Chess
Their first album, released in 1986, was a mini-album containing only four
tracks, two of which "Down By The River" and "Holiday" became major
cross-over hits. The second album, Make Your Move, was released in 1987
and "Hello My Mama" from that album was a big hit.
During 1986 and 1987 Chess
toured South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland extensively, sometimes doing as
many as four shows a day over weekends, chartering a plane to take them to
the different venues. They performed with many of the big stars of that
time, including Stimela, Hotline, Yvonne Chaka-Chaka, Brenda Fassie, etc.
They split up at the beginning of 1988 because of conflicting interests in
the band.
At one point Jean (the guitarist), Thelma (the keyboard player)
and Irene considered reforming with two new band members, but they never
carried it through. By the time Chess split up, Irene says she felt that she needed
a break from the industry. "At that time, Louis and I had been married for
about four months and I decided to dedicate myself to marriage and
motherhood!" Irene told me. Their son, Vaughn, was born a year and two months after the
wedding in 1987.
On the photograph from left to right are Jean Chellew (guitar), Thelma Segonah (keyboards and backing vocals), Irene (lead vocals and bass synth), Penny Rose (drums) and Todd Twala (percussion and vocals).
DUSK
In November 1989, Steve Hofmeyr recorded his debut album and started auditions for his backing band, DUSK. As Louis was his manager, Irene got the opportunity to audition. He initially wanted a girl with a sweet country-and-western type voice, but once he heard Irene's powerful voice,he changed his mind and gave her the job. Good for you Steve!!!Irene used to sing a couple of songs to open the show before Steve's show started. Ralph and Irene were the only members who stuck it out right from the first tour. It was as a result of her rendition of Tina Turner's "Simply The Best" that the public got to know her and started to ask for a solo-album. The original DUSK line-up was Nick Matzukis (drums), Paul Hughes (guitar, programming and vocals), Ralph Michielsen (bass and vocals) and Irene.
This photograph of DUSK is a line-up that formed some years later, from left to right Ralph Michielsen (bass and vocals), Celeste Hamburg (vocals), Steve Hofmeyr (the man!), Irene and Steven Swanepoel (guitar).
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