The evolving brain child of Barry Blackler and Nick Sampson, Dirt is a synthesis of influences – long past and newly found. Aided and abetted by Malcolm Black (RIP and sadly missed), Dirt are purveyors of that elusive thing we call rock n roll, offering up songs about life, dying, trying, grieving, being happy and drinking.

"Sing sweet, but put a little dirt in it" – Duke Ellington

Dirt have a shared history between the three of them over the decades. Nick Sampson and Malcolm Black were in the Netherworld Dancing Toys and together penned the anthemic For Today, while Barry Blackler was busy travelling the world playing drums for the likes of The Starlings and The Jesus and Mary Chain. They would meet up together over the years, in all sorts of crazy places from Balclutha and Dunedin, to London, Paris, Las Vegas and Waitara.

In 2016, a garage in Piha provided the space for these three friends to reconnect and craft some tunes over a few beers on the weekends. It was a very productive time, and before long there were more than enough tunes to make an album.

"I'm a dirt person. I trust the dirt. I don't trust diamonds and gold" – Eartha Kitt

In 2018, Dirt went into Big Pop’s Kingsland studio to lay down some tracks. Dreams and Happiness is the first out of the blocks, featuring Nick and Malcolm singing together, once again. It’s a song that Nick describes as "A grasp at optimism... life can deal a pretty rugged hand at times, we all know that stuff. But good people get you through. So grab a dose of sunlight, fire rockets up and make the best of things... "

Dirt is a band of its time, that took some time, and has been through some serious times. It's also a band with a future. Barry and Nick are continuing to write and record. When asked what this music is, Dirt can’t say. Who knows. Maybe it sounds like a lifetime. Whatever. All they know is that a little Dirt never hurt.

BLOOM - THE ALBUM BY DIRT WILL BE OUT IN 2020

MALCOLM BLACK – SONGS FOR THE FAMILY

During his illness Malcolm wrote several intimate songs dedicated to his wife Julia, and his children. A month or two before he died he spent a week in Dunedin recording these with some other old musician friends. NDT producer Nigel Stone came over from the UK for the sessions.

SONGS FOR THE FAMILY – THE ALBUM BY MALCOLM BLACK WILL BE OUT IN 2020