It’s been 45 years since they’ve been to SA, and the well-known rock band Rabbitt are excited.
The band disbanded in 1978 and that was the very last time South Africans would get to see them perform live.
Formed in 1972, the band evolved from The Conglomeration, with members Ronnie Robot, Marius Marais, Neill Cloud and Duncan Faure.
Their successes included making it to the top of the South African charts with the hit "Charlie" in 1976.
Now they are back and excited to reconnect with their SA fans.
The band will perform in Pretoria, Johannesburg, Cape Town, and Durban, with a tour which will include four concerts.
The Saturday Star (SS) caught up with Rabbitt this week.
SS: How thrilled are you to be returning to South Africa?
Rabbitt: It is wonderful to reconnect as band members and, most importantly, to get together as friends. We can’t wait. The 2023 tour is nostalgic; it will bring back some of our most cherished memories as musicians and performers.
SS: Which cities are you most looking forward to touring?
R: We look forward to performing in each city because each concert will remind us of the strong connection with fans at the height of our career between 1974 and 1978 in South Africa.
As with all performers anywhere in the world, fans are the one thing you miss most when not performing; the anticipation of performing in South Africa is a delight difficult to describe.
SS: The band left SA in the 80s to pursue an international career. Tell us about that.
R: Rabbitt disbanded at the end of 1978 due to a combination of factors; except for what was then Rhodesia and is now Zimbabwe, the band never performed internationally.
SS: How would you sum up Rabbitt’s journey?
R: Rabbitt was a household name in South Africa between 1974 and 1978; some sources claim that “the band sold more records in its home country than the Beatles and created the soundtrack of ‘70s South Africa’. We are delighted that we are remembered in such glowing terms.
SS: How difficult was it to move overseas?
R: Leaving family and friends and adapting to new cultures and surroundings is never easy.
SS: Even now, Rabbitt’s songs are played on radio worldwide. What has been the secret to this success?
R: We were lucky that our musical competence and chemistry as a band enabled us to pour our souls into our lyrics and melodies, crafting songs that touched the hearts of millions.
SS: Has it been a challenge to maintain relevance in an ever-changing music world?
R: Honestly, “relevance” has never been an issue. Our catalogue of music, created in the heady days of the 1970s, a decade where genres collided and innovation reigned supreme, stood the test of time. 45 years on, it forms the basis of the 2023 Rabbitt Reloaded Tour.
SS: If the band could choose three songs that they felt made Rabbitt who they are, which three songs would they be?
R: “Charlie, Getting Through To You”, “Dingley’s Bookshop” and “Hold On To Love”.
SS: What are some of the home comforts that the band have missed being away from SA?
R: The warmth of family and friends and the (almost) perpetual sunshine of South Africa.
SS: Every band has a crazy tour story on the road. Can you guys share with us one of your wildest, most exciting tours?
R: In 1976, we travelled in a fully decked out and beautifully branded bus with bedroom facilities and a kitchen, a thing of almost unheard-of comfort and luxury 45 years ago. The bus was so instantly recognisable as “Rabbitt” that we had to get off it and travel incognito the last few kilometres to slip past crowds of fans and get into our hotels.
SS: What are your other plans for your trip to SA?
R: Reuniting with family and friends is a special pleasure, but our top priority while here is to recapture the magic that is Rabbitt.
Tickets are available at iTickets. This quick link enables fans to book tickets for any one concert or all four – https://itickets.co.za/promoters/3356184