Falling Mirror

Falling Mirror was an alternative rock band from Cape Town, South Africa founded in 1978 by cousins Allan Faull and Nielen Marais, who had adopted the stage name Falling Mirror.

The band gained popularity during the late 1970s and 1980s, and they are often associated with the alternative rock scene in South Africa during that time. The band’s name was derived from the duo’s surnames (“Faull and Mirror”).

Falling Mirror’s music is characterized by its eclectic style, incorporating elements of new wave, rock & roll, blues and psychedelic rock, blended with a dark pop sensibility.“Everything we do is psychotic…” — Nielen Mirror, 1985One of their most well-known songs is “Johnny Calls the Chemist,” which became a radio hit in South Africa in the ’80s and is considered a classic.

While Falling Mirror may not be widely known on the global music scene, they have left a significant impact on South African music history, particularly within the alternative rock genre.

Allan Faull died in September 2013.

Nielen Mirror died in September 2024