BIO – Richard Lawson Music

Richard Lawson is a three-time ARIA-nominated Australian multi-instrumentalist, composer, and producer whose career spans five decades. He initially rose to fame as the energetic punk rock drummer for the legendary Australian band The Lime Spiders, but has since transitioned into an incredibly diverse solo artist and collaborator. Based on the South Coast of New South Wales, Lawson plays over 100 solo and festival gigs annually and has released more than 25 full-length recordings.

The Lime Spiders Era: As the drummer for this prominent 1980s Australian punk rock group, Lawson made history when their hit “Weirdo Libido” became the very first music video ever broadcast on ABC TV’s iconic program RAGE. Signed to Virgin Records, the band achieved a #1 spot on the U.S. college charts and toured internationally with legendary acts like Iggy Pop, The Ramones, Blondie, and The Cult.

Solo and Eclectic Projects: After his departure from the Lime Spiders in 1992, Lawson expanded his horizon far beyond punk. He has recorded 16 albums across genres ranging from electronica, synth-pop, folk, and soundtracks to ambient music. He also directs Kings of Congo Congo, a regional percussion ensemble composed of his top students and fellow drummers

Classical Transitions: In recent years, Lawson has exploded into the classical music scene. He composed a critically praised string song cycle titled How to Read a City, Your Place of Last Resort, recorded in collaboration alongside Australia’s acclaimed Acacia Quartet and cross disciplinary artist Elizabeth Walton.

Recent Bands: He recently formed a reggae-tinged rock combo on the Far South Coast of NSW featuring seasoned guitarist Davey Hilder and former Sydney Dance Company principal dancer Kip Gamblin.

RICHARD LAWSON EXPANDED
As an ARIA-nominated, chart-topping punk rock drummer for The Lime Spiders, Richard’s legacy in Australian music history was cemented as the first drummer to appear on RAGE ABC TV. His music has evolved over a career spanning five decades through multiple instruments, bands, and genres.
As an inner-city band promoter/manager for The Scientists and an early version of the Cruel Sea, he left management behind when the Lime Spiders were signed to Virgin Records in 1987. Their international tours featured supporting Blondie, Iggy Pop, Johnny Rotten, The Ramones, and The Cult. They topped the American Independent charts, played Universal Amphitheatre, the Hammersmith Odeon, and smacked it out to 10,000 at Roskilde Denmark. Their hit Slave Girl was used as a soundtrack to epitomize an era in the ABC production Paper Tigers and covered by the Goo Goo Dolls.
Richard’s first solo release in 1994, Figtree Renaissance, garnered acclaim from Rolling Stone magazine, with classical, ambient, and electronic music influenced by Philip Glass, Kraftwerk, Vivaldi, and the Penguin Café Orchestra. As an autodidact performer and composer, he has a back catalogue of 200 works ranging from punk to classical and is interested in organic traditional classical ensemble work. With over 2,000 performances and 25 full length recordings Richard is a a multi-instrumentalist, recording percussion, guitars, mandolin, keyboards, collaborating with an eclectic array of Australian talent from Caitlin Hartnett to Acacia Quartet as well as emerging talent. He is an accomplished tenor, baritone and counter tenor and has tutored 300 music students.
In 2014 he received an Australia Day Award for services to music and community. Richard single handedly revived the acclaimed Gulgong Music Festival from 2010-2015 featuring over 80 Australian acts.
He performs over 100 shows a year in various line ups from solo to ‘Kings’, drumming at festivals, playing with Honey and other ensembles. In 2023 CreateNSW funded his collaboration with Acacia String Quartet, who recorded his song cycle, ‘How to Read A City’ based on the works of Australian writer/musician Elizabeth Walton, due for release in May 2025.
This work has generated interest from Screen Tasmania and was featured on ABC Limelights Art Music Playlist for January 2025.

‘Australian musical journeyman Richard Lawson has made a stop at every creative station it seems. His transcendence through the gambit of popular genres is to be acknowledged and he is an unassuming Australian music legend. All the way from 70’s Rock/Punk with the Lime Spiders through to Folk, across to Electronica then back around to Ambient/Classical, Richard’s made his mark.’ Shane Budini, Electronic Music Australia September 2022

More tour dates, details and contact

richardlawsonmusic@gmail.com 0447036783

richardlawsonmusic.com

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Highlights of touring career with the Lime Spiders [1983 – 2007] and solo career includes, ARIA nominations – topping the independent charts in the USA as well as attaining Top 40 in Australia 3 times, during which time they recorded 4 albums.
European tour: 42 venues, sold out – audience capacity up to 10,000 at the famed Roskilde Festival –
USA tour (twice): 65 venues, sold out – Supporting Iggy Pop and PIL – Performed at MTV awards USA (most exciting new band) – NUMBER ONE US Independent charts – Music for ‘Young Einstein’ and ‘Paper Giants’ – . Numerous – ABC TV Countdown live performances AND the first band to ever play on RAGE.
Australia Day award 2014 for services to music and community for his work as Director Gulgong Folk Festival 2010 – 2015. He personally picked Daniel Champagne’s earliest festival performances, Melanie Horsnell, Imogen Clarke, Fanny Lumsden, Caitlin Harnett, Emma Swift, 19-Twenty, Sophie Hutchings amongst others- Director Mudgee Music Festival 2016 and numerous radio programs.
Current Projects: -10 solo LPs and 6 EPs in 12 years – soundtrack work, regular performances at festivals, venues nationally and on radio. Leader ‘Kings of Congo Congo’ – an explosive percussion ensemble and festival favourite made up of student. Mentor to emerging talent and private music teacher having taught over 300 students from 2003 – 2022 as well as Bushfire recovery teaching after Blac

Currently lives on the South Coast of NSW Australia performing regularly and writing and recording constantly with his musician/writer partner Elizabeth Walton.