Dave Hole sounds like a lightning storm captured in a Fender Twin Reverb. His music is defined by a blistering, high-velocity slide guitar style that feels both dangerous and technically impossible. It is the sound of the Australian pub circuit refined into a sharp, metallic edge, where the blues isn't just a genre but a physical endurance test. The rhythm section provides a sturdy, swinging foundation, but the spotlight never leaves the guitar's screaming, vocal-like sustain.
What truly sets him apart is his unorthodox 'over-the-top' slide technique, born from a broken finger but perfected into a signature voice. This allows for wide, aggressive vibratos and rapid-fire runs that traditional players simply cannot replicate. His tone is thick with tube saturation, biting through the mix with a raspy, soulful vocal delivery that matches the intensity of his fretwork. It is music that demands volume and movement.
Start with 'Short Fuse Blues' to hear the raw energy that first caught the world's attention. From there, 'Under the Spell' offers a more polished but no less fiery exploration of his craft. It is the perfect entry point for anyone who thinks the blues has become too polite or predictable.
Robert David Hole (born 30 March 1948, Heswall, Cheshire, England) is an Australian slide guitarist and singer known for his unique style of playing rock and roll and blues music. In 1990 he issued Short Fuse Blues which brought him to the attention of United States label, Alligator Records. Two of his albums have appeared on Billboard Top Blues Albums, Steel on Steel (1995) peaked at No. 13 and Ticket to Chicago (1997) reached No. 15. His sixth album, Under the Spell, appeared in April 1999 and won "Best Blues & Roots Album" at the ARIA Music Awards of that year. Hole is noted for his unusual performance style, which alternates traditionally plucked notes and chords with the slide notes played by his hand draped over the guitar's neck. According to Australian rock music historian Ian McFarlane, Hole "is the most acclaimed blues guitarist Australia has ever produced... courtesy of his unorthodox slide guitar style, his rousing live shows and a series of hard-rocking, roadhouse blues albums... yet it took two decades of slogging around the Australian touring circuit before the local industry sat up and took notice".
Cassette uses generative AI to enrich its catalog. How we use AI →