David Thrussell is a self-confessed recluse and anti-networker, tucked away in the hills. A man of many faces and esoteric passions, he’s deeply enamoured with the strange, the obscure, and the outsider fringes of country music. Through his label, Omni Recording Corporation, he’s brought to light some of the finest hidden gems — from Eddie Noack, Malvina Reynolds, Norma Jean, and Red River Dave to the legendary Melbourne satirical electronic glam outfit The Shower Scene From Psycho.
In this final instalment of the Goldfields Series, yours truly Dr Gonzo parked my converted VW delivery van-slash-mobile recording studio outside David’s secluded rural hideaway near Daylesford, ready to capture his thoughts on the latest edition of Hillbillies In Hell — The Endless Sleep.
The Goldfields Series is a collection of artist-led audio features spotlighting regional talent from Victoria’s central highlands, with past episodes featuring Doc Henry, Rebecca Tolhurst, and Mandy Connell. Now, we turn to hillbilly/electronic alchemist David Thrussell.
This marks David’s fourth appearance on And This One’s Introduced By… — previous outings having included Snog, Black Lung, and Hillbillies In Hell: Omnibus Edition. For this episode, he introduces tracks from his long-running, vinyl-only compilation series Hillbillies In Hell, lovingly curated with a collector’s obsession for detail.
The newest chapter, subtitled The Endless Sleep, features 18 rare cuts from country crooners and cult favourites alike — including Lee Hazlewood, Loretta Lynn, Marijohn Wilkin, and Frank Proffitt — recorded between 1958 and 1973.
Join David Thrussell and Dr Gonzo as they spin and discuss the haunted beauty of Hillbillies In Hell: The Endless Sleep.