In the 16 years since that debut album, Rudd has released eight studio albums and eight live albums, each one of them unique in its own way. Like an island settled in the middle of the stage, he would surround himself with yidaki, guitars, harmonicas, drums and other instruments that he played simultaneously like some kind of magical octopus.
Despite this, Rudd released his debut album To Let independently in 2002.Ĭrowds flocked not only for his musicianship, but also for the unique spectacle of his one-man-band aesthetic. It is one of the reasons that he and his music continues to be so passionately loved.Īfter those early days in Canada, his popularity quickly bloomed, with his shows filled with both fans and a slew of managers and agents who wanted a piece of the action. He walks the talk, inviting charities such as Sea Shepherd into his shows, and actively stands against injustices he sees in the world, playing at protest sites like the Bentley Blockade in 2014. He continues to stride onstage barefoot and sing from the heart about issues that are important to him, such as land rights and his connection with nature and spirit. While his career trajectory means he can now sleep in places with four walls and central heating, his grounded nature and authenticity remains. “I had a Ford Bronco, like an old crappy car, that I used to pack all my gear in, and I'd park it in underground car parks, because it was warm. He headed to the ski hills of Canada to snowboard, spent his days strapped into ski boots and his evenings playing in local bars around Whistler, motivated primarily by earning himself a ski pass to get back on the slopes. Rudd's life as a young man was much the same as any other Australian with itchy feet and an ache to explore the world, at least initially. “I didn't know back then that I was writing songs, but essentially I was.” I would sing about things that were happening around me. “Ever since I was a little kid I've always had these melodies running through my brain. “I can't remember, because I had a life of doing it, it's just part of me.Įver since I was a little kid I've always had these melodies running through my brain. “I don't know the first song I ever wrote,” he tells Double J. Instead, as seems apt for a surfing hippy from Jan Juc in coastal Victoria, the music always flowed from somewhere within him. There is no clear beginning to Xavier Rudd's musical journey no ‘a-ha moment' that kicked off his songwriting.
Join Gemma Pike for the Xavier Rudd J Files, Thursday 24 May from 8pm on Double J. With nine studio albums and plenty of amazing stories about his career to share, we're excited to dedicate two hours to this beloved Australian troubadour as part of the J Files. Xavier Rudd has been that person for over 15 years and he continues to empower, educate and entertain his many, many fans the world over to this day, with his latest record Storm Boy out this week.
Someone who knows just the right way to get their message across. Someone with just the right mix of passion for the causes they care about and skill as a pop songwriter.
Xavier rudd walk away full#
These headline dates will be the first time in a decade people in Australia will be able to see Xavier in such a wonderfully personal setting.Ĭlick here for more info about buying tickets.In a world full of troubadours looking to make a difference with their art, it takes someone extraordinary to stand out. "Walk away from all that you know, walk away and hold your own," sings Xavier as the song climbs to each soaring chorus. "I've seen people holding on to nothing," rings the opening line of 'Walk Away'.
'Walk Away' was produced by Chris Bond (Ben Howard, Tom Speight) and mixed by Tim Palmer (Pearl Jam, Bowie, U2) and is one of Xavier's most powerful songs to date, turning the page on a new chapter in his already epic saga. Xavier will perform at intimate venues in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane this April as well as headlining the inaugural Reverb Festival in Perth (already announced). With a new album in the works ('Storm Boy') that is set for a release in 2018, singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Xavier Rudd has dropped his long-awaited new single, 'Walk Away', and announced an east-coast Australian tour.
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