REAL ‘X’ FACTOR
The contentment Xavier Rudd feels in his life is reflected in his music, he tells Patrick Gee
HEhas seen the world, grown and learnt, and now after nine studio albums Xavier Rudd says his career has gone “full circle”.
The Australian multi-instrumentalist roots musician is on a constant musical journey across continents and through his life experiences.
He documents his journey as he goes and says each album he has released represents a new chapter in his life.
Rudd published the latest chapter of his life with the release of his album Storm Boy in May.
Storm Boy, which topped the ARIA Australian Albums chart, features tracks such as Walk Away, Honeymoon Bay and the title track, Storm Boy.
The official video for Honeymoon Bay — the third single taken from the album — was released at the end of June.
Filmed in Fiji, the uplifting, feel-good film clip shows Rudd jamming with locals, hugging his wife Ashley (who he married two years ago), swimming, surfing and generally enjoying a wholesome life.
The 40-year-old says it reflects the contentment he currently feels. “Life has its ebbs and flows,” Rudd said. “I’m at a great stage and I am really thankful for where I am, what I am doing, my health and my wellbeing.
“In the last few years I was married to an amazing woman, and there’s some really good stuff going on.”
He said he was feeling healthier and stronger after recent surgery to fix an inhibiting back problem he had endured for the past 10 years.
“Through that journey I learnt things about myself,’’ Rudd said.
“I learnt how to take care of myself better and respect myself.”
He said returning to Fiji was like his career doing a “full circle”.
“It [the video] was filmed in Fiji with my family and a lot of love around me, but also Fiji was kind of a starting point for me in a lot of ways,” he said.
After growing up in Victoria, Rudd began his adventurous career after he finished school when he followed the call of surf and sand to tropical Fiji.
He wrote his first EP during a year spent surfing and sleeping in his board bag on the beaches of the South Pacific nation.
“I ended up coming home and saving up five grand and recording it [the EP],” Rudd said.
“That was kind of like the start of my career, so having that [recent] experience in Fiji was almost like a full circle.”
Rudd’s career has returned to its humble beginnings in more ways than one.
He rarely performs in his home country, despite his endless touring. However, he said he was excited to tour Australia as part of his Storm Boy world tour, including a show in Hobart next week.
“The band feels really good and we’re all pretty excited,’’ Rudd said.
“It’s going to be awesome to play these Aussie shows, especially Hobart.
“It’s been a long time since I have been down there.”
He said he had always had a soft spot for Australia’s island state.
“I feel connected to Tassie,’’ Rudd said.
“Tassie people are super rootsy and they care about their country and their culture and I really respect that.
“It will be nice to come down and get everyone moving and warm everyone up for winter.”
Showing off his multitasking and multi-instrumental capabilities, Rudd will be dusting off and touring with his percussion rig from the early years of his career.
“I don’t plan my music much, I just kind of do what’s flowing and what I am feeling at the time, and I was keen to just get back on that and have a dig,” he said.
Supporting Rudd on the Australian leg of his tour will be his brother Max, who is 15 years his junior.
“He is a brilliant guitarist and plays a seven-string,’’ Rudd said.
“It’s great to spend time with him in general because I was kind of up and out of the house when he came along.”
Xavier Rudd’s Storm Boy tour comes to Hobart’s Odeon Theatre for one night only next Friday (August 17). Doors open at 7pm.
Tickets are $65.30 and bookings and information are available from