Welcome to the first show of 2026 on the Business of Entertainment on CapeTalk at 9pm. We have the brilliant Tim Parr in conversion chatting about his musical journey with myself.

Tim Parr first came to national prominence in the southern-rock blues band Baxtop, where he shared guitar duties with Larry Amos in the Joburg club scene of 1976. Rising quickly to the top of the national circuit and winning the SABC battle of the bands, they recorded “Work it Out” for Warner Brothers in 1979, which remains an enduring SA classic.

Parr then formed Ella Mental with Heather Mac, which was one of the iconic 80’s bands to have a string of radio hits in South Africa playing many of the countries’ top festivals.

The common thread throughout all these projects has been Tim Parr’s expressive and soulful guitar playing, and unlike many guitarists his rhythm and textural playing is as distinctive as his unmistakable voice.

DISCOGRAPHY

1979 Baxtop – Work It Out (Album)

1984 Ella Mental – Uncomplicated Dreams (Album)

1989 Ella Mental – Ella Mental (Album)

1995 ‘Her Hymn’ (Live) featured on the album ‘Concert for James Phillips’

1990 Zap Dragons – Zap Dragons Live (Album)

1996 Still Standing (Album) 

2019 Silver & Gold (Single)

2020 Peace Is Not the Absence of War (Single)

2020 Universal Peace Keeper with Greg Georiades, Patrick Bokaba, and Anthony Stevens (Single)

2021 Time (Single)

2021 Revolution (EP)

2025 Malachi’s Dream (EP)