June 22, 2004
By Sylvester Haskins
What is it that makes millionaire musician Steve Hofmeyr so appealing to the Afrikaans-speaking masses while he is a thorn in the side of many outside that culture stream?
Tonight poses this contentious question to the former bad boy of SA boere-pop who recently had a much-publicised run-in with some media which had questioned his award for top-selling album at this year's South African Music Awards.
'I have always had the conflict and it works for me,' Steve tells us.
'I've never had a good time with the English market ... I still believe the division between us exists ...'
He insists that many South Africans still judge him by his past indiscretions - and bad dress sense, for that matter...
"The people that have been monitoring my life have not seen the bandanas and torn jeans in 10 years," he insists. "I have learned to be a fly on the wall. I have heard on the radio how people don't like me and I have read it in the newspapers."
Steve - who lives a life of true boere-bling in a glamorous house in a very good location - has had to soak up plenty of criticism over the years since his foray into the music scene with his first self-written album.
His fans still find it amazing that his undoubted creativity and artistic ability still comes as a surprise to many.
Steve had just completed filming the smash 1980s Afrikaans TV hit, Agter Elke Man, which had catapulted him to national stardom as an actor. He played the lead character of Bruce Beyers with convincing menace - a role that eventually would seal his fate as he was quickly perceived as being the character he had acted out on television.
Steve admits that the character affected his psyche, especially when the media had a field day expressing their scorn and disapproval of his real-life romantic antics.
But today there can be no doubt that he is recognised as a true superstar and a highly-favoured son in the Afrikaans music fraternity. A reflection of Hofmeyr's timeless appeal, even after close to 15 years in the business of music, was brought to light when he recently won the South African Music Award for Best Selling Release of 2003.
Despite the fact that especially some black journalists expressed dismay and disbelief at his triumph, he remarks: "This was the first time in decades that I had actually received publicity from some in the press."
Steve says that while he has been playing to sell out crowds in halls and theatres for years, he has "never" had a good relationship with the media in the country so he silenced his critics in the most convincing way.
But the manner in which the Sama was awarded to Steve and the reaction to it caused quite a rumpus. The award evoked startled reactions from some fellow artists and some in the media, who were not aware of the extent of his popularity - or of the fertility and scope for artists in the Afrikaans music market.
Steve managed 150 000 sales for his latest project in the Toeka series, which has produced a follow-up in Toeka 2.
The latest edition has already sold 80 000 copies after three months of its release, the collection featuring music hits from the height of the boeremusiek and boere-pop era of the 1960s through the 1980s. It's been highly sought-for its nostalgic proclivity
.
Says Steve: "The CD shows that the Afrikaanse stick together and are reaching consensus ... at least on one thing!"
But the project has also raised a pertinent issue regarding its apparently nostalgic references to the apartheid era. Steve interprets this in his own way, saying: "There is a problem that nostalgia can be political. I have had audiences say I want back the old South Africa. I am scared of that and I try and correct that ... I think it is more about regaining pride than anything else."
Steve is certainly the toast of the Afrikaans music arena and is reaping rich rewards. It's believed he has sold more than 800 000 albums since making his entry with the album Desert Blue in 1989, but others say his sales fall much closer to the million mark.
Steve's Sama win did well to highlight a thriving Afrikaans music culture and the generous and devoted support many Afrikaans music artists enjoy in their cultural niche market.
Still, he is struggling to shake the remnants of a past tainted by the excesses of his youth - most notably his sexual promiscuity. Steve certainly seemed to live out the ultimate rock fantasies.
But he is frank about his past indulgences, which resulted in him fathering several illegitimate children. He recalls frankly and with sudden abruptness: "It used to be hard to resist.
"I had three illegitimate children".
He's now fathered two children - in wedlock - with Egoli star Natasha Sutherland. One is still an infant of nine months' old and the other a toddler of two-years-old.
Still, Steve is quick to add he feels he's accepted all his responsibilities concerning his children from his earlier relationships. Uncoerced, he says: "I still see them from time to time. There are two of them I speak to quite often on the cellphone." Yet he admits, perhaps a little sadly, that "it is an uncomfortable situation."
While many are willing to accept he's struggled with that side of his life, there have, however, been other incidents that remain in the consciousness of many - and which Steve regards as "damning".
His infamous punch up with a photographer and then a journalist on another occasion were among the most controversial.
Instead of showing regret, though, Steve "justifies" his battle with the journalist at the Klein Karoo Kunstefees in Oudtshoorn: "The reason I grabbed him is that he criticised and passed a negative comment on the people which come and see my show."
But it seemed few saw thing Steve's way on this occasion, and he was mauled in the press.
Yet, his fans still flock to see him perform - and in greater numbers than before. For instance, the publication for which the affected journalist worked, had put up huge posters, which read "Boycott Hofmeyr!".
This act was of course intended to harm Steve's career, but instead gave a positive spin on the artist: Steve himself was surprised at the number of people who turned up to see his show.
"I can' t live without the media," he confesses.
"They have been imperative to my success.
"In fact, when I think about it, I must say I believe there is no such thing as bad press."
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