Rory Faithfield:
journeyman and musician
Rory Faithfield is a Dublin-based yet Australian born and bred singer-songwriter with Celtic songlines in his head and grains of sand between his toes.
Undeterred by school reports - kicked out of singing class at age 6 and the School Band at 14 Rory's journey began with the post-punk Sydney band scene. Inspired by The Saints, Hunters & Collectors, Birthday Party and X he eschewed his middle-class beginnings in his search for something that felt more real.
Like thousands of Australians, that search inevitably led to a one way ticket to London. “Walkabout” lasted 20 years and saw a reinvention in the fertile Dublin music scene. Rory was inspired by the sheer talent of solo artists such as Christy Moore, Luka Bloom and Glen Hansard who held their audiences transfixed.
Rory spent the 90's paying his songwriting and performance dues in the demanding pub circuits of Ireland and Germany. Between cries for the “Irish Rover” and “Whisky in the Jar”, Rory discovered his voice as a solo artist.
1998 saw the UK release of his debut album NOWHERE, SOMEWHERE, ANYWHERE. This was followed in 2002 by BLOOD, BONES & SOUL described by the Irish Times: “his relentlessly upbeat folk-rock courses with positive thinking and vigorous musicality...Faithfield is invigorating and inspiring”. With standout songs SHED MY SKIN and the anthemic RISE ABOVE.
CIRCLE DANCE , a completely solo acoustic album, was released in 2007 yet another step in confidence, energy and strength. "This is beautiful, straightforward storytelling, saturated in Irish folk traditions but with a keen edge born of Faithfield's days as a punk rocker in Sydney. I was reminded of Paul Kelly's more lyrical excursions, which is a high compliment" (WEST AUSTRALIAN)
Rory's fourth album SONGS FOR SOONER, was co-produced with renowned Irish music veteran Gavin Murphy and released in 2010. According to Bruce Elder, "This is a sublime, heart-stoppingly beautiful album" (4 STARS). Anthony O'Grady noted in THE AUSTRALIAN that, "His message is that all shades of experience can be metamorphosed into positivity and individualistic growth...layers of meaning are revealed gradually" (4 STARS).
Rory currently divides his time between Dublin and his home in Vasse on the West Australian coast, not far from famed wine country Margaret River. Until recently, Rory has flown largely under the radar of the music scene. Recent mesmerising festival performances at Port Fairy, Yungaburra, Maldon, Nannup, Tarerer & Lake Bolac are changing things.