Witch: Zamrock Band on New Tour, Zambia, SXSW

On the outskirts of downtown Los Angeles, inside a hulking, graffiti-bedecked industrial constructing, a definite lilting reverberates via sterile halls. Behind one of many many nondescript doorways is Witch. An acronym for “We Intend to Trigger Havoc,” the Seventies psychedelic rock band from Zambia, which helped set up the style generally known as Zamrock, is rehearsing for its first U.S. tour because the pandemic started. Greater than that, Witch wish to recommence a exceptional story of resilience and resurrection.

Within the cramped rehearsal area, the band members, jet-lagged and hungry, play with effervescence whereas donning their iconic floppy hats. Worn by the unique members within the Seventies, these psychedelic witch hats are made from vibrant Zambian chitenge material, and weren’t solely worn for fashion, but in addition as a technique to quell their stage fright — the lengthy, skirtlike brims forcing them to concentrate on the music as an alternative of the group.

After establishing a following in Zambia in addition to in Tanzania, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Botswana within the Seventies, the band slowly dissolved within the Eighties and finally stopped taking part in altogether. Chiseling for amethysts in a dust pit in Zambia, co-founder Emmanuel “Jagari” Chanda, now 70, thought his days of performing had been over. Then in 2012, Now Once more Information reissued Witch’s total discography, sharing their long-forgotten albums with a youthful technology. The ultimate catalyst of Witch’s comeback started in 2014, when Italian filmmaker Gio Arlotta began engaged on a documentary concerning the band referred to as We Intend to Cause Havoc, which was launched in 2019.

The movie — stuffed with Zambians sharing bygone Zamrock tales, punctuated with smiles and dancing — ends with a newfangled iteration of Witch led by authentic members Jagari (vocals) and Patrick Mwondela (keyboards) taking part in throughout Europe with a brand new, youthful crew of bandmates. This surprising revival led Witch to their first-ever European and U.S. excursions, in 2017 and 2019, respectively, each of which had been profitable. Witch lastly garnered the worldwide acclaim they need to have had greater than 40 years in the past.

There was a newfound hope that Jagari and Mwondela could lastly actualize their long-defunct dream of a profession in music. Then the pandemic hit, placing them again on an indefinite hiatus. Now, their second resurrection has lastly come because the band has fortunately reunited stateside. On their present U.S. tour, Jagari and Mwondela are joined by bassist Jacco Gardner, drummer Nico Mauskoviç, and guitarists JJ Whitefield and Micheal Rault. Alongside tour dates in cities together with Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Denver, Witch will play on the South by Southwest festival on March 16 and 18.

Rolling Stone caught up with Jagari and Mwondela, the final surviving members of the unique Witch lineup, to debate life after the documentary, how they had been affected by the pandemic, the challenges of being a musician in Zambia, and extra.

What occurred after the documentary got here out in 2019?
Mwondela: We actually wished to place down the historical past of Witch as a result of nothing was documented. The band was earlier than the web. However I feel what has stunned us is that it began to construct momentum and individuals are starting to know concerning the style Zamrock. It’s been rising over the previous few years and I feel one thing is brewing, and we’re simply ready to see what the following season is gonna be like.

How did the pandemic have an effect on that momentum?
Jagari: It affected me a bit, what I noticed on TV, lots of people dying. However that didn’t cease me from creating music. I all the time attempt to compose as concepts come. Luckily, I come from a rustic the place music is plentiful — from 72 ethnic teams. Naturally, the pandemic affected lots of people, together with the humanities and music specifically. However I feel it had a constructive facet. I hold considering that it was a possibility for musicians, as a result of whereas folks had been locked down, they wanted to take heed to music to maintain their minds away from what was happening round them. I feel that music was soothing their souls, their spirits. And so they stored going as a result of at occasions they listened to songs that reminded them of individuals and occasions after they had been in excessive spirits.

Within the documentary, you talked about that it’s practically unattainable to have a profession in music in Zambia due to the shortage of assets and infrastructure for musicians. Has that modified in any respect?
Jagari: Little or no has modified. A musician is dependent upon two issues: The inhabitants of his nation and the financial scenario of his nation. Your nation shouldn’t be struggling between shopping for a CD and shopping for a meal. Regardless that I’ve seen some enchancment with the younger musicians which might be arising, numerous musicians are struggling as a result of we don’t have an business per se. There’s no report store. The one one which was there closed down, and I don’t understand how they’re promoting their music — possibly on-line or one thing. In Nigeria, they’re a inhabitants of about 200 million. There, if you happen to make one good hit music, possibly not less than one million folks should buy a report and it provides you time and area to create extra, as an alternative of you waking up within the morning and considering, “The place do I get my subsequent meal?” Or in search of individuals who may also help you survive.

There are only a few musicians of my technology which might be residing on music right now. Most of them had been good musicians, however they by no means recorded their works. We did what we might. We had been surrounded by nations that had been combating for his or her political freedom and we had been the frontline state. South African authorities would come and bomb freedom fighters in Zambia. After which the president of the time declared curfew and blackout. Which means if you happen to go to a present at six within the night, you’ll be able to’t come out till the next day. Should you’re a band, you’ll be able to’t handle that, so we generally carried out through the afternoon, and since there’s no beer and it’s just for kids, you didn’t get pretty much as good a crowd as if you happen to performed at evening.

Then AIDS got here in and took lots of people, not simply musicians. It’s simpler to say musicians died as a result of they’re extra well-known than troopers and lecturers, however each facet of life was affected by that scourge. Now there are only a few musicians residing from again then, so it’s tough to hold the style of Zamrock. In the event that they had been round, we might’ve showcased what was taking place there in its authentic type. However however, we’re nonetheless representing the period.

Are you at present residing on simply music?
Jagari: I haven’t but began residing on music, however there’s a light-weight on the finish of this tunnel. I’ve this sense that God has given me one other probability. One other lease on life for me to start out touring once more. This opportunity will take me far, that’s what I imagine. I’ve received this religious conviction that our lives have been preserved for a much bigger factor — to showcase what our nation has when it comes to music.

Nicely, it feels like Zambia has numerous music to showcase. Are you continue to mining for amethysts?
Jagari: I’m nonetheless a small-scale miner. One way or the other they haven’t renewed my mining license, however I don’t normally power issues. I attempt to pursue to the very best of my potential to have my license again, however on the similar time, some folks wish to take via corruption, via doubtful methods. Regardless that mining shouldn’t be my ardour, if it will possibly rake in a number of kwacha, that’s our forex, and numerous {dollars} and kilos, that will be good. As a result of I’d like to personal a recording studio and a college of music, and possibly one thing associated to creating music and sharing the concepts with the kids, who can keep on the baton once we go the torch.

What about you, Patrick? What are you as much as once you’re not touring or performing?
Mwondela: Within the late Eighties, when all the pieces died down with the band, I moved to the U.Ok. and went again to high school as a mature pupil. I studied laptop methods and administration, and ended up working for the Nationwide Well being Service, which I’ve performed for over 20 years. I retired eight years in the past, however I work as a contract advisor, in order that’s helped me to finance my ardour for music.

How has resurrecting Witch affected your life?
Mwondela: I feel it’s actually began one thing. We’ve each been on a journey and the truth that we’re alive right now, I start to grasp that we had a narrative to inform and it’s solely simply starting. There’s one other part. I really feel that musically, I haven’t exhausted what’s in my coronary heart to precise. What I share is music and life. I actually get pleasure from speaking to folks. Usually as a star, folks will come and worship and reward you, however I flip it round and say, “How about you?” And I’ve seen folks glow and recognize that. It’s simply great to impart life to the people who we entertain. It’s all about folks.

I really like that you just’ve been performing all of the traditional songs by the unique Witch group, songs like “Lazy Bones,” however can we count on to listen to any new music with this present band?
Jagari: The entire group is contributing in the direction of making some good new music, possibly an album. Once we meet, we share concepts. Once we go away, we’re nonetheless in touch. We’ve got perfected a number of new songs that we’ll be taking part in on tour.

Jagari, do you hope to create extra alternatives for musicians again in Zambia?
Jagari: I do small mentorship packages right here and there, but it surely’s not a everlasting characteristic. Let me confess that at my age, I’d be extra relaxed creating and performing music than doing anything, as a result of the music touches my soul. It’s completely different from working anyplace else. Music is like wine — the older you might be, the higher you develop into. There’s hope that the small errors we had been making whereas we had been younger, we are able to excellent. And regardless that there’s no actual perfection, you’ll be able to carry worldwide acceptance, as a result of I imagine there is no such thing as a dangerous music. There’s no good music. The usual is the standard of the music that you just put on the market, how creatively you place it on the market and the way distinctive your music is. The world is there, ready to pay attention, so long as you might be your self, be artistic and be distinctive. That’s my hope — that I can go away that banner someplace on the market.