Last week I was busy interviewing close to 100 Zimbabwean youths who were born in the year 2000 or after (Ama 2000 as they are called). I asked them a simple question: Do you recall these names: John Matinde, Josh Makawa, Peter Johns and Mike Mhundwa? Only a handful correctly said who these people were.
During my short stint at Radio 3, in the late 1980s I developed close friendships with the late Peter Johns, the late,Josh Makawa, Mike Mhundwa, and John Matinde.
There were several DJs at the Radio 3 station, namely
Peter Johns, Hosea “The Hitman” Singende, Otis Fraser, John Matinde, Tsitsi Mawarire, George Munetsi, Sophie Chamboko, Mark Posso, Simon Parkinson, Musi Khumalo, Kudzi Marudza, Joe Hussein, James Maridadi, Bridget Gavanga, Kevin Sifelani, and many more.
But who would remember all these names. One name which should not be forgotten from one generation to another is that of John Matinde.
John Matinde, affectionately known as “The Boss,” is a legendary Zimbabwean broadcaster whose career spans several decades and multiple continents. He is widely recognized as a foundational figure in Zimbabwe’s post-independence media landscape, particularly for his role in establishing ZBC Radio 3 (now Power FM).
Three months ago John Matinde was in Zimbabwe for a short period. I tried in vain to hunt him down in order for us to reminisce about the past, but I guess he had a very busy schedule.. I wanted him to update me on the story of his life which he gave me four years ago which I will repeat verbatim below:
Here is John
“The story of my life...where do I begin?
It is often said though that if you are going to write the story of your life, then you must not let someone else hold the pen (even if it’s a good old friend like Fred Zindi - he is liable to muck it up here and there!). So let me give him a few pointers...
Like your good self friend, I am now quietly enjoying what can be considered (though unkindly, I reckon), as “senior citizenship”! Not that I feel a day older than “handsome pfacha” ya Mtukudzi).
I was born just outside Bulawayo, many dry years ago, and have an elder brother and two surviving younger siblings. My parents were educationists, and made sure we were not only properly schooled, but kept us on the straight and narrow too. Dad was a headmaster, so disciplinarian by default, so cue live by example and all that.
Most of my primary and secondary education was done in/around Bulawayo, and am proud to be an exUmzingwane Govt High School graduate. It is there I learnt most of my life skills, and also discovered my passion for music. Perhaps I should qualify that and say my “conscious” passion of music, because I forced Dad to buy me a portable radio to take to boarding school. The truth is growing up in Bulawayo I had always been surrounded by music on the radio, and at various Youth Clubs where local and visiting live bands, or just boy bands, serenaded us with their various wares. (Izintombi ZesiManjeManje, West Nkosi etc come to mind)!
By the time I left secondary school, those who know/knew me then will tell you I was destined to be in radio, as even then I religiously followed pop charts, chart history, musicians autobiographies etc and was a huge fan of a seminal pop station called LM Radio (broadcasting from Maputo, but with Joburg based transmitters and auxiliary studios; pretty much like Radio 3 with Byo Montrose studio days).
I was raised on rock, rock music as it were, and I didn’t exactly have a choice in the matter as that was the music I was mostly exposed to, not that I regret it. It’s just how I’m wired. My music tastes were to broaden more widely however when I joined Radio 2 (then RBC) after a chance audition in the early 70s, while awaiting my UK University applications to come into place. What I didn’t realise was it would take me 20 years to eventually “go to the UK”, because I enjoyed my little radio detour so much!
I will summarise my radio days as those are mostly in the public knowledge already, and I feel a bit vain talking about myself. Suffice to say from Radio 2 I moved into Commercial Advertising (to replace Webster Shamu who’d left for the guerilla war), at the invitation of the late Patrick Bajilla. Patrick was my hero and one of the most talented broadcasters I ever worked with. My other broadcasting heroes are Webster Shamu himself .. Wellington Mbofana (late), Ephraim Chamba (late), and several others.
In 1980, at the behest of Webster Shamu, we gave up our commercial broadcasting full time jobs to found Radio 3, which was a pop station to compete with the hitherto referred to LM Radio, so as to entice the “youth” into local listenership and values. So we had to compete on par with such international pop stations, but that is not to mean at the expense of local music/musicians, as ZBC also had the luxury of a second music cultural station (Radio 2), whose larger footprint was to cater for 70% local music, as opposed to our 30% local vs 70% international. Radio 3s founding dj line up was a dream team to die for: Patrick Bajilla, Wellington Mbofana, Josh Makawa, Ishmael Kadungure, Roy Brassington, Brian Ship, Gerry Jackson, Busi Mhlanga (now Chindove), Musi Khumalo...and many others who joined at different points along the way. It was an honour and privilege for me to have risen to Captain of the ship by the time I left the boat in 1991.
With Radio 3 also came my work with ZTV presenting various music shows, game shows (with Alan Riddell), news (yes, I used to read the MAIN NEWS with the late Mervyn Hamilton mostly)! I also found time in between my radio work to further my education and attend University in between.
One of my most memorable days was the pleasure I had to introduce/compère the Bob Marley Show at Zim Independence in 1980.
I have also had immense pleasure in working with great Zim talents like Rozalla Miller (who remains a friend), Mukadota (you know I recorded and co produced their radio show for quite a while at Blackberry Productions once a week after hours?), Thomas Mapfumo, Oliver Mtukudzi, Andy Brown, Don Gumbo, Keith Farquhuasson, my friend Lovemore Majaivana, Biggie Tembo and Bhundu Boys, Boykie Moore, Solo Chiweshe, Dave Marumahoko (4 Aces), The rock band Dagger (from Westwood & Highfields), Fred Zindi , whose Stop Your Crying is still on my playlist, just like Fungai Malianga’s Zimbabwean Funk is...Calvin Gudu and the Children of Nandi etc The list is endless. It would be easier to mention which musicians I haven’t met. To the international list you can name anything from Paul Simon (whose Graceland’s tour I compered, and in fact on some editions of his video tour, my voice still introduces him in the vernacular!), UB40, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Hugh Masekela, Caiphus Semenya, Letta Mbulu etc.
(Fred friend, I think I will let you add as you feel here.... Too much stuff to mention)!
Anyway, where was I again...Aaaah, 1971 and the intention to leave Zim for the UK for further study and opportunity? Well, 20 years later, I finally boarded that plane for good, and I now find myself on these crowded islands.
What am I/have I been up to in the intervening years, I hear you ask...or not? Well, study, business, broadcasting, indulge my other passion of cars, and of course, pursue my serious passion for music...be it playing it for myself, playing the odd instrument, or just playing it loud to annoy the wife, the kids and the neighbours!
Life may have its ups and downs like ponies on a merry-go-round, but all told, I’ve lived a charmed life. I dreamt a dream and I have lived the dream.
In short...
Music was my first love, it will be my last .The music of the future, the music of the past. To live without my music
Would be impossible to do. In these days of trouble. My music pulls me through... John Matinde. Need I say more?
nFeedback: frezindi@gmail.com