Jonah Sithole is one of the most important guitarists in the history of the Blacks Unlimited. He played on many of the famous Chimurenga Singles recorded during Zimbabwe's independence struggle. This interview was recorded in January of 1988, a time when Sithole had recently rejoined the band. He tells the story of the band's early days.

Afropop Worldwide: Tell us about your first guitar.

Jonah Sithole: It was my brother's. He used to perform with a mining camp band. We grew up in a mining town, formerly Shabani mine. Now it's called Zishalani. It's in the southern part of the country. During that time, they used to play dancing music with banjo, saxophone, drummer. Waltzes and all that kind of stuff. So my brother used to be lead guitarist when he was still at school. When he was working in the mine, he used to leave his guitar in his bedroom. So I used to pick up that guitar and imitate the sounds I always heard him playing when he was practicing. At that time, I was young so I could not talk him into teaching me guitar. I was 12 years old.

AW: So how did you become a professional?

JS: After that, I went to Bulawayo in Matabeleland. I went to school there until 1969. So I was doing my Form 2 at Mbomboma High where I got myself into trouble and I was chucked away from school in '69. By then I had some idea about the guitar, about the bass in fact. So I went to see my brother, the same brother. He was in Kwekwe now. He was performing at a certain bar. They had their own group. I joined the group playing bass. I stayed with those guys for about 6 months. Then they went to Harare and I stayed in Bulawayo. And then the same year, I followed them here again. That was 1970 now. So they performed at a certain bar in Mbare, formally Harare Township. So they got a contract in Gweru. So I told them, "Hey, guys, I will remain. I want to organize a group."

I organized a group and we performed at a certain bar for about three months. Then I was approached by a Zairean band, the Limpopo Jazz Band, to perform pop music. That was 1971. I went to the Federal Hotel and played with the Limpopo until they were deported. Then we were left at the Federal to organize some local guys. We performed there until early 1974. Most of these bands did not have names. They just had contracts. They belonged to that place. It's only now people realize it's important to have names. From there, I performed with the Great Sounds. I went to Mutare in 1974. We were playing pop music, pop and soul. Now I had got into rumba because of the influence of these Limpopo people.

AW: This is around the time you first met Thomas Mapfumo, right?

JS: I came back to Harare and met Thomas at the Jamaica Inn, about 20 k out of town. We met just by chance. I had my group. I was looking for work. So there was another band. There was only one kit in that place. So there was another band already using that kit. Thomas was there with his saxophone, but he had no group. So that's how we teamed up. He had no group and we had no kit. He had influence with the director of the place. So he talked to that director and we got hold of that kit. So we joined up. We performed there about two months. Then some businessmen approached us and we came to Harare to play at his nightclub, Mushandira Pamwe in Highfield.

AW: How did your playing change once you started working with Mapfumo?

JS: Thomas was an influence. Because by that time we met, he used to sing some Afro sounds, sort of a fusion of Fela Kuti sound. It was really African. That's when I started playing chimurenga guitar as well. So when we had our stint at Mushandira Pamwe about three months. Then some other friends of Thomas muscled into the band, and there was no place anymore. I had to pack my bags and go back to Harare. This was 1975. About two months later, Thomas was there with a group. They went to play somewhere about 50 ks out of town, Desert Ridge. They stayed there about a month or so. Nothing was doing. They came and talked to a certain old man who wanted to open up a nightclub about 10 km from town. So not knowing Thomas had talked to this guy--I had talked to the old man as well, and he had promised me to organize a group--Thomas told him, well I've got a group already. I said I'd really like you to include this guy in your lineup. I know him. I know his reputation. Between you, you can organize a group which I can afford to pay. That's how we met for the second time. We formed the Blacks Unlimited. (1975)

But this old man was a crook as well. These exploiters. Within two months nothing was doing. So I told the guys hey we've got a program now to go to Harare and get some jobs. And Thomas said, no. He didn't think the time was right. I said, "Well, what are we going to live on. This old man is skinning us alive."

AW: So you left to play with Great Sounds again. More rumba. How did you get back with Thomas?

JS: Thomas now started singing with the Pied Pipers at Mushandira Pamwe, and some other guys at Saratoga, the Acid Band. And I was in Mutare. That was 77 now. I released my first record in Mutare in 77. And Thomas released his first record in Harare in 77, "Pamro Machete." So he had the Acid Band now. And I had The Storm, the band I formed in '77. We had a contract for a year at a certain hotel and another chap approached us from the Saratoga Nightclub. Then in 1978, Thomas approached me. He had disbanded the Acid Band because he said he felt we were playing better chimurenga music than the guys. They were not improving. Anyway, that's what he said. Well I said, ok, we are used to working together. We can't seem to part. So we might as well make the best of it. I agreed. He came with his lead guitarist, Pickett. Leonard "Pickett" Chiyangwa. In the whole group, nobody was chucked away. We just merged as The Blacks Unlimited.

Pickett was playing the sound of the Acid Band, while I was playing the sound of The Blacks Unlimited. So as time went by, Thomas said Pickett was not practicing. He was not improving. So he ended up playing only sub-lead. There was nothing you could do about it. Anyway, he was good. Then the bassman was getting too drunk so we had to replace him with Charles. That was 1978. 1979, ah, it was solid now. The Blacks Unlimited.

AW: Were you happy in the band in those days?

JS: We had a very nice time until 1981. That's when I left. I had my solo career until Thomas approached me in May 1985 to go and do some gigs abroad. Then when we finished those gigs, well he said, "Brother, I wouldn't like you to go back and do your own thing. For the while, why don't we stick together? I can always help you out when you want to start again." So this is how I find myself in this band of late.

AW: You two just can't stay apart it seems.

JS: It pays to stick longer together, because you understand what the other wants without talking about it

AW: Is your style really an imitation of mbira? JS: I do imitate the mbira, but still, I can always fuse that mbira with another style of guitar playing. In mbira, you have to play with what the sub-lead player is doing. You keep crossing each other's path but really, you are together. And there are the drums there to guide you. Every corner that we take is arranged. But when you know your notes, you can always add. I've got my notes right, but now I'm trying to explore and improvise.

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