Plum's back in tune

NEW RELEASE: BAND THAT RULED SA'S LIVE SCENE RETURNS

- Hein Kaiser

If you were part of South Africa's alternative music scene in the early 2000s, chances are you've seen Plum perform.

The band wasn't just a fixture on the circuit. If they were not on the line-up, the gap was glaring.

With a fusion of trip-hop, acid rock, nu-metal, and alternative funk, Plum collected a legion of fans at festivals and legendary venues like Wings, Roxy's, and countless others that have since faded into memory. Now, 17 years after their last release, Plum is back, and musically, the band didn't skip a beat.

The new release isn't so much a comeback single as it is a continuation of their story, albeit more than a decade and a half after the fact.

The tune is called Don't Stop Believing and, according to the band, it's not just a song title, it's a statement. Co-founder Kevin Leicher said that it was inspired "from the excitement of writing new material again."

"While we never stopped writing individually, collaborating again, especially for Waz and myself, it felt both natural and creatively fulfilling."

Plum's story began in 1996, when seasoned musicians Kevin Leicher, Troy Dougans, and Waz Leicher came together to create something musically different.