The Parlotones are a renowned South African indie rock band hailing from Johannesburg, formed in 1998. The ensemble features Kahn Morbee on vocals and rhythm guitar, Paul Hodgson as lead guitarist, Glen Hodgson handling bass guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals, and Neil Pauw on drums and percussion.[1] Originally rooted in Britpop, The Parlotones' music has evolved to encompass a diverse range of genres, with lyrics centered on relatable themes such as love and everyday life, complemented by engaging and memorable melodies.
Within just four years of formation, The Parlotones signed with Sovereign Entertainment and released their debut album, Episoda. As one of South Africa's all-time best-selling music artists, the band boasts ten studio albums and multi-platinum success.[2] They have received nine South African Music Awards and, in 2009, made history as the first South African band to headline at the Coca-Cola Dome.[3] The Parlotones actively support various philanthropic initiatives, including The Little Wing Music Foundation, the Anene Booysen Foundation, and the Africa-Unite campaign.
History
Formation and early years (1998–2002)
The Parlotones originated in Johannesburg during the summer of 1998 when Kahn Morbee (born Dingaan) failed to form a band in high school. He later enrolled at the University of Johannesburg, where he met Neil Pauw, who had attended the same high school in Roodepoort. After recognizing their shared musical vision upon hearing Morbee's original songs, the duo decided to form a band.[3] Morbee subsequently met Paul Hodgson at university after they were both removed from the campus library for playing guitar. The next day, Morbee invited Paul to join the band. At the time, Paul's younger brother, Glen Hodgson, was still in high school but was asked to join as a bassist.[1] Their early sound drew inspiration from The Smiths, The Cure, and R.E.M., with Kahn describing their initial sound as "punkish and squeaky". They chose the punk-influenced band name "Crayon".[4]
In July 2002, well-known underground musician John Boyd joined the band, contributing synth elements and serving as the on-stage engineer during live shows.[1] Around this time, the band signed with Raphael Domalik's record label, Sovereign Entertainment, prompting them to adopt a more mature name. They settled on The Parlotones, a variation of Parlophone Records, the label that signed influential bands such as Radiohead, Travis, and Jeff Buckley.[5]
Episoda, Borderline Patrol, and University Radio (2003–2005)
"We had a great time in Andrew’s studio and I think you can hear it if you listen to the album. It was quite a rough recording and definitely doesn’t sound as polished as the later albums we recorded. We experimented with a lot of things that were new concepts to us."
By 2003, The Parlotones had gained prominence in the Johannesburg underground music scene, attracting a small but loyal fanbase. John Boyd introduced the band to Andrew Lester, lead singer of 57, who had built his own home studio and produced his band's debut album. The band agreed to record a full-length album with Andrew for R12,000 (equivalent to $2,598in 2022), pooling their resources to cover the cost when their record label could not.[6] After a month, they released Episoda, which received praise from fellow bands and fans.[7]
Initially, the album did not appeal to national radio stations like 5FM due to its perceived lack of commercial potential and "definitely too weird for mainstream radio" sound, as Paul explained.[6] However, university radio stations embraced the album, giving it high rotation and featuring it as a regular top download on local music websites. Regional stations like Highveld and East Coast Radio added the song "Long Way Home" to their playlists, turning it into an instant crowd-pleaser. This moderate success led to the band performing at regional music festivals and making guest appearances on television shows such as Jip and Good Morning Live.[8]
During this period, John Boyd decided to retire from music and pursue a career in marketing.[9] The Parlotones went on to record and release a second EP, Borderline Patrol, in late 2004.[10] The EP gained favorable reception from national radio stations, with their first hit single "Beautiful" charting successfully on 5FM. This was closely followed by their second single "Here Comes a Man", a Boom Boom Room cover, which entered the Top 20.[8] In April 2005, at a celebration for Cosmopolitan South Africa's twenty-one years of publishing, The Parlotones were invited to perform alongside eight other bands.[11]
In an effort to "stand out and be remembered" and to align with the party theme "vintage glam," Kahn suggested that the band apply A Clockwork Orange-inspired teardrops using mascara.[3] Kahn later spoke about his desire for a "trademark," citing influences like "Robert Smith's lipstick [and] Morrissey's quiff."[12] The mascara teardrops would become a signature element of the band's appearance during this time.
RadioControlledRobot and Mainstream Success (2005–2009)
The Parlotones' second album, Radiocontrolledrobot, released in July 2005 through Sovereign Entertainment, brought them mainstream success.[13] Produced by Dave Birch at Tropical Sweat Studios in Durban, South Africa, the album won the "Best Rock Album" award at the 2006 South African Music Awards.[14] The ballad "Beautiful" was featured in an Irish Fujifilm TV commercial, leading to a European license deal with Universal Music.[15] The album achieved Gold status in 2007.[16] Their next album, A World Next Door to Yours, released in September 2007, became the best-selling South African rock album of the decade.[17][18] The band signed with Universal Music.[19]
The Parlotones served as spokespeople for both Live Earth and Earth Hour, joining the likes of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Prince Charles, and Rihanna.[20] They released their third album, Stardust Galaxies, in October 2009, which also enjoyed commercial success.[21] The album featured the singles "Life Design" and "Push Me to the Floor," which gained significant airplay on South African radio stations.[22]
Journey Through the Shadows and Stand Like Giants (2010–2014)
The Parlotones gained traction in Europe when their music video for "Life Design," a single from their third studio album Stardust Galaxies, was featured on MTV Europe.[23] In 2009, the band performed at the Midem Talent Showcase in Cannes, France, where they met American band Blue October. This encounter led to an invitation for the Parlotones to open for Blue October during their Approaching Normal album's Pick Up the Phone Tour. This successful partnership resulted in several subsequent headlining US tours for the Parlotones.
The band produced an original rock theatre production, Dragonflies and Astronauts, which was broadcast live in 3D via DIRECTV and in 2D on Facebook. The 3D broadcast was well received in the United States, leading to 100 re-airings, while more than half of the worldwide viewership on Facebook came from the US. The production featured songs from the band's catalog, including 16 South African Top 40 hits.[citation needed]
Their song "Rock Paper Scissors" was featured on the popular American TV series One Tree Hill.[24] In October 2011, the Parlotones opened for Coldplay during their concerts in Cape Town and Johannesburg.[25][26]
In February 2012, the band was introduced to radio programmers, music supervisors, and other industry executives at Michele Clark's Sunset Sessions event in San Diego, CA. They also showcased at the South by Southwest festival in March 2012, leading to their song "Honey" charting on the Triple-A radio format. The Parlotones participated in the Sunset Sessions Rock event in June 2012, and Michele Clark subsequently became their US manager, featuring in their movie "This is Our Story."
In September 2012, the band announced their official move to Los Angeles, California.[27][28][29] They relocated to the US in January 2013, playing two sold-out farewell shows at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden and Ellis Park Stadium before their departure. Their first performance after the move was at The Viper Room in Los Angeles.[30] The Parlotones continued to tour the US, achieving success with radio and music supervisors.
Trinkets, Relics & Heirlooms and China (2016–2020)
In 2014, The Parlotones participated in the Sunset Sessions and SXSW industry festivals. They later toured Europe before returning to South Africa. After a 12-year partnership with Sovereign Entertainment, the band announced their departure from their record label and South African manager on 10 July 2014.[31]
Unfortunately, later that year, all touring was postponed due to lead singer Kahn Morbee's vocal cord complications, which required surgery.[32] The band resumed touring in 2015, promoting their new album Antiques & Artifacts with a 21-concert South African tour from April to May.[33][34] In September 2015, Morbee became a coach for the South African version of The Voice.[35]
The band continued to release new music, including the 2016 album Trinkets, Relics and Heirlooms and the 2017 live album Orchestrated.[36] In 2018, they released their tenth studio album China, which saw international release the following year.[37][38] The album, which featured a "new, yet familiar sound," included singles such as "Can You Feel It?" and "Beautiful Life."[39][40]
Throughout 2019, The Parlotones embarked on "The Unplugged(Ish) Tour" across South Africa, promoting their compilation album Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue.[41] They were nominated for the 23rd South African Music Awards for their album Trinkets, Relics & Heirlooms in the categories of Best Rock Album and Best Duo or Group of the Year.[42]
Strike the Harp (2020–present)
On 11 December 2020, The Parlotones released a Christmas album titled Strike the Harp. It features 10 tracks, including original songs and classic holiday covers. It was produced by Theo Crous and recorded at Bellville Studios in Cape Town.
The album received positive reviews, with critics praising the band's unique take on classic Christmas songs and the quality of their original tracks. The lead single, "A Parlotones Christmas", was well received by fans and received significant airplay on South African radio stations during the holiday season.
In an interview with Jacaranda FM, Kahn Morbee stated that the album was inspired by the band's desire to spread joy during a difficult year. He also discussed the challenges of recording during the COVID-19 pandemic and the band's excitement to perform the songs live once it was safe to do so.[43][44]
On 5 October 2010 a rosé called "We Call This Dancing" was released, named after the song from Stardust Galaxies. The wine is a blend of Wellington Pinotage (55%), Wellington Shiraz (25%), and a balance – a blend of 30 different varietals from the Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley near Hermanus (20%).[62]
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Radiocontrolledrobot is the second studio album released by Johannesburg-based South African Indie rock band The Parlotones under its Sovereign Entertainment label. It was produced by Dave Birch at Tropical Sweat Studios in Durban, South Africa. A shorter version of the album was released internationally in 2007, making it the first international album released by the band. The album also won the best album of the year at the 2006 South Africa Music Awards.
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A World Next Door to Yours is the third studio album released by Johannesburg-based South African Indie band The Parlotones under its Sovereign Entertainment label, released on 28 September 2007. The band had a massive album launch party at The Partyhouse at The Dome in Randburg in South Africa.
Myepic is a South African band featuring singer Jeff Strodl, bassist Matthys Cronje, lead guitarist JP Sing and percussionist Jonathan Jackson.
Stardust Galaxies is the fourth studio album produced by Johannesburg-based South African rock band the Parlotones. The album has been certified Gold, having sold 20,000 copies in its first week of release. The album was released on 30 October 2009, during the Parlotones' 2009 world tour.
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Journey Through the Shadows is the sixth album by South African rock band the Parlotones. It was produced by Theo Crous, and was released on 8 May 2012 by Sovereign Entertainment. They recorded the entire album in 2011 at M3 Studios in Johannesburg. The album includes their successful radio singles, "Save Your Best Bits" and "Honey Spiders".
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Episoda is the debut album by South African rock band the Parlotones. It was produced by Andrew Lester, and was released on 8 December 2003 on Sovereign Entertainment. The album was recorded during September–October 2003 at Andrew Lester's home studio in Johannesburg; the band paid R 12,000.
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Stand Like Giants is the seventh album by South African rock band the Parlotones. It was produced by Theo Crous, and was released on 1 September 2013 on Sovereign Entertainment. It includes their hit radio single, "Sleepwalker".
Antiques & Artefacts is the eighth album by South African rock band The Parlotones. It was produced by Theo Crous, and was released on 12 April 2015 on Gallo. The album was recorded at Bellville Studios in Cape Town. It is their first album after leaving their record label, Sovereign Entertainment, and firing their manager, Raphael Domalik.
The discography of the South African rock band The Parlotones consists of eight studio albums, four live albums, two compilation albums, and four extended plays (EPs). The band consists of Kahn Morbee, Paul Hodgson, Glen Hodgson, and Neil Pauw.
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1 2 "The Parlotones: 8th Annual Program – Pop/Rock Song IMA Nominee / Video IMA Nominee". MUSIC RESOURCE GROUP LLC. Key acknowledgements include Best Rock Album 2006 at South African Music Awards, Best Music Act – People's Choice Awards 2008, Best Band – You Awards 2007, FHM Readers Choice 2007, Best Video MK Awards 2007, Best Video nomination Resfest 2007.
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Kahn Morbee (2010)
Paul Hodgson (2010)
Glen Hodgson (2010)
Neil Pauw (2010)
