Rich Webb gets it Right
Photo Credit Ian Laidlaw
Melbourne singer-songwriter Rich Webb’s latest track ‘Blue Wildflowers’, is our third peek into Rich’s upcoming fifth full-length album RIGHT! which is released today. An album Rich is very proud of and rightly so with it’s “eclectic bunch of nine alt-country hits, sung and played brilliantly and produced to perfection”. So while Rich is preparing for his special album launch show to celebrate all things RIGHT! at the Union Hotel in Brunswick this Saturday we took the opportunity to to ask Rich about what ‘Blue Wildflowers’ means to him, the new album and what he has planned for 2023.
Rich, you have just released your new track, Blue Wildflowers, tell us about the song, and what does it mean to you?
Hi Michelle, the song came about from thinking about a few situations in the past and how I maybe could have acted a bit differently. It’s a little introspective, I suppose, or was initially anyway. Blue Wildflowers is essentially an apology to a lovely person for some of the things I didn’t do, or didn’t appreciate as fully as I should have done at the time. We all get older and hopefully wiser yeah, and I hope I’m a better person now than I was. I don’t think anyone is perfect and that was the point of writing the song too. You don’t achieve anything by beating yourself up about what you did - but you can think about it and maybe learn so you are more protective about the things that are actually important. It’s also about appreciating what you have now rather than always searching of something more. All of this makes this song sound like it’s a bit intense! It isn’t. Don’t let this put you off. I’m pretty proud of the song - it’s quality and a good listen regardless of whether you know this stuff or not.
Did the song go through any stages before it became the track we can listen to today?
Not really. There’s an initial demo of me playing it through from start to finish. Rod Berglund added some lovely lead guitar at the start of the track and it was then a case of getting the pace just right, which drummer Jim Carden delivered. Phil Wakeman added some lovely slide over the choruses and bridge too which took it to another level. But it came out relatively fully formed which is nice.
“It felt like we’d captured something, so we let it lead the way from there. ”
‘Blue Wildflowers’ is the lead track for your new album ‘Right’, what made you decide to make this the entry point for listeners?
It was the track the rest of the album was based around. We were lucky enough to have a crack at it on the first day of recording too and it got the whole session away on a good foot. It felt like we’d captured something, so we let it lead the way from there.
What was the inspiration for the accompanying music video for ‘Blue Flowers’ Who came up with the concept for the video?
The video was super fun. I’ve worked with the editor Matthew Lawes-Wickwar and cinematographer Louis C Brandt on plenty of videos before - they are good mates and a fabulous team. Matthew did the brilliant animation for ‘Love Someone’ . He came up with the idea for this one, and it was to simply capture a real-life road trip, celebrating the beauty of country Victoria. Louis filmed whatever he fancied along the way. He jumped in a hire car with me and a load of camera equipment, and my partner Emma and our two boys jumped in our car and we set off with a very loose plan. It ended up being the most amazing trip and a hell of a lot of fun. Louis captured some absolutely stunning images, and it was an absolute pleasure to get out of town. Everyone we met along the way was so positive and upbeat. We came back full of that positivity and just pleased we’d got out there for three days - it’s such a wonderfully beautiful and intense country we live in.
Were there any special moments for you during the making of it?
There were two insane highlights - Lake Tyrrell at dawn, an inland salt lake in the Mallee part of north-west Victoria, which was cosmically beautiful - that’s where the surreal pink-tinged footage came from in the middle of the clip … it was quite an amazing experience… and The Victoria Hotel in Dimboola, which was a totally rad place to stay - that’s where the back end of the video was shot. Maybe a third was just how beautiful it is out there everywhere we went. You couldn’t miss whichever road you took.
The new album, ‘Right’ is out soon what can fans expect from the LP?
An eclectic bunch of nine alt-country hits, sung and played brilliantly and produced to perfection. Have a listen and tell me if it’s otherwise!
“It’s been a busy year one way or another and in a great way too, and I reckon 2023 is going to be even bigger”
There is an album launch planned for the 10th of December at the Union Hotel in Brunswick, are you planning on doing a full tour to showcase the album live for fans around the country?
That’s for next year. It’s been a busy year one way or another and in a great way too, and I reckon 2023 is going to be even bigger. Can’t wait to take this record around the country.
Is ‘Right’ a continuation or an evolution of your previous album ‘Le Rayon Vert’?
Good question, I’m not sure. Both albums reflect where we were at the time they were made. The world moved on a bit in the four years from 2018 to this year, and so did our approach to making music. The songs this time were maybe a little more introspective, but hang onto your hats, fasten your seat belts - they are not staying there. I’ve been in touch with the helicopter crew that filmed Slash’s guitar solo on November Rain - they know what’s coming...
“Blue Wildflowers, as it’s about as personal as it gets”
Do you have a favourite track from the album or one that is particularly special to you?
Maybe Blue Wildflowers, as it’s about as personal as it gets. I was pretty pleased we managed to pull it off without losing everyone along the way. It was also a song I’ve been trying to write for a while.
Did the album turn out how you anticipated or were there surprise additions or outcomes that you hadn’t planned on?
Ha! It turned out better and that was a surprise in itself. I thought Rohan did an amazing job recording, mixing and producing the whole thing, so hats off to him in particular. Everyone who contributed did so brilliantly and graciously - thank you all.
What’s in the pipeline for Rich Webb in 2023?
2022 on supercharge by the looks. I also want to get back overseas again soon too. I’ve got some good mates in Germany and maybe, just maybe, we can get it together and take these songs for a spin down the autobahn too.
Album Launch at the Union Hotel in Brunswick on Saturday December 10.
Interview by Michelle Symes
December 2022
