Drive In Movies Johannesburg

In a much earlier post about Roadhouses, I did say I would write about Drive Ins' so here we are.  I can't remember when the last Drive In disappeared around Jo'burg, but I think it may have been around the late 90's, as I do remember going to the drive-inn with Derrick before we got married which would have been about '94, we went to see the "Aristocats".   I remember it was raining and by that time they had done away with the speakers that you would put inside your car to hear the movie.  Then you just tuned into a certain FM frequency and you would be able to hear the movie, however someone at work had broken the antenna off his car, and he spent the whole movie with his hand out

I remember many experiences from the Drive In, one with an ex-boyfriend who took me to Top Star, they always showed 2 movies and I told him I wanted to leave after the 1st Movie, well he refused to take me home or to my friends house after the movie, so I told him in that case I would walk!  And I did ... instead of walking down the road at the drive-Inn I just decided to climb down the mine dump.

the window holding the antenna to get a clear sound.

I got to Eloff street Ext. and my guardian angel must have been watching over me as a really nice bunch of people stopped and gave me a lift, hence to say that was like the last I saw of the boyfriend.

These are some of the Drive In's I remember from my youth:

Speedy's - South Hills
Panorama - Past Uncle Charlies
Top Star - Eloff street ext, Johannesburg
Veldskoen - Randburg
5 Star - I think this was out towards Honeydew
Hilfox - Between Roodepoort and Randburg

I am sure there are some I have forgotten, so please help me!

My Coronavirus Covid-19 Diary

I have been updating my status mostly everyday since we had to start working from home because of the Coronavirus, so I decided to copy those updates into my Blog that I have neglected for the past 5 years, you can find it here:  https://glorydaysindublin.blogspot.com/

The BIG birthday Concert

My Memory seems to fade me, but I do vaguely remember the Radio 5 birthday concert!  My BFF managed to get us VIP seats as her brother worked for Radio 5 at the time, I remember Mango Groove headlining the concert, or am I wrong, was that another concert?

Does anyone else remember the concert?

I remember when Radio 5 started was it the end of the 80's beginning of the 90's? No in fact it was 1975, those were the days we were torn between listening to Springbok Radio or Radio 5!

So I can only think the BIG concert bash that we attended would have been 1985 

I found my "Big Birthday Concert" program and it was held on the 14th of October 1989 at Ellis Park, the main acts were:

Mango Groove
Marcalex
Lucky Dube
Bayete
Brenda Fassie
Bright blue
Celtic Rumours
Chicco
Die gereformeerde blues band
pj powers
Phyco Reptile
Rebecca Malope
Ricardo
Sankomota
Sipho "hotstix" mabuse
The Spectres
Stimela
Wendy Oldfield
Zia

I had forgotten most of the groups and artists above, but then again it was 31 years ago!

It was probably one of my first multi-racial concerts in South Africa, and this was just the start - Music would play a huge role in bringing about the end of apartheid and the end of the National party rule! 

RABBITT - CHARLIE

Rabbitt

Do you remember the South African Rock group "Rabbitt" from the 1970's - You don't okay well then you are either not South African or too young.

When I was in high school, Rabbitt was the new up and coming South African Rock band, 4 boys (most famous bands always had 4 boys - The Beatles), the band consisted of Ronnie, Neil, Duncan and Trevor, very good looking boys that the girls all went gaga over.

• Trevor Rabin - Vocals, Lead Guitar and keyboards
• Duncan Faure - Vocals, guitar, keyboard
• Ronnie Robot (Ronald Friedman) bass guitar
• Neil Cloud - drums

Rabbitt had many hits and played many concerts at His Majesties in Johannesburg, I was never allowed to go, probably the fact the fact that my mom and dad thought I was too young!  I so wish I had been able to go.   Rabbitt mania was a thing and I remember seeing the photos in the Sunday Times the day after one of their concerts, girls crying, throwing their panties on the stage ... lol (still don't get that!)  Maybe I was just too much of a prude. 

I could not even afford to buy an album until I started working and they had broken up, my favorite Album cover was from "A croak and a grunt in the night", the picture of Trevor Rabin in the nude with just his guitar covering his privates :).  Trevor was my favorite, dark hair, dark eyes - I now have my own Trevor! 

They were so famous in South Africa and word has it that when they tried to break into the International market ( A White South African group during apartheid) it was never going to work!  So in 1978 when the band broke up, Duncan went off to join "The Bay city rollers" and Trevor Rabin joined the group "yes", they have both done very well for themselves, Duncan Faure is now living in Las Vegas and Trevor Rabin is somewhere in California, he has written many Movie themes.  And in fact I think he received an Oscar.  His life story is fascinating and you can read about him here : Trevor_Rabin 

Another of their best songs was "Charlie", a really romantic song that all the girls loved. 

A list of all their music can be found on the Wikipedia page https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rabbitt

Would love to know what happened to Neil and Ronnie, are they still in South Africa?

I found some photos taken at a Concert in Port Elizabeth and my dear friend Mercia who appears in 2 of these! 

Smugglers - Rabie Street, Randburg ... (Smuggies)

This is a blast from the past .... The late 80's "Smugglers Rest" - I had moved out of home and was living in Long Street in Ferndale, Smugglers was the place to find good music, lots of drink and a really enjoyable evening!

It was our hangout on a Friday night and any other night from about 1987 till the early 90's, I used to frequent the place with my friends.  The band who played always sang songs that everyone could join in, anything from the Beatles, Thin Lizzy (Whiskey in the Jar) and would always end the evening with "You'll never walk alone".

I met some really good friends there who I am still friends with today.  Mark, Deon, Caroline just to name a few, it was a great Jol, and even on a Saturday afternoon to sit in the beer garden. 

I remember at one point though, we decided to find other pubs outside of smugglers, Randburg always had good Jols - there was Buccaneers at the top of Republic Road, and a few places that for the life of me I cannot remember the names now.  So maybe one of you can help me - there was the bar / restaurant in Windsor East, the one near the Randburg shopping center where Ballyhoo played. - Remember "Man on the moon"?

I remember when I used to frequent smugglers, beer was R1 a bottle and a brandy and diet coke about R3.50, the barman was so nice, but they worked their butts off especially on a Friday night.

Would love to hear your memories of Smugglers!   

George Benson - Sun City 1982

Our radio station today was doing a Music Festival at home, what you could do is find an old concert ticket, take a picture and send it in to the Radio station and then ask them to play a song, so it got me to thinking what was my first concert that I ever went to.

Now my mom did take us to see Cliff Richard twice when he played at the City Hall in Johannesburg, once on his own and then once with the Shadows, which would have been back in the 70's.   My dream as a kid was to go to an Elvis concert, but alas he passed away before I left school.

So my first concert that I went to on my own or with friends, was "Georgie Benson", I remember meeting my friends in town and taking the bus up to Sun City to see the concert.   What a brilliant show, I still have the program from the concert.   

After the concert we went to "Raffles" night club and lone behold there was George himself booging the night away.   We got chatting to him and he autographed my program for me.  Wow what a concert and it was my first trip to Sun City as well. 

Sun city was the first Major Casino built in the homeland of Bophuthatswana because in South Africa it was illegal to Gamble, it was built by millionaire Sol Kerzner who recently passed away.  It was like the "Vegas" of South Africa. 



I will dig out my program and post a copy of his autograph as soon as I have a moment.