First off I just want to say WOW! Thank you for setting up this podcast. I have just finished listening to the first episode, and its like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders because I feel I finally have found a resource set up by someone who totally gets what its like to be trying to get his music career going here in South Africa. Not only do you understand what its like, but you have such immense experience and a great perspective on things that its very reassuring listening you. It also refreshing knowing that there is someone out there in this country to help guide us muso’s in the right direction.

I am “bedroom” musician that has finally, after years of procrastination decided to take the leap and just focus solely on making music, with the hope of making it my full time career. That decision of course hasn’t been great for the bank account, but nonetheless I hope more than anything else that I’ll just be able to get my music out there for a wide audience to enjoy.

I recently (over the past month) finished my first 2 “demo” tracks. I sent the first one, “Colourblind”, to a bunch of DJ’s at five FM about 2 weeks ago. To my surprise I got a response within an hour from Catherine Grenfell, saying she loved the track and wanted my approval to summit it for playlisting. I am sure you know what that meant for a small guy like me having just finished the track in my little apartment here in Cape Town to get some early recognition. I was over the moon. 2 days ago I finished my second track called “Together”, popped that off to Catherine, who again was great about it and asked if she could summit that too for playlisting consideration, as she really liked it too. I know the chances of actually getting on air with these 2 tracks are 50 – 50, but Its still nice to know that a DJ didn’t think your stuff was too rubbish to even consider!

I do everything you hear on those tracks by myself, and I tend to stay away from loops and samples, just to try give the music a better sense of genuineness. So play every part from drums to guitar to piano etc. I don’t have much in terms of equipment and resources – A Macbook Pro running logic studio, a mid level M-Audio microphone, A basic M-Audio dummy midi keyboard, an electric guitar and an acoustic guitar. I produce on a set of headphones, don’t have any monitors yet, so it really just the basics for now. With the way music is going, you always feel you need more and more gear to keep up with whats “hot”, but I try and do the best with what I have.

I would love for you to have a listen to my music, see if you like it or if you think there is any potential there. I have no doubt that making music is what I am meant to do right now and I still have a lot of great tracks to come over the next few weeks (my average turnaround time for a track is about 10 days at the moment – both these songs were done in under that, from zero to finish). But right now I have so many questions about what to do next, who approach, how to take these demo’s and get people to listen to them, that it honestly has relieved a lot of pressure coming across your podcast. Hopefully we will be in touch too and you will have some feedback for me regarding the songs and what you think I should do next. I know you are a busy guy, so anything would be awesome!

In terms of what I sound like, well, the songs can be found here:

http://www.facebook.com/thehums.

I have decided to offer my 2 tracks as a free download over the weekend to the small fan base I have growing, so you can grab the songs right off that page. All my stuff fundamentally has elements of rock, its part of my dna, but I try to be broad and incorporating a bunch of different sounds to get a unique final sound going. I try and make stuff which is what I tend to call “Accessible” whilst still maintaining a level of artistic integrity, creativity and individuality. Out of the 2 songs on there, I have a feeling that “Coulorblind” is the one that you may really like. Its different to the other song in many ways, and I am quite proud of it. Cath has confirmed that it will be a “treffer” on the fresh drive in the next week or so.

I’ll look out for your response, but in the mean time – I’ll be getting back to the awesome podcasts.

Keep rocking!

Thanks and Best Regards,

Hamza (The Hums)

Facebook: Facebook.com/thehums
Twitter: thehumsmusic
email: thehumsmusic@gmail.com
phone: 0713 670 450