Something really different to what we usually put up, but given who and what it is, I don’t really give two craps – so please excuse me whilst I  deviate from our regular programming, just for a moment …

I have been a fan of the Dirty Three since I heard their first album, “Dirty Three” way back when I was living in a pretty dilapidated house in Machans beach, FNQ. To me, my memories of that time are interspersed with getting smashed on goon on Austudy payday, crazy crazy shenanigans at the art centre I used to hang out at, playing in my short lived but much loved band “Derick And The Cabbages” and, most importantly, discovering a whole new world of music the likes I had never heard before (Being in High School in Perth in the very early 90s, it had til that point, been hip hop and “techno” as it was called back then – not to be confused with what the genre is called now).

Mostly, however, I remember the exact moment that I first heard the Dirty Three – and moments like that in a musical journey that has been as diverse in its love as mine has been, is just fkn amazing (thankyou, Ben Stevens). From The Dirty Three, to Sad And Dangerous, to Whatever You love You Are, to the musical multitrack genius of Cinders and beyond, their music is often at the core of my creative processes – hundreds of articles on this site have been written whilst I’ve been listening to D3, and, when I paint, my music often alternates between Hospital Records (dnb) and Dirty Three.

So, I guess you get the picture that, in my world, the Dirty Three really ranks.

Over the years there has been a lot of remarkable artwork produced for the covers of the Dirty Three albums. I can’t actually recall when I started to notice the shift in artwork on the D3 covers, but it started getting .. really interesting, and befitting of the music. Turns out that it has started to be produced by by the D3s own Mick Turner, and, well, I then loved it even more.

I’ve always wanted a chance to see more of Micks work in the flesh, but always seemed to miss his shows, and I’m glad that we are all being given more opportunities to do so – it is whimsical, playful and often deeply emotive work with a almost imperceptible cliff hanging drop into the edged out depth. “Cover Art & Morsels” promises us a great glimpse into the mind of his talents, and a deeper look into the worlds behind the albums of the Dirty Three – even if it is mostly prints.

“Mick Turner is a Melbourne artist and musician, known primarily as guitarist with internationally acclaimed instrumental group Dirty Three. He has however been a painter for as long as he’s played music, and his artwork features on the covers of Dirty Three and his own solo album releases. These cover-art paintings exist as a visual accompaniment to the music of Dirty Three and Turner’s other projects, possessing a similar wild beauty.

To coincide with Dirty Three’s upcoming Australian tour, guitarist Mick Turner is hosting a travelling art exhibition.

Limited edition reproduction prints of cover art images from Dirty Three albums, along with a selection of Mick’s recent works, will be available at the exhibitions. The Melbourne show will also have a canvas of the cover image for the new album Toward The Low Sun on display.”

As we said, this doesn’t fall into our usual kind of fare, but, to be honest, we like cool art, and Mick Turner is definitely cool. We wouldn’t mind getting a print ourselves, finally, so we’ll definitely be heading to Tinning Street.

Oh yeah, on a sad note, I actually missed out on tickets for this latest tour of the Dirty Three, and it pissed me off royally. Anyone got hookups to the Palace for the 16th? Beuller? … Beuller? … well …

Who: Mick Turner
What: Cover Art & Morsels

Melbourne 8th March -18th March
Tinning Street Gallery
Lot 5/29 Tinning Street, Brunswick
Featuring recent paintings, prints and sculptures

Sydney 20th March – 3rd April
Mart Gallery
156 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills
Featuring cover art and recent work

Perth 7th March – 11th March
Joint exhibition with Jo Darvall
‘Graceful Wings of Travelers’ Jo Darvall / ‘Covert Art and Morsels’ Mick Turner
Showcase Space Gallery, Cnr Aberdeen & Beaufort St, Perth
Featuring cover art and recent work
Gallery open Wednesday 7^th, 8^th, 9^th and 10, 3 to 6pm, Saturday 11 to 4pm.

Check out Mick Turners website, and if you are crazy enough to not have heard any of the Dirty Threes music before go to their site and find something to hear!