Uganda’s Michael Learns to Rock

By Pidson Kareire His fans gather in front of his gigantic speakers, Roland keyboard, tama drums, pretty guitars and steel microphones, as he castrates the evening boredom. Responding to the sweet memories of Michael Learns to Rock, the crowd wildly cheers, “oluu luu oluu luu...Mukalazi okikoze!” (oh! Oh! Mukalazi, you are a thriller.) This is the aura that surrounds a young musician, Moses Mukalazi of Mustard Systems Band. His soft tenor voice allows him to pull crowds whenever he mimes songs by Michael Learns to Rock, Elton Jones and late Philly Bongoley Lutaya, as well as churning out his own compositions. His way into the music world can be described as a talent. Right from his primary school days in Namilyango Junior Boys School, he used to participate in music festivals. He did a music course from a pentecostal church with the help of Brother Bigaruga. After he had his first trip to Nairobi in 1990, with a band called BAD, he did not look back. From there, he began to play piano at Sheraton Kampala Hotel, at Collins Hotel, Mukono, Hotel Equatoria and later joined Marines Band from where Brig. James Kazini picked interest and took him to join his Umoja Jazz Band from 1994 - 1997. He did that concurrently with his ‘A’ level studies. When Umoja Jazz Band went to Gulu, he joined Waka Waka from 1997 to March 1998, when the band dissolved. “It is from there that I started Mustard Systems Band,” Mukalazi reveals proudly. He adds, “I named it Mustard Systems basing on the small biblical seed that grows to become a big fruitful tree.” Born 30 years ago, Mukalazi has become popular among evening revellers. Swelling with delight, they dance, hiss, whistle, and yell. There is a running fire of comments from the audience. “Bannange omusajja ayimba!” (That man can sing” as Some Day by Michael Learns to Rock hits the waves leaving tender revellers in a swirl. Ends