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Dirty Three

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Dirty Three is an Australian instrumental rock band, formed in 1992 in Melbourne by Warren Ellis on violin, Mick Turner on electric guitar and Jim White on drums. All three had previously played in other groups. Ellis had studied classical violin. At the very first performance, on ANZAC Day, 25 April 1992, Ellis attached a guitar pickup to his violin with an elastic band, so that the instrument had a distorted, feedback-laden sound, very different from what one is used to from a violin.

Music and breakthrough

The album Sad & Dangerous came out in November 1994. Together with tours with Sonic Youth, John Cale and Pavement, it led to a contract with Touch and Go Records in Chicago. In 1996 came Horse Stories, which Rolling Stone named one of the three best albums of that year. After that came Ocean Songs in 1998, Whatever You Love, You Are in 2000 and Toward the Low Sun in 2012. One reviewer felt that Whatever You Love, You Are strengthened the connection with the music of John Coltrane. In 2007 the group curated a weekend of the festival All Tomorrow's Parties. In 2024 their ninth studio album, Love Changes Everything, appeared.

Influence

Dirty Three shows that a rock group without a singer can tell a great deal. A violin that sounds like a guitar makes the music both rough and lyrical.

Listening

Listening tip. Listen to Ocean Songs. Notice the violin: when does it sound like a classical instrument, and when like an electric guitar?

Discography

Studio albums

Categories: Artists