Michael Lannas
Musician Michael Lannas | |
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Born | Michael Lannas |
Residence | United Kingdom |
Occupation |
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Known for | Singing |
Michael Lannas is a Zimbabwean musician and frontman for the band Talking Drum. Lannas and talking Drum are well known for the songs Hapana Mazwi, The River and Moyo Wangu Uri Kuchema.
Background
Michael Lannas was born in Arcadia in then Rhodesia. He is now based in the United Kingdom. [1]
Education
Lannas is a qualified pharmacist.[2]
Career
Lannas broke into the music scene with a group called Dharma where he teamed up with Isaac Chirwa.[3] He says his inspiration came from African Migrant workers. In an interview with NewsDay, Lannas said he would wake up at 5am to the sound of African migrant workers singing as they made their way to work at the Makgoweng (the place of the white people).He collaborated with Don Gumbo on the song Hama Yangu.
Talking Drum
Lannas mobilised a group of talented musicians in 1987 to form Talking Drum. The original Talking Drum was made up of Brian Paul (bass guitar), Brian Jerome Williams and Wellington Mandizha on vocals, Temba Gumbo on lead guitar, Stuart Hutchinson on keyboards and the late Sebastian Mbata on drums. At some point Talking Drum had to rely on session musicians and roped in the late Brian Rusike, Kelly Rusike, Louis Mhlanga, Henry Peters and Rick van Heerden. It was a super-talented outfit and with Lannas on the vocals.[4]
Discography
- Red Sun