Various - Rocking Against The System download mp3 flac

Those of us growing up or living in South Africa during the very heady eighties witnessed how musical isolation from the rest of the world courtesy of the National State of Emergency, Cultural Boycotts, and various other Artists Against Apartheid initiatives actually acted as a boon to local musicians: not unlike Australia at the time (yes, we roughly knew what went on in the rest of the world while the rest of the world had little clue what really went on down south of the Limpopo), SA had also initiated a local content ratio of what should be played on the airwaves.
Even though much of the music did wave a critical finger at "Die Groot Krokodil" and shouted for the release of Nelson Mandela (although most South Africans then had no clue what the guy even looked like), it was this policy of supporting local talent (ironically and partially influenced by the rhythms of "Die Swart Gevaar"), it brought forth many innovative artists / bands and songs that remain classics to this day (although I'd personally prefer to think that this happened despite our cultural isolation, and not because of it).

Be that as it may, this compilation assembles some of the finest rock / pop music to ever emerge from SA in the 80's, starting with the vibrant and funky ethno jives of éVoid and Via Afrika, right through to the hard and gothic rock of Tribe After Tribe and NFOH (and everything crazy, zany, poppy, paranoid, psychobilly, or new-romantic inbetween). Having recently returned from a quick trip to Egoli, this CD was very high up on my shopping list and simply had to be obtained, no matter what!
And it does not disappoint: long overdue and filled to the brim with classic tunes (some of which have been previously unavailable on CD), it solidly delivers the goods - although it could be argued that the playlist is a tad biased (It's OK, Benjy, I understand ;-). Wise inclusions, for example, would have been Lesley Rae-Dowling, certainly Juluka and Hotline, Crocodile Harris' "Give me the good news" and even John Ireland. But there is only so much space on them shiny discs, and that alone should give us hope that there may be a follow-up not only of the 90's (see "Rocking Against The System 2") - but another one from that same insane decade.