Inspirations

Clout

Clout drew from international pop-rock currents, blending catchy hooks with a distinctly South African edge. Their influences ranged from British and American rock to soulful ballads and radio-friendly power pop.

Formed in Johannesburg in 1977, Clout rose to fame with their cover of “Substitute”, originally by The Righteous Brothers. Their version, reimagined with punchy instrumentation and vocal harmonies, topped charts across Europe and South Africa. They also released Russ Ballard’s “Since You Been Gone” before Rainbow turned it into a global anthem, showing their instinct for songs with emotional punch and melodic drive. This choice, along with tracks like “Save Me” and “Whatever You Want”, reflects a musical DNA rooted in 1970s pop and rock. Echoes of artists like Cliff Richard, Eric Clapton, and Hall & Oates shaped the sonic landscape Clout inhabited. While their success was brief, their sound captured a moment when South African rock was absorbing global influences and reflecting them back with fresh energy.

The Flames

The Flames were shaped by a potent mix of 50s Rock & Roll, 60s Soul, Psychedelia, and British pop, blending smooth vocal harmonies with raw instrumental energy. Their sound drew heavily from American R&B, with covers like “For Your Precious Love” showcasing their deep connection to soul music’s emotional core. At the same time, they absorbed the melodic sensibilities of The Beatles, the sonic experimentation of Jimi Hendrix, and the heavy, slowed-down grooves of Vanilla Fudge. This fusion gave The Flames a unique edge in the South African scene, where they stood out for their ability to channel global influences into something vibrant and local. Their performances were tight, expressive, and often daring, reflecting a band in tune with the spirit of musical transformation.

Suck

Suck’s sound was forged in the turbulent currents of late‑60s rock, drawing on the riff‑driven grit of Grand Funk Railroad, the fractured intensity of King Crimson, and the proto‑metal weight of Black Sabbath. Their choice of covers showed a band unafraid to confront the underground’s boldest material: the slow‑burning psychedelia of “Season of the Witch”, expanded with a drum solo and flute textures reminiscent of In the Court of the Crimson King; King Crimson’s own “21st Century Schizoid Man”, delivered with the same distorted, snarling vocals that defined the original; and the blues‑rooted aggression of Free’s “I’ll Be Creepin’.” Deep Purple’s “Into the Fire” and Colosseum’s “Elegy” added progressive ambition and dynamic shifts, while Sabbath’s “War Pigs” became something even more ferocious in their hands, complete with sirens and battlefield sound effects that heightened its apocalyptic atmosphere, heavier than Sabbath’s own version if that is even possible.

Amid these reinterpretations, their lone original “The Whip” revealed the band’s true intent. With grinding riffs, ominous atmosphere, and a slow, menacing pace, it stood shoulder to shoulder with Sabbath’s early epics, proving that Suck were not merely interpreters but active participants in proto‑metal’s evolution. In a South African scene dominated by lighter pop and beat sounds, this was a radical statement, loud, uncompromising, and attuned to the darker currents of heavy rock.

Abstract Truth

Abstract Truth’s sound was shaped by a rich blend of jazz, folk, and psychedelic textures, and this playlist traces the roots. Donovan’s “Jersey Thursday” and “Fat Angel” offered folk‑psych atmospheres and modal melodies, while Simon & Garfunkel’s “Scarborough Fair” showed how traditional ballads could be reimagined with haunting instrumentation. The jazz side came through in Herbie Mann’s take on Ben Tucker’s “Comin’ Home Baby”, Cannonball Adderley’s “Work Song”, the structured freedom of Charles Mingus’s “Moanin’”, and the rhythmic invention of Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five.” They didn’t record any King Crimson tunes, but tracks such as “I Talk to the Wind” and “Cadence and Cascade” pointed toward the kind of flute‑driven, melancholic prog that Abstract Truth would explore in their own way.

The blues‑rooted grit of Mose Allison’s “Parchman Farm” fed into their genre‑blending instincts, though it’s worth noting that Allison’s version was itself an adaptation of Bukka White’s autobiographical “Parchman Farm Blues” from 1940, written out of his own time at Mississippi’s infamous penitentiary. Allison re‑cast the theme in a jazz‑inflected style, and it was his witty, swinging take that most later artists covered. Bob Dylan’s “Oxford Town”, with its stark civil rights message, stood out as a bold choice for any South African band to cover, reflecting Abstract Truth’s willingness to engage with challenging material. And while it’s not confirmed, it certainly sounds like they were listening to the debut album from Dutch group Brainbox, whose mix of blues, psych, and jazz featured Jan Akkerman and Pierre van der Linden, both of whom would later join Focus.

The tracks in this playlist weren’t just for background listening, they were blueprints for a band daring to fuse jazz improvisation, folk lyricism, and progressive ambition.

Hot R.S.

Hot R.S. weren’t the only ones turning rock standards into disco epics, but they did it with flair. Their 1977 version of “House of the Rising Sun” stretched the Animals’ folk‑rock anthem into a 14‑minute club journey, complete with strings, synths, and hypnotic grooves. We’re aware that the song has a long and varied history before the Animals, but this isn’t the place to unpack that. At the same time, Santa Esmeralda, Disco Circus, and Revelacion were exploring similar territory, blending rock, soul, and disco into extended suites designed for dancefloors. Hot R.S. added a South African twist, with top‑tier musicianship and a taste for theatrical reinvention.

Their inspirations leaned toward spectacle and rhythm. Iron Butterfly’s “In‑A‑Gadda‑Da‑Vida” and Frankie Vaughan’s “Garden of Eden” were mashed together in a disco medley, while tracks like “Money Runner” by Quincy Jones and “With Plenty of Money and You” hinted at a playful, big‑band sensibility. And yes, there were moments of breathy moaning and sensual drama that wouldn’t have felt out of place on a Donna Summer record, theatrical, hypnotic, and built for movement. Whether pioneering or simply riding the wave, Hot R.S. captured a moment when disco met rock in full cinematic colour.

The Dream Merchants

The Dream Merchants leaned into the softer side of the 1960s, with folk harmonies, romantic ballads, and a touch of pop melancholy. Formed in 1966 by Billy Forrest and Billy Andrews, they found success with singles like Bob Dylan’s “Love Minus Zero”, Wilson Pickett’s “Land Of 1000 Dances” (originally by Chris Kenner), The Vogues’ “The Land Of Milk And Honey”, the Everly Brothers’ “Let It Be Me”, Nat King Cole’s “Time And The River”, and Herman’s Hermits’ “Rattler”.

Their inspirations echo through this playlist: the poetic restraint of Dylan, the aching harmonies of the Everly Brothers, and the wistful storytelling of Tim Hardin and Simon & Garfunkel. Songs such as “How Can We Hang On To A Dream”, “I Am a Rock”, and the sweeping ballads of The Walker Brothers reflect the emotional terrain explored by The Dream Merchants, including themes of love, longing, and quiet resilience. There is also a thread of soul and theatrical pop, from Ray Charles’ “Busted”, to Nat King Cole’s romantic balladry, suggesting a broader palette beneath their folk exterior.

This wasn’t protest music or psychedelic experimentation. It was music for reflection, for slow dances and solitary afternoons. The Dream Merchants didn’t push boundaries, but they captured a mood, and their covers and originals sit comfortably among the gentle giants of 1960s folk‑pop.

Jack Hammer

Jack Hammer were South Africa’s long-haul rockers, road-worn, blues-soaked, and fiercely loyal to the spirit of classic rock. Led by Piet Botha, they spent decades covering the songs they loved, not as tributes but as lived-in interpretations. Their setlists often included the raw ache of Johnny Cash’s “Hurt” (originally by Nine Inch Nails), the swagger of Cream’s “Crossroads” (the Robert Johnson classic), the psychedelic grit of Hendrix, and the folk storytelling of Neil Young, Warren Zevon, and Steve Earle.

They didn’t chase trends. They played what mattered, songs that carried weight, such as the haunted poetry of “Working Class Hero”, the desert loneliness of “Carmelita”, and the mystical edge of Freedom’s Children’s “Tribal Fence”. Live performances brought these covers to life, from the pulse of “Voodoo Chile” and “Dead Flowers” to a defining version of “Further On Up The Road”. Johnny Cash may have out-Springsteened Springsteen, but Jack Hammer made the song their own.

Jack Hammer’s catalogue consists predominately of original tunes, but their covers were never filler. They were part of the band’s DNA, a way to honour the lineage and keep the fire burning. Folk, blues, and rock weren’t genres to them, they were languages. And they spoke them fluently, night after night, year after year.

The Third Eye

Durban’s The Third Eye built their sound on a foundation of bold reinterpretation. Their cover of Bob Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” followed the brass‑laced arrangement popularised by The Alan Bown, rather than the more famous Hendrix version. “Apricot Brandy” by Rhinoceros added instrumental swagger, while Janis Ian’s “Society’s Child” and Bonnie Dobson’s “Morning Dew” (via Tim Rose and the Grateful Dead) revealed a band tuned into the emotional and political pulse of the era.

Their take on Spooky Tooth’s heavier version of “Society’s Child” added grit and urgency. The full “Fire” suite by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, including “Prelude / Nightmare”, “Fanfare / Fire Poem”, and “Fire”, showcased their flair for theatrical psych. Two standout tracks from The Alan Bown’s debut album, “Magic Handkerchief” and “Love Is a Beautiful Thing”, also made the cut, confirming a deep affinity for that band’s soulful, horn‑driven psychedelia. This playlist traces the originals behind The Third Eye’s covers, mapping the constellation of voices that shaped their singular South African sound.

Music Corporation