If you were anywhere near a smoky club, a sticky bar counter or a slightly chaotic stage in late ’80s and early ’90s Joburg, chances are you crossed paths with No Friends of Harry at some point. You must have. They were very hard to ignore. If you did, you know they were never the kind of band to do things the easy way. Everything they did made a statement and it made a noise. A dark, beautiful, haunting noise that made you stand up, listen up and mosh the night away somewhere downtown I’m sure. Decades later, that same beautifully stubborn spirit is alive and well as the legendary South African Goth Rock outfit prepares to release what is being billed as their final legacy offering, a handcrafted box set that feels a little less like a product and more like a love letter to everyone who was ever part of the journey. From the Library steps to The Junction and every special show in between, if you were there then you shared in something special that has become a beautiful story and we are nearing the final chapter.
This long awaited release has been a labour of love in every sense. Only 100 box sets are being made, each one carefully assembled by the band themselves, numbered and accompanied by a personalised signed certificate. Inside, fans will find the first three albums, One Came Running, and featuring tracks like In From The Cold, Into The Valley and 15 Seconds, alongside a brand new album titled The Forgotten Tapes. This fourth record is packed with rediscovered gems, unreleased material, demos and live recordings, all remastered from the original analogue tapes by legendary producer Matthew Fink in collaboration with the band. There’s also a beautifully put together photo gallery and booklet detailing the band’s history, with lyrics included, plus a download code for even more alternate and live versions. Technology, passion, creativity, collaboration as well as blood, sweat and tears are the ingredients that have gone into the making of this piece of art and, of course, a piece of history too.
In true No Friends of Harry fashion, the road to this release hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing. Entirely independent and proudly so, Rob Mc Lennan and the band pushed ahead without label backing, which explains the late nights, the fine tuning and just a little bit of chaos along the way. The vinyl is currently in production in Paris and the finishing touches on the new album are being wrapped up as we speak. Fans clearly haven’t forgotten, with half of the box sets snapped up within days of the announcement and only a few left. It is a collector’s item that won’t hang around for very long, which makes it all the more exciting to know that fans are still out there and still as loyal as they were 40 years ago.
Adding to the sense that this really was meant to be a closing chapter, the band took to the stage at The Hangout Legends Festival in South Africa towards the end of last year, a performance that many believed would be their final local bow. The understanding at the time was that, aside from a possible UK date or two later in 2026, that would be it for South African audiences. But as it turns out, retirement isn’t always as final as it sounds, especially when the right people come calling.
Enter World Goth Day. After a little arm twisting from the OHM organisers, the band has agreed to headline their massive World Goth Day celebrations in Joburg on Saturday 23 May. With Dave De Vetta flying in from Edinburgh to join them, it’s shaping up to be a proper unforgettable moment. The showdown at Sognage promises everything from Gothic Rock and Darkwave to EBM and Industrial across two floors. Live acts include No Friends of Harry, Isobel and Portraits of Flesh, while DJs such as Terminatryx, Stephan Venter and Nepenthe Ohm will keep the energy going deep into the night. Tickets are available via Quicket. It is dramatic, a little bit wild and exactly what you’d expect. If this really is the last time these local Goth Rock gods take to the stage together, it’s not just a gig, it’s history in the making.