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160 It has been mentioned previously that Durban was the centre of the rock 'n'roll event in South Africa and that it spawned a number of key rock bands in the late 1960s. It has also been mentioned that a bustling and colourful live rock music scene flourished in Durban at the same time. It would, therefore, hopefully be assumed that a local rock sound would have emerged from Durban as a result of this local musical activity. Unfortunately, the factors of poor self-image and a fixation with British and American rock were too dominant for this to happen in a general overwhelming sense. The progressive bands such as The Third Eye and Abstract Truth have been discussed as exceptions to the commerciality of other popular Durban bands. Thus, it could be concluded that the global invasion by Anglo American rock of the South African music scene was successful in establishing itself as the dominant culture of English-speaking South Africans. This entrenchment of global culture was further aided by the poor self-image already present in English-speaking South Africans. The South African Music. Industry and its Contribution to the Identity Crisis. It should be remembered that Durban has never been the centre of the South African recording industry, and therefore this discussion cannot focus solely on record companies based in Durban. It is necessary to discuss the South African music industry as a whole in order to understand the kind of opposition it presented to Durban musicians. Oftentimes Durban musicians went to Johannesburg to record albums and singles, because the recording industry was (and still is) based there. The problems discussed were not unique to Durban, but were experienced by all South African rock musicians. The South African music industry, like most music industries worldwide, is controlled by dominant conglomerates. In this case, three main international record companies. i.e. Gallo, WEA (part
161 of Warner Brothers) and EMI. These record companies are the major record distributors to every retail outlet in the country, and are primarily geared to promoting and distributing'overseas' products. Muller points out that Galla recorded most indigenous forms of music in South Africa to cater for population groups not otherwise represented on the global music market, but that 'it was easy enough to import musical product from Britain and the USA for the English speaking communities in South Africa,.13 Besides the inferior status afforded local rock, musicians also had to contend with an apathetic music industry which was far better equipped to promote the global rock culture than a local one. The bad marketing skills of South African recording companies and their poor management of musical products were complaints of interviewees of all genres of rock during the course of research. Steve Fataar recalled The Flames's first album Urn Urn Oh Yea (1965) being recorded on the Rave label, but never being properly marketed by the recording company, with the result that less than twenty albums were sold. Another example of the apathy of the South African record industry towards local rock musicians in Durban was provided by Syd Kitchen who financed the first Utensils album, and then approached record companies to market it: ... but the doors remained closed, because essentially the music industry here is very geared to the overseas product ... they're not here for the local musicians ... , it took me a long time to come to terms with it, I ve knocked on the door many times .14 An interview with Don Clark of C&G Studios (a privately-owned studio and record company in Durban which opened in 1979), revealed some of the problems facing record companies in relation to the promotion and recording of local rock music. The main . , 13 C. Muller, 'White Pop and an Imagined English-Speaking Community in South Africa 1950-1990. 1994. 14 . Quoted from my interview with Syd Kitchen held on the 5th April,
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Lindy van der Meulen FROM ROCK 'N '
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ABSTRACT This thesis introduces the
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INTRODUCTION Reasons for Research T
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Thus, my twenty year period spans a
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Theoretical Perspectives Broad Theo
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13 rock musicians. Although I never
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18 a culture not different from my
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Chapter 5 20 Chapter Five addresses
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22 The line-up of the band went thr
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24 Africa. Although South Africa (o
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28 venues opened up in Durban which
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31 'sessions', and therefore were i
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33 bills. The separation of populat
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36 a 'golden decade' of opportuniti
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38 would give to South African pop
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49 have caused Durban rock bands to
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52 During this period, the scope fo
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43 57 If you make a jigsaw puzzle,
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62 members. This did not seem to af
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71 Durban Rag concert in early 1984
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75 Usuals played mainly reggae and
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78 The streetrockers played a comme
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80 greatest gift to song - the orga
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Figure 3. 83 The Mods From left to
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Figure 5. 85 Young Fan in a Paper F
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Figure 8 (please turn over). 88 Cro
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Figure 10. 90 Wild Youth and Fans i
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Figure 13. 93 Powerage From left to
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95 CHAPTER 3 ROCK MUSIC IN DURBAN I
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99 government and big business were
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101 Britain, Durban youngsters stro
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106 changing. We were lucky. We cam
Page 118: 110 Nothing really changed I'm glad
Page 123: 11 5 The Workers' resistance moveme
Page 127 and 128: 11 9 a final attempt to regain cont
Page 129: 121 Another song entitled 'System'
Page 133 and 134: 125 use of a maskanda-like guitar r
Page 138 and 139: 130 CHAPTER 4 WOMEN AND ROCK IN DUR
Page 140 and 141: 132 relationship of women to the ge
Page 142: 134 in the workplace [or band] .dO
Page 145: 137 family and band life. In practi
Page 153 and 154: 145 music and bitterly resented the
Page 156 and 157: 148 participate more actively in ro
Page 159 and 160: ..' 151 played by men (bass, electr
Page 161 and 162: Conclusion 153 This chapter has exp
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Page 167: 159 South Africa). Durban record co
Page 171 and 172: 163 Independent Record Companies an
Page 173: 165 local rock was inferior. Accord
Page 178: 170 strike one as particularly ente
Page 181: CONCLUSION 173 CHAPTER 6 This thesi
Page 185 and 186: 2 Cullen, J. 'Bruce Springstein's A
Page 187 and 188: 4 Martin, D. (tiansl V. Morrison),
Page 189 and 190: Newspapers and Magazines The Daily
Page 191: 8 ________• 'Love You A Little Mo
Page 194 and 195: Interviews 11 Baney, Brian, A Stiff
Page 196 and 197: 13 11. Leopard, 'Underestimator', f
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