Rhyece O’Neill is a songwriter poet & novelist born on Kurnai country in South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. He grew up on the banks of the Murray River on Yorta Yorta country in North-East Victoria. Currently he roams the Australian outback in a 79′ Valiant with his best mate the ‘Black Crow Kelpie’ Sonny.
A prolific writer he occasionally writes for the underground Brisbane punk zine, The Stew. O’Neill has played pubs, festivals and bars in the outback and cities all over Australia and Europe. 2019 saw the release of his third solo album ‘Los Diablos’ which was recorded live to tape in Bohemia, Czech Republic with legendary engineer Milan Cimfe who’s work credits extend to Bowie, Lou Reed and Kris Kristofferson.
In early 2020 upon receiving a vision in the Mullundung hills in Gippsland O’Neill packed his life in his car and headed out of his native Victoria to escape the lockdown. Since then he has traversed the entire east coast of Australia from his home in South Gippsland to the windy shores of Cooktown in far North Queensland. Upon returning to Brisbane he formed a new band as his band mates were stranded in Melbourne.
With this new Queensland based outfit he has since recorded a new double album called (Not) Stranded.
A raw, visceral and violent blues lament recorded live at studio Moon Room in Brisbane. On the desk was long time collaborator and renowned Australian engineer Nell Forster, he has also collaborated with songwriter & producer J.B. Paterson on an album of rebel songs about Indigenous Busharangers called Journey To Bunya. He is currently writing songs for an album with Colorado songwriter George Cessna.