3rd Ear Music’s News, Views & Muse Letter - October 2012:

• HYMAProject – The end of the David Marks / 3rd Ear Music Collection @ SAMRO? Time to Act, Dump or Jump?
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• Rolling Stone RSA – The Art of Cramming 45 years of hidden history into 500 glossy words… more-or-less!
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• Sixto Rodriguez – In Search of Sugarman – A Folk Tale. Fighting Truth Decay & The Folk Scare of the 60’s & 70’s
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• Jeremy Taylor –The forgotten Troubadour - Ag Pleez Deddy in Black ‘n White 1960 – In Search of a Piece of Ground. The original Pioneer of Protest in white SAfrica?
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  and also
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• History's song muted
  Fred Kockott
  courtesy of the Sunday Tribune, 15 June 2008 Edition 1
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• April fool’s Day DEADLINE HEADLINE - April 2008
  3rd Ear Music’s Hidden Years Music Archive Project (HYMAProject) has been shut down, but not up! Seriously, on the 1st April 2008 the HYMAProject apparently did come to an end…
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• Johnnie Fourie - April 2008
  We are so sad at the passing of our dear friend Johnnie Fourie; angry because another SAfrican talent passes on without getting due recognition while they were alive and playing
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• Louis Ribero - April 2008
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• National Research Foundation Grant - December 2005
  3rd Ear Music’s HIDDEN YEARS MUSIC ARCHIVE PROJECT & the University of KwaZulu-Natal announce the National Research Foundation grant.
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• Mbube - Letters, Links & Feedback - Part II - July 2005
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• More Dear Friends Depart - Moving On & Up RIP Another band of music legends, troubadours & friends pass on RIP - Theo Coetzee, Clem Tholet, Rene Frangs, Esther Rutstein, Richard Sassoon ... so soon?
• Seizing The Airwaves in 5 Parts- With thanks, apologies & respect to Ron Sakolsky Stephen Dunifer’s book ICASA/MOSHITO note - Pirates Ho Ho or Yo Yo?
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• A Lion's Trial? - August 2004
  Or a Truth Commission for the South African Record Industry?
  This Article by Julian Jonker appeared in THIS DAY newspaper, Johannesburg on 30th July 2004 - it follows from the many views expressed about Mbube & asks the same question that we've been posing since 1994
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• MBUBE - Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck & Goofy under house arrest in SAfrica? - August 2004
  More feedback in the Jungle, The Mighty Jungle where The Lion Will not sleep tonight? as the new the Safari Suits follow on the trail of Solomon Linda's $15 Million Dollar song.
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• Art Kelly RIP - August 2004
  Graham Clarke called with sad news - @ 10.05AM on the 26th March 2004 - Art Kelly passed on to that great big Rumour in the sky.
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• Jannie Hofmeyr - August 2004
  We are moving closer to completing this legendary singer songwriter guitarist Dr Jan Hofmeyr's remarkable Hidden Years Concert Collection from the 1970's.
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• 446 Currie Road SOLD - August 2004
  The National Research Foundation is interested in the Hidden Years Archive Project forming a partnership with the University of KwaZulu-Natal, making this music material available for post-graduate students - honours & doctorates.
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• Mbube - letters, links & feedback - January 2004
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• Mike Westcott's Trust / Section 21 suggestions - January 2004
  Mike Westcott - radio, record and music producer (and voice) of note - sent us these ideas to throw around; the setting up of a (Hidden Years) Music Archive Trust . Mike, like so many says that this is an exceedingly good idea.
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• Funding Appeal 2004 - January 2004
  The battle for funding to finish cataloguing and compiling the Hidden Years Archive and the Textbooks (that the Education Department will eventually need) has become a huge distraction for 3rd Ear.
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• Obituary: 'Big Voice' Jack Lerole
  Penny-whistler par excellence - Fame but not fortune: Despite his talents, Lerole made little money - By Chris Baron - Courtesy SUNDAY TIMES South Africa
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• Sandile Shange - October 2003
  The little man was a giant in Jazz; no bigger than his guitar, he was larger than life; where almost everything was a great pleasure & a massive surprise - met with a wry sense of wit, humour & timing!
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Copyright, Sound & Media Issues:

• This will change everything you ever thought you knew or had heard & was taught about copyright & music publishing - Feb / Mar 2003
  Dr. Robin Goss writes from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) & invites composers to consider a whole new copyright issue.
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• John Perry Barlow - ex Grateful Dead lyricist - will illuminate your musical horizons forever with his essay The Economy of Ideas.
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• 5 Mar 2003
  South African Music Content - March / April / May 2002
  A PIPE DREAM FOR SOME & SMOKE SCREEN TOO MANY - its Playback Time cries Groucho Marks as he contemplates the ICASA "Position Paper", the recent epidemic of Pop Idols (and a threat of a new series?) & other imported corporate commodities.
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Current Events & News

• The Bleeding Heart Donation - Feb / Mar 2003
  Robert & Robyn Wilson, owners of London's famous & fabulous Bleeding Heart Restaurant & Bistro donated 5 000 Pounds to the HY Project in January 2003. We thank them for their generous & kindly contribution.
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• World Cup Cricket Bat Elvis Presely, LM Radio & other small Town Rock Addictions
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• Jeremy Taylor - Singer / Songwriter - Feb / Mar 2003
  Jeremy set South Africa alight in the sixties with his "Ag Pleez Deddy" and was then banished from South Africa for ridiculing apartheid.
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• RIP - Feb / Mar 2003
  RIP Ilne Hofmeyr, Owen Coetzer, Elliot Makhaya, Keith Blundell, Alfred Temba Qabula
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• Misattributions to Nelson Mandela and Kurt Vonnegut Jnr. - 21. August 2002
  Famous quote misattributed to Nelson Mandela.
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• Solomon Linda - Aug / Sept 2002
  Under the Mbube Covers! Is this where The Lion Sleeps Tonight? Rian Malan gives us his list of Mbube Covers. Can you add a few?
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• Woodstock 1969 - Elliott Landy reflects. - Aug / Sept 2002
  There is a renewed interest in this phenomenal event The renowned photographer who gave us so many wonderful album photographs - Bob Dylan, The Band, Van Morrison, Jimi, Jim, Janis, John still lives & works in Woodstock.
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• Alan White & The Beatles - Aug / Sept 2002
  The Lennon connection - Notes From the Edge #247 by Mike Tiano 11 August 2001. Live Peace in Toronto 1969 is where Alan White played his first major gig and where David Marks mixed his first international show & took some historic photos from the Hanley Sound desk.
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• 
  Dave Tarr - Aug / Sept 2002
  3rd Ear Music recorded his last public appearance; a PA desk-mix jamming with Ken E & Richard; we'd like to issue this on CD; help raise funds for Dominique & Genevieve Stella Tarr.
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• Pop Idols - Aug / Sept 2002
  At the last moment the sponsors wake up & steer these poor fame & fortune puppets back to Africa. Thank goodness for small mercies? Boring!!!
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• News Snippets - Aug / Sept 2002
  > South African Music Week & Music Censorship - David Groucho Marks - Shooting from the lip - The Ignorance and Arrogance of Regional Radio and a quote from that Great Guru of Rock 'n Roll and friend of The Swami Beyondananda - Baba Oom Mow Mow >>
  > Max du Preez - Mbongeni's Amandiya - Hate Speech or Folk Song? >>
  > Robert Kirby - views of SAfrican racism at work >>
  > Joubert Malherbe - SAfrican Rock & Roll mind & soul at work. Arise Sir Mick >>
  > When Artists move onto the next life - If we could pay as much respect to the Living as we do to the Dead, we'd be an OK civilization. We bid farewell to some more friends Steve Hilton - Barber, Davy James & Bobby James, Nellie Shabalala RIP - A senseless envy killing.
  > New CDs by Bill Knight from Capetown ...read more >>
  > DURBAN DREAMING - An interesting analysis of The New African Union & Nepad by Shyaka Kanuma. Featured in the Mail & Guardian of the 12 July 2002. ...read more >>

• Mountains of Men & Cowboy Songs on Robben Island - March / April / May 2002
  1967 The Music our Leaders listened too on the Island...both kinds - Country & Western. Cowboy songs that were deemed dangerous & unfit for audio consumption, censored & banned. Believe it or not!
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• Scary or What? - March / April / May 2002
  The top-heavy pale-male international record industry is in trouble...not only here in Africa - but also worldwide. And they wonder why? Richard Haslop sent us this little peace to ponder.
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• 
  > Dave Plod Tarr - March / April / May 2002
  Dave Plod Tarr's farewell organized by KEN E HENSON brings out the best of the old & young Rockers, Rappers, Jazz Oaks & Folk & Joubert Malherbe / Pretoria News is Looking back in dearness and 'dank'.
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• News Snippets - January / February 2002
  

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• Dave Hewitt - January / February 2002
  Des Lindberg says goodbye to a master musician and a friend to millions.
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• 
  Dave Plod Tarr - January / February 2002
  Plod finally set sail with his music and fond memories at 7:15am on the 22.02.01. His last words were "I want a cold beer!". Dave's many followers and 3rd Ear Music friends extend their condolences to his family - to Stella, Olive & the children - and we will keep the Trust Fund going.
  ... read the letter >>
  
• Local Content and Music Development - January / February 2002
  Local Content and Music Development is a farce. It means nothing for music or musicians in this country. Mike Smith, Dave Hewitt, Dave Pollecutt, Alan Pierce and just last week another good 3rd Ear Music friend, Kessie Govender. Who were they? They were local content!
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• WINNER: eArts on eNews gets the shaft! - November / December 2001
  Roger Lucey was nominated for 2 Arts & Culture Trust Awards 2001 & he won it for eTV News in the category - MEDIA IN SUPPORT OF THE ARTS OF THE YEAR AWARD, sponsored by the Vodacom Foundation. He was one of the nominees in the ARTS AND CULTURE JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR AWARD, sponsored by Sun International which was won by Mike van Graan.
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• 3 Dear Music Friends have passed away recently - November / December 2001
  Radio Presenter & Rock Music guru, ALLAN PIERCE (on September 8); Guitarist, composer & Bandleader DAVE POLLECUTT & Singer songwriter MIKE SMITH.
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• Musicians & Music events - To Review or Not Review? Buskers or Beggars? - November / December 2001
  Why is SAfrican Arts, Music & Culture forgotten the moment the curtain closes? There has been an ongoing (if somewhat obscure) debate on the Artslink.co.za pages that may interest the odd musician visiting this site. Maybe you can pick up from there? There are two issues in this edition. The first is the question of Arts (Music) Funding. We have enclosed a telling piece written by Artslink editor Darryl Accone, an Arts Journalist with many years of passionate & dedicated Arts journalism experience. Where to for arts funding in South Africa? The second?
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• Revolting Troubadours on the war & peace path again. - September / October 2001
  Zimbabwe & the UN Conference on Racism in Durban. The Hidden Years repeated?
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• Where Does the Lion Sleep Tonight - September / October 2001
  We have had a lot of feedback & some comment on Rian Malan's story of musician / composer the late Solomon Linda.
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• Urgent appeal - medical attention for Stella Tarr - September / October 2001
  When a great musician is in trouble they can turn to their comrades for help.
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• RIP - RSA & USA Musicians Pass away - July / Aug 2001
  RIP - JohnHartford - By Richard Haslop from the Bruce Millar show on SAfm - 20th June 2001
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• For Humanity And Against Market Fundamentalism - July / Aug 2001
  By Richard Pithouse - Department of Philosophy, University of Durban-Westville, Durban, South Africa.
  The social milieu affects the content of philosophy, and the content of philosophy seeks to affect the social milieu, either by confirming it or by opposing it. - Kwame Nkrumah
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• Grahamstown Jazz Festival - 2001 - July / Aug 2001
  The University of Natal has been participating for many years in the Grahamstown Jazz Festival.... By Thabiso Victor Pooe
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• MMINO & NAC Report - July / Aug 2001
  from Thabiso VictorThe work that I am conducting in the archive studio is continuing along the same path as mentioned in my first work report.
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• The Thinking Club - May / June 2001
  Obviously most musicians & myself wouldn't qualify - But here's an interesting piece: - Brace Yourself - Yahoos are at our Doors by Pravasan Pillay a Political Philosophy Lecturer at the University of Durban Westville.
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• Fighting Words on the Future of the Earth - May / June 2001
  By request & without permission, 3rd Ear Music first issued this classic piece of oral literature back in 1980.
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• Foot Soldier for Apartheid - May / June 2001
  David Marks spends a day in George Town with ex STRATCOM Security Police Officer W/O Paul Erasmus.
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• Pain In The Neck - May / June 2001
  The South African Record Industry & the SABC agree to compensate cultural victims of apartheid? Or was that victims of cultural apartheid?
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• I Won't Take Back One Word - May / June 2001
  Check out how Hitler handled the safety & security of his state from being assaulted by Jazz Musicians in Austria & Germany just before WW II - It may just strike a familiar chord or two!
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• Where Does the Lion Sleep Tonight? - Part 3 - May / June 2001
  Part 3 of this intriguing Rolling Stone commissioned article by Rian Malan (Part 1and Part 2). What does civil rights folk singer Pete Seeger & Solomon Linda the composer of Mbube have in common?
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• SA mourns Paul Abrahams, Moses Molelekwa & Flo Mtoba - Feb. / March 2001
  SA Rock Digest's Stephen Segerman & Mountain Records' Paddy Lee Thorpe pay tribute.
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• Playhouse of Dilapidation & Dilemma - Feb. / March 2001
  Racists remarks like Rugby - 178 administrators & not one actor or dancer in the theatre company?
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• Thabiso Victor Pooe & Fran Markantonatos - Feb. / March 2001
  Feb. 2001 - Victor Thabiso Pooe & Fran Markantonatos - join the Hidden Years Music Archive Project on a part-time basis for the year 2001.
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• Where Does the Lion Sleep Tonight? - Part 2 - Feb. / March 2001
  Part 2 of this intriguing Rolling Stone commissioned article by Rian Malan (Part 1). What does civil rights folk singer Pete Seeger & Solomon Linda the composer of Mbube have in common?
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• The Hidden Years Book - Jan.2001
  Terry Rosenberg has agreed to help fund the 3rd Ear Music Hidden Years Book.
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• Where does the lion sleep tonight? - Part 1 - Jan. 2001
  Internationally renowned SAfrican author Rian Malan has researched & written a remarkable expose for Rolling Stone magazine in the USA, on the murky side of music's international mainstream. It's about SAfrican singer-songwriter Soloman Linda - The man who recorded & composed Mbube (aka - The Lion Sleeps Tonight / Whimaway / In the Jungle, etc.).
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• SAfrican Music in Crisis - Dec. 2000
  South African culture is being undermined writes Angus Kerr.
  Read this interesting & thought provoking piece by Angus Kerr - a Durban musician, studio owner & producer. One of many new voices that need to be heard above the din & racket of imported recorded product & the contentious issue of the IBA's (Independent Broadcasting Authority) 'Local Content Quota'. The term 'local music' has to go - says Angus & many others!
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• The principal function of popular culture - Dec. 2000
  "It is the principal function of popular culture - though hardly its avowed purpose - to keep men from understanding what is happening to them....people who have seen the same game, heard the same comedians, danced to the same din, read the same detectives, can form a community enthusiasts whose exchange of feelings helps persuade people that their experiences were real, reinforces judgments of their values and confirms their addictions...
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• The Power of the Music Media in SAfrica - Aug. 2000
  David 'Groucho' Marks shoots from the lip, once again & Chris Chapman responds with a wonderful piece.
  Read 'Diatribe in D Minor'.
  "Why dredge up the past? Let the music speak for itself."
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