Garage Parties

GARAGE PARTIES

Back to the late seventies, early eighties, in the town where I grew up. Teen parties arranged for a Friday or Saturday night. We cleared the cars from the garage, placed chairs, installed a hi-fi (courtesy of the house), a few records, cooldrinks and chips, and off we went. The party was on and the dancing began. 

Some had a disco lights flickering, four speakers, each in a corner for early surround sound effects. Loose dancing up to nine, and then dimmer lights for the slow dances. Strict rules from parents: time to go home is eleven. And no alcohol, which did not stop some arriving a bit wobbly, and for some reason leaving the party even more tipsy. 

Boys in stove-pipe jeans, big boots and loud shirts - hiding the trepidation of asking THE girl. The girls in wafts of Charlie, and Farrah Fawcett hairstyles, arriving en-groupe, some careful not to appear too eager for a dance. As the evening carries on, what reticence is left, disappears, and the dance floor is full and festive.

Good, clean, young fun, with the over-confidence and insecurity of teenage hearts playing go-go, and the first flutters of infatuation and two stepping out together. The times we had still play to the tunes of the day....hopping, shaking, shuffling, rolling...somewhere in a garage, somewhere in a small town. 

THE PARTY GOERS

The man who gives us music on BeBee: Ian Weinberg. Chris brings almost all the records given his extensive knowledge of music, and the fact that he is actually prepared to give his collection the party treatment. 

The good Docter Ian Weinberg took time off from study, and was movin’ and groovin’ from the first song until the very last. Through it all he took a peek inside the minds of all and pronounced most to be slightly off their rocker. 

The young rebel Paul Walters was invited, but at the time he was already travelling overseas.  He did send a special request that we play the song Buccaneer in his honor. The song below is for you, Paul.

Driving by, Claire L Cardwell, dropped in while over from the UK and visiting local friends. On hearing these SA tunes, she decided there and then to pack up and come settle in a place with such great vibes.

SOUTH AFRICAN MUSIC OF THE DAY

Clout, probably the only really good girl band in SA.

Substitute, their biggest hit, and my young teen favorite: Under Fire

Rabbitt, whose members made it big individually in the UK and USA.

Charlie, and their unique cover of Jethro Tull's Locomotive Breath

McCully Workshop, a production that also made ripples internationally.

Buccaneer - their only really big hit - but what a hit. 

EVoid, with a unique mix of African beat and UK funk-pop sound. 

Taximan, and their best: Shadows

Sipho Mabuse with the best ever SA slow shuffle song: Burnout

Ahh, those days....

(Written in between dropping and fetching my two teenage children at their gatherings on a weekend evening.)