Johannes Kerkorrel
Encyclopedia
Johannes Kerkorrel was an Afrikaner
singer-songwriter, journalist and playwright from South Africa
.
Born in Johannesburg
, Rabie worked as a journalist
on the Afrikaans
-language weekly newspaper Rapport. In 1986, as apartheid reached its zenith
under National Party
-led government under State President
P.W. Botha, Rabie started performing politically-themed cabaret
at arts festival
s under his new stage name (kerkorrel meaning church organ in Afrikaans). In 1987, Rabie was fired by Rapport for using quotes from Botha's speeches in his music; he then became a full-time musician and performer under the name Johannes Kerkorrel en die Gereformeerde Blues Band ("Johannes Kerkorrel and the Reformed Blues
Band"), a deliberate reference to the Reformed Church
. The band also included the Afrikaans singer-songwriter Koos Kombuis
. At the time their brand of new Afrikaans music was dubbed "Alternatiewe Afrikaans" and exposed divergent political views to a new generation of Afrikaners.
In 1989, they released the album Eet Kreef
("Eat Crayfish
") on the now-defunct Shifty Records
label, which was a commercial success despite its tracks being banned from radio airplay
by the South African Broadcasting Corporation
, which was the government mouthpiece. The subsequent regional tour of college campuses and art festivals was called "Voëlvry" (literally free as a bird but here meaning outlawed), and Rabie's controversial reinvention of Afrikaans
popular music
became known as the "Voëlvry movement".
In 1990, Rabie visited Amsterdam
, and almost simultaneously the track "Hillbrow" from the Eet Kreef album became a hit in Belgium
, and Rabie followed its success with a solo tour. In subsequent years he enjoyed substantial artistic success in Belgium and the Netherlands
, and spent much of his time in Belgium
. Here he also befriended Stef Bos
, a Dutch cabaret artist, with whom he would share a number of concerts.
Rabie hanged himself on 12 November 2002 in Kleinmond
, near Hermanus
on the Western Cape
coast. He was survived by his long-term gay
partner, and by his ex-wife and son.
Afrikaner
Afrikaners are an ethnic group in Southern Africa descended from almost equal numbers of Dutch, French and German settlers whose native tongue is Afrikaans: a Germanic language which derives primarily from 17th century Dutch, and a variety of other languages.-Related ethno-linguistic groups:The...
singer-songwriter, journalist and playwright from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Born in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
, Rabie worked as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
on the Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
-language weekly newspaper Rapport. In 1986, as apartheid reached its zenith
Zenith
The zenith is an imaginary point directly "above" a particular location, on the imaginary celestial sphere. "Above" means in the vertical direction opposite to the apparent gravitational force at that location. The opposite direction, i.e...
under National Party
National Party (South Africa)
The National Party is a former political party in South Africa. Founded in 1914, it was the governing party of the country from 4 June 1948 until 9 May 1994. Members of the National Party were sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats. Its policies included apartheid, the establishment of a...
-led government under State President
State President of South Africa
State President, or Staatspresident in Afrikaans, was the title of South Africa's head of state from 1961 to 1994. The office was established when the country became a republic in 1961, and Queen Elizabeth II ceased to be head of state...
P.W. Botha, Rabie started performing politically-themed cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
at arts festival
Arts festival
An arts festival is a festival that focuses on the visual arts in all its forms, but which may also focus on or include other arts.Arts festivals in the visual arts are exhibitions and are not to be confused with the commercial art fair. Artists participate in the most important of such festival...
s under his new stage name (kerkorrel meaning church organ in Afrikaans). In 1987, Rabie was fired by Rapport for using quotes from Botha's speeches in his music; he then became a full-time musician and performer under the name Johannes Kerkorrel en die Gereformeerde Blues Band ("Johannes Kerkorrel and the Reformed Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
Band"), a deliberate reference to the Reformed Church
Afrikaner Calvinism
Afrikaner Calvinism is, according to theory, a unique cultural development that combined the Calvinist religion with the political aspirations of the white Afrikaans speaking people of South Africa....
. The band also included the Afrikaans singer-songwriter Koos Kombuis
Koos Kombuis
Koos Kombuis is a South African musician, singer, songwriter and writer who became famous as part of a group of anti-establishment maverick Afrikaans musicians, who, under the collective name of Voëlvry , toured campuses...
. At the time their brand of new Afrikaans music was dubbed "Alternatiewe Afrikaans" and exposed divergent political views to a new generation of Afrikaners.
In 1989, they released the album Eet Kreef
Eet Kreef
Eet Kreef is the first studio album by Johannes Kerkorrel and the Gereformeerde Blues Band. Released in 1989 on the now-defunct Shifty Records label, the album was a commercial success despite its tracks being banned from radio airplay by the South African Broadcasting Corporation.-Track...
("Eat Crayfish
Crayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
") on the now-defunct Shifty Records
Shifty Records
Founded by Lloyd Ross and Ivan Kadey, Shifty Records was a South African anti-apartheid record label which existed for over a decade beginning 1982...
label, which was a commercial success despite its tracks being banned from radio airplay
Airplay (song)
Airplay is a term used in the radio broadcasting industry to state how frequently a song is being played on over-the-air radio stations. For example, a song which is being played several times every day would be classed as receiving a large amount of airplay...
by the South African Broadcasting Corporation
South African Broadcasting Corporation
The South African Broadcasting Corporation is the state-owned broadcaster in South Africa and provides 18 radio stations as well as 3 television broadcasts to the general public.-Early years:Radio broadcasting began in South Africa in 1923...
, which was the government mouthpiece. The subsequent regional tour of college campuses and art festivals was called "Voëlvry" (literally free as a bird but here meaning outlawed), and Rabie's controversial reinvention of Afrikaans
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
became known as the "Voëlvry movement".
In 1990, Rabie visited Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, and almost simultaneously the track "Hillbrow" from the Eet Kreef album became a hit in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, and Rabie followed its success with a solo tour. In subsequent years he enjoyed substantial artistic success in Belgium and the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, and spent much of his time in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Here he also befriended Stef Bos
Stef Bos
Stef Bos is a Dutch singer who has been living in Antwerp, Belgium, since 1984. He sings in Dutch , and has been successful in Belgium, the Netherlands and South-Africa ever since his breakthrough single "Papa" came out in 1990.He wrote Belgium's entry into the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest, "Door...
, a Dutch cabaret artist, with whom he would share a number of concerts.
Rabie hanged himself on 12 November 2002 in Kleinmond
Kleinmond
Kleinmond is a small coastal town in the Overberg region of the Western Cape province, South Africa. It is situated inside a UNESCO-declared Biosphere about 90 km east of Cape Town between Betty's Bay and Hermanus....
, near Hermanus
Hermanus
Hermanus is a town with 49,000 inhabitants on the southern coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is famous as a place from which to watch Southern Right whales, during the southern winter and spring and is a popular retirement town...
on the Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
coast. He was survived by his long-term gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
partner, and by his ex-wife and son.
Discography
- Eet KreefEet KreefEet Kreef is the first studio album by Johannes Kerkorrel and the Gereformeerde Blues Band. Released in 1989 on the now-defunct Shifty Records label, the album was a commercial success despite its tracks being banned from radio airplay by the South African Broadcasting Corporation.-Track...
1989 - BloudrukBloudruk-Track listing:# "Halala Afrika"# "Ballade van 'n Mynwerker"# "Sy Beweeg"# "Somer"# "Dêrde Wereld"# "Revolusie"# "Pers Reën"# "Toekomsrap"# "Hoe Ek Voel"# "Blou Aarde"-Personnel:* Mauritz Lotz* Didi Kriel* Ian Herman* Victor Masondo* Mike Faure...
1992 - Cyanide in the BeefcakeCyanide in the BeefcakeCyanide in the Beefcake, the 3rd studio album of Johannes Kerkorrel, was released in early 1994.After Kerkorrel's death in 2002 the lyrics to the title track were said to have been a possible prediction of his suicide.-Track listing:# "Daar is Geen"...
1994 - Ge-trans-for-meerGe-trans-for-meer-Track listing:# "Sê-Sê"# "Europhobia"# "Oe, die Kaap"# "Changes"# "Paradys"# "Elvis"# "Dawid Ryk"# "Wanhoop in die Vrystaat"# "Al Lê die Berge Nog So Blou"# "Snor City"# "My Ewig Ontwykende Beminde"# "Boogskutter"# "Onder in my Whiskeyglas"# "Foto"...
1996 - Tien Jaar Later 1998
- Sing Koos du Plessis 1999
- Die Anderkant 2000
- Voëlvry Die Toer 2002
Tributes
After Kerkorrels death, several artists recorded songs to tribute the life and work of Kerkorrel. An incomplete list:- Stef BosStef BosStef Bos is a Dutch singer who has been living in Antwerp, Belgium, since 1984. He sings in Dutch , and has been successful in Belgium, the Netherlands and South-Africa ever since his breakthrough single "Papa" came out in 1990.He wrote Belgium's entry into the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest, "Door...
- Pelgrimsrus - Riku LättiRiku LättiRiku Lätti , is a South African singer, songwriter and writer. After Riku matriculated in 1991 at Hoërskool Florida, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, he studied philosophy at University of the Witwatersrand where he finished his honours degree.In South Africa Riku collaborated with superstars such...
- Ysbeer - Amanda StrydomAmanda StrydomAmanda Strydom is a South African singer and songwriter. Although she is known best for her singing, Strydom has also been active as a playwright and actress, most notably in the fields of cabaret and also in television.- Early life :...
- Ek Het Gedroom - Karen ZoidKaren ZoidKaren Zoid is a female South African rock artist with vocal and guitar and acting talent. She is also a songwriter whose lyrics have been included in Afrikaans poetry courses at Stellenbosch University and the University of Pretoria.On 3 May 2008 she won the South African Music Awards SAMA for...
- Foto Teen Die Muur - Jak De Priester - Kerkorrel
- Kristoe Strauss - Sit Dit Self Af
- Jan Blohm - Johnny K
Covers
Kerkorrel is a much covered artist. Among the cover-versions that exists are:- Stef BosStef BosStef Bos is a Dutch singer who has been living in Antwerp, Belgium, since 1984. He sings in Dutch , and has been successful in Belgium, the Netherlands and South-Africa ever since his breakthrough single "Papa" came out in 1990.He wrote Belgium's entry into the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest, "Door...
- Hillbrow - Riku LättiRiku LättiRiku Lätti , is a South African singer, songwriter and writer. After Riku matriculated in 1991 at Hoërskool Florida, Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, he studied philosophy at University of the Witwatersrand where he finished his honours degree.In South Africa Riku collaborated with superstars such...
- Somer - Amanda StrydomAmanda StrydomAmanda Strydom is a South African singer and songwriter. Although she is known best for her singing, Strydom has also been active as a playwright and actress, most notably in the fields of cabaret and also in television.- Early life :...
- Hoe Ek Voel - Amanda StrydomAmanda StrydomAmanda Strydom is a South African singer and songwriter. Although she is known best for her singing, Strydom has also been active as a playwright and actress, most notably in the fields of cabaret and also in television.- Early life :...
- Halala Afrika