Xavier Rudd (Interview)

After performing in New Zealand earlier this year, Australian roots musician, activist and surfer Xavier Rudd is returning to New Zealand for a series of shows at the end of the year. The 13th Floor spoke to the laconic singer-songwriter and asked him about his seemingly unending touring schedule and the possibility of new music in the near future.

Listen to the Xavier Rudd interview here:

Or, you can read a transcription of the interview here:

Xavier: I did an Australian tour in September. And then the last thing on the run is in Hawaii.

MD: Hawaii? And that was the first time you performed in Hawaii, is that right?

Xavier: Yeah it was.

MD: And how was that for you?

Xavier: It was groovy. It was cool. It was really groovy, people were pretty stoked. The show sold out really early. I enjoyed the place.

MD: Because you’ve played in Canada and the United States quite often in the last few years. How was it that you managed to avoid Hawaii up until this point?

Xavier: It’s pretty much just my schedule because it’s really crazy. It’s a bit of a hard place to get to because the freight costs are really high. So I guess it’s just overlooked. My objective is to get to more of those places. Because I’ve done so much everywhere else my goal is to get to those more unique places like New Zealand, Hawaii and South Africa we did last year. Then we’ll do South America this year; Japan. So just get off the usual circuit.

MD: Is there a difference in the audiences in these unique places? Or do they respond the same?

Xavier: It’s very similar man really worldwide. I’m a really lucky artist. I have great people coming on the shows, really good shows; who want to see things changed for a better future and respect one another. Respect of the environment. It’s sort of the same energy happening everywhere I go… cultural differences but similar energy.

MD: Do you do much of an investigation of the places in regards to the audience in terms of environmental concerns or things which are important to them in regards to what you talk about?

Xavier: Yeah I do what I can. Sometimes I’ll be flat out. I’ll do something somewhere else. Often times I just want to learn about people, so maybe get involved when I leave too.

MD: You were just in New Zealand this past April on a tour through some of the bigger centres. You’re coming here in the end of December for some of these more out of the place venues? How will these shows be different to what you were doing in the big centres.

Xavier: I dunno. I guess I’ll know when I get there. I’m kind of excited for this tour. It’s right up my alley, the outdoor shows. The initial shows in New Zealand we’ll test the water a little bit as to whether people would be keen on it and it went really well so now we can get more creative.

MD: And when you say you’re going to be a bit more creative, what does that entail?

Xavier: It means get more creative with where we’re doing shows; in the outdoors. The outdoors scene.  Something that I do and works well. I do a lot of that in Australia and it works well. Getting a bit more creative with the shows, making a bit more of an experience with people. On this tour I’ll be bringing my drummer Bobby Alu who’s a Samoan guy, he’s amazing. Last time I came to New Zealand I was solo; this time I’ll have him along. So yeah it’s going to be cool.

MD: Do you also manage to fit in a bit of surfing while you’re here?

Xavier: That’s the plan mate. If I get a window, sure and if the waves will cooperate, sure.

MD: And you’re touring with a New Zealand group called Little Bushman. Are you familiar with them?

Xavier: Yeah, just from what I saw, from the videos that were sent to me. And it was great.

MD: What do you look for in a touring partner?

Xavier: Quite often it’ll be someone that I’ve met, someone on the road that I’ve seen. On this occasion it was proposed. It was sort of like sent over for me to have a look at and yeah straight away I was like-yeah sounds great.

MD: Your most recent album Spirit Bird came out about a year ago. Have you been working on any newer material since then?

Xavier: Yeah I’m definitely working on stuff, slowly. But yeah it’ll be completely different again. I’m looking for my next track to put together quite a big band.

MD: What kind of instrumentation do you have in mind?

Xavier: I’m gonna put together a reggae band. So like backup singers and keys, bass; the whole thing. So I’ve been writing a lot of reggae sort of stuff. So it’ll be completely different to Spirit Bird; which I like to do, I like to mix it up.

MD: When you’re thinking about the song writing aspect of that is that affected by the big band playing in the background?

Xavier: When I’m writing the songs?

MD: Yeah.

Xavier: Yeah for sure. I’ll write it with that in mind. I’ve had songs that I’ve written for that project quite a while ago now that I just haven’t played. So yeah it’s sort of a different approach to how I’d produce stuff if I played solo.

MD: Are there plans to get into the studio relatively soon?

Xavier: Not too soon. Sometime in the New Year.

Click here for more details about the Xavier Rudd/Little Bushman tour of New Zealand.