Armed with a trusty six string, a strapping vocal and an audacious allure, Rob Sawyer’s music unites acoustic genius, punk filth, and deep-seeded reggae. The songs are at once eclectic, haphazard and captivating, drawing on inspiration of adventure so far. They unwind tales from the road, the bike, water, sunshine, possibility, love, loss, and discovery. Moments of aggression excite dancing devotees and radicals yet elements of tranquility balance Sawyer’s ability to conquer a room to pin-drop silence, to enthrall and stun an audience.
Melbourne adventure-muso Rob Sawyer has seen a relentless endeavor so far. Sawyer arrived on the scene at the age of 17 as a young, mop haired, barefoot, acoustic guitar-shredding dude. Few things have changed. At 25, he’s had a haircut, sometimes wears shoes and tends to shred on the guitar even more. Sawyer’s voice evolved strong and compelling to deliver a unique musical one-two combination.
Sawyer’s tour schedule would scare the bejesus out of the most hardened musical zealot. He picked up the guitar at the age of 14, and just three short years later he won the Frankston International Young Guitarist of the year award after, having just turned 17, the first of a slew of awards and accolades as he was often crowned Young Performer of the Year. A word of mouth groundswell grew after larger festival performances such as The Falls Festival, Apollo Bay Music Festival, Pyramid Rock Festival, and Port Fairy Folk Festival, Queenscliff Music Festival, Adelaide International Guitar Fest, Blues at Bridgetown, and Folk Rhythm and Life. Sawyer has toured extensively in Australia headlining, and built a strong fan bass further afield, touring solo and with his band in France, Holland, Belgium, United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Portugal. He’s supported many a high profile act including Willie Nelson, Al Green, John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival), Chris Isaak, Chickefoot (Van Halen, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Joe Satriani), Donavon Frankenreiter, Jeff Martin, The Cranberries, Jeff Lang, Ash Grunwald, and Lior to name a few.
Early 2008 Rob fulfilled an ambition. He rode Australia, East coast to West - a musical tour by bicycle - Known as the “On Ya Bike Tour.” Sawyer loaded up the back of the bike with guitar, tent, and tasty provisions to ride the 4600kms from Melbourne VIC, across the to Perth WA. Performing shows in towns and cities along the way and crossing the Nullarbor Plane during a heat wave to experience intensity and fatigue. This journey showed much inspiration, and education, and won’t be forgotten.
A home studio was built, and over a few months of s`poradic sessions, Rob’s first full-length album came in 2006 – sTUFF. Released through independently owned label Treehouse Records, the album introduced the unforeseen explosive elements Sawyer’s band, and at the same time captures the radiance of Rob’s solo acoustic works of art.
Early 2010 Rob was joined by long time mate Simo McMahon (Bass Guitar) and brand spanker, Anthony Murray (Drums) to record his second album, “Lose Discover.” Due to be released early 2011 the album is a raw and gritty heavy progression, with a clear record of Sawyers tasty acoustic novelty. Sawyer offers a narration of a somewhat lost highway he has traveled in the past years. Personal desires for the absent, questions of identity and love, motivation and bad habit, loss and discovery.
Sawyer and the lads just returned home to Australia from a 4-month European Band onslaught. Living out of their ratty tour van, the boys managed to cover16, 000kms of the continent, and experienced a number of radical circumstances their “trusty” tour van coughed up along the way. First it was busted into and robbed at the beginning of the run, then fell on Rob’s foot during a home mechanics reparation session, and at the tail end of the tour they suffered carbon monoxide poisoning, before dumping their 4-wheeled friend in south west France because the engine decided to retire.
On a positive note, this year the Rob Sawyer Band were a part of the French Hossegor Quiksilver Surf Pro, the Lacanau Pro, and Belgium’s Dranouter Folk Festival. Rob opened for Willie Nelson, and Al Green at Paris’s prestigious Olympia Stadium, and also for Chris Issak in Brussels, and The Cranberries in Nice. The Sawyer Band shape “talk of the town” wherever they roll. With crazy new drummer Anthony Murray now on board, throwing out some off the cuff percussive brilliance, and long-time bass player Simo McMahon laying down the law, the band is now at home. Rob and his mates flaunt an unforgettable display of musicianship, friendship, and good-times, ensuring all who witness leave with a grin from ear to ear.