Photographer Graham Rooke outside the Chelsea Underground in 1980 with 3 of the Sakhile band members (post- Spirits Rejoice): Sipho Gumede, Gabriel 'Mabi' Tobejane & Khaya Mhlangu. In the days when Hillbrow was an exclusively White area - the 'law of the land' was actually being broken.
Who fixed it then? 20 years on & Mabi is back in Sipho's new Band & Khaya too has his own outfit. (Photo by David Marks)

Mike Smith & Nino Rivera at the recent Southern Cross Music Festival near Mooi River - March 2000. The festival featured Texan singer songwriter Shawn Phillips & the legendary Ginger Baker among many. Mike Smith has just completed another new CD. Nino recorded many great musicians in the 70's & early 80's (Manley Van Niekerk & VideoSound Studios) - he has grown into an extremely successful herb farmer in the Drakensberg. However, Nino - who has not stopped playing guitar & writing his own songs - is rumoured to be putting another recording studio together at the old 'Erb farm House in the 'Berg. (Photo by David Marks)

Here's an historic collection of hidden years musicians together under one sunny Cape Town roof a couple of years ago. Left to Right: - Mel Green (on a visit from Boston in the USA / ex-Mel, Mel & Julian); the legendary Zim singer Songwriter & Art Director, Clem Tholet; Pretoria musician, music promoter & business trainer Theo Coetzee - now retired to the Free State - with Gail Coetzee & the equally legendary Richie Morris who sings in Cape Town when his not playing in the Arab Emirates. Richie & Fiona Morris will be joining Theo in the Free State later this year. (Photo by David Marks)

Here's a MOTH Hall session way back in 1962 - Witbank, nogal! Note the Beehives, Bobby Socks & The Boys Band - sporting Shadows steps & jerseys. (Left to Right) Drummer Johnny Comburos, Lead Guitar Jannie 'Hank' Marais, rhythm Guitar & Vocals, Peter Farnham & David Marks on Bass. The songs may not have been original back then, but the instruments were. Jannie Marias made his lead guitar & David's Bass in the Witbank Tech workshops. The Lead Guitar, Bass & Vocal all went through one guitar amp; and people came back week after week & said it sounded great?

We wondered aloud through the din & racket of recorded imported mainstream market driven product - cried the pop poet! So we did too! How many people know that Bruce Millar, who is heard by millions of SAfricans on SAfm's Bruce Millar Show, took the lead role in Des & Dawn's controversial production of Godspell for a number of years? In fact he had to play this role in front of a bench full of Judges after the show was served with a banning order in 1974 - for 'mixing the races' and being 'blasphemous'.
It was the watershed thin-end-of-the-wedge that saw the beginning of the end to segregated popular theatre in this country. Well, there we are - another hidden years music fable comes to light. And in any 'normal' society the music media - & certainly the radio station for the well informed that employs Bruce - would know that story and thousands more like it. Perhaps they'll learn?

The Rusike Brothers - a real life hot family band of good-looking & amazing sounding brothers from Zimbabwe - late 70's early 80's. 3eM lost touch with this great band It would be good to get any news & their whereabouts today. Left to right: Phillip, Calib, Abby, Colin & Tawande Rusike - Shed Music Studios, Harare, Zimbabwe.

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