The South African Rock Encyclopedia > Rock Legends > 1970s / 1980s / 2000s > HOT R.S.
Legends Of South African Disco Rock
HOT R.S.
HOT R.S. stands for House Of The Rising Sun.
This South African studio outfit was active from 1977 to 1980 and again in 2003.
Hot R.S. was the brainchild of Dan Hill (11 July 1923 to 31 May 2009) and Kevin Kruger (who died 26 September 2010). They were backed by a stellar line-up of session musicians including: singers René Veldsman, Penny Croft and John Weddepohl, guitarists Trevor Rabin and Robert-John “Mutt” Lange, keyboardist Duncan Mackay, and drummer Cedric Samson.
Discography
Albums
Singles
Thanks to Discogs for information and images
KEY
A-side [time] / B-side [time] (Country Year) comments
All singles are in the 7-inch format unless marked with an asterisk* to indicate a 12-inch single.
- House Of The Rising Sun [4:02] / Slow Blow [4:02] (France 1977) edited versions
- Delta Queen, part I [3:22]/ Delta Queen, part II [2:54] (South Africa 1978) edited versions, #3 on Radio 5 in January 1978
- House Of The Rising Sun [4:00] / House Of The Rising Sun [6:45] (UK 1978) edited versions
- House Of The Rising Sun [6:45] / House Of The Rising Sun [4:00] (UK 1978)* edited versions
- House Of The Rising Sun [5:42] / Slow Blow [5:20] (Italy 1978) edited versions
- Temptation [3:30] / In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida [3:30] (South Africa 1978) edited versions; B-side is unconfirmed
- In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (part I) [3:30] / Temptation [3:30] (Italy 1979) edited versions
- In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida (part I) [6:45] / Temptation [6:22] (Italy 1979)* full-length versions
- House Of The Rising Sun, part 1 / House Of The Rising Sun, part 2 (Philippines 1979) edited versions
- Doublecross [3:30] / Heads Or Tails [4:25] (Germany, South Africa 1980) Side A is an edited version
- Slow Blow / House Of The Rising Sun (Sweden 1980) these are most likely edited versions, though this is unconfirmed
- House Of The Rising Sun [10:26] / Slow Blow [7:10] (Australia 1982)* Side A is an edited version
Various Artists Compilations (Selected)
- Hot Disco Hits (1979) includes ‘House Of The Rising Sun’, also includes Disco Circus’s version of ‘In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida‘
- Top 40 Free CD (1991) includes ‘House Of The Rising Sun’
- You Should Be Dancing (1998) includes ‘House Of The Rising Sun’
- Disco Fever (1999) includes 4 HOT R.S. tracks
Songs That Inspired Hot R.S.
Original recordings and hit versions that shaped their sound
Musicians
- Dan Hill: keyboards, arrangements
- Kevin Kruger: drums, keyboards, production
- Mercedes Kornfeld: vocals
- Penny Croft: vocals
- René Veldsman: vocals
- Robert-John “Mutt” Lange: guitars
- Trevor Rabin (from Rabbitt): guitars, bass, keyboards
- Cedric Samson: drums
- Duncan MacKay: keyboards
- John Weddepohl: vocals
- Aiden “Dooley” Mason: guitars
- Stewart Irving: vocals (1980)
- Cindy Alter (from Clout): backing vocals (1980)
- Clive Goodwill: vocals (1980)
- Veronique Lalouette: vocals (2003)
- Bobby Louw: vocals, arrangements (2003)
- Malie Kelly: backing vocals (2003)
Associated
Tribute by Jytte Fältskog
This video, titled “HOTRS (Tribute to Kevin Kruger and Dan Hill)”, is a melancholic piano instrumental version of “House Of The Rising Sun” by Jytte Fältskog. Some sources credit Jytte as one of the singers for Hot R.S. but I somehow doubt this.
Brian Currin
Emmanuelle
This video, titled “Emmanuelle”, was added to YouTube in 2018 and credited to Hot R.S. It features an image of Dan Hill, Kevin Kruger and Sue Kiel, similar to the Doublecross single. The tune is a slow, electric guitar-based instrumental with some heavy female breathing and sounds of pleasure (in stereo!). It is a cover of the theme from the Emmanuelle film in 1974.
Brian Currin
Probably a fan-made mix, I seriously doubt that this is actually Hot R.S.
Emmanuelle (original)
Emmanuelle (similar sounding electric guitar version)
Sue Kiel
Susan Kiel (born in Cape Town, South Africa, 15 June 1950), a model, actress and singer, was the face of Hot R.S. having appeared on the cover of the debut album as well as the picture single for “Doublecross“. She did not sing on any of the albums, though she did release her own version of the Pavlov’s Dog song “Julia” in 1978.
Brian Currin
Comments
The band name Hot R.S. is styled in various ways, such as Hot R•S, Hot.R.S., Hot RS, and even Hot R•$. It is also often capitalised, such as HOT R.S. It is standardised as Hot R.S. throughout this website.