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Local boys Dukes of Windsor are taking Melbourne by storm. They’re
packing out shows all over the place, while the remix of their haunting
signature track ‘The Others’ is pretty much Melbourne’s soundtrack
right now. So to gain a little insight into all their going ons, we sat down with
guitarist Oscar Dawson to talk about supporting internationals Who Made
Who, their debut album ‘the Others’ and of course, Teenage Mutant Ninja
Turtles.
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The TV Rock versus Dukes of Windsor remix of the Others was number one on the ARIA club charts for ages. What do you make of electro remixes of rock or indie songs generally?
I think they can be so effective. I mean it opens what you do to such a wider audience. So why not? We’re stoked. We are so impressed with what they have done. The relationship that it has given birth to as well. Its great to get ideas from a different area of music entirely. Anyway, the line between different types of music in general is becoming increasingly blurred. A lot of rock has that electro tinge and a lot of electro has that rock tinge. Its great though to hear the take that someone else has in your music, to see what they hear and what they take out of it.
You supported Danish group Who Made Who earlier this year? Did you catch their antics when they were out last year for Parklife?
I’m sad to say, I had never heard of them before. But they are lovely dudes. At the Prince of Wales it was interesting - the only member of the crowd that wasn’t hanging back while we were playing was their drummer, who going nuts directly in front of the stage. They have a great attitude to music.
They have pretty crazy style drawing on folk and other random stuff. Do you see the Dukes of Windsor taking any style queues from them in the future?
Perhaps, although I am not sure if we will end up wearing synchronised outfits. We did it once and it wasn’t good. We all wore matching tee shirts. With Who Made Who it is so relaxed though; their style. As soon as they started the crowd was on their feet straight away, not hanging back like we see so often in Melbourne.
The affect of the album cover for ‘The Others’ is very cool. How did you come up with the idea?
That was Jack our singer’s idea. He is very good with design related shit. I don’t know why we got dressed up in toilet paper but somehow it worked. Cory our drummer was left alone because he had wrapped us all in toilet paper and we couldn’t move so we just draped a bed sheet over him.
I can’t imagine the video clip for ‘The Others’ was as simple; it must have been a very involved process using so much artwork. How did it all come about?
Most of it was done by a film maker that we know whose name is Conner Beaver. He took about 4 or 5 months to make it because he commissioned 9 artists each to make a piece of art for the clip which you know doesn’t happen overnight. The 9 pieces of art were designed to all fit in together. And for us we just took an hour to film some shots of us jumping around in a room doing what we do anyway. I think it was a pain staking process for Conner but the end outcome is great.
Yeah its awesome. And what about the second album? Do you feel much expectation, particularly as bands are so often judged on their second?
A lot bands complain of the difficult second album syndrome. But we chose to circumvent that by having a first album that wasn’t particularly successful. The only pressure we do feel is from ourselves. To make one that’s better than the first.
Melbournestreetfashion.com is all about style. Can you say you have a style idol?
Probably my Dad. He wears those really big sunglasses that old people wear. He has curly hair. He is extremely grumpy and I take a lot from that. And he wears boat shoes. I guess you would call him gardener chic.
And finally, who was your favourite Ninja turtle growing up?
Ok who was there again. Leonardo... Michelangelo. I fucking hated Leonardo. I hated that guy. I wanted to kill him. Who was the guy with the stick? I kind of liked Rafael. Who was the rat I like the rat. I can't remember - I liked the rat.
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