McCully Workshop - Live at die Boer

It is comforting to know that there are some things that improve with age. A good red wine, a good guitar.. and a great rock band. After some years of pursuing other projects, legendary 70’s rock band McCully Workshop reformed a couple of years ago and has since proved that they have indeed matured like a good red wine. a McCully Workshop concert is a lesson to younger bands on how a show should be approached. From the moment they kick off untill the last note , they are a study in total entertainment. Every link to every song is properly thought through and delivered. No akward silences on stage to decide what to play or to tune guitars- like so many young bands are guilty off. Every member is a unique character and they use all the weaponry at their disposal. Every instrument features and all the voices are used to exploit to the maximum that almost forgotten art: proper rock- harmonies in four voices

And then there is the sound and the songs...Classics like the Buccanneer, Guineviere and Chinese Junkman. Huge and epic.. and a heartwarming reminder of what great rockmusic should sound like. McCully Workshop consist of all original members in Mike and Tully McCullach, Rupert Mellor and Richard Black. You will be hardpressed to spend a better evening than with these legend of South African Rock.

McCully Workshop

Their debut album, 'McCully Workshop Inc.' was produced by great South African singer and producer Billy Forrest (born William Boardman). The album features a variety of styles and influences including The Beatles, Frank Zappa and early Pink Floyd.

The Forced Exposure website has this quote: "A superb South African band's stunning debut album. 'Sgt. Pepper' influenced psychedelic music blended with R&B, garage punk tunes. Great songs, lovely vocals, strong harmonies, great distorted guitar work."

'Inc.' was released in June 1970 and included the epic and powerful 'Why Can't It Rain', which went to #12 on the Springbok Radio charts in July 1970 and reached #13 on the LM Radio charts. This hit single featured a fiery guitar solo by Allan Faull who went on to form the eclectic Falling Mirror with his cousin Nielen Marais. Tully McCullagh was also very involved with Falling Mirror, but that's another story…

McCully Workshop also played on country-pop singer Jody Wayne's 'The Wedding' in 1970 which hit #1 for 3 weeks on the Springbok Radio charts.

The follow-up to 'Inc' was the album 'Genesis' released in June 1971. This was a concept album based on the book of Genesis from the Bible and included a number of long tracks with sub-sections, typical of other prog-rock albums of the time. 'Sweet Fields Of Green' was released as a single, reaching #2 on the LM Radio charts in August 1971. The follow-up single 'Birds Flying High' (actually the flipside of 'Rainbow Illusion'), recorded during the 'Genesis' sessions, but not included on the album, peaked at #9 on the LM Radio charts.

The original vinyl of 'Birds Flying High' has proved elusive, so a 1998 re-recording has been used for this 'Best Of' compilation.

Crocodile Harris (born Robin Graham), recorded the haunting pop classic 'Miss Eva Goodnight' (Springbok #5, April 1974) which was written by the McCullagh brothers and featured the musicianship of all the then current McCully Workshop members. Harris's classic pop hit 'Give Me The Good News' released in 1982 was co-composed by Tully McCullagh along with Geoff Coxall. McCullagh also produced this single and played on it.