Les Boyoyo Boys

Soweto, 1975. In the shebeens — these clandestine wine bars of the townships under apartheid — a saxophone riff and a driving bass line propel dancers into a frenetic movement. The band playing that night is called The Boyoyo Boys. Their track “Puleng” is a hymn with a contagious rhythm. Ten years later, that same sound would cross the Atlantic to reach London and Paul Simon’s studios in Johannesburg¹.

In Brief

Key Dates

Origins: Music as Survival

The Boyoyo Boys were born in 1969 in the Soweto township, Johannesburg. The group was founded by four musicians: Vusi Xhosa on guitar, Vusi Nkosi on bass, Lukas Pelo on saxophone, and Philippe Mziza on drums².

Their style, mbaqanga, is a music born in the late 1950s that fuses South African musical traditions with jazz and Western rhythms. Played in shebeens and township taverns, it is the musical theater of a society under apartheid oppression³.

The band’s name comes from the nickname of the first drummer, whose call became so well-known that the lineup was renamed. The first single, “Boyoyo 800”, was released in 1972 and met with immediate success. The formula is effective: sharp guitar riffs, an airy saxophone, a deep bass line, and an irresistible tempo. The Boyoyo Boys released nearly forty singles between the early 1970s and the mid-1980s, more than twenty of which became Gold Records⁴.

The Double Dutch Case

On June 24, 1983, Malcolm McLaren, the former manager of the Sex Pistols, released “Double Dutch” on his album Duck Rock. The track, which reached 3rd place on the British charts, reprises the melodic contours of “Puleng” by the Boyoyo Boys, dating from 1975⁵.

The group took the case to court in the United Kingdom. After a long trial, the case was settled out of court in 1984: the South African rights holders, composer Petrus Manele, and publisher Gallo Music received compensation, but McLaren and Trevor Horn retained their songwriting credits. The Boyoyo Boys musicians were subsequently given composition credits on “Double Dutch” in later versions⁶.

For the Boyoyo Boys, this story is double: a recognized injustice and an unexpected international recognition. “Double Dutch” reached 14th place in Australia and Germany, and 7th in Ireland⁷.

The Graceland Era and the Return

In 1984, the group suffered a terrible blow: their drummer Archie Mohalla was assassinated in a bar brawl in Johannesburg. The Boyoyo Boys suspended their activities⁸.

But the story shifted in 1985. Paul Simon, in the midst of preparing his album Graceland, discovered the Boyoyo Boys on a compilation and traveled to Johannesburg with his engineer Roy Halee. The group recorded with the American artist, contributing to the sessions that would give birth to one of the most influential albums of the decade⁹.

Back in Town, released in 1987 on Greensleeves Records in London, is a statement of resilience¹⁰.

Between 1969 and 1981, several members — including saxophonist Thomas Phale and Lulu Masilela — had recorded more than twenty records, each contributing to forging the sound of township jive¹¹.

Essential Discography

Legacy

The Boyoyo Boys marked the history of South African music as one of the pillars of mbaqanga. Their music, played on guitar, bass, saxophone, and penny whistle, captures the energy of the townships under apartheid¹².

Their influence extends far beyond South Africa: the township jive they popularized has inspired generations of musicians, from Johannesburg to London and passing through Paris¹³.

Sources and references