Category Archives: News

It Was 24 Years Ago Today… That I Saw Rodriguez Play! | Brian Currin

Rodriguez and Brian Currin on the 7th March 1998… with just autographed, rolled-up set list clutched in his hand! The Set List I WonderOnly Good For ConversationCan’t Get AwayCrucify Your MindJane S. PiddyTo Whom It May ConcernLike JanisInner City BluesStreet BoyA Most Disgusting SongI’ll Slip AwayHalfway Up The StairsI Think Of YouRich Folks HoaxClimb UpContinueContinue reading “It Was 24 Years Ago Today… That I Saw Rodriguez Play! | Brian Currin”

All Night Radio at The Concert In The Park, 37 Years Ago Today!

This post has moved to SARockMusic.com https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNjHgq-aeyU&list=PLfkRnD6T_qbSVQlVRDbyvsYpkbu_O9and&index=1 Concert held at Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg on the 12th January 1985 in aid of Operation Hunger. When we got to Ellis Park that afternoon the stadium was heaving with 110 000 South African music fans packed in across the turf, throughout the stadium and up on theContinueContinue reading “All Night Radio at The Concert In The Park, 37 Years Ago Today!”

Sugar Man – Just Jinger

1001 South African Songs You Must Hear Before You Go Deaf by John Samson When Rodriguez walked out onto the stage in Cape Town back in 1998 to kick off his first ever SA tour, he thanked the audience for keeping him alive. And a large part of that thanks could have been directed towardsContinueContinue reading “Sugar Man – Just Jinger”

Turn it Down: A look back at that time Sixto Rodriguez dissed the MC5 | City Pulse

Detroit street-poet folky appeared in the ‘60s then disappeared From City Pulse   Sixto Rodriguez, shown here in 1969, is now 78 and lived through decades of musical obscurity. COURTESY: Rich Tupica In a 1969 interview, Mexican-American singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez had some harsh words for some of his fellow Michigan musicians. “I don’t have muchContinueContinue reading “Turn it Down: A look back at that time Sixto Rodriguez dissed the MC5 | City Pulse”

Train Don’t Run – New Video from Steve Louw

Steve Louw and his band Big Sky appeared with Rodriguez on the sold-out South African tour in 1998 as featured in the Oscar-winning film “Searching For Sugar Man”. Here is the official video for “Train Don’t Run”, created by Jacqui van Staden. From the album “Headlight Dreams”, produced by Kevin Shirley and released 7 MayContinueContinue reading “Train Don’t Run – New Video from Steve Louw”

Have you got your ticket to watch MEX21? Online until 2 Oct

WATCH #MEX21 ONLINE NOWLauded and awarded for its consistent commitment to the broader South African music industry, #MEX21 runs until 2 October 2021, with a wealth of quality international and local speakers.Click here to secure your tickets & watch onlineOur Keynote speaker, from Australia, is Michael Smellie. He speaks about the seven deadly sins of the musicContinueContinue reading “Have you got your ticket to watch MEX21? Online until 2 Oct”

“Sixto” by Orjan Hulten Orion featuring Ernie Bruce

Liberia Ballad by Orjan Hulten Orion featuring Ernie Bruce https://open.spotify.com/track/3OoONGQL7U3OBLXjRJlgEu?si=af4714fdcb8b46bb “Sixto” by Orjan Hulten Orion featuring Ernie Bruce I am Ernest Bruce (Ernie Bruce), a singer living in Monrovia, Liberia (West Africa).In collaboration with the Swedish group Orjan Hilten Orion, we recently released an album entitled “Liberia Ballad… Orjan Hulten Orion featuring Ernie Bruce” TheContinueContinue reading ““Sixto” by Orjan Hulten Orion featuring Ernie Bruce”

BLK JKS – Abantu / Before Humans

BLK JKS, (pronounced Black Jacks), are a South African rock band from Johannesburg, formed in 2000. Childhood friends Mpumelelo Mcata and Lindani Buthelezi grew up together in Spruitview, East Rand, where they founded the Blk Jks in 2000. After varying line-ups, they were joined by Molefi Makananise (bass) and Tshepang Ramoba (drums) from Soweto andContinueContinue reading “BLK JKS – Abantu / Before Humans”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 7 by Steve Louw

“What are we doing, a polka thing?” Scott Crago laughed as he breezed past me into the studio. With long blonde hair and Southern Californian surfer vibe, he looked the part for the gig he had just landed as the Eagles’ drummer for their reunion tour. It was May 1994, and I was in BrooklynContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 7 by Steve Louw”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 6 by Steve Louw

It was past midnight when Jimmy Iovine and The Edge walked into the studio where we were mixing “Waiting for the Dawn”. He was producing Rattle and Hum with U2, and they were recording guitar in the room next door. The studio sheet showed that “MaWayJa” was in with Shelly Yakus, and they wanted toContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 6 by Steve Louw”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 4 by Steve Louw

It was Kevin’s 25th birthday and he was leaving South Africa for Australia. He had hired Rita’s, a big underground club, and all of the artists with whom Kevin had made records were playing. We had just finished the second All Night Radio album, and Tim Parr of Ella Mental had come in and playedContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 4 by Steve Louw”

Illuminating Headlight Dreams

by Brian Currin, June 2021 Back in early April 2021, I read a press release announcing a new album coming from Steve Louw and it included the video of a song called “Crazy River”. I loved the big open spaces this song evoked (and enhanced by the video) and the subtle African guitar sounds remindedContinueContinue reading “Illuminating Headlight Dreams”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 3 by Steve Louw

Little Steven – Voice Of America It was a hot summer in 1984 in Johannesburg when Little Steven (aka Miami Steve van Zandt) looked straight into my eyes through the lens of my camera. He was listening to the live recording of my band, All Night Radio, and I could see he was into it.ContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 3 by Steve Louw”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 2 by Steve Louw

All Night Radio (early 80’s) with Steve Louw (centre) AUGUST 1981: The Stones’ ‘Start Me Up’ echoed off every wall, and blared out of every cab window and shop door in the hot August weather in New York City. Their groove and the pulse of the city seemed to be superimposed, laying down a thickContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 2 by Steve Louw”

The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 1 by Steve Louw

MARCH 2020: It’s a cold winter Sunday morning in Nashville, Tennessee. We stopped next to the big black idling tour bus parked outside the studio. Joe Bonamassa climbed down grinning, wearing his trademark baseball cap and hoodie, carrying his Les Paul and a small vintage Fender Deluxe amp. Joe Bonamassa, Nashville, TN, March 2020. LayingContinueContinue reading “The Cold Facts…. A Journey On The Road Ahead, part 1 by Steve Louw”