I woke up to a distinct chill on the air and the first snow on our side of Lesotho’s Maluti Mountains. The weather certainly called for something to keep me warm and it came in the form one of South Africa’s top international EDM duo’s, GoldFish. Thanks to them I bounced my way through my morning chores and set a happy mood for an otherwise grey day.
Monthly Archives: April 2021
A Tribute to Greg May
Last weekend we said farewell to one of our original Loving the Music members, Greg May, who was senselessly murdered in his Smithfield home. Today is Greg’s wake, and although I can’t be there, I will be joining the proceedings on Zoom later. I have dedicated today’s post to him. Greg introduced me to some rather special musicians since we linked up on Facebook some years ago, and what better way to honour his memory than to revisit some of them today.
The Cleverness of Groundation
I have heard lots of Reggae during the years, some good, some mediocre and some just plain awful, but the band I have decided to feature today falls in the realm of exceptional. I have posted tracks from them occasionally, and today feels like another Groundation kind of day.
Mini-Feature: Captain Kirk’s Musical Career
It has been one of those weeks that left me feeling emotionally, creatively and spiritually drained and I think some serious cheering up is in order. The stand-out laugh of the week came when my long-suffering housemate shared a surprising version of William Shatner (yep, Captain Kirk himself) ‘singing’ Pulp’s huge hit ‘Common People’.
Mini-Feature – Equador
My brother sent me a heads-up about an album a few days ago. The musicians recorded it under the name Equador, and I was happy to uncover that Equador is the brainchild of the uber-talented Henry Binns (of Zero 7 fame) and his lovely wife, the Lady Catherine Anna Brudenell-Bruce (daughter of the Earl of Cardigan), otherwise known as Bo Bruce.
Mini-Feature: Henry Ate
A South African band that truly deserve the recognition they received is Henry Ate, the hitmaking outfit founded and headed by vocalist Karma-Ann Swannepoel and Julian Sun. From the duo’s first live appearance at Wings Beat Bar in Johannesburg in 1995, they went on to become one of the country’s biggest hit machines, holding their own on the charts against the slew of international acts over the years.
Imogen Heap – An Innovative Force of Nature
I’m glad I am late to the party regarding some musicians. It gives a better sense of perspective of the artist when you have a collection of work to draw from, and the amount of work that Imogen Heap has put out since she started writing songs as a 13-year-old is nothing short of phenomenal. Not only in the world of album releases, but in everything from theatre, film and TV compositions, music production and engineering, talks and lectures, and some groundbreaking inventions and innovations to boot.
Crossing the Line – Gender Bending Songs of the 70s
Today, i’m featuring three songs from the 1970s that cover the same theme – gender bending. I was a young gay man when these songs hit the charts, and I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. The gay community of the time lapped them up, which is understandable, but the popularity wasn’t restricted to the underground minority and went on to become international hits.
Mini- Feature: Stereo MC’s
Hip-Hop can be a polarizing topic amongst older music-lovers. I always found that British Hip-Hop tends to be more melodic and easier on the ear than its American counterpart. Although pure Hip Hop and RAP are not be my favourite genre, their impact is undeniable. The genre outlived trend status and has been incorporated into numerous musical styles.
Loving the Music 