Son of Dork
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | James Bourne |
| Defunct | 2008 |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
Son of Dork was a British pop punk ensemble established by James Bourne following the disbandment of his former group, Busted, in January 2005. The band's name was drawn from a scene in the 1990 movie Problem Child. Their initial single, "Ticket Outta Loserville", launched in November 2005, climbed to No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart. The subsequent single, "Eddie's Song", reached No. 10 in January 2006.
Formation
James Bourne assembled the band members through advertisements placed in magazines like NME and The Stage. Each chosen musician brought prior experience: drummer Danny Hall had spent a decade performing with hardcore metal outfit "Spiral Rocks" and punk group "Like I Care"; guitarist Chris Leonard had been part of "Stamford Amp," the house band on BBC's The Saturday Show in 2002, and had toured alongside artists such as Brian McFadden and Busted. Steven Rushton managed his time between his previous band "Mr Cheerful," college commitments, and employment at Sainsbury's. The band's name was inspired by a scene from the film Problem Child, as chosen by Bourne.
Welcome to Loserville: 2005–2007
Son of Dork's debut single "Ticket Outta Loserville" was released in November 2005, achieving a peak position of number 3 on UK charts, followed by their first album Welcome to Loserville. Their next single "Eddie's Song" reached number 10 in January 2006. They also composed "We're Not Alone" for Ant and Dec's movie Alien Autopsy, although it was never issued as a single.
On 6 February 2007, Son of Dork supported acts like Wheatus, Army of Freshmen, and Bowling for Soup on The Get Happy '07 Tour, garnering favorable feedback. During this tour, they introduced the track "Colgate Smile", intended for a deluxe re-release of Welcome to Loserville.
Throughout most of 2007, the band operated under Bourne’s independently established label Sic Puppy Records. They led The Sic Tour at Shepards Bush Empire on 24 March, spotlighting unsigned bands and premiering new songs such as "What Happened To Your Band?" and "Go Home Monday".
Split and further projects: 2008 - present
The dissolution of Son of Dork was confirmed by Bourne in a 2020 tweet, where he disclosed that he departed to focus on a four-year legal dispute over Busted’s song rights, which he eventually won. Subsequently, he concentrated on reviving his musical career.
Following the breakup, Bourne became part of pop-rock supergroup McBusted before reuniting with Busted in 2015. Steve Rushton pursued a solo path in the United States, contributing to soundtracks such as Hannah Montana: The Movie, G-Force, and Race to Witch Mountain, along with performing the theme for The Suite Life on Deck.
Regarding potential reunions, Bourne indicated he would only reassemble members willing to participate. A partial reunion took place when Rushton, Leonard, and Bourne collaborated with Welsh duo Lilygreen & Maguire on a cover version of Michael Jackson’s "Man in the Mirror". In both 2019 and January 2024, Bourne expressed willingness to produce a new Son of Dork album if there was sufficient interest.
Members
- James Bourne – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
- Steve Rushton – bass, co-lead vocals
- David Williams – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Chris Leonard – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Danny Hall – drums
Tours
- Better Late Than Never Tour 2007 (Headlining tour) (Cancelled)
- The Skegness Circular 2007
- Sic Tour 2007 – Headline performer
- Get Happy Tour 2007 (Supporting Bowling for Soup alongside Army of Freshmen and Wheatus throughout the UK)
Welcome to Loserville Live Radio Tour 2006
- 12 & 13 May – Glasgow SECC
- 14 May – Manchester MEN Arena
- 15 & 16 May – Birmingham NEC
- 17, 18 & 19 May – London Wembley Arena
Legacy
In 2009, lead vocalist James Bourne collaborated with Elliot Davies to create a musical inspired by the band's first album Welcome to Loserville, entitled Loserville. This production, which opened in Leeds, was recognized by The Stage as part of a revival in British musical theatre alongside Tim Minchin's Matilda the Musical. It subsequently debuted in the West End in 2012.
The track What Happened To Your Band was originally intended for the deluxe version of Welcome To Loserville but was later adapted by Bourne for use with McBusted. The song was eventually covered and featured on Busted's fourth studio album, Half Way There.
Studio albums
| Year | Album details | Peak chart positions | Certifications (sales threshold) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK | |||
| 2005 | Welcome to Loserville
|
35 |
|
Singles
| Year | Single | Highest chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK |
IRE | |||
| 2005 | "Ticket Outta Loserville" | 3 | 15 | Welcome to Loserville |
| 2006 | "Eddie's Song" | 10 | 24 | |
| 2006 | "We're Not Alone" | – | – | Released as a non-album single for the Alien Autopsy soundtrack |