The Chronicle

BULAWAYO, Monday, July 27, 1970 — The Otis Waygood Blues Band, one of Rhodesia’s best-known exports, is back in Bulawayo on a two-week “working holiday”.

Success has not changed Alan Zipper (19), Leigh Sagar (20), Rob Zipper (22), Martin Jackson (26) and Ivor Rubenstein (19).

“Except we’ve got the best amplification and instruments one can buy,” said Martin.

Their first LP is doing very well in South Africa, and they will make another when they return to Johannesburg, the compositions used in this will be entirely their own.

“We are getting our own sound more and more and we will use more embellishments than we used to,” said Rob.

He said they preferred giving concerts to holding “sessions. A concert is a much better vehicle for putting music across.”

Martin said: “It’s an indication that music has reached a higher standard – people don’t have to dance to be entertained.”

Rob said pop concerts had become the big thing in South Africa. “What most people don’t realise is the Trade Fair here was a bigger scene and better organised than the Durban Pop Festival”, he said.

Rhodesian groups have much the same sound as their South African counterparts, but are overawed by the scene down there because it seems so enormous.

“It’s not true,” said Bob. “There are more towns and people, that’s all.” Otis Waywood, who have had their present line-up since December, will be playing in Bulawayo and Salisbury.