Bles Bridges

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Lawrence John Gabriel Bridges , known under the name Bles Bridges (born July 22, 1946 in Viljoensdrift , South Africa ; † March 24, 2000 at Bloemhof ) was a South African pop singer who was particularly successful in the 1980s and a prominent supporter of apartheid was.

life and career

The nickname "Bles" means "bald" in Afrikaans and is due to the fact that Bridges did not have thick hair when he was a child. His Irish grandfather gave him this nickname.

As part of a duo, Bles Bridges released an album called Morne en Marie sing in the early 1970s , which was unsuccessful. His career only got going when he released his first solo album Onbekende Weermagman in 1982 , including the cover version of the song Die Byeboerwa by Carike Keuzenkamp . However, after this leveling of the path, success did not really materialize until 1984 when his second album Bles was released. It contains both the song Maggie , which was written by his wife Leonie Bridges, and the title song Tawwe tienies , which supported the troops of South Africa in the Angola campaign. His first English-language album was released under the title I Am the Eagle, You're the Wind , whose title song is a cover version of the song I am the eagle, you are the wind sung by Karel Gott . Many of his albums and songs were produced by Ralph Siegel in the following time - as were those of several other South African pop stars. The song Nie lank gelede on his 1986 album Vir een en almal was a cover version of the Eurovision Song Contest winning song A bit of peace by Nicole . The album also contains his biggest hit, Ruiter van die Windjie , which was sung by Heintje in the 1970s .

In those days, Bridges was also politically active, for example he gave a benefit concert for an action by the right-wing extremist African resistance movement and supported the apartheid system with statements, especially the policies of President Pieter Willem Botha . Although singers like Carike Keuzenkamp and Anneli van Rooyen were quite popular among white students according to a survey, Bles Bridges was despised by a large majority, according to the survey. On the other hand , one of the singers accepted by many students was Johannes Kerkorrel , who had started the alternative “Voëlvry movement”, whose music contrasted with the state radio program, which was dominated by hits. Bridges berated this movement, stating that he preferred to sing about the finer things in life rather than political issues, as this would lead to a "productive people".

After the end of apartheid, his music remained popular, although his image suffered greatly from revelations of affairs.

Bles Bridges, who had survived cancer in the 1980s, was killed in a car accident on March 24, 2000 between Bloemhof and Wolmaransstad . 15,000 to 20,000 people attended his funeral.

His daughter is the pop singer Sunette Bridges . He also had a son.

Discography

  • Morne en Marie sing (1972)
  • Unbekende weermagman (1982)
  • Bles (1984)
  • Uit die boonste rakke (1985)
  • I Am the Eagle, You're the Wind (1985)
  • Vir een en almal (1986)
  • Reik na die sterre (1987)
  • Fight for Love (1987)
  • Laat my lewe, laat my liefhê (1988)
  • The Devil & the Song (1989)
  • Nog 'n nuwe dag (1989)
  • Let Me Love You (1990)
  • Back on My Feet Again (1991)
  • Soos nooit tevore (1992)
  • Classics My Way (1998)
  • The English Album (2008)

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The War that Provided the Soundtrack for Subversive Afrikaans Rock. In: theconversation.com. Andrew Jaspan, July 18, 2017, accessed August 18, 2018 (edited excerpt from the book On Record. Popular Africaans Music & Society 1900 - 2017 , African Sun Media, Stellenbosch, 2017).
  2. ↑ Schalk van der Merwe: On Record. Music & Society in Recorded Popular Afrikaans Music Records 1900–2017 . African Sun Media, Stellenbosch 2017, ISBN 978-1-928357-11-7 , pp. 127 ( google.dk [accessed July 19, 2018]).
  3. ↑ Schalk van der Merwe: On Record. Music & Society in Recorded Popular Afrikaans Music Records 1900–2017 . African Sun Media, Stellenbosch 2017, ISBN 978-1-928357-11-7 , pp. 11-14 ( google.dk [accessed July 19, 2018]).
  4. ^ Shifty Media Official Channel: Why there needed to be a VOëLVRY. September 20, 2015. Retrieved July 19, 2018 .
  5. ↑ Denis-Constant Martin: Sounding the Cape: Music, Identity and Politics in South Africa . African Minds, Somerset West 2013, ISBN 978-1-920489-82-3 , pp. 145–146 ( google.dk [accessed July 19, 2018]).
personal data
SURNAME Bridges, Bles
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Bridges, Lawrence John Gabriel (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION South African pop singer
DATE OF BIRTH July 22, 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH Viljoensdrift , South Africa
DATE OF DEATH March 24, 2000
Place of death Bloemhof