the vision that I had, playing
rock. I used to make my own
guitar shape using k-lite. I
didn’t have the tin can like
Oliver Mtukudzi did. So my
dad played for, actually he was
friends with John Crystal, so
the first album, “Tafara Band”,
which featured the song,
“Handina Mari”, I got hold of it. I
listened to that album; I was
the first one to get it out of the
plastic. So I went to the garage
and started p laying the guitar.
We had a band in the garage;
we drew drums on the walls of
the garage like Tafara band and
imitate John Crystal. That was
the first show that I attended. I
can play any instrument but I
don’t have the time for that
because I need to focus on
playing my lead guitar and
vocals as well; and also coach
my band.
GM.: How has your journey
been in music?
David: It’s been difficult but
quite interesting though. I have
been motivated. It has been
challenging and in other
circumstances such as the
Chibuku Road to Fame, it made
things quite easy for me and my
band members. It motivated us
to think that we could make it
because coming out as third
best band in the country in the
Chibuku Road to Fame is
inspiring. But it’s been
challenging financially, like
back home, there is nothing to
hold onto, music wise, there is
nowhere where we can play
because Bindura is a small
town, we couldn’t find a guitar
there because it’s not developed
musically, we couldn’t get
rehearsal studios so I decided to
move to Harare. Things here are
quite busy; I got a lot of
attention from promoters and
sponsors and fans too. So I’m in
a position to, I’m not saying
that I’ve made it, but I have a
good platform where I am on
fair ground, if I don’t make it
from here it’s my fault because I
have the opportunity.
GM.: What has been the
response to your music? Is
your music getting airplay on
our local radio stations?
David: People are very
interested in my music. People
love new artists and new music.
People feel that my album
should make it, so they ask me
questions like, “Is your cd on
radio?” and stuff like, “I think
that “Uncle Sam” is a good
album”. Star FM is playing my
music but unfortunately, I have
not taken my album to the
other stations. I’m in the
process of distributing my
album to the radio stations.
GM.: What do you think
about the music industry in
Zimbabwe pertaining to
acoustic music?
David: I think it’s doable,
there’s potential but if you don’t
do
live performances you won’t
make it because airplay,
doesn’t do much except for
marketing. Cd sales don’t
bring much. I think it has
potential, but it is a bit
unprofessional. The way we
do things is like,”Ana
musiyanwa. Tirikuita so….Iribho!”
There is nothing like
contracts. I think that it has to
do with our fathers, the ones
who pioneered music in
Zimbabwe like the engineer at
Gramma Music, Mbirimi, the
way they did things, it really
branched out to everyone it
was contagious. We didn’t
have many professionals
except for David McCarthy,
Tuku’s managers; I do believe
that individually, you can be
professional, as an artist
though it is risky to put
quality on that because you
lose business in trying to be
professional because some
people will not agree with
contracts.
GM.: What inspires your
music? Do you write your
own songs?
David: I think that a little bit
of something from everyone. I
admire a lot of Oliver
Mutukudzi,”music yake
yakarongeka” (his music is
organised); that’s where I get
a lot of ideas from. Not sound,
but I take his music
arrangement. I use it in my
own music.
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