Biography
Piet Botha began writing songs and forming bands while still at school. He hooked up in 1974 with Abner Smith at the University of Pretoria to develop an acoustic duo. “They used to play at the Keg and Tankard in Pretoria”, remembers roadie Hendry Jackson. Botha recalls this as being their first professional gig.
Botha then connected with the members of Tusk (Doc Barendse, Dino Salvatori, and Derek Riley) to establish the band Raven and later added keyboardist Gabi le Roux to fill out the sound. This hard-rocking band won the ‘Beat 79’ nationwide competition for new rock groups, and released the Uriah Heep-styled single, ‘Wheel Of Fortune’ backed with ‘The Horseman’, on David Marks’ 3rd Ear Label.
Botha (known as JP Botha at that time and playing mainly bass) then formed the three-piece Catherine Wheel with Karlien van Niekerk and Doc Barendse. At this time violinist Dave Tarr and drummer Colin Pratley (ex-Freedom’s Children) were in a duo called Wildebeest. “We amalgamated our two bands” says Botha. Doc Barendse left and Boet Faber joined as guitarist.
Discography
Wheel Of Fortune (7″ Single)
Tracks
- Wheel Of Fortune (Piet Botha/ Doc Barendse) [4.30]
- The Horseman (Piet Botha/ Doc Barendse) [4.14]
Musicians
- Piet Botha: bass
- Doc Barendse: guitars
- Dino Salvatori: vocals
- Gabby Le Roux: keyboards
- Derek Riley: drums
Release information
Single: November 1979, Third Ear Music, 3 EZ 013
Comments
Thanks to Discogs for some images.
‘The Horseman’ was also recorded live by Wildebeest, featuring Piet Botha, and released on Bushrock 1 in 1981.
Drummer Derek Riley died in 1988 and is immortalised in the track ‘Mr Riley’ on Jack Hammer’s The Judas Chapter.
Piet Botha 