Have you ever taken a minicab in London and loved the music playing and asked the taxi driver if you could buy it off them? I have.
In the bins at Dalston Oxfam Shop this week I discovered two tapes made by SABTA, the South African Black Taxi Association. I can't find virtually any information about them on the net, but they are musical compilations made of mostly South African pop from 1988 interspersed with some hilarious ads and commentary, intended for taxi drivers to play for their passengers during rides. This is not just irony in action, however. Some of the tunes are really great and this cassette and music will not appear anywhere on ebay or the net. I think my favorite track on here is Siyaya E Jerusalema by the Holy Spirits Choir, but also very good are Money by Splash and Ushukela Mningi Lapha by Ashiko. But you have to listen to some of the interludes as well.
This post was featured on BBC6 on 26 Oct. :)
Side A
(download all of Side A in one file here)
Interlude 1
Splash - Money
Interlude 2
Brenda Fassie - Party Time
Interlude 3
Sox - Don't Call Me
Interlude 4
Kamazu - Ju Ju Lady
Interlude 5 (interview with Rebecca)
Rebecca - Cheated
Interlude 6
Alexander O'Neal - Criticize
Interlude 7
The Jets - I Do You
Interlude 8
Mordillo - Cry Peter Tosh
Interlude 9
Peter Tosh - Equal Rights
Interlude 10
Coyote - Who's the Lord of the House
Interlude 11
Holy Spirits Choir - Siyaya E Jerusalema
Interlude 12
Vusi Shangi - Remake the World
Side B
Interlude 1
Chimora - Some More My Cherry
Interlude 2
Ashiko - Ushukela Mningi Lapha
Interlude 3
New Taxi - Don't Play with Fire
Interlude 4
Pat Shange - Undecided Divorce Case
Senyaka - Jordaan
Interlude 5
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Love Overboard
Interlude 6
Umoja - Money Money
Interlude 7
United Congregational Church Choir - He's the Only Way
Pure Gold - La Hao Le Teng
Interlude 8
Mr. D & the G Men - She Doesn't Live Here Any More
Interlude 9
Bibi Nsomi - What Kind of Love is This?
Interlude 10
The Rockets - Everlasting Love
