Bill Hanley: Rock Against Racism

After the 1969 concert, Hanley donated some of the Woodstock speakers to a South African sound company, where they served in concerts in the Soweto township. David Marks explains how these concerts helped to end apartheid.

Marks, with photographer Tony Campbell, devised the Free People's concerts that became regular annual festivals on South African campuses in the 1970s. The first Free People's concert was on the beach in Durban and they had to find ways of circumventing the laws against mixed bands. "This was a Nusas/Third Ear Music concert. I remember seeing a newspaper banner with the headline: 'white boy leads Zulu warriors', which referred to Johnny Clegg and Sipho Mchunu's band and dance group, WaMadlebe."

It was a time when many musicians were hounded by the security establishment and Marks says they tended to target white English-singing musicians more than Afrikaners, while large numbers of talented black musicians, at that time, went into exile. (More from 3rd Ear Music in S. Africa)

Thank You, from a Free South Africa !

I'm a Woodstock Sound Crew Veteran. I would like to let BILL HANLEY know how much this country really owes him. There is something I would love to tell Bill & all the crew from Hanley Sound, (Billy, Scott, Sam, David, John etc. and Chip Monck.

You all had an unintentional subliminal hand in the struggle against apartheid - you also started the 'sound and music PA industry' in Africa...see how the Woodstock Philosophy lives on in our President Nelson Mandela - despite the disasters in this country "people are feeding each other..." is this "heaven man!!...?" Not quite!... we're still trying.

I am still actively involved (at 53) producing music and festivals in South Africa, partly due to my Woodstock experience. I am currently producing a series of re-issue tapes & records and a book project through my company 3rd Ear Music (est 1969) titled: THE HIDDEN YEARS.

I also want to contact JOHN BRODIE. (He's got my Woodstock negatives.) and DAVE FREESE. (I used his camera.)

-DAVID MARKS Durban. kwaZuluNatal, Rep of South Africa. (letter edited by BHDC)