VA - Gospel Greats, vol. 1 (1990)

Gallo/Mike Fuller Music (MFM), FML1032

Gospel hit the mainstream at the end of the 80s and many popular bubblegum and crossover acts tried their hand at the genre, some never turning back. Here the MFM stable seized the moment and put out a compilation featuring most of their biggest stars, including Mercy Pakela, Ali Katt, PJ Powers (Hotline), William Mthethwa and keyboard fiend Mathambo aka Bones Brettell. Then there are the established names of the genre like Rebecca, Benjamin Dube, Pure Gold, at times backed by the likes of the Holy Spirits Choir, Forever Mass Choir, Baragwanath Choir and Galathia Ama First Born Choir.

PJ POWERS - Thandeka (1989)

Straw Hat Music/Gallo GRC, SHL1001
Producers: Kenny Mataba, Alan Rissik & PJ Powers
Engineer: David Subkleve & Sam Wingate
Recorded at: Audio Lab, Jhb

After pioneering crossover act Hotline broke up, PJ Powers' initial solo releases were hit and miss, until the anthem for the 1995 Rugby World Cup took her back to the top of the charts. Thandeka, after her own nickname, blends traditional African sounds with rock and folk influences. Royalties for 'The Whole World's Gone Insane' dedicated to the Rhino and Elephant Fund. Featuring Jabu Sibumbe (Stimela) on bass, Luis Moreira on trumpet and backing vocals by a young Ringo Madlingozi.

STEVE KEKANA & PJ POWERS WITH HOTLINE - Feel So Strong (1983)

MFM/Gallo, XPD 2128
Producers: Bones Brettell, Greg Cutler & Alistair Coakley
(executive producer: Mike Fuller)
Engineer: Greg Cutler   
Arranger: Hotline

Classic early bubblegum track - a duet by a black man and a white woman that tested the apartheid censors at the SABC. In the days of the Immorality Act, such relationships - or hinting at them through song - were illegal.  Lyrics like "Your love has made me feel like I belong" had to be changed to "your help has made me feel like I belong" for the song to be played on radio. And photos of Steve and PJ holding hands above their heads were cropped to show no touching. If that was enough to get the censor's worked up, they wouldn't have been impressed by the B-side "Rap Version" of the same song, which has PJ cooing "Touch me, feel me... we can make it, feels so good... I want you so bad," even though Steve doesn't feature. Sure enough, five years later PJ was banned by SABC TV and radio for a  year.

Check out this video of the way things were - filmed and televised during Hotline and Steve's mid-80s tour to Scandinavia, where the song was a hit - along with Steve's other early English tracks like 'Raising My Family' . . .