The Parlotones are a renowned South African indie rock band hailing from Johannesburg, formed in 1998. The ensemble features Kahn Morbee on vocals and rhythm guitar, Paul Hodgson as lead guitarist, Glen Hodgson handling bass guitar, keyboards, and backing vocals, and Neil Pauw on drums and percussion.[1] Originally rooted in Britpop, The Parlotones’ music has evolved to encompass a diverse range of genres, with lyrics centered on relatable themes such as love and everyday life, complemented by engaging and memorable melodies. The Parlotones originated in Johannesburg during the summer of 1998 when Kahn Morbee (born Dingaan) failed to form a band in high school. He later enrolled at the University of Johannesburg, where he met Neil Pauw, who had attended the same high school in Roodepoort. After recognizing their shared musical vision upon hearing Morbee’s original songs, the duo decided to form a band.[3] Morbee subsequently met Paul Hodgson at university after they were both removed from the campus library for playing guitar. The next day, Morbee invited Paul to join the band. At the time, Paul’s younger brother, Glen Hodgson, was still in high school but was asked to join as a bassist.[1] Their early sound drew inspiration from The Smiths, The Cure, and R.E.M., with Kahn describing their initial sound as “punkish and squeaky”. They chose the punk-influenced band name “Crayon”. In July 2002, well-known underground musician John Boyd joined the band, contributing synth elements and serving as the on-stage engineer during live shows.[1] Around this time, the band signed with Raphael Domalik’s record label, Sovereign Entertainment, prompting them to adopt a more mature name. They settled on The Parlotones, a variation of Parlophone Records, the label that signed influential bands such as Radiohead, Travis, and Jeff Buckley. By 2003, The Parlotones had gained prominence in the Johannesburg underground music scene, attracting a small but loyal fanbase. John Boyd introduced the band to Andrew Lester, lead singer of 57, who had built his own home studio and produced his band’s debut album. The band agreed to record a full-length album with Andrew for R 12,000 (equivalent to $2,598 in 2022), pooling their resources to cover the cost when their record label could not.[6] After a month, they released Episoda, which received praise from fellow bands and fans. Initially, the album did not appeal to national radio stations like 5FM due to its perceived lack of commercial potential and “definitely too weird for mainstream radio” sound, as Paul explained.[6] However, university radio stations embraced the album, giving it high rotation and featuring it as a regular top download on local music websites. Regional stations like Highveld and East Coast Radio added the song “Long Way Home” to their playlists, turning it into an instant crowd-pleaser. This moderate success led to the band performing at regional music festivals and making guest appearances on television shows such as Jip and Good Morning Live. During this period, John Boyd decided to retire from music and pursue a career in marketing.[9] The Parlotones went on to record and release a second EP, Borderline Patrol, in late 2004.[10] The EP gained favorable reception from national radio stations, with their first hit single “Beautiful” charting successfully on 5FM. This was closely followed by their second single “Here Comes a Man”, a Boom Boom Room cover, which entered the Top 20.[8] In April 2005, at a celebration for Cosmopolitan South Africa’s twenty-one years of publishing, The Parlotones were invited to perform alongside eight other bands. In an effort to “stand out and be remembered” and to align with the party theme “vintage glam,” Kahn suggested that the band apply A Clockwork Orange-inspired teardrops using mascara.[3] Kahn later spoke about his desire for a “trademark,” citing influences like “Robert Smith’s lipstick [and] Morrissey’s quiff.”[12] The mascara teardrops would become a signature element of the band’s appearance during this time. The Parlotones’ second album, Radiocontrolledrobot, released in July 2005 through Sovereign Entertainment, brought them mainstream success.[13] Produced by Dave Birch at Tropical Sweat Studios in Durban, South Africa, the album won the “Best Rock Album” award at the 2006 South African Music Awards.[14] The ballad “Beautiful” was featured in an Irish Fujifilm TV commercial, leading to a European license deal with Universal Music.[15] The album achieved Gold status in 2007.[16] Their next album, A World Next Door to Yours, released in September 2007, became the best-selling South African rock album of the decade.[17] [18] The band signed with Universal Music. The Parlotones served as spokespeople for both Live Earth and Earth Hour, joining the likes of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu, Prince Charles, and Rihanna.[20] They released their third album, Stardust Galaxies, in October 2009, which also enjoyed commercial success.[21] The album featured the singles “Life Design” and “Push Me to the Floor,” which gained significant airplay on South African radio stations. On 11 December 2020, The Parlotones released a Christmas album titled Strike the Harp. It features 10 tracks, including original songs and classic holiday covers. It was produced by Theo Crous and recorded at Bellville Studios in Cape Town. The album received positive reviews, with critics praising the band’s unique take on classic Christmas songs and the quality of their original tracks. The lead single, “A Parlotones Christmas”, was well-received by fans and received significant airplay on South African radio stations during the holiday season. In an interview with Jacaranda FM, Kahn Morbee stated that the album was inspired by the band’s desire to spread joy during a difficult year. He also discussed the challenges of recording during the COVID-19 pandemic and the band’s excitement to perform the songs live once it was safe to do so.
