Shotgun Story

"Because these days, there's not enough girls at music festivals!"

Galpalooza. Women's Day Music Festival at Tweefontein Melkery. Featuring an all-female line-up.

Listen to the interview with Jolene East (Jolling | The Honeymooners)

Outro track "I Know I Love You" by Jolling. Music used with permission from rights holder. Rockford Media on Facebook · website · Facebook · Twitter · insta · Spotify Playlist

"I can honestly say it (music) saved my life at one point."

Simone Govender is a pop singer-songwriter based in Johannesburg. She teaches music on the side. I heard her exquisite voice at a Saturday morning market, and I knew that I had to have a conversation...

The thing is, when you make music for a living, more often than not you're building sets of songs that you think people want to hear. Reading people's minds is an art, and one that is hard to get right. Simone seems to hit the nail on the head most of the time.

In this episode, we talk about building these sets, and with that said, also finding the courage to play your own songs! We chat about cyber-bullying, learning about the business side of music, faith, and the pinch-yourself moments that happen when you're following your dreams.

Outro music: "The Attention's Really Killing Me" by Simone Govender. Music used with permission from rights holder. Find Simone on Instagram · website · Facebook · Twitter · insta · Spotify Playlist

"I haven't got millions of streams. I'm just doing what I'm doing."

There is something wonderful about talking to someone with a lifetime of experience in their field. And this episode of the podcast is FILLED with delightful stories, lessons, coffee, and bits of GREAT advice.

Martin 'Cito' Otto is a rock performer, songwriter, producer, music director, part-time actor, and newly-launched coffee mogul, best known as the lead singer of WONDERboom.

When your third gig as a band is opening for Simple Minds in front of 15,000 people, you know the tales are going to be good...

Outro music 'Prodigal Son' by WONDERboom. Music used with permission from rights holder. Cito on Instagram · website · Facebook · Twitter · insta · Spotify Playlist

Dave Starke is a folk singer-songwriter in the ancient British Isles troubadour tradition (the modern version, obvs). He speaks a language I deeply understand, that of grappling with how to be an artist. Sustainably.

In this episode, we chat about 'cultural confidence', being comfortable with being uncomfortable, writing songs out of desperate overwhelm, and the ancient role of the singer-songwriter in our cultural heritage.

"You can't become whatever you want, you can only become what you are. And we just are musicians. You know, you can fight that as much as you want, and you can have misery either way. You can be miserable because you're not an artist, or you can become an artist and be miserable with that. And I think the latter is better."

Listen to this episode to understand the life of a singer-songwriter in South Africa a whole lot better...

Music outro: 'Burn After Reading' by Dave Starke. Music used with permission from the rights holder. Dave Starke on Instagram · website · Facebook · Twitter · insta · Spotify Playlist

You're a creator. Use your talents and find a NICHE for yourself.

Are you a songwriter (or a composer) debating whether to get a publisher or to try your hand at doing it yourself? As a creator, it's important to have a very open vision of your career and what you can and cannot do, so knowing both sides of the debate matters.

Thando Makhunga is the Managing Director of Sheer Music Publishing, and she popped into the studio to chat a bit about the ins and outs of music publishing, what it means, and why it's so important.

We talk about the roles of a publisher and the songwriter, the importance of transparency in the relationship between them, and how publishing is about ownership! Money conversations can be tricky for artists, but they're imperative to have.

For more information, contact [email protected]

Music outro: 'unfolded' by Shotgun Tori. Music used with permission from the rights holder. Head over and subscribe to Sheer's newsletter · website · Facebook · Twitter · insta · Spotify Playlist

Why do you want to go to a label? They can't do anything for you.

Benjy Mudie has been in the business of making music for over 40 years. In 1998, he founded the independent South African music label Fresh Music. He has been responsible for signing and developing some of the most successful artists in this country: Squeal, Mango Groove, Little Sister, Vicki Samson (to name just a few!)

If you're a music lover, tune in to this episode for stories about eVoid, Mango Groove, Fallen Mirror (plus some great advice about starting a record collection).

If you're a music maker, you'll want to listen to the sections about artist development, the role of record labels in the modern music industry, and the importance of having a battle plan if you're going to embark on the indie route.

"If you go into it wanting to be rich, you're in for a rude awakening." -Benjy Mudie

To get in touch with Benjy, email [email protected]

Outro music: 'Leave the Bones' by Cofield Mundi. Music used with permission from rights holder. website · Facebook · Twitter · insta · Spotify Playlist

"There was a moment when I decided I wanted to prioritise music."

The body is a mediator through which we experience but it’s also a conspirator, colouring experiences with feeling just in time for our arrival.

Johannesburg-based songwriter, Senna-Marie is interested in the clumsiness of feeling, fight and body; documenting how it enters into conversation through her intimate songwriting and vulnerable voice.

Music outro: 'Stonewall Soldier' by Senna-Marie.

Music used with permission from rights holder. Senna-Marie's Instagram · website · Facebook · Twitter · insta · Spotify Playlist

You can't make a film and not put any music in it.

Jack&Jill Productions is a boutique company based in South Africa. Their latest film 'Table Manners' was an official selection at The Indie Film Fest (2019), Universal Film Fest (2019), Jelly Fest (2019), Durban International Film Festival (2018), and Silwerskerm Festival (2018). The film was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Director on its International Festival Run.

The people behind Jack&Jill are Leli Maki Esq. (Director) and Nkuli Sibeko (Producer). The pair popped into studio for a little (and MORE THAN delightful) chat about what's involved in getting music into films.

This interview pulls no punches. If you are a musician who'd like to see your song in a film or a tv show, you want to listen to this.

It's full of gems like:

"And sadly, I think one of the things that surprised me when we first started on this journey was discovering that it's never the artists that you're going to (for music rights), because they never own their own music."

and

"We're not looking for a hit song, but for how a heart breaks."

and

"If the words 'I don't like that song' are going to break you. Find a new career."

and

"Congratulating a musician on releasing a song is the same as congratulating a child for breathing."

Outro music: 'So Lucky' by the Plastics

Music used with permission from rights holder. Follow Jack&Jill Productions on Instagram · website · Facebook · Twitter · insta · Spotify Playlist

"The music business is a war and the fist weapon of war is knowledge."

Cindy Alter is an international award-winning chart-topping multi-million album-selling singer-songwriter from South Africa. She was lead singer of the 70s band Clout (best known for their hit single Substitute).

In this week's episode, I'm chatting to Cindy remotely from Nashville about all things music. Tune in as she talks about leaving SA, co-writing, ageism, sexism, and doing music because you LOVE it and not because you want to be a star.

Music outro: Last one standing by Cindy Alter.

Music used with permission from rights holder. Follow Cindy on Instagram · website · Facebook · Twitter · insta · Spotify Playlist

"It was a very quick realisation that if you have a band of five people with a publicist and a manager and a booking agent, and a sound engineer, it's impossible to survive. So we had to keep the day jobs."

Alastair Thomas plays in a band. He has a production company, he directs and edits things, and he likes dogs.

Legendary frontman of Shortstraw and Cockles, Alastair popped into the studio for a little chat about the best parts of making music (cue massive goosebumps), having a day job, tours to Japan, and an audience singing your songs back to you.

Outro Music: "Joshin" by Cockles. Music used with permission from rights holders. Alastair's Instagram · Connect with Alastair on LinkedIn · website · Facebook · Twitter · insta · Spotify Playlist