Since the 1970s, Piet Botha (born 18th July 1955) has been working, playing and building a legendary reputation on the South African rock scene. He began writing songs and forming bands while still at school and then hooked up with Abner Smith at university to develop their acoustic duo. Botha then connected with the members of Tusk (Doc Barendse, Dino Salvatori and Derek Riley) to establish the band Raven. This hard-rocking four-piece won the "Beat 79" nation-wide competition for new rock groups and released the single 'Wheel Of Fortune' b/w 'The Horseman' on David Marks' Third Ear Label.

Botha then formed Catherine Wheel with the two members of Wildebeest, namely Dave Tarr and Colin Pratley. With Botha on bass, piano and mouth organ, the group expanded to a five piece and in 1981 the classic 'Bushrock 1' album was released. In 1984, Botha's new band, Jack Hammer, was started with Boet Faber, Jan Maloney and Eric Birckenstock, but the band's activities were put on hold when Botha relocated to the US in 1985. There he met Billy Bob Thornton with whom he began a strong friendship; Thornton also played drums and sang on the first Jack Hammer album. Twelve years later, Billy Bob Thornton won the "Best Actor" Academy Award for his part in the film 'Slingblade'.

After returning to SA in 1986, Botha restarted Jack Hammer and for the next ten years they released four excellent and acclaimed SA rock albums – 'Jack Of All Trades' (1987), 'The Judas Chapter' (1990), 'Ghosts On The Wind' (1994) and 'Death Of A Gypsy' (1996). During 1995, Eckard Potgieter decided to grow his successful CD club, Mainline Music, into an SA record company, and Wildebeest Records was born with Piet Botha very much part of their plans. Wildebeest released the Jack Hammer albums alongside albums by Valiant Swart, Koos Kombuis, the Transformers and the quirky Naaimasjiene.

In 1995 Jack Hammer played support for the Gauteng leg of the Uriah Heep/ Deep Purple "Masters Of Rock" South African tour. Jack Hammer also supported one of Piet's main influences, ZZ Top, on their SA tour. In 1997, Piet Botha and Wildebeest Records released Botha's first solo album, the All-Afrikaans, "n Suitcase Vol Winter', which has received critical and public approval. A second Afrikaans album, 'Jan Skopgraaf' was released in November 1999 and Piet toured South Africa with Johnathan Martin and Tertius du Plessis during November and December 1999 to promote this album and his back catalogue.

A Jack Hammer compilation titled simply 'Anthology' was released in January 2000 and featured tracks from all 4 previous Jack Hammer albums plus 4 new recordings plus a new re-recording of their classic song 'Fort Lauderdale'.

In late 2001 a retrospective CD was released by EMI titled simply 'Die Hits' and included 4 new recordings as well as 'Verslag' which was previously only available on 'Om Te Breyten', a collection of Breyten Breytenbach's poetry performed by a variety of South African musicians. Early in 2003 Botha signed with Rhythm Records and in June 2003 he released an album of all new Afrikaans songs, titled 'Die Mamba'.

-- Stephen Segerman & Brian Currin, 2000

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AN APPRECIATION OF PIET BOTHA AND JACK HAMMER

Here's a highly talented rocker: Piet Botha. Piet and Jack Hammer play rock songs guaranteed to demand you listen. They can play big noise hard rock tunes such as 'Sarajevo', 'Street of Love', or 'Welcome to Azania', and equally well they can play slower, melody driven, rock songs such as 'The Fisherman', 'Good Friend of Mine', and 'April'.

Piet Botha the songwriter has a realistic outlook on the world, he's a veteran who has seen the fight and knows how fragile peace and life, can be. Check out 'Death of a Gypsy' -- that CD is a work of art. It has consistent themes running through the songs, an internal reality, and the songs make definite comments on the individual in this sometimes cruel and lonely world. Do friends and lovers make a difference? I think Adrian and Dominique know that they do.

I get a kick out of Piet's American connection, too, that he spent time in America and played in an LA band -- with a drummer named Billy Bob no less. It is ironic that the 'Jack Hammer Anthology' CD came all the way from South Africa to Texas carrying a song that mentions Austin, Texas, a city fifty miles from here and where I lived for eight years.

Piet Botha has two solo CDs, 'Jan Skopgraaf', and ''n Suitcase Vol Winter' (both in Afrikaans). Two Jack Hammer CDs are in print, 'Death of a Gypsy' and 'Anthology'. And don't forget Wildebeest's 'Bushrock 1' because Piet plays bass and harmonica on that one.

I've said it before: this is a good time to be a South African music fan: Retro Fresh is re-releasing some excellent classic South African CDs, the new stuff all across your music scene sounds great, and Piet Botha is releasing a live album soon, titled 'Bootleg'. I can't praise Hammer's music enough. I envy you all being able to catch the man and band live.
-- Kurt Shoemaker, Blanco, Texas, January 2001

ROTATING MUSICIANS: SOME OF MY FAVOURITE SA BANDS
Piet Botha and Jack Hammer
Peter Hanmer and Off the Edge
David Birch and Squeal

Sometimes I ask myself, "Is this somewhat odd, an American enamored with the music scene of another country?" My answer to myself is always, "Shut up and listen to the great music."

These days, South African rock music provides me nearly constant company. But I don't hear it so much as the music of another country but simply as excellent music. Among the many artists whose work I enjoy are some whose CDs do a lot of rotating on my CD player.

In these three musicians and bands one can see my true taste in music. I like rock. I occasionally listen to pop, pennywhistle, folk, and so on, but rock is the true music of my people, my official musical language, if you will. Why listen to anything else? And these three bands make rock that satisfies: music made with electric guitars, drums, and the human voice.

Piet Botha and Jack Hammer -- When they rock, the guitars are like crystal monoliths (I'm trying to think of big, sharp, and clear images) and the drums thunder. When Piet and Johnathan sing and play personal songs, say 'Friend' or 'Liberty', I'm drawn into the song. Piet Botha and Jack Hammer can rock and sing a pretty and meaningful song.

I enjoy Piet's music so much, I even buy his Afrikaans CDs. Definitely one to catch performing on the Rock Route of South Africa.

Off The Edge -- Still the best music for driving the long and empty stretches of Texas's rural roads. Peter Hanmer's soaring guitar inspires noble feelings, or serves as an excellent soundtrack to one's driving thoughts, hopes, and schemes.

Whether the band is Off The Edge or Age Of Innocence, a pretty female voice often accompanies Peter Hanmer's skillful guitar. Check out guitarist Peter Hanmer, Tony Groenewald on vocals and bass, and Judy Marshall or Sherry-Lee Jones on vocals on these incarnations of rock made real.

Peter can build a cathedral with his guitar, as he does in 'St. Aidans', where he plays guitar passages that make me think of a rock symphony without strings or horns. And he can rock or play melodically (were any of y'all waiting for that word?), and stir the emotions with his guitar.

The female vocals, Tony's singing, Peter's singing guitars, and the rock-steady drums all combine into an effortless flow that sometimes rocks along, sometimes flies to the sky, and always sounds great.

Squeal -- Rock, pure rock, distilled to its fifth essence. Sometimes a rock trio, sometimes a quartet, but always with David Birch. Squeal is steel wires, drums, and singing -- the blood, muscle, and bone of a pure rock band. But don't think Squeal goes for the bludgeon effect, because they play with frenetic finesse instead.

Squeal has been less prolific than the two groups mentioned above, but the three Squeal releases ('Long Pig', 'Man and Woman', and 'Civilized?') are fantastic rockers. Sometimes with Barry Van Zyl on drums and Brett Barnes on bass, Squeal remains devoted to rock that can be listened to over and over.

But three CDs are not enough, David! How about a new CD, maybe a live set? The Powerzone video download of 'Man and Woman' and 'Hey Yah' from Woodstock '99 whet my interest in live rock by Squeal. We can download the EP 'Begin' at Friedjam, but how about 'Begin' on CD? I'm in line, dollars-into-Rands in hand, if David Birch and Squeal release more CDs.

The body of work that these three bands have produced adds up to a healthy stack of silver-colored plastic. But these are only three reasons out of many why I am a devotee of South African rock. Now I'm going to shut up and listen to some great music.

Kurt Shoemaker, Blanco, Texas, August 2001

Biograaf

Piet Botha (geb. 18 Julie 1955) het reeds in die 1970s begin werk, speel en bou aan 'n legendariese reputasie in die Suid-Afrikaanse musiek landskap. Hy het reeds op skool begin liedtjies skryf en groepe vorm, op universiteit het hy toe saam met Abner Smith bymekaargekom om hul akoestiese duet te ontwikkel. Daarna vorm hy saam met die mense van Tusk (Doc Barendse, Dino Salvatori and Derek Riley) die groep Raven. Hierdie vierstuk rock-groep wen die landswye "Beat 79" kompetisie vir nuwe rock-groepe en gee die single "Wheel of Fortune" op David Marks se Third Ear Label uit.

Botha vorm toe Catherine Wheel saam met die twee lede van Wildebeest, naamlik Dave Tarr en Colin Pratley. Met Botha op bas, klavier en mondfluitjie, groei die groep na 'n vyfstuk en gee in 1981 die klassieke "Bushrock 1" album uit. In 1984, begin Botha sy nuwe groep Jack Hammer, met Boet Faber, Jan Maloney en Eric Birckenstock, maar die groep se aktiwiteite moes wag toe Botha in 1985 hom in die VSA gaan vestig het. Daar ontmoet hy vir Billy Bob Thornton waarmee hy hegte vriendskapsbande gesmee het; Thornton het dan ook dromme gespeel en gesing op die eerste Jack Hammer album. Twaalf jaar later wen Billy Bob Thornton 'n "Beste Akteur" Academy Award vir sy rol in die rolprent "Slingblade".

Na sy terugkeer na SA in 1986 begin Botha weer Jack Hammer en in die volgende tien jaar gee hulle vier uitmuntende en toegejuigde SA rock albums uit - 'Jack Of All Trades' (1987), 'The Judas Chapter' (1990), 'Ghosts On The Wind' (1994) en 'Death Of A Gypsy' (1996). Gedurende 1995 besluit Eckard Potgieter om sy suksesvolle CD klub, Mainline Music, uit te brei tot 'n Suid-Afrikaanse platemaatskappy, en so is Wildebeest Records gebore, met Piet Botha wat 'n groot deel van hierdie planne uitmaak. Wildebeest gee die Jack Hammer albums saam met albums deur Valiant Swart, Koos Kombuis, Die Transformers en die eienaardige Naaimasjiene uit.

In 1995 speel Jack Hammer as ondersteuning vir die Gauteng skof van die Uriah Heep/ Deep Purple "Masters Of Rock" Suid-Afrikaanse toer. Jack Hammer het ook een van Piet se hoofinvloede, ZZ Top, ondersteun op hulle SA toer. In 1997, gee Piet Botha en Wildebeest Botha se eerste solo album, die slegs-afrikaanse "Suitcase Vol Winter" uit, dit ontvang groot kritiese en publieke goedkeuring. 'n Tweede afrikaanse album, "Jan Skopgraaf" is in November 1999 uitgegee en Piet het ook gedurende November en Desember 1999 saam met Johnathan Martin en Tertius Du Plessis deur Suid-Afrika getoer om die nuwe album en sy ander CDs te bevorder.

'n Jack Hammer versameling getiteld "Anthology" is in Januarie 2000 uitgegee en spog met snitte vanaf al vier Jack Hammer albums, plus vier nuwe opnames, plus 'n heropname van hul klassieke "Fort Lauderdale".
-- Stephen Segerman & Brian Currin, vertaal deur Saad Cloete, Januarie 2001

The full and up-to-date Piet Botha & Jack Hammer story can be found here »»»