Warren Ellis (musician)

Warren Ellis (born 14 February 1965) is an Australian musician and composer. He is a member of several groups: Dirty Three, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds and Grinderman. He has also composed film scores with Nick Cave. Ellis plays violin, piano, accordion, bouzouki, guitar, flute, mandolin, tenor guitar, and viola.[1][2] Ellis has been a member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds since 1994.[3][4]

Warren Ellis
Warren Ellis at 41st César Awards in 2016
Background information
Born (1965-02-14) 14 February 1965
Ballarat, Victoria, Australia
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentsViolin, piano, accordion, bouzouki, guitar, flute, mandolin, tenor guitar, viola
LabelsAnchor & Hope
Bella Union
Associated actsDirty Three
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
Grinderman
Charlie Marshall and the Body Electric

Life and career

Warren Ellis of the Dirty Three performing at WOMADelaide 2012

Ellis was born in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.[5] He has said that he came to music by accident: while playing at the local tip, he found an abandoned piano accordion. He took it to school and his teacher showed him how to play it.[6] He later learned classical violin and flute at school in Ballarat.

After winning a scholarship to a private high school.[7] Ellis went to university in Melbourne, where he studied classical violin. After that he then worked briefly as a schoolteacher in country Victoria. In January 1988 he travelled to Europe, where he busked in Greece, Hungary, Scotland and Ireland. A year later he returned to Australia.[5][8] Ellis then wrote music for theatre groups and performed at art openings and plays in Melbourne, before he started playing in bands in the early nineties.[2][9]

In 1992 Ellis formed The Dirty Three with guitarist Mick Turner and drummer Jim White. As of 2018 the band has recorded nine studio albums, including several to appear on the ARIA charts in their native Australia.

In 1993, Ellis was invited to play with Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds as part of a small string ensemble for several songs on Let Love In (released 1994). He would soon join the band as a full-time member, eventually co-writing many of the band's songs and becoming a pivotal collaborator with singer Nick Cave in film scores and other projects. Ellis was also a member of Grinderman, a side-group from the Bad Seeds, who have released two albums.[2]

In 2002, Ellis released a solo album on King Crab records called Three Pieces for Violin. Since 2005 he has played on several Marianne Faithfull albums. Nick Cave and Warren Ellis composed the award-winning score of the film The Proposition,[10] and collaborated again on the scores of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,[11] The Road,[12] and Far from Men.[13]

In 2009, Nick Cave and Warren Ellis released White Lunar – an album that includes other soundtrack scores.[14]

Ellis has lived in Paris since 1998 with his French wife and their two children.[15][2]

Discography

Solo albums

  • Three Pieces for Violin (2002)

Solo film scores

  • Mustang, soundtrack (2015)
  • Django, soundtrack (2017)
  • This Train I Ride, soundtrack (2019)

Film and theatre scores with Nick Cave

see also

Other collaborations

Awards

National Live Music Awards

The National Live Music Awards (NLMAs) are a broad recognition of Australia's diverse live industry, celebrating the success of the Australian live scene. The awards commenced in 2016.

Year Nominee / work Award Result
National Live Music Awards of 2020[21] himself Live Instrumentalist of the Year Won

References

  1. "CULTURE : Digging diamonds from the dirt; Dirty Three Birmingham Academy 2". Thefreelibrary.com. Retrieved 2 September 2014.
  2. "Warren Ellis Interview". BBC. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  3. Baker, J. (2013). The Art of Nick Cave: New Critical Essays. Intellect Books. p. 72.
  4. "Liverpool – Entertainment – Dirty Three @ Carling Academy". BBC. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  5. Calkin, J. "Flying on instruments". The Telegraph.
  6. Badham, Van (3 January 2016). "Warren Ellis of Dirty Three: music is a place to get away from things". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077.
  7. Option: Volumes 66–71, Sonic Options Network, 1996
  8. Dwyer, M. "Wild seed". The Age.
  9. "From The Archives -Dirty Three- Concert Chronology / Gigography". Fromthearchives.com. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  10. Deusner, Stephen M. (21 February 2006). "The Proposition OST". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  11. Klein, Joshua (1 February 2008). "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford". Pitchfork. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  12. Murray, Robin (12 January 2010). "Warren Ellis On 'The Road' Score". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  13. Fischer, Russ (6 April 2015). "Sample the Nick Cave and Warren Ellis Score for 'Far From Men'". Slash Film. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  14. Lusk, Jon (2009). "Nick Cave & Warren Ellis White Lunar Review". BBC Music. BBC. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
  15. "More than one string to his bow". The Age. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  16. "Vesturport". Vesturport.com. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  17. "Trailer: Nick Cave-Penned/Scored 'Lawless'". Twentyfourbit.com. Retrieved 27 September 2014.
  18. http://www.allmusic.com/album/son-of-rogues-gallery-pirate-ballads-sea-songs-chanteys-mw0002476575
  19. https://www.franceculture.fr/evenement/cinesonore-le-brasier-shelley-un-film-sans-image-en-son-immersif-au-mk2-bibliotheque-a-paris
  20. http://www.anti.com/news/tinariwen-release-new-album-amadjar-today/
  21. "Nominees announced for 2020 National Live Music Awards". NLMAs. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
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