Music Milker - Discover new moosic

Today, we have the pleasure to talk about two great artists: Duncan Breen and Dave Starke.
They are two singer-songwriters from Cape Town, South Africa, who formed a band called Soulfire around a fire in the mountains of South Africa's Cedarberg region.

Both Dave and Duncan have had successful solo careers but through this union of styles and voices are able to create something unique.
Their music is inspired by travelling: they love to travel, only with their backpacks and guitars, wandering around South America and Africa.
Blending influences from past and present performers with styles ranging from classic folk, blues, rock and reggae, Soulfire have created their own laidback blend of acoustic rock that has met with critical acclaim in their native South Africa and elsewhere.
I think the major artist who influenced Soulfire's music is Jack Johnson, whom they like for his simplicity and honesty.

If you'd like listen to some of their songs, you can find them on Amie Street.
You can visit their MySpace account, too.

They have been so kind with all of us: they decide to give away not only one, but TWO songs they really like: Live My Life and Rwanda , both downloadable from Music Milker.

Below, you can read the interview we had with them.

How long have you been singing? when did you decide you wanted to become an artist?

I’ve been singing since I was young although probably not very well... After some travelling through South America and parts of Africa with my guitar I decided I wanted to start writing more songs and needed to be able to sing to these to be able to share what I was feeling with others.

Do you write both lyrics and music for your songs?

Dave and I usually write both the lyrics and music for our own songs. Whoever writes the song then also guides the recording process and does the vocals for the track. We are really two singer-songwriters collaborating. We have learnt tricks from each other but haven’t yet collaborated in writing a song together. In this way then our albums are about our two styles coming together. For me is refreshing as sometimes it feels too personal to listen to my own songs and I can always then listen to Dave’s songs on the album without being so self-critical.

What does inspire you? what artists did influence you the most?

I get inspired by different things. My work on refugee rights in South Africa makes me focus on some of the problems we face in the world so that becomes a theme for some songs. For example, ‘Rwanda’ was written after a visit to the country and then trying to deal with my own feelings after visiting the genocide memorials. Travel is another major inspiration. I love being able to lose myself in a country with a backpack and guitar and entertain and be entertained by the people you meet. I’ve been able to have some incredible sessions around a fire under shooting stars in Uganda and in a tent with friends high in the Andes. I’ve been lucky enough to have some good travel time through South America and parts of Africa and always been humbled by the friendliness, openness and hospitality of the people I’ve met. It helps me keep some perspective.

In terms of artists, I grew up listening to my dad’s music like Neil Young, James Taylor, Jim Croce, and Simon and Garfunkel. These influences then combined with the minimalist artists such as Jack Johnson, Ben Harper and Damien Rice as well as the more up tempo fun stuff like Sublime. When I first Jack Johnson’s ‘Times Like These’ in a surf bar in Ecuador, I thought this is how music is meant to be in terms of its simplicity and honesty.

Thanks to the Internet, things are starting to change in the music industry, it seems like there's a lot more space for artists to get out and build their own success. How do you feel about it?

The Internet has certainly been a huge advantage for artists like us living in South Africa. There are a number of really talented artists in the country who are making some great music but there is a limited market here. Guys such as Plush, Jac Sharp, Palms Up, Tristan Waterkeyn and Matthew Gair deserve to do really well. And through the Internet we’ve been able to get greater access to international audiences who now are also more in control of finding the music that they like rather than what radio stations and record labels want them to listen to. Bands are also able to take far more control over their own promotions rather than waiting for a record label to sort all this out. One of my favourite artists Josh Ritter has released a lot of his stuff on his own and I’m sure the Internet has played a big role in that.

What do you think about Music Milker?

I really like the format of Music Milker. It’s targeted with songs that the site owners like so it means we don’t have to search through a lot of music to find something we like. I also really like the intentions behind it in terms of finding emerging artists. Bands such as us really appreciate the efforts that guys like Music Milker are putting in to support us. Thanks again.

Thanks again Duncan and Dave for taking part in Music Milker. We really appreciate it.