Still Rockin' It - Cheryl Lee
Still Rockin' It - Cheryl Lee
What has Stu Rudd from The SuperJesus been up to lately? OR Bass, Ballads, and Bridgeway
Join Cheryl Lee - That Radio Chick on STILL ROCKIN' IT for news, reviews, music and interviews with some of our favourite Australian musician
When a band has been creating music together for nearly three decades, something magical happens. The creative chemistry becomes almost telepathic, transforming into what SuperJesus bassist Stu Rudd describes as "the DNA of both of us being in this band."
In this revealing conversation, Ruddy takes us behind the scenes of the recently released self-titled SuperJesus album and their extensive Australian and New Zealand tour, currently riding high on sold-out shows and enthusiastic fan response, the band demonstrates that their creative fire burns as brightly as ever.
The album represents a new pinnacle in the songwriting partnership between Stu and frontwoman Sarah McLeod, who have developed an intuitive musical connection that transcends words. "There were times when we would look at each other and we wouldn't talk, but we knew that we had to put a new chord in there," he explains, offering rare insight into their creative process.
The journey from their early days to becoming ARIA Award winners with platinum albums wasn't without challenges. With refreshing honesty, Rudd recalls the grueling work behind their "overnight" success – including rehearsing daily for 18 straight months. He reflects on how the band was often too busy with the practicalities of touring to fully appreciate their achievements at the time: "You guys are going platinum. Okay, yeah, well, we need petrol for the van because we're driving another 1,400 kilometres." Now, with the perspective of time, he can look back with well-earned pride at what they've built together. Between insights about the band, Stu also shares details about his work with supergroup The Filthy Animals and answers rapid-fire questions about his musical influences, favorite performances, and songs he wishes more people knew.
Whether you're a long-time fan or discovering The SuperJesus for the first time, this conversation offers a fascinating window into the mindset of musicians who continue to create vital, powerful music decades into their career.
Catch The SuperJesus on their current tour – tickets and dates available at superjesus.com.
What has Ruddy been up to lately? Let's find out!
Get out when you can, support local music and I'll see you down the front!!
Visit: ThatRadioChick.com.au
That Radio Chick Cheryl Lee here. Welcome to the Still Rocking it podcast where we'll have music news, reviews and interviews with some of our favourite Australian musicians and artists. Today we are talking to founding member bass guitarist, songwriter with the Super Juices, stewie Rudd, about the recently released self-titled album and the accompanying tour. Five singles released from this album already Money. We're Only In it For Love Lights Out. We Won't Let Go Until it's Over. Something Good and Dancing With Myself. And then the beautiful ballad Diamonds accompanied the release. Let's hear all the gossip from Stewie Rudd. To catch up on podcasts from other favourite artists, simply go to thatradiochipcomau. How are you?
Speaker 2:trapping.
Speaker 1:Like a trap. I'm still catching up from a month in the US doing Route 66 on the Harley.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's right. We were talking about it at Gleeso, Kevin Borich and Swanee's show.
Speaker 1:Have you done it? Did you say?
Speaker 2:Yes, same, we saw it on the highway in Chicago to LA and, like you were saying, you look across and it's like that old, shitty road. You know that's the original road there, you know.
Speaker 1:How long ago did you guys do it?
Speaker 2:We did it years ago now, so when we did our first tour of PUS and our third tour yeah, that would have been 20 years ago.
Speaker 1:Oh wow, who did you do it with?
Speaker 2:We did our first tour with the Jesus Lizard and then we did Local H.
Speaker 1:Oh yeah, Well, better get stuck into it then, shouldn't we? No worries, You'll be sure to leave that radio chicken. I'd like to welcome into the Zoom room once again Stu Rudd. Yay from the Super Jesus, Thanks for popping in and chatting to us Absolutely In the middle of a tour, like two down and seven or eight to go. Is that right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, maybe more. I mean New Zealand as well is now on the radar. Yeah, we're going to New Zealand in July as well, so that's part of it. So hopefully we sort of keep building. But yeah, first two down. How did they go? Great, well, we sold out Friday and just about on Saturday night. So it was places were jumping and we had a really good, you know, audience sort of participation with the new album and everything else. So it's been really good so far.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's a good start.
Speaker 2:Yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1:So you're home now in between Sydney and Melbourne, are you home?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'll fly home. We all sort of do things. Sarah will go and do maybe a couple of things she might do in whatever state she goes to, and we sort of get back together. So we've been in Adelaide rehearsing for the week prior, right.
Speaker 1:House of Sap. Are you rehearsing at House?
Speaker 2:of Sap. Normally it's House of Sap, yeah, that's our sort of go-to, but. But this time we sort of went up to Drummer Ben Todd's place and we sort of did it in his studio up there. It was good and it was in the hills and it was very, very quiet and lovely.
Speaker 1:Nice, I was going to say with your tour, but it sounds like there's more days added. I was going to say you saved the best till last because the last one I've got is the bridgeway here in Adelaide.
Speaker 2:Yeah, okay, so we've got Tasmania after that and then New Zealand after Tasmania.
Speaker 1:No rest for the wicked then?
Speaker 2:Oh, not at this point no, and we're quite happy with that too, so it's really good yeah.
Speaker 1:Am I right in like is the bridgeway your um stomping ground? Are you from out that way?
Speaker 2:I am, you know, I used to go and see, I used to go down there, I used to walk down there and when I had enough sort of pocket money and a lot, I'd go and see there's like almost human down there and you know, just just sort of be around the scene just to hang out. Really. Yeah, it was good. I got a lot of education down that way. How?
Speaker 1:old, are you steve? I am 55 years old yeah, so I'm five years older and I'm from that way as well, and I started the Bridgeway before I was allowed to go to the Bridgeway.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, totally, I'm hearing you there, so we may very well, have been at some of the same gigs.
Speaker 1:It was every Thursday, friday, saturday night, and sometimes we'd go back for a Sunday session.
Speaker 2:Yeah, part of the rite of passage wasn't it to get down there underage or whatever? Yeah, totally Forward to it. You know we've played the Gov a few times and we love the Gov. For me up this way, it was the Bridgeway, so I like to go there and then switch it up and we'll go to the Gov next time.
Speaker 1:I'm looking forward to seeing you at the Bridgeway. I don't know if I have. I think I've plenty of time at the Gubb and other places, so it'll be fun.
Speaker 2:Yeah, back in time it will be fun. Yeah, yeah, totally right, july 5th, so it's not too far away, is it?
Speaker 1:I hadn't been to the Bridgeway for quite a few years, you know, because I was busy having five children and all of what that entails.
Speaker 2:You've got five children. Have you Really? Yeah, wow, you know I was out of action for quite a while raising them.
Speaker 1:And then, when I went out to the bridgeway for the first time in 20 years, it changed a little bit, but when? I walked into the ladies' bathroom, I literally was like I was in a time warp. Yeah, yeah, right, because the bathroom was exactly the same and suddenly I'm remembered holding my girlfriend's hair.
Speaker 2:Oh God. Girlfriend's holding's hair, oh god yeah, isn't that hilarious, such a rush of nostalgic memories. Anyway, enough about that you are listening to still rocking it the podcast with cheryl lee time for a break and a song.
Speaker 1:I'm going to play diamonds, not just because it's the newest, but it's a brilliant song. I'm sure you'll love it as much as I do From their new album self-titled the Super Jesus. Here they are with Diamonds. We'll be back to speak to Ruddy and I promise we'll get back on track and talk about the new album and the tour and other musical stuffs. Standing at the crossroads waiting for a sign to make a move. Years I've been running. Now I'm running out of things. I've got to prove this new album newish album full of a plethora of amazing new songs. I'm going to ask you to go back in time a little bit. When did you realise at first that you had a knack of writing?
Speaker 1:a good rock song.
Speaker 2:Oh well, yeah, collectively, as a band or individually. Yeah well, I've always played, so I've always written, and I've always been happy to be a team player and sit back and do everyone else's music. But I had stuff that I'd written. Once I started to apply it to the guys, they're like oh man, we can work on that. It sounds great. Hence, you know, maybe something like Stick Together or From Jet Age, you know. So it was back then really that I started to really, you know, want to be involved in writing songs.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there's been some pretty impressive stuff said about this album um after 30 years of crafting your sound, the songwriting partnership of you and sarah has truly found its sweet spot. Your writing partnership has blossomed into a fantastic place to be creative so how would you say that your songwriting has evolved since those first albums to this latest album?
Speaker 2:I think it's. It's, for starters, primarily it's our songwriting partnership together. We've always been writing with other people to start with, and it just started to blossom in the dna, as you keep going, the dna of both of us being in this band for what next year would almost be 30, 30 years. Yeah, it's just one of those things. It's the DNA of it, and you know what was happening. There was times when we would look at each other and we wouldn't talk, but we knew that we had to put a new chord in there. We knew which chord to go to. So it was things like that. It was just intuitive, you know, and it's just been great ever since. So we're just working on it and we're happy with it and we're letting it be what it wants to be. So, yeah, we're not sort of putting any pressure on ourselves to do it, we're just writing. I think for this album we wrote about 40 songs and we recorded what 30, 40 minutes worth, you know. So 10 songs, yeah.
Speaker 1:Like an old married couple. You just intuitively know what each other's thinking.
Speaker 2:Absolutely, yeah, intuitively know what each other's thinking. Absolutely, yeah, it gets like that and it was so. Growing up, you sort of you go through all those volatile years and all the rest of it and then when you start to sort of be involved with it for for a few years now you know 20 odd years or whatever you you learn to accept and be patient and understand, I think, um, the dynamics of bands and that's that's because being put together in a band in a situation like we've been, you know you go into it's not normal. Really, there's something not normal about it, but you learn to cope all together and we've been lucky enough that we're coping very well.
Speaker 1:And you've matured like a fine bit of cheese.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, a bit of old cheese. That's right, that's us.
Speaker 1:When you look back on these successes, three classic albums, Sumo, Jet Age, Rock. Music two went Platinums, three times ARIA Award winners, south Australian Music Hall of Fame. What do you think when you think back on all of those successes now that you've got so mature?
Speaker 2:It's lovely, do you know? Now you sort of sit back and it's only now that I've allowed myself.
Speaker 2:I'd suggest McLeod's, the same Sarah is you do look back on those achievements and go wow, because after time you have your head down, it's like you guys are going platinum. Okay, yeah, well, we need petrol for the van because we're driving another 1,400 kilometres. You know it sort of doesn't register, but to sit back at the minute it's lovely, it is lovely and I go is that real? You know, is it real? Did it happen? You know, because I was just having a great time all the way through.
Speaker 1:You know a lot of it, so yeah, yeah, and like you say, you had your head down and your bum up. Oh yeah, in it oh big time, big time.
Speaker 2:Working, working, working. Yeah, we were rehearsing, like we rehearsed every day for 18 months straight, every day. Yeah, how did you make it For you kiddies at home? And you say, how did you guys get so lucky? Well, we rehearsed every day. That's what we did.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you had instant success after 20 years of rehearsing. Oh yeah, totally right. Yeah, definitely Still rocking that podcast with that radio chick, cheryl Lee. Let's have a song now from that album, jet Age, that Stewie said. Their songwriting sort of started coming together. Here's my favourite Gravity, and we're back to speak some more to Stew after that. In the promo photos for the Diamond single yeah, you guys scrub up, all right, you all look pretty cool.
Speaker 2:For anyone who hasn't seen it we shot that at the Woodville Town Hall and they were fantastic. They were really good. They opened the doors for us and let us use everything. When we walked in, we hadn't really talked to each other about what we were wearing. We kind of said, yeah, a bit of a theme. When we walked in, I was like, oh my God, look at you guys. Do you know what? I've seen you guys like this before, and that's including Sarah, of course.
Speaker 1:You guys look like movie stars it almost looks professional, doesn't it? You nailed it. Get onto the Google-o-meter. Where's?
Speaker 2:the best place.
Speaker 1:Superjesuscom to grab their tickets in their town.
Speaker 2:Absolutely. Yeah, just go to the website. All the links are there for each city and it's really easy. You just click on and say how many tickets you want, or whatever. Just click on and say how many tickets you want, or whatever. So yeah, jump on and it's pretty reasonably priced. I think it's about $45 or something and we try to keep it down fairly low Enough that we can tour at the same time and get you know the production and everyone around.
Speaker 1:Yes, and the full list of dates are there as well. Awesome.
Speaker 2:Of course you know I was the number one ticket holder, bought my ticket on day one, so bought my ticket on day one, so I can see you down the front of the bridgeway. Oh, fantastic, Good on you. You're a legend.
Speaker 1:We've spoken a few times before. What can I ask, stu? I haven't asked you before.
Speaker 2:You've always come up with very good ones.
Speaker 1:I've got 10 quick ones now. Oh, okay, are you game?
Speaker 2:Yep, no worries, I'm game.
Speaker 1:Favourite song of all time.
Speaker 2:Favourite song of all time, all Along Watchtower.
Speaker 1:Favourite recording band of all time.
Speaker 2:Oh, I would probably say the Rolling Stones. Best live band you've ever seen, oh that would be a toss-up between the Stones and perhaps In Excess yeah.
Speaker 1:The most influential artist on your career, oh it would have to be Kiss. Alive or dead. Who would you most like to collaborate with, given the chance?
Speaker 2:Oh well, you know, I'd have to say Jimi Hendrix would have to be in there, definitely yes, what piece of advice have you received that has been invaluable to you? I think just, you know, always strive for the best, whatever you can afford, and in fact that was Tim Ferriss who said that to me. Yeah, yeah, always strive for the best and whatever you can afford, the best money you can afford, yeah.
Speaker 1:From InXS Correct Good advice. Favourite song to perform right now.
Speaker 2:No, I would say Starlight.
Speaker 1:What would you say has been the most challenging thing of your career so far?
Speaker 2:I would say the good question, just the lack of sleep. That's the most challenging thing there is.
Speaker 1:Dealing with sleep deprivation.
Speaker 2:Oh shit, yeah, yeah, crazy.
Speaker 1:And lastly, number 10, a Super Jesus song that you wish more people heard. I won't use the word underrated, but yeah, I know what you're saying.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think some of the early on tracks from Eight Step Rail or perhaps on Sumo, some of the other deeper cuts are quite good. Something like Sink or Honey Ride is a great song.
Speaker 1:Yeah Well that was good. That didn't hurt, did it?
Speaker 2:No, that didn't hurt at all, that was a good one. You are listening to Still Rocking it, the podcast with Cheryl.
Speaker 1:Lee. We're going to play that song now, one that doesn't get enough airplay Honey Rider from the Sumo album. And then we're back to talk to Stewie about his boy band. His carousel with its painted silver shell shines deep.
Speaker 2:You know, I've got the Filthy Animals coming up. Oh, of course, yeah.
Speaker 1:That's at the Clovey, is it?
Speaker 2:Correct? August the 2nd? I think, yeah, that's at the Clovey, is it Correct? August the 2nd? I think, yeah, yeah, august the 2nd. And good players Like great fun to be around One of those bands where you go. You know KJ from the original Dragons, you know you're playing April Sun in Cuba or whatever. He's the guy that was the original recording. Wow, wow, wow, I know. And Rain, you know the song Rain, like he's the drummer and you look across and then there's Dave Leslie from Baby Animals and he wrote all those fantastic songs also. So I'm just sort of like sitting there going, wow, what's a schmuck like me doing here? You know it's great.
Speaker 1:It's like a super group.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's really good fun, really good fun. It's all great classics of songs.
Speaker 1:Who was I talking to the other day? Richard Champion, but he's not coming to Adelaide, though, is he?
Speaker 2:We've got Danny from the Poor and Pete from.
Speaker 1:Oh, Pete Robinson.
Speaker 2:Yes From Electric Mary.
Speaker 1:Electric Mary and Russell Morris.
Speaker 2:That's right, good work.
Speaker 1:I've got tickets to Electric Mary because they're doing their last hurrah.
Speaker 2:They are at the Gov, is that right?
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's soon, isn't it? Yeah, any day now.
Speaker 2:Yeah, so just playing with people, that for me with the animal band, it's just good fun and it's a nice sidestep for me with the Super Jesus sort of thing and then doing something like that for fun as well it's a great Change is as good as a holiday, don't they say? They reckon yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 1:It doesn't sound like you're getting much of a holiday right now. That's it. I hope you can get a bit of sleep before heading back interstate. I'll look forward to seeing you up front at the Bridgeway, possibly at the front at the bridgeway, possibly at the front at clovey as well.
Speaker 2:All the best thank you, I appreciate it. Go have an easy time I will, I will, absolutely definitely.
Speaker 1:All right, thank you bye for now, still rocking the podcast with that radio chick, cheryl lee. Let's have a song from stew's other band, his boy band, his super group, the Filthy Animals Catch them at the Clovey. Here they are with the original drummer of the original Dragon, with Rain You're with Cheryl Lee, that radio chick. Thank you so much for joining me on the Still Rocking it podcast. Hope to catch you again next time. Get out when you can support Aussie music and I'll see you down the front.