The Dukes (Australian band)
| Company type | Band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1991 in Sydney, Australia |
| Founder | Sean Kelly |
| Defunct | 1994 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
Key people | Sean Kelly, Geoffrey Stapleton, Michael Armiger, Michael King, John Mackay |
| Products | Music albums and singles |
The Dukes were a rock ensemble from Australia, active between 1991 and 1994. Originally performing under the name Sean Kelly and the Iron Dukes, the group was founded by Sean Kelly, formerly of Models and Absent Friends, who provided vocals and keyboard duties. Geoffrey Stapleton, associated with GANGgajang and Absent Friends, joined on keyboards and guitar. The lineup quickly expanded to include Michael Armiger—known for his work with Paul Kelly and the Coloured Girls and The Go-Betweens—on bass guitar; Michael King of Absent Friends on guitar and backing vocals; alongside John Mackay, also from Absent Friends, handling drums and percussion.
Biography
Initially known as Sean Kelly and The Iron Dukes, the band adopted the name The Dukes shortly after their inception. The formation took place in Sydney in 1991 when Sean Kelly and Geoffrey Stapleton decided to collaborate following a European tour supporting INXS with their prior group, Absent Friends. The founding members consisted of Kelly, Stapleton, Michael Armiger, Michael King, and John Mackay. Additional contributors included bassist Peter Willersdorf, drummer Tony Georgeson, saxophonist Mark Dennison (formerly of DD Smash) who also played occasional keyboards, and trumpeter Kevin Dubber (also from DD Smash). In 1992, The Dukes secured a contract with Sony Music.
That same year saw the release of multiple singles; "Gonna Get High" and "Faith" attained positions No. 60 and No. 29 respectively on Australian music charts. Their sole album, Harbour City, was launched in December 1992, featuring compositions co-written and co-produced by Kelly and Stapleton. Moreover, Stapleton created distinctive artwork for each track within the album's booklet as well as for all associated singles and album covers. Harbour City received a nomination for the 1993 ARIA Award in the category 'Best Breakthrough Artist – Album'.
In 1993, the band contributed "I Fought the Law" to the soundtrack of the Yahoo Serious movie Reckless Kelly.
On 23 September 1993, The Dukes performed their song "Faith" at Circular Quay before an estimated crowd of 250,000 attendees. This event occurred shortly before Sydney was officially announced as the host city for the 2000 Summer Olympics. The group dissolved in early 1994.
Members
- Mark Dennison – saxophone (1991–1993)
- Kevin Dubber – trumpet (1991–1993)
- Tony Georgeson – drums, percussion (1991–1993)
- Sean Kelly – vocals, guitar (1991–1993)
- Geoff Stapleton – keyboards, guitar (1991–1993)
- Peter Willersdorf – bass (1991–1993)
Studio albums
| Title | Details | Peak chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| AUS | ||
| Harbour City |
|
88 |
Singles
| Title | Year | Chart peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| AUS | |||
| "Gonna Get High" | 1992 | 60 | Harbour City |
| "Faith" | 29 | ||
| "Nothing Can Bring Me Down" | 1993 | 155 | |
| "I Fought the Law" | 88 | Reckless Kelly |
ARIA Music Awards
The ARIA Music Awards are presented each year to honor outstanding accomplishments and excellence within various Australian music styles.
| 1993 | Harbour City | Breakthrough Artist – Album | Nominated |