1987–1989 – The Fones

David Edelstein – guitar & vocals
Steve Fromage – guitar & vocals
Hylton Reiff – bass & vocals
Niall Bell – drums & vocals

Of all the bands I played with during my years in South Africa, The Fones were the one I felt had the greatest potential to go much further.

We were an original four-piece Cape Town band, combining rock, reggae and funk with strong melodies, energetic performances and contributions from all four members. We wrote and performed our own material and gradually built a loyal following around Cape Town, regularly playing venues including the Royal Scam in Sea Point, where we performed several nights a week during the summer season.

By 1988 and 1989 the band had developed a distinctive sound and a substantial catalogue of original songs. We spent countless hours rehearsing, performing and recording, and fortunately many of those recordings have survived. The collection below includes 4-track studio recordings, live performances and rehearsal tapes, providing a remarkably complete record of the band during this period.

For me, The Fones felt as though we were on the verge of something bigger. Unfortunately, my time with the band came to an end when I emigrated from South Africa to Canada in 1989. Adrian Bekker subsequently took over on bass, but before long David left for Australia and Steve for England, bringing that chapter of the band to a close.

I have often wondered what might have happened had circumstances been different. Of all the groups I played with in Cape Town, The Fones remain the band I believe genuinely had the potential to break through.

Videos & Recordings

The live videos below capture The Fones performing in Cape Town in 1989 and were filmed and edited by Adrian Bekker. Also included are rehearsal footage and an extensive collection of recordings made during 1988–89, including tracks recorded on a 4-track Portastudio, engineered by Adrian.