One of the meanings of the name Russell is ‘fox’ but with his recent album proudly depicting a portrait of the Tasmanian tiger and his love for the Richmond football team it would seem ‘tiger’ is the more appropriate animal symbol.
Russell Morris is a regular visitor to Tasmania, in fact as we chat he tells me this year he has supported Suzy Quatro and Boz Scaggs on their Tasmania tour as well as taking part in the APIA tour with fellow artists Joe Camilleri, Richard Clapton and Leo Sayer.
Not only does Russell regularly visit Tasmania but he also has made an album inspired by Tasmania’s convict past called ’Van Diemen’s Land’. Listening to the album you can hear Russell’s musical influence ranges from rock and roll to roots and blues.
Russell talks about how the stigma attached to having a convict in the family has now turned to an actual desire to have a convict in one’s family’s past.
Of course the situation these convicts endured on their way to Tasmania is also explored in the songs. Russell talks about the hell hole that was Van Diemens Land and the ‘brutal’ 6 month journey from England as well as the not so friendly welcome of the native snakes and spiders.
Russell says these early convicts who were often convicted of petty crimes went on to become the backbone of Australia.
Russell recounts to me that once when he and his friend, guitarist and Tasmania Tony Naylor were on tour and perusing book stores, (one of Russell’s great loves is reading historical tomes) Tony was delighted at finding his great, great grandmother’s listing as a convict in the book ‘whores strumpets and bad women of Tasmania’.
Russell chose the wonderful illustration of the Tasmanian tiger that adorns the cover of his album.
Russell is also a big admirer of another Tassie tiger in Richmond player Matthew Richardson and believes that Richmond should have made use of their tiger symbol to be the
Tasmanian’ football team.
Russell’s album is a real treat, with many friends like Rick Springfield, Rob Hirst, Joe Robinson, Phil Manning, Ross Hannaford, Joe Camilleri ,Vika and Linda Bull coming together on’ Van Diemen’s Land’, which is out now.
Paula Xiberras
