Xavier Rudd - The Spirit of Connection

Xavier Rudd’s latest and fourth studio album White Moth, has been, according to the talented multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter an “incredible journey, something I’ll never forget. It reflects a lot of connections with powerful Aboriginal people from both Australia and Canada…So there’s a lot of the things to do with this album that are really special.”

When asked about his favourite tracks inspired by these experiences Xavier offered “All of them are special” thoughtfully pausing before continuing “…maybe ‘Footprint’, it’s a song about our current situation as a human race, in terms of our respect of land and culture. The day we recorded that, we had a fire and a long amazing conversation about where we’re at…I guess the memory of that song is something that I’m pretty attached to. Those spirits are pretty powerful, when you’re in the presence of someone like that, and those spirits are coming in and he’s doing the ceremony…words can’t really explain the level you sort of go to.”

Talking about his unique music, Xavier states that “I’ve never put it in my mind, it’s something that I’ve always felt, and since I was a kid, it was something that I did, if things were tough, or whatever was happening, my music was my expression, and it was my way to release what was coming through me. It’s not something that I would call a ‘mind thing’, it always comes from the deep place.”

“What I do now is exactly the same, but the bonus of it these days is I’m a part of a music industry, I’ve got people who listen to my music, I can support a family and make a living from doing it, I have opportunities to travel around the world, and there’s this whole other side that involves other people. It’s a gift, but essentially it’s the same expression, I wait for it to come and it comes, and it comes out the way it comes out. I try not to place anything to do with the creative side of what I do in my mind at all, I guess it fits where it fits, and it is what it is, but I don’t really think about it too much.”

Talking about the pressure that musicians sometimes face from management to conform and change their music Xavier believes that when it comes to his music, “…it’s the same as it always has been…In terms of what the music is, it’s my own realm…sometimes and I’ll say often, spirits come through me and that’s where my music comes from…sometimes it’s a vehicle for a spirit to come through for whatever reason that is…its almost like I’m a vehicle for it, it all just spills out in its own way, and I’m almost trying to decipher it as anyone else would, and listen when I listen through at the end of its like ‘Wow, where did that come from? What’s that about?’ Sometimes I won’t understand it for quite a while in my mind, and then eventually I’ll understand it.”

“If I’ve got a spirit coming through me for a reason, and I’m not sure in my little mind in this world that I live in right now, what that spirit is, but it’s chosen me to come through, for me to influence that with my mind, and place it in a place, or interfere with it, would be disrespectful to what that is. That’s the way I think about it, when it comes through it comes through and shapes itself, so anything creative that’s kinda my rule…”

Xavier will soon be touring the country, and is particularly looking forward to heading down to Tasmania this October, as he reveals “I love Tassie it’s beautiful, strong place, powerful place, I’ve had some amazing connections down there.”

As Xavier further reveals an almost fatherly concern about our extraordinary island state. “I feel for Tassie, I worry about the forests, I worry about the lack of respect for culture down there, things from a government level that get overlooked, but at the same time I feel like Tassie in good hands too, the people are awesome, they’re passionate people that care strongly about the place, and are willing to stand up for it and not let commercialism run over it.”

Not one to simply sit and opine Xavier offers these words of advice, “It would be good for people to make more noise about what’s happening down there, because it’s often hidden they’re able to hide it away from the mainland. The logging situation the government are able to tuck it away, keep it out of the limelight because it’s a bit removed. It’s an interesting situation but I defiantly have an affinity with Tassie. I think it’s really precious, I go down there and I feel like I’m walking on thin glass…”

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