Violent Femmes member to become Aussie
A member of legendary alternative rock band the Violent Femmes will become a citizen on Australia Day.
Formerly the bass player with the legendary American alternative rock band, whose most famous song is college anthem Blister in the Sun, Ritchie will pledge his commitment to the nation at an Australia Day ceremony in Hobart.
The 51-year-old has lived in the Tasmanian capital since 2008 with his wife Dr Varuni Kulasekera, an entomologist.
As well as pursuing various musical projects since the demise of the Femmes in 2009, Ritchie curates Tasmania’s international Mona Foma (MoFo) arts festival.
The former folk-punk icon can also be found playing his shakuhachi flute, a bamboo instrument from Japan, in the Chado teahouse he and Dr Kulasekera own in Hobart.
‘After five years here, I just want to become a citizen as quickly as possible,’ he said.
‘I love Australia and want to make that commitment.
‘To celebrate, we will be drinking champagne with my mother-in-law, who recently became an Australian permanent resident.’
Ritchie’s recent musical projects have included a band called The Break with Australian rock legends Rob Hirst, Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey from Midnight Oil.
He launched legal action against Femmes member Gordon Gano in 2007 after the frontman granted Blister in the Sun to be used in an advertisement for Wendy’s Hamburgers.
But that did not stop him forming a supergroup at MoFo this month to play songs by the legendary Milwaukee group with members of the Dresden Dolls and PJ Harvey’s band.
Seventeen citizenship ceremonies will take place in Tasmania on Australia Day.
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Submited at Thursday, January 26th, 2012 at 7:00 pm on Music by fenny
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