Durban - Frontman for Durban country rock band Parable Fifteen, Marc Skarda, fell in love with country music while in Nashville, Tennessee, in the US.
Along with many other country music artists across the world, Skarda has condemned Sunday's mass shooting in Las Vegas at the Route 91 Harvest Festival.
Having taken up music when he was 11 years old, Skarda, a former Tree 63 band member, left for Nashville when he was 18.
“I had the opportunity to go on the road with Tree 63 and while I was in the US I fell in love with country music in every sense. It’s authentic and has more depth than pop music,” said Skarda.
Commenting on the Las Vegas shooting, where 64-year-old Stephen Paddock carried out the deadliest massacre in US history by gunning down scores of fans at the festival from his suite on the 32nd floor in the Mandalay Hotel, Skarda said: “I am absolutely shocked. When it comes to country music, it is not about protest. I think he was just a psycho.”
According to The New York Times, country music is hugely popular in America, both at live festivals and on radio. Last year, the genre was the most listened to radio format for eight years in a row, ahead of news/talk radio and the Top 40.
Skarda said that after leaving Tree 63, a contemporary Christian music band, he toured with many top country bands while in America.
“I got into the country scene, especially in Nashville, and writing songs.
“You will get tens of thousands of people at a country music festival. There’s a lot of following when it comes to country music and it also has the most loyal fans. They will buy every single song if they like an artist; once a fan, always a fan.
“Country music is real and talks about life and family, when you’ve run out of whisky and gas. Music needs to be able to tell a story without the lyrics, and country music does that for you,” he said.
After returning to Durban, he teamed up with his brother, Bryce Breeds, to form Parable Fifteen six years ago.
The band quickly climbed the ReverbNation charts in South Africa, hitting number one in two weeks. Their hits include Trust Me and Helluva Ride.
Described as rock country, Skarda said they had worked on evolving the country music genre.
“The music industry in Durban is one of the hardest places to break into and it’s unpredictable.
“In Cape Town and Joburg, people like to go out but, in Durban, people won’t come out if the weather is bad. But we love a challenge, and one of our biggest missions is to change the perception of country music, to be about having a good time and looking at life differently,” he said.
Describing South Africa as “a beautiful mess”, Skarda says he got his inspiration from going to coffee shops around Durban and watching people. “I’m an eternal optimist and we have so much to live for here in South Africa. I also write about my two beautiful daughters. All our songs are positive with deep meaning.”
While he does have a day job in the IT industry, Skarda spends a lot of time writing songs for other artists, as well as his own. He has also formed a music production company where he manages artists from all music genres.
The Rocking Good Country Show will feature Parable Fifteen as well as new recorded artists Zazz, Angelique and Ren Veldman. The show will take place on Saturday, October 14, at Musketeers, the German Club, Westville, at 7pm.
For more information, call Charmaine at 031 266 0836.