Bud Rokesky talks Dusk, ghosts, growth, and why leaving things a little rough around the edges matters more than getting them perfect.
Between long days on the tools, voice memo songwriting and a steady run of touring, Bud Rokesky has been quietly building one of the more compelling alt–country catalogues in the country right now.
His second album Dusk picks up where 2023’s Outsider left off, but thats where the similarity ends. Written in a tight window and recorded quickly on the Sunshine Coast, the record leans into something looser and more instinctive — flaws left in, edges intact, and a clear push away from over-polished everything.
Across 14 tracks, Dusk circles the idea of endings – relationships, places, versions of yourself – without turning it into a concept piece. It’s more like a thread that reveals itself as the songs unfold, moving from stripped-back country into something broader, pulling in piano, synths and even a darker, post-punk edge by the time it reaches ‘Dark Night’.
With the album out and a run of shows kicking off in May, Rokesky is heading back on the road with a more pared-back live setup, keeping things close and story-driven.
We caught up with him in the middle of it all.
HAPPY: What are you up to today?
BUD ROKESKY: Just working, driving the truck, maybe thinking about setlist ideas for my upcoming shows.
HAPPY: Tell us a little bit about where you live, what do you love about it?
BUD ROKESKY: I live on the Northern Bayside of Brisbane. It’s actually the town I was born in so there’s a lot of memories. And since my daughters were all born here too, memories continue to be made. It’s a cute little place that somehow avoids the busyness of modern Brisbane.
HAPPY: Dusk seems to explore endings in many forms – relationships, life, environment, even the lives of fictional characters. What inspired you to tackle such a wide-ranging theme for this album?
BUD ROKESKY: To be honest it’s not something I decided to do. It was only after recording and listening back to the tracks that I realised the theme had been there the whole time.
All the songs were written around the same time so I guess it’s no surprise they have a commonality.
HAPPY: How did your songwriting approach differ on Dusk compared to your debut, Outsider? Were there any new rituals, techniques, or collaborators that shaped the record?
BUD ROKESKY: I don’t think it did- each song came from real experiences or thoughts, usually while working, and they all started out as voice memos.
The only difference between the songs would be that some were finished quicker than others. I also wrote a couple with my good friend Alex Henriksson who similarly co-wrote a couple on Outsider as well.
I would say Outsider has a lot more love in it where Dusk has loss… but loss indicates there was, or still is, love present.
HAPPY: You describe 45 as “equal parts resignation and dare.” Can you unpack that a little more for fans – what does the song mean to you personally?
BUD ROKESKY: It’s a little tricky to explain, and just as tricky to feel sometimes. It’s like how you see the world change around you and your place in it, and you have to adapt or be left out of all you were working for.
So you can fight change and “lose”, or surrender and “win”- either way you’re going to experience a lot of everything that comes with that choice.
But very rarely do you see someone fight change and win, so that everything remains the same. Feeling ok with “settling” and “winning” sometimes doesn’t feel as good as fighting and “losing”.
HAPPY: You mention both literal and metaphorical ghosts on Dusk. Please explain the literal – we are obsessed with apparitions of all kinds.
BUD ROKESKY: By ghosts I simply mean those who have passed and the spirits that walk alongside us or that we carry with us everyday. It can be as little as a memory or as deep as a complicated coincidence.
HAPPY: This will be your first headline tour since Outsider. How are you approaching performing the new songs live, and are there surprises fans can expect on stage?
BUD ROKESKY: We’re keeping it very low key again. Just myself and my good friend Craig Ross, mostly acoustic, focussing on the stories and connection and closeness with the audience.
As little separation as possible is the goal while still making sure everyone can see and hear the show. As for surprises, there could be a guest player here or there.
HAPPY: The album touches on bittersweet personal growth. In writing and performing Dusk, did you learn anything new about yourself as an artist or a person?
BUD ROKESKY: Gosh, so much. Too much! It’s been a journey and a half. It can be difficult when you use songwriting to make sense of something.
Because if you do happen to answer the question you started with, it can be difficult to get back to that place when singing or performing the songs.
It’s still a huge relief to “solve” big questions or concerns that you’ve carried for so long though, and it’s one of the best parts of songwriting when you do.
HAPPY: You released an intimate version of ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart’. What drew you to that song, and how did you make it your own?
BUD ROKESKY: I remember the first time I heard it, I stopped what I was doing and just stood there. It floored me, like in the days before you could look something up on the internet, and you would hear a bit of a song once and have to carry that melody around, hoping to hear it again one day- only I’m sure I hadn’t heard it before.
I’ve loved it since, especially the contrast between the story and the feel, so I thought I’d lean into the story and pull more from what it’s saying rather than the vibe or melody.
HAPPY: What makes you happy?
BUD ROKESKY: My family. Nature at peace. Humans at peace.
BUD ROKESKY AUSTRALIAN TOUR
Tickets are on sale now HERE
Friday 1 May – Bootleggers, Sydney NSW *
Saturday 2 May – Meatstock Fest, Sydney NSW
Sunday 3 May – Full Throttle Ranch, Buttai Valley NSW
Friday 8 May – Shotkickers, Melbourne VIC ^
Saturday 9 May – Shiraz Republic, Cornella VIC
Sunday 10 May – Royal Mail Hotel, Birregurra VIC
Friday 22 May – Junk Bar, Brisbane QLD #
* with supports from Lady Lyon & CJ Stranger
^ with supports from Rupert Bullard & Bad Traffic
# with supports from Hayley Marsten & Jarith Hughes
