Get the latest gossip

‘Cynicism doesn’t get you anywhere’: Warren Ellis on Dirty Three’s return, Nick Cave – and opening a primate sanctuary

It’s been 12 years since the Australian instrumental trio’s last album. Since then, their violinist has become Cave’s right-hand man and set up a home for abused monkeys. Now they’re back with a feverishly beautiful new album

When we start making shit, it’s time to stop.’” They quickly made their name with their lyrical, furious interplay, shades of Celtic and Greek folk music, a shared love of Impulse! While they continued to release consistently for the next few years (including 2001’s beautiful In the Fishtank EP with Low), the nature of the band changed as they settled and had families: Ellis got clean and moved to Paris with his now wife, Delphine Ciampi, where they live with their two sons, and became a permanent Bad Seed. From my side of things, it’s the act of getting in the studio and pushing yourself.” But the intuitive relationship between the trio, and their refusal to be reined in, four decades into their career, seems the operative part: the embodiment of the idea of love as a catalyst opened up by their new album; the beauty that can arise from listening deeply to one another.

Get the Android app