LOVE JAMS

Going to a Dirty Three show can sometimes be like stumbling upon some strange pagan ritual. It’s all long-haired warlocks conjuring a luminous potion of spit, sweat and hair. Violinist, frontman and ex-Bad Seed, Warren Ellis, with his old mates, Mick Turner and Jim White manage to break down all notions of the real world with their impassioned performance of epic bad-ass gypsy jams. With a sound this mystical, it’s almost surprising that these guys are as human as the rest of us.
 
Vice: Howdy. What’s going on?

Warren: Strangely enough I just spent the whole weekend pissing myself laughing at your magazine. Anyone who calls Jerry Garcia an old lady’s vagina, must be pretty funny. I spent the mid 80s surrounded by politically correct people and geez it got tedious after a while.
 
How do you feel about the fact that everyone fucks to your records?

I steer clear of the sex stories. My job is to play music and not to provide stuff for you to bonk to. I’m not even that interested in my own sex life. I don’t want to hear how good yours is, or how good you are at it.
 
Have you ever had sex to your own music?

Oh, fuck off. I don’t even listen to my own music. Talk about the moment being lost. That’d just be revolting.
 
Do you reckon musicians fuck like they play their instruments?

I think that they’re all mostly incompetent. Playing in a band probably makes up for inadequacy.
 
Maybe tradesmen are at the top of the heap?

Ooh yeah, now we’re talking. Backbone of the country and all. Those blokes are just like sex on a stick. Guys in their blundstones and their singlets—ready to go off like a good chardonnay or something. Absolutely, they’ll pop a cork. No messing around.
 
Do you hate doing interviews and analysing your own shit?

Yeah, because it doesn’t help to think about it too much really. It’s like if you see somebody with a bad tattoo and say to them “You’re going to regret that in 10 years”, that’s not helping anyone. Who gives a shit. There’s not much point in placing doubt in peoples’ minds. Better that they carry on enjoying their tattoo really.

GENTLE FAUN
Cinder, the new album from The Dirty Three is out in October through Remote Control

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