Rise Kagona:  Leader of the Pack– Before Bhundu Boys (Part 3)

The following is Part 3 of an interview with Bhundu Boys guitarist Rise Kagona. It has been over twenty-five years since the band took the UK music world by storm, with their Harare sound. Kagona reflects on his musical journey as he speaks to A.A.V. AMASI.

A lot of young people need to learn from this; obviously you were still in School. So how did you manage to balance playing at Bonanza whilst attending School?

Every School Holiday, Weekend we were at the nightclub. He gave us opening slot from six to eight. We were very young and not allowed into Nightclubs, but because it was his we could get in. Labor laws also did not allow us to work. He wanted us to improve our playing by working in the club and promised us “I am going to hire big bands like Thomas (Mapfumo), Oliver Mtukudzi and Zexie Manatsa. “When they come to play, I want you to be there and copy what they are doing.

Once you are good at playing, I won’t hire anyone else. You will take their place and Kids you are going to be in the big money” When you are promised something like that, you get strong in your convictions. We worked at it; we didn’t even bother studying for School. We were in the mind frame that we were already working; we had a job, why should I go to School for? But I had to finish because my dad didn’t know what I was doing, so after College we used to head straight to the club for our session.

If your Parents didn’t know, how did you account for the time you were not at home but playing in the Club?

We would come up with different excuses you know, lie to them. They came a time when we felt that we needed to get paid; news had travelled to our parent’s ears that these kids are working somewhere. My father stopped buying me trousers and underpants, he was like “If this kid is working, he should look after himself”

How long did you play without getting paid?

We did that for many months, 78 we were young. We watched the way Thomas (Mapfumo) would play his songs and then copy them later. We had a turntable; the Old Man would buy us Singles that were in the Charts that week or month. He would tell us this is what people want. We used to spend a lot of time practicing these new songs behind the stage.

When we played in front of an audience and they would go “yeah”, we knew we had it right. We went on like that until they were a battle of the Bands at the Showground (Harare Show grounds), which consisted of mostly African Bands. Most of the African Bands played mainly western music, so we decided to compete. However, we were too late in applying, but then we asked if we could just play.

Without competing with the other Bands?

Yes, the thing about the Showground, a lot of White and Coloured (Mixed Race African People) people came. We wanted to get the attention of White people so we asked for guest spots on breaks. We were given the chance; we were good at playing Pop and Ndebele songs especially the ones from South Africa. My Drummer Charles Viyazhi, was good at Ndebele songs like “Mama Sibongile”, he would sing those songs.

What type of Songs did you sing for this audience?

We played Suzie Q (Dale Hawkins covered by the Rolling Stones and Credence Clearwater Revival), a song we heard other Bands playing in Halls and Bars. Charles had the record, so he knew the words, it didn’t have a lot of words, just repeating the same words. When we played it, the Coloureds went crazy, they were cheering ‘Suzie Q, Yeah, Suzie Q”. Another day gone and we told ourselves “We are improving”

Did the old Man see the improvements?

Yes he did, obviously we started copying the big musicians, playing like them. The Old Man kept his promise and stopped hiring these big musicians. He would hire them once in a while, for just a change of the music scene. We became a resident Band, but we were not getting paid because we were young. He would give us a lift home; the other thing is we were not allowed to stay after midnight. I used to jump through the window to get into the house.

We felt that were growing up, becoming better in the music and also getting inspiration from a House Band at the Queens Hotel, which was next to Bonanza. The House Band had Brian Rusike, who later played with the Pied Pipers. If we didn’t understand a record, we would call them up and they would help us with Chords. Time went on, but you know these African businesses they don’t like to pay.

Since you were not getting paid, when did you start thinking of moving?

79, we started thinking of moving out, Zexie Manatsa had a show at Saratoga, so he came to us “Youngsters I have got a show at Saratoga, if you are free, you can open up for me”. He could see that we were very good; we could not refuse because we were crying out to be paid. At Bonanza the Manager was the Old Man’s brother, making empty promises “I will pay you, don’t worry things are tight right now”.

Time was moving and the business was becoming successful, whilst we were not paid. We threatened to leave and the Old Man heard, he said, “Don’t go anyway, you want money, here is money”. He started to give us money every single week. Things started working out a little bit.

So what happened when you opened up for Zexie Manatsa?

When we opened for Zexie Manatsa and the Green Arrows; the owner of the club Paul Mwamuka was in the club, listening. We did all kinds of tracks even Ndebele tracks. We could see he was enjoying himself, dancing. Everybody in the club, his Doorman, everyone was like “These Kids are good, take them”.

The whole Management was smiling, they called me to the office and they asked me “Where do you play?” I told him “We play at Bonanza” and then he said, “How much are you getting? What ever you getting I will double it?” The money he was talking about was twenty-five pounds a week.

Back in those days, was that a lot of money?

The currency was very strong it only deteriorated after Independence. Twenty-five a week, we didn’t pay rent. Our Fathers didn’t make that much per week; you could look after a family with that money, five kids, and ten. Paying rent, sending your kids to School. I said to the Band “Twenty Five a week boys”.

The hardest part was telling the Old Man that we were leaving; after all we had been through with him. I won’t lie to you we did something very stupid. We started an argument with the Old Man’s brother, harassed him. We acted as if we had problems with the brother, even though we had doubts. What if we stopped playing at Bonanza? And the contract does not happen at Saratoga. We spent another two weeks working and thinking of how to get out.

In that two weeks, the Owner at Saratoga thought we were not coming, so he gave a contract to a group called The Muddy Face. The group had Cephas Mashakada and Paul Mpofu, these guys were coming from Chinhoyi hungry to play music.

They started working there and when we realised that another Band had taken our place, we went to speak to Paul Mwamuka, who was happy to see us and he said to us, “This Band that comes from the farms, I don’t know what they are playing. Come and play anytime. You are the big Band, come and take over, this Band will open up for you.” That is how we got into Saratoga.

Watch out for Part 4 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