The Duke Spirit
Encyclopedia
The Duke Spirit are an English
rock
band
based in London
. Their sound has been seen as a melding of many influences ranging from the alternative noise of 1980s/90s guitar bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth
and Spacemen 3
, the tremulous rock n roll of bands such as The Gun Club and The Cramps
, early R&B
, garage
and psychedelia
, through to a distinctive rhythmic 'Atlantic soul' and Motown influence.
The band released their first single "Darling You're Mean/Bottom of the Sea" in May on the City Rockers label, without having performed live. The line-up was completed by guitarist Dan Higgins (who also created the woodcuts that served as the band's early artwork) and drummer Olly "The Kid" Betts, and the band played their first show at the Brixton Windmill later that year. They released the "Roll, Spirit, Roll" EP toward the end of 2003, which won the band critical acclaim from publications such as NME
.
The band's debut album was due to be released in September 2004 until their record label
, City Rockers, ran out of financial steam. They moved over to Loog Records/Polydor and released the album in the UK on 16 May 2005. The album's producers were Simon Raymonde
(formerly the bass player in Cocteau Twins, and now Bella Union Label boss) and Flood
, best known for his work with Nick Cave
, NIN
and U2
. After headlining tours of the UK, the album was released in the U.S. and the band found themselves travelling through America
for much of 2006, including a highly praised performance at the Coachella
2006 festival, California
.
The only release of 2006 was a downloadable EP and limited 7" single entitled, "Covered In Love", (released through Velo Recordings). This was a collection of songs, recorded
to 8-track by the band, written by the recently deceased (Arthur Lee
, Desmond Dekker
and Jessie Mae Hemphill
). In early 2007 the band signed to You Are Here a new independent Anglo-Canadian label. The track "Mayday", a collaboration between UNKLE
and The Duke Spirit was released on the latest UNKLE album, War Stories
, in the UK on 9 July 2007. The track was recorded with Chris Goss
at the Rancho De La Luna
studio
in Joshua Tree
, California where they returned in April 2007 to record their own second album, also with Goss. Neptune
was released in February 2008. Shortly afterward, Higgins left the band to concentrate on his family, which prompted a personnel shuffle: Toby Butler switched to guitar, with longtime friend Marc Sallis replacing him on bass.
In February 2009, the band released a 10-track compilation CD featuring three songs never released in the US ("Masca", "Souvenir", "Do What You Love") as well as a cover of Alex Chilton
's "Baby Doll". The CD was sold alongside a McQ Alexander McQueen
collection, one of the shirts of which featured the face of singer Liela Moss.
The band's third album, "Bruiser" (produced by Andrew Scheps and Rich File), was released in September 2011.
and radio
. Initially a 'word of mouth' band, their touring schedules have helped them to spread their music across the country and eventually into America and the rest of Europe. They have played a number of high-profile support slots for Queens of the Stone Age
, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
, R.E.M.
, BRMC, Supergrass
, and Eagles Of Death Metal
. Since 2008 the band have performed on American TV more than six times - appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live
, Last Call with Carson Daly
, It's On with Alexa Chung
, The Henry Rollins Show
, and the Late Show with David Letterman
. Their song "Send a Little Love Token" was also included in the fifth title
in the Guitar Hero
video game series. Released in September 2009, it had sold nearly 1 million copies worldwide by the end of the year.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band
Musical ensemble
A musical ensemble is a group of people who perform instrumental or vocal music. In classical music, trios or quartets either blend the sounds of musical instrument families or group together instruments from the same instrument family, such as string ensembles or wind ensembles...
based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Their sound has been seen as a melding of many influences ranging from the alternative noise of 1980s/90s guitar bands such as My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth
Sonic Youth is an American alternative rock band from New York City, formed in 1981. The current lineup consists of Thurston Moore , Kim Gordon , Lee Ranaldo , Steve Shelley , and Mark Ibold .In their early career, Sonic Youth was associated with the No Wave art and music scene in New York City...
and Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3
Spacemen 3 were an English alternative rock band, formed in 1982 in Rugby, Warwickshire by Peter Kember and Jason Pierce. Their music was "colorfully mind-altering, but not in the sense of the acid rock of the '60s; instead, the band developed its own minimalistic psychedelia"...
, the tremulous rock n roll of bands such as The Gun Club and The Cramps
The Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
, early R&B
Rhythm and blues
Rhythm and blues, often abbreviated to R&B, is a genre of popular African American music that originated in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly to urban African Americans, at a time when "urbane, rocking, jazz based music with a...
, garage
Garage rock
Garage rock is a raw form of rock and roll that was first popular in the United States and Canada from about 1963 to 1967. During the 1960s, it was not recognized as a separate music genre and had no specific name...
and psychedelia
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
, through to a distinctive rhythmic 'Atlantic soul' and Motown influence.
Line-up
- Liela Moss - vocals, harmonica, piano, auxiliary percussion<-- this means tambourinest
- Luke Ford - guitar, backing vocals, Farfisa, piano, Autoharp
- Toby Butler - guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals, organs, piano
- Olly 'The Kid' Betts - drums, glockenspiel, percussion, piano, backing vocals
- Marc Sallis - bass guitar
History
The band was formed in London in 2003 by Luke Ford (guitar), Liela Moss (vocals) and Toby Butler (bass). Ford and Moss met at art college in Cheltenham where he was studying Photography and Moss was studying a Fine Art Foundation Course. Butler and Ford also met at the same college at around the same time and briefly played in a band together. Creating The Duke Spirit they set about writing, recording and self-producing a bunch of songs that formed the basis of their first single and EP.The band released their first single "Darling You're Mean/Bottom of the Sea" in May on the City Rockers label, without having performed live. The line-up was completed by guitarist Dan Higgins (who also created the woodcuts that served as the band's early artwork) and drummer Olly "The Kid" Betts, and the band played their first show at the Brixton Windmill later that year. They released the "Roll, Spirit, Roll" EP toward the end of 2003, which won the band critical acclaim from publications such as NME
NME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
.
The band's debut album was due to be released in September 2004 until their record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, City Rockers, ran out of financial steam. They moved over to Loog Records/Polydor and released the album in the UK on 16 May 2005. The album's producers were Simon Raymonde
Simon Raymonde
Simon Philip Raymonde is an English musician and record producer. He is the son of the late arranger and composer, Ivor Raymonde.-Career:...
(formerly the bass player in Cocteau Twins, and now Bella Union Label boss) and Flood
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
, best known for his work with Nick Cave
Nick Cave
Nicholas Edward "Nick" Cave is an Australian musician, songwriter, author, screenwriter, and occasional film actor.He is best known for his work as a frontman of the critically acclaimed rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds, established in 1984, a group known for its eclectic influences and...
, NIN
Nin
Nin may refer to:* Nine Inch Nails, an American industrial rock band* NIN , a Serbian political magazine* NIN , the Sumerian sign for lady* NIN , a human gene* Nion or Nin, a letter in the Ogham alphabet...
and U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
. After headlining tours of the UK, the album was released in the U.S. and the band found themselves travelling through America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
for much of 2006, including a highly praised performance at the Coachella
Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival is a three-day annual music and arts festival, organized by Goldenvoice and held at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, in the Inland Empire's Coachella Valley...
2006 festival, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
The only release of 2006 was a downloadable EP and limited 7" single entitled, "Covered In Love", (released through Velo Recordings). This was a collection of songs, recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
to 8-track by the band, written by the recently deceased (Arthur Lee
Arthur Lee (musician)
Arthur Lee was the frontman, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist of the Los Angeles rock band Love, best known for the critically acclaimed 1967 album, Forever Changes.-Early years:...
, Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker
Desmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
and Jessie Mae Hemphill
Jessie Mae Hemphill
Jessie Mae Hemphill was an American award-winning electric guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist specializing in the primal, northern Mississippi country blues traditions of her family and regional heritage....
). In early 2007 the band signed to You Are Here a new independent Anglo-Canadian label. The track "Mayday", a collaboration between UNKLE
UNKLE
Unkle are a British musical outfit founded in 1994 by school friends James Lavelle and Tim Goldsworthy. Originally categorized as trip-hop, the group once included producer DJ Shadow and have employed a variety of guest artists and producers.-First incarnation :Lavelle and Goldsworthy were joined...
and The Duke Spirit was released on the latest UNKLE album, War Stories
War Stories (album)
War Stories is the third album from Unkle. The album was released in Japan on 20 June 2007 Europe and the UK on 9 July 2007, followed by a 24 July release date in North America. War Stories debuted at #58 in Australia. The album was promoted by three singles: "Burn My Shadow", "Hold My Hand" and...
, in the UK on 9 July 2007. The track was recorded with Chris Goss
Chris Goss
Christopher Ryan Goss, born August 17, 1958, is an American record producer and musician.-Selected discography:Throughout his career Goss has worked with a wide range of musicians in various genres.* 1988 - Masters of Reality by Masters of Reality...
at the Rancho De La Luna
Rancho De La Luna
Rancho De La Luna is a recording studio in Joshua Tree, California that was founded in 1993 by Fred Drake. David Catching became Fred Drake's partner at the Rancho in 1994...
studio
Recording studio
A recording studio is a facility for sound recording and mixing. Ideally both the recording and monitoring spaces are specially designed by an acoustician to achieve optimum acoustic properties...
in Joshua Tree
Joshua Tree, California
Joshua Tree is a census-designated place in San Bernardino County, California, United States. The population was 7,414 at the 2010 census, up from 4,207 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Joshua Tree is located in the Mojave Desert at ....
, California where they returned in April 2007 to record their own second album, also with Goss. Neptune
Neptune (album)
Neptune is the second studio album by London-based band The Duke Spirit and the last to feature original lead guitarist Dan Higgins. The album was released on February 4, 2008 on indie label You Are Here...
was released in February 2008. Shortly afterward, Higgins left the band to concentrate on his family, which prompted a personnel shuffle: Toby Butler switched to guitar, with longtime friend Marc Sallis replacing him on bass.
In February 2009, the band released a 10-track compilation CD featuring three songs never released in the US ("Masca", "Souvenir", "Do What You Love") as well as a cover of Alex Chilton
Alex Chilton
William Alexander "Alex" Chilton was an American songwriter, guitarist, singer and producer, best known as the lead singer of the Box Tops and Big Star...
's "Baby Doll". The CD was sold alongside a McQ Alexander McQueen
Alexander McQueen
Lee Alexander McQueen, CBE was a British fashion designer and couturier best known for his in-depth knowledge of bespoke British tailoring, his tendency to juxtapose strength with fragility in his collections, as well as the emotional power and raw energy of his provocative fashion shows...
collection, one of the shirts of which featured the face of singer Liela Moss.
The band's third album, "Bruiser" (produced by Andrew Scheps and Rich File), was released in September 2011.
Success
The Duke Spirit have received acclaim and increasing success despite relatively little advertising based promotion on televisionTelevision
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
and radio
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
. Initially a 'word of mouth' band, their touring schedules have helped them to spread their music across the country and eventually into America and the rest of Europe. They have played a number of high-profile support slots for Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age
Queens of the Stone Age is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, United States, formed in 1997. The band's line-up has always included founding member Josh Homme , with the current line-up including longtime members Troy Van Leeuwen and Joey Castillo , alongside Michael Shuman and...
, Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Yeah Yeah Yeahs are an American indie rock band formed in New York City in 2000. The group is composed of vocalist and pianist Karen O, guitarist and keyboardist Nick Zinner, and drummer Brian Chase. They are complemented in live performances by second guitarist David Pajo, who joined as a touring...
, R.E.M.
R.E.M.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by singer Michael Stipe, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills and drummer Bill Berry. One of the first popular alternative rock bands, R.E.M. gained early attention due to Buck's ringing, arpeggiated guitar style and Stipe's...
, BRMC, Supergrass
Supergrass
Supergrass was an English alternative rock band from Oxford. The band consisted of brothers Gaz and Rob Coombes , Mick Quinn and Danny Goffey ....
, and Eagles Of Death Metal
Eagles of Death Metal
Eagles of Death Metal is an American rock band from Palm Desert, California, formed in 1998 by Jesse Hughes and Josh Homme. Despite their band name, Eagles of Death Metal are not a death metal band. Hughes stated that a friend was introducing Josh Homme to the death metal genre...
. Since 2008 the band have performed on American TV more than six times - appearing on Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien
Late Night with Conan O'Brien is an American late-night talk show hosted by Conan O'Brien that aired 2,725 episodes on NBC between 1993 and 2009. The show featured varied comedic material, celebrity interviews, and musical and comedy performances. Late Night aired weeknights at 12:37 am...
, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and broadcast on ABC.The nightly hour-long show made its debut on January 26, 2003, following Super Bowl XXXVII. Jimmy Kimmel Live! is produced by Jackhole Productions in association with ABC Studios...
, Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly
Last Call with Carson Daly is an American late night talk show that is broadcast on NBC. The show is hosted by Carson Daly, the half-hour show featuring celebrity interviews, documentary-style coverage of a topic, and musical performances. Last Call airs weeknights at 1:35 a.m. Eastern / 12:35 a.m....
, It's On with Alexa Chung
It's On with Alexa Chung
It's On with Alexa Chung was an American live interactive talk and variety program that aired weekdays on MTV from June 15 to December 17, 2009...
, The Henry Rollins Show
The Henry Rollins Show
The Henry Rollins Show was a weekly talk show hosted by Henry Rollins on the Independent Film Channel . The show featured Rollins' monologues, interviews with celebrities and uncensored musical performances. The show was canceled after the wrap of its second season.-Sections:Each episode features...
, and the Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman
Late Show with David Letterman is a U.S. late-night talk show hosted by David Letterman on CBS. The show debuted on August 30, 1993, and is produced by Letterman's production company, Worldwide Pants Incorporated. The show's music director and band-leader of the house band, the CBS Orchestra, is...
. Their song "Send a Little Love Token" was also included in the fifth title
Guitar Hero 5
Guitar Hero 5 is a music video game and the fifth main entry in the Guitar Hero series. The game was developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision, and released internationally in September 2009 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, 3 and Wii consoles...
in the Guitar Hero
Guitar Hero
Guitar Hero is a music video game developed by Harmonix Music Systems and published by RedOctane for the PlayStation 2 video game console. It is the first entry in the Guitar Hero series. Guitar Hero was released on November 8, 2005 in North America, April 7, 2006 in Europe and June 15, 2006 in...
video game series. Released in September 2009, it had sold nearly 1 million copies worldwide by the end of the year.
Albums
- Cuts Across the LandCuts Across the LandCuts Across the Land is the debut album by English indie rock band The Duke Spirit. It was released in the United Kingdom in May 2005. It charted at #40 on the UK Albums Chart.-Tracklisting:* - Souvenirs :...
(May 2005) UKUK Albums ChartThe UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
#40 - Neptune (February 2008) UK #63
- Bruiser (September 2011) UK #80
External links
- Official website
- BBC Collective, editor's review
- Interview with Toby Butler & Leila Moss October 2007 The Line Of Best Fit
- 'Neptune' album review The Line Of Best Fit
- The Step and The Walk Review
- Live In-Studio Performance on WOXY.com
- Live in-studio performance on KCRW
- Review of Duke Spirit - Live At The Manchester Academy 3. March 2008.
- Session tracks and interview on Rare FMRare FMRare FM is the student-run radio station of UCL. The current station manager is Tom Riste-Smith.-Background:Rare FM was set up in 1998 as an affiliated society of UCL Union, headed at that time by Ed Jackson...
- Interview with Liela Moss PlugInMusic.com
- Interview with SomaFM
- Interview with Liela, Toby and Luke, January 2008
- Cuts Across The Land and Neptune Acoustic Session, 2008