Singing the praises of South African popular-music legends

Singing the praises of South African popular-music legends

South African postal service honours South African music legends in a series of stamps, “Music can change the world because it can change people,” said well-know Irish singer-songwriter and musician, Bono. This is especially true in Africa, where music is an integral...
No Direction Home

No Direction Home

The first time I saw Gary Herselman, he was going under the name Piet Pers and was thrashing the bass on a wild night that some old-timers at Durban’s Central Methodist Church probably still talk about over cups of tea. It was 1989, and a motley audience of...
Johannes Kerkorrel: The wise fool who left the fray

Johannes Kerkorrel: The wise fool who left the fray

Ralph Rabie, better known as Johannes Kerkorrel, was my generation’s Joe Strummer. Like the Clash’s front man he provided the soundtrack to our late 1980s rebellion against the teacher, the dominee, the sergeant, the system. His provocative songs embodied the middle...
SAMA: Kerkorrel vereer

SAMA: Kerkorrel vereer

Johannes Kerkorrel word vanjaar met ’n Suid-Afrikaanse Musiekprys (Sama) bekroon vir sy lewensbydrae tot die land se musiekbedryf wanneer dié pryse die naweek van 10 en 11 Mei by Sun City oorhandig word. Reuben Grobler, Kerkorrel se seun, sal daar wees om die prys...