Warren Ellis' songs in the key of Waz

Warren Ellis’ music has been the soundtrack to my adult life. I remember when I first heard Dirty Three, they were like nothing else around; an instrumental band with a violinist who played like Hendrix, and epic songs that tore at the very fibre of your being. I listened to their albums and like many others put my own meaning into those wordless songs. In the mid 90’s we started seeing him more in the Bad Seeds. He found a friend and collaborator in Nick Cave, they would form Grinderman together and compose beautiful soundtracks for film and television. Warren Ellis doesn’t sit still. He also rarely looks back.. for him, creative life is about propelling forward, solving the mystery of song that awaits in his next project. When Dirty Three announced they’d be performing their debut album in full, I knew I wanted Waz to Take 5. He’s always been the most entertaining part of Nick Cave doco’s, and his fiery spirit on stage is magnetic; I wanted to get close to that, see what made him tick. What I witnessed, was an entirely different Warren Ellis. In a pin drop quiet room, he took us from his childhood in Ballarat, to the streets of Europe, finding his voice in Melbourne and then leaving it all behind to become the man he is today. Songs in the key of Waz. From the maestro himself.

John Ellis - ‘Mis’ry is my Middle Name’

Johnny Cash - ‘Orange Blossom Special’

Beethoven -  ‘Symphony 7 slow movement number 2 Allegretto’

Arleta - ‘Mia Fora Thymamai (I Remember a Time)’

Alice Coltrane / John Coltrane – ‘The Sun’