The return of the legends brings lifetime recognition

From performing at clubs in Hillbrow, to selling out the The Barnyard Theatre at Silverstar – The Staccatos have created a timeless journey that even their fans can’t get seem to shake off.

Brian le Gassick, who is the original founder of the group, and Steve Ashley (the lead singer of the group) were both awarded with lifetime achievement awards as a duo for Staccatos for their 60 years of contribution to the music industry on April 28, 2021 at the Afri Indie Awards. The duo, who paired with manager Ebeth Loots in 2016, have created an award winning trio, with Loots winning an accolade for Best Artist Manager of the year, also at the Afri Indie Awards.

Steve shared a few words about receiving the award, “It makes you feel that from your hard work, there is some respect,” he said as he reflected back on the accolades they had received in the last two years. The Staccatos have been around for over 60 years, “I started way back when I was still in Damelin College,” Brian said.

A few friends came together, and one of his friends had a guitar and was learning how to play it even though the friend was younger than Brian, he did not let that get to him, “I thought to myself, you know what if he can do it, I can do it,” the founder said.

Fun was, and continues to be, the inspiration of the duo.

“We did it for fun, we didn’t do it to get rich or anything else, we were having fun,” he continues by saying that they enjoyed making music. After a while, Brian took a break from music because he thought people would be tired of seeing an old men on stage and started his new hobby with cars and bikes. It was only in 2016 after a persistent Loots refused to give up, Brian finally gave in, and the Staccatos were back, “Because he [Steve] was a former member of the Staccatos, a lot of people started enquiring about the whereabouts of the band, so of course I also wanted to know,” Loots says as she shines a light that she too was curious as to where the founder had gone.

After two to three years of convincing, the boys were back and this time more diverse than before with the band also being classified as a seven piece band and a duo.

The show at Barnyard Silverstar was according to Loots, one of those shows that people expected to be boring but was the total opposite as they were able to sell the entire theatre out. The two, who describe their shows as fun and entertaining, have been awarded with lifetime achievements for just that, together with a manager that stops at nothing and also gets recognised as Best Artist Manager of the year – this trio can only go higher.

With a new music video on the way, a studio album after 48 years and nine awards since 2016, the sky is the limit for this iconic band.