FROM ROCK 'N 'ROLL TO HARD CORE PUNK - UKZN ...

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During this period, the scope for performing original music was
also drastically limited. Musicians were reduced to providing
background music as hotel and pub owners demanded that musicians
and bands played hit parade material for the patrons. Instead of
being the focus of attention, musicians became part of the
furniture, like human jukeboxes in inconspicuous corners.
Pub and Hotel Acts
Fortunately, the dismal picture painted above was not always the
case. There were musicians who became masters of the smaller
ensemble, managed to play their own music, and find favour with
their employers simultaneously. Such an outfit, was the Brian
Finch and Kenny Henson duo, who forged an exciting and popular
programme of folk-rock music from 1977 onwards. This was a
tremendously successful venture, both financially and musically,
and the duo was recognised as one of South Africa's best folk­
rock exponents. (Refer to cassette, Ex. 8).
In this instance, Brian Finch was the composer of most of their
music, and it is Finch's ability to write about 'local things
which appealed to people', his 'earthy, gutsy quality' and his
'catchy songs' that, according to Kenny Henson, was the root of
their popularity. Finch also had the ability to win people over:
Brian had this amazing ability to go into a room which
was completely hostile and within the space of two
numbers, would have them in the palm of his hand ...
have them rocking. w
The duo have five singles and four albums to their credit, all
of which proved very popular with both English and Afrikaans­
speaking audiences. The fact that they succeeded by playing their
own material was a feat in itself, but Henson informed me that
although people initially thought they would not be successful
doing so, they decided to go ahead anyway. By the time they had
39 Quoted from Kenny Henson from an interview I conducted on the 7th of
October 1994.