Entertainment
Getting Down and Dirty with Dude York
There are few bands that appeal to absolutely everybody. Queen, The Beatles and now, Dude York. Whether you’re starting college and need a soundtrack that’s upbeat and lets your classmates know you’re the coolest, or checking into a retirement home for the first time and looking to boogie with your newfound housemates, Dude York has what you need. Fun, perky and downright delightful, let Dude York warm you up from the inside out this fall.
Bands are rarely able to pull off a hard rock and soft pop sound simultaneously. Dude York manages to rock hard with soft edges, and maintain musical integrity. Dude York’s latest tracks “Love Is” and “Lose Control,” help establish its place as Seattle’s foremost up-and-coming indie rockers. “Love Is” features bassist and vocalist Claire England taking the lead, and pondering if toxic lust is all love is. Lead vocalist and guitarist Peter Richards sings on “Lose Control” which is a dreamy post-punk track and dares listeners to veer off life’s normal course, and lose control. Drummer Andrew Hall helps keep the beat on drums on these, and all Dude York songs.
“Bands are rarely able to pull off a hard rock and soft pop sound simultaneously. Dude York manages to rock hard with soft edges, and maintain musical integrity.”
Fall is a busy time for Dude York, with shows booked all up and down the West Coast. CULTURE was lucky enough to catch these rockers at a hometown show, on KEXP’s stage at Bumbershoot. We snapped some pics, and got to chat with Peter about Dude York’s origin story, influences, and how Dude York is an inclusive band in all senses of the word.
How did Dude York come to be?
Peter Richards: In a couple of iterations. Andrew, the drummer and I, were in college, avoiding studying for our final exams. And then a couple of years later, we’d been playing in Seattle for a while, and Claire England, our bassist, joined our band. That was when things really catalyzed, and the real Dude York was born.
When was that?
Three years ago.
Where are you guys from?
I’m from Ballard, Claire’s from West Seattle and Andrew’s from Ketchum, Idaho.
Who are Dude York’s musical influences?
Pretty much everything. Blink-182, The Cure and Black Sabbath definitely.
Has cannabis, and it being legal and accessible in Washington, impacted Dude York?
Yes, in certain senses. I think Dude York is a band oriented more for an all-ages perspective. And since cannabis is not necessarily an all-ages product, I try to keep my personal enjoyment of it, separate from the identity of the band. That being said, I’ve always said that people are only getting half the music without the spliff.
Is there any record you like to listen to when you consume cannabis?
Yeah, there’s so much! Sleep, is a band I like to listen to a lot. They’re a metal band with a record called Dope Smoker, and it’s just one song. And it’s an hour long.
