After more than 25 years of carrying songs around in his head, Tamborine Mountain artist Russell ‘Rusty’ Smith has released his first album, Brolga with his band by the same name.
“I’m so excited to have an album out. It’s my lifetime of work; it’s my story with my band Brolga,” he said.
Brolga brings together a talented collective of musicians including Dave Mudie, Lee ‘Sonnyboy’ Morgan, Matty Vehl, Phil Cebrano, Georgia Anger and Bones Sloane.
Russell described the band’s sound as the new ancient of Australia, weaving together a rich tapestry of rock, blues influences, Didgeridoo and stories.
Although shying away from political views, Russell admited he prefers his music to speak.
“It’s how I see every day Australia; my perception of who I was as a kid growing up and I was looking at how the world was turning,” he explained.
Russell is also releasing a separate EP called Trilogy, which includes three songs in one: First Nations, Ghost of White Australia and Black Rain, exploring the history of Aboriginal people and Australia.
Thanks to the work of his wife, Anthea Edmunds, securing a recording grant from Creative Australia, the band were able to record the album at the Recording Room at Burleigh Heads.
“It was during COVID,” Pitjantjatjara man, Russell recalled. “I used to sneak down from the mountain and go to the Recording Room Studio.”
Russell’s remarkable career has seen him collaborate with legendary artists including Rodriguez, Paul Kelly, Archie Roach and Amy Shark, but it was from very humble beginnings at pubs in Melbourne cutting their teeth as an indie band that Brolga began.
“I remember when we started as a band in 1996, just three of us, Dave Mudie, who was the original drummer and Ben James, the Bass player, and we played to three people.
“We were very young and thought we were great, but we weren’t. Over time we found our rhythm and learnt how to write songs.
“Twenty-five years later we finally have an album out.”
Tamborine Mountain residents were treated to a live performance from Brolga on Saturday August 9 at The Knoll Studio alongside other homegrown artists, Blind Corners and Arianna.
“I’m very excited to bring the band here. I’ve made Tamborine Mountain my home and now I can showcase the band. The boys are very keen to come up too. The last time they were here we were playing with Paul Kelly at Rockin in the Rainforest,” Russell said.
Brolga can be streamed through believe streaming, a service which Russell said allows them to remain independent and join their stable of First Nations Artists including the hip hop band 3%, Chasing Ghosts.
And he added he’s not done yet: “I’ve still got another album to write and stories to tell.”
