Roger Lucey was born in 1954 and grew up in
Durban and was strongly influenced by his
Zulu friend Jabulani Makatini. Alongside Makatini, Lucey as a young white child went into the townships which revealed a side from which most white South Africans were separated as per law. As a result of this awareness, Lucey began writing
protest songs based on this inequality and injustice in South Africa. Lucey started as a
folk musician playing
acoustic guitar and singing covers and his own songs with a very gravelly voice. He started performing in Durban's coffee bars but did not, however, distance himself from political issues such as Alan Jeffrey,
Steve Newman, the Kitchen Brothers and Jan Hofmeyer. His musical style focused on
rock 'n roll fused with
blues,
jazz and
kwela. In addition to Lucey, the group consists of Ilne Hofmeyr, Tich James and Jonny Blundell. During the 1970s, Roger Lucey performed his political songs throughout the
Johannesburg circuit also performing in bigger venues such as His Majesty's Theatre and the
Market Theatre. A Directorate of Publications were set up through the law, which banned subsequently Lucey's
The Road is Much Longer (1979). This, however debilitating, did not stop Lucey from recording and performing his music. Roger Lucey also wrote the protest song "Lungile Thabalza" (1979), which was also subjected to banning by the Directorate of Publications. The song discusses an activist who died in police custody. Lucey, along with
Jennifer Ferguson, the
Kalahari Surfers and the Cherry Faced Lurchers, among others, contributed songs to
Shifty Records'
Forces Favourites, which was a support to the
End Conscription Campaign. Lucey also wrote songs such as "You only need say nothing" (1979) and "The boys are in town" (1980) that commented on the
South African Border War. Roger Lucey also toured internationally to countries such as
Britain,
United States,
Botswana and
Namibia, among others. Roger Lucey formed part of a group that offered an alternative to apartheid hegemony alongside
James Phillips, the Kalahari Surfers,
Juluka,
Savuka,
Bright Blue,
Mzwakhe Mbuli, Bayete, and
Stimela.
Educational qualifications Lucey holds a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from
Duke University,
North Carolina.
Musician, songwriter and composer Lucey has recorded five albums of his own songs. He has composed music for several documentaries and plays, and has toured Namibia and South Africa playing guitar, keyboard, saxophone, flute and percussion.
Actor, playwright and writer Extensive work as voice artist on commercials and documentary films. Actor on commercials, both local and international, and performer in films, drama series and plays. Worked with Nicolas Ellenbogen and Theatre for Africa. Writer of two plays for Theatre for Africa;
The High Cost of Living directed by Andrew Brent, and
Newsroom directed by Nicolas Ellenbogen. Both premiered at the
National Arts Festival,
Grahamstown. Writer of several articles on news related stories. An article on the conflict in Chechnya (published in
Playboy magazine) was nominated for a Mondi award. Arts correspondent for
Cape Etc., a lifestyle magazine based in Cape Town. Wrote a chapter in
Shoot the Singer!: Music Censorship Today. Roger Lucey's book, Back in From the Anger, was published in 2012 by Jacana Media. It recounts his experience as a young musician in South Africa during the 1970s and 1980s.
Archive Lucey donated his archival material including photographs, vinyl records, letters and documents, to the Hidden Years Music Archive, preserved at the
Documentation Centre for Music,
Stellenbosch University, in 2017. == Discography ==