Chronic Clan ('African Dope Sound System'/African Dope)
3. [5] (3) Gravity - James Stewart (Street Level)
4. [6] (4) FCK - Teba ('Silvertab Harambe Dope Sessions'/African Dope)
5. [4] (4) Die Ding Ruk Mal - Kallitz (Mothermix)
6. [2] (2) Saad van 'n Psigopaat - Abel Kraamsaal ('Woorde Op 'n Wynboks'/Indie)
7. [11] (7) Parallel - Saturnine ('Silence Is Deafening'/Wicked Rock)
8. [12] (8) Diengele - Kalahari Surfers ('Muti Media'/African Dope)
9. [16] (9) Vier by Vier en Visvang - Blomkrag ('Boere Country'/Indie)
10. [7] (4) Close To Me - Six Of Nine (Indie)
11. [8] (1) Met My Stukkende Kitaar - Koos Kombuis & Valiant Swart (''n Jaar In Die Son'/Rhythm/Bowline)
12. [15] (12) Musical Chairs - Serving Suggestion ('Try Whistling This'/Indie)
13. [19] (13) Long Riders Of Nam - Brian Finch ('Never Look Back'/Indie)
14. [20] (14) Something In My Eye - Boulevard Blues Band ('Tassenberg All*Stars 4'/Trippy Grape)
15. [9] (2) To Confide In - Lazarus ('Parallax View'/Indie)
16. [17] (16) Gone Away - Sam Paddock (Indie)
17. [18] (17) Living As Numbers - Zero Tolerance ('A Perfect Life?'/Indie)
18. [10] (1) Lovesong - The Dollyrockers ('The Heat'/Indie)
19. [14] (1) Fokofpolisiekar - Fokofpolisiekar (SAmp3.com/Rhythm/Bowline)
20. [21] (20) Snakes And Ladders - Evolver ('Evolver' EP/Indie)
21. [23] (21) Don't Walk Away - Larry Amos ('Going Up'/Indie)
22. [13] (2) The Countdown - Bluescream ('Bluescream'/Indie)
23. [24] (23) Georgia - Sitter (Wicked Rock)
24. [26] (1) Miles - Moodphase 5ive ('Steady On'/African Dope)
25. [28] (25) Drowsy Maggie - DNA Strings ('DNA Strings'/Afrimusik)
26. [30] (26) Madiba 1990 - Bright Blue (Indie Single)
27. [22) (3) Let's Get Naked - Evolver ('Evolver' EP/Indie)
28. [25] (1) Sobriety Friend - Old Mol ('Rock The Bedsprings'/Legend)
29. [27] (2) Blah Di Blah - Drop Dead Gorgeous ('Melt with Me'/Indie)
30. [29] (7) Step Outside - Luna ('Luna'/Indie)

Download South African MP3s at http://www.samp3.com

----------------------------

SA ROCK DIGEST TOP 20 SOUTH AFRICAN ALBUMS OF THE WEEK
http://www.sarockdigest.com/charts

This week [last week] (highest position) Title - Artist (Label)

1. [2] (1) Muti Media - Kalahari Surfers (African Dope)
2. [4] (2) Boerecountry - Blomkrag (Indie)
3. [3] (3) Africa She Too Can Cry - Hawk (RetroFresh)
4. [1] (1) As Jy Met Vuur Speel Sal Jy Brand - Fokofpolisiekar (Rhythm/Bowline)
5. [6] (5) I-Ternal Fire - Lions Of Zion (Indie)
6. [5] (1) The Heat - Dollyrockers (Indie)
7. [9] (7) Never Look Back - Brian Finch (Indie)
8. [8] (1) More Fire - The Rudimentals (Indie)
9. [10] (9) True North - Spoonfeedas (Sesalos)
10. [11] (2) Sui - Benguela (Open Record)
11. [7] (1) Humanarium - Bed On Bricks (Indie)
12. [19] (12) Moving - 340ml (Indie)
13. [14] (13) A Definition - Chiaroscuro (Indie)
14. [15] (14) Dissolve In The Sun - Wendy New (Indie)
15. [12] (1) African Dope Sound System - Various (African Dope)
16. [16] (1) Steady On - Moodphase 5ive (African Dope)
17. [13] (3) 21 Gunslut - Soulja (Indie)
18. [17] (1) 'n Jaar In Die Son - Koos Kombuis & Valiant Swart (Rhythm/Bowline)
19. [18] (16) High Society presents: 14 Steps towards Self Actualisation - Daniel Friedman (Independent)
20. [27] (20) Big Red (Songs From 'Going Nowhere Slowly') - Various (Ripchord)
21. [20] (8) Naked EP - Hog Hoggidy Hog (3 Chord Records)
22. [21] (8) With Every Breath - Toyland (Witchdoctor)
23. [22] (1) Rock The Bedsprings - Old Mol (Legend)
24. [24] (1) Jika Jika - freshlyground (Freeground)
25. [-] (25) Angel Tongue - Nianell (Fresh)
26. [23] (4) Luna - Luna (Indie)
27. [26] (2) Perelsvoordieswyne - Best Of - Johannes Kerkorrel (Gallo)
28. [-] (28) Site Under Construction - Off The Edge (Indie)
29. [29] (1) Die Mamba - Piet Botha (Rhythm)
30. [28] (2) Hello Crazy World - Prime Circle (David Gresham Records)

MP3s by all these artists are available to download at http://www.samp3.com

More info on all these artists at:
SA Rock Legends

The hosting of MP3s on the SA Rock Digest website is thanks to the Future Perfect Corporation http://www.futureperfectcorporation.com Building online communities to make the future perfect

Chart statistics at:
http://www.sarockdigest.com/charts


 
New Releases


MP3's:

New MP3'S At SAmp3.com:

'BREAK DOWN' - BELIEVABLE ADDICTION

Believable Addiction, a metal-rock band from Pretoria, first stormed up the SAmp3.com charts in October last year with 'Twisted', which peaked at number 3. Another great song, the slow-burning 'Fire In The Sky' (aka 'Burn The Sky'), was featured on the 'Wicked Rock: Let Us Be Heard' 2CD compilation from Durban-based Wicked Rock Records and also received radio play on 5fm. Their latest offering is the new single 'Break Down' that is sure to burn holes in your PC's speakers. You have been warned!

'WIDE RIVER' - DAVID STARKE

Dave Starke is a singer/songwriter from Newlands in Cape Town. He played in a few notorious metal bands in high school but started getting into acoustic rock/folk at University and has been writing and composing for a while now. A few years ago he performed fairly regularly at the Barleycorn music club but has made no public appearances recently. His recorded offerings to date are 'Winter' and 'Wide River', both of which were recorded at the London Connection recording studios in 2001 and 2004. Both were produced and engineered by Dane Morkel. Cool stuff!

'UPSIDE SMILE' - CAYTIE MARVELIS

'Perpetual Groove Motion' is the long awaited album for the funk, groove band Caytie Marvelis, which unfortunately disbanded about a year ago. The group still chose to finish the album, which covers beats from drum and bass, garage, break beat and rock based riffs all into one sound that is uniquely groove.

The concept behind the album is galaxy/space and the universe that is breakbeat. Brotherman has created an album of pure brokenbeat ridden genius, the journey will take you through an amazingly unique and totally original groove all created at Brotherman's beat laboratory Beautiful Muzik. Released and distributed through Two Twiggs Experiment.

'LOVE IS THE HUNTER' - MACANGEL

MacAngel is a Cape Town-based electronic dance music producer who visited Germany in mid-2003 to produce his second album. To do that he worked alongside Bernhard Lloyd, who is known for his work with the successful pop band, Alphaville. Lloyd's experience and production skills helped MacAngel produce the album, 'Summer In Berlin'. Here is 'Love Is The Hunter', one of the best tracks on this dynamic dance album.

Thys 'JOU MA' - THYS NYWERHEID

Fast and funky electronic breakbeats meet the Afrikaans spoken wisdom of Oom Kallie Marie. And it works, wonderfully.

--------------

All the mp3s listed above are available to download at http://www.SAmp3.com - the biggest South African mp3 website in the world.

---------------

SEARCH FOR MP3's
Use the SAmp3.com onboard search engine, powered by Google, to search for mp3s on SAmp3.com.

-----------------

Email your MP3 reviews to editor@sarockdigest.com

All the full-length mp3s are available for free download at http://www.SAmp3.com by kind permission of the artists and/or their labels.

----------------------------

CELEB-SELECT: LEON ECONOMIDES AND BENJY MUDIE

This is a new series in which we ask some of our SA music luminaries to send us a list of their own, favourite SA songs. This week, SAfm DJ, Leon Economides, and Fresh head, Benjy Mudie, give us their shortlists:

Leon Economides:

10. Neill Solomon - Junk Foods and Disposable Ladies
09. Duncan Mackay - 12 Tone Nostalgia
08. Band O' Gypsys - Travelling Light
07. Sweatband - Louis
06. Hawk - The Rolling of the Bones
05. Otis Waygood Blues Band - Watch 'n Chain
04. Toxic Shame - Rev it Up
03. Freedom's Children - The Kid He Came From Hazareth
02. Off The Edge - Takin' It To Extremes
01. David's Confession - Change

--------------

Benjy Mudie's List:

Hi,

Only 10??
Pretty impossible but here you go....... in no particular order:

1. Otis Waygood Blues Band - Watch 'n Chain
2. Falling Mirror - Highway Blues
3. Neill Solomon - So light your touch
4. Evoid - Taximan
5. Egyptian Nursery - God's Window
6. Asylum Kids - No No No
7. Omega Ltd - Tchaikovsky 1
8. Cofield Mundi - Leave the bones
9. B World - Rain
10. Freedom's Children - Sea Horse

----------------------------

NEW CD's:

'BIG RED' - SONGS FROM THE TV SERIES 'GOING NOWHERE SLOWLY'

Many South Africans are familiar with the TV series 'Going Nowhere Slowly', which has just begun its second series on SABC3. The half-hour travel program is also a showcase of SA Music past and present, by known and relatively unknown bands and artists.

A double CD of songs from the TV series, called 'Big Red', has just been released into the SA market. The CD collection is going to thrill fans of the cult program that would like to have all those songs on a CD. But the album is also going to impress those who may have missed the TV series, as it also stands up strongly as an indication of the depth of talent in the current SA pop-rock arena.

Aidan Harper, the man behind this CD project, travelled with the crew on the first leg of the journey as their location sound engineer. During the journey, he was communicating with Michael Naranjo, frontman of Cape Town band Seven Day Story and as soon as he returned to Cape Town, they wrote and recorded a rough version of the title track and presented it to David Moore of Big Blue Productions. Moore loved the track, and a week later Seven Day Story recorded 2 versions of the song: version #1 being the 3 minute TV edit for the show and version #2 being the 4-and-a-half minute album version.

Moore was adamant that only SA music be used for the show to lend it the truly South African flavour that gives the series its identity. Harper has been involved with the music industry since 1988 and wanted to help the SA musos (past and present) to get the exposure that they deserve, so he started obtaining the music for the series through all his contacts in the industry and it exploded from there.

Big Blue Productions then decided to put out a compilation CD of music from the series called 'Big Red', which is the nickname given to the car which carried the presenters around the roads of South Africa. Ripchord Productions set up an independent record label to help deal with the workload and the resulting 'Big Red' double-CD compilation features 33 tracks by 33 separate South African artists!

Ripchord's engineers, Dale Byl and Stuart Vermaak, were then given the task of re-mastering all 33 tracks. Bearing in mind that the original masters came from many different studios around the country and in some cases were recorded at least a decade apart, this digital re-mastering process took more than 36 hours to complete. The final product is a result of months of hard work and dedication to give the finest local music talent the platform it deserves, and is an essential purchase for anyone who has an interest in SA music.

The tracklistings for the two CDs are as follows:

CD1:
1. Bridges - Rustiband
2. Servant - Skywire
3. Change My Face - David Foster
4. Sleepytown - Dolly Rockers
5. Moneyline - Jesse Jordan Band
6. Stan 229 - Kelvin Declined
7. Whole Again - Andrew Janisch
8. All The Way There - Jo Day
9. Wanna Make Love - The Sunshines
10. Just Another Day - Wayne Pauli
11. Blue Sky - Craig Banks
12. Doesn't Have To Be - Micheal Naranjo
13. Blomdoorns - Derek Gripper
14. Independence - Woodshed
15. High And Low - Liquid Sky
16. Going Nowhere Slowly - Seven Day Story

CD2
1. All Roads - Liesl Graham
2. Sunrise - 1/3
3. Park Bench - Phringe
4. Valley Of The Wizards - Mann Friday
5. Groovin - Jo Martin
6. Red Guitar - Black Diamond
7. Rusted Sun - Burton Lane
8. Million Miles - State Far Better
9. Cellphone Blues - Billy Goat
10. #28 - Chris James
11. Get Out The Water - Desert Velvet
12. One More Love Song - The Soundfields
13. Milk Cow Blues - Delta Blue
14. Stay - Steve Van
15. Sweet Thing - Tamarin Seed
16. Breakdown - Disneyflip

The 'Going Nowhere Slowly' CD Launch will be held on Thursday 8th of April at Cafe Vaccamatta, Prince Edward Street, Tygervalley. Artists appearing on the CD will be performing thoughout the evening.

Tickets: R10 each presold (phone Gandalf on (021) 910 1855 to book).
R15 at the door
R45 VIP
Doors open 19:30. WEAR SOMETHING RED
The Red car from the show will be there with some of the presenters.

The double CD costs R159.99 and will be available at the launch, as well as at Mabu Vinyl and CD in Cape Town, in your local CD store.

--------------

DYLAN'S NEW ALBUM, A REVIEW FROM THE NME...
We thought we'd share this NME review of the new Dylan Bootleg Series CD with you. No particular reason apart from the fact that the NME is still the best source of great reviews and keen perception:

Bob Dylan - 'Concert At Philharmonic Hall Oct 31 1964' (Bootleg Series Vol 6)

There's nothing inherently good about old music. The good folk at Farto magazine may drop a bollock each month in their ceaseless quest to uncover what the bass player from Santana had for lunch on January 20 1967, but in the real world - where people fall in and out of love with things far more important than records - nobody with anything approaching a satisfying emotional life really gives a shit. Who cares? It's over, let it go. Pop music is about the moment, not about the memories.

No one has had to suffer more endlessly rehashed memories than Bob Dylan. His career has been so relentlessly picked over, the poor bastard has been forced into cloaking every aspect of his life in an attempt to keep some privacy. But there was a time before a nascent rock press decided he was the Most Amazing Bloke Ever, when he was just an absurdly charismatic young guy with an odd, tuneful/tuneless voice, an acoustic guitar and a harmonica. His songs were full of passion, but no one was wanking off about what it all meant, they just dug him. He was kind of nerdy, kind of sexy. Ten steps ahead of everyone else.

"This is, err, a song about a boxer," Dylan giggles while introducing 'Who Killed Davey Moore', before admitting, "it's not about boxing. It's not even about a boxer," and he laughs nervously like he's high as f*ck and hoping no one's spotted it yet. "It's got nothing to do with nothing! I just shoved all these words together, that's all..." Then the giggling stops and this unbelievable voice bursts from his larynx and New York's Philharmonic Hall vibrates like an over-filled balloon. Listen closely and you can hear people's minds opening. Every person in the room wishes they were even a fraction as cool.

He forgets lines, people heckle, 'Mr Tambourine Man' reveals a future no one had any idea was coming, concert-goers eyes meet and shine with excitement. Outside, the world turns inexorably on its axis. No one - no one - gave a shit what he had for dinner. Utterly brilliant.

Rating: 10
Rob Fitzpatrick
Courtesy www.nme.com/

--------------

BUDDHADDA AND MR MO PRESENT JIMMY BLING BLING AND B-LOVELY


So here goes... it takes 25sec for the beats to kick in and the next sounds are old computer beeping... clarity brings colourful soundscaping that twirls and forms on itself, voices and sounds mix together to form a whirlpool out of which no more than three vocal voices come forth.

One of the most experienced around, Mr Mo beats the basslines into scratches and glitches, cymbals and shakers, groovy indeed. no way the head ain't knocking by track two, a whole album of flowing rasping rap, electronically reinforced beyond the point of hip hop as it's known, more towards dance music or ragga drum and bass vibes, sample filled music puzzles really, met 'n Afrikaanse een ook.

The tracks borrow beats from each other and rhyming and mood makes breaks more than the music. rapping about psycho-experience and interpretation Buddhadda quickly (soothes) establishes a platform from which comment can be confidently slung, interspersed always with this happy sampling. Jazz piano snippets or beatstructures like "war and peace" which became their own song, all contributing to the myriad of varied sounds.

As the stark bluewhite complex rootstructures against the dark blood makes a smooth beautiful contrast the CD plays with this, poking a friendly finger at the serious while entertaining the happy in a totally transparent honesty.

Forming a whole experience, there aren't really any highlights or disappointments (none) but in the mix some wonderful muzak there is.. 'Triumph', 'The World Anthem Vibe', 'Africa Reloaded' (with none other than the original Johnny Clegg and Raggamuffin hammer head) also touch on that international appeal, and many more.

Not a mood untouched, soothing to speeding, shifting and skipping along by track 13 you'll feel like you're listening to a changing radio/TV station with one MC/presenter.

Still ten tracks to go, I hope you're listening to your own copy of this "picture CD", bettering (if need be) any international release.

Vetseun

--------------

SPOTLIGHT ON: SOUTHERN GYPSEY QUEEN

This young group of rockers is cutting a new CD in June and has been practising and perfecting all their new material. The buzz is that they are waking up the sleeping Giant of Rock and blues fans from years back and even catching a lot of young fans who enjoy punk and turning them into passionate rockers.

This group has huge respect for Piet Botha and the Jack Hammer band, and the Gypsey management company is trying to set up a Christmas Rock and Blues roadshow with bands like Jack Hammer, Delta Blue and Akkedis, kicking off at the Mojo Workin' Festival in Molteno and finishing in Cape Town.

The Gypseys had a great gig at De Taphuis in Grahamstown on 26th March. This is a fabulous rock and blues venue with a crowd of great music lovers, and the management, Mike and his PA Deleyse, are super to work with - very reliable with good integrity a great club to recommend to guys looking for a good gig.

Also Sporties in Queenstown is also turning into a great Rock Venue. This has been cultivated by Blue Notes management company, who manages the Gypseys and are resurrecting rock in the Eastern Cape. Buccaneers in East London is also attracting a good crowd of music lovers now, not just an arbitrary group of clubbers though, they come to listen to the music

Once a month in Molteno, home of the SGQ, a "Pickin' and Screamin'" Night is held to give new musicians a chance at open mic together with some of the good bands. This is also groundbreaking for the Eastern Cape. This was initiated by Gareth Wilson, the leader of Southern Gypsey Queen. In Rooi Roos they are described as the most exciting new band at KKNK this year where they are performing.

Upcoming SGQ gigs in April:
Tuesday 6th April - Rock Art Cafe in Oudshoorn
Saturday Night 10th April - Splashy Fen Bamboo Mountain Stage Drakensberg
16th - Gecko Bar, Hermanus
17th - Hidden Cellar, Stellenbosch
20th - Mystic Boer, Stellenbosch
22nd - Siroccos, Gordons Bay
23rd - Acoustic Cafe, Muizenberg
24th - Hangklip Hotel, Hangklip
More gigs to be confirmed

--------------

MORE REVIEWS

More reviews can be found at:
Open Record http://www.openrecord.co.za
Amuzine http://www.cd.co.za/reviews.htm

--------------

CLASSIC SA ROCK:


Kurt Shoemaker (Texas), John Samson (London), Tertius Louw, and Brian Currin browse through the best of SA rock - its history, its people, and its music, past, and present.

USA FOR AFRICA - Texas-based Kurt Shoemaker gives his unique views on SA music.

CHICCO - 'BLACK MAN WHITE WIFE' [TEAL RECORDS CDRBL242]

In fast forward mode, 'Umbala Ma G-String', the opening song, sounds like a slamming techno track, but in normal-paced reality, none of these songs are fast. All are steady dance numbers made for moving all night long, not for breaking an ecstatic sweat from the workout.

Throbbing, insistent rhythms, and male and female choruses pull one into the dance. Even if not consciously listening, some subconscious part of the mind moves the body to the dark and smoky music of late nights, dim lights, and serious parties.

The title track, 'Black Man White Wife', is a light tropical reggae number, not one that reaches into my racial memory and pulls out dancing body rhythms. Oddly, it is my least favorite song here, but not because it offends in the least way--the song merely does not enthrall like the rest of the album. Compared to the other tracks, it is mainstream pop. I prefer those songs full of repetitive chanting and singing, the ones that make one dance with an insatiable hunger for movement.

In fact, my favorite songs are those five out of the eight cuts not sung in English--those with solid mid-tempo beats that you feel in the stomach, beats accented by some guitars and horns and rattles light in the mix, and all dominated by men and women's voices. Sometimes the singers are massed choruses, sometimes a sort of call-and-response, other times one hears a solitary singer. And always the beat, the beat. These are the songs, like the hit 'Umbala ma G-String', I came to this shebeen to hear.

'Exile' is one of three English songs on 'Black Man White Wife'. As a Yankee living in Texas, not a mineworker from Botswana, I sometimes feel the deep soul ache of exile expressed in these lyrics--but surely not as deeply as those for whom the song is intended.

I understand that Chicco's music work crosses tribal lines - often a feature of popular music everywhere. This CD crossed into my tribe as a cheap experiment in exploring SA music I knew nothing of. And I enjoyed 'Black Man White Wife' enough to buy Chicco's 'Papa Stop the War'. So as the rhythms and the night progress, dance away, dance away all.

Kurt Shoemaker, Blanco, Texas


----------------------------

A NAARTJIE IN THE UK - London-based John Samson gives his own twist on SA music:

'DORPSTRAAT REVISITED' - VALIANT SWART
(Townstreet weer besoek - Old Big Car Black)

Valiant Swart Dié is die eerste kritiek te wereld wat ondertitels het. Die rede
(This is the world's first ever review with sub-titles. The reason)
daarvoor is dat ek 'n Engelsman is en my Afrikaans is nie so
(for this is that I am an Englishman and my Afrikaans is not too)
goed nie, daarom vra ek verskooning van die begin af.
(good, so I'm asking for forgiveness upfront).

Valiant Swart se eerste plaat se titel wys na 'n groot Bob Dylan
(Old Big Car Black's (lit) first album's title indicates a big Bob Dylan)
invloed en as meestal van die snitte akoustiese is met 'n gesonde
(influence and as most of the tracks are acoustic with a healthy)
dose mondfluitjie dis nie te hard om te sien hoekom hy Bob Doellyn
(dose of mouth organ it's not hard to see why he's called Bob Try Line (lit))
genoem is deur hierdie skrywer. Poetiese lirieke wat wonderlike
(by this reviewer. Poetic lyrics that paint wonderful pictures)
beelde skild van alledagse lewe is ge-ondersteun deur die
(of everyday life are supported by the simple music to)
simplistiese musiek te gooie effek.
(good effect.)

Meestal van sy werk na dié plaat is in Afrikaans, maar hier sien
(Most of his subsequent work is in Afrikaans, but here we can)
ons dat Valiant kan nog so goed in Engels as in Afrikaans skryf as
(see that Old Big Car can write as well in English as in Afrikaans as)
ses van die viertien snitte het Engel0se lirieke. 'How Can You Tune
(six of the fourteen tracks have English lyrics. 'Hoe Kan Jy Vir My)
Me Nooit When I Tune You It's Cool' is miskien die beste van
(Nooit Sê Waneer Ek Sê Dat Dit Koel Is' (lit) is probably the best)
die Engelse liedjies.
(of the English songs)

Maar dit is waneer hy in sy moedertaal sing dat hy op sy beste is.
(But it is when he sings in his motherlanguage (lit) that's he at his best.)
Daar is juwele soos sy ode na 'Bloemfontien' waarin hy die stad
(There are gems such as his ode to 'Flowerfountain' (lit) in which he)
aan 'n Call Girl onder ander vergelyk. 'n Andere merkbare snit is
(compares the city to a call girl amongst other things. Another notable)
die blouerige 'Dis My Kruis' wat ruk. Die laaste snit 'Sweet Stellenganga'
(track is the blue-sy 'It's My Cross' that rocks. The closing track 'Soet)
is amper instruksies om hoe boom in die hande te kry in Stellenbosch,
(Stellenbosch' (lit) is almost instruction on how to score tree (lit) in)
en dit is miskien die Vaal Eend's se mees humoristise lied.
(Stellenbosch and is probably the Dirty Duck's (lit) most humorous song.)

Nou is my Engels/Afrikaanse woordeboek se sekering uitgebrand
(My English/Afrikaans dictionary has now blown a fuse so I must)
en ek moet ophou skryf, maar ek wil net sê dat hierdie is 'n baie lekker
(stop writing, but I will say that this is a great record and it is highly)
plaat en is hoogs aanbeveel aan almal wat van Valiant Swart, Bob Dylan
(recommended to lovers of Old Big Car Black, Bob Dylan or just)
of net goeie Afrikaanse lirieke hou.
(good Afrikaans lyrics.)

(lit = lost in translation)

LEES LUISTER KOOP (READ LISTEN BUY)
http://www.rhythmrecords.co.za/valiant_swart.html

[Editor's note: 'Dorpstraat Revisited' was first released in 1996 and is currently available from Rhythm Records.]

John Samson, London


----------------------------

* CHART CHAT:

John Samson takes a weekly look at the the SA pop charts from 20, 25, 30 and 35 years ago this week.

After 4 weeks at the top in 1969, Tommy James was ousted by Tommy Roe. Six artists whose first name was Tommy charted in SA, of those 2 were local (Tommy Dell and Tommy Oliver). Along with Tommy James and Tommy Roe, Tommy Overstreet was the only other Tommy to have a number 1 hit ('Heaven Is My Woman's Love' in 1973). The other Tommy, Tommy Dee whose 1981 hit 'Here Is My Love' was from the movie 'The Idolmaker' was not really a Tommy as it was the name of the character in the movie, the song was actually performed by Jesse Frederick.

This week in 1974, Love Unlimited took their 'Love's Theme' to the top, ousting 'After All'. 'You're Sixteen' was Ringo Starr's 3rd consecutive top 5 hit. The only other Beatle to emulate this as a solo artist was John when 'Woman' made top 5 in 1981. Paul also managed 3 top 5 hits in a row, but it was rather with his 2 duets with Michael Jackson and 'Ebony & Ivory' with Stevie Wonder.

Toto gained pole position in 1979 as 'Hold The Line' jumped 2 places from number 3. 'Song For Guy' became Elton John's 6th top 10 hit. Of his 13 top 20 hits only 'Passenger' failed to make the top 10. His duet with Kiki Dee ('Don't Go Breaking My Heart') in 1976 and 'Nikita' in 1986 were the only ones that topped the chart.

'Red Red Wine' had clocked up 7 weeks at the top in 1984 and looked unmoveable. Alison Goldfrapp from the group Goldfrapp recently voted Laid Back's 'Sunshine Reggae' as one of her alltime favourite songs in a Q magazine publication. Queen were back in the top 5 after the relatively poor showing of their previous hit 'Back Chat' which had stalled at number 18. The band would infamously play Sun City later that year.

South Africans at number 1 this week:

Love Is A Beautiful Song - Dave Mills (1970)
I Won't Give Up - Bruce Millar (1976)

South African New Entries this week

07-Apr-67 Spicks And Specks - Staccatos
08-Apr-83 Was Ek Maar 'n Digter - Kupido
09-Apr-76 It's A Burning Thing - Bobby Angel
09-Apr-76 One Day At A Time - Marie Gibson
10-Apr-70 Tchaikovsky 1 - Omega Limited
10-Apr-70 Spider, Spider - Tidal Wave

John Samson

----------------------------

BIRTHDAYS

April 6 - Larry Amos (1952), Baxtop
April 7 - Mike McCully (1947), McCully Workshop
April 7 - Janis Ian (born Janis Eddy Fink, 1951)
April 8 - Ken E Henson (1947), Freedoms Children; Abstract Truth; Finch & Henson
April 8 - Steve Howe (1947), Yes; GTR; Asia
April 8 - Julian Lennon (1963, some sources say 8 August, but April is correct)
April 9 - Carl Perkins (1932, died 19 January 1998)
April 12 - Neville Whitmill (1942, died 1998), The Settlers; The Square Set
April 14 - Ritchie Blackmore (1945), Deep Purple; Rainbow; Blackmore's Night
April 21 - Iggy Pop (aka Iggy Stooge, born James Jewel Osterburg in 1947)
April 22 - Peter Frampton (1950)
April 23 - Roy Orbison (1936, died 7 December 1988)
April 29 - Una Valli (1950)

If you info on any South African artists dates of birth, please send them to brian@rock.co.za





SOUND SOLUTIONS
A Reader's Forum: This is 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 readers to contact these writers and help out as well. Thanks if you do....!

Send all letters, short contributions, small band-ads, musical questions and other snippets to: soundsolutions@sarockdigest.com

----------------------------

SWEDISH STUDIO CLOSES

Hi,

At a business Christmas dinner last year we talked about the crisis in the recording studios in Sweden. There are no big studios left and everything is converted into small workplaces for computer-based recording. A guy from Stockholm told me the last big studio, the legendary Polar Studios, was about to close.

I was wondering if it could really be true and maybe someone would take care of it. Well, this morning, my morning paper announced that on May 1st, the studio is closing. The people owning the building will raise the annual rent from 700.000 SEK to 2.2 million (!) SEK and the studio owners can't afford that. Polar Studios was the last private studio in Stockholm that could take an entire string orchestra. The only alternative now is a studio the state-owned Swedish Radio. The Swedish department of culture has been approached and asked if they wanted to step in and save the Polar studios as a culturally significant building but they didn't want to do that.

The studio's website is still available at www.polarstudios.se and they have this list of who has recorded there ("almost every major Swedish musician for the past 20 years" taken off the list):

Abba, Adam Ant, AHA, Aqua, Bacharach Burt, Backstreet Boys, Banks Tony, Beastie Boys, Big Country, Cardigans, Carlisle Belinda, Def Leppard, Earth Wind & fire, Edelmann Randy, ELO, Europe, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, Madhouse, Ofra Haza, Pretenders, Ramones, Rammstein, Rolling Stones, Roxette, Roxy Music, Rutherford Mike, Scorpions.

String recording sessions with: Emma Bunton, Celine Dion, Roxette, Backstreet Boys, Jessica Simpson, Natalie Tnysayne.

Led Zeppelin was among the first to come to the studio. The studio opened on May 18, 1978 and LZ arrived in December the same year. Leif Mases who worked on the LZ albums has of course gone on to work with people like Ian Gillan, Jeff Beck and Black Sabbath.

www.courtrightmgmt.com/producers/leif_mases/discography.html

Regards!
Svante
Sweden

--------------

SAL JY SAL HELP?

Hello there,

I'm looking to find copies of the following two CD titles:
The Aeroplanes Greatest Hits
Various Artists Sharp Cuts Volume 2

I am in NY in the USA.

Thanks so much!!
Cheers,
Sal Amato
Mailto:daleki@optonline.net

--------------

SONG SEARCH

Hi,

I heard this song 'I'm Sorry' by Redd Angel on Highveld and 5fm but can't find any store that has the CD or CD single with this song.

I tried searching the net but of course I wasn't gonna find it. Any idea's on how to get my hands and ears on this song that I love so much????

Mohamed Tayob
Mailto:ashfaq@webmail.co.za

--------------

KEVIN AND THE KICK

Hi,

I spent many a Saturday at the Brass Bell in Kalk Bay, Cape Town in the early to mid 80's. One of the best bands that played there was Kevin Abrahams & The Kick. What happened to them? Would there be any chance of laying hands on their album (name?).

Those were the days of vinyl so I'm sure nothing exists on CD?

Thanks,
Deon Liebenberg
Mailto:dglproj@iafrica.com

{The album is titled 'Inside' and was released in 1984 by Mountain Records - ed.}

--------------

ILLEGAL CD-R'S

Hi,

Could I perhaps through the medium of your erstwhile weekly music tome address a matter which is getting my knickers in a twist, namely "Illegal CD-R's".
v Just lately we have been inundated with talk shows and newspaper articles which, in typical South African media practice, give half the story. For instance, there is a story doing the rounds, which was allegedly also on the radio, whereby a character was stopped and his car searched by the police for ILLEGAL CD's, and he was supposed to have been given a spot fine of R 5,000.00.

What Utter Garbage! I suggest that the person referred to was a purveyor of illegally copied CD's and was fined in court, if in fact he was fined at all. No spot fines for R5,000 can be issued by the police. Now to equate this kind of illegal activity with honest, legal CD-R's is a crime in itself.

The copyright on any software, which of course, music on CD is, is such that you are allowed to make a backup/archive copy legally, as was admitted by a person in the discussion on the radio, but he continued to say that to do it for gain is illegal. A giant omission of the truth, which is, you can copy from an LP for instance, onto a CD for your own use as long as you retain the ownership of that LP. If you dispose of the CD by any means, the CD is now illegal.

I am entitled and can do so legally, charge for the backup service of any or all of your LPs.

As far as the bad name, which the music industry is attributing to CD-R's, is concerned, the majority of the CDs in the music shop have been duplicated onto CD-R's with the label printed on directly. The professional duplicators will use this method by preference as "REPLICATING" is an expensive business and will only be done when vast quantities are required.

Did you know that of the R100 that you pay for your CD at the music store, only about R4.00 gets to the artist and I'm told that they (the big Boys) will only pay the artist after 500,000 copies have been sold, failing which they get an account for the costs. Any wonder that the modern artist is resorting to using the internet to survive.

Finally, the LPs in South Africa carry a 25-year initial copyright, which has to be renewed for a further similar period if the publisher requires further protection. How many are still under publisher's copyright today?

I wonder whether the Music industry would care to comment and maybe tell us where to check on the copyright status on the Internet, instead of bemoaning the point that they are losing money because of copyright infringements.

Come on Guys, stop looking for excuses for your drop in sales outside of your lousy productions.

Regards
Terence Tegner
mailto:tegner@absamail.co.za

--------------

PUFF THE MAGIK

Hi,

Do you have or know where to get a copy of the Original Evergreen's song 'Puff The Magik? On CD or mp3?

Cheers
Simon Carrier

--------------

DREAM ON

Hi,

I'm really hoping you can assist me with the following:

From around 1966/7 Freddie and the Dreamer's (All I want is just) 'A Little You' - does anybody have any idea where I can get a copy of this song - I have been searching for this particular gem for years!

The song starts...... "there's a little truth in every lie you tell me - a little good in all the bad you do - instead of running away, listen when I say - all I want is just a little you....."

In similar vein I have been searching for a British song from around 1967 with the chorus: "Your love seems to comes from nowhere, who knows where it's gonna be tomorrow - sorrow, (back to verse:) Give me a reason, why I can't get through.......... (2nd chorus): I can't make you see, what you mean to me, what you really mean to me..ee..ee.

It's quite a harmony intensive song, quite upbeat and typically Merseybeat sounding - indeed not unlike The Merseybeats, Fortunes or Tremelos. Title could be either 'Give me a reason' or 'Your love seems to come from nowhere'.

Needless to say I have checked most available compilations at most music stores but simply cannot find either.

Can you help?
Kind regards,
Dick Mackridge
Hands On Promotions
Tel: (011) 913 3340
Fax: (011) 913 3342
Mailto:entertainment@hands-on.co.za

--------------

ISN'T THIS SAME SONG AS THE ONE ABOVE??

Hi there!

Just wanted to thank you dear people at SA Digest for your help in the past.

I am at your mercy again and hope Tertius (Louw) can save the day.

I have the lyrics to a song but no artist or title, the song is about from the 1967 era with a bit of a Mersey beat.

Lyrics go: "Your love seems to come from no where, who knows where it's gonna be tomorrow- sorrow....... give me a reason, why I can't get through.... I can't make you see, what you mean to me, what you really mean to me...."

Thanks a million, hope someone out there can help.
Paul
Mailto:skellem101@yahoo.com

--------------

THE A-CADS

Hi,

I saw a CD at a second hand CD shop the other day. The band was called the A-CADS. Although it was an Italian pressing (strange?) the band was apparently South African, with a couple of members having played with Johnny Kongos.

Some other members were English. This piqued my interest. Do you know anything about this mysterious group? Apparently they toured South Africa in the late 1960's.

Regards
Sean

Ed. - The A-Cads were a great South African rock and roll band formed in Johannesburg in 1965. They had a Springbok #1 hit in January 1966 with a cover of the Johnny Kidd and the Pirates' 'Hungry For Love'.

Everything you need to know about them is here, thanks to Tertius Louw and Dick Laws (the A-Cad's guitarist).... http://www.rock.co.za/files/acads.html

--------------

MORRIS COHEN'S 50TH BIRTHDAY

To all you Muso's out there........

I am trying to get in touch with anyone who remembers a one-man-band, Morris Cohen, from the Bustop. He played a lot of the Holiday Inn circuits around South Africa.

He is turning 50 on the 25 April 2004. We are holding a party/jam session for him in Johannesburg.

If anyone is interested in attending, please contact his daughter, Tanya Cohen on 083 302 7142.

I am also trying to get in touch with Butch Cook. Can anyone lead me in the right direction?
v Many thanks
Tanya

--------------

STEP ON

Hi,

During the late 1960's there was a band, that I can not recall that had a popular song on a local radio station that was banned in South Africa because it was anti-pathy (not sure of spelling). All I know is that the name of the song was "we're gonna step on you". I cannot remember the name of the band, so I was wondering if you had any clue.

Thanks,
Fred

Ed. - I think you mean 'He's Gonna Step On You Again' by John Kongos which went to #4 on the UK charts in 1971. It also went to #2 in South Africa and #70 on the US Billboard charts. This song was covered by the Happy Mondays in 1990 as 'Step On' and reached #5 spot in the UK.

And by "anti-pathy" I think you probably mean "anti-apartheid" which is pronounced "apart-hate" (ironic, hey?).

--------------

MISTER REECE AND JELLY SEAS

Howzit

Is the ownlee difference between the Helicopters and The Aeroplanes the way that their careers took off?

Johnny from Boksburg

--------------

GOT A QUESTION?
Please email any musical questions to editor@sarockdigest.com

-----------------------------

THE DIGEST CLASSIFIED ADS
-----------------------------

To advertise in this section please email:
editor@sarockdigest.com

--------------

CAPE DRUMMER FOR THE 'SKY

Hi

Liquid Sky are looking for a new drummer.

We are playing at Stones (Long Street) on May 1st - But we can not confirm until we get a Drummer.

Thanks
Moon
Liquid Sky
Mailto:moon@adventure-village.co.za

--------------

NOG A CAPE DRUMMER WANTED

Drummer needed for rock band Nothing Said, to gig asap. The band is based in Bellville, and looking for anyone into Deftones, Nirvana, Pixies, SOAD, etc.

Contact Ryan on 072 149 6102

-----------------------

LOOKING TO EARN EXTRA MONEY IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY?

This is an interesting new SA music business concept.

We suggest you take a good look at this opportunity.

Simply send a blank e-mail to mailto:lazyman200@freeautobot.com to receive further info.

(Ed. - Nope, it's not spam, but genuine and potentially worthwhile, and anyone can do it!)

--------------

RECORDS RESTORED TO CD

Have your favourite LP transferred to CD with full colour label and box printing. We restore the LP music/tracks in order to extract the original sound, before transferring them to CD. Only single copies are made and returned with the LP.

What is done...

1. Firstly, your precious LP is put through our professional record cleaning machine to ensure that we start with as pure an original sound as possible.
2. We then play the record on the very best audiophile equipment (Thorens turntable, SME arm with Shure V15-III cartridge) and capture the music at a high sample rate, into our "Top of the Range" computer.
3. The Vinyl background noise and "Fried Eggs" sounds are gently removed from the recording.
4. Any remaining "Pops" or "Clicks" are isolated and repaired and the tracks are separated as on the original LP.
5. Then, and only then, do we copy the sound to CD.
6. Finally, the LP cover is scanned front and rear, reduced to fit and printed in full glorious colour. A label is printed for the disc itself in full colour, as on the original.

There is a range of prices from R65.00 to R120.00 - depending on the postage costs, and the required and desired degree of cleanup on your single copy.

Contact: Terence
Tel: 021-787-0205 or Cell: 082-939-077
Email: Mailto:tegner@absamail.co.za

--------------

MUSIC SHOPPING
-----------------

GEMM

GEMM is your best source for those otherwise impossible-to-find music titles on Record or CD! http://sugarmusic.gemm.com

--------------

MABU VINYL & CD

Cape Town's finest record and CD store is now at the intersection -
"Where the four streets - Long, Buitensingel, Kloof, and Orange - meet"

Visit our new CD Stall on the Pavement Piazza in front of the shop opposite the Long Street Baths.

Mabu stocks SA and International Record and CD titles, and a growing list of independent SA CD and CD-R releases - including a large range of all the African Dope releases.

Latest Vinyl additions:

Brenda and the Big Dudes - 'Weekend Special' (LP)
Via Afrika - 'Via Afrika' (LP)
Vari-ous - ''n Naartjie In My Sosatie' (LP)
Brian Finch And Kenny Henson - 'Playgrounds In Paradise' (LP)
John Ireland - 'Thinking Aloud' (LP)
Mike Faure - 'Sax' (LP)

Latest independent SA CD additions:

Various SA Artists - 'Big Red' - Songs from the TV series 'Going Nowhere Slowly'
Russ Nerwich - 'Beyond The Walls' (Independent)
Skwirmish - 'The EP'

Still In Stock:

340ml - 'Moving'
Bed On Bricks - 'Humanarium' (Bowline)
Bluescream - 'Bluescream' (Independent)
Chiaroscuro - 'A Definition' (Independent) Brian Finch - 'Never Look Back' (Independent)
Fokofpolisiekar - 'As Jy Met Vuur Speel Sal Jy Brand' (EP) (Rhythm)
freshlyground - 'Jika Jika' (Independent)
Forest Moon - 'Forest Moon' (Independent)
Goema Captains Of Cape Town - 'Healing Destination' (Mountain)
Hog Hoggidy Hog - 'Naked' EP (3 Chord)
Kalahari Surfers - 'Muti Media' (African Dope)
Lions Of Zion - 'Iternal Fire' (Independent)
MoodPhase5ive - 'Steady On' (African Dope)
Plush - 'All That Is Should Be' (independent) The Rudimentals - 'More Fire' (Independent)
Not The Midnight Mass - 'Live At The Planetarium' (Independent)
Soulja - '21 Gunslut' (Independent)
Various - 'Silvertab Harambe Dope Sessions' (African Dope)
Various - 'African Dope Sound System' (African Dope)
Various - African Dope Volume 1'(African Dope)
Various - 'Cape Of Good Dope' (African Dope)
Various - 'Breathe Sunshine' (Amabala)
Various - 'A Moment In Cape Town' (Revised edition) (Afribeat)
Zero Tolerance - 'A Perfect Life?' (EP) (Independent)

This week's best-selling CDs at Mabu Vinyl & CD are:

1. 'The Heat' - The Dollyrockers
2. Muti Media - Kalahari Surfers
3. 'Sui' - Benguela'
4. 'Cape Of Good Dope' - Various
5. 'More Fire' - The Rudimentals

We buy and sell LP's and CD's

Please contact:
Jacques or Stephen
(Ph): 021 423 7635
(Cell): 082 534 6006
mailto:mabu@sugarmusic.co.za

Mabu Vinyl & CD
Shop 2 Buitenkloof Centre
8 Kloof Street, Gardens.

------------------------------------------

VIBES VINYL
Stadium-on-Main, Main Road, Claremont

Our catalogue is now listed on the UK's No.1 Music Marketplace
Netsounds and can be accessed directly at http://www.netsounds.com/vibesvinyl

This week's specials:

Dolly Rockers - 'Consume me' (12" EP)
Freedom's Children - 'Astra' (LP) 1991 PVB Re-issue
Morris Goldberg - 'Jazz in Transit' (2LP)
Knights - 'Invasion' (LP)
Steve Linegar's Snakeshed - 'Music for Shogun' (LP)
Dickie Loader and the Blue Jeans - 'Come go with me..' (LP)
Dickie Loader and the Blue Jeans - 'Greatest Hits' (LP)
Rising Sons - 'Rising Sons....Live!' (LP)
Syndicate Sisters - 'Every Song (has a beginning)' (LP)
Jeremy Taylor - 'Back in Town!' (LP), autographed on back

New record accessories in stock:
Turntable replacement needles available from us.
We have a wide range of 12" Maxi Singles in stock.
Now available: soft plastic sleeves for 7" Singles.

We pay top prices for top quality.
Want Lists Welcome!

Call us at: 021-683 5676
Postal address: PO Box 24045, Claremont, 7735.
Email: mailto:vibesvinyl@mweb.co.za Website catalogue now also at Gemm and Netsounds:
http://www.vibesvinyl.gemm.com and
http://www.netsoundsmusic.com/vibesvinyl

----------------------

DEEP PURPLE FANS

The very popular Deep Purple Web Index - the ultimate Deep Purple resource on the web - now has a new home at http://www.deeppurple.co.za

--------------

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:
Green Party Of South Africa, Jam Alley Music Shop, Joint State, Duncan Mackay, 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

---------------

RODRIGUEZ

One of the most frequently Asked Questions on the Sugarman.org Forum is where to buy Rodriguez CDs. Well, you can buy Rodriguez CDs online at Sugar Music

----------------------------

DIGEST CLASSIFIEDS DETAILS

* To have your advert featured in the Digest Classifieds, and to find out the prices to do so, contact mailto:sugar@cd.co.za

The Sound Solutions and Digest Classified sections are sponsored by:

SUGAR MUSIC
http://www.sugarmusic.co.za

Contact:
Stephen Segerman - sugar@cd.co.za


 
LIVE MUSIC

RECOMMENDED SA GIGS
See http://www.sagigs.com

EVENTS:

Full details at http://www.sagigs.com

Watch out for:

'GOING NOWHERE SLOWLY' CD LAUNCH - Thursday 8th of April at Cafe Vaccamatta, Prince Edward Street, Tygervalley. Artists appearing on the CD will be performing thoughout the evening.

BLOEMFONTEIN EASTER CONCERT - With Fokofpolisiekar, City Under Siege, Defying Silence and Enthrow on Friday 16th April at Theatre of Rock (opposite Waterfront) - 7 pm

BELIEVABLE ADDICTION - Believable Addiction will be performing at the Zeplins Strange Daze club on the 9th April and will be rocking the new Cool Runnings in Centurion on the 10th April with Failsafe.

AMANDA STRYDOM - "Verspreide Donderbuie/Scattered Thunder" at KKNK - Multimedia production of her double award-winning album with her band: Janine Neethling, Floors Oosthuizen, Graeme Currie and Vinnie Henrico. 4 - 9 April at Langehoven Gimnasium

THE BOWLINE ROCK THEATRE AT KKNK 2004 - The place to see your favourite artist rock at this year's KKNK Festival in Oudtshoorn will be the Bowline Rock Theatre which will showcase 15 of SA's most popular and happening music artists.

KAKTUS OP DIE VLAKTES - The 2004 Kaktus Oppi Vlaktes line-up is filled with some of the best and biggest artists in South Africa. In order to accommodate more of them it was also decided to add a second stage to the festivities. The show will consist of a nice mix between some of the Afrikaans stalwarts, some exciting new artists and a handful of the best in South African hip hop and rock and punk bands. The show takes place on 10th April at the traditional Kaktus venue; the Oudtshoorn sport grounds

THE RUDIMENTALS - Cape Town's ska-punk sensations have lined up a string of gigs over the next few weeks.

----------------------

LIVE IN LONDON

SUNWAYS - The band's first London date is on Friday 30th April at the Halfmoon Putney

----------------------

UPCOMING INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS IN SA:

LIMP BIZKIT - The Limp Bizkit "Back 2 Basics" SA Tour has been cancelled.

ENRIQUE IGLESIAS - Vodacom, 5fm Music and Big Concerts have announced the forthcoming tour of music sensation Enrique Iglesias to South Africa. Kicking off on the 27th of April in Cape Town, he will then be heading to Durban on the 29th, Sun City on the 1st, and finally Johannesburg on the 2nd of May.

WITCHDOCTOR RECORDS ANNOUNCES SA TOURS BY ENTOMBED, AND KATAKLYSM - Entombed, those Swedish masters of metal return to our shores for two exclusive shows in April, and Kataklysm, the Swedish masters of metal return, to our shores for two exclusive shows in May

LORD OF THE DANCE - The dance spectacular, which has played to over 50 million people in 36 different countries, returns to South Africa by this March, for a whopping two-month tour.

RAGA ON 24 STRINGS - This is a concert of North Indian Classical music, featuring three of the brightest stars in the firmament of Indian Classical Music today, and takes place at the Baxter Concert Hall on Wednesday 7 April 2004 at 8.15pm.

--------------------------

SA MUSIC FESTIVALS

THE V-TOWN MUSIC FESTIVAL - The V-Town Music Festival is an all day event that will be rocking the Vaal-Triangle on the 1st of May 2004. The Festival will feature Wonderboom, Tweak, Cutting Jade, Jo Day, Mean Mr Mustard, Arno Carstens, Wickhead, 16 Stitch, Zen Arcade, Summersalt, Tait, Jesse Jordan Band, Six of Nine, SMS 3 and Swallow 15.

5FM EASTER ROCK FESTIVAL - Rock is back at the Rand Show 2004! After a year's sabbatical, the Rand Show will once again host the 5fm Easter Rock Festival on Saturday 10 April 2004. This year's event introduces a new feature to the rock fest - the 5fm Chill Out Lounge

THE OPPIKOPPI EASTER FESTIVAL - The Oppikoppi "You check the level, the level is fine for me" Easter Festival is a slightly more intimate variation on the Bush, Braai's and Tunes-theme, and will be held from the 9th to the 11th of April at the "world renowned wooden stage on top of the hill".

NORTH SEA JAZZ FESTIVAL - CAPE TOWN 2004 - "Africa's Grandest Gathering" is about to celebrate its 5th anniversary in April 2004, and it will be doing so in style in its new home at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on the Mother City's Foreshore. With Angie Stone, Femi Kuti, Stanley Clarke, freshlyground, Abdullah Ibrahim, Cassandra Wilson and Miriam Makeba.

SPLASHY FEN 2004 - One of our country's best loved open-air lifestyle celebrations promises the freshest ever delights for body and mind on the Easter weekend, April 8 - 12

--------------

SA PUNK
By Daniel Neville

ZERO TOLERANCE IS BACK

After a rather long break (4 months to be exact) the six members of the Cape Town band, Zero Tolerance, are back and ready to make your ears bleed!!

You will be glad to know that after much searching and a lot of stuffing around at practice the band has found some new guys to blow the trumpets. So please welcome Sam (1st trumpeter), ooooh getting fancy here, and Odie (2nd trumpeter). The band has also taken the time to write some new songs which are darker and which "will make a huge ring of fire fly out of the ground and spew millions of angry gunnies out at you" (Gulp - Ed.).

If you like metal mixed with a bit of Ska and you want to give ZT a listen, then you can go to www.SAmp3.com to download two of their songs. Or you could always drag yourself to one of their shows in the near future. Check the gig guide for more details on upcoming Zero Tolerance shows.

--------------

THE REALISATION OF TURTLE HEAD TOUR
The Purple Turtle - Sat 27th of March

Back in the old days, ok about a year ago, there were shows at the Purple Turtle almost every weekend. Some bands became regulars and a steady crew of about 60 people emerged. These people were there almost every weekend and most of them played in a band that often had regular slots on that all-too-familiar stage.

This particular show was there to re-create all that. But along came an unforeseen problem for the organisers - the show had been double-booked. But that did not stop the show, now instead of the four bands that were meant to play there were seven!

Originally the show was dubbed 'The Realisation Of Purpose' Tour and the show that it had been double booked with was called 'The Turtle Head Party', so it was aptly re-named 'The Realisation Of Turtle Head Tour' (That is so clever!! - Ed.)

To open this unforeseen mini fest some of the members of that old Turtle crew climbed onto the stage. With the opening notes of their first song ringing in the PA the words "We're back" launched Zero Tolerance back into the scene after a 4-month break. Their new material is a lot darker and heavier but still Ska, the crowd responded well especially to one of their new songs, 'Cat Shmallen'.

And Sam and Odie, the new trumpet guys as Matt put it, got the whole crowd moving to the new tunes of South Africa's only metal/Ska band.

Next up was the new Skanking Nelson. I didn't get to see much of these guys this time round because I was grabbing a breather on the balcony but what other people told me that they played a brilliant set.

It seems as if it is the year for younger bands to make their presence felt, and the Doppler Effect did just that. These guys are (and excuse the language here) rape'n at the moment. It was full steam ahead on Sat and the boys put on a brilliant show for a now almost packed Turtle.

The pit was crazy and poor Rudy even managed to break his big toe during 'Preacher'. Next up was Sedwick, who played an awesome set - in fact it was one of the best I've seen them play ever. The crowd, which had a healthy age range of about 17 to 45, lapped up their songs. It was a really great way to start their promo tour of their new album 'The Realisation Of Purpose'

After the 'young' bands had their fun on the stage it was time for some old school. The older generation of the crowd pushed their first contribution to the show onto the stage in the form of Three Chord Theory. These guys are around the age of 35, I would guess, and like their name suggests they only play songs that have 3 or less chords in them. If they had a philosophy, which I highly doubt that they do, it would be '3 chords and a very drunk crowd'.

They got a really good crowd reaction just because they were so entertaining and funny. I really hope to see these guys around more, the scene needs guys like this to remind us of our roots. Next up was High Trailer. I didn't see much of them except for their last song. But what I saw was a front man called Simon who had a really rad hair cut, some deep heavy rock like bass lines and a guitar solo that would have made Van Halen proud.

Last up, and only starting around 12:30, was Monomen. Now this is an interesting band as two of the members used to play in Lithium (who, if you didn't know, once opened for Iron Maiden) so I was very amped to see what they were like.

The answer to that question would be old school, very old school. Their front man has an amazing weird stage presence and their second guitarist looks like Tom Green. They played an extremely long set - in fact it was so long that when I left at two in the morning they were still playing and the crowd inside was still going strong.

So if the aim of the show was to reunite the old crew - then it worked as about 50 of the original guys were there. But even if the old crew had not been reunited it was still a kick-ass show. [DN]

Upcoming SA Punk Gigs:

Tue 6 April - Trap Door - Nelspruit - R20 8pm
Wrench Productions & Drunk Punks presents:
UNDER THE INFLUENCE ~ National Tour.
Ska Tissue
Half Price
The Stevie Wonderfuls

Wed 7 April - The New Zeplins - Pretoria - R10 8pm
Wrench Productions & Drunk Punks presents:
UNDER THE INFLUENCE ~ National Tour.
Half Price
The Stevie Wonderfuls
The Terrorists
String Bean

Wed 7 April - Mercury Lounge - Cape Town - 10pm
Midweek Madness
The Rudimentals

Thur 8 April - The Nile Crocodile - Pretoria - R30 8pm
Wrench Productions & Drunk Punks presents:
UNDER THE INFLUENCE ~ National Tour.
Half Price
The Stevie Wonderfuls
ATFN
The Slash Dogs

Fri 9 April - The Bohemina - Johannesburg - R30 8pm
Wrench Productions & Drunk Punks presents:
UNDER THE INFLUENCE ~ National Tour.
Half Price
The Stevie Wonderfuls
The Vendetta Cartel
Gross Misconduct
Dammit

Fri 9 April - Club Celcius - Plett - R20 8pm
Antipathy
Ill System

Sat 10 April - Dirty Dicks - Cape Town - R30, 8pm Cross Culture Gig
The Doppler Effect
Antipathy
Sedwick
Bookie Maylock (PE)

Sat 10 April - Alley Cat - Secunda - R10 8pm
Punx Records Presents
The Terrorists (Pretoria)
Honey Bee (Witbank)

Sun 11 April - The Horror Cafe - Johannesburg - R30, 4pm
Wrench Productions & Drunk Punks presents:
UNDER THE INFLUENCE~ National Tour.
Sunday Sunset Madness::
Fuzigish
Shifty
Humphrey the Teacup
Mel Gibsons Band
Half Price
The Stevie Wonderfuls

Mon 12 April - Southey Vines - Somerset West - R30, 12pm
GO VOTE! FEST
Tonight We Die
Impropriety
Neshamah,
Pulled from 6 feet,
Emokidjosh,
Captain Stu and the Llamas
Crowded Solititude ....
goths please note - it's outside ...

-------------------
LIVE IN LONDON
-----------

THE WINDRICH OF CHANGE
Erik Windrich at the Troubadour in Earl's Court, 24 March 2004

A South African ex-Pat, an Englishman, a Spaniard and a Griot from Guinea walk into a bar. Sounds like the start of a bad joke, however I can assure you that if the bar is the Troubadour and the night is last Wednesday it is rather the start of a great night out.

The Troubadour is a great intimate venue and on the night in question featured 4 acts each playing 3 songs then doing another 3-song set in reverse order, so the evening started and ended with Erik Windrich and his band which as already mentioned contained an Englishman (bass), a Spaniard (drums) and a Guinean Griot (on kora and electric guitar).

With this mix of nationalities, it is hardly surprising that the band had a world music feel and sound. Erik seems to have taken the South African Afro pop of éVoid and expanded it to become a broad all-encompassing sound. This is then coupled with his highly insightful and at times deeply introspective lyrics to beautiful effect.

Their first set opened with 'Weeping' (no not that 'Weeping'), a touching song that seemed to speak of Erik's search for a place to call home. Given that he was born in Holland, moved to South Africa and then moved to England in what could quite easily be regarded as living in exile, it would take a pretty tough soul not to be moved by it.

The kora is a fascinating instrument. Known as the African harp it looks rather weird (indeed quite phallic as the evening's compere needlessly pointed out) but in Mosi Conde's hands it produced a sweet sound that gave the music an injection of African Angelicism set against a western rock backdrop. And Erik still knows how to rock.

The up tempo 'Wild And Wonderful Summer' with its opening line of 'Rainbow People On Green Market Square' reminds us that Erik still has a strong connection to SA, while 'Drift Away' has a strong refrain. However, the highlight for me was when Erik and Mosi bashed out a rhythmic tune on their balafons (Xylophones in case you didn't know). This had my foot doing triple time in the tapping department.

Despite his lyrics seeming to indicate an unsettled soul still searching, Erik comes across as a man very much at peace with life and getting huge amounts of pleasure from performing the music, which he quite clearly loves deeply. This feeling is transmitted in the music and makes for an exceptional night out.

And the barman says 'Why the long face'...no, no hang on that's the wrong punch line, he says 'at these prices I'm not surprised'...oh no damn!! I can never tell these things properly.

John Samson

-------------------
LIVE IN SA
-----------

HERE COMES THE WAR
New Model Army - 20 March - Newtown Music Hall JHB
Justin Sullivan - 1 April - Mercury Live CPT

Justin Sullivan, Mercury Live - photo by Francis Bryan New Model Army have been broadcasting their blend of subversive punk-folk-rock since 1981. These are their first appearances in South Africa. Alter Ego Productions arranged two concerts in Johannesburg, at the Newtown Music Hall, as well as a warm-up show at the Doors in Edenvale on 17 March and a solo show with frontman Justin Sullivan in Cape Town on 1 April (no joke).

The Johannesburg shows included the full current 5-piece tour line-up, and the band played with admirable endurance for an energetic crowd of approximately 2000. From die-hard followers who, like the original band members, are in their 40's, to fledgling fans in their teens, the audience was engrossed by three hours of classic NMA songs from their early singles to songs from their latest album, 'Eight'.

It must have been an interesting contrast for Justin Sullivan to face the much smaller audience at Mercury Live, alone and unplugged. Nevertheless, he seemed completely relaxed at centre stage, his expressive guitar, impassioned vocals and transfixed stare keeping the audience captivated as he threw his weight into the slower and more emotional NMA songs. A highlight was 'In the Name of the People', in which he used the rhythmic applause of the audience as an instrument, singing over it and using his guitar only to emphasise the choruses.

Angry or passionate, the lyrics of NMA have always tempered their rage with a sharp and intelligent commentary on the crises facing us in the modern world. Justin described the London demonstrations against the most recent Iraq war, encouraging people to take part in protest marches because, even though they may not change anything, they are good for the soul.

This is a characteristic sense of irony from a man and a band who, throughout 22 years, have never compromised on political or moral principle. An outspoken mouthpiece for Mother Nature and the sometimes-hopeless causes of ordinary people, New Model Army are one of the few bands today that still sing songs about the things that are worth fighting for.

Francis Bryan

--------------

'CLASH OF THE TITANS'

Last week, the usually chilled-out Cape Town Thursday night was shattered by the roaring sound of guitars, drums, and vocals as the 'Clash of the Titans' gig began at Cafe Vaccamatta, Tygyervally. The first of the highly-anticipated 'Clash of the Titans' gigs went off without a hitch. The vibe was electric as White Rabbit took the stage to warm up the audience with songs such as Live's 'Lightning Crashes' and to a hail of applause, a brilliant version of Evanescence's 'My Immortal'.

Koosh were next, as the venue continued to fill up. Their performance was raw and energetic, captivating an enthralled audience. Their style was somewhat different as Tammy took over vocals, while Craig Coltham (the lead vocalist) is away snowboarding in Aspen!!! He returns on the 8th of May to begin recording tracks for their debut album.

12th Avenue completely rocked the "valley" - This was their first time back on the circuit since signing to Ripchord last November. After spending two and a half months in pre-production, in preparation for their long awaited debut album, 12th Avenue's performance equalled that of the best international acts. They played a blistering set, which left the crowd begging for more. They were not disappointed... The encore, a rendition of Deep Purple's 'Child In Time', left the crowd breathless. Mark Haze's powerful vocals captured the essence of a stadium-sized concert.

The Jesse Jordan Band wrapped up the night. Moving away from their original style, they played classic tunes such as Counting Crows' 'Mr. Jones' and Eagle Eye Cherry's 'Save Tonight'. Of course this didn't stop the band playing 'Moneyline' - their single from the newly released 'Going Nowhere Slowly' double-CD set, of music from the TV series of the same name.

All in all, the evening was a resounding success. If you weren't lucky enough to make this one, here's the good news...

Café Vaccamatta in conjunction with Ripchord will be hosting more 'Clash of the Titans' events throughout this year.

If you're into the live music scene, this venue, with its impressive décor, lighting and sound set-up is the perfect showcase for SA music. (Not to mention the gorgeous "Coyote Ugly" bar routine!!) - Every Thursday night from 7:30pm onwards.

Any original bands wanting to participate in the Thursday night sessions can contact either:
Ripchord at: info@ripchord.co.za or
Gandalf at Café Vaccamatta on (021) 910 1855

Aidan Harper and Steve Gustave

---------------------

SA GIG GUIDE

The SA Rock Digest list of recommended gigs can now be found at: http://www.SAgigs.com.

If you cannot access SAgigs.com then e-mail gigs@sarockdigest.com?subject=gigguide and we will e-mail the gig guide to you each week.

Please send all gig info to sugar@sagigs.com in a plain text e-mail.

 
SA Music Links And Resources


SA MUSIC LINKS:

THE SA ROCK ENCYCLOPEDIA WEBLINKS PAGE:

Links to the world of SA Rock - artists, gig guides, resources, record labels, recording studios, music trivia and more at: http://www.sarockdigest.com/links

----------------------------

SA MUSIC RESOURCES:

THE SA ROCK DIGEST ON SAFM (104-107KHz)

THE BRUCE MILLAR SHOW - MONDAY EVENINGS @ 9.15PM
Stephen Segerman, Digest co-editor, talks to Bruce Millar about SA music news, new releases, and charts from each week's Digest.

----------------------------

SA ROCK DIGEST CONTACT DETAILS:

SUBSCRIPTIONS:

To subscribe to The SA Rock Digest - please send an e-mail to:
subscribe@sarockdigest.com

Address changes - please send an e-mail to:
subscribe@sarockdigest.com

To unsubscribe - please send a blank e-mail to:
unsubscribe@sarockdigest.com

----------------------------

SA ROCK DIGEST BACK ISSUES
http://www.sarockdigest.com/archives
Online and keyword searchable

----------------------------

PRESS RELEASES & CONTRIBUTIONS
Please submit all press releases, contributions, reviews, requests, searches and comments to sugar@sarockdigest.com

----------------------------

EDITORS

Any thoughts, requests, problems, complaints, praise or interesting and relevant SA music news, CDs, or mp3s... please contact:

Stephen Segerman
sugar@sarockdigest.com

Brian Currin
http://www.vagabond.za.net/contact

----------------------------

MAIN CONTRIBUTORS

BC - Brian Currin
SS - Stephen Segerman
JS - John Samson
KS - Kurt Shoemaker
CL - Carina Laubscher (Katvrou)
TL - Tertius Louw
DN - Daniel Neville
NN - Nadia Neophytou
WM - Wicked Mike
DM - David Marks
DS - Don Sweeto
LAD - LAD
MC - Michael Currin (Curmic)
FB - Francis Bryan
JFB - Johnny From Boksburg

And others too numerous to mention, but gratefully acknowledged!

Proofed by Ronx

A SUGAR MUSIC PRODUCTION

 

[]

webmaster: Alan Levin, maintainer: Brian Currin
[]

[]

Copyright © 1996-2003 Amuzine. All rights reserved.