Mar and Rah Dulok, the founder of this quirky bunch, played their first gig at a birthday party a few years ago. In fact, the party that inspired the band’s outfit never really stopped; the loud power trio (by loud we also refer to their instruments …but not primarily) took their sporty grooves to many prestigious festivals and almost every hipster bar in East London.

Then it would seem the Duloks gave their sweaty-sweatbands time to dry, but only to enforce some structural changes afterwhich the band released their Mini LP ‘Children of the Sea’.

The sound of the Duloks is very stripped down (no pun…oh whatever) – there’s drums and keys and of course Rah’s strong voice which reaches Barry Whitesque lows in ‘Bad Vegetarian’.  The melodies are elaborate but catchy. ‘Love Lorn Unicorn’ and ‘Gonna Follow Your Star Trail’ are what we Luxembourgers would call an earworm.

This September, The Duloks will play again at Bestival, which is probably one of the – you guessed it – BEST festival in western Eurasia. This year’s line-up includes Kraftwerk, PJ Harvey, Massive Attack, MGMT and many more.

1.How did you get started?
Rah Dulok - That’s definitely a Mar Dulok question – it was all her fault coming over to the UK! …she’s the Chief Dulok

Mar Dulok - I had an eletronic drum kit and missed making silly music with my Ewok (old band) buddies in Vancouver… so I asked my flatmate who played keyboard if she wanted to start an Ewoks rip off band called the Duloks. We advertised for a girl singer with BALLS on myspace and Mira was the most threatening / keen one. She threatened to beat me up if I didn’t let her join. It was quite scary. Our first ‘practice’ was us gossiping about boys the whole time… to the frustration of all our keyboard players we haven’t gotten that much better. 80% gossiping / 20% music playing. Oops!

Abi Dulok - I didn’t exist in those days.

2.What ingredients do you need to mix together to produce the recipe of your sound?
Rah Dulok - we mix the majesty of rock, the fantasy of roll, the ticking of the clock, the wailing of the soul! Follow the Spinal Tap recipe (we are so devoted to the Tap we’ve run thru six keyboard players!) and you won’t fail.

Abi Dulok - (keyboard player!) Yes. I’ve only got 38 days left on my shift before number 7 comes to take over…
 
Mar Dulok - A healthy portion of inside jokes is very key.

3.Did your first gig make you hungry for more?
Rah Dulok - totally, it was a long long LONG time ago for me now, and I was covered head to toe in glitter and was just 18 – the Duloks first show was for Mar Dulok’s birthday and was so much fun. That was the first taste of Dulok Live stuff and it’s been like heroin ever since then!

Abi Dulok - ….Mira obviously hasn’t done her heroin research properly, coz ir’s really not as good as it’s made out to be…

Mar Dulok - My first gig ever was when I was 18 as well! But the Duloks first show led to EVERYTHING else… we got booked to play the next weekend at another birthday. Our following gigs were all booked based on photos from the first gig as well. Promoters were like “if you dress like that you can play my club !!!”

4.What’s the biggest ‘cock up’ to date?
Rah Dulok - I’d have to say it’s getting romantically involved with people who work with us Duloks! Mar Dulok warns me EVERY time and now I am banned. It’s a good rule. It saves EMBARRASMENT!

Mar Dulok - Hahaha yeah I agree with Mira. Letting Mira cross band stuff and pleasure is NOT a good idea.

Abi Dulok - I read that as “biggest ‘cock’ up to date”. No comment. I am a lesbian.

5.What is it that inspires you to make your music/sound?
Rah Dulok - At first it was the silliness and making people laugh..now it’s the storytelling and the funtimes…It’s pretty awesome to be able to tell fantastical stories and write our own history
   
Mar Dulok - I do it cos I love playing and meeting new people. I’m inspired to be in a band by all the fun travels and party times. I formed the band with out stringed instruments to be a bit different and now to prove you can have a punk crazy attitude without having to be a dude with a guitar in an anarchy t-shirt. That’s conforming to me. We’re still out on the edge and that’s why we don’t fit in to a lot of stuff.

6.What would be the icing on the cake?
Abi Dulok - Chocolate.

Rah Dulok - The West Coast tour on a Nightliner tourbus with a hot tub and Ashton Kutcher’s support band travelling with us.

Mar Dulok - Japan! Or any country outside of North America / Europe would excite me to tour as I’ve only been to those continents before. The truth is it’s all icing on the cake for me. I love touring ANYWHERE but especially to NEW countries like Luxembourg!

7.How will you be remembered? (what will make you vintage?)
Rah Dulok - I think we’ll be remembered for our short shorts, our fancy dress, our silly videos and our chaotic, stupid live shows.

Mar Dulok - Definitely the shorts and socks. Also we’re known for Star Trail and an obsession with the sea.

8.Describe your music as if it were a fine wine.
Rah Dulok - I’m pretty sure we’d be a cheeky rose – blushing and super alcoholic. I would rather that we were a mojito tho’, sugar sweet, sharp as lime and super refreshing

Mar Dulok - I think we’re probably more like a Lambrini or something. I’m gonna describe us a Buck’s Fizz, 2 very different drinks coming together to make a one yummy drink. Mira & I have completely different musical taste but together it works.

Abi Dulok - or a Bacardi Breezer.

9.AfterMint! Does your musical style influence your underwear?
Rah Dulok - I’m all about cute shorty style panties that make no visible lines under my short shorts! So in that aspect yes – my style defines my underwear preference!

Abi Dulok - No. My favourite foods influence my underwear. I wear pants made out of pizza, tied together with strawberry laces.

Mar Dulok - Well our stage gear is the american apparel short shorts… but the truth is I was wearing those before we started the band and I do wear AA little boys y-fronts for girls. So yeah. I dress like a Dulok at ALL times even under my jeans.

10.Digestive! What do you know about Luxembourg?
Rah Dulok - Here are my impressions of Luxembourg:
1. Lots of hills. Steep uphill walking!
2.  Beautiful views
3. Good times when the absinthe is flowing..!
4. There are lots of different languages spoken there

Mar Dulok - It’s very small.

I kissed a banker from there once but he wasn’t a very good kisser . I’ve never been but I’ve always wanted to visit because it doesn’t seem like a place thaaaat many people go to and I like those kinds of places.

Abi Dulok - The capital of Luxembourg is Luxembourg. That’s about it. I won the Geography prize in Year 10, but I hadn’t been out of the country until The Duloks took me to Germany in February!

More info: www.myspace.com/theduloks