If you’re going to Mieliepop 2016, you should NOT miss Bark, one of the coolest acts who have been pretty active in the SA Music scene. Bark’s remarkable musicianship, melodic phrasing, piercing lyrics and topical songwriting deserves to be wired into the stereos of all listeners. They are essentially a rock band at heart but remain a versatile trio.

Lead guitarist and vocalist Emile Swiegers also performs as a solo artist (playing his acoustic-fingerstyle compositions) Franco Schoeman is a Jazz musician who is also a member of ISO and currently studying for his masters degree in music composition at Wits University and Jean Swiegers is a progressive Rock / Jazz drummer whose solid rhythms always keep things upbeat and interesting. Together they are an explosive force to be reckoned with, ready for the big stage.

I recently had a chat to Bark about Mieliepop and a few other things. This is what they had to say:

What comes to mind when you think of Mieliepop Festival?

It reminds us of the glorious corn cobs of South Africa, however, we have yet to experience the festivals characteristics since it will be our first time this year.

What can music fans expect from your set at Mieliepop 2016?

Definitely a refreshing and tasteful musical experience.

What is currently playing on your iPod / CD Player / Music Streaming service that you use?

We thoroughly enjoy hard copies of good quality rather than digital formats. On our most recent tour we listened to Sting, Bob Dylan, Cat Stevens and some other good stuff.

What is the story behind your name? Is Bark something you came up with overnight? Or is there a long elaborate story to it?

It is a long elaborate story but it basically implies tree bark, the barks of animals and everything in between.

Which quote / phrase would you use to describe the term “Awesome Music” ?

Music that serves as a reference to our understanding of life.

I’d like to thank Bark for this interview and wish them all of the best with their set at Mieliepop this weekend.

To get an idea of their sound, have a listen to their track, “Wouldn’t Want It Any Other Way” below:

Already dusting off those festival shoes? Click here to get your tickets to Mieliepop 2016 NOW! Don’t miss out!

Watch this space for regular updates in the Music and Interviews categories on Running Wolf’s Rant.