Man Down

Sometimes getting lost is a good way to get found…and refined. While lost at sea aboard the boat they sometimes called home, brothers Brad and Rick Starkey (guitars, vocals) found a love for songwriting that would get them lost time and time again. While blending their soulful melodies with thoughtful lyrics along their endless Atlantic travels, they discovered that a little saltwater added to a lot of soul can make for a pleasantly well-rounded musical experience.After refining their songwriting talents at sea, the brothers returned to Florida’s mainland to immerse themselves in an accelerated audio engineering program at the prestigious Full Sail School of Recording Arts in Orlando. Shortly after earning their degrees, they headed to Maryland and reunited with long-lost friend and songwriter, Vinnie Garufi (guitar, vocals, bass) to begin a recording project. When Vinnie brought along seasoned Irish musicians Jeff Malcom (drums, bass) and Skye Sadowski (violin) to fill out the mix, the brothers knew they had stumbled onto something that might keep them on dry land for quite some time. What resulted was the eclectic and fresh musical experience that became Man Down.Drawing from such diverse influences as James Taylor, Jack Johnson, and Sublime, Man Down has created a unique blend of folk, rock, and reggae that is making waves on the Maryland music scene. The band recorded their demo release Offshore Café in a two-century old farm house that once served as a rest-stop for important political figures doing business in nearby Washington, D.C. During the five day recording session for Offshore Café, Man Down capitalized on the natural acoustics of the old wooden home to create a very soulful and natural sounding acoustic debut. Fans are happy to report that their live performances are just like the record —acoustic, natural, and energetic.Man Down is currently playing venues in Annapolis and Baltimore, including such popular spots as the Ram’s Head Tavern and Mick O’Sheas Irish Pub. Members of the band have appeared as opening acts for The Saw Doctors and Black 47 and have received numerous accolades from Baltimore’s City Paper and New York’s The Irish Voice. Look for Man Down to be mixing it up at one of your favorite spots in the near future.