Sheer Sound
| Sheer Sound | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Damon Forbes |
| Distributor(s) | IRIS (South Africa) |
| Genre | Jazz, rock, world, Afropop, house |
| Country of origin | South Africa |
| Official website | Official website of Sheer Sound |
Sheer Sound is a South African indie record label formed in 1994 by Damon Forbes.
History
Sheer Sound was formed in November 1994, shortly after South Africa’s first democratic elections. The label was initially a home for jazz and world music and fast gained a reputation for its extensive South African and African jazz catalogue.
By the mid-1990s, a young music marketer, Damon Forbes, was getting restless with the limited vision of his industry.
"I sunk my teeth into jazz because it carried a world music message for me; it was truly culturally representative.... I just looked at the market and I saw the economics of the people of South Africa changing, due to better access to education.... [And]the workplace was going to change; a lot more black people getting into jobs that are of medium and higher income levels.... With all that, comes the aspiration to listen to better quality music. [So] the market, in the long term, is going to increase."
With what he calls "R1 500 (just over $200) and a dream", Forbes established his own label, Sheer Sound. (Ansell 2005:269)
In 2006 two imprint labels, Seed and 2Feet Music, were formed under the Sheer Sound umbrella and has since released some of the most prolific rock and singer-songwriter music, respectively, in South Africa.
List Of Artists
Singer-Songwriter
- Farryl Purkiss
- Chris Letcher
- Nibs van der Spuy
- Shawn Phillips
- Baz Corden
- Simon van Gend
Rock
- Wonderboom
- Myepic
- Cassette (Outside of RSA only)
- Bed On Bricks
- Paul E. Flynn
- Martin Rocka & The Sick Shop
- Misled
- Pestroy
- Insek
- Libido
- Gently Scar'd
- Underbelly
- New Academics
- Lionel Bastos
- Elusion
- The Dirty Skirts
- Mann Friday
- Gonzo Republic
- eVoid
- Walt
Afropop
- Jaziel Brothers
- Lesego
- Mina Nawe
- Phinda
- Naledi
Jazz
- Jeff Maluleke
- McCoy Mrubata
- Winston Mankunku Ngozi
- Paul Hanmer
- Voice
- Louis Mhlanga
- Gavin Minter
- Tony Cox
- Ernie Smith
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Artist | Category | Title | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | |||||
| 2009 | 340ml | Best Alternative Album | Sorry For The Delay | Won | |
| 340ml | Best Duo or Group Of The Year | Sorry For The Delay | Nominated | ||
| 340ml | Best Album Of The Year | Sorry For The Delay | Nominated | ||
| 340ml | MTN Record Of The Year | Sorry For The Delay | Nominated | ||
| 340ml | Best Producer | Sorry For The Delay | Nominated | ||
| 340ml | Best Engineer | Sorry For The Delay | Won | ||
| Ernie Smith | Best Adult Contemporary Album (English) | Nominated | |||
| Nibs van der Spuy | Best Instrumental Album | Autumn Light | Nominated | ||
| Imbokodo | Best Pop Album (African) | Nominated | |||
| Jaziel Brothers | Best Remix Of The Year | Nominated | |||
| The Dirty Skirts | Best Rock Album | Daddy Don't Disco | Nominated | ||
| Paul E. Flynn | Best Rock Album | Fields | Nominated | ||
| Gavin Minter | Best Traditional Jazz Album | I'll Be Seeing You | Nominated | ||
| Zim Ngqawana | Best Traditional Jazz Album | Won | |||
| Oliver Mtukudzi | Best Traditional/Adult Contemporary DVD | Nominated | |||
| 2008 | Jaziel Brothers | Best Afro Pop Album | The Beginning | Won | |
| Underbelly | Best Alternative Album | "For A Cynical Science" | Nominated | ||
| Insek | Best Alternative Album | "Maaiers" | Nominated | ||
| New Academics | Best Alternative Album | "City Of Strange" | Nominated | ||
| McCoy Mrubata | Best Male Artist | "Brasskap Sessions - Vol 1" | Nominated | ||
| McCoy Mrubata | Best Traditional Jazz | "Brasskap Sessions - Vol 1" | Nominated | ||
| Jeff Maluleke | Best Adult Contemporary African | "A Twist Of Jeff" | Nominated | ||
| Musa Manzini & Lawrence Matshiza (For Jeff Maluleke) | Best Producer | "A Twist Of Jeff" | Nominated | ||
| Phinda | Best Adult Contemporary African | "Yithi Paha" | Nominated | ||
| Jaziel Brothers | Best PopAlbum | "The Beginning" | Nominated | ||
| Mina Nawe | Best Urban Pop Album | "Njalo" | Nominated | ||
| Tony Cox | Best Instrumental Album | "Blue Anthem" | Won | ||
| 2007 | Paul Hanmer | Best Male Artist | "Water & Lights" | Nominated | |
| Lesego | Best Newcomer | "Mymusic" | Nominated | ||
| Paul Hanmer | Best Instrumental Jazz Album | "Water & Lights" | Won | ||
| Four Forty | Best Instrumental Jazz Album | "Us+Them=1" | Nominated | ||
| Chris Letcher | Best Adult Contemporary Album: English | "Frieze" | Nominated | ||
| Wonderboom | Best Rock Album: English | "City Of Gold" | Nominated | ||
| Chris Letcher | Best Rock Album: English | "Frieze" | Nominated | ||
| Martin Rocka and the Sick Shop | Best Alternative Music Album | "Through Sick & Sin" | Nominated | ||
| Prankster | Best Alternative Music Album | "Bravo" | Nominated | ||
| Lesego | Best Pop Album: African | "Mymusic" | Won | ||
| Oliver Mtukudzi | Best Compilation DVD | "Wonai" | Nominated | ||
| 2006 | Phinda | Best Adult Contemporary Album: African | "Mbheka Phesheya" | Won | |
| 2005 | Wessel van Rensburg | Best Instrumental Album | "Song For E" | Won | |
| McCoy Mrubata | Best South African Traditional Jazz Album | "Discovery" | Won | ||
| Evert de Munnick (Sakhile) | Best Engineer | "Togetherness" | Won | ||
| Sipho Gumede & Ernie Smith | Best Joint Composition | "" | Won | ||
| 2004 | Zim Ngqawana | Best Male Artist | "Zimphonic Suites" | Won | |
| Zim Ngqwana | Best South African Traditional Jazz Album | "Zimphonic Suites" | Won | ||
| Andile Yenana & Winston Mankunku Ngozi (Winston Mankunku Ngozi) | Best Producer | "" | Won | ||
| Peter Pearlson (Zim Ngqwana) | Best Engineer | "Zimphonic Suites" | Won | ||
| Gloria Bosman | Best Female Composer | "Nature Dances" | Won | ||
| MK Video Awards | 2008 | Chris Letcher | Best Roadtrip Video | "Deep Frieze" | Nominated |
| Farryl Purkiss | Sexiest Video | "Better Days" | Nominated |
See also
External links
References
- Ansell, Gwen. 2005. Soweto Blues. New York: Continuum Books. (The history of Sheer Sound taken from this book)