Southern Pulse is proud to announce the upcoming South African tour of legendary folk singer, Michelle Shocked.
Between the widening gap of ultra-rich and working poor – or, for that matter, uber-celebrities and starving artists – stands Michelle Shocked, an independent American singer-songwriter and a working artist thriving on the spoils of a hard-won fight. Shocked received her first international exposure in Europe, particularly Britain, with her debut album The Texas Campfire Tapes.Her break into U.S. national renown came with the release of her 1988 album Short Sharp Shocked which was met with strong acclaim from listeners all around the world. We all remember the great songs of that album like Anchorage, When I Grow Up, Memories of East Texas, If Love was a Train and Graffiti Limbo. On the crest of this independent momentum, Captain Swing and Arkansas Traveller were released.
This year’s Campfire Girl tour bears witness to the enduring legacy of her highly unusual debut, The Texas Campfire Tapes, a bootleg famously recorded on a Sony Walkman and released, unbeknownst to Shocked, by an enterprising Briton. Shocked was more surprised than anyone when the album made its debut on the UK independent charts in November 1986 – “I never made a record,” she recalls, “so why would I expect to be on an English chart?” This early experience, and a 1996 legal battle to retain her catalog ownership against Mercury Records, made Shocked a natural poster child for artists’ rights. In 2003, The Texas Campfire Tapes finally found its way home to her Mighty Sound label.“I can’t always say I’ve understood the charm people find in a recording so raw,” she admits. “There’s crickets chirping, a truck driving by shifting gears, and the batteries in his Walkman were almost dead, for Pete’s sake!”
But there is little doubt that the unedited intimacy resonates with many and draws the listener into a spunky vagabond’s adventures; it remains one of her best-selling titles.
Whether you are a fan from the past or total newcomer to the Michelle Shocked experience, this promises to be a highlight on the calender of this year’s music events in South Africa, brought to you by Southern Pulse.
South Africa Tour Dates:
Thurs 4 Aug – Krakatou – Durban
Fri 5 Aug – Café Barcelona – Pretoria
Sat 6 Aug – Tanz Café – Johannesburg
Sun 7 Aug – Oppikoppi Festival, Northam
Mon 8 Aug – Fugard Theatre, Cape Town
Tues 9 Aug – Fugard Theatre, Cape Town
Wed 10 Aug – Klein Libertas Theatre, Stellenbosch
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