Last year was a productive year for Richie Lewis, branching out from Tumbleweed, the band he formed and has fronted for the past 30 years, to record hist first album under the name Richie Weed. To kick off 2024, he delivers the first taste of the recordings with the new single ‘Pure Evil’ released today.
Throughout the nineties Tumbleweed achieved considerable success, recording five studio albums, as well as touring nationally and internationally with some of the biggest names in the business. While the band continue to write, record and perform, Richie spent a large chunk of last year concentrating on solo endeavours, curating a captivating show titled “Spirit Songs and Stories”, weaving tales along with reinterpreting songs and melodies that span his extensive career that draws from Tumbleweed, Hot Rollers, Richie and the Creeps, as well songs from the forthcoming Richie Weed album.
The album which will be released in the middle of the year showcases his evolution as a singer and songwriter. While the project takes on the Richie Weed moniker, it was far from a solo effort in the studio. Recorded and mixed by Jez Player (The Pinheads) in his famed Shed studio at Stanwell Park, Richie recruited Natalie De Silver (The Dandylion) to play guitar, organ and flute, his Tumbleweed band mate Steve O Brien to play the drums, long time live music collaborator Matt Houston on bass and Luke Spook (The Pinheads/Tropical Strength) to play mellotron and lap steel.
The first taste of the album is “Pure Evil”, a tune that shows a new but also familiar musical direction from Richie, and the studio band will be joining him on the stage to launch it with three shows.
“This is a chance for me to introduce people to my new songs, tell a few tales as well as reinterpret some old favourites in a weird and interesting way” states Lewis.
