Hugo Race on DeBaser: blues detours, desert echoes, Italian ties

Hugo Race

Musician

Forfans of nick cave & the bad seeds, blues/world crossover seekers, post-punk and experimental rock listeners
4 Reviews 0 Definitions 1 Charts

The Profile

Australian musician, singer and producer. An early member and founder of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, he later led The Wreckery and Hugo Race & The True Spirit, co-founded Dirtmusic and Sepiatone, and developed strong ties with Italy through projects like The Merola Matrix.

Active since the early 1980s; born in Melbourne; early member/founding member of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds (appearing on From Her to Eternity); led The Wreckery and The True Spirit; co-founded Dirtmusic (with Chris Eckman; collaborations in Mali and Istanbul) and Sepiatone (with Marta Collica); long-running Italian connection including Sacri Cuori and the Fatalists; created the audiovisual project The Merola Matrix; recorded John Lee Hooker's World Today with Michelangelo Russo; author of the book Road Series.

Four DeBaser pieces chart Hugo Race’s path from Melbourne’s post‑punk ferment to globe‑spanning collaborations. Reviews spotlight his blues-inflected experiments, Italian connections, and multimedia work The Merola Matrix. An in-depth interview digs into Dirtmusic, John Lee Hooker’s legacy, and the craft of collaboration. Overall tone: reflective and appreciative.

Notable Quotes

❝ I don’t see myself as a blues musician.

❝ the world changes. But it doesn't change. Because it's a wheel that turns.

❝ Hugo Race is a psychedelic prophet, singing around Italian clubs, with his guitar, effects, and his laptop, aware of the power of his music, which at times touches pure genius.