History

The Sound Generation was formed in 1995 by Edgar Bullen and Lyndon Dunbar, who have known each other as old

school friends and childhood neighbours. Their audio history goes back to the early seventies, where they started a discotheque running off old valve amplifiers, often modified from radiogram sets bought up on the flea market at the Grand Parade in Cape Town on Wednesdays. The sound system employed for the disco was constantly being rebuilt, modernized and updated constantly as they learned more about sound and equipment. Eventually being named Beethoven’s Fifth Disco, quiet apt, as the equipment had practically been rebuilt about five times! This they operated in late high school in the Helderberg area.

The partners years later started discussing forming a company when Lyndon returned from overseas. Both had been active in the music industry. Edgar from a marketing side where he sponsored and planned music festivals and events, Lyndon as a live sound engineer in Pretoria, working with bands at the time like The Helicopters, No Friends of Harry, The Outsiders, The Getout, Larry Amos and many more. From humble beginnings and seventy five thousand Rand in the kitty for gear, they started out as Creative Audio. Lyndon having done an electronic engineering diploma, designed and built the first PA system. Everything from the amplifiers to the monitor speakers were built from the ground up. The amplifier was a huge ten channel Mosfet rack of around 7500 Watts and still did duty at many Up The Creek festivals until just a few years ago. This monster was recently sold, as a still working unit, for more than it cost to build 11 years ago and is presently still working 100%.

Originally the company was operated as a part time concern with both partners holding down full time employment and taking time out to do festivals and odd functions on weekends as these arose. No active marketing was done and b

usiness was by word of mouth and reputation only. All proceeds from these festivals were ploughed back into the business and very little found it’s way into the partner’s pockets. Brand names such as JBL, Crest, Crown and Allen & Heath replaced original home grown equipment.

In 1998 the business was officially registered as a Close Corporation under the changed name of The Sound Generation. The partners eventually took the plunge and went full time into the business, gearing it up to run as a full time concern. Edgar joined full time in 2002 and Lyndon recently at the start of 2005.

In mid 2005 The Sound Generation added a lighting department to the business and now has the capability to

supply lighting and 20 kW sound from in-house stock. For larger events The Sound Generation has strategic agreements with other suppliers to get larger equipment sets for bigger events. These alliances have been put to good use already for a number of big events, like the Levi Rage for the Nation Concert backed by Radio 5 and Oppikoppi held at the Cape Town Castle early in 2005. Other big events have been the outdoor concerts at the Hangklip Hotel in 1999 , the Maties Rag on the Braak square in Stellenbosch 2006 as well as the local leg of the MK89 DSTV station music tour, performed to a four and a half thousand strong crowd.

There are many other events, such as the Martell Blues Rock festival that was part of the Grahamstown Arts Festival that have been done by The Sound Generation for a few years. Another well-known event that has been done by The Sound Generation for the last 8 years is The Savanna Up The Creek Music Festival, held on the banks of the Breede river each year.

The Sound Generation has also been active in Corporate events, handling a number of Old Mutual’s Encounter

events in the Cape Area, artists such as Malika, Freshly Ground, Wendy Oldfield, Sipho Hotstix, Arno Carstens and many other well known artists etc. Please refer to our client list and photo gallery for details of past gigs and events. We also do small events like school pageants and other functions.

Equipment is also available from us as dry hire for private parties, dances, and events where a do-it –yourself approach is possible.

We have also added a sales department and have negotiated dealerships with most of the major brands for lighting and sound equipment. Our specialty is quality service, good sales advice - based on knowledge gained from solid experience of equipment and its use. We also consult, propose custom systems and do installations of sound and lighting equipment.

The following is a list of clients and bands we have done sound for and worked with, by no means comprehensive: