Plum: Change-Agents for Human Music
- Lucelle Pillay
- Jun 13
- 14 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
The Original Band
Cover Image I depicts the 'new' Plum, this contemporary iteration captures the seasoned band members in sleek suites and shades. They have ditched the distressed T-shirts and jeans popularised in the 90s for a nuanced sophistication of image and sound. A stark contrast of the original band members, Warren Leicher, Kevin Leicher and Troy Dougans photographed in Capetown in 1997 (see figure 10). Back in the day they had been making music together in previous bands, exploring everything from psychedelic rock to heavy metal. By the time Plum was formed, they had already shared countless hours playing and performing, but it was time to take a different creative path. They were determined to reinvent themselves by expanding their musical horizons and incorporating new genres into their sound. The goal was clear: to push themselves creatively, to grow as songwriters, performers, and artists, and to do something genuinely different. It was about stepping out of their comfort zones, and creating music that felt honest and uniquely Plum.
The original band debuted their new sound at Silos [1] in Johannesburg on 3 May 1996, not really knowing their audience (see figure 11). Warren states, "We were feeling our way but were focused on making music that we genuinely loved and felt inspired by. The challenge of creating something that excited us creatively took priority over worrying about who our audience might be". He amusedly admits that looking back, Plum was probably a bit self-indulgent but did not lack passion and authenticity. Songwriting was a shared effort between band members, in hindsight, while it fostered a strong sense of collaboration, it occasionally led to some early work losing focus and spiraling into confusion. As they matured as songwriters, they learned to complement each other’s strengths and found a musical balance, free from ego. Mastering their instruments has been a priority and a lifelong pursuit for all band members, pushing themselves to grow as players, and that dedication remains at the core of who they are.
Musician, and sound engineer Kevin, has always been the driving force behind production, his incredible attention to detail and mastery in studio gave Plum the edge they needed. In Dark Star Studios (see figures 14 & 15), he combined technical expertise, customised instrumentation and innate musical stylings to create the audial unpredictability that is uniquely Plum. The band signed with the record label Tic Tic Bang and released their first single 'Jump Back' (see figure 9) coupled with B-side 'Milton's Party' and a drum and base re-mix version of 'Jump Back'. The second release was a full length album entitled, Mulp, which was funded by the band and stylistically veered into the 'nu-metal' genre. The second full length album, All and Nothing (see figure 1) encapsulated Plum's broad repertoire that spanned ten years and multiple genres.
The Re-launch
The latest iteration of Plum relaunched their brand in 2023 after a 17 year hiatus at Smoking Kills in Melville (https://youtu.be/2p4TkKlwShs) (see figures 2 & 3). The event was spearheaded by their most ardent life-long promoter and supporter, the spirited Kerry Anne Allerston [2], who conceptualised their re-emergence. The band introduced the talented drummer, Ryan Greenwood (see Cover Image I, II & figure 4). As the youngest member Ryan brings a fresh dynamic to the band, injecting a burst of energy into the live performance, amplifying the band's vision in new and exciting ways. As a consumer of the live music scene in Johannesburg, I have never experienced Plum prior to their relaunch, yet found myself completely captivated by the electrified atmosphere they created. Hook lyrics repeat on the ear and glide effortlessly between Warren's staccato new-age rap and Kevin's melodic vocals. All underpinned by Ryan's dexterous drum beats, I frenetically moved between, "I've heard this before and this is completely new !". This is the heady hybrid mix served up by Plum, each musician bringing the mastery of their instruments to the performance. Having been welcomed back by their original fanbase, Plum has since performed several live shows at popular venues in Joburg and Cape Town (see figures 4 & 5).
The bravery of Plum lies in their determination to reinvent their brand in the mercurial, fast-paced technological era of digital formats and AI produced music. Pushing against mainstream currents of fake musical personaes and AI music generators, Plum seek to reinvigorate the audience taste for 'real' human-made music and instrumentation. With AI churning out 'legally plagiarised' compositions at a phenomenal rate, many Gen X artists question their relevance in the industry. Having spent a lifetime developing a proficiency of their craft, Plum are not going quietly, instead they are honing their live performances to reach new audiences. They place value in the talent and endeavour of the giants that came before, those artists that contributed to our human musical historiography. These cultural artefacts are at risk of being subsumed and by unscrupulous tech profiteers if there is no social pushback.
The band approaches the digital revolution and social media as mere tools to promote and elevate human music as opposed to usurping it. Their retro-revivalism is on trend and has attracted younger fans who record and share their performances to a slowly growing fandom online (see figures 6 & 7). They are embracing these new platforms of engagement that were not available to them in the 90s and exploring new immersive sonic and visual experiences. As producer, Kevin straddles both analogue and digital environments, he is constantly exploring futuristic soundscapes. He states, "This is an exciting time for us, as we challenge and inspire each other to push the boundaries of creativity". At its core Plum are old school artists plying their tactile skills within new social and technological frameworks. They have become change-agents that resist the dissolution of human music, their artistry becomes our beacon in the negotiation of the new unknown.
Joburg's Inner City in the 90s: The Perfect Storm
Nelson Mandela was released in 1990 after serving 27 years of incarceration, the image of him walking hand-in-hand with Winnie Mandela outside Victor Verster Prison became one of the defining moments of the late 20th century. The dismantling of apartheid occurred gradually between 1990–1994 and catapulted South Africa into the unfamiliar terrain of democratic freedom for all races. This was a vibrant and volatile time, specifically in the urban spaces of Johannesburg. Amanda Mullins (2016: 10) cites Mabandu (2014) when she describes Johannesburg "as having a touch of schizophrenia because of its spatial and social extremes". I find this to be an evocative characterisation of this migrant city's dark past as well as its rapid urbanisation and gradual inner-city degeneration, since the 80s.
The socio-political currents of post-apartheid Johannesburg became the perfect storm for the birth of the alternative music scene. This was catalysed by the reinvigoration of urban spaces, specifically Braamfontein, Newtown and Maboneng. Music and live bands became a drawcard for middle-class suburban youths seeking new identities, sounds and hybrid genres that didn't conform to the mainstream tastes of their parents. Artists reciprocated by producing cross-cultural fusions and deconstructions which blended the styles and genres of hip hop, rock, grunge and electronic dance music. The alternative Joburg music scene was born and earned its reputation of being socially progressive, politically subversive and avante garde in nature. The fan base used these urban spaces and new music as conduits to reinvent their identities and disassociate from South Africa's violent and racialised past. The late 90s saw a slow but steady influx of white people who had previously been afraid to interact with the city due to crime, but from 2007 onwards the alternative music scene and dance clubs flourished (Mullins 2016:1). It was from this chaotic and creative powder keg that the band, Plum found its voice and its audience.
Mullins (2016:5-7) explored the geographical borders of post-apartheid Johannesburg that formed a social divide between the middle-class gated suburbs and the 'schizophrenia' of the inner city. The gritty precincts of Braam, Newtown and Maboneng became zones for personal reinvention and attracted creatives who were open to social change and new experiences. In these spaces, music became a potent medium for "reimagining" South Africanness beyond the physical and ideological divisions previously imposed upon people. Gary Baines cites Meintjes (2004:113), "...the potency of music lies in the way and the extent to which the listener can feel meaningful connections to other experiences". Music therefore has the capacity to forge social connection, thereby reinforcing an awareness of shared experiences among individuals irrespective of race and background.
Alternative music may have formed new cultural clusters (Mullins 2016:4) within the inner city but real racial integration was still on the horizon. On the topic of 'whiteness' and 'white popular music in post-apartheid South Africa, Christopher Ballentine (2004: 105) states "...within the anti-apartheid struggle itself the concept of ‘race’, though nothing other than a social invention, was never deconstructed. ‘Races’ were assumed to be real, natural entities; thus race-thinking remained entrenched, and a non-racial future simply meant that the future would be ‘multiracial’: at best a coexistence free of racism". However, many white musicians of this era subverted their inherited essentialised identities by producing music that was ironic, unpredictable and transgressive (Ballentine 2004: 105). These shifts in thinking, expressed through music, influenced a counter-culture and inspired social change and new ways of being in the world.
White musicians were not part of a monolithic group as categorised during the apartheid, but were culturally divided by language (Baines 2008: 102-104). English-speaking and Afrikaans-speaking musicians responded to their social circumstances in different ways and often had varying musical and ideological influences. However, within this Joburg ecosystem of shared inner-city venues, a creative cross-pollination and comradery between these two cultural groups was not unheard of. 'White music' was a layered and complex social text that reflected political views, language, accents, lyrical narratives and local geographies. The nature of the performance would often warrant artists to invent new stage personas, a device that afforded an exploration of identity, resonance with broader audiences and a mask through which to parody despised social tropes (Baines 2008: 105-106).
Ballentine (2004:125) contextualises the state's position at the time, "Though anti-white sentiment and the politics of reracialisation remain an inescapable backdrop to their [white artists] work, it seems impossible to decide whether their work should be thought of as being determined by this climate, or occurring in spite of it". Meaning that white artists during the 90s occupied a politically ambivalent space in post-apartheid South Africa. They could position themselves as resistant to the new order or posture as agents for change within a Black democracy. Alternative or 'Alternatief' music often assumed both positions or neither, this genre presented highly subjective and contradictory identities that radically resisted fixity or closure. The characteristics of the aforementioned bands was a sense of intense creativity and unpredictable musical styles that resisted genre classification, even bordering into Dada-esque absurdism. Ballentine (2004:125) describes this best as, "...the music takes to heart the potential diversity of contemporary South African experience and revels in the confusion and potential of this multifarious, multilingual, multicultural and multimusical dystopia".
A few popular bands at the time would be Springbok Nude Girls, Boo!, Sugardrive, Wonderboom, Urban Creep and Battery 9. Originating from surrounding cities such as Cape Town and Durban, musicians converged on Joburg's inner city venues such as Melville's Roxy Rhythm Bar and Braamfontein's Wings Beat Bar. Newtown's Carfax and Bassline were popular alternative venues. Carfax in particular played a major role in Johannesburg’s music scene for over twenty years, consistently attracting diverse audiences (Mullins 2016:53).
Synonymous with Carfax's urban-grit was Darkstar Studios, a music production house established by Plum's, Kevin Leicher. The sound engineer and producer envisioned a vibrant cross-cultural hub for creatives to collaborate and record their music. Darkstar was established in 2004 and produced some key bands and artists such as, MXO, Arno Carstens, Chris Chameleon, Josie Fields and the Marley brothers. During a time of CD's and early digitisation, Darkstar became a prolific entity in Newtown for the next 10 years. Kevin then relocated to Braamfontein where he transitioned his brand into a dual production and teaching studio. He continued to work in industry while lecturing to cohorts of urban youth in the practice of sound engineering till 2023.
From 90s to Naughties: Surviving Joburg's live music scene
Plum members, Warren and Kevin Leicher, both versatile musicians became chameleon-like in their ability to play with others contemporary bands. Adapting and conforming to various genres and styles that proved fashionable at the time was a means of survival. The live alternative music scene was in a state of flux, shoulder to shoulder with the rise of Kwaito music. As mentioned previously racial integration was slow with most Black youth being drawn to the club scene where DJ's performed and promoted House, Kwaito and Hip Hop music. The recent introduction of cell phone telephony [3] and the dramatic shift towards digital systems was transforming the nature of how music was made and consumed. Musicians who played instruments were starting to compete with Techno and other digital-based performances.
To survive the tides of a fast-changing industry Warren and Kevin joined forces with various bands such as Wonderboom and Newporn to extend their fan base and showcase their talents both locally and internationally. They have had iconic shows, from Oppikoppi, to Wingerstok, including opening for the Rolling Stones in Spain (see figure 16) and playing main stage at the Isle of Wight festival. They also had shows in Dubai, Bahrain, Seychelles, Namibia, Mozambique, Zambia, Nigeria, Botswana, Berlin, France and the UK. Plum is humbled by the generosity of fellow musicians like Arno Carstens and the experiences they were afforded. These catapulted their craft and imagination to higher planes of creative expression through music.
Within the Plum ecosystem there existed a sub-culture of niche bands consisting of Lithium, Nine, Not my Dog (later The Narrow), Seed, Pestroy and 16 Stitch. Often collaborative side projects such as, Morph Attack and Odball came into fruition, this was a hybridisation of the styles of Seed and Plum. Pestroy's vocalist, Craig Hawkins and Lithium's Dave Owens featured on the Plum Album, All and Nothing. A co-creation between Plum and Sugardrive entitled, Naval Gazer resulted in a Sama Award [4] for Best Collaboration. Kevin and Warren Leicher pooled their creative talents with the bands Henry Ate, Diesel Whores, N8ive, Even Flow, Louise Carver, Josie Field, Laurie Levine, Arno Carstens, MXO, Chris Chameleon, Natalie Chapman, Oceans of Angels, Wonderboom and Blood Honey.
In closing, Plum would like to mention and thank a few entities that were instrumental to their careers: Kerry Anne Allerston, Barney Simon [5], Authentic Ideas, collaborative bands (see figures 16 & 17), Carel Hoffman (OppiKoppi), Dark Star Studios, Plug Music Agency, MIXFM [6] and Praise the Loud.
“I don’t know where I’m going from here, but I promise it won’t be boring.”
David Bowie
Important Links
Plum live from Smoking Kills. https://youtu.be/2p4TkKlwShs
Plum - Reach Out (Official video). https://youtu.be/WTeK4bwx_pI
Footnotes
[1] The Silos venue became Carfax.
[2] Kerry-Anne has been a prominent figure in the entertainment industry, excelling as an artist manager, promoter, MC, DJ, brand ambassador, TV show host, live events and concert coordinator, consultant, and more. She hosts a show on Mix 93.8fm, where she has built her iconic brand, THE HANGOUT, over the past 12 years.
[3] Cell phones and early commercial internet access were introduced to South African consumers in 1993. This coincided with the release of Nelson Mandela and the installation of democracy in 1994. This was a major shift towards digitalism which later impacted music production, appreciation and consumption.
[4] The South African Music Awards (SAMAs) are the country's premier music industry awards, hosted annually by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA). They recognize excellence across more than 30 genres—including Amapiano, Hip Hop, Maskandi, and Gqom—spanning the production, engineering, and overall commercial success of South African music.
[5] Barney Simon is a popular South African radio personality and DJ who has been passionate and dedicated supporter of Alternative music. He has been an instrumental force in the promotion of talent in this genre. https://iol.co.za/entertainment/whats-on/2002-11-28-giving-rock-a-hard-place/
[6] MixFM (Mix 93.8 FM) was primarily active on traditional FM radio in South Africa between 2011 and 2024. Originally known as Radio Midrand, the station rebranded to Mix FM in 2011 and broadcast across Gauteng before its terrestrial frequency was taken off-air amid a dramatic ownership and licensing dispute in December 2024.
List of Figures
Cover Image I: The band, Plum. 2026. (left to right) Ryan Greenwood, Warren Leicher & Kevin Leicher. (Photo: Sherene Hustler Photography), (Composite graphic: Lucelle Pillay)
Figure 1. All and Nothing (Second full length album sleeve & CD). 2006.
Cover Image II: The band, Plum. 2026. (left to right) Ryan Greenwood, Kevin Leicher & Warren Leicher. (Photo: Sherene Hustler Photography), (Composite graphic: Lucelle Pillay)
Figure 2. Plum re-launch at Smoking Kills. 2023. Screen-captured footage (https://youtu.be/2p4TkKlwShs)
Figure 3. Plum re-launch at Smoking Kills. 2023. Screen-captured footage (https://youtu.be/2p4TkKlwShs)
Figure 4. Plum live at Troyville. 2024-2025 (left to right) Kevin Leicher, Ryan Greenwood & Warren Leicher. (Photos: Sherene Hustler Photography)
Figures 5. Plum Live at Sognage. 2025. (Photos: Lucelle Pillay)
Figure 6. Plum Live at Sognage. 2025. (Photo: Lucelle Pillay)
Figure 7. Audience filming Plum Live performance. 2025. (Photo: Lucelle Pillay)
Figure 8. The band, New Porn with Nelson Mandela. 2008. (Left to right: Jerome Raynard; Brendan Jury; Albert Frost; Arno Carstens, Warren Leicher & Kevin Leicher). Photo Credit: The Nelson Mandela Foundation. Private Collection.
Figure 9. Plum Poster. 1998 & Press Article. 1999. (left to right: Troy Dougans; Warren Leicher & Kevin Leicher). Private Collection.
Figure 10. Figure 10. Plum Photoshoot in Cape Town. 1997. (left to right) Warren Leicher, Kevin Leicher & Troy Dougans
Figure 11. Plum performing live. 1998-2002. (far left: Kevin Leicher; far right: Warren Leicher). Private Collection.
Figure 12. Musicians at Dark Star Studios (Newtown). 2007. (left to right: Kevin Leicher; Brendan Jury; Albert Frost; Arno Carstens, Warren Leicher & Jerome Raynard). Private Collection.
Figure 13. Vintage Plum Posters.
Figure 14. (left to right) Kevin Leicher at mixing desk; Josie Fields recording S'bongile (https://youtu.be/VEK1Df38vX0); View from Darkstar's iconic recording booth (2014).
Figure 15. (left to right) Kevin Leicher, (group) Ziggy Marley, Josie Fields, Rohan Marley, Kevin Leicher, Chris Chameleon.
Figure 16. (left to right) Kevin Leicher, Arnaud van Vliet, Warren Leicher. New Porn (Arno Carsten), Live in Spain (opened for Rolling Stones).
Figure 17. (left to right) The bands N8ive & Odball.
Reference List
Alexxtodorov. 2015. Amandla! A Revolution in Four Part Harmony (trailer), Red Bull Music Academy, Cape Town, 2003. Video (12 minutes, 34 seconds). Available online: https://youtu.be/IbR8JSWMJns
Baines, G. 2008. Popular music and negotiating whiteness in apartheid South Africa. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Gary-Baines-2/publication/331522187_Popular_Music_and_Negotiating_Whiteness_in_Apartheid_South_Africa/links/5c7e2bec458515831f83f214/Popular-Music-and-Negotiating-Whiteness-in-Apartheid-South-Africa.pdf (Accessed 8 May 2026).
Ballentine, C. 2004. Re-thinking ‘whiteness’? Identity, change and ‘white’ popular music in post-apartheid South Africa. Popular Music 23 (2): 105–131. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/popular-music/article/rethinking-whiteness-identity-change-and-white-popular-music-in-postapartheid-south-africa/CFA67F74D752A4B8E289B7AC26619880 (Accessed 8 May 2026).
DiscovrTV. 2023. Plum live from Smoking Kills. https://youtu.be/2p4TkKlwShs (Accessed 13 June 2026).
Howard, D. 2014. Every Now And Then - Acoustic - By Josie Field. Music Video (3 minutes, 42 seconds). Available online: https://youtu.be/VEK1Df38vX0.
IOL. 2002. Giving Rock A Hard Place. https://iol.co.za/entertainment/whats-on/2002-11-28-giving-rock-a-hard-place/. (Accessed 14 June 2026).
Mail & Guardian. 1997. White boys and n**ger tunes. https://mg.co.za/news/south-africa/1997-06-06-white-boys-and-nigger-tunes/#google_vignette
Mdoda. Z. 2019. Revolution rave: how dance music changed South Africa. Afropunk. https://afropunk.com/2019/06/revolution-rave-how-dance-music-changed-south-africa/?utm. (Accessed 20 May 2026).
Mongrel Records and PlumTube. 2026. PLUM - Reach Out (Official Video). https://youtu.be/WTeK4bwx_pI (Accessed 14 June 2026).
Mullins, A. 2016. Reimagining the City, Rewriting Narratives: Music, Suburban Youths, and Inner City Redevelopment in Johannesburg, circa 2015. https://www.academia.edu/download/50416062/A._MULLINS_THESIS_FINAL.pdf (Accessed 8 May 2026).
Norfstar. 2025. The Evolution Of Kwaito: From Mainstream To Underground, Yet Still The Pulse Of South African Music. Video ( 10 minutes, 11 seconds). Available online: https://youtu.be/DJIgzrxBbEA.
Nowness. 2021. Rave & Resistance: The birth of club culture in 90s Johannesburg. A music documentary that looks at the birth of club culture in Johannesburg. Available online: https://www.nowness.com/story/rave-resistance-the-birth-of-club-culture-in-90s-johannesburg?
Resident Advisor. 2013. Real Scenes: Johannesburg. Video (20minutes, 31 seconds). Available online: https://youtu.be/Ykt2f6o7-e8
Static Plastic. 2020. Rave Culture In The 90's Johannesburg. Video (3 minutes, 36 seconds). Available online: https://youtu.be/3PXXQwQ3r8M.
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