Words by Justin Turford
John Armstrong is a music historian, DJ, promoter (his regular daytime events at The CLF Art Lounge & Roof Garden are a must for lovers of live Latin, Afro and Brazilian music) and a legendary music compiler (he has curated well over 200 compilations for various labels!) so who better to bring together a fresh overview of the ‘Bubblegum’ sounds of Black South Africa during the dying days of Apartheid?
‘Yebo! Rare Mzansi Party Beats from Apartheid's Dying Years’ is an exceptional selection of tracks that highlights the diversity of a scene that was partly created out of the youth needing to continue to party and celebrate whilst under the strangling yoke of the regime but also as a practical response to the difficulties that the musicians were facing as a result of the (nearly) global boycott of the Apartheid government. There was also the availability for the first time of new technology - synthesisers and drum machines - the sound of USA 80’s boogie and soul permeates this album but of course, with those celebrated Mzansi flavours. It’s palpable on this comp how Black SA became the House Nation (nobody consumes and produces house music as voraciously like modern South Africa) - the music here signposts how it developed - there was always a 4/4 rhythm behind so much SA music such as Township Jive and Mbaqanga compared to other African music scenes where polyrhythmic complexities were the roots of the songs.
I am honoured to call John a friend so I pinged him a few questions..
JT - You’re no beginner when it comes to curating a compilation John - What was your starting point on this one? Were there tracks you really hoped to be included but couldn’t?
JA - The starting point with this one came from a real frustration back in the 80s of not being able to source great South African dance music at my weekly Bass Clef (legendary club that became the Blue Note in Hoxton Square in London) Afro nights.. One could find the Mahlatini type Mbaqanga material- which was fine, if a little too 'traditional' for the mixes that I had in mind, and there was the Cape/Township jazz tunes - also fine. But in the UK at least, there was nothing that bridged the dance party gap - which is odd when you consider that this music was being recorded in SA while the UK was just seguing into House, etc. So I hooked up with the late Peter Johns, a great Zimbabwean radio and club DJ, who needed UK and USA soul and pop; we exchanged records in the post, simple as that! When I realised how much I liked Bubblegum and how much my punters liked it, I'd put in repeat orders for anything Peter recommended, and I'd do likewise for him from my end.
There were a few tracks that I couldn't get for the simple reason that they were owned by international majors now - Universal in particular, and, as I'm sure everyone knows, it's just not economically viable for an independent record label, even a hugely successful one like BBE to pay the often ridiculous sums that majors ask for when licensing.
That said, there were also lots of tracks that I could have sourced and licensed but for which there simply wasn't room on just one compilation: watch this space for a possible Volume 2!
JT - Hearing Jellybean Benitez style productions during such harsh times jars a bit when you know the facts. This urbane, happy go lucky sound wasn’t being played in uptown nightclubs right? Where was this music getting played?
JA - I'd respectfully disagree! Hard times have often produced wonderful music: the Blues; Gospel, etc. Think of the terrible times that produced wonderful music such as that. People want to feel uplifted more than ever in such sad and desperate circumstances, I'd say.
JT - Was there any pushback against this new sound from other SA musicians / producers of the era? Also, was there disagreement about the name? Bubblegum seems such a wack name for such a broad selection of sounds but I get its phonetic / imagery / simplicity.
JA - I think originally, critics called it Bubblegum disparagingly: but then Bubblegum lovers simply 'owned' the name. Similar trajectory to the USA craze for 'Popcorn' music.
JT - Tracks like ‘I Was Born In Africa’ by Richie S sound like Italo! Was this something you were aiming for in one way - to highlight the links between then and now (House music’s continuing global dominance?).
JA - Yes, and I think that your choice there is an excellent example. ‘I Was Born In Africa’ highlights the fact that it wasn't 'just one sound'. Bubblegum had as many facets as Popcorn, or House, even Soul for that matter.
JT - ‘Ku Hluvukile Eka Zete’ by Obed Ngobeni & Kurhula Sisters doesn’t appear to me to be Bubblegum - tell me why I’m wrong!
JA - I wanted to include Obed Ngobeni because I believe that his 'village ' Tsonga sound contained the seeds of Shangaan Disco - Peta Teanet, Paul Ndlovu, and so on. It can't be a coincidence that Peter ‘Hitman’ Moticoe produced this particular Obed tune in '83, then Paul Ndlovu only a couple of years later.
JT - The later tracks on the record don’t seem so ‘poppy’ - what was changing in SA?
JA - Yes, the 'poppy' element became gradually darker, that's true. Some put it down to the increasing global visibility of hip hop and rap; but also, I think the music simply developed, and became something different - as it would over the coming decades: Kwaito, Amapiano, Gqom, Cape Hop, SA House, and so on.
As always, the mighty BBE will be releasing this in a beautifully packaged and remastered way, some of these productions have probably never sounded so fat on vinyl!
An essential snapshot of 80’s Black SA clubland that will be heard across the summer festivals. 10/10.
Released on June 30 2023 on BBE
Pre-order here! https://bbemusic.bandcamp.com/album/yebo-rare-mzansi-party-beats-from-apartheids-dying-years-compiled-by-john-armstrong