The Dugites
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The Dugites were a Perth (Western Australia) band who formed in the late 70's. This was a time in Australian music when there was a lot of energy and creativity. The Dugites were a real part of a movement in Australian Pop music that was probably down to the fact that bands were finding that they did have a valid creative voice and that (for the most part) they had the musical ability to make successfully perform live and in the studio. In 1979 they released a self financed single 'Hit Single'/'Bruce', toured as backing band for Dave Warner and were signed by the now defunct Deluxe label.

The Dugites are typical of a number of bands all through the eighties that included a measure of social commentary and wit in their songs. Other examples include Do Re Mi (best known for Man Overboard, the realist anti relationship anthem for a swag of disenchanted youth, which included the famous reference to pubic hair and pillows) Goanna and The Eurogliders. The first (self titled) LP from The Dugites had already covered most of the themes that set the better bands of the eighties apart from the rest by adding a sense of humour and biting lyrics. Bob Andrews (from Graham Parker and the Rumour) produced the debut album, which peaked at #22 on the Australian album charts in 1980 and went on to attain gold status (35 000 copies sold).

There is still a general recognition that The Dugites were something special in the early 80's Oz music scene, but the band themselves felt they had achieved what they had set out to with the Dugites and could not face another album with the associated publicity and touring. It is also rumoured that they were unhappy with the third LP 'Cut the Talking' in 1984 and felt it was time to pursue other projects.

Cut the Talking (1984) was a well put together album that developed a funky synthpop sound, but does not have the same appeal as the earlier albums and it failed to chart.

By mid-1983, the line-up was down to Nutter, Crosbie, Bailey and Noonan.

Check out the following pages for some more information and some examples of why The Dugites ought to be immortalised in the electronic annals of pop.