Duels (band)
Encyclopedia
Duels are an English
indie
band from Leeds
formed in 2005. They have been described by The Guardian
as "one of Britains most ambitious groups"
The band's debut album, The Bright Lights And What I Should Have Learned
was released in July 2006 and received an 8/10 review in the NME
, while also being named 'Album of the Week' in The Sunday Times
, The Guardian
and on XFM
.
and Steve Lamacq
. Their first limited edition single "Potential Futures" was released on the Transgressive Records
label on 18 July 2005. The song featured on the Fifa 2006 soundtrack.
In May 2005, they signed to Nude Records
. Their second single, "Pressure On You", was released on 7 November 2005. Third single, "Animal" was released on Monday 10 April 2006. Duels' debut album, "The Bright Lights And What I Should Have Learned
" was released in July 2006. It received a positive review in the New Musical Express (NME
), garnering an 8/10 review score, Clash magazine, Time Out and was named Album of the Week in The Sunday Times
, The Guardian
and on XFM
.
The band released two further EP's in 2006, "The Slow Build EP" and the "Once In The Night EP".
Throughout 2006, the band played radio sessions for BBC Radio 2
DJ Janice Long
, 6Music's Marc Riley
and Tom Robinson
and appeared on The Album Chart Show
.
On 5 March 2007, the band announced via the blog on their Myspace page that they and their record label, Nude Records, had parted ways.
Duels announced via their website on 13 September 2007 that their second album would be entitled The Barbarians Move In. The album was exclusively digitally released via their official website from 14 February 2008, followed by a physical release on 28 April on This Is Fake DIY
Records. A vinyl single version of "Regeneration" preceded the physical album. The album has received widespread critical acclaim and positive reviews:
In February 2009, ¡Forward Russia! guitarist Whiskas joined the band as a full time member.
As of early 2009, Duels are writing and rehearsing their third full-length album.
, opening the nights for the former Blur guitarist, The Rakes
and across Europe with The Kooks
and The Zutons
. They have played the V Festival
, Reading and Leeds Festivals
and opened the Main Stage at T in the Park
in 2006.
They also played a one-off date with The Automatic
, supporting Kaiser Chiefs
in Leeds, and the SXSW Festival in Texas in 2006.
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...
indie
Indie rock
Indie rock is a genre of alternative rock that originated in the United Kingdom and the United States in the 1980s. Indie rock is extremely diverse, with sub-genres that include lo-fi, post-rock, math rock, indie pop, dream pop, noise rock, space rock, sadcore, riot grrrl and emo, among others...
band from Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
formed in 2005. They have been described by The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
as "one of Britains most ambitious groups"
The band's debut album, The Bright Lights And What I Should Have Learned
The Bright Lights And What I Should Have Learned
The Bright Lights and What I Should Have Learned is an album by Duels released July 2006. It was released as a standard edition and limited edition version in a deluxe embossed box....
was released in July 2006 and received an 8/10 review in the 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...
, while also being named 'Album of the Week' in The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and on XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
.
Career
Duels formed from the ashes of band SammyUSA. Their early demos received welcome attention from UK radio DJs such as Zane LoweZane Lowe
Zane Lowe also known as 'Zipper', is a radio DJ and television presenter. He was born in New Zealand and grew up in Auckland, where he was a presenter on the local music station Max TV, before moving to England...
and Steve Lamacq
Steve Lamacq
Steve Lamacq , sometimes known by his nicknames Lammo or "The Cat" is an English disc jockey, currently working with the BBC radio stations BBC 6 Music and BBC Radio 2.-Early career:He was born in Basingstoke, Hampshire...
. Their first limited edition single "Potential Futures" was released on the Transgressive Records
Transgressive Records
Transgressive Records is an independent record label based in London, England formed in 2004. Founders Tim Dellow, and Toby L first met at a Bloc Party gig organised by Toby's rockfeedback website. The first release on the label was 1am by The Subways, released in September 2004...
label on 18 July 2005. The song featured on the Fifa 2006 soundtrack.
In May 2005, they signed to Nude Records
Nude Records
Nude Records was a London based record label, set up in 1992 by Saul Galpern who had previously been involved in the success of artists such as Simply Red, the Fall, Julian Cope, The Triffids, The Slits and The Au Pairs. The label's first success was with Suede. Suede's debut album was the fastest...
. Their second single, "Pressure On You", was released on 7 November 2005. Third single, "Animal" was released on Monday 10 April 2006. Duels' debut album, "The Bright Lights And What I Should Have Learned
The Bright Lights And What I Should Have Learned
The Bright Lights and What I Should Have Learned is an album by Duels released July 2006. It was released as a standard edition and limited edition version in a deluxe embossed box....
" was released in July 2006. It received a positive review in the New Musical Express (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...
), garnering an 8/10 review score, Clash magazine, Time Out and was named Album of the Week in The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and on XFM
Xfm
Xfm is a brand of two commercial radio stations focused on alternative music, primarily indie pop, and owned by Global Radio.-History:Xfm was created in London in 1992 by Sammy Jacob, who later co-founded NME Radio in 2008. Xfm subsequently expanded to a network of four stations; there are...
.
The band released two further EP's in 2006, "The Slow Build EP" and the "Once In The Night EP".
Throughout 2006, the band played radio sessions for BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
DJ Janice Long
Janice Long
Janice Long is an English radio broadcaster currently working on BBC Radio 2. Her show is on Sunday to Thursday nights from midnight to 02:00. She is the older sister of TV and radio personality Keith Chegwin.-Early career:...
, 6Music's Marc Riley
Marc Riley
Marc Riley is a British musician, alternative rock critic and radio DJ on BBC 6 Music. Formerly a member of The Fall, he had his own record label, In-Tape, and also worked as a record plugger...
and Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson
Tom Robinson is an English singer-songwriter, bassist and radio presenter, better known for the hits "Glad to Be Gay", "2-4-6-8 Motorway", and "Don't Take No for an Answer", with his Tom Robinson Band...
and appeared on The Album Chart Show
The Album Chart Show
The Album Chart Show is a British television programme shown on Channel 4 that showcases the biggest and best album releases from the UK Top 100 Album Chart. It also gives up-and-coming talent a chance to make their mark on a 1000 strong audience by performing live...
.
On 5 March 2007, the band announced via the blog on their Myspace page that they and their record label, Nude Records, had parted ways.
Duels announced via their website on 13 September 2007 that their second album would be entitled The Barbarians Move In. The album was exclusively digitally released via their official website from 14 February 2008, followed by a physical release on 28 April on This Is Fake DIY
This Is Fake DIY
This Is Fake DIY is a United Kingdom-based music webzine dedicated to alternative music. It is named after a song by the Scottish alternative rock group Bis....
Records. A vinyl single version of "Regeneration" preceded the physical album. The album has received widespread critical acclaim and positive reviews:
Q Magazine - "...laudably sophisticated, laudably widescreen, Q Recommends - ****"
ArtrockerArtRockerArtrocker is a UK-based collective involved in music promotion and publishing. It was started by Paul Cox and Tom Fawcett who had been co-promoters of a London night called The Sausage Factory...
- "The album for armies to listen to before they go to war"
NMENMEThe 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...
- "unequivocal brilliance...best comeback of 2008 so far - 8/10"
The GuardianThe GuardianThe Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
- "an Orwellian opus that bucks prevailing trends. One of Britain's most ambitious groups - ****"
Clash magazine - "the kind of record they always threatened to make...a darkening canvas of the band's immense progression"
Leeds Music Scene - "9/10"
The SunThe Sun (newspaper)The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
- "enthralling"
TeletextTeletextTeletext is a television information retrieval service developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s. It offers a range of text-based information, typically including national, international and sporting news, weather and TV schedules...
- "a very English air of foreboding - 8/10"
Whisperin & Hollerin - "outstanding in range, inventiveness and emotional strength - 9/10"
Clickmusic - "dark, dramatic and sinister, but that brooding combination might just switch a light on in your head - ****"
Sound Of Violence - "9/10"
Vibrations - "it would be difficult to overstate quite how good this record is"
Rocksound - "grimly fiendish"
Subba-Cultcha - "something that will terrify us at first yet will fall in love with too - *****"
New Noise.net - "a quite beautiful record.....dark and disarming"
In February 2009, ¡Forward Russia! guitarist Whiskas joined the band as a full time member.
As of early 2009, Duels are writing and rehearsing their third full-length album.
Tour dates
Duels toured with Graham CoxonGraham Coxon
Graham Leslie Coxon is an English singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and painter. He came to prominence as the lead guitarist, backing vocalist and occasional lead vocalist of rock band Blur, and is also a critically acclaimed solo artist, having recorded seven solo albums...
, opening the nights for the former Blur guitarist, The Rakes
The Rakes
The Rakes were an English indie rock band from London. They split up in October 2009.-History:The Rakes formed in 2004. Since coming to fame in 2005, they were associated with the British post-punk/art rock scene, a genre shared by bands such as Bloc Party, Maxïmo Park, and The Futureheads...
and across Europe with The Kooks
The Kooks
The Kooks are an English indie rock band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2001. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred , and Max Rafferty , the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 and the departure of Rafferty...
and The Zutons
The Zutons
The Zutons are an English indie rock band from Liverpool. They were formed in 2001 but did not release their first album, Who Killed...... The Zutons?, until May 2004. They achieved their biggest hits with "Why Won't You Give Me Your Love?" and "Valerie", both taken from their second studio album...
. They have played the V Festival
V Festival
The V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. The event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and...
, Reading and Leeds Festivals
Reading and Leeds Festivals
The Reading and Leeds Festivals are a pair of annual music festivals that take place in Reading and Leeds in England. The events take place simultaneously on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the August bank holiday weekend, sharing the same bill. The Reading Festival is held at Little John's Farm...
and opened the Main Stage at T in the Park
T in the Park
T in the Park is a major British music festival that has been held annually since 1994. It is named after its main sponsor, the brewing company Tennents. It was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire but since 1997 has been held at a disused airfield in Balado, Kinross-shire...
in 2006.
They also played a one-off date with The Automatic
The Automatic
The Automatic , are a Welsh rock band. The band is composed of Robin Hawkins on vocals, bass and synthesizers, James Frost on guitar, synthesizers, backing vocals and occasional bass, Iwan Griffiths on drums and Paul Mullen on vocals, guitar and synthesizer - since 2007...
, supporting Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs
Kaiser Chiefs are an English indie rock band from Leeds who formed in 1996. They were named after the South African football club Kaizer Chiefs....
in Leeds, and the SXSW Festival in Texas in 2006.
Studio albums
- The Bright Lights And What I Should Have LearnedThe Bright Lights And What I Should Have LearnedThe Bright Lights and What I Should Have Learned is an album by Duels released July 2006. It was released as a standard edition and limited edition version in a deluxe embossed box....
- July 2006 - The Barbarians Move InThe Barbarians Move InThe Barbarians Move In is the second album by Duels. It was released for digital download on 14 February 2008 followed by a physical release in April 2008 on This Is Fake DIY Records...
- February 2008
Singles
- "Potential Futures" (18/7/2005)
- "Pressure On You" (7/11/2005)
- "Animal" (10/4/2006) UK #47
- "Idle Pursuits" (24/06/2006) UK #76
- The Slow Build EP (double 7" vinyl set) (24/07/2006)
- Once In The Night EP (double 7" vinyl set)(16/10/2006)
- Regeneration (7" vinyl) (14/08/2008)