JOHNNY CLEGG, born in Rochdale, England in 1953 (June 8th) was raised in his mother’s native land of Zimbabwe before immigrating to Johannesburg, South Africa at the age of seven.
At the age of 14, Johnny began to learn to play the guitar. He met CHARLIE MZILA, a Zulu flat cleaner who played Zulu street guitar music near Clegg’s home. For two years Johnny learned the fundamentals of Zulu music and traditional Zulu INHLANGWINI dancing with Charlie.
He teamed up with SIPHO MCHUNU, a migrant Zulu worker who had come up to Johannesburg in 1969 looking for work. Together they performed, often subjected to racial abuse, threats of violence and police harassment. When Johnny finished his schooling he went to University, graduating with a BA (Hons) in Social Anthropology and pursued an academic career for four years lecturing at the University of the Witwatersrand and the University of Natal.
In 1976 Johnny and Sipho secured a major recording deal and had their first hit sing entitled, "Woza Friday" written by Johnny. The formation of JULUKA, meaning "sweat" in Zulu, was in total contravention of the Cultural Segregation laws of the time, which emphasized the separation of language, race and culture. Their music was subjected to censorship and banning and their only way to access an audience was through live touring. In late 1979 their first album "Universal Men" was released.
The early 80’s saw the release of several more Juluka albums until the band split in 1985 – Sipho went back to his farm in Zululand where he was born.
In 1986 Johnny went on to form another crossover band "SAVUKA" (We have risen), creating a broader based mixture of african and international rock and Pop music. By the end of 87 SAVUKA was the leading world music group touring the francophone countries.
Greater success lay waiting in the phenomenal record sales that began to consolidate in 1988. By the end of 1989, SAVUKA had sold over 1 million
records of their debut album and their second album was reaching 700,000 units. In an incredible moment on the album and singles charts, SAVUKA held the #1 and #2 position on the album charts with the 1st and second album at the same time, and on the singles charts held the #1 and #7 position with their singles " Asimbonanga " and "Scatterlings of Africa". The band broke up in 1994.
Johnny and Sipho decided to record one last album as JULUKA in the New South Africa. "YA VUKA INKUNZI" was released in 1997.
In October 2002 Johnny Clegg embarked on a solo career and released "New World Survivor" and "One Life" in 2006. One Life features Thamela, Clegg’s first ever Zulu-Afrikaans crossover song as well as his first song written in three languages – French, Zulu and English - Faut Pas Baisser Les Bras. The Revolution Will Eat Its Children (Anthem for Uncle Bob) is aimed at Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe. Clegg notes how much he – and the international community – respected Nelson Mandela’s decision to step down at the end of his term as president. The suggestion in the song is that some other African rulers succumb to their lust for power rather than stepping down gracefully.
Says Clegg of his latest album: "We are all given one life which is precious and unique. At the same time all life on the planet is interlinked and connected into a single planetary force. The private and political choices we make affect how our one life influences the greater whole and so the songs look at the politics of betrayal, love, power, masculinity, the feminine, survival and work. Our one life is connected to the One Life. We each have a story to tell and many of the songs take on a narrative structure to emphasise the story telling nature of how we make meaning in the world."
Johnny Clegg’s community website
Johnny Clegg Live at Nelson Mandela Theatre is now available on DVD, and features some of the old favorites as well as some of the new songs from One Life album.
Issued by:
Jeanette Odgers
Salt Bookings & management
Tel: (011) 482 3550
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