Roots Rocking Zimbabwe - The Modern Sound of Harare's Townships 1975-1980 (2LP) [Analog Africa]

Format: 2x12" in a gatefold sleeve + booklet + MP3 download code.

In 1972, black people rarely appeared in the official white-owned newspapers of the country unless, perhaps, they were a dead “terrorist.” Yet, Dr Footswitch's performance led The Rhodesia Herald to publish a front-page photo of their guitarist, Manu Kambani, along with the striking headline: “Jimi Hendrix is dead but Manu is alive.” Thanks to his ability to mimic Jimi Hendrix's hypnotic movements, Manu impressed everyone, and the newspaper editor couldn't resist telling the story. The reaction from conservative whites was swift: they harshly criticized the Herald for “lowering standards.” But the coverage made Manu an emblematic figure in Harare, one of Salisbury's oldest townships, and inspired many young people to form their own bands. These bands began merging rock, Congolese rumba, South African mbaqanga, soul, and traditional rhythms into an underground musical movement that would shape Zimbabwe's future sound and challenge the colonial regime.

All that commotion began to attract interest from the South African industry, and several Rhodesian bands – including The Great Sounds, MD Rhythm Success, Afrique 73, The Hitch-Hikers, The Impossibles, and O.K Success – managed to sign one-off recording contracts with Gallo Records, thanks to the strength of their live performances. But for some reason, the South African giant didn't fully capitalize on that moment, and that void was filled in 1974 by Teal Record Company, which decided to strengthen its Rhodesian subsidiary. Crispen Matema, a prolific drummer with a love for traditional music, was hired to lead the program.

Traveling the country in his Peugeot 504, Matema discovered unrecognized talents, organized live music competitions, and booked a small studio in central Salisbury. In less than a year, he had already recorded fantastic bands like The Baked Beans, Blacks Unlimited, New Tutenkhamen, The Acid Band, Echoes Ltd, Gypsy Caravan, and many more. To release this flood of music, Teal launched several new labels, including Afro Soul, Afro Pop, and Shungu.

Not to be outdone, Gallo Records finally sent legendary sax jive producer West Nkosi to Rhodesia to scout for new talent. A casual recommendation led him to the Jamaica Inn hotel, where he stumbled upon The Green Arrows, led by the charismatic Zexie Manatsa. By Christmas 1974, their single Chipo Chiroorwa had sold over 25,000 copies, making them the first Rhodesian band to earn a gold record. In November 1975, Nkosi organized another session with The Green Arrows at Film Project studios to record the distorted Towering Inferno, a tribute to Paul Newman, and the crystal-clear instrumental No Delay, an homage to Steve McQueen.

In 1976, as the liberation war intensified, Teal began immortalizing Thomas Mapfumo on 1/4-inch tapes. Thomas had just joined forces with Blacks Unlimited and The Acid Band, and began to modernize traditional songs with great effectiveness. That revolutionary style, deeply rooted in Shona culture and known as Chimurenga, unified all generations under the banner of the struggle for liberation.

The enormous popularity of Zexie Manatsa and Thomas Mapfumo attracted the attention of the PATU (Police Anti-Terrorist Unit), which did not look favorably upon the huge crowds these artists drew. As a result, both Manatsa and Mapfumo were arrested and imprisoned.

Despite the arrests and increasing control by Rhodesian authorities, the music refused to be silenced. In fact, the repression only strengthened the resolve of Zimbabwean artists like the enigmatic Tineyi Chikupo, who continued to compose songs that conveyed the hopes and struggles of the people. When Zimbabwe gained its independence in 1980, the musicians who had risked everything to give voice to their people emerged as national heroes.

The 25 songs presented in this project showcase the birth of the modern music industry in Zimbabwe, and the creative explosion of bands from the 70s and 80s proves endlessly rewarding. It was a time of wild experimentation, before established genres solidified. Rock, rumba, soul, and traditional rhythms collide masterfully in this collection, which also includes unreleased recordings by Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi, and many other Zimbabwean artists!