"Afro-Rock" Traditional Zimbabwean music fused with rock & Punk, a true blend of ethnic and western styles with a lot of melody and Passion.

11 MP3 Songs in this album (42:14) !
Related styles: ROCK: Punk, WORLD: African- South

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The people of Zimbabwe have little to crow about these days- their country lies in ruins, its economy bled dry by a ruthless dictator. But in the empty wake of tragedy the voice of hope always resounds more clearly, and three talented young Zimbabwean musos have pulled themselves out of the rubble and formed a band whose music taps into a fundamental part of the modern Zimbabwean pysche: Unity.

Singer/guitarist Derek Bailey, drummer Nick Newbery and bassist Adam Francis enjoyed a happy childhood in the remoter parts of one of Africaâs most beautiful countries, however the sweetness of youth took on a sour tinge as the political and humanitarian situation in Zimbabwe worsened. High school graduation brought about the formation of Evicted and the birth of a rock and roll dream â a dream all three members realised would never see fruition if they remained in Zimbabwe. Yet they persevered, putting incredible faith in their catchy punk rock sound, which thanks to some relentless gigging and a self titled demo (recorded in the bush on cheap plastic toy microphones) began to build up a fan base throughout Southern Africa. Adam Francis left the band to pursue a finance careeer, and was replaced by accomplished music teacher Dominic Benson, who plays his own unique style of âAfrican bassâ. The pieces of the puzzle where in place, and the whole band knew they were onto something special. They had developed a distinct sound which can best be described as âAfro Rockâ, or Chimurenga Punkâ - a fusion of hard hitting melodic rock and traditional Zimbabwean music styles, a true blend of ethnic and western sounds. Cultural unity at its catchiest, and a musical formula that seemed destined for mass appeal.

But when Derek moved to Australia to undertake a degree in Popular Music the members of the band found themselves on three different continents with three different passports. An unavoidable hiatus was entered into, one that was only broken on occasion when immigration, travel and cost issues could be overcome. It was during these moments that the 11 track album âPlace Called Homeâ came into being- the result of five years of meeting up and recording wherever and whenever they could, and taking their pulsating live shows to various venues in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique and Australia.

The resulting album, âPlace Called Homeâ offers a sonic and lyrical perspective on corruption, poverty, racism, love and the mass displacement of a people and a nation. Hard rock drumming and higher pitched African guitar styles complement each other perfectly in the upbeat remake of the Zimbabwean classic âMapurisaâ, a song which has crept its way onto radio airwaves in South Africa and become something of a cult hit in Southern Afica and beyond. One of the newest songs, âMentalâ, joins it as an instant party classic, while the dark, sombre tones of âMisledâ are an outlet for the bands frustration at the downfall of their home country. The plaintive notes and the heartfelt appeals to ârenew all that was gone, show me how to flyâ in the ballad âPlace Called Homeâ plant seeds of hope and irrigate them with a mix of anger and despair. What grows out of it are fruits of emotion that unite all who listen with a desire for positive change.

The band arent pretending to be politicians, but they believe awareness is a vital cog in the quest for truth and justice. And as the sun is setting on a long and hard road for Zimbabwe, one characterised by thirty years of tyranny, the voice of the people is starting to resound around the world â ZVAKWANA: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Evicted are helping to make that voice a whole lot louder. Its time to open your ears.