Book explores history of SA rock music

In 1972, two young aspiring musicians Danny de Wet and Lucien Windrich met at school in Boksburg, formed a band and then spent hours and hours in a rehearsal room in Brenthurst, Brakpan.

Years later, that band developed into one of South Africa’s most iconic groups from the 80s, éVOID – which had two mega-hits with Shadows and Taximan.

Danny has now written the definitive first-hand history of SA rock, and for the book launch concert on April 6, Lucien, his friend of five decades, is flying in from London to perform with Danny and celebrate with other guests.

The show will take place at 19:00 at the Barnyard Theatre at Emperors Palace.

Lucien and a whole host of musical friends will join Danny as he steps on stage once more to celebrate the launch of his book, Sex, Drums & Rock ‘n Roll … in Africa.

For the last five years, Danny was happy to let his drumsticks gather dust, as he wrote the history of SA rock music within the varied roles he has played over the last 40 years – musician, producer, venue owner and record company marketing force at David Gresham Records as well as for The Parlotones.

Cito and Martin Schofield, Danny’s former bandmates from Wonderboom, are part of a cast that includes Paul Hodgson from The Parlotones, Rob McLennan and Ian Wiggins from No Friends of Harry, and three long-time close friends in Tim Parr (Baxtop/Ellamental), Ajay Lotter (The Electric Petals) and Larry Rose (Hotline).

There will also be a special guest appearance by Duck Chowles, the dynamic performer and mastermind of numerous Barnyard Theatre productions.

For the first time ever, Lucien and Cito will duet on SA’s most enduring mega-hit Shadows – the original éVOID gem that Wonderboom took to the top of the charts again, a decade and a half later.

Other hits that Danny played on like Sister Love, Johnny Calls The Chemist and Africa are included, along with iconic South African classics by the likes of The Asylum Kids, Hawk, Johnny Clegg and The Radio Rats.

International influences are also paid homage to, as Danny and his friends tip their hats to Bob Dylan, The Beatles,

The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Cure, Simple Minds, Rodriguez and more.

Ten vocalists, nine guitarists and three drummers performing on the night make this unique spectacle a not-to-be-missed extravaganza.

Sex, Drums & Rock ‘n Roll … in Africa is the only book of its kind to comprehensively, yet entertainingly document the history of rock music in South Africa.

Danny’s engaging, humorous, sometimes self-deprecating and cheeky style will take you on an exhilarating trip down memory lane as you rediscover the people, places and songs that shaped a generation.

Anyone who grew up in the 70s, 80s and 90s will revel in the stories of the bands and musicians who were instrumental in creating the unique soundtrack of a nation on the brink of transformation, and then for a country embracing its destiny.

Danny lived the rock ‘n roll lifestyle and saw it all from behind the drum kit. From school halls to packed stadiums, thumbing lifts to riding in limos and everywhere in between, this is an unequivocal tribute to his bandmates, influences, friends, family and fans who made it all possible.

Danny’s four-decade career in the entertainment industry includes stints at prestigious record companies, marketing Prime Circle/The Parlotones and co-owning the Wings Beat Bar venue, at which The Springbok Nude Girls made their Johannesburg debut and Chris Chameleon’s university band held down a residence.

As a musician, he headlined every major festival in South Africa, playing to over a hundred thousand fans at the milestone Concert in The Park charity event and appearing on bills with Simple Minds, Live, 30 Seconds to Mars, Korn, The Mission, Muse, Kaiser Chiefs, Mike and The Mechanics and Good Charlotte.

Danny’s unique adventure includes meaningful encounters with international superstars like Eric Clapton, U2, Richard Branson, Rodriguez, David Lee Roth (Van Halen), Coolio and the late Chris Cornell (Soundgarden/Audioslave).

He also arranged international clinics by Tom Petty’s drummer and Linkin Park’s Grammy-nominated sound engineer as well as tour managing Feeder, Wishbone Ash, Soulfly, Missy Higgins, Starsailor and Wayne Hussey.

Sex Drums & Rock & Roll… in Africa, the way overdue, much anticipated ‘inside track’ story of South African rock ‘n roll from the late 70s to the present, cannot be told as comprehensively and colourfully by anyone but Danny… throughout the southern part of the African continent, there is nobody with such an abundance of first-hand knowledge, in as many facets, of the rock music business.

A plethora of anecdotes from the bands Danny played for rival the escapades of international wild rockers like Ozzy Osborne, with whom he shares a birthday, and are accompanied by a myriad of ‘behind the scenes’ revelations that tell stories about Karen Zoid, The Parlotones, No Friends of Harry, Barney Simon, Springbok Nude

Girls, Brenda Fassie, Prime Circle, Johnny Clegg, The Radio Rats, Sugardrive, Koos Kombuis, Wings Beat Bar, David Gresham Records and many more.