LISTEN: Iconic 80s band 'Cinema' makes comeback with new song ‘Elephant in the Room’
It started at a funeral… We interview the band about how they got back together.
Jacob Moshokoa, standing in for CapeTalk's Pippa Hudson, speaks to Chris Frank and Mike Todd from the 80s band Cinema.
Listen below:
South African pop band Cinema, featuring Jarrod Aston, Mike Todd, and Chris Frank, is back with a new song, 'Elephant in the Room'.
Formed in Johannesburg, the band was active from 1986 to 1997.
Between 1987 and 1996, Cinema was a chart-topper with 12 number one songs, six albums and nine years of constant touring, producing hit songs such as 'My Kind of Girl'.
In 1987, Cinema was the band to watch. They were going places while looking fabulous in their stonewashed jeans, leg warmers, and mullets.
Frank left the band in 1993, and Aston and Todd parted ways in 1997 after a successful tour to South East Asia.
Both Todd and Frank went on to pursue other interests. Todd started an entertainment company while Frank wrote music for television.
Fast-forward to 2025... Cinema is back with new music!
'Elephant in the Room' features original members Chris Frank, Mike Todd with a new lead vocalist, Stephan Nel.
The song captures the timeless spirit and fresh energy of a band that has consistently evolved over the decades.
And more new music is coming.
Frank and Todd explain their journey to reconnection started at a funeral.
"We attended a funeral... we were talking about putting it back together, and we didn't know then that we'd be recording again. We'd just put together a live act... and then we were approached by a record company who offered us a record deal, and we were all over it. We couldn't believe that a record company would be interested in signing with us again."
- Mike Todd, Cinema
"I always tend to write songs from personal experience. I always find them to be more sincere. This was about a relationship I had a few years ago that was falling apart, unfortunately. We didn't have anything to talk about and we'd make up nonsense... because nobody wanted to bring up the elephant in the room, which was that we were breaking up..."
- Chris Frank, Cinema
"I put it to a happy tune and I thought, well, this is very strange because this is a sad song with a happy melody and it worked... if you listen carefully, you can either cry or you can dance."
- Chris Frank, Cinema
"Chris is always writing break-up songs... his break-up songs are the best."
- Mike Todd, Cinema
Listen to the song below:
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.