Gothic rock Music of South Africa

In the year 1983, Dog Detachment was one of the earliest orchestra which blended Post-Punk music with rudiments of Gothic rock. No Friends of Harry was the first south African Gothic rock ensembles, which was established during the mid-1980s. The Autumn Ritual, Penguins in Bondage, The Gathering (not to be mistaken with the Dutch metal ensemble), The Attice Muse, and The Death Flowers of Nol-cypher were other popular ensembles from the second half of the mid-80s.

source of picture: en.wikipedia.org

During the year 1995, The Awakening was created by vocalist, guitarist and producer known as Ashton Nyte. The ensemble is recognized in the major national press as South African’s most popular Gothic Rock act and it is the one of the top ensembles in the far broader Alternative scene and also headline main national festivities all over South Africa, which comprise the country’s biggest music festival known as Woodstock, in addition to Oppikoppi and RAMFest. It is more than a dozen top ten national single between the year 1998 and 2007, the Awakening was the first goth-patterned act to have main achievement in South African.

Another popular goth musician was the Chapter Eternal, who had his hit cover known as Here comes the man originally by Boom Boom Room.

The new Mahotella Queens line-up unified with Mahathini and the Makgona Tsohle Ensemble in the year 1983, due to unforeseen demand from mgqashiyo and mbaqanga supporters. Ladysmith Black Mambazo took their original step into the international showground with Paul Simon on his Graceland album in the year 1986, where a numbers of reissue albums by United States label known as Shanachie sold very well. Mambazo became world traveller, tripping the world and cooperating with different western artists to massive achievement. Graceland won numerous titles including the Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year. a year after, Simon released Black Mambazo’s first United States release, known as Shaka Zulu, which also won the Grammy Award in the year 1988, for Best Traditional Folk Album. And since then, the group has won fifteen Grammy Award Nominations and three Grammy Awards wins which include one of 2009. The Graceland album does not only pushed Mambazo into the spotlight, but smooth the way for other South African acts (which include Ray Phiri, Stimela, the Queens, Amaswazi Emvelo, Mahlathini, Moses Mchunu and many others) to become popular worldwide as well.

In the 70s Johnny Clegg began his Zulu playing of traditional music with Sipho Mchunu and became notable as the only major white artist playing folk black music, attaining achievement in France as Le Zoulou Blanc (The White Zulu). Also in the 80s saw a rebirth in rock and roll ensembles such as the Petit, Tellinger, Helicopters and Sterling.