After a recent nomination for ‘Best International’ act at the LA Music Critic Awards, blues musician Ash Grunwald is looking to make a new home in the US.
Ash played his first American tour with old friend Xavier Rudd earlier this year, and has decided he'd like to go back for more. “It was my first US tour, and it was really cool,” Ash says. “[The ‘Best International’ act nomination] should help us to get a few other things [in order]. I hope I win the bloody thing. That'd be really great. I'm really hoping to have a career in America now. Thanks to my buddy Xavier Rudd for hooking me up. I'm over the moon about that. We've got a really good booking agent there booking me shows. I think it's going to be really good.”
While Ash has not yet reached the same level of fame as some of his idols, he feels he has already experienced one of the most successful moments of his career. “To some extent I think we just did it, playing the Fillmore in San Francisco. That was the stage where [Jimi] Hendrix stood and wailed away, and that whole hippie movement came through in the ‘60s, and Santana recorded a live album there, Aretha Franklin recorded live... all my heroes played there. It was just amazing.
“To play on that stage felt like 'oh my god, I'm joining in on this with my heroes’. I don't know what's instore for me [when I head back to the US]. I don't know if I'll have any crazy success to the level that they had or anything like that. But the moment you step onto that stage you've joined in. That was extremely special to me, so I don't know if it would get much better than that moment.”
Before he creates plans to make the US his full-time home, Ash will embark on another massive national tour, taking in all corners of the country. “I really want to just continue on this vibe. I'm feeling really thankful about just playing music. Sometimes [with] your music you can get into a rut when you've been doing it for as long as I have, and you might not even realise you're in one until you're out of it.
“I feel like at the moment for myself I've gone back to my organic roots. And even though I may be playing heavier than I used to play or faster than I used to play and all that kind of business... I've still gone back to the organic in terms of getting away from all the computer-based music. That feels really good ... I'm just loving it and I just want to keep playing it and sharing it with my home country.”
For this upcoming tour, Ash will be supported by a music hero of his own, Ian Collard. “I really think he's one of the best harmonica players in the world, and one of the best blues guys I’ve heard. Anyone who's coming to he gig, I hope they come early and see his set, because I think he's amazing.”
After the tour Ash says the focus will be on his next album, which he'd like to record in the States. “It'd be really cool to record it [somewhere like] the Fillmore. It'd be great recording where great music has been recorded before, amazing music that I've listened to all my life.
“That'd be a great next step although not an essential one. But it'd be really cool. But I'm definitely going to write and record a new album and then tour the States, maybe buy a big old bus or something like that and tour around with some family and see what happens.”
Written by Darcy Stephens
Ash Grunwald Tour Dates
Aug 15 Townsville Cultural FestivalAug 16 Springwood Hotel
Aug 17 Blue Mountain Hotel, Harlaxton
Aug 21 The Golden Vine, Bendigo
Aug 22 Chelsea Heights Hotel, Melbourne
Aug 23 Village Green, Melbourne
Aug 27 The Kooroora Hotel, Barjarg
Aug 29 Swindlers Tavern, Hotham Heights
Aug 30 Torquay Hotel, Torquay
Sep 10 BIGSOUND, Brisbane
Sep 11 BIGSOUND, Brisbane
Sep 12, Sound Lounge, Gold Coast
Sep 13 Originals Music Festival, Noosa
Sep 18,Mona Vale Hotel, Sydney
Sep 19 Collector Hotel, Parramatta
Sep 20, The Entrance Leagues, Bateau Bay
Sep 21 Dirty Roots 2 Festival, Wollongong
Sep 26, Bramble Bay Bowls Club, Woody Point
Sep 27 The Gov, Adelaide
Oct 02 The Cambridge, Newcastle
Oct 03 Carmens, Miranda
Oct 04 Great Southern Blues Festival, Narooma
Oct 05 Wildwood at Cassegrains Winery, Port Macquarie
