Daniel Francis Luscombe is an Australian guitarist, producer, and composer. He has collaborated with many musicians, been a member of several bands, including The Blackeyed Susans, The Drones, and Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males, and has composed music for films and TV.
Early life Daniel Francis Luscombe was born in Melbourne, Victoria.
Career Luscombe has been a member of The Blackeyed Susans, The Drones, Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males, Stardust Five, Spencer P. Jones & the Last Gasp and Paul Kelly and the Boon Companions, as well as playing alongside Courtney Barnett, Mick Harvey, Ariel Pink, Damo Suzuki, James Chance and Marlon Williams as a touring member of their bands. He has also produced albums for artists including Ben Salter, Fraser Gorman, Jaala, Bad Dreems, Martin Frawley, Courtney Barnett and Amyl and the Sniffers. He has composed for film with credits including Jindabyne, Hounds of Love and I Am Mother (2019).
Along with Paul Kelly, Katie Brianna, and the Stormwater Boys he won the 2006 ARIA Award for Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album for their soundtrack to Jindabyne. With co-composer Antony Partos he won the 2019 APRA/AGSC Screen Music Award for Best Feature Film Score for I Am Mother.
In collaboration with Gareth Liddiard, Luscombe wrote the score of Warwick Thornton's 2021/2 vampire TV series, Firebite. Jim White, drummer of The Dirty Three, joined them to perform the music for the series.
Luscombe was responsible for the score of Jasmin Tarasin's 2026 drama film Life Could Be a Dream, which included original tracks by Polish pianist Hania Rani and Australian musical duo Time for Dreams..
Personal life His older brother Peter Luscombe is also a musician: both were members of Paul Kelly and the Boon Companions from 2002 to 2007.
Discography Albums + List of albums, with selected details Title Details There Is Nothing Here That Belongs to You Released: 2002 Format: CD Label: Quietly Suburban Recordings (QSR013) Jindabyne (soundtrack) Released: 2006 Format: CD Label: Capitol Records (0946 3 69 47525)
Awards and nominations APRA Awards The APRA Awards are presented annually from 1982 by the Australasian Performing Right Association (APRA), "honouring composers and songwriters".
! |- | 2014 | "A Moat You Can Stand In" by The Drones (Stephen Hesketh/ Fiona Kitchin/ Gareth Liddiard/ Dan Luscombe/ Mike Noga) | Song of the Year
| 2019 | I Am Mother (Dan Luscombe, Antony Partos) | Feature Film Score of the Year
ARIA Music Awards The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. They commenced in 1987.
! |- | 2006 | Jindabyne | Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album | | ARIA Award previous winners. |- | 2022 | Amyl and the Sniffers & Dan Luscombe for Amyl and the Sniffers – Comfort to Me | Producer – Best Produced Album
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