Phillip Island’s Mark Howard sets sail with Seafaring Man

PHILLIP Island musician Mark Howard has released his new single Seafaring Man and will play the Westernport Hotel in San Remo on Sunday October 25 to open a 10-date tour.

The song was first written for Melbourne-based Nuworks Theatre’s fringe reimagining of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island, and Howard has spent a decade writing and performing with the company.

After the production’s Melbourne run and a UK tour, a quieter and more intimate version of the song began to surface in his acoustic sets before it eventually found its way into the studio.

Working with producer Dave Prideaux, Howard expanded the song into something more atmospheric and brooding, with Andy Stewart handling the mastering.

“I think it mirrors my own journey as a musician and discovering the value of a creative life lies as much in the experience as in the work itself,” Howard said.

The track moves between indie rock, cinematic soul and alt country, drawing on the romance of the sea and the darker undertow of traditional fairy tales.

His theatre work has taken him to Japan, France, Germany, New Zealand and the UK, with productions recognised and awarded at the Edinburgh and Adelaide fringe festivals, and between Nuworks and his own touring he has performed in more than 45 countries.

Howard said the song’s final lyric was his favourite.

“My intention is to strip the romance from the story and leave the listener with an uncomfortable truth,” he said.

Asked about his proudest moment so far, Howard said, “I think I’ll know when I’m done. Hopefully it’s still ahead of me.”

After San Remo the tour heads to New South Wales, Queensland and Tasmania.