Starkravingsane
Kalahari Surfers
About Starkravingsane
Starkravingsane core members (instruments, specialties, talents): •Matthew Rice - acoustic and electric guitars, vocals, illustration, conceptual design. •Maxim Starcke - 6-string bass guitar, soprano and alto saxophones, classical & electric guitar, sfx, synthesizer, graphic/conceptual design, photography, film music. •Ronan Skillen - tabla (India), slide didgeridoo (Australia), talking drum (Ghana), kitchi gbo (Ghana), gongs (Asia), Tibetan singing bowl, cymbals, assorted percussion, juggling. •Byron Howell - Drumkit, congas, darabuka, assorted percussion, firedancing, poy, juggling. Starkravingsane are a group of musicians and visionaries based in the Southern Peninsula and general Cape town area, South Africa. Since 2001, SRS have performed original material consisting of a unique blend of musical influences ranging from world music, contemporary organic drum 'n bass styles, trip hop, Middle Eastern & Indian music, modern folk, pop, rock and fusion jazz amongst other creative, ethnic and original styles. SRS are known for their array of musical instruments used on stage and in the studio: These include guitar, slide didgeridoo, tabla (North Indian drums), Kitchi Gbo & Talking Drum (Ghanian percussion), saxophones, bass guitar, drumkit, vocals, synthesizer, darbuka, djembe, gongs, congas etc. Shows are a visual, atmospheric and sonic treat with special guest performers adding to the unique, creative, educative, different and original musical experience. Starkravingsane was founded by Matthew Rice and Ronan Skilen in Kalk Bay, Cape Town in 2000. Matthew, a self-trained guitarist, songwriter, illustrator and designer conceived the project Starkravingsane with Ronan, an Irish-born slide-didgeridoo/yidaki player who had just moved to South Africa from Germany. They connected with fellow Southern Peninsula djembe and doumbek player James Kaye shortly after and the legendary Starkravingsane trio was formed. As a trio SRS went on to perform at many different events, gigs, concerts and venues in South Africa. In 2001 they released their acclaimed album The Unknown (MRJ 7777). Only recorded in four days, The Unknown went on to gain cult status capturing a unique and integral aspect of the essence of the SRS sound, using acoustic guitar, didgeridoos and various african and world percussion instruments as well as voice. SRS then incorporated Maxim Starcke, at the time a composition, ethnomusicology and classical guitar student at the South Afircan College of Music (University of Cape Town), into the group as an additional compositional arranger and multi-instrumentalist to enforce the sonic landscape. In 2003 the released their second album Starkravingsane (MRJM 7777) which ventured into a more constructive and layered arrangement of composition, utilising guest musicians such as violinist Timon Wapenaar, guitarist Guy Collins and flautist Chris Tokalon. In late 2003 James Kaye departed from the project, however a new energy was added to the band with the inclusion of Byron Howell, a drumkit and percussion student at the South African College of Music UCT. With the new addition to the line-up new influences and visions began to take shape with the original SRS sound being ehnanced into a more driven and energetic force plus more contemporary styles emerging from ideas that could not be made manifest in the earlier incarnation of the band.
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