It’s Time To Say Goodbye

Dear readers, friends and media partners,

Seven years ago today we started on an incredible journey. In that time I’ve had the opportunity to meet some incredible people and formed partnerships that transcend this blog.

The highs have been more than the lows and all I can say is that it has been a truly rewarding experience and it has been the greatest honor of my life to document and serialize the happenings in the Kenyan rock scene.

Without mincing words I cannot for sooth tell you that output here has been without it’s fare share of heartbreaks. That challenges have arisen has given me perhaps the greatest motivation to continue expressing my thoughts and those of other people in this space.

In recent years this editorial has taken on the ideas of more people than just me and I sincerely want to thank all those that have partnered with me to continue shining light on this scene. Yvonne Ndubi I cannot thank you enough for your support and encouragement and the legacy of this space is as much yours as it is mine. To Issa Khalid that first inspired and then supported perhaps our greatest ever enterprise, may God continue to bless you and give you a long life. To Alf Siero, The Mad Mane Machine, and Slammy Karugu your technical expertise has given this space the vibrance that I couldn’t give it at times. And to Djae Aroni and Mildred Achoch may you continue where we have left things. I believe in continuity and in this world, I believe the interests of the scene are well catered for.

And to all the rock bands in Kenya it is been an honour that I cannot repay for giving me the opportunity to be your voice. To our friends in the African scene M4A, AudioInferno and African Metal may the light continue shining on you. To our friends in the larger globe, promoters and labels that we’ve been blessed to work with all I can say is that the pleasure is all mine.

But as is the way of the world, all good things must come to an end. After a lot of soul searching I have decided to pull curtains on this writing project. The joy that came with putting out these columns have sadly left the cages of my heart and the breaks have done little to put back the wind in my sails. Granted no single day on earth is a bed of roses but I cannot let sorrow sour what has been one of the greatest pleasures of my life. I can no longer cope with keeping abreast and appraising the goings on of the scene.

The world has changed and so must we. I will continue to write in other spheres and my involvement will continue in the scene but for now as the founder of Heavy and the Beast I must bid you all adieu. In my parting, I know that this blog has achieved more than I ever dreamed it would achieve, and my heart goes out to all those continuing the good fight.

“It is a far, far better thing that I do than I have ever done; it is a far, far better rest that I go to than I have ever known.”

Charles Dickens in A Tale of Two Cities

My kindest regards and undying love,

Daniel Kobimbo