Page 23 - SAFFER 07

Music

Hooker sang, “it’s in him and it got to come out”.
Piet Botha passed away on the 2nd June 2019 after a short battle
with cancer.

by Brian Currin, October 2012, updated July 2020

Editor’s Note: I had the privilege of making the acquaintance of
Brian Currin after rediscovering Piet Botha’s music. I am grate-
ful to Brian for permitting me to use this bio of Piet Botha. It is
fitting that we place this article in Piet’s birth month - for there
is much to be celebrated about the music legacy Piet has left for
his fans. I am now one of those said fans and I will endeavour to
include some of Piet’s music on Saffer Radio.

Further, I have asked Brian if he would consider providing us
with other content. We are still chatting about the possibili-
ties but for now, I’ll leave you with links to Brian’s website and
Discogs profile. briancurrin.wordpress.com and https://www.
discogs.com/artist/4247129-Brian-Currin

I want to add a few more words here – my humble take on the
life of Piet Botha. Listen to the words – at times, there is a polit-
ical undercurrent. Totally understood – I mean, Piet grew up in
the house of Pik Botha. No, I won’t express any opinion – apart
from saying that I catch in Piet’s music a deep understanding
of life in SA – then and up to the recent past. I hope someone
writes a comprehensive biography about the life and times of
Piet Botha – someone so close that we can get behind the mo-
tivation of some of the songs. Imagine – being a lyzyrd on the
brotherhood with the Akkedis band, by releasing a collaborative wall when Pik and Piet chatted about this and that! Brian, will
album under the name “The Lyzyrd Kyngs”. The name comes you be the man to take up such a formidable challenge? I truly
from a Jim Morrison poem, “The celebration of the Lizard hope so!
King”. The weird spelling is a combination of ancient English
and a serious reference to Lynyrd Skynyrd, a band that has been Finally – I’ve taken the liberty of loaning a few photos from the
a source of inspiration for more than thirty years. Piet Botha website – I hope the moderators know I’m sharing in
good faith - pietbotha.com – do yourself a favour – go visit!
A second Lyzyrd Kyngs album “A Few
Grains of Sand” was released in Octo-
ber 2014.

Jack Hammer’s ‘Handful of Rain’, re-
leased January 2016, came after many
years spent touring, and is an ode to
the road, a book of songs, a collection
of quiet reflections of a man looking
back on his life as a touring musician.
Songs of rivers, highways and impos-
sible love: these are the main motifs of
this album.

In February 2018 Piet Botha released
‘Die Middernagtrein’, an album of
gypsies, ghosts and other stories of life
and living.

Piet Botha played as often as he could.
Sometimes solo or as duo, sometimes
with Jack Hammer or The Lyzyrd
Kyngs. He played not only because his
fans loved to see him, but as John Lee

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