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Artist Website:

http://www.davehole.com/

new CD:
Rough Diamond

Born in England in 1948, he moved with his family to Perth, Western Australia when he was a child. He fell for the blues early on, when he heard a friend's Muddy Waters record. He yearned to hear more, but due to Perth's remoteness it was difficult to get any blues records on a regular basis. It was even rarer for a blues artist to perform there in person, so Hole had to teach himself to play. At first, only Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix albums were easily available, but with persistence (a trait Dave Hole has in abundance) he got his hands on records by Blind Willie Johnson, Skip James, Blind Lemon Jefferson and many others. Robert Johnson, Elmore James, and Mississippi Fred McDowell were his main "teachers", as he listened to their records over and over again, absorbing all he could from these blues masters.

Having fallen in love with music as a child, Dave spent his teenage years learning how to play by listening to every blues recording he could find. In 1991, after playing the Australian club circuit for over twenty years, he self-produced SHORT FUSE BLUES (BCD 1001), an album intended purely for direct sale to his fans. On a whim he mailed a copy to Jas Obrecht, then editor of Guitar Player magazine. "Magnificent, staggering ... almost beyond belief," raved Obrecht, who then tipped off Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer. Iglauer, encouraged by his staff's excitement on hearing the album, released it to a world-wide audience. Almost overnight, Dave Hole became an international phenomenon.

Then, either by accident or by fate, Hole broke his little finger in a football game. The only way he could continue to play slide guitar without pain was to put the slide on his index finger and hang his hand over the top of the guitar neck. When his finger healed, Hole had got so used to the 'wrong' way of playing (and grown so fond of the tone he was getting), that he never turned back.

By 1974 Hole was playing regularly around Perth and the country towns of Western Australia, only twice venturing east to Sydney and Melbourne. During the 1980s he continued gigging non-stop, leaving audiences spellbound wherever he went. After self producing his debut album in 1991, a review appeared in the American "Guitar Player" magazine in April of that year, followed by a July 1991 feature story which launched Hole to stardom. "Magnificent slide work .. ferocious, fire-breathing .. What more could you ask?" wondered the influential publication. Then Alligator Records president Bruce Iglauer took a chance and signed the only non U.S. based artist in the label's 30-year history. The gamble more than paid off. American critics praised Hole all over the country, and new fans were exposed to him through radio play on more than 1000 stations. Rave reviews appeared in Guitar World, Guitar For The Practicing Musician, Billboard, Audio, Spin, The Chicago Tribune, The Denver Post and many other major publications, as well as on The Associated Press newswire.  Dave signed a deal for Europe with Provogue Records in the same year. Subsequent albums and tours of the U.S. and Europe have solidified his stature as one of the very best slide guitarists playing today, taking him from virtual obscurity all the way to international recognition and admiration.

It wasn't just the critics who were paying attention. Metallica's Kirk Hammett named Dave Hole as one of his favourite guitarists, saying, "His slide playing kills me." People everywhere took notice. When veteran rock and blues guitarist Gary Moore heard SHORT FUSE BLUES, he was so impressed he invited Dave to join him on two European tours.  They played large stadiums and arenas and concluded with two memorable nights at London's Royal Albert Hall.  Many subsequent tours of Europe have seen Hole headlining festival shows in Germany, Denmark, Holland, France and Switzerland.  His performance at the prestigious Leverkussen Jazz Festival in Germany was televised twice(2001 and 2005) international. Tours have also included performances in Brazil, Sweden, Norway, Belgium and the U.K.

In 1991 Hole released his second album, THE PLUMBER (BCD 1002). This was followed by WORKING OVERTIME (BCD1003)(1993), STEEL ON STEEL (BCD1004) (1994),  TICKET TO CHICAGO (BCD1005) (1996), UNDER THE SPELL (BC 1006 (1998) and OUTSIDE LOOKING IN (BCD1007) (2001). These have received airplay on thousands of radio stations across America, Europe and elsewhere. Playboy, Esquire, Billboard, Musician, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Daily News and all the guitar publications ran features and reviews on these albums. "While many bottleneck players base their styles on a few patented patterns, Dave Hole sprays a steely fire all over the strings, navigating stratospheric leaps with the greatest of ease," wrote Guitar Player. "Hole has a molten tone that will harden into a hopeless tangle, then bust loose for some old-fashioned catharsis", said New York magazine, "He's a modernist mining a classic blues vein".

"Under The Spell" won an Australian ARIA award whilst his most recent studio recording, "Outside Looking In", has proven extremely popular with his legions of fans world-wide. Audiences around the globe have thrilled to the power of Hole's performances and this release bore further testimony to his talents. Here was all the  astounding guitar virtuosity and heartfelt vocals that had endeared Dave Hole to his many fans.

To support his growing success, Hole has toured North America and Europe in each of the last 10 years. His explosive live show has won him critical acclaim wherever he has gone. He constantly fills venues to overflowing and then proceeds to lift the rafters off with blistering performances. He has performed at countless  blues festivals around the world and show after show have ended with rapturous applause. Blues Revue noted, "If this guy played with any more feeling, he'd have to go on Prozac. Dave Hole is not only a superb guitarist with a distinctive sound, he performs heart-felt vocals with the depth and credibility of any blues headliner touring today ... hard driving rocking blues ... he is electricity incarnate!"

THE LIVE ONE (BCD 1008) is the record Dave Hole's fans have been clamouring for.  Over the course of 7 studio albums and 10 world tours, the Australian slide guitar monster has received endless requests for a record that captures the full-on energy of his ferocious live shows. Bursting with hard-charging rockers and simmering slow blues, THE LIVE ONE delivers the goods.  Recorded in Chicago and Perth, the performances are  drenched in waves of fret-melting guitar riffs that infuse the spirit of blues-rock slide legends such as Duane Allman and Johnny Winter.

On THE LIVE ONE , with his furious energy and amazing "over-the-top" style of playing, Dave Hole carves his own place deep in the pantheon of slide guitar greats. The album is released on Alligator records in the USA, Provogue Records in Europe and Black Cat (through Shock Records) in Australia. Jam packed with soaring slide guitar and passionate vocals it faithfully captures the full-blooded excitement of Hole's live shows and is bound to hit home with his many fans world-wide.

THE LIVE ONE is truly a power-house representation of a one-of-a-kind talent. "Nothing interferes with Hole's searing guitar when he is in full flight," said Rolling Stone. Guitar World agreed, saying, "Hole produces solo upon blistering solo with slide work that is exhilaratingly relentless."

 "..a one-way journey to sonic joy" - LIVING BLUES. "Exhilaratingly relentless, he produces solo upon blistering solo." - GUITAR WORLD

Since his recording debut 12 years ago,  Dave Hole's records and live performances have drawn raves from countless international publications, including Billboard, Spin, Guitar World, Downbeat and Guitar Player. Similarly, he's earned rapturous praise from the Associated Press and major US market dailys like the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post. Billboard wrote; "Slide guitar fanatics will have their brains blown out by this Australian fret-melter ... Remarkably inventive, technically unusual overhand slide work that separates him from the common pack ... prepare to hear your jaw hitting the floor."

Considering all the anticipation for this new album and all the praise Hole has received over the last few years, it's hard to believe that he has been performing for three decades.

DISCOGRAPHY:

1991 "Short Fuse Blues
1992 "The Plumber"
1993 "Working Overtime"
1995 "Steel On Steel"
1996 "Whole Lotta Blues"
1997 "Ticket To Chicago"
1999 "Under The Spell”
2001 "Outside Looking In"
2003 "The Live One"
2006.”Rough Daimond”

Available in Australia on: BLACK CAT RECORDS, P.O. Box 140, Darlington,  WA  6070  Australia Distributed by: SHOCK RECORDS, 200 Beavers Road, Northcote, Vic.  3070  Australia Phone: 03 9482.3666.   Fax: 03 9482.3873.

Voices:

Australian Dave Hole is a guitar-hero-in-waiting of the first magnitude, it's just a matter of exposure.
 This guy's a monster."- JAZZ AND BLUES, U.S.A.

..just take in the eight brilliantly sustained minutes of 'Up All Night Thinking' and prepare to hear your jaw hitting the floor."
- BILLBOARD MAGAZINE, U.S.A. OCTOBER, 1993

Exhilaratingly relentless ... he produces solo upon blistering solo."
- GUITAR WORLD

the man and his guitar were all-encompassing.  This was exciting, not just for the Australian Blues-rocker but for the entire audience at 'Legends'.  Hole burned down Buddy Guy's place Friday for two amazing sets. His lightening delivery and screaming slide, which sounded almost like a falsetto vocal at times, were works of art."
- CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, U.S.A. - Live Review.

Fast, flashy, steel-cylinder-on-steel-string slide work ... clearly stresses the instrumental pyrotechnics of such guitar heroes as Stevie Ray Vaughan and Jeff Healey. Hole's distinguishing trademark is his ability to play melodic slide phrases with lots of embellishments over galloping rhythms."
- WASHINGTON POST

Your jaw drops in amazement as you listen to the sizzling complexity of his playing. He sings with the same plaintive, sandpapery gruffness we associate with Eric Clapton or Robin Trower. As for his playing, Hole is just a natural blues-guitar star."
- DENVER POST

"Years from now, Blues aficionados may still be talking about the time in November, 1993 when slide guitarist Dave Hole first came to town.  An extraordinary musician and nascent star,  Hole is often compared to the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, but he plays with depth of feeling that owes more to early bottleneck men like Blind Willie Johnson."
- NEW YORK MAGAZINE, U.S.A.  - Live review.

Dave Hole is one of the best slide guitar players ever. His relentless slide strafes and searing single-line solos come at you like a runaway truck down a mountain grade."
- DETROIT FREE PRESS

Yes, Dave Hole is that good. If this guy played with any more feeling, he'd have to go on Prozac. He is not only a superb guitarist with a distinctive sound, he performs heart-felt vocals with the depth and credibility of any blues headliner touring today ... hard driving rocking blues ... he is electricity incarnate!"
-BLUES REVIEW

"Another sizzling side of modern blues-rock ... original, reverent solo and acoustic tributes to the rural and urban styles that inspired him. Hole sings with passion, but it's his ever -- fiery, Duane Allman-style slide that's the source of listener whiplash here."
- GUITAR FOR THE PRACTICING MUSICIAN

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