{"id":98216,"date":"2017-07-18T18:47:38","date_gmt":"2017-07-18T16:47:38","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/the-war-that-provided-the-soundtrack-for-subversive-afrikaans-rock-the-conversation\/"},"modified":"2017-07-18T18:47:38","modified_gmt":"2017-07-18T16:47:38","slug":"the-war-that-provided-the-soundtrack-for-subversive-afrikaans-rock-the-conversation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/the-war-that-provided-the-soundtrack-for-subversive-afrikaans-rock-the-conversation\/","title":{"rendered":"The war that provided the soundtrack for subversive Afrikaans rock | The Conversation"},"content":{"rendered":"

The war that provided the soundtrack for subversive Afrikaans rock<\/a>: <\/p>\n

Bernoldus Niemand (aka James Phillips) at the Market Theatre Warehouse in Johannesburg, 1989. <\/span> John Hogg\/The Times<\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 1967, military conscription became compulsory for all white men in South Africa over the age of 16. In the subsequent two decades the country got ever deeper involved in the so-called \u201cBorder War\u201d on the Namibian\/Angolan border. The war was primarily fought between the South African Defence Force (SADF) and the South West African People\u2019s Organisation (Swapo). Under the hawk-ish President PW Botha, the role of the military was expanded.<\/p>\n

The concurrent militarisation of white South African society, as well as the construction of white militarised masculine identities, were powerful societal forces. However, they grew increasingly unpopular. It elicited some resistance from within South Africa\u2019s white population.<\/p>\n

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PW Botha.<\/span> Mike Hutchings\/Reuters<\/span><\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This resistance was indicative of wider dissent and opposition to apartheid especially in popular culture. English-language rock bands like Bright Blue, the Kalahari Surfers and the Cherry Faced Lurchers, along with solo artists like Roger Lucey, were openly opposed to apartheid and the conscription of white males into the armed conflicts. <\/p>\n

These artists often performed under the banners of the End Conscription Campaign, a lobby group formed in 1983 to end compulsory military service. These performances were highly politicised and held a considerable element of risk for the artists.<\/p>\n

Culture supporting the war<\/h2>\n

In contrast, popular culture in support of the war effort (music, film and literature as propaganda) was common. Numerous pro-war music releases in both English and Afrikaans appeared on the market. <\/p>\n

Among the Afrikaans releases were albums by two of the most popular South African singers of all time, G\u00e9 Korsten\u2019s \u201cHuistoe\u201d (Homewards) and Bles Bridges\u2019s \u201cOnbekende Weermagman\u201d (Unknown Soldier). Notably, while some English bands were openly opposed to the army, the war and apartheid, Afrikaans music remained almost completely compliant. Protest among Afrikaners was still rare, although there are some exceptions.<\/p>\n

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The sleeve of the record \u2018Hou my vas korporaal\u2019 (Hold me tight corporal).<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 1983, two acts released Afrikaans songs that parodied the army experience. Opposition towards conscription and South Africa\u2019s involvement in the Border War was steadily increasing at the time. Bernoldus Niemand (the alternative persona of English-speaking musician James Phillips) released his single \u201cHou my vas Korporaal\u201d (Hold me tight, Corporal). The rock group Wildebeest released an EP, \u201cHorings op die Stoep\u201d (Horns on the Stoep), containing the song \u201cBossies\u201d (Bushies).<\/p>\n

\u201cBossies\u201d is a vernacular term referring to post-traumatic stress following military battle. The fact that these are Afrikaans songs, make them a poignant testimony to the unravelling of Afrikaner hegemony. This was a significant change. Afrikaners as a group had arguably more invested in the apartheid system than their white English counterparts.<\/p>\n

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Wildebeest\u2019s EP, \u2018Horings op die stoep\u2019 (horns on stoep).<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The two songs were not successful commercially. Nevertheless, they represented the earliest examples of Afrikaans music that echoed the dissent felt among a large group of troops.<\/p>\n

Artists like Wildebeest and Bernoldus Niemand represented a non-commercial sub-category that had little to no exposure to the mainstream. This was in contrast to the \u201cMusiek-en-Liriek\u201d (music and lyrics) movement which had the support of mainstream television and state-sanctioned arts organisations.<\/p>\n

Free as a bird<\/h2>\n

\u201cHou my vas Korporaal\u201d was followed by the release of the album, \u201cWie is Bernoldus Niemand?\u201d (Who is Bernoldus Niemand?), in February 1985. It was the first record of its kind and set a certain tone: observant, satirical and couched in the rebellious language of rock \u2019n roll.<\/p>\n