Dugong

 Hailing from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, Dugong had been honing their own unique style of indie-rock/emo/punk as an integral part of the local underground music scene for 8 years until they went on indefinite hiatus on 14th August 2005.

In 1997 Andrew Jarvis, Sam Smyth and Matt Broadbent, along with Tim Bradley (who replaced original drummer, Wardy), teamed up to create the beast that would be known as Dugong. Things really came together during the period the band lived together on Eastmoor Road, Wakefield, from 1998 to 2000. Though the house itself was rubbish, the music was increasingly less so.

It was during this period that Bombed Out agreed to release a 7" by the band. In 1999 Dugong duly entered Soundstation Studio in Horbury and recorded …I'm Not Leaving, the title based on an unfortunate dream.

Dugong continued to write and play and the gigs became further and further afield. Next up was The Eastmoor Rules album. Again to be released on Bombed Out Records. Originally it was recorded in late 2000, but some bastards burgled Soundstation and the recording was lost. It was recorded again early the following year and sounded better for it. It was released in March 2001 just in time for the bands first national tour with The Autumn Year.

In early 2003 the band recorded Hat Danko, their second album. Mark at Soundstation did a truly wonderful job capturing the sound the band wanted and everyone felt dead pleased. Dugong toured again in February 2003 with Codify and again in July with Brandtson. These in turn led to the band touring Germany twice.

Quick to the City, a record which was to be the band’s last, was recorded in February 2005 and released a couple of months later, just as the band were due to undertake an 11 date UK tour with label mates Kelly 8. The record achieved a fantastic amount of press, including amazing reviews in Kerrang! and Rocksound magazines and the future was looking bright for the band until the news of their imminent hiatus hit in July 2005. Dugong played their last gig headlining the Sunday of the 2005 Out of Spite festival at Joseph’s Well in Leeds, with a show that ranked amongst the band’s finest.

Today, Matt is still active with Nathaniel Green and The SWord , as well as continuing as a solo artist under the Brown Hound James moniker.Tim's alter-ego, The Warlord, has just released his debut solo album too on Nova Bomb Records.

If and when Dugong come back to us is anyone’s guess… Here’s to hoping.

Discography

16

Quick to the City
MCD
(2005)

13

Hat Danko
CD
(2003)

05

The Eastmoor Rules
CD
(2001)

02

I'm Not Leaving
7"
(1999)