It is a big deal for me to speak so openly about something like this, because I have been so afraid in the past to commit myself to a relationship, due to my own history of being abandoned by important women in my life.

Until, that is, I met Anna. I am daily forced to push myself out of my comfort zone, to explore new realms of feeling and being and I am honoured (anna-ed) to be on this journey with her.

I hope you enjoy the song and I would love to hear your own stories of love, relationships and romance!

Yours, the eternally hopeful romantic
Nate;)

What is Slowbizz? Slowbizz is an incredible new music website which has already gained huge attention online (hypebot, wired and more). Their aim is to connect artists with hosts who want to have gigs at their houses. It’s all well put together and I hope they reach their goal of 1000 hosts soon so I can get touring internationally, yay! Here’s what they say about themselves:

click the image for a larger, more legible version

What a lovely way to start my Thursday! I hope yours began with a bang too:). If you’re around tomorrow, come to the intimate show at my house Pincushion Cottage in Scarborough, it’s gonna be epic!

Much love
Nate

PS: also fanbible’s newest ambassador. Fanbible is South Africa’s newest and hippest event website, so damn awesome!

a feeling I will never forget

happy man on stage

marc jamming on the harmonica, making it wail

my sister has been singing from the crowd for a long time, it was an exciting honour to have her up on stage with me and my dad:)

captive audience of beautiful people

my dad’s guitars sound so damn GOOD!

my dad played with passion and skill, such good vibes!

love these photos Danielle took, awesome!

always an honour to sing my dad’s songs with him

singing with everything I have

well done Papa for an incredible achievement, I’m so proud of you man:)

As well as being one of the top hand-made guitar makers on planet Earth, my dad is also an incredible musician and he launched his double albums Swing Chair and From The Heart at The Alma Cafe on Wed 18 Jan (which also happened to be my lady’s birthday, I spent the day on the beach and eating lunch with her family, what a perfect pre-cherry on top).

Anyway, I got distracted and trapped in the bracket of joy back there…moving on, these photos were taken by the awesome Danielle, for which I shall be eternally grateful…thank you!

The evening was incredible, touching, funny, awkward, entertaining, happy and sad, everything a good night of folk music should be. My dad was stoked and so was I, especially when I got to perform my new song Home with my dad playing harmonica and my sister Lucinda singing harmonies…it was AWESOME!

Here’s a video of me playing my song Home by myself, for now you’l have to imagine the female vocals and harmonica;)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6VGaBe1tN8

THE INTERVIEW

“It’s my job and I love doing it, but I’m also needing to eat.”

As of today I am back! Thanks to many things, one of them being a blog post about artistic efficiency, another being the weekend I had (and more, but that’s enough for now). One step at a time, each moment as it comes. My life is beautiful, I have the woman of my dreams at my side, my family and friends are all around me, musicians are amped to play with me, venues can’t wait to have me back, agents are excited to book me for shows, I’ve got a trip to Canada in the works and I’m playing SPLASHY-fucking-FEN!. I’ve got everything I need to rock the socks off 2012 and I AM IN!

Thank YOU(!) for existing, for visiting this blog, for listening to my music…and for being my friend:)

I wish you a 2012 to remember, see you at a show on a stage somewhere soon!

Here’s to more of THIS:

And another one of these (albums):

And finally, a whole lot more of this:)

If you’ve been to any of my recent shows, you will have heard this song. It’s called Home and I began writing it while on my last tour. It’s kind of funny, because two days before I began writing it I had told my sister Lucinda that I’d decided not to write any more new songs and just focus on consolidating everything I already had. Then I wrote two songs in a day and started a third…reverse psychology is a bitch, hehe (will be uploading another song within a week, watch this space).

Anyway, the song Home is definitely a country as well as indie/folk song, as it’s about being from the country and what that feels like for me. I come from Scarborough, a little village at the top of Africa, and I grew up with a lot of time to explore the mountain and the ocean, which is why I talk about them.

I’ve been fighting with schools and society about being barefoot for as long as I can remember, so that is a theme which runs throughout the song: I always know I’m in a place which doesn’t totally suit my vibe when I have to wear shoes:).

Anyway, check out the video of the song, which I uploaded yesterday…just recorded on my little smart phone. Lyrics are below and can also always be reached by clicking here.

What do you think? Can you relate? Are you from the country, have you lived in the city and felt what I felt? I’d love to hear your thoughts:).

Thanks for being here!
Ciao
Nate:)

Growing up was easy, taking life slowly
Ocean and mountain were my friends
I was in no hurry, shoes were never near me
Barefoot and naked in the rain

I know you well
I know you well
I know you well
Home x3

I’ve lived in the city, city all around me
No-one was naked in the rain
It seemed as though the people compounded all their troubles
Compressed them into concrete and to pain

I see you crying, people walk by it doesn’t  make much sense to me
I see you crying, why don’t you try to come on home with me

Come on
Home x4

Everyone who meets me, they know I’m from the country
I am proud of everything that I have learned
Everywhere I travel, I love all those people who get
Naked and crazy in the rain

I know you well
I know you well
I know you well
Home x3

Come on
Homex4

My favourite thing about playing music full-time is I get to hang out and collaborate with some of the coolest musicians this country has to offer. In the case of this video, I am involved with Tim Hutchinson, Miles Sievwright, Simon van Gend, Darren Roderick, Bianca Mannie and Aiden Graumann. All of them are skilled indie/folk singer-songwriters in their own rights and I am so honoured to get to play music with them on a regular basis!

The video was recorded in December at Simon’s house during a practise session with these lovely musicians, which is why they have the lyrics in their hands. We still have a lot to learn but I think we’re off to a VERY good start!

People have been commenting a lot on the awesome posters I have put up around Cape Town and on my tours over the last few months, and I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the mastermind behind it all: Terri of Soult Design (soultinfo@gmail.com).

Her work is second to none and I would highly recommend her to anyone needing ANY design work done at all: Terri is delightfully versatile, imaginatively creative, reliably timeous and professional.

Some Gig Poster Designs Terri created for me in 2011:

the first gig poster Terri designed for me was a show at the Cape Farmhouse, it blew me away. Incorporating ideas from the lyrics of my song The Wild Land, which she used in the speech bubble.

an interesting idea, we tried this one with a photo and in landscape. It worked...Thanks to Bruce Horak for the great photo!

an incredible poster for a live show I played with Shotgun Tori, this one incorporates the ocean theme of Octopus' Garden Restaurant where the gig was held.

Thank you Terri for your awesomeness, without you my world would have many less colours and beautiful things!

Email Terri of Soult Design here: soultinfo@gmail.com.

PS: I am making flyers out of the first poster, check below to see what that looks like, I’m very stoked with it!

As a solo indie/folk singer-songwriter I have to stay really on top of how easy it is for people to 1. know who I am and 2. be able to get in touch with me.

A business card is often the first thing people know about me when they meet me, as it’s what I give to them when we make our introductions. I’ve been working on updating my business card and I wanted to get your opinion on it:).

As a low-budget DIY kind of musician, I design my own cards…and I’m no designer, though I’ve done the best I can (thanks to Soult Design for the man of words graphic and Tasmin Lutge for the sun and branch, which I stole from the cover of my debut album The Wild Land).

What do you think? (comment or vote at the bottom of the post to have your say)

Old Business Card (one-sided)

this is the business card I have used for almost a year now and I feel like it needs updating. It is a one-sided card.

New Business Card: Front and Back

this is the front of the updated business card. It is double sided and I am including only social network contacts on the front

on the back of the new business card is where I have put a job description, as well as phone and email contacts

Please comment and let me know what you think, your input will be very helpful for me…or if you don’t have the time to comment just vote:)

Thanks for your time:)
Love
Nate (nate and love have the same amount of letters, awesome!)

PS: I’m playing a little live set at the Obz Cafe Showcase this Wed evening at around 9pm, so come hang out if you’re in the area:)

]]> http://natemaingard.com/2012/01/02/indie-folk-music-mini-fest-in-cape-town-south-africa-on-01-jan-2012-photos/ Mon, 02 Jan 2012 09:50:07 +0000 Nate Maingard http://natemaingard.com/2012/01/02/indie-folk-music-mini-fest-in-cape-town-south-africa-on-01-jan-2012-photos/ Pics of Indie/Folk Mini Festival: The Perfect Start

Thank you so much to Gil Hockman, Sakura Butler and Lievland Wine Estate for organising what must be my most enjoyable 01 Jan EVER, the What We Are Going To Be Doing On Sunday mini folk festival! The music was amazing, the weather was perfect, the people were lovely and basically I was in heaven the entire day!

Thanks to Joshua Grierson, Shotgun Tori, Simon Van Gend, Janie Bay and Ian Watson for providing us with such beautiful tunes. Sadly I didn’t get any photos of y’all, as I was too busy relaxing when I wasn’t playing. Thanks also to the incredible Timothy Hutchinson for his delicate harmonies and his gently insightful saxophone skills, and to Wilbert Van Niekerk for slappin’ da bass like a dream!

huge gratitude to my sister Lucinda for the awesome pics, without her I would be less of a person. The photo of the sunlight through the grasses, I took that one:).

love this photo, beautiful red skirt and green grass as I play my songs

what an incredible setting for a folk festival, seriouly!!

Awesome photo of me, Wilbert and Timothy:)

this is what it’s all about. My lady, chilling

Thirsty work! As Wilbert said “You need your water like I need my beer.”

I just love this photo, it so captures the feeling of warmth and contentment I experienced yesterday

thanks to Wilbert for his mad cool bass guitar skills!

Excited Nate!

Wishing you the most EPIC of years EVER, apparently it all ends on 21 Dec 2012, so let’s have a great time until then, hehe;).

Stay safe, stay real and most of all, remain ever-changing, ever growing, ever learning: YOU!

the only constant is change

–Heraclitus

Love
Nate

PS: take a moment to explore the site, I’ve been hard at work and you can now listen to my album, read my lyrics while listening to the relevent tracks, watch videos, read all about me and more, just explore:)!

my lovely sister right in the front row! Look at all those beautiful smiles 8-{D

If you were there, then tag yourself in the photos on facebook: number 1 and number 2!

such happy shiny people:)

What an incredible way to finish off 2011, double bill show with Joshua Grierson at The Alma Cafe, I literally couldn’t have asked for more, except I got it anyway: I was honoured to be joined on stage by the unbelievably talented bassist Wilbert Van Niekerk and the breathtakingly magical violinist Rayelle Goodman and even the guitar and harmony magician Jonathan Tait came up for a few…THANK YOU GUYS! Then, to top it all of we had a huuuuge jam session at the end, which nearly took the roof off!

Thank you to the incredible people who made it out, sang along, got involved and made the night what it was. Thanks also one more time to the folks at Alma Cafe for providing the space…it makes all the difference.

Wishing you all a safe and beautiful New Years Eve! I shall see you tomorrow at the Lievland Wine Estate for my first show of 2012 at the What We Are Going To Be Doing On Sunday mini folk fest! Also playing are Joshua Grierson, Simon Van Gend, Shotgun Tori, Gil Hockman, Janie Bay and Ian Watson! Phew, I am AMPED to have so many incredible singer-songwriters playing indie/folk music in one place!

I have decided to take my friend Hanli Prinsloo‘s advice and pause to look back at the year and all the beautiful experiences and moments I have to be grateful for.

SO, here goes:

• In April I quit my job, leaving behind a regular paycheck, a company car and amazing workmates, to finally follow my dream of being a musician.
• In May I recorded my debut album The Wild Land. The album has received a huge amount of positive reviews and feedback, and I have sold over 500 copies since its release in June.
• I have been on three tours this year, two of those national.
• In total I have played over 100 shows since the beginning of May 2011 (going to count them all when I get back to Cape Town).
• I have made more beautiful friends all over this country than I would have imagined possible.
• I have been blessed with the opportunity to explore South Africa and have played in Wilderness, Hogsback, Jeffrey’s Bay, Cape St. Francis, Grahamstown, Pretoria, Johannesburg, Newcastle, Durban, Port St. Johns, Cape Town, Drakensberg, Plettenberg Bay, and a few more I am forgetting I’m sure:)
• I have played three incredible festivals: The White Mountain Folk Festival, The Drake Music Fest and Earth Dance 2011. Each of those experiences was life-changing.
• I have been gifted from every side by beautiful messages, support and love from a delightful horde of incredible human beings! Here are two of the many messages which have brought me to tears of gratitude this year: “Mom, his songs have such meaning” — 11 year old girl from Newcastle, her mom sent me a message to thank me.
  I thought to myself as I sat there in the car park last night and heard you laugh on track 9,“I hope that someday I can create something that inspires someone in the way that Nate inspired me.” –Janene sent me an email after my show at White Mountain, she was listening to my album in her car when she got home.
• I have had the joy of so many fun interviews and reviews, you can read them online here, here, here, here, here and here. I was also honoured to be interviewed by the incredible magazine theBOMBsurf, south africa’s well written and insightful surf mag. I am one of their ‘cool people who surf’, yay!
• This year I have played on stage with Guy Buttery, Josie Field, my dad Marc Maingard, John Ellis, Rayelle Goodman, Shotgun Tori and many more of South Africa’s most incredible musicians. As a fan as well as a musician, this has been EPIC! In the last two months I have become involved in a folk music collective and have been playing music with some of the most inspiring musicians I have ever met: Timothy Hutchinson, Simon Van Gend, Miles Sievwright, Darren Roderick, Bianca Mannie and Aiden Graumann.
• I guess the biggest thing of all is that I have spent this entire year doing exactly what I wanted, when I wanted, working with every ounce of my passion to live my dream as only I can.

on the road from Hogsback to Port St. Johns. It stretches ever onwards into the mystery of distance

The gig at Away With The Fairies last night went very well, there was a beautiful audience filled with old friends, new friends and even a family member (more on that another time). Special thanks to Crystal for being my biggest fan EVER, happy bday for Thursday!

I am now at Amapondo Backpackers in Port St. Johns, where I will be for three nights. Playing a gig here tonight and on Wed at Jungle Monkey Backpackers. It is breathtakingly beautiful here (only so many breathtaking views before I’m all out of breath).

Nothing has changed, except that I have settled into Now and am letting the future deal with itself. I received SO may emails, comments and messages from all of you with quotes, advice and words of wisdom. Thank you all so very much for believing in me and supporting, not what I do, but who I am. It means the world and makes a huge difference. Thank you!

jamming to a small but enthusiastic crowd in Grahamstown a few nights ago

What do you think of it? I really dig this video…raw yet beautiful:)

Surf Cafe in plettenberg bay is the venue for my gig tonight. I’ve been excited to play here for a good few months now. Sadly, I’ve been a bit sick these last couple days and still feel quite rough, so my energy is a bit low. Still, I’m amped and will give my all at the show tonight!

Cape Town, I’m coming home! It was so amazing to see the sign saying Western Cape, it made me feel like home is just around the corner. Homeward bound and happy:)

See all you cape town friends very soon!

I do know I’ll be back on the road soon to visit all my new friends all over this fine country I call home, yay! The bug has bitten and I must follow its nibbling call;).

PS: please do click the sa blog awards banner on the right to vote for me in this year’s music blog category. Thank you:)

PPS: the photo is the view from my friend Annie’s cottage, where I’m staying in plett. So awesome!

Dear friends, the fact that you come back time and again to read my blog makes me one happy camper!

I am now asking you to please vote for my blog in this year’s SA Blog awards, it would mean so so much to me! Imagine if I could win it in my category!

All you have to do is click here or the image below, so simple and delightfully easy:)

Thank you again! I’m now in Hogsback playing at Away With The Fairies tonight, so excited to be here and also that I’m on my way back to Cape Town!

Big love
Nate

Today I feel slightly washed out, like a t-shirt been too many times hung on the line. It’s not a bad feeling because it’s unassumingly comfortable, as though all the jagged edges have been rounded and the fit is now gentle (you know that old shirt). All the battles have been fought and the wounds have healed and the scars have faded to white and only show up when I tan in the sun. It’s another moment in a series of moments I will one day call the history of my life. For now, it just is and I am content and, yes, happy.

Thank you for listening to my album and singing along, for coming to my shows with open hearts and soft eyes, for sharing moments of vulnerability and laughter with me. Thank you for being my fellow passengers on this ship who’s name is Living.

PS: thanks also for voting on which songs should be available for free download for always. It was a tie between The Wild Land, Cat’s Got Time, Friends All Around and Just Like You, so I made the executive decision and The Wild Land and Just Like You are available for permanent free download via my bandcamp page

I am so grateful and stoked! Sending a limited edition badge to the 600th liker (that’s you Debbie)

So much thankfulness to Janene, Alexander and the rest of the beautiful people who were at last night’s secret house gig. We had candlelight and silent moments, epic views and croaking frogs. It was a night to be remembered for always. Thank you thank you thank you!

I’m back in Jozi today, going to go hang out at Tanz Cafe tonight to listen to some of my favourite bands playing an incredible showcase evening! Those include Laurie Levine and Plush, yeessssss!

Then, it’s off to Newcastle tomorrow to play another fabulous gig, this time at the Pint & Pigout, already excited:).

As always, much love
Nate;)

Click the pic to visit my facebook page if you aren't already one of the 600

Thank you for your assistance, you folk my world!

Great stuff, will update with much more so soon, there is SO much to tell, all great things and I am overwhelmed by how much excitement I have to share:)!

Much love and gratitude for the incredible support.
Nate

PS: in the meantime here is an awesome clip which one of my songs from the album has been featured on, it’s around 8 minutes 20 seconds in:). Thanks to Andrew for this!

I am living on the lid and it feels great.

Arriving in Wilderness two nights ago with R500 in my pocket, I could only appreciate the incredible drive I had been blessed with. My car (francesca) ran like a dream, the mountains were all painted in spring and I had the music I was raised on to keeping me bouncing (Led Zeppelin, Canned Heat, JJ Cale, etc).

My friend Shaun and his wife nikki welcomed me into their home. Shaun had organised me a gig at a nearby restaurant called Zucchini, in Timberland Village. After a slow start a lovely crowd grew and the place itself I can highly recommend, such an awesome vibe, food and decor! Ended up jamming with Eugene from the band Wild Lettuce, who played some incredible Djembe, it was so awesome!

I sold five albums and made enough tips to pay the rest of my way to White Mountain festival! Thank you Shaun, family and friends for your kind hospitality and the fun-filled evening!

Last night I stayed at my friends, brothers Matt and Mike’s, house in Grahamstown and played a little gig at the whethu Backpackers, to a small crowd of friendly and attentive people, who made me dinner afterwards:). Lovely!

I am now sat at Away With The Fairies backpackers in Hogsback and it is beautiful beyond belief here,  I had goodebumps while I was driving up here as I was sure I could feel pixies watching and giggling at me from the bushes:P. I am playing a gig here tonight and tomorrow night, after which I will drive the final stretch up to White Mountain on Thursday, any of you going to be there? SO AMPED!

Finally, a massive thanks to Robert and Fola, who both purchased my album online and chose to pay much more than the standard price, you have helped me so much, not just financially but by your actions once again confirming my faith in humanity. Thank you!

Here are some rad pics of my drive up for you to drool over:)

thanks to Lila RIchter for the hat, yay!

I have R500 to my name.

Call it ignorance or bad planning, call it life, call it what you will, it’s a fact: I have R500 to my name and have just embarked on a six week tour with nothing but dreams and faith to carry me through.

I didn’t expect this, I naively assumed I was getting paid cash for today’s gig, it is my fault completely and I claim it.

I must make enough along my way to get me up to White Mountain Festival in five days, where I pray they can pay me cash.

I have just played such a blessed gig at the Earth Dance party as part of The learning circle collective and have realized that I only get paid for this gig in a week or so. So, what do you do when the money runs out?

Here’s what I do: move forward, with honesty, integrity and positive intent, move forward. Tomorrow I leave the party at 9am to drive to Wilderness on the Garden Route and play at zucchini restaurant.

I pray I have sold enough CDs to afford the petrol to get there, I pray I am making the right decision…and I go in faith, with a smile on my face.

If you would like to support this tour, please share my album with your friends and ask them to buy a copy, or buy one for them, or yourself if you haven’t yet. Go to HTTP://natemaingard.bandcamp.com/album/the-wild-land and choose your price to buy it, or share it, or both:).

The photo is from where I am staying now, just outside of Earth Dance, and I am grateful for the beauty and the silence.

Your in faith, sent from my mobile phone…
Nate

Earth Dance 2011 is the first stop on my nationwide tour (love saying it, sounds so official, haha), which starts Fri 23 Sep…tomorrow as I’m writing this.

So far my dates are as follows:

• 24 Sep at midday on Solar Stage of Earth Dance with The Learning Circle Collective
• 25 Sep in Wilderness at the Zucchini Restaurant in Timberlake Village
• 26 Sep in P.E. (unconfirmed, more info to follow)
• 27 and 28 Sep at Away With The Fairies backpackers in Hogsback
• 30 Sep at 3pm and 01 Oct at midday, both at the White Mountain Festival
• 06 Oct at Wolves in JHB (been wanting to play here for so long, more details to follow)
• 03-10 Oct: playing a few house gigs around Jozi organised by some Couchsurfing people, but those are private, sorry:)
• 11-17 Oct: no idea at all yet, may drop off the map and go camping, or find more gigs, or…well, we shall see.
• 18-31 Oct I will be jamming it up in Durban! It is my second time touring there and I couldn’t be more excited! Dates to follow closer to the time and all thanks to Mel of Bean Green Roastery for organising this leg of the tour, you are my angel in real life! I’m even playing a gig with Josie Field, yessss!

That’s it for now, check back for regular tour updates or make it easy on yourself by subscribing for email updates.

Are you going to be at Earth Dance? Come say hi if you are!

Until next time, Slow It Down;)

PS: my brand new song Braver & Stronger is available for free download, so click here.

photo by Greg Da Silva

What do you think of it so far? It’s still growing and changing, any thoughts on directions you think it could take? Already I’ve added a piece where I talk about brewing some tea, which was a key missing element, hehe:P.

You’re braver and stronger than me
You throw back the door
See the wolves in the snow
Say the free have been here and gone
You step aside smiling and watch me stride into the storm

Walking til I’m home
Steady, though tired
I’m not alone

We choose to be alone
When it seems we’re most weak
When the tame come to save we have wolves
Sleeping warming our
Feet, speak to ground, lead to heart
The greatest: there is never a sense
Of being apart

Walking ’til I’m home
Steady, though I’m tired
I’m not alone

Brew tea on the back porch
Don’t need much more than this
The woods in the spring
And the bird know your name on my
Lips, sing storms a lullaby
There’s not much to do
So I lay down and kiss you
Goodnight

Seven am and the sun was rising. I rolled out of bed at six thirty excited for the day ahead. Bruce Horak was coming over to spend the day taking photos. I’d only met Bruce once or twice before but had felt an instantaneous linking and understanding, like our deep selves looked at one another and said ‘yes’. Does that happen to you sometimes?

The observant among you may have noticed one of these photos popping up on certain of my social networks over the weekend…I wanted it to be a complete surprise but I couldn’t resist putting one up, they are so beautiful.

Anyway, Bruce arrived and we had a delicious superfood smoothie filled with all my favourite high vibration foods like maca, cacao, goji berries, lucuma, nuts, dates and bananas. Got us pretty amped I can tell ya!

Anyway, to keep it brief we spent the next almost twelve hours, as Bruce put it so well, “Getting to know one another, hanging out and taking some photos in between.”

The result is some of the finest images I have ever had taken of me. Bruce’s skills and passionate patience and warmth reached into me and -I feel- captured a deep essence. He exceeded my expectations of what we could accomplish and I am eternally grateful. If you want to get in touch with Bruce for photographic work email him: brucehorak@hotmail.com.

Thank you Bruce!

PS: huge thanks to Lila Richter, who made the fantastic hat which features in some of the photos. Lila is a professional milliner, which is someone who makes and sells hats! Be warned, once you start wearing her hats it is extremely addictive and hard to stop. Check her website out at your own risk, although her goods are very fairly priced:).