Namibia: Toto's Africa set to play until the end of days

[375 Ruger Fan]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-01-15/toto-africa-play-on-loop-forever-in-namibian-desert/10717318

Trek far enough into the sands of the Namib Desert and you might just begin to hear the distant but unmistakeable sounds of Toto's Africa drifting over the dunes.

While it could be a dehydration-induced hallucination, there's a chance it could be the sound of an art installation paying homage to the 1982 classic.

Namibian artist Max Siedentopf's latest project, Toto Forever, sets out to deliver what it promises, a never-ending stream of Africa echoing in the very continent it romanticised.

The work comprises of seven white plinths jutting out of the sand in remote desert.

PHOTO: Artist Max Siedentopf's project Toto Forever aimed to play the 1982 classic song Africa on an eternal loop in a secret location in a Namibian desert. (maxsiedentopf.com)


On top of the tallest box sits an MP3 player, which holds just one song.

Six speakers surround the device, projecting the music outwards.

"The song is put on loop and the installation runs on solar batteries to keep Toto going for all eternity," Siedentopf said.

The artist set up the installation as a tribute to what he said was, "probably the most popular song of the last four decades".

PHOTO: The exact location of Toto Forever was not disclosed by the artist. (maxsiedentopf.com)


It's not known exactly where the sound installation is located, with the artist only confirming it is somewhere within the coastal desert, which stretches across 2,000 kilometres.

The remote location means, despite the artist's best efforts to ensure the song rings on forever, the sands of time will slowly consume the piece.

"Most parts of the installation were chosen to be as durable as possible, but I'm sure the harsh environment of the desert will devour the installation eventually," he told the BBC.

The internet's favourite song
Despite being released nearly 40 years ago, Toto's Africa is incredibly popular today, with a Google Trends analysis showing interest in the song peaked in September 2018.

The official video for the song has been viewed more than 440 million times on YouTube.

YOUTUBE: YouTube clip - Toto's Africa


In recent years, the song has been subjected to the meme treatment.

A Twitter bot was set up to tweet portions of the lyrics every day and a dedicated video editor clipped each word of the song into alphabetical order.

 

[Edge]

Too funny, heading to check out colleges that offered baseball scholarships for our Senior and what comes on the radio? Yep, you guessed it!

Now, I don’t believe putting speakers out in the desert blaring music is “art”, maybe pollution is a better term, both noise and the hardware.

 

[Ragman]

Pretty cool. But Kilimanjaro isn't in the Namib Desert!

 

[cpr0312]

I'm not much into all these "modern art" type things (well not at all) but........I like it!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Roan]

T.I.A that thing is gonna get stolen in the first week.

 

[Philip Glass]

AHhhh Namibia!

 

[Red Leg]

Pretty cool. But Kilimanjaro isn't in the Namib Desert!

Or the Serengeti - and it doesn't rain there very much - particularly the coastal desert - as in almost never.

 

[fourfive8]

Too funny, heading to check out colleges that offered baseball scholarships for our Senior and what comes on the radio? Yep, you guessed it!

Now, I don’t believe putting speakers out in the desert blaring music is “art”, maybe pollution is a better term, both noise and the hardware.

Agreed! Arrogance and stupidity. How can anyone think it isn't just another piece of junk in the desert, not unlike a used computer, tv or washing machine tossed out instead of being properly disposed of. And how can the perp assume everyone loves the noise (music). Like any public place where someone plays loud whatever and assumes everyone should have to put up with it!!

 

[CAustin]

T.I.A that thing is gonna get stolen in the first week.

Yep you got that exactly right sir!

 

[Lee M]

The reason it’s played a lot the last 6 months is because a new 2018 version of it was released by the American rock band Weezer. It sounds a lot like the original Toto version.

 

[Wheels]

Wonder what the over and under on days till it stops would be

Wonder if the location is not disclosed so the artist’s, patron will never find out how badly they were duped

If Toto is playing in a desert and there is no one to hear it, is there really a sound?

 

[flatwater bill]

This is not the dumbest thing I have ever heard of. Probably.......................FWB

 

[rpgoldsby]

If I had one Zimbabwe dollar for every time I’ve played this song since going on my first safari and my most recent safari. I’d be hunting in Namibia instead of waiting for the DSC show to open today.

 

[sestoppelman]

I do like that song but have to wonder at the goofy things people come up with!

 

[rpgoldsby]

The question is how many stupid people will die in the desert looking for this so called art.

 

[JakeH]

I do like that song but have to wonder at the goofy things people come up with!

Of all the things they could have spent their money on...this was it. I guess the old saying “a fool and his money are soon parted” still holds true in 2019.

 

[sestoppelman]

It will hold true till the end of time...

 

[tarbe]

I bet Royal already has a bet on how long it will play!

 

[ArmyGrunt]

I'm sitting in a tiny little Italian restaurant in Vicenza, I guess the Italian adjective is redundant, not far from my hotel. On the radio comes this song. So hard not to get singing along!

 

[jeff]

Once again money poorly spent when there are serious problems that need funding!!