English Pop Rock

“I firmly believe that the songs on this album and the success we’ve enjoyed so far from it, is only one small part of a bigger whole yet to be realised.” – Craig Hinds, May 2004

The band’s chief protagonist and songwriter Craig W Hinds is keen to have fans of their albums, In The Meantime (2002), and the two follow-up albums Wrapped In Stone (2003) and Mosaic (2005 in RSA & 2006 in Europe), understand just what makes Watershed tick.

“We are a band that has morphed and grown monumentally over the past eight years,” says Craig.

From their humble Gauteng beginnings Watershed has celebrated album releases in the Far East and all over Europe (+ 100 000 sales!), played more shows than they have enjoyed good home-cooked meals and with collective album and single sales going into the millions, when one includes world-wide compilations, all indications are that their chemistry and magic are as addictive as their melodies.

With Number One singles in Germany and more than a dozen South African radio hits the band have settled and had their identity applauded for being insistently their own. When Hinds retells the story of their debut album’s success and the release of the second, his humility is refreshing. “I am very happy with the new album,” he confirms. “There is definitely a nice little progression there, so all seems to be soldiering on.”

There is a lot to be said for those who choose not to buy into the sideshow offered by what is essentially the entertainment industry and here clearly Watershed score highly for ignoring all things contrived. “I prefer to rather do than talk or hype things up and create an unfair and unrealistic perception of what I am about and what my band does. We figure, play the album, see us perform and decide for yourself. If you love us, great! If you don’t… that’s okay too, we’ll get you focused by the next round.”

Over the past ten years, Watershed has reached platinum status with Indigo Girl after signing with EMI; they launched their 2nd album to more than 10 000 people at Johannesburg’s Nelson Mandela Square; won a SAMA in 2004; and played to sell-out concerts – including the very special first 46664 concert at Green Point Stadium to a live audience of 40 000, with millions more watching on TV.
Mosaic, which was written and composed by Craig Hinds and performed by Watershed was produced by J.B. Arthur in Johannesburg and London. Mark Hunter and Saul Davies from the British rock group, James, got involved with Craig to write the albums debut single “Live Another Day” and “Monday Train”.

Watershed is today a truly multi-cultural appreciated piece of Africa the world over. Watershed has, after all, taken the best of local, bottling it in CD form and successfully sold it on to an audience hungry for some savvy sing-along songs.

One of the most difficult commodities to export is pop music, but understanding the gap Watershed has never played to or beaten any other drum than their own. Watershed feeds a market hungry for critical song writing and great melodies, the likes of which South Africa has not seen in decades. A good chunk of half a decade in, the signs are locked on to confirming their extraordinary ability to grow – sonically, lyrically and most critically as a group of players clearly focused on creating the best they possibly can.

Watershed has seen more than its fair share of line-up changes in its relatively short life thus far. “I think it’s a natural process that most bands go through in finding their ultimate identity and sound,” defends Craig. “Today the band is what you could call a homogeneous unit. Every single player contributes and their part is what makes the entity work as well as it does today.”

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