adminrevellers, one called Janimbo and another Kudakwashe Marumani, an engineer at Schweppes.
As the DJ started playing old skool music the two revellers, who thought I was knowledgeable about this kind of music, started to ask me questions.
One of the tunes they were dancing to was “Saturday Night” by the Rusike Brothers, whom the revellers had vaguely heard about. Janimbo remarked, “That’s a brilliant song. Who are these guys?” I went on to explain to them that the Rusikes were/are a family band made up of five brothers, just like the Jackson Five.
They were very popular in the 1980s and 1990s and were famous for their dazzling dancing styles and also for their weird sense of fashion as evidenced by their donning saggy and baggy gunshot jeans with holes in them.
Sometimes they went out of their way to tear the jeans in keeping with the fashion trends of the day.
They were one of the first Zimbabwean hip-hop groups in the 1990s at most club nights as well as dance halls such as Arcadia Community Hall in Harare.
It was during this conversation with Janimbo and Kudakwashe that I began to wonder how many other punters have little or no knowledge at all about the Rusike Brothers. That persuaded me to do a story on them.
The Rusike Brothers, a family band, was formed in 1978 in Lusaka, Zambia. With the influence of their father who was simply known as A,B,C. Tawanda, Abbie, Kelly, Philip and Colin became Southern Africa’s answer to the Jackson Five.
The Jacksons and their dancing routines who were modelled around top Black American pop acts of the 1970s influenced most of their early music.
The Rusikes had moved from Zimbabwe to Zambia in 1965 during the liberation struggle.
Their father, who was a teacher and journalist in the then Rhodesia, found it difficult to continue to write freely in an oppressive state.
As a result, he chose to move his family to a country that had just attained its independence from Britain.
The boys were aged between three and 12 at the time. Kelly and Colin, the twins in the family, were only three years old at the time of their move to Zambia.
In 1980, when Zimbabwe attained Independence and after performing in front of large audiences in Zambia, the family packed their bags and returned to the newly independent Zimbabwe where they were an instant hit with “Saturday Night”, their debut single.
A follow-up, “Club Soca”, did not make a big impression on the market.
With an aggressive push from A, B, C., who was also their manager, they were given several advertising jobs.
These included voice-overs on the Post Office Savings Bank advertisement, roller meal videos, Merlins linen, newspaper and video advertisements.
The most popular advertisement they ever did was “Ngwerewere Sadza” which advertised Ngwerewere mealie-meal, Zimbabwe’s staple food.
Two singles were released between 1981 and 1985 and despite this seemingly lack of progress in the recording business, the Rusikes made a lot of business in the top nightclubs of Harare and Bulawayo.
They also made a great impact at live shows. In 1982, they were the supporting act for ASWAD, a reggae group from England, when they toured Zimbabwe. In 1988 their debut album “Rhythm of My Heart” was released.
This included their hit single, a version of Simon Garfunkel’s “Cecilia” which featured on the then Radio 3’s Hitpick for 12 weeks.
Towards the end of 1990 the Rusikes became the main support act for Randy Crawford’s show in Harare.
Work on a second album began at the same time but a few snags at the studio plus the untimely death of their father, A,B,C., forced the Rusikes to abandon the work on the album. Instead a remix version of “Saturday Night” was released.
In 1992, they toured England, but due to poor planning on the part of their Malawian promoter, Jeff Macadam, their trip did not make a big impact overseas.
The Rusikes became Zimbabwe’s top family group that stayed together for a long time as performers.
It was also the Rusikes who started off artistes such as the now internationally acclaimed Rozalla Miller, whose hit single, “Everybody is Free to Feel Good”, wowed the world a few years ago.
In 1995, they recorded an album that included a Paul Simon classic and hit song entitled “If You Really Need Me”.
By 2000 Colin and Kelly, the twins, had both left the group. Colin went to the UK while Kelly formed his own group, The Jazz Invitation, with female singer Prudence Katomeni.
Kelly, like Michael Jackson who decided to split from his brothers after the Victory Tour in 1984, also decided to go solo when he formed Jazz Invitation which started to play a different genre of music from the Rusikes.
Jazz Invitation was originally conceived by drummer and musical entrepreneur from Mutare, Sam Mataure, who initially “invited” different musicians to play at jazz festivals around the country.
The novel idea caught on like wild fire as it brought together musicians of varied styles and tastes.
With Prudence Katomeni-Mbofana, they recorded “Zafunafuna” and “BP Yangu Yakwira”, which were instant hits in jazz circles.
The band’s line-up has changed several times over the years with Kelly Rusike – (bassist/vocals) remaining the only constant. It started with Victor on the drums and eventually incorporated Sam Mataure, Richie Lopes, Kudzie and Louis Mhlanga. When the Frontline Kids split up, Kelly took Philbert Marova as Jazz Invitation’s keyboard player. Today’s line-up includes:
Bernie Bismarck (keyboards); Simba Dembedza (drums), Matthew (guitar); Vee Mukarati (saxophone); Patience Musa (vocals).
What has remained a mystery, however, is the whereabouts of Colin, Kelly’s twin brother, who went to the UK in 2000 and has disappeared from the public since then. His mother has not heard from Colin since 2001.
It is said that he wrote two letters in that year stating that he was in good health and that he was slowly settling down, but nothing further was heard after that. Even his brothers in Zimbabwe, Tawanda, Abbie, Kelly, Zed, and Philip do not know whether he is still alive or dead, as he has not communicated with anyone at home for 10 years now.
I know this paper is read everywhere in the world and if any of you have got information on Colin Rusike, I would appreciate it if they could please contact me immediately through my e-mail address below.
Feedback: [email protected]
Online Reporter