URBAN BETAS: Rise of mobile record bars

Nkosilathi Sibanda
SOME salesmen will stop at nothing to have you part with your dollar. These salesmen are not the type to knock at the door and tell you of the need to insure your life. No. They sell music.
They drive cars and are not in any way close to the pirates that run away from the police. These music salesmen are the musicians themselves. At times they hire people to do the work.

If you have been to Egodini bus terminus, you might have seen them. In Harare and other cities like Johannesburg it has always been a feature.

Call it enterprising, it just has to be done. The rise of mobile record bars!

One finds cars with big speakers hung on top, playing loud music. Posters of the musician whose album is sold are plastered on car doors.

A salesman shouts the name of the artiste in kombi tout style.

A CD goes for a dollar and they claim it is original. Who can dispute that considering the owners of the CD are the sellers?

What strikes the most about these mobile record bars is that they do not sell popular productions or big name artistes.

Perhaps big names deal with big record companies that do not fall for this mobile marketing model.

The next time I want to buy a CD, I would first pass by a busy place. I might come across a mobile record bar. I insist it has to be original and sold by the owners or representatives of the works. Support for piracy has no room.

In the meantime I will ask: Are these mobile record bars legal?

Many music videos are produced these days. We also read many stories that artistes are releasing singles and albums. Comedians are not to be outdone. They are busy as well.

While the rest of us complained about the cold, it seems the conditions were the best for some artistes. This is encouraging for the industry.

Competition among artistes is growing and not only the artistes are benefiting but the whole industry.

The studios are kept busy by artistes so they too are enjoying the works of the artistes.

Having the right tools is all it takes. Artistes should give us quality not just quantity. While we encourage artistes to give us more, sight is not lost about the enemy.

Even pirates are “burning” more music. The more artistes work, the better the chances of survival for these pirates.

If no one shuts down the pavement record bars, they will remain open. Artistes must get up and do something before they lose their works to thieves. This has been said for a long time.

The good side is that some in the industry continue to find ways of making entertainment relevant. Show promoters keep on giving hope to young musicians. The income on album sales is low but a concert might buy one a house.

Producers, promoters and event managers say they are stopping at nothing in reviving the country’s showbiz. I had a whirling thought about musicians that change style of music. It has worked wonders for some.

R Kelly made it look simple to sing about sex and switched easily to gospel. Few can do this and get the public nod. When artistes take a dip in unknown waters, it is a high possibility that they may fish out musical gems that no one thought existed.

Sungura artiste Obediah Matulana is on record saying he sees no problem with musicians switching genres.

“I have been experimenting a lot, looking for a different sungura sound. Solomon Skuza had songs in reggae that have gone on to become popular.

“Artistes are always looking for new things and fans should give us room to do that.”