Magic Dirt
Encyclopedia
Magic Dirt are an Australian rock band, which formed in 1991 in Geelong, Victoria, with Daniel Herring on guitar, Adam Robertson on drums, Adalita Srsen
on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner on bass guitar. Initially known as Deer Bubbles and then The Jim Jims, they were renamed as Magic Dirt in 1992. Their top 40 releases on the ARIA Albums Chart
are Friends in Danger
(1996), What Are Rockstars Doing Today (2000), Tough Love (2003) and Snow White (2005). They have received nine ARIA Music Award nominations including four at the ARIA Music Awards of 1995
for Life Was Better
– their second extended play. Turner died in August 2009 of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
(a soft tissue cancer). As from 2011, the band is on hiatus with no immediate plans to tour or record.
on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner on bass guitar. Srsen and Turner were romantically involved at that time. By 1992 they started a new band, The Jim Jims, with guitarist Daniel Herring. The Jim Jims provided a cover version of The Velvet Underground
's "Heroin" on Check This Action ... Let the Fun Begin, a compilation CD of local Geelong bands released in 1992. After the addition of drummer Adam Robertson, they became known as Magic Dirt. Srsen told a fanzine in 1996, "The way we formed was that Dean and I used to be going out together, and before we used to be in a band before Magic Dirt called Deer Bubbles. Dean knew Daniel from skating, and then he moved in with us, and we'd play like one song for forty minutes, we just loved it. Then we wanted to find a drummer, and we went through about five, then we found Adam through a mutual friend and that was it. We only used to have three songs we used to play for an hour".
Early in 1993, the band supported Sonic Youth
and Pavement
on their Australian tours. Later in the year, Tthe band issued it's debut single, "Supertear", for Fellaheen Records. By the time of its release in July, the band had broken up. However, they soon regrouped and signed with Au Go Go Records
in November. Their first extended play, Signs of Satanic Youth appeared in December, with the track "Redhead" receiving airplay on Triple J
radio.
in November. The EP included the tracks "Ice" and "Amoxycillin" and debuted at No. 1 on the Australian alternative music chart. It remained on that chart for 75 weeks, eventually selling 20,000 copies. Life Was Better went on to receive four nominations at the ARIA Music Awards of 1995
.
In early 1995, the band performed on the Big Day Out
festival tour across Australia, with Hole
(Magic Dirt also supported their other Australian shows) and Silverchair
. The success of Life Was Better had attracted international attention and Geoffrey Weiss, of Warner Music in the United States, traveled to Australia to see the band perform at the Big Day Out. Weiss negotiated a deal with their manager, Gavan Purdy and the band signed a two-album deal with Warner. In August 1995, Daniel Herring left the band. His final recording with the group was the 10" vinyl single, "I Was Cruel", which featured the words "Thankyou, Daniel. Goodbye" etched onto the vinyl. Dave Thomas, of fellow Geelong band Bored!, who had managed Magic Dirt at the early stages of their career, was recruited as Herring's replacement on guitar.
. In March, Magic Dirt began recording their debut album proper, Friends in Danger
, in Sydney with Paul McKercher (You Am I
) producing. The music style was a reaction to the accessibility of their earlier material. While Warner had expected more songs in the vein of "Ice", the band offered tracks like the 8-minute "Bodysnatcher" – a chilling tale of child abuse. Warner were less than impressed, and went so far as to offer the band additional time and money to re-record the album. The band refused, and when Friends in Danger was released in September, the label put little effort into promoting it. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, "[it] matched the band's fearless experimentation with a dark, unhinged sound that went from moments of eerie near-silence to full-tilt guitar noise". Friends in Danger peaked at No. 25 on the ARIA Albums Chart
, and went on to sell 10,000 copies in Australia, helped along by "Sparrow", the album's most accessible track and only single.
The group toured North America supporting Archers of Loaf
and promoting Friends in Danger later in 1996. Warner still refused to promote the album and they were dropped by the label. Since the band had a two album deal, Warner paid them for the second album, despite the fact that they did not release it.
– former front man of Melbourne band, Muffcake. The group began recording its second full-length record, Young & Full of the Devil
, at Birdland Studios with producer Lindsay Gravina. They followed with a three week tour of the United Kingdom (where they appeared on John Peel
's BBC radio show) and continental Europe in the later half of the year. Subway Records in Germany released an updated version of the band's US debut, with new artwork and two additional tracks. The group ended 1997 with a new single, "Rabbit with Fangs", and a national tour supporting Silverchair, playing large arenas around Australia.
April 1998 saw the release of Young & Full of the Devil, which failed to reach the top 50., stalling at No. 98. The album continued the unsettling, fuzzy sound of the debut, and sold 10,000 copies in Australia – Turner later claimed on the band's website that it was the band's lowest selling album. Another single, "She-Riff" was released – in a new and more polished recording – with a video depicting Srsen re-enacting a scene from the 1975 Australian film Picnic at Hanging Rock
.
Young & Full of the Devil was the last release by the band on Au Go Go Records. Turner and Srsen undertook two side projects. The first was Seaville - a project with Merida Sussex from The Paradise Motel
, which issued the Swan Song EP in 1998. The second project was with Ronin System, which resulted in the single, "Expectations" in 1999. Without a label, the band supported themselves by touring throughout much of 1999.
) producing. Released in October, What Are Rockstars Doing Today reached the top 40. It signalled a dramatic shift in the band's sound. Gone were the fuzzy guitars and feedback. In its place was slick production and poppy hooks. Long time fans of the band weren't sure what to make of lead single, "Dirty Jeans", with its hand claps and sing-a-long chorus. Tracks such as "Pace It" and "City Trash" proved that the band could still rock, however they did receive some backlash, with some fans labelling them "sell-outs". Triple J put "Dirty Jeans" on high rotation and it reached No. 12 in the year's Hottest 100
. The year ended with national tour supporting Powderfinger
and Jebediah
.
2001 and 2002 saw the band touring in the wake of What Are Rockstars Doing Today. They launched their Love Ya & Leave Ya Tour - the largest the group had done up until that point – which saw them on their first trip to New Zealand. The City Trash Tour with The Nation Blue
and Girls Against Boys
followed in June–July 2002. They started recording demos for a fourth album early in the year – tracks such as "Love Me" and "Sarah May" from these sessions were later released as B-sides. Later that year, the band made its second trip to the UK, where What Are Rockstars Doing Today had been released on Cargo Records. In 2002, Magic Dirt appeared on the "World of Instruments" segment of John Safran's Music Jamboree
, where they played "Dirty Jeans" using Indonesian gamelans
– struck instruments including metallophone
s and xylophones.
for 'Best Rock Album'. It was re-issued in 2004 as two disc set containing their Live at the Wireless session on Triple J in 2003.
In 2004, Sánchez issued a solo album, Midnight Woolf, a self-recorded swamp blues instrumental release on his own Crossbone Recording Company. Sánchez formed the Midnight Woolf band and performed several gigs in Melbourne. In August, Turner produced the debut album, Peapod, for Sydney-based group, theredsunband.
In September 2005, Magic Dirt released their fifth album, Snow White, which peaked into the top 30. It received critical acclaim, as a combination of the band's pop sound, their noisy early material, and new elements such as acoustic guitars. Lead single "Locket" made an impact on radio and music video channels, but its exposure was limited due the explicit language in the song's chorus. "I Love the Rain" followed as the second single from the album. Neither single charted into the top 50.
Aside from joining the Big Day Out tour again in January and February, 2006 was a quiet year for the band. Sánchez continued his work with Midnight Woolf. He re-assembled the band in Spain for a series of gigs, and they released a second album, Electric Deluxe Graveyard Blues. Later in the year, two Magic Dirt tracks, "Sucker Love" (B-side to "Locket") and "Daddy" (from Life Was Better) appeared on the soundtrack for the Australian film Suburban Mayhem
, plus a track from theredsunband, which had been produced by Turner. Also included were two solo contributions from Srsen, covers of "Sex Beat" and "Double Dare". "Double Dare" was released as a single in October. The tracks, produced by Mick Harvey
(member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
, producer for PJ Harvey
), were the first solo material to appear from Srsen. Turner, Harvey and Rowland S. Howard
also played on the tracks.
' "We Had Love" and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "Stagger Lee", as well as a live re-recording of "Mother's Latest Fear" from Snow White.
Roky's Room, an experimental noise album featuring no vocals, no melodies and no percussion, was released by Magic Dirt in June 2007. The mini-album, titled Beast was released in July, featuring tracks previewed on their November 2006 East Coast tour. Now free from a major label, Beast harked back to the band's earlier, rawer material and featured original guitarist Herring on two tracks ("Horror Me" and a re-recording of "Sucker Love"). The single, "Bring Me the Head Of...", made little impact on radio, including Triple J, which had previously supported the band. The group spent the remainder of 2007 touring in support of Beast, including an East Coast tour with The Beasts Of Bourbon – who were often joined on stage by Srsen – and Roland S. Howard.
In November 2007, the band began recording their sixth full length album, Girl, which was released in July 2008. The album debuted at No. 7 on the Australian Independent Music chart. However, it did not reach the ARIA Albums Chart top 50. "Romy", lead single from the album, also failed to reach the related singles chart top 50. In support of the album, the group embarked on the No Sleep Til Christmas Tour, starting in July and ending in December 2008. The tour included dates in all major Australian cities, and a number of shows in regional centres. Playing bass on this tour was Melbourne musician Matt Sonic, as Turner was too ill to tour. To coincide with the tour, the band released a limited edition tour EP, available only at the shows. The second in a series of tour EPs (the first being the giveaway EP from 2006), the disc featured a cover of Hard-Ons
' "Suck N Swallow", a collaboration with Gareth Liddiard of The Drones
, two outtakes left over from Girl and a track recorded at Birdland Studios in 2003.
, a rare form of tissue cancer. He was 37 years old. Turner had been diagnosed nine years earlier. After Turner died, the band released a statement:
Following Turner's death Magic Dirt performed a final tour in honour of his memory. They also released a six-track EP, White Boy, in October, as a tribute. As from 2011, the band is on hiatus with no immediate plans to tour or record. In March 2011, Srsen spoke about Magic Dirt when promoting Adalita
, her solo album, "No, no we've not retired. There's none of that at the moment. We're just taking some time off the road, but we do have some plans. We've got a lot of work to do, and a big legacy to fulfill".
Srsen has since embarked on a successful solo career and Sánchez formed a new band, River of Snakes.:
Former
Adalita Srsen
Adalita Srsen is an Australian rock musician, known best as a founding member of rock band Magic Dirt.-Early life and childhood:Adalita was born in Geelong, Australia on 25 February 1971. She told Rolling Stone magazine in 2003 that her father, a Croatian cabaret performer, named her after a...
on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner on bass guitar. Initially known as Deer Bubbles and then The Jim Jims, they were renamed as Magic Dirt in 1992. Their top 40 releases on the ARIA Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
are Friends in Danger
Friends in Danger
Friends In Danger is the debut album by Australian rock band, Magic Dirt. It was their major label debut outside of Australia, distributed in the USA by Warner Music...
(1996), What Are Rockstars Doing Today (2000), Tough Love (2003) and Snow White (2005). They have received nine ARIA Music Award nominations including four at the ARIA Music Awards of 1995
ARIA Music Awards of 1995
The Ninth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 20 October 1995 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre. There had been a 19-month gap since the previous award ceremony which was moved to be "closer to the business end of the music industry's year"...
for Life Was Better
Life was Better
Life Was Better was the second EP release by Australian rock band Magic Dirt. It was released in November 1994 on the Melbourne independent label Au Go Go Records...
– their second extended play. Turner died in August 2009 of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a very rare tumor. It is a rare neoplasm of the dermis layer of the skin, and is classified as a sarcoma. There is only about 1 case per million per year. DFSP is a fibrosarcoma, more precisely a cutaneous soft tissue sarcoma...
(a soft tissue cancer). As from 2011, the band is on hiatus with no immediate plans to tour or record.
Early days (1989–1993)
Magic Dirt were formed as Deer Bubbles in 1991 in Geelong, Victoria with Adalita SrsenAdalita Srsen
Adalita Srsen is an Australian rock musician, known best as a founding member of rock band Magic Dirt.-Early life and childhood:Adalita was born in Geelong, Australia on 25 February 1971. She told Rolling Stone magazine in 2003 that her father, a Croatian cabaret performer, named her after a...
on vocals and guitar, and Dean Turner on bass guitar. Srsen and Turner were romantically involved at that time. By 1992 they started a new band, The Jim Jims, with guitarist Daniel Herring. The Jim Jims provided a cover version of The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
's "Heroin" on Check This Action ... Let the Fun Begin, a compilation CD of local Geelong bands released in 1992. After the addition of drummer Adam Robertson, they became known as Magic Dirt. Srsen told a fanzine in 1996, "The way we formed was that Dean and I used to be going out together, and before we used to be in a band before Magic Dirt called Deer Bubbles. Dean knew Daniel from skating, and then he moved in with us, and we'd play like one song for forty minutes, we just loved it. Then we wanted to find a drummer, and we went through about five, then we found Adam through a mutual friend and that was it. We only used to have three songs we used to play for an hour".
Early in 1993, the band supported Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
and Pavement
Pavement (band)
Pavement is an American alternative rock band that formed in Stockton, California in 1989. In their career, they achieved a significant cult following, and they were called the best band of the 1990s by prominent music critics Robert Christgau and Stephen Thomas Erlewine...
on their Australian tours. Later in the year, Tthe band issued it's debut single, "Supertear", for Fellaheen Records. By the time of its release in July, the band had broken up. However, they soon regrouped and signed with Au Go Go Records
Au Go Go Records
Au Go Go Records is the name of a Melbourne, Australia based independent record label.It was founded by Bruce Milne and Philip Morland from a house in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy in 1979 and is now operated by Greta Moon....
in November. Their first extended play, Signs of Satanic Youth appeared in December, with the track "Redhead" receiving airplay on Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
radio.
Life Was Better EP
In April 1994, Magic Dirt split when Srsen and Turner's romantic relationship ended. However, the group again reformed and released a second EP, Life Was BetterLife was Better
Life Was Better was the second EP release by Australian rock band Magic Dirt. It was released in November 1994 on the Melbourne independent label Au Go Go Records...
in November. The EP included the tracks "Ice" and "Amoxycillin" and debuted at No. 1 on the Australian alternative music chart. It remained on that chart for 75 weeks, eventually selling 20,000 copies. Life Was Better went on to receive four nominations at the ARIA Music Awards of 1995
ARIA Music Awards of 1995
The Ninth Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards was held on 20 October 1995 at the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre. There had been a 19-month gap since the previous award ceremony which was moved to be "closer to the business end of the music industry's year"...
.
In early 1995, the band performed on the Big Day Out
Big Day Out
The Big Day Out is an annual music festival held in several cities in Australia and New Zealand in late January. It started in Sydney in 1992, spread to Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth by 1993, with the Gold Coast and Auckland joining in 1994...
festival tour across Australia, with Hole
Hole (band)
Hole is an American alternative rock band that originally formed in Los Angeles in 1989. The band is fronted by vocalist/songwriter and rhythm guitarist Courtney Love, who co-founded Hole with former songwriter/lead guitarist Eric Erlandson...
(Magic Dirt also supported their other Australian shows) and Silverchair
Silverchair
Silverchair were an Australian rock band, which formed in 1992 as Innocent Criminals in Merewether, Newcastle with the line-up of Ben Gillies on drums, Chris Joannou on bass guitar and Daniel Johns on vocals and guitars. The group got their big break in mid-1994 when they won a national demo...
. The success of Life Was Better had attracted international attention and Geoffrey Weiss, of Warner Music in the United States, traveled to Australia to see the band perform at the Big Day Out. Weiss negotiated a deal with their manager, Gavan Purdy and the band signed a two-album deal with Warner. In August 1995, Daniel Herring left the band. His final recording with the group was the 10" vinyl single, "I Was Cruel", which featured the words "Thankyou, Daniel. Goodbye" etched onto the vinyl. Dave Thomas, of fellow Geelong band Bored!, who had managed Magic Dirt at the early stages of their career, was recruited as Herring's replacement on guitar.
Friends in Danger
In February 1996, Dirt Records released the band's debut album in the US. The album was a compilation of their first two EPs, along with the track "Goofy Gumb", and titled simply Magic DirtMagic Dirt (US Version)
Magic Dirt is an album by Australian alternative rock band Magic Dirt released in the U.S. on the Dirt label. It compiles the band's first two Australian-released EPs Signs of Satanic Youth and Life Was Better along with additional tracks....
. In March, Magic Dirt began recording their debut album proper, Friends in Danger
Friends in Danger
Friends In Danger is the debut album by Australian rock band, Magic Dirt. It was their major label debut outside of Australia, distributed in the USA by Warner Music...
, in Sydney with Paul McKercher (You Am I
You Am I
You Am I are an Australian alternative rock band, fronted by vocalist/guitarist and main songwriter Tim Rogers. They were the first Australian band to have three albums successively debut at #1 on the ARIA Charts, and are renowned for their live performances.-History:Tim Rogers formed the first...
) producing. The music style was a reaction to the accessibility of their earlier material. While Warner had expected more songs in the vein of "Ice", the band offered tracks like the 8-minute "Bodysnatcher" – a chilling tale of child abuse. Warner were less than impressed, and went so far as to offer the band additional time and money to re-record the album. The band refused, and when Friends in Danger was released in September, the label put little effort into promoting it. According to rock music historian, Ian McFarlane, "[it] matched the band's fearless experimentation with a dark, unhinged sound that went from moments of eerie near-silence to full-tilt guitar noise". Friends in Danger peaked at No. 25 on the ARIA Albums Chart
ARIA Charts
The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
, and went on to sell 10,000 copies in Australia, helped along by "Sparrow", the album's most accessible track and only single.
The group toured North America supporting Archers of Loaf
Archers of Loaf
Archers of Loaf is an American indie-rock band originally from Chapel Hill, North Carolina, formed in 1990. The group toured extensively and released a total of four studio albums, a collection album, numerous singles and EPs, and a live album which was released after the band broke up in...
and promoting Friends in Danger later in 1996. Warner still refused to promote the album and they were dropped by the label. Since the band had a two album deal, Warner paid them for the second album, despite the fact that they did not release it.
Young & Full of the Devil
In January 1997, Magic Dirt again performed on the Big Day Out tour. In July, Thomas left and his replacement on guitar was Spanish-born Raúl SánchezRaul Sanchez
----Raúl Sánchez is a Spanish-born Australian rock musician, best known as the lead guitarist in Magic Dirt.-References:...
– former front man of Melbourne band, Muffcake. The group began recording its second full-length record, Young & Full of the Devil
Young & Full Of The Devil
-Track listing:# Babycakes# She-Riff# Rabbit With Fangs# Shrinko# What Have I Done# These Drugs Are Really Starting To Fuck Me Over# Short Black# X-Ray# Ascot Red# Babycakes You Always Freeze Me Up...
, at Birdland Studios with producer Lindsay Gravina. They followed with a three week tour of the United Kingdom (where they appeared on John Peel
John Peel
John Robert Parker Ravenscroft, OBE , known professionally as John Peel, was an English disc jockey, radio presenter, record producer and journalist. He was the longest-serving of the original BBC Radio 1 DJs, broadcasting regularly from 1967 until his death in 2004...
's BBC radio show) and continental Europe in the later half of the year. Subway Records in Germany released an updated version of the band's US debut, with new artwork and two additional tracks. The group ended 1997 with a new single, "Rabbit with Fangs", and a national tour supporting Silverchair, playing large arenas around Australia.
April 1998 saw the release of Young & Full of the Devil, which failed to reach the top 50., stalling at No. 98. The album continued the unsettling, fuzzy sound of the debut, and sold 10,000 copies in Australia – Turner later claimed on the band's website that it was the band's lowest selling album. Another single, "She-Riff" was released – in a new and more polished recording – with a video depicting Srsen re-enacting a scene from the 1975 Australian film Picnic at Hanging Rock
Picnic at Hanging Rock (film)
Picnic at Hanging Rock is a 1975 Australian feature film directed by Peter Weir and starring Anne-Louise Lambert, Helen Morse, Rachel Roberts and Vivean Gray. The film is adapted from the novel of the same name, by author Joan Lindsay....
.
Young & Full of the Devil was the last release by the band on Au Go Go Records. Turner and Srsen undertook two side projects. The first was Seaville - a project with Merida Sussex from The Paradise Motel
The Paradise Motel
The Paradise Motel are a critically and commercially successful independent Australian band from Hobart, Tasmania, first active from 1995–2000, who reformed in 2008.-Formation and early releases 1994–1998:...
, which issued the Swan Song EP in 1998. The second project was with Ronin System, which resulted in the single, "Expectations" in 1999. Without a label, the band supported themselves by touring throughout much of 1999.
What Are Rockstars Doing Today
In 2000, Magic Dirt signed a recording contract with – ironically – Warner Music Australia, and began recording their third album, What Are Rockstars Doing Today with Phil Vinall (PlaceboPlacebo (band)
Placebo are a British rock band from London, England, formed in 1994 by singer and guitarist Brian Molko and bass guitarist Stefan Olsdal. The band was joined by drummer Robert Schultzberg, who was later replaced by Steve Hewitt after conflicts with Molko. Hewitt left the band in October 2007 and...
) producing. Released in October, What Are Rockstars Doing Today reached the top 40. It signalled a dramatic shift in the band's sound. Gone were the fuzzy guitars and feedback. In its place was slick production and poppy hooks. Long time fans of the band weren't sure what to make of lead single, "Dirty Jeans", with its hand claps and sing-a-long chorus. Tracks such as "Pace It" and "City Trash" proved that the band could still rock, however they did receive some backlash, with some fans labelling them "sell-outs". Triple J put "Dirty Jeans" on high rotation and it reached No. 12 in the year's Hottest 100
Triple J Hottest 100, 2000
The 2000 Triple J Hottest 100, announced in January 2001, was the eighth such countdown of the most popular songs of the year, according to listeners of the Australian radio station Triple J. As in previous years, a CD featuring 37 songs was released...
. The year ended with national tour supporting Powderfinger
Powderfinger
Powderfinger was an Australian rock band that formed in Brisbane in 1989. From 1992 until their breakup the band lineup consisted of vocalist Bernard Fanning, guitarists Darren Middleton and Ian Haug, bassist John Collins, and drummer Jon Coghill....
and Jebediah
Jebediah
Jebediah is an Australian alternative rock band formed in 1994 in Perth, Western Australia. The group consists of vocalist and guitarist Kevin Mitchell, guitarist Chris Daymond, bassist Vanessa Thornton, and Kevin's brother Brett Mitchell on drums...
.
2001 and 2002 saw the band touring in the wake of What Are Rockstars Doing Today. They launched their Love Ya & Leave Ya Tour - the largest the group had done up until that point – which saw them on their first trip to New Zealand. The City Trash Tour with The Nation Blue
The Nation Blue
The Nation Blue is a rock band formed in Tasmania and based in Melbourne, Victoria, noted for their intense live performances and bleak subject matter. They have toured nationally in Australia and internationally in Brazil, America and Japan and have supported Helmet and Foo Fighters...
and Girls Against Boys
Girls Against Boys
Girls Against Boys are an indie rock/post-hardcore band, originally forming in Washington, D.C. in 1988 and currently based in New York City.-Career:...
followed in June–July 2002. They started recording demos for a fourth album early in the year – tracks such as "Love Me" and "Sarah May" from these sessions were later released as B-sides. Later that year, the band made its second trip to the UK, where What Are Rockstars Doing Today had been released on Cargo Records. In 2002, Magic Dirt appeared on the "World of Instruments" segment of John Safran's Music Jamboree
John Safran's Music Jamboree
John Safran's Music Jamboree was a light-hearted Australian music documentary television series, hosted by John Safran for SBS television...
, where they played "Dirty Jeans" using Indonesian gamelans
Gamelan
A gamelan is a musical ensemble from Indonesia, typically from the islands of Bali or Java, featuring a variety of instruments such as metallophones, xylophones, drums and gongs; bamboo flutes, bowed and plucked strings. Vocalists may also be included....
– struck instruments including metallophone
Metallophone
A metallophone is any musical instrument consisting of tuned metal bars which are struck to make sound, usually with a mallet.Metallophones have been used in music for hundreds of years. There are several different types used in Balinese and Javanese gamelan ensembles, including the gendér, gangsa...
s and xylophones.
Tough Love
In early 2003 Magic Dirt started recording its fourth album, Tough Love, at Birdland Studios in Melbourne, again produced by Lindsay Gravina. It was released in August and peaked at No. 15. It carried on the band's new slicker sound, although tracks like the epic "Brat" recalled the band's early days. Originally, no commercial singles were to be released from the album. After the success of the radio-only singles "Vulcanella" and "Watch Out Boys", Warner commercially issued "Plastic Loveless Letter". It became the band's biggest hit to date, reaching No. 16 on the ARIA Singles Chart. Tough Love was nominated at the ARIA Music Awards of 2003ARIA Music Awards of 2003
The 17th Annual Australian Recording Industry Association Music Awards were held on 21 October 2003 at the Sydney Superdome.-ARIA Awards:*Album of the Year**Powderfinger – Vulture Street...
for 'Best Rock Album'. It was re-issued in 2004 as two disc set containing their Live at the Wireless session on Triple J in 2003.
In 2004, Sánchez issued a solo album, Midnight Woolf, a self-recorded swamp blues instrumental release on his own Crossbone Recording Company. Sánchez formed the Midnight Woolf band and performed several gigs in Melbourne. In August, Turner produced the debut album, Peapod, for Sydney-based group, theredsunband.
Snow White
Aside from joining the Big Day Out tour again in January and February, 2006 was a quiet year for the band. Sánchez continued his work with Midnight Woolf. He re-assembled the band in Spain for a series of gigs, and they released a second album, Electric Deluxe Graveyard Blues. Later in the year, two Magic Dirt tracks, "Sucker Love" (B-side to "Locket") and "Daddy" (from Life Was Better) appeared on the soundtrack for the Australian film Suburban Mayhem
Suburban Mayhem
Suburban Mayhem is a 2006 Australian film directed by Paul Goldman, written by Alice Bell, produced by Leah Churchill-Brown and Executive Producer Jan Chapman. It features an ensemble cast including Emily Barclay, Michael Dorman, Anthony Hayes, Robert Morgan and Genevieve Lemon...
, plus a track from theredsunband, which had been produced by Turner. Also included were two solo contributions from Srsen, covers of "Sex Beat" and "Double Dare". "Double Dare" was released as a single in October. The tracks, produced by Mick Harvey
Mick Harvey
Michael John Harvey , is an Australian rock musician, composer, arranger and record producer. He is best known for his long-time collaboration with the singer and songwriter Nick Cave...
(member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds are an Australian alternative rock band, formed in Melbourne in 1983. The band is fronted by Nick Cave and has featured international personnel throughout their career.-Formation and early releases :...
, producer for PJ Harvey
PJ Harvey
Polly Jean Harvey is an English musician, singer-songwriter, composer and occasional artist. Primarily known as a vocalist and guitarist, she is also proficient with a wide range of instruments including piano, organ, bass, saxophone, and most recently, the autoharp.Harvey began her career in...
), were the first solo material to appear from Srsen. Turner, Harvey and Rowland S. Howard
Rowland S. Howard
Rowland Stuart Howard was an Australian rock musician, guitarist and songwriter, he played electric guitar in the post-punk group The Birthday Party. Howard died of liver cancer in December 2009, aged 50 years....
also played on the tracks.
Emergency Music (2006–present)
After leaving Warner, Magic Dirt created their own label, Emergency Music in 2006. In October, Srsen announced the band's future activities, in an interview on Triple J's breakfast show. The band would release an EP, a mini-album, and then an album. A report in Sydney street press Drum Media, indicated that the EP would be given away at shows and sold in selected independent music stores. The EP featured covers of The ScientistsThe Scientists
The Scientists are an influential post-punk band from Perth, Australia, led by Kim Salmon, initially known as Exterminators and then Invaders. The band had two primary incarnations: the Perth-based punk band of the late 1970s and the Sydney/London-based swamp rock band of the 1980s...
' "We Had Love" and Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds' "Stagger Lee", as well as a live re-recording of "Mother's Latest Fear" from Snow White.
Roky's Room, an experimental noise album featuring no vocals, no melodies and no percussion, was released by Magic Dirt in June 2007. The mini-album, titled Beast was released in July, featuring tracks previewed on their November 2006 East Coast tour. Now free from a major label, Beast harked back to the band's earlier, rawer material and featured original guitarist Herring on two tracks ("Horror Me" and a re-recording of "Sucker Love"). The single, "Bring Me the Head Of...", made little impact on radio, including Triple J, which had previously supported the band. The group spent the remainder of 2007 touring in support of Beast, including an East Coast tour with The Beasts Of Bourbon – who were often joined on stage by Srsen – and Roland S. Howard.
In November 2007, the band began recording their sixth full length album, Girl, which was released in July 2008. The album debuted at No. 7 on the Australian Independent Music chart. However, it did not reach the ARIA Albums Chart top 50. "Romy", lead single from the album, also failed to reach the related singles chart top 50. In support of the album, the group embarked on the No Sleep Til Christmas Tour, starting in July and ending in December 2008. The tour included dates in all major Australian cities, and a number of shows in regional centres. Playing bass on this tour was Melbourne musician Matt Sonic, as Turner was too ill to tour. To coincide with the tour, the band released a limited edition tour EP, available only at the shows. The second in a series of tour EPs (the first being the giveaway EP from 2006), the disc featured a cover of Hard-Ons
Hard-Ons
The Hard-Ons are a punk rock band from Sydney, Australia that originally formed in 1981. They have been called Australia's most commercially successful independent band, with over 250,000 total record sales. -1980s: Early days:...
' "Suck N Swallow", a collaboration with Gareth Liddiard of The Drones
The Drones
The Drones are an Australian rock group who rose to prominence during the early 2000s. They are influenced by a variety of bands and soloists including Neil Young, The Velvet Underground, Bad Brains, Suicide, Green on Red, The Birthday Party, Van Morrison, Bob Dylan and Nina Simone.- The Sound...
, two outtakes left over from Girl and a track recorded at Birdland Studios in 2003.
Death of Dean Turner
Dean Turner, died on 21 August 2009 of dermatofibrosarcoma protuberansDermatofibrosarcoma protuberans
Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans is a very rare tumor. It is a rare neoplasm of the dermis layer of the skin, and is classified as a sarcoma. There is only about 1 case per million per year. DFSP is a fibrosarcoma, more precisely a cutaneous soft tissue sarcoma...
, a rare form of tissue cancer. He was 37 years old. Turner had been diagnosed nine years earlier. After Turner died, the band released a statement:
Following Turner's death Magic Dirt performed a final tour in honour of his memory. They also released a six-track EP, White Boy, in October, as a tribute. As from 2011, the band is on hiatus with no immediate plans to tour or record. In March 2011, Srsen spoke about Magic Dirt when promoting Adalita
Adalita
Adalita is the debut studio album by Australian musician Adalita. It was released by Liberation Music in March 2011.-Background and History:...
, her solo album, "No, no we've not retired. There's none of that at the moment. We're just taking some time off the road, but we do have some plans. We've got a lot of work to do, and a big legacy to fulfill".
Srsen has since embarked on a successful solo career and Sánchez formed a new band, River of Snakes.:
Members
Currently on hiatus- Adalita SrsenAdalita SrsenAdalita Srsen is an Australian rock musician, known best as a founding member of rock band Magic Dirt.-Early life and childhood:Adalita was born in Geelong, Australia on 25 February 1971. She told Rolling Stone magazine in 2003 that her father, a Croatian cabaret performer, named her after a...
– vocals, guitar - Raúl SánchezRaul Sanchez----Raúl Sánchez is a Spanish-born Australian rock musician, best known as the lead guitarist in Magic Dirt.-References:...
– guitar - Adam Robertson – drum
Former
- Daniel Herring – guitar
- Dave Thomas – guitar
- Dean Turner – bass guitar (d. 21 August 2009)
Discography
- Note: With the exception of Friends in DangerFriends in DangerFriends In Danger is the debut album by Australian rock band, Magic Dirt. It was their major label debut outside of Australia, distributed in the USA by Warner Music...
, all Magic Dirt material on the Au Go GoAu Go Go RecordsAu Go Go Records is the name of a Melbourne, Australia based independent record label.It was founded by Bruce Milne and Philip Morland from a house in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy in 1979 and is now operated by Greta Moon....
label are now out of print.
Studio albums
- Friends in DangerFriends in DangerFriends In Danger is the debut album by Australian rock band, Magic Dirt. It was their major label debut outside of Australia, distributed in the USA by Warner Music...
September 1996 Au Go Go RecordsAu Go Go RecordsAu Go Go Records is the name of a Melbourne, Australia based independent record label.It was founded by Bruce Milne and Philip Morland from a house in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy in 1979 and is now operated by Greta Moon....
(AU) Warner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. RecordsWarner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
(US) AUSARIA ChartsThe ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June...
No. 25 - Young & Full of the DevilYoung & Full Of The Devil-Track listing:# Babycakes# She-Riff# Rabbit With Fangs# Shrinko# What Have I Done# These Drugs Are Really Starting To Fuck Me Over# Short Black# X-Ray# Ascot Red# Babycakes You Always Freeze Me Up...
May 1998 Au Go Go Records, Shock RecordsShock RecordsShock Records is Australia's largest independent record label. It helps distribute records from overseas records labels such as Epitaph Records, and also for small record labels designed specifically for that band such as Cement Records... - What Are Rockstars Doing Today October 2000 Warner Music Australia AUS No. 35
- Tough Love August 2003 Warner Music Australia AUS No. 15
- Snow White September 2005 Warner Music Australia AUS No. 24
- Roky's Room June 2007 Emergency Music
- Beast July 2007 Emergency Music
- GirlGirl (Magic Dirt album)Girl is the sixth album from Australian rock-grunge band Magic Dirt. Produced by Magic Dirt and Lindsay Gravina, at Birdland Studios, Melbourne....
July 2008 Emergency Music
Compilation albums
- Magic Dirt (US Version)Magic Dirt (US Version)Magic Dirt is an album by Australian alternative rock band Magic Dirt released in the U.S. on the Dirt label. It compiles the band's first two Australian-released EPs Signs of Satanic Youth and Life Was Better along with additional tracks....
February 1996 Dirt Records - Magic Dirt (EU Version) October 1997 Subway Records (Germany)
Extended plays
- Signs of Satanic Youth November 1993 Au Go Go RecordsAu Go Go RecordsAu Go Go Records is the name of a Melbourne, Australia based independent record label.It was founded by Bruce Milne and Philip Morland from a house in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy in 1979 and is now operated by Greta Moon....
- Life was BetterLife was BetterLife Was Better was the second EP release by Australian rock band Magic Dirt. It was released in November 1994 on the Melbourne independent label Au Go Go Records...
November 1994 Au Go Go Records - Magic Dirt 2006 Tour October, 2006 Emergency Music
- Magic Dirt 2008 Tour August 2008 Emergency Music
- White Boy August 2009 Emergency Music
Singles
- "Super Tear" (7") (1993)
- "Heroin"/"Goofy Gumb" (7") (1993)
- "Redhead" (7") (1995)
- "I Was Cruel" (10") (1995)
- "Goofy Gumb" (Split 7") (1996)
- "Shovel"/"Heavy Business" (promo only) (1996)
- "Sparrow" (1997)
- "Rabbit with Fangs" (1997)
- "She-Riff" (1998)
- "Super Tear 98" (7") (give away only) (1998)
- "Kick Out the Jams" (7") (1998)
- "Expectations" (credited to Ronin System featuring Magic Dirt) (1999)
- "Dirty Jeans" (2000)
- "Pace It" (2001)
- "Supagloo" (2001)
- "Magazine"/"I Want a Dog" (fan club 7") (2001)
- "City Trash" (radio promo only) (2002)
- "Vulcanella" (radio promo only) (2003)
- "Watch Out Boys" (promo only) (2003)
- "Plastic Loveless Letter" (2003) AUS No. 34
- "All My Crushes" (2004)
- "Locket" (2005)
- "I Love the Rain" (2005)
- "Bring Me the Head Of..." (radio promo) (2007)
- "Romy" (2008)
Soundtrack and compilation appearances
- "Heroin" (The Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
cover) from Check This Action (1992) - "Goofy Gumb" from That Was Then, This Is Now (1993)
- "My Pal" (GODGOD (band)God was a rock 'n' roll band from Melbourne, Australia, together from 1986 to 1989 and comprising Joel Silbersher, Tim Hemensley, Sean Greenway and Matthew Whittle. All members were 15-16 at the time of the band's formation...
cover) on Idiot Box soundtrack (1996) - "Sparrow", live version from Recovery: Hits From The Back Door (1997)
- "Rabbit With Fangs" live version from Triple J: Lust For Live (1998)
- "Teenage Vampire" demo version from Hardcore Music In Ya Face! Warner sampler (2000)
- "Supernova" (Liz PhairLiz PhairPhair's entry into the music industry began when she met guitarist Chris Brokaw, a member of the band Come. Brokaw and Phair moved to San Francisco together, and Phair tried to become an artist there...
cover) from Looking for AlibrandiLooking for AlibrandiLooking for Alibrandi is a 1999 Australian film written by Melina Marchetta based on the novel of the same name. The film sets in the 1990s Sydney, New South Wales and starring Australian actors, including Pia Miranda as Josephine Alibrandi, the film's main character, Anthony LaPaglia as her...
soundtrack (2000) - "Who Made Me Who I Am", collaboration with Richard FranklinRichard FranklinRichard Franklin is a British actor.He has had various roles in different television programmes including Crossroads and Emmerdale Farm...
from CorroborationCorroboration (album)Corroboration is a 2001 compilation released on the Festival Mushroom Records imprint, Sputnik. It was the result of a project put together by Kurt Luthy. It brought together indigenous and non indigenous musicians and bands from various genres. It reached #92 on ARIA Top 100 Albums chart...
(2001) - "Darling It HurtsDarling It Hurts"Darling It Hurts" was the second single by Australian rock group Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls released in September 1986 from their debut double album, Gossip. The song, written by Kelly with lead guitarist, Steve Connolly, reached No. 25 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart...
" (Paul KellyPaul Kelly (musician)Paul Maurice Kelly is an Australian rock music singer-songwriter, guitarist, and harmonica player. He has performed solo, and has led numerous groups, including the Dots, the Coloured Girls, and the Messengers. He has worked with other artists and groups, including associated projects Professor...
cover) from Woman At The Well (2001) - "Watch Out Boys" early demo version on The Secret Life of UsThe Secret Life of UsThe Secret Life of Us was a television drama series set in the beachside suburb of St Kilda, Melbourne, Australia. The series was produced by Southern Star Entertainment and screened in Australia from 2001 to 2005 on Network Ten and on Channel 4 in the UK...
3 (2003) - "Plastic Loveless Letter" from Channel [v] Billabong Detour DVD (2004)
- "Watch Out Boys" from Channel [v] Billabong Detour DVD (2004)
- "All My Crushes" from Channel [v] Billabong Detour DVD (2004)
- "Vulcanella" from Channel [v] Billabong Detour DVD (2004)
- "Vulcanella" from the Fuck This I'm Going To The Annandale DVD (2005)
- "Get Ready to Die" from Radio Broker in Grand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and DamnedGrand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and DamnedGrand Theft Auto IV: The Lost and Damned is the first of two episodic expansion packs developed for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC versions of Grand Theft Auto IV, developed by Rockstar North. It was first released for the Xbox 360 on 17 February 2009 and on PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows...
(2009)
Music videos
- "Redhead" (1993)
- "Ice" (1994)
- "Shovel" (1996)
- "Sparrow" (1997)
- "Dylan's Lullaby" (1997)
- "I Was Cruel" (Live on Recovery) (1997)
- "Pristine Christine" (1998)
- "She-Riff" (1998)
- "Dirty Jeans" (2000)
- "Pace It" (2001)
- "Supagloo" (2001)
- "City Trash" (2002)
- "Watch Out Boys" (2003)
- "Plastic Loveless Letter" (2003)
- "All My Crushes" (2004)
- "Locket" (2005)
- "I Love the Rain" (2005)
- "Bring Me the Head Of..." (2007)
- "Romy" (2008)
- "White Boy" (2009)
External links
- Magic Dirt page at Warner Music
- Magic Dirt history J-File