The Gutter Twins
| Company type | Musical duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Greg Dulli, Mark Lanegan |
| Defunct | 2011 |
| Headquarters | Seattle , United States |
Area served | United States, Europe |
| Products | Saturnalia (album), Adorata (EP) |
| Parent | Sub Pop |
The Gutter Twins represented a musical partnership between rock artists Greg Dulli and Mark Lanegan. Since 2000, Dulli and Lanegan frequently collaborated on each other's projects, especially within Dulli's band Twilight Singers. Regarding the duo's inception, Dulli remarked, "I believe Mark mentioned to a journalist that we were working together, and then the journalist reached out to me, but I wasn’t aware we were actually doing it." Their joint efforts commenced on Christmas Day in 2003. The band's name cleverly references the Glimmer Twins, the alias adopted by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards when producing for the Rolling Stones.
Saturnalia (2008–09)
In July 2007, the music outlet Pitchfork Media revealed that the pair—considered "two of the alt-rock era's most iconic frontmen"—had inked a deal with Seattle-based label Sub Pop. The label scheduled their first album, Saturnalia, for release on March 4, 2008.
The Gutter Twins performed alongside their supporting band on the Late Show with David Letterman on March 20, 2008, subsequently touring throughout the United States and Europe during that year. Reviews were favorable; Blast magazine characterized the album as "an auditory journey into somber emotions," emphasizing the haunting track "God’s Children." Meanwhile, Uncut lauded Lanegan’s commanding vocal delivery and Dulli’s intimate lyricism, describing Saturnalia as "a richly raw banquet."
In September 2008, they issued the EP Adorata exclusively on iTunes. This release included two original compositions along with covers from artists such as José González, Primal Scream, Scott Walker, Vetiver, and Eleven. A share of the sales benefited the Natasha Shneider Memorial Fund, paying tribute to Shneider—a close friend and late frontwoman of Eleven.
During January 2009, The Gutter Twins toured as a duo accompanied by guitarist Dave Rosser, who also took lead vocals on "Tennessee Waltz." Their performances featured selections from both albums, acoustic renditions of songs from their earlier bands, and various covers. They frequently transitioned "God's Children" into Bob Dylan’s "All Along the Watchtower," acknowledging its melodic resemblance. Additionally, "Stations" occasionally opened with a snippet from "Stairway to Heaven," which Dulli has identified as his favorite song.
In February 2022, news emerged confirming Lanegan’s passing at age 57.
Studio albums
| Year | Title | US | BEL | IRE | NLD | SWE | UK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Saturnalia
|
117 | 7 | 60 | 72 | 47 | 54 |
Extended plays
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Adorata
|
Singles
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2008 | "Idle Hands" |
| "God's Children" |
Music videos
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2008 | "All misery/Flowers" |
| "Idle Hands" |