Music Review: Th' Dudes - That Look in Your Eyes

Th' Dudes

Song of the day is my absolute favourite NZ song of all time. Th Dudes were formed by two friends from Auckland's Sacred Heart College - Dave Dobbyn & Ian Morris.

Both were guitar players and later became songwriters. They were joined by College peers, the consummate showman Peter Urlich on vocals, Bruce Hambling on bass and drummer Lez White.

Their school had a fantastic music ethos, generating a range of exceptional musicians from this era including Ian's brother Rikki Morris, Tim and Neil Finn, and Mick and Geoff Chunn.

Th Dudes came together at the same time as new Punk bands all tried to claim the same stage, which was limited to only a few pubs in Auckland. This led to conflict, particularly given that the Punk bands considered fighting a "badge of honour".

Th Dudes weathered one particular insult in the form of eggs being hurled from the crowd when they played Sweetwaters in '80 on stage, immediately prior to Elvis Costello.

Only together a few years, the band released four albums, five singles, one compilation album & one live album, and today's song That Look In Your Eyes comes from their album Right First Time..... I just love the later part of the song when you hear the rolling guitars from Dobbyn, and Urlich singing "Oh....look look baby".

Together, this hard-working band were a near perfect unit. Urlich was a tall good looking dude, and he had the voice to go with the show, Dobbyn was so diminutive in stature but with his trademark peroxide permed afro and guitar skills second to none, he was the business.

Of course a band is nothing without a driving pulse, which Hambling and White gave them, and when Dobbyn and Morris wrote together, magic was made, giving NZ some of our greatest anthems.....think Walking In Light and Bliss.....it's Rock music. PLAY IT LOUD....please.