Uncensored. Unscripted. Unprofessional. - SUPPORT LOCAL MUSIC! #BAGTHEMAINSTREAM is a music podcast put on by musicians & music lovers! 

“What am I to build, if my hands are broken, if I’m not the chosen one?” sings Steven McKellar of Civil Twilight on “Story of An Immigrant”, over a lush, dynamic beat that evokes the sounds of his native South Africa while steeped in the band’s everevolving present. The foursome (Steven, his brother and guitarist Andrew, drummer Richard Wouters and Kevin Dailey on keys and guitar) are living proof of what happens when you stop worrying about being the chosen one and make music built on both the roots that grew you and the love that keeps you thriving every day. Civil Twilight’s songs embrace every corner of human emotion, balancing delicate, poetic lyrics with sweeping arrangements that touch all the senses: a phrase to make you think; a rolling drumbeat you can feel in your bones; a guitar vamp as illustrative as a picture; a shimmer of keys whose light can nearly be seen and heard. Produced by Ben H. Allen (Gnarls Barkley, Bombay Bicycle Club, Cut Copy), their third record on Wind-Up is built on this vibrancy, on the permanent dust of a Cape Town youth; on the connection that unites them all as brothers beyond blood and on their new home in America where they pull from the innate, thriving musicianship of Nashville, where they live. When you listen to Civil Twilight, from their self-titled debut, to 2012’s widely lauded Holy Weather to now, it’s easy to understand why the band has topped five million YouTube views and reached historic success with film and television syncs – because it’s music you can’t shake, that translates experience into moments and creates melodies that become imbedded deep under the skin. We’re all immigrants, in some way, and Civil Twilight’s singing our national anthem.

Gallo Records new rising star with debut hits "Go Under" and "Fall Again." 

It was during his formative teenage years that London based singer songwriter Josh Wantie [pronounced ‘Von-Tee’], real name (Joshua Wantenaar) tapped into his love of guitar playing and lyric writing, fuelling his passion for making his own music. However it was only later in life, after discovering that he was unfulfilled in his chosen career path of fitness that Josh set his sights on music as a livelihood.

 

Josh’s ever-evolving live set-up is simplistic but profound as he swaps between bass, synth and guitar while blending in electronic elements and vocal loops. Influenced by several types of genre, Sia, Lorde, Ben Howard, James Blake and Flume are all among the artists that he draws inspiration from, lending a mellower, broodier sound to his work than that of stereotypical pop.

 

Signing to Gallo in 2015, Josh finally achieved a professional milestone he’d been chasing for so long with his blend of indie, electro and synth-rooted melodies. With the backing of his label, he was afforded the opportunity to travel to Cape Town to record at Heritage Sound Studio under the trusted ear Brendyn 'Rusti' Rossouw and alongside fellow Durbanites Brad and Josh Klynsmith from Gangs Of Ballet.

 

“I want to be successful enough to feed my family one day but I won’t measure my success as an artist by how much money I make, but rather that I wrote songs I believe in and were true to who I am,” he confesses and it’s this struggle of realization, which lends a deeply personal air to his craft, that makes him universally relatable.

I just love music and meeting new people. Take a listen to some tracks I play around with and I hope they add some kind of happiness to your life  :)

Drummer / Guitarist / Producer / Videographer

Well, as I'm sure you already know, my name is Brent. Those who know me well would tell you that I'm passionate about music, which I am. Those who don't know me well would probably tell you the same thing. I love drums and guitar, and spend a lot of time learning new material and challenging myself to become a better musician. To me, music is like a second language. Maybe even a first language... I don't know. But that's not the point. Through a simple song, I can tell a story which would be impossible to express through words. Music is amazing. Music isn't the only thing I love though. I also enjoy a good cappuccino, or a cup of Rooibos tea, but never both at the same time. Thanks for taking the time to check out my profile. If you've got any questions, feel free to message me and I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as I can. Cheers!

Bookings:

Cell: 073 082 0453
email: brentninabermusic@gmail.com

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