* En anglais uniquement
Wells Fargo were a heavy rock band from Zimbabwe who rose to national prominence in the mid-'70s during their country's civil war. Formed by drummer Ebba Chitambo, the band took their name from an American cowboy comic book after seeing the name printed on the side of a wagon. Chitambo had already been a member of a reputable band called the Hi Cords and, in 1974, he recruited guitarists
Josi Ndlovu and Handsome Mabhiza, and bassist Never Mpofu to form a new band influenced by heavier English and American rock acts like
Deep Purple and
Jimi Hendrix. Early into their tenure,
Ndlovu was replaced by lead guitarist
George Phiri, who remained with the band for the rest of their career. During
Wells Fargo's mid-'70s heyday, Zimbabwe, then called Rhodesia, was in a period of dramatic civil unrest as they fought for democracy and an end to decades of white rule. The band's politically motivated songs, particularly the single "Watch Out," put them at the vanguard of the heavy rock scene and also made them a lightning rod for Rhodesia's internal security service, the Special Branch. Of all the singles they recorded, "Watch Out" would be their most enduring statement to fans and also their most controversial, resulting in retaliation and even beatings from the Special Branch. Known primarily as a live band,
Wells Fargo continued to gig frequently throughout the '70s, drawing thousands to stadium shows while simultaneously playing clubs and hotels around Rhodesia and neighboring countries. In the late '70s, disco, funk, and reggae elements could be heard in their sound as rock had come to be seen by Black nationalists as a distinctly white genre. After 1980, when Rhodesia won its independence and became known as Zimbabwe,
Wells Fargo left rock behind and remained a popular touring act until their breakup in 1989. In 2016, California label Now Again Records worked with Chitambo to reissue
Wells Fargo's brief but powerful recorded catalog worldwide for the first time. The elaborately packaged
Watch Out collection was accompanied by a book documenting the band's career and the rise of heavy rock in Zimbabwe. ~ Timothy Monger