It's burning in my soul….

For Dave Starke from acoustic-rock duo, Soulfire, it's all about the music.

This week, Streetlamp chats to this talented Capetonian musician.

Streetlamp:  Tell us about your background? Where do you come from, how did you get into music…
Dave Starke: I started playing guitar at 12 years of age and studied it as a subject at
High School. On a trip to visit my uncle in London, I discovered his Collection of Folk LP's and was instantly hooked!

SL:  To those who have yet to hear your music, how would you describe your sound?
DS:  I would describe it as peaceful acoustic rock with strong folk influences.  Sometimes a lot like a lullaby for weary souls.

SL:  Who are your main musical influences?
DS:  James Taylor is my biggest single influence, but I also enjoy Damien Rice, Kings of Convenience, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, The Band and many others...

SL:  Do you write your own songs?
DS:  Yes, in our band, we share the writing.

SL:  What is your music about? Is there an underlying message?
DS:  We hope that it's about finding peace and love.

SL:  How do you write music? Do the words come first or the music?
DS:  I write the music first, I'm a very slow lyric writer, so there are usually many unfinished songs in my head...

SL:  If you could collaborate with any musical artist, who would it be?
DS:  I'd love to do something with an honest-voiced female artist, maybe Tristan Prettyman or Emmylou Harris or Dian Krall.

SL:  If you could perform anywhere in the world, where would it be?
DS:  I'd love to play in a country/city/town with a small but loyal folk following - perhaps Canada or Ireland.

SL:  Where is your favourite place to play music (venue)?
DS:  The Green Dolphin at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town - it has a beautiful baby grand piano.

SL:  Do you play any cover songs when you perform? If so, which ones?
DS:  Very occasionally. We've done "Slip Sliding away" by Paul Simon and "I don't want to wait in Vain" by Bob Marley.

SL:  What do you do to pay the bills, or does your music earn you enough?
DS:  I'm an Arts and Culture teacher, Duncan works for an NGO in the Human Rights Field.

SL:  What's your outlook on the record industry today?
DS:  South Africa is too outward looking in terms of its music. The Record companies here prefer local artists who sound foreign. I'd rather be appreciated by a small intelligent fan base than be liked by a bunch of idiots, so big record labels don't really appeal to me.

SL:  What are the biggest obstacles for upcoming bands or artists?
DS:  South Africans are not very good at supporting local music, so it's hard to make a living off music. Most locals would much rather listen to generic renditions of Creedence Clearwater Revival or Brown Eyed girl than anything new or interesting, so it's really hard to find an audience.

SL:  What inspires you?
DS:  Almost anything, but mostly heartache!

SL:  What music do you listen to?
DS:  Folk, Irish Traditional, Welsh Choral, Acoustic Rock, Reggae, Crooners

SL:  The best album you ever bought?
DS:  DVD - "The Last Waltz" by The Band.  CD - "The Freewheeling Bob Dylan"

SL:  "You'll know you've made it when..."
DS:  …you see a complete stranger singing along with one of your songs

SL:  "It'll be time to pack up the gear for good when..."
DS:  …you become a High School Teacher!!! (Ha, done that already) Kidding, I don't think I'll ever give up - I just want to make good music, I don't need to "make it"  in the industry.

SL:  "I'll never forget the first time I..."
DS:  …sang a song without any musical accompaniment

SL:  What are your plans for the future?
DS:  Write, breathe easy and be thankful

SL:  Can you give us a good cocktail recipe?
DS:  No, but you can get really great home brewed beer in my home town in Eshowe in Zululand - drop by any time!

View the full artist profile of Soulfire.

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