Adam Lomas from the rock band Amersham. Image: YouTube
The mid-1990s was a time filled with massive change and equal doses of quality South African music that had finally found its independent voice.
Adam Lomas from the rock band Amersham. Image: YouTube
One such powerhouse that embraced post-apartheid South Africa was Amersham – a group that would go on to galvanise what raw talent, humour, and hunger to be heard epitomised.
Fast-forward 25 years and the collective that spawned the likes of radio favourites Monkey, Matchbox, Brilliant Fantastic, Fine Thanks and Supermanic between the mid-1990s and teased the turn on the century before disbanding, is back.
This time, not only with the core members counted, but also armed with new music that’s set to catapult them onto a global stage.
Staying true to their original ethos of high-octane quirk and cutting modern pop-rock – Adam Lomas, Sasha Sonnbichler, Tim Trotter, and Nathan Waywell’s new lease on life is sonically arresting.
Newly signed to Gallo Record Company, Amersham’s return to form has legacy fans celebrating the group’s first single Happy Face with wild abandon – a track delightfully familiar and equally addictive, as is true of their prolific catalogue originally recorded between 1996 and 1999.
As part of the group’s long-awaited 2020 reveal, Amersham decided to deliver a second single, in tandem with Happy Face, in the form of Cute as a Button. Each offers fans, new and those hardwired into their broader body of work, something a little different by way of reintroduction.
I spoke to Adam Lomas last week post the release of the new single Happy Face.
Space travel.
Being photographed in your pajamas.
Not necessary – look at The Rolling Stones.
Clothes shopping.
It’s magic and that’s not a joke.
When the band all agrees on something musical and you can feel the energy flowing.
Falling off of one.
Nelson Mandela and Johnny Clegg.
Barack Obama. I think he did an incredible job pulling America’s economy out of the ashes.
My books.
Laphroaig with a cigar when everyone’s gone to sleep.
Glastonbury.
I’m 6’4″.
My bother calls me “Fatty” from when I was a podgy little baby.
Gardening.
Springbok Nude Girls – Neanderthal 1
Lithium – Zennon Supertroopers
Sugardrive – Sand Man Sky
Just Jinjer – Everything Since Then
Chris Letcher – Spectroscope
Interstellar
Bye Bye Love because it was the first song I learned how to play
My son and my daughter
Coffee
My hat to cover my balding head
“Kiff” means lekker, cool, nice
Acrobatic flying, which I might do soon.
Being invited to play the 46664 concert at Ellis Park in 2007.
Manchester United.
That Zuma gets away with it.
Getting the family into the car to start the drive for the December holidays.
Disappear into a magical land.
Get out of bed and grab a coffee.
Yup.
On the beach.
Just donations.
I wish for the corruption to stop here so we can get the country to where we know we can.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/amershamsouthafricanband/
Twitter: twitter.com/bandamersham
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