The Bhundu Boys Story: Rise Kagona (Part 1)
Rise Kagona: Leader of the Pack– Before Bhundu Boys (BBB)
Written by: A.A.V. AMASI
Rise Kagona is a musical icon, a play station guitar hero type, but yet he is not even mentioned amongst the list of guitarist on Wikipedia. Has the world forgotten how to do the Jit Jive? Or are us Africans not appreciative of those that excel amongst ourselves?
If Keith Richards, was one of two surviving members of the Rolling Stones and ended up living a quiet life in Bulawayo. Would Britain not pay attention to the legacy of his music? I bet they would be pilgrimages to Bulawayo. This New Year, my sidekick Arthur Matema and I decided to pay our own pilgrimage, to an African Legend in the great cultural city of Edinburgh.
We were afraid that on this road trip, we might not get an audience with the man himself. Rise has been busy lately; he is credited for teaching the Lead Guitarist of Afro Scottish Band Bwani Junction, how to play the Guitar. He is also fronting a band called Rise Kagona and the Jit Jive Band, whilst at the same time guest appearing on his protégé Ben Avison’s debut album Good Day Mr Magpie.
It has been over twenty-five years since Zimbabwe’s Bhundu Boys took the UK music world by storm, with their Harare sound. The legendary Founder, Songwriter and Lead Guitarist Rise Kagona looks much younger than his 49 years of age, which is due to his daily gym regime, a routine that started in Lou Ferrigno’s (The Real Green and Mean Incredible Hulk) LA Gym.
We sat with a media apprehensive Kagona at Vodka Revolutions in the heart of Edinburgh for seven hours, until we got kicked out. For a man who spent the first part of his career playing in the Beer halls of Salisbury, he looked very uncomfortable in the Bar. He later explained that because he does not drink or smoke, he stays away from places where people partake in the brew.
In the past few years, the British media has concentrated on sensationalizing one of Africa’s biggest Bands, with a variety of recycled stories. In this interview, I decided to concentrate on understanding how the music came to be and give Kagona a voice. The interview covers how the Bhundu Boys came to be and answers the question every Bhundu Boys fan has. Was Biggie Tembo fired or did he quit the Band?
Where were you born?
I was born in Malawi and immigrated with my parents at the age of two – to what was then Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). The only place I have ever known is Zimbabwe.
What was it like been a Black Kid in Rhodesia?
It was hard, Rhodesia was divided with white people on one side and us black people on the other. We never had any dealings with White people. I grew up in a tough Township (Mufakose), where most arguments would end up in fistfights. If you didn’t fight back you got bullied. When you are growing up in the Townships, you are determined by the talents you have.
Things like work are another story, unless you are very good at school or come from a rich family. If you are growing up in the Ghetto, Football is the way, the type where you kick up a homemade plastic ball and play money games. From that they are Kids that will make it and play for the big teams. I could have been in the big teams, if I wanted to, but the Guitar just took over me.
Would you say this prepared you for your role as a bandleader?
Yes, I would definitely say that because in the Bhundu Boys, I was the youngest and shortest however, all the Band members respected me because I had a temper, I was determined, back in those days I didn’t talk much, I spoke with my fist. If you had a problem with me, I would ask you to step outside and they knew not to.
If you look at guys like Biggie (Tembo) and Kenny (Chitsvava), these guys were big, even interviewers would naturally gravitate towards them, assuming one of them was the Band Leader. That did not faze me because to me it was about the Band, the Team, as long as I could keep this Band together, I was happy.
At some point you were hailed as one of the best Guitarist in the World, When did you start playing the Guitar?
I can’t really say when, as a school kid, I self taught myself with just three strings on a Banjo, then six strings acoustic. It was step by step, until I picked up an electric guitar. You had to do it yourself; I remember we used to make Drums with just plastic and wood. Where would you find a person to give you money to buy a Guitar?
You are credited as the only Guitarist in the world to have created your own music genre known as Harare Jit, how did you create this sound?
Well, I used to play mainly western pop and music by African legends like Franco because that was the type of music I was exposed to. That changed when I met Washington Kavhai and Shakespeare Kagwena, who had just moved into my neighborhood from the farms. They played traditional rural folk songs in the style of Sinyoro Jackson Chinembiri. You know the type of Music were the Musician tells a story, whilst playing a guitar; sometimes they would have a doll. What do you call it? When someone has a doll?
Ventriloquist?
Yes, I made the conscious decision to learn how to play this type of music. Washie, Shakie and me did a sort of musical cultural exchange program. I taught them how to play the music of the townships and they taught me how to play the music of the farms and rural areas. I guess in a nutshell this is how the sound that you have called Harare Jit was created, a fusion of different types of music with our traditional music.
At what particular moment, did you decide to take music seriously?
They were many local Bands that influenced me; in the early 70’s I went to see a concert by the Zambian Band The Witch (We Intent To Cause Havoc) and Osibisa (British Afro-Pop Band) at Gwanzura Stadium. I was very young; my Uncle who used to love music took me to see them.
This was at a time before the big PA systems and watching them, I felt I wanted to be a real musician. It gave me a feeling that I wanted to be in front of a cheering crowd. How these guys had us in the palm of their hands? How they were stars? How we were responding to their music? I wanted that power, to be able to affect people that way.
During that period did you try to record as Wild Dragons or The Black Superstars?
Most people know our first single at Shed Studios Une Shuwa Here and Kuroja Chete back to back. Before then we were recording at Gramma with the Mbira maestro Son Takura who was a very good friend of mine and he was brilliant in writing deep Shona lyrics. I would help him with guitar work and he taught me how to write proper traditional Shona. With Son Takura, we were recording as Son Takura and the Black Superstars at Gramma; he also used to record as Abraham Gamanya.
Most Artists use one Brand name to record, why did he use two?
It was just a system of diverting recording contracts, at Gramma we recorded with Son Takura and when we went to Shed we didn’t have him. Even though we had the name from my youth Wild Dragons, a name we used before I met Biggie and all the other guys. At the time it was Shakie Kangwena, Washington Kavhai, Charles Viyazhi and myself.
We recorded a few tracks as Wild Dragons but we were not that good when it comes to traditional Shona music. We were homeboys, kids that grew up in the towns, like myself I used to listen to Rock and Pop.
In Rhodesia at the time we were bombarded with British and American music. I remember I used to sit down and imitate the music of Jimi Hendrix and Thin Lizzy on just three chords. In the halls that we used to call Teen Time all the bands played Pop music that is how we all learned before we even knew about our own local music.
Watch out for Part 2 tomorrow
A.A.V. Amasi is a Barchester Scholar at the National Film And Television School. His contact details are [email protected] or http://www.chauya-chauya.co.uk
