Rich Davies - Devil's Union bandleader talks growing up grunge, misdiagnosis, love, life philosophies, and the redemption of living to record your album

Rich Davies. It’s amazing he’s alive, let alone so light-hearted and happy to spin a yarn. As a child, Rich ran around the bars and music halls of Fife, Scotland, taking in the musical lifestyle of his roving folk-musician father. He rebelled against the raver culture of 90s Scotland, and fell in love with the guitar. In Melbourne, his life turned dark and everything began to fall apart. In this show, he takes us to the bottom of that well and then explains how he managed to lift himself out and become one of Melbourne’s standout performers as the front man of The Devil’s Union and Spun Rivals.

I was nervous about the first show, and I was pacing up and down the band-room of Some Velvet Morning. Rich blew in an hour early – punctuality is the politeness of princes – and as soon as he started talking, I knew the show was going to be a hit. His accent is rich and his honesty easy. Halfway through he took a deep breath, looked me in the eye, and said “are we going to open up that story, then? …There’s some things I haven’t told anybody.” I barely breathed for the next 30 minutes – rapt, and also trying not to ruin the moment with a ridiculous joke, which is my usual response to just about any stimulus.

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Once you’ve listened to the podcast, I’m sure you’ll want some more Rich in your life. Watch this video, go to this Facebook page, or the official Devil’s Union website.

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WLBTR