Legendary Australian jazz/rock/folk trio Dirty Three release their eighth studio album, Towards the Low Sun, on 24 February. It's collection of the group's trademark drum/guitar and violin instrumentals, augmented this time round by some plaintive piano and unhinged organ. Originally forming in Melbourne in 1993, the trio is now scattered across the globe, with violinist Warren Ellis (who also served in Grinderman) in Paris, drummer Jim White in Brooklyn and only Mick Turner living and playing regularly in Melbourne.
Ben Salter – known for his work with the Giants of Science, the Gin Club and the Wilson Pickers – spoke to Warren Ellis ahead of the band’s Australian dates.
Warren, do you ever listen to your own albums or songs?
There's a point you have to like it and you love it and then you have to let it go. I certainly don't make music for myself. Other people make music for me to listen to. I've never made a record so that I could listen to it.
Why do you make records at all?
Because I like making music with people, and I like that a record documents where you are at a certain point in time. Any opportunity I can to make music I try and take because it pushes me forward. I've been fortunate to play with a bunch of different bands and people, and it's all part of a continued dialogue; everything informs the other thing.
Do you think that when you're making or performing music is when you're at your happiest?
I don't know if it's when I'm at my happiest, but I like it when I have a bunch of things on the go. I like that feeling of getting things done. You know, I go into all of my projects with the same sense of adventure and unknown and I'm always kind of mystified when I come out with something finished at the end. I've never tried to spook my muse too much.
Do you guys consider yourselves a jazz band or a rock band or something in between?
In the early days we had a more improvisational approach, then after a few albums we started trying to get a bit more structure into things. By the time of Ocean Songs (2005) we were using more traditional structures and chord sequences and we wanted to make the songs shorter. But certainly earlier on we had that more jazz-like approach. I remember a friend saw us early on and he said we were like the jazz band you always wanted to see but never did, because most jazz groups always went too far up their own bums, and were never really worried about the audience. It's a terrible expression, but we kind of had a blend of rock sensibility with a jazz mentality going on.
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