POWERAGE

MAJOR MUSIC ARTISTS - SOUTH AFRICA


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Powerage

DESCRIPTION: Powerage were a punk rock group from Durban, South Africa

ACTIVITY STATUS: Defunct

ACTIVITY PERIOD: 1981 - 1988

MUSIC GENRE: Punk Rock

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: SOUTH AFRICA

RECORD COMPANIES / LABELS (Current & Past): Power Noize

LAST FM PAGE: http://www.last.fm/music/Powerage


ABOUT THEM:

Power Age formed in June 1981. The first line-up was Spike-vocals, Brett-guitar, Brian-guitar, Dave-bass, Mark Pills-drums. The first gig was on 3rd October 1981 supporting the Gay Marines. It was our first encounter with the police as well, as Spike got taken in, because some policemen didn't like his pink mohawk. He was held for 3 hours and then released. In June '82 Spike arranged the Polish benefit show and 6 punk bands played. The show was a great success and a little over thousand rans was raised. Straight after this show Brian and Dave left to form a more mellow band. Midge joined on bass and it was better with one guitar, so we kept it a four piece. Then in November '82 Mark left to go live in England. Rubin Rose (previously from South Africa’s first punk band Wild Youth and later Warspike) replaced him immediately and the band really started moving properly.

In April '83 we put out our first vinyl release: World War 3/Vengeance of Youth 7" and at the same time Midge left due to musical differences. The band was then stagnant for 2 months until Paddy joined on bass. He was a good friend of the band and he had never played before, so it was like starting again. It was good, cos we '84 our 2 songs off the first 7" were released on an English comp. LP titled Beating the Meat. At this time in Durban and South Africa the scene was virtually dead - we were the only punk band. In June '84 we did the "Punk '84"-show with new bands Wild Justice and State Control. It was a fantastic success and the owner of the venue let us run it for punk shows. Things went well and a good number of bands sprung up. The scene started building up well. In January '85 we had to hand back the venue to the owner as he wanted to use it as a disco. In June '85 we put out a C-60 tape Who Are You? - one side studio, the other live and we also got one track on a French release comp. EP titled Single Ticket to Paradise. Our song was "System". In November '85 our 4-track EP Stop Apartheid was released in France by the same label that did the comp. EP (Neg-FX Records).

In May '86 we put out another C-60 tape release Ripe for Terror. At the same time we did a benefit show for a friend in jail and the venue owner somehow heard that it was a benefit for the ANC, so he called the police. The police came, moshed up the gig, kicked some ass and it was over. No one was arrested luckily. It was a very scary experience. Then the saddest moment happened: Rubin quit the band in June '86. He had warned us he might have to leave due to mounting pressure from his bosses. Peter then joined on drums, but couldn't play, so we were stagnant again for 3 months. In February '87 we put out a 2-song 7" (was recorded in '84) on our new label Power Noize Records as a tribute to Rubin. A limited pressing of 318 records was done. At the same time Peter left to play with Screaming Foetus and our good friend Choppy replaced him. In April '87 we put out a 5-track EP called The Last Dove. June '87 saw the release of the EP Backlash - it was a split EP with New Zealand-band Compos Mentis and it was released on their label Out Of Order Records. We had 3 songs on this EP. We have one song ("Eat Wheat Not Meat") on a USA-comp. LP titled The ALF Is Watching And You Can't Escape, which was released in June '88.

On 29th of July '88 we will do our last show. This show will be recorded and filmed and we'll put out a live LP and the film will get released in the USA by No Masters Voice. We have played 77 shows in our 7 year existence - not a very lot. A final vinyl release is planned for late '88. It will be a split EP with great USA-band Vegan Reich. We decided to call it quits now, cos 2 of the band members will immigrate in early '89, so it gives the other 2 a chance to get something new together.

Source: Band liner notes from their compilation album 'Dokumentti Todellisuudesta'


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Parent Category Page Links: Music Artists / Outfits - South Africa

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