Biography
The South African pop-rock duo Cinema, formed by vocalist Jarrod Aston and multi-instrumentalist Mike Todd on guitars and keyboards, built its popularity by switching between self-penned tracks and covers drawn from U.S. and U.K. radio. By 1994 the pair had nearly abandoned the project altogether after the local industry underwent a sweeping realignment early in the decade. Despite a string of number one and Top Ten South African hits, the act confronted falling sales and the likelihood of retreating to low-paying club and pub dates.
Band members regarded the 1993 hits collection From a Whisper to a Scream as their final statement. In 1994, however, the previously unreleased song “Strangers Again” unexpectedly reached the summit of charts throughout Asia, reviving interest in the compilation and prompting major-label offers that underwrote a new studio album. The resulting 1996 release Once In Your Life enabled an extensive tour of the East. Cinema maintained its South African presence, highlighted by the multimedia production Stargaze, before Aston and Todd ultimately pursued separate paths. Aston is currently preparing the solo album tentatively titled Free for a 1998 launch while appearing in a theatrical music production and handling additional production and composition duties.
Band members regarded the 1993 hits collection From a Whisper to a Scream as their final statement. In 1994, however, the previously unreleased song “Strangers Again” unexpectedly reached the summit of charts throughout Asia, reviving interest in the compilation and prompting major-label offers that underwrote a new studio album. The resulting 1996 release Once In Your Life enabled an extensive tour of the East. Cinema maintained its South African presence, highlighted by the multimedia production Stargaze, before Aston and Todd ultimately pursued separate paths. Aston is currently preparing the solo album tentatively titled Free for a 1998 launch while appearing in a theatrical music production and handling additional production and composition duties.