Who is your local musical idol?

Stoffeltoo

The reason for this question emanates from an interview on SAFM today between 15h00 and 15h45.

Pops Mohamed. What an insightful and musically wise man.
His greatest quote live on air. "Listen to all music, if you do not understand it, it does not mean you must not like it, research it and learn to listen."

Wish I could meet him in person

Bob-Dubery

I don't have a single "idol" and the SA music scene is bigger than that. I had a soft spot for James Phillips because the music he made was so South African. He sang like a suburban South African white boy and his songs often dealt with the lot of a suburban South African white boy. Another very South African sounding act that I enjoyed was The Genuines. They couldn't have come from any other country, but they also didn't sound like they came from Soweto or Alex. Bright Blue were significantly influenced by and paid musical homage to the Soul Brothers, an organ driven township jive band. So there's three acts who weren't just from South Africa but made music that couldn't have come from any other country.

ArieRS265

my buddy Craig Goudge from Pestroy,Poverty of Ideals

Malkav

Robin Gallagher! ?

He's just a really cool dude, and on top of that an absolutely stellar guitar player, and I'm well envious of his hybrid picking chops ?

Really wish he'd gig around more, or shoot some videos of his original stuff, it's this really epic mix of country and rock with just the right amount of cheese and some very well thought out composition.

Jayhell

Albert Frost! He made me fall in love with the blues.

AlanRatcliffe

For me it would have to be Steve Newman. Master of dynamics and feel and totally dedicated and humble.

Keira-WitherKay

i'm with Alan on this one Steve Newman but include Tony Cox too .... i saw Steve and Tony play back ether late 70's or early 80's at 3 arts theatre in cape town and they inspired me to play instrumental guitar music .... and in fact inspired my career as a musician

Ray

The Parlatones.

Squonk

Trevor Rabin - I saw him live with Rabbitt in 1976 and he was quite an inspiration

Jonthan Butler - saw him on some TV program, loved his energy

Brendan Peacock - inspires me every time I see him play. One of SA's best

Norman86

Bokvet wrote: The Parlatones.

Ray, you beauty ? love it!

Shibbibilybob

ArieRS265 wrote: my buddy Craig Goudge from Pestroy,Poverty of Ideals

Goochy is a monster guitar player...and super tasteful too.
He bought himself a nice acoustic a few months back, and (no surprises) is writing incredible acoustic stuff too.
Interestingly, Kyle Williams who plays drums in Poverty is also an excellent acoustic guitar player. His mind can work in poly-rhythms like no one else I know. Even tho I am no drummer, he would make my local heroes list (along with the rest of Poverty, actually).

Tony and Steve are solid choices too. I am lucky enough to experience my own private Tony show once a week. A few weeks after I started going to Tony for lessons, I got to his house and Steve was there too. They'd both just been chilling and jamming by the pool all day. I'm not sure why, but it made me really happy that those two hang out like that.

As for other local heroes, New Academics were (in my humble opinion) one of the best bands in the world. I honestly feel that (given the opportunity) both The Apple and City of strange would have been suitable candidates for album of the year Grammy awards. I know that's all fantasy, but seriously, these albums are incredible... and Dave Baudains is now playing some super tasty acoustic stuff too.

DonRoos

Dan Patlansky is my man. I own all of his CD's

IceCreamMan

Dan and Albert for me

psyx

Francois van Coke!!

chris77

Idol? Hmmm. Lots of great musos, but none than I can think of as idols really.

Closest for me would be Koos Kombuis and Johannes Kerkorrel. They played a big part in my formative years.

nick_D01

mine would have to be johnny clegg guys ? . to have had a career for as long as he's had is really an achievement is one of the reasons. and if you go and see him today he's still putting in 110%, putting on a show. you'd be forgiven for thinking he only just recently signed his record contract, lol ? .

just something else as well guys, this topic is really a welcome one. something i believe is us the south african public don't give nowhere near enough support and praise to our (hardworking) local cats. or at least further than those that get played on the radio/tv.

Malkav

nick_D01 wrote: just something else as well guys, this topic is really a welcome one. something i believe is us the south african public don't give nowhere near enough support and praise to our (hardworking) local cats. or at least further than those that get played on the radio/tv.

Yeah dude, I don't think it's necessarily the most predominant mindset but in occasional conversations with people when SA musicians have come up some have given a sort of "oh what we have here is kinda second rate" vibe and that's just horrible. We have tons of gifted artists locally, I recently got to get in touch with a bunch of players for a string of clinics I was hired to facilitate the organisation of and got to hear about some really great players and artists out in areas I've never been to or looked into like Bloemfontein etc and through the whole process I just sat there really in awe of how hard working and humble each one I got in touch with was.

joealien22

For me, I would have to say Johnny Clegg along with Sipho Mchunu (made a massive impact on me growing up), Steve Newman (brilliant musician and very down to earth - he was my uncle's next door neighbour for a few years) and Koos Kombuis (lyrical legend). Across the border, Oliver Mtukudzi has also had a big impact on me in the past few years (since discovering his music).

AlanRatcliffe

Steve Newman is still on top for me (as much for attitude and approach to life as his music), but yes, I would have to add Juluka (Clegg/Mchunu) to my list too. Derek Gripper rises in my estimation (with a bullet!) with every thing I hear/see from him too.

A list of great players (which we've done before), would by necessity be many, many pages long - we do have a lot of wonderful players, but for me, the folk I really rate at the top are all innovators in one way or another, taking the music past where they found it.

Danny-B

When I was a kid, it was definitely Dan Patlansky. Then I got bored of the blues (theres only so much pentatonic playing I can handle). Now, I would say I don't have an idol, although I love Guy Buttery's music.