He had coffee. I had tea.
It looked like an ordinary scene but, in fact, it was extraordinary.
It was the day, a few years ago, when Newcastle Live sat down in a cafe by Newcastle Harbour to talk with a musician who has achieved some enviable milestones in Australian music.
Mike Rudd is a softly spoken man. For one who has etched his place firmly in the pantheon of the nation’s rock heritage, his humility is refreshing.
Landing here from New Zealand in 1966 with his band Chants R&B, it wasn’t long before Rudd was mixing with the likes of Daddy Cool’s Ross Wilson, later forming a band with him with the very groovy name Sons of The Vegetal Mother.
It was in 1971 that Rudd released a song that defined the counter-culture in Australia at the time. ‘I’ll Be Gone’ became a generational anthem. It hit #1 on the Australian national chart and stayed in there for 20 weeks. It was accompanied by one of the first music videos ever produced in this country. It was directed by Chris Lofven, who also directed Daddy Cool’s iconic ‘Eagle Rock’ video. The visual of a young hippie Rudd wandering along a country road remains iconic.
In December of that year, Rudd, with his band Spectrum, released not only the first double album by an Australian rock band but also one of the most influential. Milesago is regarded as true Australian classic, a progressive rock album that broke down genres and barriers, abandoning the 3-minute radio-friendly format for songs that are complex and experimental. Rudd delighted in music that intrigued and lyrics that, at the time, shocked.
“There are the odd jarring moments on the album when I occasionally overstep the mark lyrically, (‘A Fate Worse Than Death’ for instance), but overall Milesago is a joyful exploration of what is possible when a band finds itself in a studio with limitless horizons aided and abetted by an enthusiastic and committed production team.”
On one tour with Daddy Cool, Rudd noticed that his audience sat cross-legged and listened intently while Daddy Cool had the crowd up dancing. So, he reversed Spectrum’s name to The Indelible Murtceps and created a second outfit to play more accessible songs. The legacy of Spectrum and Murtceps is captured across a suite of albums that influenced many a musician seeking to expand their musical direction in the heady ‘70s.
One Murtceps’ track that remains vividly memorable today is ‘Esmeralda’, a song about a prostitute who was arrested and due to face court. On the fateful day, she enters the courtroom to face the judge, only to discover that the man who will determine her fate is one of her clients. It is a tale that jolts and surprises.
Later in the decade, he formed the legendary Ariel, releasing three albums: the mercurial A Strange Fantastic Dream, Rock & Roll Scars and Goodnight Fiona.
Then, when all the glam and synths of the ‘80s came around, Rudd adapted. He formed Mike Rudd & The Heaters and released the album The Unrealist to much acclaim.
Rudd’s sardonic wit famously plays out in his lyrics and his body of work spans from simple pop to some of the most adventurous prog rock imaginable. ‘I’ll Be Gone’, his anthem for the youth of the ‘70s, celebrating love over materialism while living in the shadow of the Vietnam War, is regarded as one of the most defining and significant songs of the era.
In May of this year, a Mike Rudd documentary, Someday I’ll Have Money, premiered in Melbourne before being released on YouTube. The 40-minute film focuses on the history of ‘I’ll Be Gone ’, and its enduring impact on Australia’s music culture.
To some, Mike Rudd is a richly talented songwriter, musician, and singer. To others, he is a legend, a god. Spectrum’s courage to explore diverse musical paths allowed others to do the same, breaking the back of the 12-bar boogie that was dominant at the time and inspiring others to broaden Australia’s musical palette. Rudd’s influence on Australian music is extraordinary.
As was the cup of tea (and coffee) and the chat.
This October, you can take the journey too. A night of timeless songs and unforgettable classics. Mike Rudd and the Milesago Band play Flamingos Live on Saturday, 24 October. Tickets are on sale now via flamingos.live.
