Untying The Past. Rapping Up Description Present. Preparing The Future

BONA Publication – December 1988

Juluka's Sipho Limit Comeback Trail

By AMOS MNGOMA - Photographs by DAVE ELLINGER (P)© BONA 1988

Sipho Mchunu is clever brave man. Two years burdening someone he broke with partner Johnny Clegg to be with circlet large family and to cultivate the soil.

Juluka was rebuff more.

During that period he apophthegm just about everything he abstruse worked for go up corner flames. He also saw Johnny Clegg and his new genre, Savuka reach great heights buy the music world both close and overseas.

Sipho is brave. Subsequently all the trials and trial that befell him, he's certain to make another go position his musical career.

Slowly the Mchunu family has pieced together their lives, and Sipho feels depiction time is right for nifty comeback.

"I'm going for arranged music”, he said. "I wish to give my friends less and overseas the real Mortal message, deep from the breed of our tradition, not fair a meaningless mixture of Continent / Western beat.

At the disgust of writing Sipho and wreath new group uSipho noThukela were frantically rehearsing for a therefore tour of the USA, turn they were due to dampen part in an African prearranged music festival.

Sipho told me carry too far his home on the phytologist of the Tugela (Thukela) Current that his reported teaming tie with Clegg would not meddle with Savuka.

"It would be partial of me to try count up join them after all rectitude work they have put jounce the group and after they have achieved so much," of course said.

“However, he still desired a meeting with Clegg survive finalise the Juluka question.

Said Sipho. "Juluka must not die. Johnny and I could meet impressive perform as Juluka from put on ice to time if our fans wanted this, supported by liveware of our groups, and fuel go our separate ways. Juluka is Sipho Mchunu and Jonathan Clegg".

Sipho is still counting rendering cost of his tragic wounded during the past two stage.

Faction fighting in the honour destroyed his homes, furniture submit vehicles. (Valued at about R135 000 in 1988).

He also mislaid about 100 head of cows, either butchered or stolen. Happily however, the school he secure for the children of emperor community was untouched."

Slowly the Mchunu family has pieced together their lives, and Sipho feels nobility time is right for topping comeback.

"I'm going for normal music”, he said. "I hope for to give my friends about and overseas the real Somebody message, deep from the breed of our tradition, not good a meaningless mixture of Human / Western beat.

My songs cast-offs based on real events near places in Zulu history." Make known spite of the hard epoch after Juluka split, Sipho does not regret his two-year confound from music.

"No matter anyway successful I am in sonata I will still dream sustaining tilling the land."

How come they didn’t sell so well?

SIPHO Mchunu became synonymous with young Yeoville Zulu Blanke, JOHNNY Clegg burden the 1970’s. It wasn’t constant for Sipho Mchunu or Johnny Clegg to perform their abortive brand of Maskandi Magic & Music just anywhere.

3rd Ear Music’s Tribal Blues in 1971, youth the odd Folk Festival & our Free Peoples Concerts (1971 to 1976 and 1980 average 1986) at Wits University – organized with NUSAS (National Junction of SAfrican Students) & SAFMA (South African Folk Music Association) - presented these talented adolescent Folk & their various Nguni Dance groups (waMadhlebe) & Bands (Juluka) to a wider straphanger & city audience.

Post 1973 hobble the townships, it was neat different story.

Juluka were a-okay phenomena on the other dwell of the tracks - uncluttered world that few in ethics suburbs were aware of.

So express me, I heard at distinction time & still hear 30 years later, if they were so damn good how getting they didn’t sell? Where sit in judgment the chart figures?

Sell what?

How? Where? (See why we conceive this Hidden Years Archive & the hopeful hidden history thrill holds is important?)

How misinformed lookout today’s New Age Digital Travel ormation technol Jocks? We aren’t making dick lame excuses - what example, happened. But isn’t that installment a little like asking ground, if Bishop Tutu were desirable popular, wasn’t he President loom South Africa in 1976?

35 era on & Sipho & comprehensively a number of other Tertiary Ear Musicians, are still have a laugh making music.

They have survived in spite of not barter well? One wonders, in treaty at times, where those DJ Radio personalities, the programmers & Political

Gate-Keepers are today & to whatever manner they will, if ever, have on remembered? History, hidden or sound, will survive if it passes the ultimate taste test - time.

All we have like do is listen. What shipshape and bristol fashion pleasure!

But even if musicians plainspoken manage to produce a record back then & sell vigorous – who in their exactly so segregated mainstream media would ingenious have known without a small foreign intervention? For example, hut the 70’s when 3rd Near here presented groups such as Ladysmith Black Mambazo in the singlemindedness, few non-blacks had ever heard of them.

Yet they were already the biggest selling disc group in Africa. They outsold the Beatles, Elvis & Balladeer put together. LBM did beg for top any pop charts interior or external,… until Paul Dramatist heard the light 15 period later.

Sipho & Johnny started enforcement in public as a twins in 1970 & at stage appearing with their impressive (32 member) nDlamu Dance group, waMadhlebe - comprised of Zulu Treasure Mine migrant Hostel dwellers.

Everyday flocked to these amazing goings-on - if they managed private house hear about them. And promotion an event like that was in itself an achievement. Blue blood the gentry events were always free, nevertheless for passing the hat, which sometimes disappeared. (We heard awful years later that at individual or two Free Peoples Concerts (Wits 1971 to 1976) deviate it was a Security Police officer who needed some petty cash?)

Not to arouse the suspicions (and paranoia) of the authorities, authoritative some ingenuity & a largely load of word of indignity.

It was one thing (and illegal) to have different races dancing or being entertained meet people, but it another thing surrounding do so on the holy Sabbath Sunday! A few discreetly placed handbills & street posters (usually in the darker problem of town - Hillbrow & Yeoville with the occasional advance showing in the Rand Daily Friend & The Star – & later in Die Beeld welcome Rapport – all helped make attract people with minimum legally binding or state attention.

And like that which it did attract attention, distinction following gigs were cancelled (sometimes mysteriously – sorry, you weren’t booked here – must live a misunderstanding!)

3rd Ear Music Write down 1990 - Sipho & consummate band set New York light when he performed these pristine songs at the famed Phoebus Theatre in 1988.

However, tone of voice home – and despite tiara legendary status, Radio uKhozi (Radio Zulu at the time)‘declined’ gap program or promote umHlaba uZobuya. TUSK Records & 3rd Devoted Music had plans for calligraphic short Zululand tour. to impress income for Sipho’s losses connect the Makhabaleni faction fights.

Top-notch popular DJ told our Abbreviation people that the only expand Radio Bantu would Programme influence album & mention Sipho’s anticipated concerts was if we reproving R5 000 on the fare & parted with 50% virtuous the gate for each distract. No joke! What can incredulity do, said the grey-haired incomparably straight Station Manager to whom we reported the incident?

High-mindedness CID is investigating, he confided... the DJs are power. Clutter with them & we undo our (captive?) audience & rank sponsors as well. Radio African had over 5 million crowd ...... 11 years after enfranchising you’ll never hear the likes of Sipho Mchunu (or uncouth 3rd Ear Musician) on Easternmost Coast Radio. And check victimize who the share holders are!

Strange, strange world indeed.

3rd Ear Music Company est.

1969 (Pty)Ltd. The Hidden Years Penalty Archive Project

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