Johnny Clegg stops by Midrand
BEAULIEU - British-born South African music legend Johnny Clegg shared some thoughts on his music career with Mix FM's Roxy Blows and Midrand Reporter.
Johnny Clegg is well known for recording and performing with bands such as Juluka, which he formed with Sipho Mchunu, and Savuka. He is loved for his great songs such as Great Heart, Impi and many more. The singer-songwriter and dancer is famed for his love of Zulu and traditional Zulu dancing.
Clegg said, “I learnt to dance in the hostels during apartheid years. I was arrested a couple of times for trespassing. The police could not understand why I failed to see the racial lines that divided South Africa at the time.
“I danced with my friends in the townships because I did not see colour first. I saw people. My experiences enabled me to learn to play street music from the streets of Johannesburg.”
Blows congratulated Clegg for featuring on the September cover of Rolling Stone SA magazine. “It felt good to be honoured like that,” he said. “I received a lot of the accolades whilst outside South Africa in 1987 and 1996. I was made a French Knight, which is the highest award the french government bestows on musicians and anyone who has excelled in an industry.
“Last year, here at home, I was awarded the order of Ikhamanga for bringing together African traditional music and other forms of music during apartheid. Being recognised for what one does is always great motivation.”
Clegg used to lecture anthropology at Wits University. He said he would love to teach again but his tours took a lot of his time. “I love anthropology because it teaches a person about culture,” he said. “My love for anthropology helped me understand different cultures and love people for who they are. It led to my love for mixing African music and Celtic folk music.”
Clegg will perform his show, A South African Story, at the Teatro, Monte Casino from 29 November to 1 December 2013.
Details: Computicket.
