Magic Dirt

Magic Dirt at the 2004 Big Day Out

Magic Dirt is a Geelong, Australia based rock group. The group was started in 1992 by Adalita Srsen, Dean Turner, Daniel Herring and Adam Robertson. After shows in Sydney and Melbourne, the band released its debut release, the Super Tear 7" on Fellaheen in July 1993. November of that year saw the band sign with Au Go Go Records and release its debut EP, Signs of Satanic Youth.

The period between 1993 and 1994, saw the band breakup and reform several times. 1994 turned out to a huge year for the band with the second EP, Life Was Better, being released in November and debuting at no 1 on the alternative chart, and continues to stay in the chart for 75 weeks. There were also support slots for Pavement, Beck, and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion.

Guitarist Daniel Herring left the band on August 15, 1995, to be replaced several months later by fellow Geelong musician Dave Thomas of Bored! fame. The last recording with Daniel was the 10" vinyl single, I Was Cruel, which is to be the first taste of the band's forthcoming debut album.

In March 1996 the band begins recording its debut album, Friends In Danger, with Paul McKercher in Sydney. The album is released in September of that year, and is followed by national Australian tour with the Arches Of Loaf, with whom the band tours the US with in November after signing an overseas deal with Warner Bros Records.

July 1997 sees Dave Thomas leave the band, who is later replaced by Raul Sanchez - former frontman of Melbourne band Muffcake. The band begins recording its second full-length record at Birdland, before undertaking a three week tour of the UK and Europe in the later half of the year. March of the following year sees the release of the album, Young and Full Of The Devil - the last release from Au Go Go Records and one of the last for the label itself. Around this time Dean and Adalita undertake two side projects, the first being Seaville - a project with Merida Sussex from Paradise Motel that resulted in the release of the Swan Song EP in 1998. The second project was with Ronin System and resulted in the result of Expectations in 1999.

2000 sees the band band sign a recording contract with Warner Australia, and begin recording its third album, What Are Rockstars Doing Today. Released in Australian during October of that year, the album debuts at no 35 on the national ARIA charts. It is followed by tours with Powderfinger and Jebediah. Early 2003 the band starts recording its forth album, Tough Love, at Birdland Studios in Melbourne. The album is released in August of that year, and later goes on to be nominated for an ARIA Award for "Best Rock Album".

Contents

1 Personnel

1.1 Current personnel
1.2 Former personnel

2 Discography

2.1 Full-length
2.2 Extended players
2.3 Singles

3 External links