Th' Dudes

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Th'Dudes
DudesCricketersB.jpg
Th' Dudes at the Cricketers' Arms, Wellington, New Zealand. 1980.
Background information
Origin Auckland, New Zealand
Genres Post-punk, punk rock, rock, pub rock
Years active1975–1980, 2006–2008, 2019-present
Members Dave Dobbyn
Rikki Morris
Peter Urlich
Lez White
Bruce Hambling
Past members Ian Morris (deceased)
Peter Coleman

Th' Dudes are a New Zealand rock band that was formed in the late 1970s in Auckland, New Zealand. Hits include "Walking in Light", "Right First Time", " Be Mine Tonight" and "Bliss".

Contents

History

1975–1980

The band was formed by Morris, Urlich, Coleman and Dobbyn, students at Sacred Heart College in Auckland. The band name derived from the "Lone Groover" comic strip in the English music paper, NME . The band's sound was heavily influenced by the British scene, especially The Beatles, David Bowie and The Rolling Stones, and later by the Punk and New Wave sounds of Iggy Pop, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe, Roxy Music, The Stranglers and The Clash.[ citation needed ]

Starting off as a covers band that played surf clubs and private parties, Th' Dudes quickly earned a reputation as an energetic and skilful outfit featuring dual guitar work from Dobbyn and Morris, a tight no-nonsense rhythm section (Peter Coleman on bass, later replaced by Lez White, and drummer Bruce Hambling) and charismatic vocalist Urlich. Slowly the repertoire featured more originals and their status rose to the point where Th' Dudes were acclaimed NZ Group of the Year in 1979.[ citation needed ] The group disbanded in 1980.[ citation needed ]

1990s-present

The mid-1990s saw a resurgence of interest in Th' Dudes in New Zealand, when "classic hits" and "classic rock" radio became more prevalent, and the compositional, performance and production qualities of the band's records endured. Bliss: 20 Essential New Zealand Classics and other compilations showcased New Zealand post-punk acts which epitomized the Kiwi rock genre. Th' Dudes', "Bliss", attained particular popularity and has since established itself as New Zealand's unofficial national drinking song.[ citation needed ]

In October 2006, Th' Dudes embarked on a tour of New Zealand as part of Radio Hauraki's 40th anniversary celebrations. [1] The original tour was 11 dates, but quickly expanded to 17 shows due to demand.[ citation needed ] The band compiled a six-track album of demo and alternate versions of their biggest hits, culled from the band's own collections. This CD was available only at shows on the tour and was called Pubs, Parks, Theatres, Clubs, Church Halls, Gardens, Lounges & Band Rotundas .

In late 2007, Th' Dudes embarked on the "Summer of Love" tour.[ citation needed ]

In 2008, the band sued Stebbing Studios for non-payment of royalties. The band sought to show that they were not paid royalties for sales of their music due to their songs being recorded in downtime at Stebbing, but studio owner Eldred Stebbing claimed production costs had not been met. [2] [3] The dispute was resolved to both parties' mutual satisfaction [4] in November 2008.

In 2019, the band announced a new tour of New Zealand, with dates from 9–25 April 2020, but it was postponed until November due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ian Morris's brother, Rikki Morris joined the group for the tour.

Ian Morris died suddenly in Napier on 7 October 2010. [5] Prior to his death, Morris produced records and wrote advertising music, after having had a brief solo career under the stage name Tex Pistol. He is survived by his twin daughters, Julia and Maude.

Members

Discography

Studio albums

List of studio albums, with New Zealand chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart
positions
NZ
[6]
Right First Time
  • Released: June 1979
  • Label: Key (L 36685)
  • Format: LP, Cassette
17
Where Are the Boys?
  • Released: July 1980
  • Label: Key (L 37018)
  • Format: LP, Cassette
–

Live albums

List of live albums, with New Zealand chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart
positions
NZ
[6]
Th' 2006 Reunion Tour Live
  • Released: December 2006
  • Label: Red Trolley Records (RTCD002)
  • Format: CD
39

Compilation albums

List of compilation albums, with New Zealand chart positions
TitleAlbum detailsPeak chart
positions
NZ
[6]
So You Wanna Be a Rock'n'Roll Star
  • Released: June 1982
  • Label: Key (L 20041)
  • Format: LP, Cassette
27
Where Are the Girls?: Th' Definitive Collection
  • Released: August 2001
  • Label: Festival Mushroom Records (DUDES2001)
  • Format: CD
31
Bliss On Wax
  • Released: May 2020
  • Label: Stebbing Recording Centre Ltd. (910523)
  • Format: CD, LP, streaming, DD
7

Demo albums

List of demo albums
TitleAlbum details
Pubs, Parks, Theatres, Clubs, Church Halls, Gardens, Lounges & Band Rotundas
  • Released: 2006
  • Label: self-released
  • Format: CD

Singles

List of singles with selected New Zealand positions
TitleYearPeak chart positionsAlbum
NZ
[6]
1979"Be Mine Tonight" / "That Look in Your Eyes"36Right First Time
"Right First Time" / "Tonight Again"34
"Walking in Light" / "Bad Boy Billy"50Where Are the Boys
1980"Bliss" / "On the Rox"25
2010"Bliss 2010" (vs. Jolyon Petch & Sam Hill)–Non-album single

Awards and nominations

Aotearoa Music Awards

The Aotearoa Music Awards (previously known as New Zealand Music Awards (NZMA)) are an annual awards night celebrating excellence in New Zealand music and have been presented annually since 1965.

YearNominee / workAwardResultRef.
2019Th' Dudes New Zealand Music Hall of Fame inductee [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Dobbyn</span> Musical artist

Sir David Joseph Dobbyn is a New Zealand musician, singer–songwriter and record producer. In his early career he was a member of the rock group Th' Dudes and was the main creative force in pop band DD Smash. Since then he has released the majority of his recordings as a solo performer.

Ian Gordon Morris was an English-born New Zealand musician, record producer, recording engineer and songwriter.

Peter Urlich is a New Zealand musician. He is the cousin of fellow New Zealand singer Margaret Urlich.

DD Smash was a New Zealand pop/rock band formed in 1980 by Dave Dobbyn after the breakup of Th' Dudes. The band briefly used the name "Dave Dobbyn's Divers" until drummer Peter Warren came up with "DD Smash". Dobbyn says the name "seemed to say everything about what we were into, which was having a jolly good time and blasting out music."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Rayner</span> New Zealand musician

Anthony Edward Charles Rayner is a New Zealand musician who spent ten years as a keyboardist in the band Split Enz. He has also played in the groups Orb, Space Waltz, Crowded House, the Makers, The Angels in 1986-1987 and 801.

<i>Body and Soul</i> (Jenny Morris album) 1987 studio album by Jenny Morris

Body and Soul is the first solo studio album by New Zealand singer Jenny Morris, released in July 1987 by Warner Music Group. The album peaked at number 13 in Australia and 21 in New Zealand.

<i>Natures Best 2</i> 2002 compilation album by Natures Best series

Nature's Best 2 is a two-disc compilation album of 35 New Zealand popular music songs, numbers 31-65 on the APRA 75th Anniversary Top 100 New Zealand Songs of All Time. See Nature's Best for more information on the selection process of this list.

<i>Hopetown</i> (album) 2000 studio album by Dave Dobbyn

Hopetown is a 2000 album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Dave Dobbyn. It reached number 9 on the New Zealand music charts. The album was produced by fellow Th' Dudes member Ian Morris.

<i>Loyal</i> (album) 1988 studio album by Dave Dobbyn

Loyal is a 1988 album by New Zealand singer-songwriter Dave Dobbyn. After the Footrot Flats album, Loyal moved him further away from the pub rock of DD Smash and into contemporary pop rock. The album "confronts love, loyalty and the power of personal politics." The album reached number 9 on the New Zealand music charts.

<i>Where Are the Girls?: Th Definitive Collection</i> 2001 greatest hits album by Th Dudes

Where Are the Girls?: Th' Definitive Collection is a 2001 greatest hits album by New Zealand band Th' Dudes. It was compiled by the band themselves and co-ordinated by Simon Grigg.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Urlich</span> New Zealand singer (1965–2022)

Margaret Mary Urlich was a New Zealand singer who lived in Australia for most of her career.

<i>Last Chance to Dance</i> (Hello Sailor album) 1982 greatest hits album by Hello Sailor

"Last Chance to Dance" is a compilation album released in 1982 by New Zealand band, Hello Sailor. It reached number 11 on the New Zealand music charts. It was repackaged with a greatest hits album by fellow New Zealand band Th' Dudes and re-released on CD in 1991, where it reached number 35 on the New Zealand music charts.

<i>Pubs, Parks, Theatres, Clubs, Church Halls, Gardens, Lounges & Band Rotundas</i> 2006 studio album by Th Dudes

Pubs, Parks, Theatres, Clubs, Church Halls, Gardens, Lounges & Band Rotundas is a 2006 album by New Zealand band Th' Dudes. This five-track CD features alternative versions of the band's most popular songs, and was put together at the time of their 2006 reunion tour when Stebbing Studios showed no interest in re-releasing the band's back catalogue. The album was only available at venues for their tour.

<i>2006 Reunion Tour Live</i> 2006 live album by Th Dudes

2006 Reunion Tour Live is a 2006 live album by Th' Dudes during their October 2006 New Zealand reunion tour. The album reached number 39 on the New Zealand music charts.

<i>Right First Time</i> 1979 studio album by Th Dudes

Right First Time is the debut album by New Zealand band Th' Dudes. The New Zealand version was released in May 1979, and the Australian version six months later in November. The single "Be Mine Tonight" is considered one of the greats in New Zealand songwriting.

<i>So You Wanna Be a RocknRoll Star</i>

"So You Wanna Be A Rock'n'Roll Star" is a 1982 greatest hits mini-album by New Zealand band Th' Dudes. It reached No. 27 on the New Zealand music charts. It was later packaged with the Hello Sailor mini-album Last Chance To Dance and released by Festival Records in 1991.

<i>Where Are the Boys?</i> 1980 studio album by Th Dudes

Where Are the Boys? is the second studio album by New Zealand band Th' Dudes, released in 1980. The band had already broken up by the time the record was released.

Rob Aickin was New Zealand's top record producer in the late 70's early 80s. He produced many gold and platinum records for artists like, Patsy Riggir, Hello Sailor, Golden Harvest, Th Dudes With Dave Dobbyn, Toni Williams, Murray Grindlay and many others while working for Stebbing Recording studios.

Peter Warren New Zealand drummer primarily known as the drummer for DD Smash. Warren is also known by the nicknames 'Rooda' and 'Beat'. With a career spanning decades, Warren has been described as 'one of New Zealand's finest rock drummers.'

Richard Ernest Morris is a British-born New Zealand musician, singer–songwriter and sound engineer better known by his stage name, Rikki Morris. He is perhaps best known for his 1988 hit single "Nobody Else" which he wrote and performed with his older brother Ian Morris/Tex Pistol and which reached number one in New Zealand for sixteen weeks.

References

  1. ↑ "40th anniversary". Stuff.co.nz. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  2. ↑ "Stebbing Walking in Court with Th'Dudes". NZ Musician. 1 March 2008. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  3. ↑ Eames, David (15 March 2008). "Studio says it offered Dudes a share of disputed royalties". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 24 September 2012.
  4. ↑ "Eldred Stebbing as remembered by Ian Morris". Radio NZ National Music. 15 December 2009. Retrieved 11 November 2012.
  5. ↑ Kristy Johnston and Chris Schulz (8 October 2010). "Th'Dudes guitarist Ian Morris dies". Stuff.co.nz . with NZPA . Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  6. 1 2 3 4 "Th' Dudes NZ Charts". charts.nz. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
  7. ↑ "HOME INDUCTEES". www.musichall.co.nz. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
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