As a mainstay of the SA music scene for quite some time we were very excited to sit down with master percussionist (and apparently excellent chef) Ronan Skillen to find out a bit about his musical journey so far…
Tell us a little bit about yourself: where were you born, where did you grow up and what career did you dream of having?
I was born in Ireland as Ronan Skillen. I spent my first 2 years there before moving to Germany. There I grew up and matriculated. After that I moved to Cape Town, where I still live today. I always wanted to be a Chef or a Juggler.
What do you do from Monday to Friday, 8 to 5pm (or thereabouts)?
Mostly I am recording, either myself or other people. I also teach from home and use my studio as a space for creating new ideas or helping people with production and capturing creative ideas, mostly musical ones. Other than that, I’m hiking in the mountains or meeting other musicians for rehearsals and brainstorming ideas for new projects and the next big idea.
What takes up the rest of your time?
When I’m not playing gigs (which is anything from 2 to 10 a month)
My wife and I try to spend as much quality time as possible together. We enjoy nature, a good glass of wine and exploring our amazing city. Friends and family, going out to gigs, movies or a lazy night in with Uber eats and Netflix.
When did the desire to make music first grab you?
I remember my Dad taking me to hear a Benjamin Britten orchestral concert when I was 8 years old. Soon after I began playing the French horn.
What gear do you use to produce music?
In terms of Software I use Ableton Live. For hardware I use RME Fireface 800 and MOTU. I have a range of different microphones. Mostly Oktava, Sennheiser, AKG and T-Bone.
Which artists or composers have influenced you over the years?
Trilok Gurtu, Zakir Hussain, Nik Bärtsch, Ludovico Einaudi, Hans Zimmer, Tinariwen, Bob Marley, Björn Meyer.
What are some of the challenges for local composers, artists and musicians and in South Africa?
Exposure to other artists (not just Europe but rather as a global concept). Funding for arts and culture is a huge part of developmental creativity, which is sorely lacking in SA. Celebrating local talent for what it is and how it should be experienced, in spaces that are really designed to showcase musical performances.
How did you find out about the production/library music industry?
I’ve always been keen on music for films and have had a keen ear for what makes a scene really unfold in terms of the visual element and audio elements in a beautiful meeting. I’ve always known about people who compose for films / production library music etc and have only recently sought out Mama Dance, Evolution Media, DNA Musik and others, for my own production music creations.
What would you do if you had to stop working in the sound/music industry?
I’d start a casual home-style restaurant with a few like-minded friends. Specifically curated playlists, simple but stylish decor. Good, no bullshit food (cooked by myself) and a small enough clientele in order to hang out and meet with the people who come for a bite and a chat.
Be sure to check out Ronan’s two excellent albums on the Mama Dance ! Music Library below:
A truly unique collection of indigenous African percussive and melodic instruments beautifully played and recorded. It’s spacious, hypnotic, dreamy and exotic and perfect for travel, wildlife, doccies, nature productions and much, much more.
MD189 Organik – Rhythmic Nature
A truly unique collection of indigenous African percussive and melodic instruments beautifully played and recorded. It’s spacious, hypnotic, dreamy and exotic and perfect for travel, wildlife, doccies, nature productions and much, much more.
MD202 Organik – Rhythmic Nature 2
Vol 2 of our Organik series with plenty more gorgeous, spacious and dreamily evocative tracks, all beautifully played on a variety of indigenous African percussive and melodic instruments. Tailor-made for nature, wildlife, travel, doccies, corporate productions and much more.