How Soul Safari Turned a ‘Musicians Wanted’ Ad Into a Career...Sort Of
The COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench in many of our daily processes, from projects and routines, to passions and hobbies, so it's not surprising that Soul Safari's love for music was similarly disrupted, leading to possibly the most positive and rewarding Craigslist experience ever.
Band member Adam Novak started the band with his close friend right after they finished watching the movie, Bohemian Rhapsody. With guitar and drums covered, they needed someone to play bass, so they did the most logical thing: They posted an ad on Craigslist. While they knew it was a risk, it ended up working out in their favor. Things started off a bit awkward with the new member, but they adjusted quickly and the band began appearing at open mic nights throughout the Valley. Their beginning was unexpected, which was why they were flexible and open to anything that came their way. Soul Safari with sound and genre, until the pandemic closed down the world and opportunities to play ran dry, causing the band to separate.
Once quarantine mandates were lifted and the world began to blossom once again, Soul Safari was reinstated, only this time with different faces. The band was starting anew and were slightly opposite of what they once were. Where they used to be more open and experimental, they were now more technical, musically minded, and critical. The one thing that remained the same was the passion and love. It's this zest for music that encouraged Novak to continue pursuing a future with Soul Safari. For him, music is an escape from everyday life -- another thing that has remained true despite the band's changes.
Soul Safari soon molded into an indie rock band, with various influences from neighboring genres. While most of the bandmates take influence from different genres, Novak says they're heavily inspired by much-loved indie bands Radiohead, The Arctic Monkeys, and The Smiths. Novak writes much of the composition himself, including similar guitar riffs throughout the band's discography, the music an homage to these prominent indie artists while the lyrics focus on escapism and emotions. “We’re really down to Earth,” says Novak. “We write songs for the human experience.”
The evolution of Soul Safari is far from conventional or easy, but the band has persevered and continues to create music, no matter the circumstances. Novak recalls spending a night in their drummer's garage, where the band wrote five songs in only a few hours. One could theorize that Soul Safari would have five less songs in their library if not for the pandemic, a strange and scary twist of fate that bent in their favor. "Whatever happens, happens for a reason," says Novak.
Soul Safari is hoping to play more live events and sell merch in the coming months. Their next album is set to be released in November, the new songs following the same Soul Safari sound, with a little more punk rock influence. While a Craigslist ad may be an unusual start to a band, Soul Safari’s success shows that sometimes, it's worth the risk.