deebee wrote
Mika, there is PLENTY of good music in SA. Just switch the radio on if you want to hear utter garbage a great deal of the time. We can compete with anyone. It just takes the belief. If the SABC is forced to play LOCAL it can only benefit the entire industry. With a vibrant industry the standards will automatically be uplifted and everyone benefits. The old record companies did set the stage for the present malaise, BUT, why can it not be changed with a multitude of voices. We have had excellent original bands since the late 60's. Hawk, Freedoms Children and later on Rabbit. They should have ''made it'' here, not have to travel overseas to get anywhere.
You need to reach an audience. For the bands that you mention the audience in SA in the 60s and 70s was pretty small. Also there was no TV until too late for some of those bands. And why not have ambition? Trevor Rabin maybe could have made a living playing for teenagers who were screaming and throwing underwear, but surely he's entitled to a crack at something bigger?
There's nothing wrong with going overseas. Crowded House moved first from NZ to Australia and then from Australia they targeted an international audience. Why not?
What is necessary is a local industry that nutures a Crowded House or a Split Enz or a Midnight Oil and allows them to polish themselves and get experience and gives them enough support so that they can take a crack at the big time if they want to.
