# Sheer Sound

Sheer Sound is a South African independent record label formed in 1994 by Damon Forbes.

## History

Sheer Sound was formed in November 1994, shortly after South Africa's first democratic elections. The label was initially a home for jazz and world music and fast gained a reputation for its extensive South African and African jazz catalogue.
By the mid-1990s, a young music marketer, Damon Forbes, was getting restless with the limited vision of his industry.
"I sunk my teeth into jazz because it carried a world music message for me; it was truly culturally representative.... I just looked at the market and I saw the economics of the people of South Africa changing, due to better access to education.... [And]the workplace was going to change; a lot more black people getting into jobs that are of medium and higher income levels.... With all that, comes the aspiration to listen to better quality music. [So] the market, in the long term, is going to increase."
With what he calls "R5 000 (just over $500) and a dream", Forbes established his own label, Sheer Sound. (Ansell 1994:269)
In 2006 two imprint labels, Seed and 2Feet Music, were formed under the Sheer Sound umbrella and has since released some of the most prolific rock and singer-songwriter music, respectively, in South Africa.
Sheer grew over the years to represent Beggars Banquet group, Concord, Ninja Tune, Cooking Vinyl, World Circuit and numerous others They were also the South African distributor for labels such as Carrot Top Records, Lusafrica, Palm Pictures, Shanachie, Telarc, and Union Square Music, with their own CDs having seen a global market largely through its folk/rock imprint, 2 Feet.
In late 2014 Sheer Sound was acquired by Times Media LTD / the Gallo Record Company, and the two companies were merged.

## Roster
### Singer-songwriter

* Farryl Purkiss
* Jeremy Loops
* Chris Letcher
* Nibs van der Spuy
* Shawn Phillips
* Baz Corden
* Simon van Gend

### Rock

* Wonderboom
* Myepic
* Cassette (Outside of RSA only)
* Bed on Bricks
* Paul E. Flynn
* Martin Rocka and The Sick Shop
* Misled
* Pestroy
* Insek
* Libido
* Gently Scar'd
* Underbelly
* New Academics
* Lionel Bastos
* Elusion
* The Dirty Skirts
* Mann Friday
* Gonzo Republic
* eVoid
* Walt

### Afropop

* Jeff Maluleke
* Jaziel Brothers
* Lesego
* Mina Nawe
* Phinda
* Oliver Mtukudzi
* Naledi

### Jazz

* McCoy Mrubata
* Winston Mankunku Ngozi
* Paul Hanmer
* Louis Mhlanga
* Sipho Gumede
* Gavin Minter
* Tony Cox
* Ernie Smith

## Awards and nominations

| Award | Year | Artist | Category | Title | Result |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | 340ml | Best Alternative Album | Sorry for the Delay | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | 340ml | Best Duo or Group of the Year | Sorry for the Delay | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | 340ml | Best Album of the Year | Sorry for the Delay | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | 340ml | MTN Record of the Year | Sorry for the Delay | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | 340ml | Best Producer | Sorry for the Delay | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | 340ml | Best Engineer | Sorry for the Delay | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | Ernie Smith | Best Adult Contemporary Album (English) | | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | Nibs van der Spuy | Best Instrumental Album | Autumn Light | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | Imbokodo | Best Pop Album (African) | | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | Jaziel Brothers | Best Remix Of The Year | | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | The Dirty Skirts | Best Rock Album | Daddy Don't Disco | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | Paul E. Flynn | Best Rock Album | Fields | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | Gavin Minter | Best Traditional Jazz Album | I'll Be Seeing You | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | Zim Ngqawana | Best Traditional Jazz Album | | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2009 | Oliver Mtukudzi | Best Traditional/Adult Contemporary DVD | | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | Jaziel Brothers | Best Afro Pop Album | The Beginning | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | Underbelly | Best Alternative Album | "For A Cynical Science" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | Insek | Best Alternative Album | "Maaiers" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | New Academics | Best Alternative Album | "City Of Strange" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | McCoy Mrubata | Best Male Artist | "Brasskap Sessions - Vol 1" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | McCoy Mrubata | Best Traditional Jazz | "Brasskap Sessions - Vol 1" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | Jeff Maluleke | Best Adult Contemporary African | "A Twist Of Jeff" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | Musa Manzini & Lawrence Matshiza (For Jeff Maluleke) | Best Producer | "A Twist Of Jeff" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | Phinda | Best Adult Contemporary African | "Yithi Paha" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | Jaziel Brothers | Best PopAlbum | "The Beginning" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | Mina Nawe | Best Urban Pop Album | "Njalo" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2008 | Tony Cox | Best Instrumental Album | "Blue Anthem" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Paul Hanmer | Best Male Artist | "Water & Lights" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Lesego | Best Newcomer | "Mymusic" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Paul Hanmer | Best Instrumental Jazz Album | "Water & Lights" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Four Forty | Best Instrumental Jazz Album | "Us+Them=1" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Chris Letcher | Best Adult Contemporary Album: English | "Frieze" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Wonderboom | Best Rock Album: English | "City Of Gold" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Chris Letcher | Best Rock Album: English | "Frieze" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Martin Rocka and the Sick Shop | Best Alternative Music Album | "Through Sick & Sin" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Prankster | Best Alternative Music Album | "Bravo" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Lesego | Best Pop Album: African | "Mymusic" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2007 | Oliver Mtukudzi | Best Compilation DVD | "Wonai" | Nominated |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2006 | Phinda | Best Adult Contemporary Album: African | "Mbheka Phesheya" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2005 | Wessel van Rensburg | Best Instrumental Album | "Song For E" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2005 | McCoy Mrubata | Best South African Traditional Jazz Album | "Discovery" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2005 | Evert de Munnick (Sakhile) | Best Engineer | "Togetherness" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2005 | Sipho Gumede & Ernie Smith | Best Joint Composition | "" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2004 | Zim Ngqawana | Best Male Artist | "Zimphonic Suites" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2004 | Zim Ngqwana | Best South African Traditional Jazz Album | "Zimphonic Suites" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2004 | Andile Yenana & Winston Mankunku Ngozi (Winston Mankunku Ngozi) | Best Producer | "" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2004 | Peter Pearlson (Zim Ngqwana) | Best Engineer | "Zimphonic Suites" | Won |
| South African Music Awards (SAMA) | 2004 | Gloria Bosman | Best Female Composer | "Nature Dances" | Won |
| MK Video Awards | 2008 | Chris Letcher | Best Roadtrip Video | "Deep Frieze" | Nominated |
| MK Video Awards | 2008 | Farryl Purkiss | Sexiest Video | "Better Days" | Nominated |