The South African Rock Encyclopedia > Rock Legends > 1970s / 1980s / 1990s / 2000s > Radio Rats > Discography
Singles
ZX Dan / Rocking (November 1978)
An edited version (4:30) of the album track (5:20), listed as “ZX-Dan” (hyphenated) and credited to The Radio Rats
Crazy Caroline / I’m In Love (1979)
Erase / Liza Come Down (1981)
The Big Wham Bam / Welcome To My Car (1981)
Pop Coffins / Cigarette Pack Blues (2017)
In Times of Public Trouble (March 2024)
Jonathan Handley’s demo version of song released on Vampire Weekends
Albums
Listed in chronological order of release
- Into The Night We Slide (October 1978)
- To The Watertower (1980)
- Via Dolorosa (1988)
- Big Beat (1991)
- Third Street (1995)
- Theatre Of Electric Chairs (1995)
- Tandy Park (1996)
- Music For Funerals (2000)
- Modern Cake Decorating (2001)
- Home Decorating For Beginners (2004)
- Entertaining From Your Freezer (2005)
- Locomotive Hotel (2005)
- Weird Weekend (2005)
- Spooky Obsession (2006)
- Pure Pop 1985-1988 (2006)
- Demos 2005-2007 (2007)
- Girl Trouble 2 (2009)
- Pop Coffins (2009)
- Girl Trouble 3 – Serious Trouble (2010)
- Love Train (2010)
- Madhouse (2011)
- Merry Tales (2012)
- Live at The Market Theatre 1978 (2012)
- Night Thoughts (2012)
- Cyanide Lake (October 2013)
- Rigtingbefok – Die Lemme (October 2013)
- Ingrid Jonker – Die Kind Is Nog Jonger – Various Artists (2016)
- Jiving and Dying – The Radio Rats Story (CD/DVD combo) (2016)
- The Concise Rock ‘n Roll Primer (2017)
- Night Thoughts, Part 1 (2019)
- Road Songs (2019)
- Killville (2019)
- Concert For James Phillips – Various Artists (July 2020)
- Live At The Radium 2019 (2020)
- Tea With Pandora (Demonstration Wreckordings) (September 2021)
- Silotown (October 2022)
- Moordenaars Karoo – A Musical (November 2022)
- Pentatonic Canticles (November 2023)
- Vampire Weekends (October 2025)
- Tandy Park (February 2026)
- Casino Concerto (July 2026)
- Live At The Market Theatre 1978 (October 2026)
Into The Night We Slide (October 1978)
To The Watertower (1980) unreleased
(also referred to as “To The Tower” and “Saturday Afternoon”)
10 or so Radio Rats songs that were recorded on 24th May 1980, but not released.
Track list unconfirmed but may have included a few of these titles: Rocket Road, Crazy Caroline, Queue of No Return, Waiting for the Boot, Angst Inside the Met, Turn on the Gas, Theatre of Electric Chairs, Man After You, Guildhall Dilemma, Jiving and Dying
Via Dolorosa (1988) cassette only
Musicians
- Jonathan Handley: vocals, guitar, bass, drums
- Dave Davies: vocals
- Gil Marais-Gilchrist: guitar
Some tracks from this album were re-recorded in 1990 and released on “Big Beat”
Big Beat (1991)
Third Street (1995)
Theatre Of Electric Chairs (1995)
(aka Radio Rats IV)
Tandy Park (1996)
“Tandy Park incorporating Starbuckle’s Zip Gun versus the Quiet Zeppelin Monsters On Planet X (A Musical)” (to give it it’s full title!) was a musical originally written by Jonathan Handley in 1975/1976. This was before the success in 1979 of the classic Radio Rats album “Into The Night We Slide”.
“Tandy Park” was re-recorded in 1996 in Klerksdorp as part of the ongoing Radium Wreckords archiving and preservation project.
This album was expanded and reissued on 13 February 2026.
Music For Funerals (2000)
(working title: Radio Ketamine)
Modern Cake Decorating (2001)
Home Decorating For Beginners (2004)
Entertaining From Your Freezer (2005)
Locomotive Hotel (2005)
(with Roger Lucey on spoken bits)
Weird Weekend (2005)
(with Divine Rites Trip)
(band recorded in 1994, vocals & monologues recorded in 2005)
Spooky Obsession (2006)
Pure Pop 1985-1988 (2006)
Demos 2005-2007 (2007)
Girl Trouble 2 (2009)
Pop Coffins (2009)
Girl Trouble 3 – Serious Trouble (2010)
A compilation featuring tracks from Radio Rats, The Pop Guns & The Glee Club
Love Train (2010)
Madhouse (2011)
Merry Tales (2012)
Live at The Market Theatre 1978 (2012)
Night Thoughts (2012)
Cyanide Lake (October 2013)
Released in October 2014 on Bandcamp
Musicians
The “Into The Night We Slide” line-up reunited
- Jonathan Handley: guitars, vocals
- Dave Davies: vocals
- Herbie Parkin: bass
- Leonard Dixon: drums
Rigtingbefok – Die Lemme (October 2013)
A collaboration album featuring a cover of “ZX Dan” with vocals by Dave Davies and Jonathan Handley from Radio Rats
Musicians
- Dave Davies and Jonathan Handley – vocals
- Gary Herselman – electric guitar, backing vocals
- Jannie van Tonder – brass
- Rusty Stanley – bass
- Andrew Cleland – drums
- Ampie Omo – samples, production
Ingrid Jonker – Die Kind Is Nog Jonger – Various Artists (2016)
A compilation album in tribute to Ingrid Jonker including “Deep Dark Introverted Girl” by Radio Rats. This track was also released on “Night Thoughts, Part 1“.
Jiving and Dying – The Radio Rats Story (CD/DVD combo) (2016)
The Concise Rock ‘n Roll Primer (2017)
Night Thoughts, Part 1 (2019)
Road Songs (2019)
Killville (2019)
Concert For James Phillips – Various Artists (July 2020)
James Phillips (22 January 1959-31 July 1995)
The “Concert for James Phillips” was recorded by Shifty Records’ Lloyd Ross over two nights in early September 1995, initially planned as a fundraiser to assist with James’ medical bills it turned into a tribute following his sudden demise.
“Jiving & Dying” by Radio Rats is included on this release.
Live At The Radium 2019 (2020)
Tea With Pandora (Demonstration Wreckordings) (September 2021)
Silotown (October 2022)
Moordenaars Karoo – A Musical (November 2022)
Pentatonic Canticles (November 2023)
Vampire Weekends (October 2025)
Tandy Park (February 2026)
Casino Concerto (July 2026)
Live At The Market Theatre 1978 (October 2026)
