Featured Artist - April 2007
Dukes
contact@dukestheband.com
www.dukestheband.com
Country Rock
Elite Music
The Dukes play to make you move. Rock’n'rhythm. They like to think of it as brown sugar music. Formed in 2003, the band began touring immediately and in May 2005 released their debut album Lil’ Sunshine on small indie label Elite Recordings.
They played and played and gained a reputation for being a killer live act. They made a few music videos with various friends. They sold cd’s to people at their shows. The band toured the Orientation circuit in New Zealand a couple of times and came back and began recording their second LP. Then Matt broke some fingers and couldn’t play guitar. So a friend Lauren started playing keys and presto the band became a five piece.
Soon after the band played support for INXS and later entered a song into MTV’s Kickstart NZ competition, which they won. Amongst the thousands of votes the Dukes beat off strong Australian competition from Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth and Sydney in the Trans Tasman Kickstart showdown with the band being narrowly pipped at the post for the grand prize by Queensland's Yves Klein Blue. While narrowly missing out on the Australasian grand prize, as NZ winners the Dukes will still get a 'kick start' with MTV New Zealand, including a performance on the worlds first MTV Mile High Gig en route to the MTV Australia Video Music Awards on April 29th 2007, and a professionally shot film clip produced by MTV, air play on MTV and introduction to A&R executives.
This year the AVMA's will be hosted by Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas and will include performances from both local and international A-list stars. Watch the Duke's performance on the MTV Mile High Gig on MTV Friday May 11th at 4pm, channel 60 SKY digital.
Their second album has a few tweaks to make, but its close. Matt’s fingers are now better, and the band can’t wait to play overseas, Australia, Indonesia, wherever. Dukes release their first single 'Always Forever' off their sophomore album at the beginning of April. The LP is due for release later this year. Meanwhile the band is playing support for international headliners Gomez (UK) on April 17th in Christchurch.
The players are…
Jo on P Bass and vox
Matt on guitars and vox
The Kid on guitars
Samoa on skins
Lauren Mitchell on keys and vox
Contact:
Freedom Preston-Clark
Belle Starr Management
+ 64 21 2127 646
contact@dukestheband.com
www.dukestheband.com
