“I do really good [there]. I’ve been lucky all over the place really, I’ve got a good following that comes to see me everywhere I go.” The wide-spread appreciation for Rudd’s music can be attributed to much more than good luck. Upholding a distinct artistic identity through many years of touring has led to amassing a considerable following worldwide.
“I’ve been touring internationally now for about 13 years, so I’ve built up my fanbase as I’ve gone. It’s all been through live touring and doing what I do and keeping it real, not really changing anything for any reason, just doing shows. People seem to dig it,” he says.
After 13 years of being a travelling troubadour, Rudd knows how to optimally manage life out on the road but he explains that living such an unsteady existence did take time to get used to.
“It’s a bit of trial and error on the road. Especially the overseas thing, it’s a different beast to travelling in Australia. I’m lucky enough to be doing the numbers that we can make it pretty comfortable, in a tour bus. If you’ve got to fly or you’re in a van that’s a whole other ball of wax. Doing it in a bus is pretty groovy, you just go to bed in the bus and wake up in the next city.”
Rudd’s comfortable position positively impacts on the quality of his performances, however he underlines that a prosperous approach to tour-life isn’t simply achieved.
“Learning how to get your rest is a craft and it’s not as easy as it sounds. It always makes for better shows. And also making sure you’ve got the right energy around you, the right people on the road, because if you’ve got the wrong people around they can drain you pretty quickly.”
The irregularity of the touring lifestyle is also infamous for hindering the creative impulse, however Rudd indicates that a full-on schedule doesn’t greatly interfere with his writing habits.
“Music just comes for me, it doesn’t matter where it is. It just comes when it’s ready. That can be surfing, it can be going for a run, it can be sitting around under a tree on tour.”
Rudd’s elaborates that, in relation to his unplanned method of song construction, he doesn’t set out with specific aims for the direction of his albums.
“They always change, even unintentionally. I’m not sure why that is, it just happens. I’ve never really had that moment where I’m thinking ‘I need to do this differently’. It’s sort of been fresh ideas all the time so I don’t have to really consider that.”
Rather than adhering to a detailed brief of what he’d like to achieve musically, Rudd’s organic approach to song writing allows his life experiences to intertwine with his music.
“With the song writing it’s more about what’s going on in my life, as opposed to what’s going on musically. The spirit that’s with me, the emotion, the journey that I’m on is what shapes the music and it’s always changing. It seems like the music always changes with it. Or maybe the music changes ahead of it and I learn from that. It’s a hard one to pinpoint,” he considers.
Rudd refrains from making self-important claims of ownership over what he creates and posits the belief that his music exists separately from him.
“I see my music a little bit like my grandmother. I wouldn’t tell my grandmother what to wear to church. I respect my music the same way. I understand that it comes through and I’m a bit of a vessel for it and often times I feel like I can’t really be responsible for it. It comes from another place. I try not to involve my mind in it, try not to involve my ego; just letting it be what it is when it comes through in its raw form and leaving it that way.”
Donovan Frankenreiter and Nahko and Medicine for the People will be joining Rudd on the September tour of Australia. A recent update to Rudd’s live show is the addition of drummer Bobby Alu and Rudd speaks enthusiastically about introducing his new onstage partner to Australian audiences.
“I’m playing with Bobby Alu on the drums. We’re doing a duo thing which is really cool – he’s an amazing drummer.”
The large-capacity venues in all major cities are quickly selling out, which is evidence of Rudd’s enduring significance. He explains that it’s become apparent he’s outlasted many of his former peers.
“I used to feel like I was the young guy coming up, but when you’ve done post-10 years on the circuit, not a lot of acts last that long. There’s more stories of bands getting successful then petering away, than people doing the long haul. I feel like there’s a real element of respect for me out on the road. I have young bands coming up and saying they used to listen to me when they were kids. It makes me feel a bit older.”
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
