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Brace yourself, music lovers – The Superjesus are back and they're louder than ever! The Adelaide rock legends and songwriters return with their first album in 20 years, packed with anthems and raw energy. Still masters of killer hooks and gritty songwriting, they’re hitting the road for a national tour, with Avalon RSL locked in as a must-see stop. We sat down with guitarist Stuart Rudd to hear what life is like.
Do you consider yourselves a typical rock band? Tell us something that would surprise us about you.
I wouldn’t say we’re a typical rock band. We’ve been labelled everything – Alternative, Pop Rock, Shoegaze – so yeah, why not just call us a Rock band? I mean, it’s what we do, right? Something surprising… we’re actually living in different states!
We imagine your journey was a colourful one. Tell us a funny story from your adventures as The Superjesus.
We’ve spent so many years on the road that it all becomes a blur, but there are definitely stories! Like the time Sarah McLeod’s bathers (swimming costume) got caught in the back of our touring van in the USA, right in the middle of summer in Death Valley, ultimately breaking our air-conditioning. Worried we’d all flip out, no one said a word as we slowly started to melt. FYI, it was 48°C at 1am. I laughed… others didn’t!
Nothing beats a live band. Do you think musical instruments will ever be fully replaced by electronic sound? How do you feel about the evolution of music, and who are you listening to right now?
Good question. I seriously believe the more advanced things go in music or with musicians, the greater the need to have live music. So no, I don’t think we will ever be replaced. I trust people’s choice of music to be seen and heard live. I’m comfortable with the evolution of music, but it’s being produced at a crazy rate. It’s hard to keep up, especially with so many artists on social media, good and bad. I’m listening to Dear Seattle, Big League, Shihad and Johnny Marr, to name a few.
You’ve been together for 30 years now. What’s something about the music industry you wish more people knew, but don’t always talk about?
We have been making music for quite some time now, and I don’t think the general public realises just how much work goes on behind the scenes. Making an album is a team effort, and it’s incredibly important to get the right team, but at the end of the day, the band gets the kudos.
When it comes to connecting with or meeting your fans, what’s one moment that's really stuck with you?
Connecting with fans and music enthusiasts is always important because ultimately, they’re the ones supporting your music. I remember a young person once telling us that our music helped them overcome bullying. That, to me, shows how powerful music can be. It’s amazing!
You've made a lot of your fans very happy by reforming. What was it like jumping back on stage together?
In 2010, Sarah McLeod and I had breakfast in Adelaide after a couple of years in the wilderness of life. We talked about the possibility of reforming the band for a ‘one-off’ show in Adelaide, and by 2013, the planets had aligned. I remember the night like it was yesterday. We were all excited and couldn’t believe the anticipation. It was totally exciting, almost like we had never stopped.
What are you all doing now when you’re not rocking out in the studio and on tour?
When we're not rocking out, we are rocking out somewhere else. Individually, we all have projects and keep our lives busy within the music world. And we know that’s a very fortunate place to be. But keeping up with McLeod is nearly impossible – she works like a Trojan! She's always up to something. I keep telling her she needs a whiteboard. Ha!
