Mo continues to ‘box’ for original music despite a myriad of difficulties

If Mo Karim’s life could be put to music the song would be The Boxer. The Simon and Garfunkel classic sums up the struggle of a passionate, talented musician who has waited in parking lots hoping to see record producers; who has been left wondering from where his next meal would come. He has even dealt with death threats.

Despite a multitude of disappointments, Mo still has plans to finally record a CD he is satisfied with and also record a song written by Alberto Griffiths – Mo’s vocalist in the group Inner Secrets and who recently died at just 32.
“This will be our tribute to Alberto. It is a Zulu song he wrote called Thando Sami and the royalties will go to Niamoi, his daughter.”
Born in Inyati in the Hlobane area on November 19, 1965, Mo and his older brothers were always musical. Indeed, one brother, Herbert, was just 17 when he was asked to tour with the Ipi Tombi group featuring Margaret Singana. “He was really talented and he was dubbed the Black Elvis by the press,” Mo laughed.
When  his grandfather died, the family had to leave the Hlobane mine area and moved to Dundee where he completed his schooling at Dundee Secondary. He remembers helping his class music teacher and sometimes even ran the class! He wrote his first song, Touch of a Woman, while in school but was too shy to play it in front of anyone. He describes it as a love ballad.

“I would spend hours in my room playing guitar, writing songs. I later made friends with Eric Rauch who had a biltong shop here. We spent a lot of time together listening to music. Eric begged me to teach him guitar, which I did. He was the first person to whom I played some of my original songs to and he was shocked when told I was the writer!”
While he is inspired by the music of Chicago, The Eagles, Bread, John Denver, Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin and The Doors, Mo’s real passion is his desire to create original music.

He has worked for several bearing companies in Vryheid, commuting daily, to keep the home fires burning for his supportive wife, Shaida and son and daughter.

“While I had been invited to join some local bands I preferred to keep to myself and my music. In 2001, I finally felt I was ready to come out, as it were. “ He admits he is not a comfortable vocalist and went out auditioning for a singer who could interpret his songs. After 14 interviews, Shaida heard about a teenaged schoolboy, Alberto, who was singing in the DHS choir. “Alberto was asked to met my wife at Corner Supermarket where she then worked.

He arrived at 2.30pm and she told him to come back at 5.30pm when she knocked off but he was so determined he just sat outside the shop with his school bag waiting.” When Mo arrived home to audition Alberto he was knocked out.
“He sang a Craig Davids song, I am walking away. I liked the way he sang, he was natural, eager to learn.” Mo taught him guitar and the twosome was born. After recording original music at home an old-fashioned cassette recorder, Mo and Alberto headed for Joburg in 2004 via train, eager for their big break. They stayed over at a friend of a friend’s house in a township, and the two tried their luck at Gallo Records.

“Alberto sang Mrs Johnson – they loved it. The producer said how much money we have – we said just train fare. The producer said you need R5000 minimum to do a recording. Then he said he would pay for us but we should first go home and give him two weeks to organise the studio time.”

“We met a producer who said we can’t just walk in – we must follow procedure. The guy was having tea. I said we are all the way from Dundee – please just listen to this cassette while you are having tea. So he eventually agreed and listened to the first two tracks. He immediately said let’s go to the studio now – it was like a dream.”

The studio was fully stocked with equipment and a backing band.
“Alberto sang Mrs Johnson – they loved it. The producer said how much money we have – we said just train fare. The producer said you need R5000 minimum to do a recording. Then he said he would pay for us but we should first go home and give him two weeks to organise the studio time.”
They went back to Dundee but after two weeks they called Gallo Records only to find that the producer, Aamon Muvula, had disappeared. It was to be one of many disappointments.
Some time later Mo and Alberto had another to go to Joburg – this time to David Gresham Records. Again, they did not have an appointment. There was a queue of hopeful musicians in the reception area. Mo and Alberto stuck out like sore thumbs with their kitbags!
“There was no way we could afford to stay longer in Joburg and queue for days. We headed for the parking lot and simply waited for someone who looked like a producer.”
Eventually a car pulled in with two occupants. The Dundee lads pounced on them, cassette in hand. “The guy, Steven Reece, was a producer and he was very polite. He immediately popped the cassette into his music system in his car. He did not fast forward but listened for 20 minutes. Then he said, come guys, lets go to the studio. We followed these guys in, right past all those who were waiting in the reception. They gave us tea and biscuits which we welcomed – we were hungry.”

Mr Reece believed with some ‘tweaking’ there were some potential hits on the cassette. But, again, it was a question of money. R5000 was needed before David Gresham Records would record. With no money, Mo and Alberto headed back to Dundee. Trying not to be too downhearted, Mo formed Inner Secrets in 2008. It was his childhood dream realised to have a band. The band played all over Northern KZN – at casinos, parties and events. The late Mike Durham was so impressed with their music that he donated R20 000 to pay a recording at a Newcastle studio – the first Inner Secrets CD. “The tracks were laid down in four days which was remarkable. Normally, a ten track album should take 30 days to record.”

Mo was never happy with that recording. Without a professional producer, the music sounded empty. However, the CD has now sold about 350 copies. Mo’s wish is to have completely re-recorded professionally and believes it will be a hit.
In 2012 Inner Secrets left for Johannesburg where they played in night-clubs all over Gauteng to eventually win the Battle of the Bands competition which earned them a gig at Sun City. Again, the demons stepped in and after a hiccup with equipment the band never got to play.
They had a second bite of the cherry the following year and finished third in another competition at Sun City – again, they equipment failed them even though the judges were happy with the original sound they heard from the Dundee lads.
After that, Inner Secrets largely disbanded. But Mo continued to writes songs. He is a member of the SA Music Rights Organisation and with just a little break, he believes Inner Secrets will live again which will honour Mo’s prodigy, Alberto.