SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT I'D SEE IN MY LIFETIME...

I suspect most folk who read this are around my age or maybe just a few years younger, so I guess all of us can recall the era of apartheid. It was the situation in South Africa, together with the miners strike in the UK and the efforts to overcome homophobia, that did more than anything else to raise my own political awareness.

I was proud to be come from a city (Glasgow) and go to a university (Strathclyde) that were among the first to give accolades to the then imprisoned Nelson Mandela. And even though I joined demos and chanted slogans, it was more in hope than expectation that I thought the change was gonna come such was the position of entrenchment adopted by the the political leaders in South Africa. And with no real pressure seemingly being put on them by the right-wing governments of the USA and UK led by Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher, the idea that Mandela would not only be released but become president of his country seemed to be a ridiculous pipe-dream.

But it did happen. Sometimes I still don't quite believe it.

And tomorrow, the eyes of the world will be focussed on South Africa as the 19th World Cup kicks off in Johannesburg. Nelson Mandela will be there in person. You know that when I watched him take that long walk to freedom in February 1990, I never imagined he would still be alive two decades on - I was certain he would be the victim of a political assassination.

I am sure that that tomorrow he and the many millions of his countrymen who went through so much in those awful years when the colour of their skin condemned them to be second or even third class citizens, will hold their heads high with pride. Maybe even a few tears of joy will be wiped away.

But please let's never forget those who gave the ultimate sacrifice:-

mp3 : Peter Gabriel - Biko (12" version)

From the sleeve notes, penned by Peter Gabriel:-

Bantu Stephen Biko was a young South African leader who died in 1977 as a result of injuries received during interrogations by the South African Security Police.

I believe Steve Biko was very important. he could have been a very positove force in Africa and a leader young people all over the world could have identified with. When I heard of Steve Biko's detention on the radio, I was sure that publicity would protect him. World attention had been attracted to the large number of prison suicides; slipping in showers, jumping from windows and hanging... I was shocked one breakfast time to hear of his death and wrote down some thoughts in my diary which were to be the start of the lyrics two years later.

I also wanted to post the mp3 of one of the b-sides to this 12" single, and again will let the sleeve notes explain:-

SHOSHOLOZA (Go In Peace) was one of the tracks off the soundtrack LP DINGAKA that inspired the direction for the music of the song 'Biko'. The original is an unnaccompanied chant to which I have added an arrangement and a new rythmic section of the song.

mp3 : Peter Gabriel - Shosholoza

Incidentally, all the proceeds from this particular single went to the Steve Biko Black Consciousness Movement.

But of course, not all musicians were so inclined to get support change in South Africa, which was why the following got together in 1985 under the banner of Artists United Against Apartheid:-

Afrika Bambaataa: Ray Barretto: Stiv Bator: Pat Benatar: Big Youth: Ruben Blades: Kurtis Blow: Bono: Duke Bootee; Jackson Browne: Ron Carter; Clarence Clemons: Jimmy Cliff: George Clinton: Miles Davis: Will Downing: Bob Dylan: The Fat Boys: Peter Gabriel: Bob Geldof: Daryl Hall: Herbie Hancock: Nona Hendryx: Linton Kwesi Johnson: Stanley Jordan: Kashif: Eddie Kendrick: Little Steven: Darlen Love: Malopoets: Grandmaster Melle Mel: Michael Monroe: John Oates: Sonny Okosuns: Bonnie Raitt: Joey Ramone: Lou Reed: David Ruffin: Run-DMC: Scorpio: Gil Scott-Heron: Shankar: Bruce Springsteen: Zak Starkey: Ringo Starr: Tina B: Pete Townsend: Via Afrika: Tony Williams: Peter Wolf: Bobby Womack.

mp3 : Artists Against Apartheid - Sun City (Last Remix)

Some of you might not be prepared to take the full nine and a half minutes on this 12" mix that I've dusted down especially for today, but at least have a look at the video.



Oh and for what's it worth......I really don't care which country lifts the World Cup on 11th July....just as long as they play entertaining football on the way.