Springbok Nude Girls
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Springbok Nude Girls | |
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Also known as | Nudies, Nude Girls |
Origin | Stellenbosch, South Africa |
Genre(s) | Alternative rock |
Years active | 1994–2001, 2006-Present |
Label(s) | SonyBMG(South Africa) |
Website | Official Website |
Members | |
Arno Carstens - Vocals Francious Kruger - Drums Theo Crous - Guitar Arno Blumer - Bass Adriaan Brand - Synthesizer, Trumpet (joined 1995) |
The Springbok Nude Girls (a.k.a the Nudies, or the Nude Girls) is a rock band from Stellenbosch near Cape Town, South Africa.
The band is named after the glamour models that graced the covers of a series of compilation albums of covers of top 40 hits known as the 'Springbok' albums. (They were not linked to Springbok Radio). These models were fairly scantily clad and titillating for the time, and considered to be mildly shocking in the Calvinistic and social climate of 1970s South Africa.
An alternative rock band, the Nude Girls introduced punk, ska, acid jazz and metal into their songs, introducing a new world of music to the youth of South Africa in the early 1990s. The Nudies became not only favourites in South African households, but stars and influences in the South African music industry at large.
They played their first big gig in September 1994 to a full house at a local venue in Stellenbosch. At the time the South African music scene was in the process of transformation, as was much of rest of post-Apartheid South Africa. They were hailed as a breath of fresh air and one of the country's most promising new bands.
The Nude girls have toured extensively all over the world and recorded an international album in New York in April 1999. Minor success in Europe kept them touring but their popularity was still unequalled compared to South Africa. In 2000, the band received a South African Music Award for Best Rock Album (Surpass The Powers).
The Nude Girls were voted the Best South Africa rock band in a poll conducted by South African radio station 5FM.
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[edit] Break up (and reformation)
In 2001 the band announced an indefinite hiatus. However, in 2006, a blog entry on drummer Francois Kruger's site informally announced their reunion[1]. Their reunion coincided with the return of trumpeter Adriaan Brand. Their first new album in four years, Peace Breaker, was released in March 2007.
[edit] After the split
During the band's hiatus Arno Carstens formed a new band, Nu Porn, and also launched a successful solo career. In 2006, he won a SAMA award for his solo album The Hello Goodbye Boys, which was named Best English Adult Contemporary Album. Guitarist Theo Crous went on to form the Afrikaans alternative band KOBUS!(also known as K.O.B.U.S!) with Francois Breytenbach Blom, ex-vocalist of South African heavy metal band Voice of Destruction. They have released three albums: kobus!, 100% Skuldgevoelvry and SwaarMetaal. During the band's break from recording, the Nude Girls continued to perform sporadically, with Lee from Hog Hoggidy Hog filling in on trumpet and Brendan Jury on viola and keyboards.
[edit] Discography
- Neanderthal 1 (August 1995) (Epic)
- The Missing Fling (unknown)
- be-vest@iafrica.com (unknown)
- It Became A Weapon (October 1996) (Epic)
- I Love You EP (1997-03-04) (Epic)
- Afterlifesatisfaction (1997-05-27) (Epic)
- Omnisofa (April 1998) (Epic)
- Opti Mum (November 1998) (Epic)
- Surpass the Powers (July 1999) (Epic)
- Relaxzor (November 2000) (Epic)
- The Fat Lady Sings - Best of the Springbok Nude Girls 1995-2001 (October 2001) (Epic)
- Goddank Vir Klank 1994 - 2004 (July 2004) (Sony Music)
- Nude Girls (Exclusive UK release) (July 2006) (Golden Fairy Records/SonyBMG)
- Peace Breaker (March 2007) (Sony/BMG)