Taking Note: The sounds of struggle

Struggle sounds have been immortalised at a new museum at Downtown Studios in Johannesburg, where visitors can hear the songs that shaped South Africa's rich and vibrant music heritage.

"We haven't had a music museum. This is a scandal," curator Vusi Mchunu said lamenting the lack of historical music spaces in South Africa.

"There are music collections in universities as part of music departments, but we haven't had dedicated spaces to show our musical tradition."

The studios, declared a heritage site by the Department of Arts and Culture, are where many struggle sounds were created.

Mchunu gave some background: "This was a white town. Blacks used to wait [to record] and sleep in their cars because they couldn't use the hotels here."

The current exhibition,A Glimpse of South African Music Heritage, offers insight into how and why artists recorded here, from 1979 when Downtown Studios was first established.

The pictures on the walls and the antique musical instruments transport visitors to another era, when music was a form of protest and escape. Legendary musicians such as Chicco Twala, Lucky Dube, Sipho Hotstix Mabuse, Miriam Makeba and Yvonne Chaka Chaka worked at the studios. Chaka Chaka, among others, still does.

To reflect its rich and diverse history, the museum has a msamo (shrine) containing the Bible, Koran, Bhagavad Gita and Tibetan Book of the Dead, along with African religious artefacts.

"Musicians regard this as a holy and sacred place," Mchunu said, adding that many artists like to pray at the studios before recording or performing.

He said the museum, which opened this month, will grow to include more exhibitions and memorabilia over time.

"Can you imagine us laying our hands on Miriam Makeba's wardrobe and having it on display? That would be mind-blowing."

Jazz legend and Downtown Studios chairman Don Laka said he has been recording at the studios since they opened.

"It's been a historic journey for me," Laka said.

"It is emotional because it is a story of who we are musically and who we are as artists."

Laka said he enjoyed recording at the studios back in the day, and he is looking forward to recording some new music using the revamped facilities.

• The museum is at 62 Goud Street, Johannesburg Johannesburg.info@dtmh.co.za