1976–79 – Mike Lichtman
I met Mike after moving to Cape Town in 1976, and he became one of the most influential people in my early musical development.
One of my clearest memories is Mike persuading me to buy what would become my much-loved Fender Jazz Bass — an original pre-CBS 1961 black-and-white model that cost me just R100. That bass remained with me for many years and became an important part of my musical life.
Mike and I spent countless hours jamming at his house in Observatory and listening to the progressive rock bands that were inspiring us at the time — Gong, Gentle Giant, Caravan and Camel, among others. Those sessions introduced me to new sounds and ideas and had a lasting influence on the way I approached music.
In 1977, Mike and I joined local keyboard player Michael Laden to form Innisfree.
During the Christmas and New Year season of 1977, Mike and I landed a gig at the one and only hotel in the small seaside town of Stillbaai, South Africa. We spent the Christmas and New Year holidays there playing together. Andrew was our frontman, playing guitar and singing lead vocals. Clive Thomas, from Innisfree, played drums for the Christmas shows, with Niall Bell taking over for the New Year’s Eve party.
One Last Jam Before Mike Left Cape Town
When Mike eventually left Cape Town for Switzerland, we got together for one final jam on the day of his departure. John Aronowitz joined us on keyboards, Mike played guitar, I played bass and Lenny was on drums.
The recordings below capture that session — an informal musical farewell and a great reminder of the many hours Mike and I had spent playing together.
Reunion – Cape Town, 1986
Mike returned to Cape Town on vacation in 1986, giving us the opportunity to play together again. We got together for another series of jams, this time with Dave Kibel on keyboards, Niall Bell on drums and me on bass.
Nearly a decade after we had first played together, it was great to reconnect through the music that had brought us together in the first place.
