Shoreline Songs was founded by South African singer/songwriter Robin Auld (that would be me), otherwise known as chief bottle-washer. I started learning guitar from Neil Young and Jimi Hendrix in high school, and played as a guitarist sideman in several outfits before getting into my own thing. In the 80’s I played with the Kevin Shirley- produced Z-Astaire and had several national hits throughout that time. When that period ended (or imploded) I went to the UK and started a long period of commuting back and forth from the SA and the UK. As the major label model waned and digital opened more doors for independent artists, I found the folk scene of the UK an inspiring way for an unsigned musician to continue to earn a living and I learned a lot from the way it worked. After releasing and touring over 20 albums in both SA and abroad, I decided to start a roots- music Cape Town based publishing company to promote and place songs and music for other artists. Starting with singer/songwriters, the roster has expanded slowly to include instrumental world and jazz artists, alt-country, folk and other styles.
The label helps with video, live clips, photo shoots and generally contributing content to help the artists profile. We’ve produced albums as well as an aside to our publishing activities, I’ve produced albums for Michael Canfield, Jamie Jupiter, Steve Walsh, Alan Cameron and Andy Lund. So it’s a library for music seekers that we like to think offers a bit more by way of engagement and content.
We assist with streaming set-up for artists if they don’t already have a label, and work their catalogue as publishers to secure placements for ads and film. As a long term song guy I also look for opportunities for our artists songs to be covered by other acts.
Music aside my interests are my family, surfing, milk stout and afternoon naps.
the film and advertising industries.
He brings over three decades of valuable advertising and marketing experience
to Shoreline SongSync having served as an Executive Creative Director on the
local boards of several global agencies, as a Creative Partner at the iconic South
African independent agency, The White House and most recently as Creative and
Strategic partner at the Agency he helped start from scratch in Australia, 10 Feet
Tall. Here we was responsible for all creative and brand output.
Derek has also been on the panels for numerous international advertising
awards shows and sat on the boards of advertising bodies both in South Africa
and Australia.
But his connection to Shoreline Songs’ founding partner Robin Auld goes way,
way back. For a nanosecond in time, post school years, Derek was the original
drummer of Robin’s first band MullPluck. He has also played in the band Local
Crew with Anthony Just.
Derek has gigged and recorded for most of his professional life, both in Australia
and more recently back in Cape Town. He is currently making up for lost time,
playing drums and perc with several of his own projects while also sessioning
with a good few others. He has recorded three albums and several singles with
different lineups in the last two years. He actively promotes and manages the
gigs for many of these projects – super handy experience for our Shoreline team.
When not rehearsing, planning and promoting acts and shows, Derek likes to
climb mountains and comb the shores of the Deep South as well as tackle
creative projects with his wife Alison.
Anthony Just is the roving and internationally-based partner in ‘Shoreline Songs’. An old Kalk Bay resident and journeyman guitarist from the 70’s, who goes back in time with me to the old Brass Bell days (a local watering hole of ours in the deep-South peninsula – and a venue of note for launching many acclaimed musical outfits over the decades).
Anthony was busking his way through Europe and testing red wine and foreign languages many years ago in the 80’s after completing naval national service at home, when a chance opportunity allowed him to embrace the ‘anchor and helm’ in yachting and maritime hospitality – as opposed to a life-long ‘six-string on a tube station pitch’. That door opening saw, in the following decades, Anthony pursuing the leisure- hospitality and maritime technology market – with guitar somewhat moth-balled temporarily – whilst working full-on through the super-yachting boom of the 90’s and further; sailing, developing satellite applications for wi-fi systems on yachts, being involved in ground-breaking boat hull designs, and inspiring less -privileged youngsters by sponsoring yachting career opportunities for them with his ‘Marine Inspirations’ initiative.
The ’76 Gibson Mk 35 acoustic guitar (‘Suzanna’) has been ever-present in the ship’s locker or dry-bilge, and never far away from a regular airing on the aft-deck with a few accompanying cocktails, and nowadays through his artist promotion initiative ‘Player-Inspire’, Anthony continues to contribute to the music scenes in both South Africa and Spain, in a variety of supportive ways.
Ant provides the European base for our ‘Shoreline Songs Music Publishing’ global activities (being in close touch with the European MIDEM, and U.S. NAMMS markets and players), and for pitching to the music markets abroad. When in Cape Town, (as often as practicable and possible), he plays with the redoubtable outfit, ‘The Local Crew’ in the Deep South, he braais yellowtail and snoek fresh-caught from the Kalk Bay harbour, and enjoys a glass or two of local red (sometimes even down at ‘The Bell’ with owner Tony White and I, and the rest of the local crew from way back, dutifully propping up the mahogany reef in Kalk Bay).