At the time of writing this, Splashy Fen is exactly 20 days, 18 hours, 55 minutes and 17 seconds away from kicking off, and we’ve got a double ticket to give away for you and a friend to go enjoy the laid back atmosphere and good vibes that have become synonymous with KZN’s longest running and most popular music festival. To win, simply read the interview we did below with surfer/musician, Xavier Rudd (one of the headline acts at Splashy this year), then get out your phone/mobile device and check out Zag’s latest post on Instagram. @zigzagsurf
Howzit Xavier, so first off what are your thoughts on playing at Splashy Fen this year?
It will be deadly! I’m just super stoked to get back to SA.
We look forward to the show man! When was the first time you played in SA?
I played a few years back, one show in Johburg and one in Kirstenbosch, it was powerful to say the least.
How do you find the experience of performing live here as opposed to back home and other countries around the world?
I didn’t know what to expect the first time and to be honest I was blown away, the people were amazing and the country is full of power.
We hear you also enjoy the ocean and surfing like the rest of us at Zag, tell us a bit about your background as a surfer?
I Grew up at Bells Beach in Aus, so surfed those reefs flat-out for years. I now live on the east coast, which has warmer, sandy little dredgy waves.
Epic, and have you surfed anywhere in SA before? When, where and what was it like?
Yeh I surfed in Cape Town the first time with my mate Paul Daniel, can’t remember exactly where but it was hollow and cold as hell!
That sounds about right! And does your surfing or background as a surfer influence your music much?
I’ve written lots of music over the years in the water, they both create a natural out-of-body experience which is rare and powerful.
Could you please give us a brief background of your career as a musician. Where you grew up? What was the first instrument you got interested in, and how did it progress from there?
I grew up in the bush, south coast vic. I always taught myself to play whatever instrument I could but never stuck with just one. I was always writing songs for as long as I can remember and it becoming a career was like a natural progression. It’s just always been part of me.
Who are some of your strongest influences? Is there anyone in particular that’s helped shape or define your style?
No not really, I’ve always listened to a huge array of music, and loved acoustic slide guitar growing up.
Your song “The Letter” from the album “Food In the Belly” is amazing… what’s the story and meaning behind that song?
Thanks! stoked to hear that. Yeh I like that song too, it’s a bit hard to explain it here but it just relates to the lessons of life and our consciousness going forward on our journeys.
