Listen to Dave here

PROFILE



"No one on the current scene plays with the incendiary power he does" - ASSOCIATED PRESS.

"..a one-way journey to sonic joy" - LIVING BLUES.

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

"Hole's slide technique is really astounding" - JAZZ TIMES

Over the course of 7 studio albums and 10 world tours, this Australian slide guitar master has received endless requests for a recording that captures the full-on energy of his ferocious live shows. Bursting with hard-charging rockers and simmering slow blues, his most recent album THE LIVE ONE (BCD1008)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 and rock slide legends such as Duane Allman, Johnny Winter and Elmore James.

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."

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."

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.

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. 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.

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 Blues Festival in Germany was televised nationally. 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 12 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!"

For those who are already familiar with Dave Hole's work, THE LIVE ONE represents an exciting new milestone in his recording career. For others there can be no better introduction to the blues and rock artistry of this unique talent.

In 2006 Dave will tour extensively in America, Europe and Australia, playing numerous festivals and clubs. He will be accompanied by Roy Daniel on bass and J Mattes(US, Europe) or Ric Eastman(Australia)on drums




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"





COMPILATIONS:



1995 "Huh - Blues Issue Special" (1 track)
1996 "Masters of Blues" - A Tribute to Elmore James" (1 track - Icehouse Records)
1996 "The Alligator Records 25th. Anniversary Collection" (1 track - Alligator Records)
1997 "The Great Guitarists Vol.1 - A Celebration of Blues" (1 track - Rounder Records)
1998 "Guitar Gurus" (1 track - Sony)
1998 "Hound Dog Taylor - A Tribute" (1 track - Alligator Records)
1998 "No. 1 Blues Album" (1 track - Polygram)
2001 "The Alligator Records 30th Anniversary Collection" (1 track - Alligator Records)
2002 "The No1 Blues Album" (1 track - Polygram)
2003 "Crucial Guitar Blues" (1 track - Alligator Records)

"...harrowing slide-guitar solos and rampaging vocals, wickedly seductive. playfully inventive." - DOWN BEAT.

"Magnificent, staggering, almost beyond belief. Utterly blues approved." - GUITAR PLAYER

"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.

"Slide guitar fanatics will have their brains blown out by the second astonishing album by this ..Australian fret-melter. ......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

"Not your garden-variety guitar hellraiser, Hole control his awesome vituosity just enough to escape charges of grand-standing. The Aussie finds resolution for the tension he generates so readily with his slider on strings." - DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE, U.S.A.




REVIEWS



"Man, can Hole play the slide guitar! His new CD "The Live One" is a slash and burn rampage through old-school blues slide wailing.
"CHICAGO TRIBUNE", U.S.A. (AUG. 2003)

"His (Hole's) playing has unmatched fluidity. The fireworks, laser strikes, and machine-gun blast sound lubricated, and the quiet, sweet riffs are loose and flowing. Maybe it's the assist of gravity, maybe it's less friction of drag from his fretting hand - whatever it is, he has something new, and since 1992 he's taken the slide world by storm."
"BLUES REVIEW", U.S.A. (SEPT. 2003)

" Elmore James probably would be surprised to find out that someday the world's best slide guitar player would hail not from Chicago but from Perth, Australia. The guitarist in question would be, for those who haven't been paying attention, Dave Hole. ? the man can make his axe sing, cry, weep and wail, which is all that matters."
"SAN FRANCISCO BAY GUARDIAN", U.S.A. (AUG. 2003)

"The Live One" is one of the purest insights into this man's truly awesome slide ability ever captured on tape. An amazing display of fluid blues gymnastics from beginning to end". "??heavenly slide playing that words couldn't do justice to. For those times when too much guitar is never enough."
"AUSTRALIAN GUITAR" MAGAZINE (MAY, 2003)

"The clarity (of the recording) means you catch every biting microtone in Hole's banshee squeals and hellbent fret runs."
"ROLLING STONE", U.S.A. (MAY, 2003)

"Dazzling??an ear-bending burst of slide guitar blues brilliance."
"CHICAGO TRIBUNE", U.S.A. (2003)

"From a standpoint of voltage, he reigns supreme. His electric slide is without peer, and believe me he is hiding nothing under that heavily distored signal, he is just trying to reach the greatest number of souls in the most electrifying range. A composer of the first rank, he bares all the influences of figures past and some almost present. Check out "Purple Haze".
"VINTAGE GUITAR", U.S.A. (JUNE 2003).

"On his first concert album ever, Hole proves that his musical intelligence and his emotional honesty are a formidable as his technical skills."
AMAZON.COM", U.S.A. (2003)

"Hole is an extraordinary talent in a very crowded idiom. While his music surges and crashes it has the inexplicable appeal of the ocean demonstrating its awesome power."
"CANBERRA TIMES", AUSTRALIA (APRIL, 2003)

"The album ("the Live One") brilliantly captures the energy of a Dave Hole performance and will delight his many fans - and any disadvantaged slide guitar enthusiasts who have not yet enjoyed the pleasure of hearing the remarkable Dave Hole play."
"BLUES IN BRITAIN" (2003)

"This Australian slide monster's off-the-cuff delivery, coupled with a mean and searing tone driven along the border between blues and hard rock, makes for a sonically dangerous experience?.still he has a nice side too. Just be careful when he turns."
"GUITAR ONE", U.S.A. (AUG. 2003)

"Searing, steel-guitar-like tones. Long, fat, sustained notes that screech like a siren with a wildly tremulous vibrato?an effective composer of molten blues-rock tunes."
"LOS ANGELES TIMES", U.S.A. (2001)

"A combination of wild abandon and surgical precision?.soul deep singing and incendiary fret work. Shuffles and swaggers in the best road-house style. His slide work dive bombs with fat tone and vibrato, played with string-melting intensity. His speed and dexterity will leave you scratching your head and wondering how he can pull it all off with style, fire and grace."
"BLUES ACCESS", U.S.A. (2001)

"Dave Hole is one prodigy whose daunting chops always seem to serve the music, and his smoking new CD "Outside Looking In" is another ear-bending burst of slide blues brilliance that's both innovative and faithfull to the spirit of the music."
"CHICAGO TRIBUNE" (JULY, 2001)

"Hole plays ferocious, adrenaline-charged electric slide?throws sweeping and swirling slide guitar notes into the stratosphere for a dizzying, slash-and-burn, good time stomp".
"LIVING BLUES", U.S.A. (2000)

"Incendiary bottleneck blues?impressive. Highly recommended."
"GUITAR SHOP", U.S.A. (2000)

"Slide sensation flaunts fretboard flash?slashing, burning and raucous?.Hole's slide technique is really astounding."
"JAZZ TIMES", U.S.A. (2000)

"One of the most incendiary guitarists ever. Jaw-dropping slide work."
"BIKINI", U.S.A. (2000)

"Aussie Dave hole's blistering guitar playing left a deep impression on Singapore. At times, it seems he could almost make his guitar speak; at others it was clear that he knew exactly the right buttons to push to get the crowd roaring."
"BUSINESS TIMES", SINGAPORE (APRIL, 1999) (Live review)

"As usual Hole's commitment to his art is evident?.he plays and sings without compromise, sometimes cajoling, sometimes blasting, but always deep-rooted in the spirit of the blues."
"CANBERRA TIMES", AUSTRALIA (MAY, 1999)

"Hole delivers a virtual slide guitar feast for the listener (on "Under The Spell"). His reach, speed and dexterity ranks with the best of the rock and jazz greats. His commanding musical presence leaves his listeners in awe."
"JAZZ & BLUES" MAGAZINE, U.S.A. (JULY, 1999)

"Hole is rightly revered for his jaw-dropping slide work, but he's about more than just hot licks. He's a strong, smart songwriter and an expressive singer."
"BLUES REVIEW" U.S.A. (JULY/AUGUST, 1999)

"?. Hole has seldom sounded more persuasive or impassioned -his guitar consistently conveys the deepest emotions and truths."
"WASHINGTON POST", U.S.A. (OCTOBER, 1999)

"Ticket To Chicago' stands as a tribute to the electric Blues invented in that City."
"ASSOCIATED PRESS", U.S.A. (MARCH, 1997).

"Probably the greatest blues guitar player of all time. Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert Collins - name them - no one is nearly as good as this Australian. Now this is the blues."
"VENTURA COUNTY REPORTER", U.S.A. (MARCH, 1997)

"? this critic believes that Dave Hole is the best Blues slide player in the world today. With or without his bottleneck, he has the overall chops of the genre's finer names. He is the equal of Buddy Guy, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton and Fleetwood Mac's tortured co-founder Peter Green."
"THE PRESS" ATLANTIC CITY, U.S.A. (MARCH, 1997).

"Dave Hole's overhand slide continues to blaze and amaze. Elmore James, Hound Dog Taylor and Duane Allman resound in his swoops and slides, while his fingers-on-the-frets forays recall Albert King".
"GUITAR PLAYER", U.S.A. (JUNE, 1997).

"Sizzling and supercharged? a one-way journey to sonic joy."
"LIVING BLUES", U.S.A. (MAY/JUNE, 1997).

"Dave Hole is one of the best slide 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", U.S.A. (1997)

"Exhilaratingly relentless?he produces solo upon blistering solo."
"GUITAR WORLD", U.S.A. (1997)

"?. Harrowing slide guitar solos and rampaging vocals?wickedly seductive?.playfully inventive."
"DOWN BEAT", U.S.A. (1997)

"No one on the current scene plays with the incendiary power he does...plenty of energy and explosive slide work. It's never easy to sit still when he's churning out a solo."
"ASSOCIATED PRESS", U.S.A. (1997)

"One of the greatest blues slide guitarists in the world?.It's a blues album (Ticket To Chicago) that drips with emotion. Hole's playing defies comparisons."
"CHICAGO SUN-TIMES", U.S.A. (AUGUST, 1997)

Whether plugged or unplugged, Hole's precise and passionate playing ranks with the legends of the genre."
"ASSOCIATED PRESS", U.S.A. (JULY, 1995).

"Yes, Dave Hole is that good. 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 today.
"BLUES REVIEW", U.S.A. (JULY, 1995).

"When the music of Dave Hole crossed the Pacific it was met with an incredible reaction. Radio programmers, press and fans alike could not get enough of the crackling electricity and raw energy that flows from the man. Ripping, speaker-melting play-every-note-like-you-mean-it, big-balls-out guitar is what he's all about. People still talk about his debut tour of the States in the Fall of 1993, expressing amazement that any of the venues in which he slayed audiences were still standing.
"VINTAGE GUITAR", U.S.A. (SEPTEMBER, 1995)

Kirk Hammett (Metallica) ".......and Dave Hole - his slide playing kills me."
READERS POLL - "BEST SLIDE GUITARIST" category - JOINT 3rd. PLACE. "GUITAR PLAYER", U.S.A. (JANUARY, 1994).

"There's no more explosive Blues guitar player in the world."
"ESQUIRE", U.S.A. (JULY, 1993).

"Slide guitar fanatics will have their brains blown out by the second astonishing album by this Australian fret-melter. ......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)

"....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. (OCTOBER, 1993) - Live Review.

"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. (NOVEMBER, 1993).

"One of the world's most powerful players."
"GUITAR WORLD", U.S.A. (DECEMBER, 1993).

"Whether he's sliding, picking, or acoustic bottlenecking, Dave scorches the strings with utter abandon, pushing the envelope yet another notch further in this idiom."
"GUITAR PLAYER", U.S.A. (DECEMBER, 1993).

"If you have any taste for raucous slide guitar, don't let 'Working Overtime' disappear from your record store. Hole could do for slide what his countrymen AC/DC did for metal."
"PLAYBOY", U.S.A. (DECEMBER, 1993).

"....Hole's work displays bruising power and bewildering invention.. .?.the playing here will leave you slack-jawed with wonder."
"MUSICIAN", U.S.A. (DECEMBER, 1993).

"It's not pretentious or flashy. It is just Blues guitar played with mind-numbing virtuosity."
"SYDNEY MORNING HERALD", SYDNEY. (APRIL, 1992),

"When it comes to scintillating slide guitar, Aussie guitarist Dave Hole is rewriting Rock history.
"FIRST HEARING", U.K. (DECEMBER, 1992).

"An astounding guitarist. Evokes favourable comparisons to Albert King and Stevie Ray Vaughan."
"GUITAR PLAYER" MAGAZINE, U.S.A. (JULY, 1991).

"Magnificent, staggering, almost beyond belief. Utterly Blues approved."
"GUITAR PLAYER" MAGAZINE, U.S.A. (APRIL, 1991)