ArtistInfo

Restless Children

Band,
Pop, Folk and World

Floris A. Brown’s normal work is getting children to see things come into shape under their hands. He teaches handwork. Off duty he loves to see something much less tangible come to shape – sounds. He leads Cape Town’s septet he christened Restless Children and writes most of their music. First there was the shaping of Floris A. Brown, musician. Born nearly 26 years ago, he inherited his love of music from his father, who gave him his first lessons in theory. Then he studied music while training as a teacher at the Hewat Training College in Athlone. Not satisfied with this, he studied composition through the International Songwriter’s Association. Then there was the shaping of the Restless Children. The group started off in 1966 as Romeo Five with Brown on rhythm guitar. A restless group this, what with the many changes in personnel. In a way they have found rest now. They no longer have personnel problems. There’s the 23-year-old Andrew Wilson on lead guitar and vocals. He first teamed up with choir, Junior Merry Melodies. Ther’s Dyrell Bailey, 26, who plays additional lead guitar, mouth organ and sax. Started his career as a jazz musician, but later switched to pop. Another ex-jazzman is Mattheun Appolis, 24, who playes bass guitar. There are the two other teachers, Greg Smith, 22, piano-keyboards and John Brown, 24, drums and trumpet. John teaches art. The two teachers also studied music at Hewat Training College. Then there is the lead vocalist, who also playes congas and tambourine, Deon Kleinhans, nearly 23. He was also a member of the Junior Merry Melodies.After their first big show in Worcester in August 1970, the septet have not looked back. Travelling in their own 15 seater bus, they have played all the major centers in the Cape. The other provinces? They have sent forerunners by way of a 7-single they released last October, “Until Tomorrow” and are now busy working on another 7-single “Try Not To Play The Fool.” “These boys are very good indeed.” The words came from TRUTONE record producer Laurence Koonin – and he was talking about Restless Children, in the studio to record their first LP ( longplaying record). Restless Children are something of a enigma. They are all country boys intent on taking over the city music scene. Their home town is Worcester – and they have played in just every country town in the Western Cape – as well as a very successful tour of South West Africa ( Namibia ). Now, with two high selling singles behind them, the group are working on their first long player. So far it hasn’t been given a name. Composer for the group is the pianist Floris Brown – and most of the numbers on the new record will be by him. RESTLESS CHILDREN was the first and only “so called Coulored” group in the Western Cape during the Apartheid years, who received a GOLD DISC for the two singles “UNTIL TOMORROW & TRY NOT TO PLAY THE FOOL” composed by Floris Brown to exceed in the selling of more than 25 000 copies in South-Africa.

Members

	Floris A. Brown voc, p
	Mathew Appolis b
	Leon Kleynhans voc
	Dyrol Bailey g
	Greg Smith org
	John Brown dr