If you thought Pretoria was famed only for its Union Buildings, fur-lined Cortinas or political tomfoolery, think again! Over the past decade, the Capital City has consistently produced some of the finest contemporary talent around, including Colin Pratley’s “Wildebeest” and, more recently, Neill Solomon’s “Passengers.” So it is only fitting that one of the most exciting new groups to emerge in the '90s should come out of Pretoria.
Growing up in the mid-70s in the shade of the jacaranda trees and listening to the radio, sisters Debbi and Jenni Lonmon soaked up many of the musical influences that eventually would merge with their own ideas to form the unique Little Sister sound – acoustic folk, blues and hard-edged Rock ‘n’ Roll.
In 1987 they decided to form a group and spent some time rehearsing material and recording demos on an antiquated track machine. Together with a guitarist friend, they formed “On Account” and extensively toured the pub circuit pumping out the contemporary hits of the day along with some more obscure cover versions, all the while composing and honing their own original material. Debbi, who had left school at 16 to teach classical guitar and later joined up with “Pantha” (which in turn produced PJ Powers), switched from guitar to bass while Jenni handled lead vocals and percussion. The next two years were spent gigging through the country; it is true to say that their motto was “have band will travel.”
In early 1989 the group changed their name to something more direct – so Little Sister was born. The producers, Ronald “Bones” Brettell and Bernie Millar, went to see the group live, and they were so knocked out with their potential that they set about writing and recording some material. Out of the first batch of demos came the self-titled “Little Sister,” a no-nonsense hard-edged rocker that neatly encapsulated the group’s energy and verve. The group’s new-found direction came up trumps again with “A.C.T.I.O.N.”, a driving pop song reminiscent of the 60s sing-a-long anthems.
Armed with both songs and a growing live reputation, the group approached Tusk Music, who signed them in December 1989. The next few months were spent writing and recording tracks with Bones & Bernie for their debut album. In the meantime, Debbi and Jenni, now down to a duo, added three new members to Little Sister: guitarist extraordinaire Sandy Robbie; keyboardist Mark Bentel and drummer Johnny Burnett.
Little Sister’s debut album Ready and Willing took over six months to record, and it shows in the production – it’s tight, packed with great pop songs and a level of sophistication rarely heard in South African productions. In addition to “Little Sister” and “A.C.T.I.O.N.”, the album showcases the unmistakable high soaring harmonies of sisters Debbi and Jenni Lonmon, fused with Sandy Robbie’s fiery fretboard work backed by a rock-solid rhythm section. The songs range from the West Coast influenced “Young Hearts” to the pulsating title track coupled with out-and-out rockers like “You’ve Got My Heart” and “Lovesick.” The album’s highlight is a pair of ballads, the hypnotic “No Man Shall Fall” with its lush orchestral feel and “Dear Abbie”, the poignant story of a pregnant teenager’s letter to a magazine columnist.
Debbi and Jenni then rehearsed the new expanded line-up for concerts to back the release of the album. Their intention was to take the Little Sister sound to the people. With its combination of great, hook-filled pop songs, strong musicianship and focused production, Ready and Willing filled an obviously empty gap in the South African pop spectrum.
Little Sister have arrived – they’re doing it for themselves.