Xavier Rudd
is an Australian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in 1978 and grew up in Torquay, Victoria. He attended St. Joseph's College, Geelong.
He has developed a strong reputation for playing live performances at musical festivals and concerts in Australia and in North America. His following is particularly strong in Australia and in Canada, where he has recorded several albums.
Many of Rudd's songs incorporate socially conscious themes, such as environmentalism and the rights of Aboriginal peoples. In addition to playing the didgeridoo in many of his songs, he has also included both Australian and Canadian Aboriginal vocals in some of his songs.
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History
Xavier Rudd showed a keen interest in music growing up . Before his solo career he began playing music as part of the band 'Xavier and the Hum'.
To Let
: 2002-2003
Rudd's first studio album,
To Let
was released in
2002.
Solace
: 2004
Solace
was released on
March 28,
2004 and debuted in the top twenty in the Australian album charts.
With time, the album was certified platinum by
ARIA.
[1] [2]
The album was released on
June 7,
2005 in the United States on the
Universal Records label. To support the album in the U.S., Rudd embarked on a 25-date tour of the country throughout the summer of 2005, starting on June 3 in
Boston and ending in
Chicago on July 31.
[3]
Food in the Belly
: 2005-2006
After Rudd released the live album
Good Spirit
in early 2005, Rudd's third studio album,
Food in the Belly
, was released on
October 27,
2005 in Australia. When describing the album, Rudd said:
Food in the Belly
earned Rudd an
ARIA Music Awards nomination for Best Blues and Roots Album at the
2006 ceremony. This was Rudd's second nomination in this category, the first for
Solace
. In addition, the album was soon certified gold by the
ARIA.
[5]
Food in the Belly
was the first album by Rudd released in the
United States by
Epitaph's
ANTI- record label. Rudd chose to release the album through an independent label in the States, instead of through his Australian label,
Universal.
[1] The album was released on
January 31,
2007.
Touring followed the release of the album, including a string of
European dates with supporting act
Keller Williams.
[7]
White Moth
: 2007
In February 2007, Rudd stated that he was "in the studio right now recording the next album, which should come out sometime in the next year".
[1] Four months later in June 2007, Rudd's fourth studio album,
White Moth
was released. It was Rudd's first album with the
ANTI- record company. The album peaked at #30 on the
Billboard Heatseekers chart in June.
[9] The first single from
White Moth
was the first track off the album, "Better People".
[10]
''White Moth
s success earned an ARIA Music Awards nomination for Best Blues and Roots Album at the 2007 ceremony, but lost to John Butler Trio's multi-platinum
Grand National''.
To promote the album, Rudd performed as both a headlining act and as an opening act for the
Dave Matthews Band in a portion of their summer North American tour. In addition to the Dave Matthews Band, Rudd toured with Canadian singer-songwriter
Jeremy Fisher for much of 2007, stopping in North America during the summer and Australia later in the year. As a headlining act, Rudd performed at many music festivals in both the
United States and Australia such as the
West Coast Blues & Roots Festival,
Bonnaroo, and
High Sierra. In November, he was featured in the
MySpace "Rock for Darfur" event in
Sydney. In the same month, a
North American tour starting in 2008 was announced. It started in January in
Santa Clause, and the last date was in the end of February in
Vancouver.
[11] [12] Rudd also performed at various Australian festivals such as the
West Coast Blues & Roots and
East Coast Blues & Roots festivals in March, before a brief
European tour spanning from August to September.
Dark Shades of Blue
: 2008
On June 18, 2008, Rudd announced via his official website and
MySpace that he was preparing to release his fifth studio album,
Dark Shades of Blue
, two months later on August 19, 2008.
[13] [14] According to Rudd, the bulk of the album is "darker", but on the contrary, that "there is a lot of sunshine in the record."
He also said that he thought "we captured what we do live, the thickness of it, the tone. I think we finally achieved what I’ve always wanted to hear on my recordings."
In addition to the album, an upcoming tour announcement was unveiled, with stops in
Europe and
Japan over the summer, the
United States in September (including the
Austin City Limits Music Festival), and an
Australian tour in the fall.
In between touring, Rudd has been busy writing the score for the upcoming
Tarun Tikoo surf film Surfer Dude
.
McConaughey, a Rudd-fan, said that "the score he lays down, like our film, will be anything but typical".
[15]
Live performances
Rudd has become a fixture at music festivals worldwide including the
A Campingflight to Lowlands Paradise (2006),
Falls Festival (2002, 2003 & 2004), the
Meredith Music Festival (2003 & 2004), the
East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, & 2008), the
Woodford Folk Festival (2003 & 2006), the
Melbourne International Music Festival (2004),
Womadelaide (2004), the
Winnipeg Folk Festival (2004 & 2005), the
Bonnaroo Music Festival (2004, 2005, & 2007), the
Ottawa Bluesfest (2004, 2005, 2007 & 2009), the
High Sierra (2004 & 2007), the
West Coast Blues & Roots Festival (2004, 2005, 2007, & 2008), the
Wakarusa (2005),
FloydFest World Music Festival (2005), the
Pyramid Rock Festival (2006),
The Great Escape (festival) (2006),
V2006 (2006),
Rock Werchter (2006),
T in the Park (2006),
Oxegen (2006),
Optimus Alive (2008),
Bumbershoot (2008) and the
Austin City Limits FestivalsBeautiful Days (festival) (2008).
He has also worked extensively in North America including a support slot for
Ani DiFranco, a support slot at the
Philadelphia Folk Festival and a Moonshine benefit at
Laguna Beach,
California with
Jack Johnson and
G. Love & Special Sauce.
Personal life
Xavier is married to a Canadian, Marci, whom he met while she was backpacking in Australia. He has two sons, Joaquin and Finojet. He carries his son's sock (Joaquin) with him on tour.
[16] Rudd has a management company named Thompson Management based in
Vancouver.
[17]
Rudd is a
vegetarian,
and was awarded
PETA's annual "World's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity" award for 2007.
[18]
Instrumentation
- Vocals
- Weissenborn slide guitars
- 6 and 12 string Acoustic/ Electric Guitars
- Yidakis (Didgeridoos) [19]
- Stomp Box
- Harmonicas
- Aztec Drum
- Slit Drum
- Dobro
- Bass Dobro
- Strumpet
- Aztec Organette
- Djembe
- Shakers
- Slide Banjo
- Ankle Bells
- Tongue Drum (see Slit Drum)
- Bass Guitar
Discography
Studio albums
- 2002: To Let
- 2004: Solace
- 2005: Food in the Belly
- 2007: White Moth
- 2008: Dark Shades of Blue
Live albums
- Live in Canada
- Independent (2001)
- Live At The Grid
- Independent (2003)
- Good Spirit
- Independent (April 11, 2005)
- Live Bonnaroo 2005
- Live Bonnaroo 2007
References
- "Xavier Rudd: Them Belly Full". ''JamBase''. February 21, 2007. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
- "Xavier Rudd ''Food in the Belly'' Review". Triple j. Retrieved January 7, 2008.
- "Australia's Xavier Rudd to Release ''Solace''". ''JamBase''. May 20, 2005. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
- Xavier Rudd. "Xavier Rudd gives the lowdown on ''Food In The Belly''". Australian Music Online. June 1, 2006. Retrieved December 8, 2007.
- "Xavier Rudd: White Moth". ''JamBase''. March 1, 2007. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
- "Xavier Rudd: Them Belly Full". ''JamBase''. February 21, 2007. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
- "Keller World Wide". ''JamBase''. September 18, 2006. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
- "Xavier Rudd: Them Belly Full". ''JamBase''. February 21, 2007. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
- "Xavier Rudd is Going to US and Canada with Tour in 2008". ''Sound Chronicle''. November 17, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- Heisler, Brian. "Xavier Rudd :: White Moth". ''Twangville''. September 21, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- "Xavier Rudd is Going to US and Canada with Tour in 2008". ''Sound Chronicle''. November 17, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2007.
- "Xavier Rudd U.S. Tour". ''JamBase''. November 16, 2007. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
- "Xavier Rudd Releasing Dark Shades of Blue August 19th". ''Glide Magazine''. June 18, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
- "Bio". xavierrudd.com. June 18, 2008. Retrieved June 18, 2008.
- "Xavier Rudd U.S. Tour". ''JamBase''. November 16, 2007. Retrieved January 24, 2008.
- Xavier Rudd interview
- Rudd found doing what he loves
- "World's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrities". ''PETA''. Retrieved February 18, 2008.
- Rudd notices that he plays a yidaki, and does not refer to it as a didgeridoo: http://www.incendiarymag.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=907