Xavier Rudd is an Australian singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist. He was born in 1978 and grew up in Torquay, Victoria.
He has developed a strong reputation for playing live performances at musical festivals and concerts in Australia and in North America. His following is particularily strong in Australia and in Canada, where he has recorded several albums.
Many of Rudd's song incorporate socially conscious themes, such as environmentalism and the rights of Aboriginals. 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.
Background
Rudd showed a keen interest in music growing up and learned to play the didgeridoo by practicing on a vacuum cleaner hose. 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.
Rudd has a management company named Thompson Management based in Vancouver.
Rudd describes himself as a full-time barefooter, claiming not to own or wear footwear
and he is a vegetarian.
History
To Let: 2002-2003
His first studio album
To Let was released in 2002. It was self produced along with Chris Thompson, who also recorded and mixed it.
Solace: 2004
Solace was released in Australia on March 28, 2004 and debuted in the top twenty in the Australian album charts.With time, the album was certified platinum by ARIA.
[ "Xavier Rudd Food in the Belly Review". Triple j. Retrieved January 7, 2008.]
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 featured performances by Harry Manx, Dave Tolley, Nine Mile, Beth Preston, and others.
Food in the Belly was released in the US by the ANTI- record label on January 31, 2007.
White Moth: 2007-Present
In June of 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.
[Anonymous. "Xavier Rudd is Going to US and Canada with Tour in 2008". Sound Chronicle. November 17, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2007.] The first single from
White Moth was the first track off the album, "Better People".
[Heisler, Brian. "Xavier Rudd :: White Moth". Twangville. September 21, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2007.]White Moth's success earned a 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 will start in January in Santa Cruz, and the last date will be in the end of February in Vancouver.
[Anonymous. "Xavier Rudd is Going to US and Canada with Tour in 2008". Sound Chronicle. November 17, 2007. Retrieved December 20, 2007.] Rudd will also perform 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.
Live performances
Rudd has become a fixture at roots music festivals including the Falls Festival (2002, 2003 & 2004), Woodford Folk Festival (2003 & 2006), Meredith Music Festival (2003 & 2004), Wakarusa (2005), the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival (2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, & 2008), the Melbourne International Music Festival (2004), Womadelaide (2004), Pyramid Rock Festival (2006), The Great Escape (2006), West Coast Blues & Roots Festival (2004, 2005, 2007, & 2008), V2006 Festival, Rock Werchter (2006), T in the Park (2006), Oxegen (2006), High Sierra (2004 & 2007), FloydFest World Music Festival, and the Bonnaroo Music Festival (2007).
He has also worked extensively in North America including a support slot for Ani DiFranco, a support slot at the Philadelphia Folk Festival, 2 consecutive years at the Ottawa Bluesfest in Ottawa, Ontario, and a Moonshine benefit at Laguna Beach, California with Jack Johnson and G. Love & Special Sauce.
Instruments played
- Vocals
- Weissenborn slide guitars
- 6 and 12 string Acoustic/ Electric Guitars
- Yidakis (Didgeridoos)
[Xavier 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]
- Stomp Box
- Harmonicas
- Aztec Drum
- Slit Drum
- Strumpet
- Djembe
- Shakers
- Slide Banjo
- Ankle Bells
- Bass Guitar
Discography
Studio albums
- To Let - Independent (July, 2002)
- Solace - Universal Music Australia/SaltX Records (March 29, 2004)
- Food in the Belly - Universal Music Australia/SaltX Records (October 24, 2005)
- White Moth - Universal Music Australia/SaltX Records (June 4, 2007)
Live albums
- Live in Canada - Independent (2001)
- Live At The Grid - Independent (2003)
- Good Spirit - Independent (April 11, 2005)
References
External links
Rudd, XavierRudd, XavierRudd, XavierRudd, XavierRudd, XavierRudd, XavierRudd, XavierRudd, Xavier
Xavier RuddXavier RuddXavier Rudd
