Biography

Rough Diamond” Dave Hole’s newest release on Blind Pig Records promises to keep the accolades coming as Dave again proves himself to be one of the most innovative and accomplished slide guitarists of any age. From originals like “Rough Diamond Child” , “Can’t Stop Loving You” and “Yours For A Song” to selections including “Rambling On My Mind” by Robert Johnson, “White Trash Girl” originally made famous by Willie DeVille, the Buddy Holly chestnut “Think It Over” and the timeless compositions “I’m A King Bee” and “Something Inside of Me”, these rock solid performances are drenched in fret-melting licks that infuse the spirit of blues and rock slide legends such as Muddy Waters, Duane Allman, and Elmore James. Dave Hole carves his own place deep in the pantheon of slide guitar greats with his remarkably inventive, technically unusual overhand slide work that separates him from the pack.
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, 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. Encouraged by his staff's excitement on hearing the album, he released it to a world-wide audience. Almost overnight, Dave Hole became an international phenomenon.
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 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. 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. And it wasn't only the critics who were paying attention. Metallica's Kirk Hammett named Dave Hole as one of his favorite guitarists, saying, "His slide playing kills me." People everywhere took notice. When veteran rock and blues guitarist Gary Moore heard Daves recording “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.
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. Blues Revue noted”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!"
Audiences around the globe have thrilled to the power of Hole's performances and this release bears further testimony to his talents. For those who are already familiar with Dave Hole's work, “Rough Diamond” 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.