diy punks since 2001
The Duel
: Authentic Punk Torchbearers
Rez is a troubadour, whose poetry is designed to be literally sung rather than inscribed for the discreet pleasure of the solitary read. Fluid complexity exists in the lyrics covering politics, feminism, intellectual and personal freedom. Tara fits squarely into punk avant-garde, along with
artists like the Slits and Patti Smith who challenged masculine assumptions of the genre.
Pól Ó Géibheannaigh Gig Review Concorde 2 2023
Frontwoman Tara Rez's vocals are pulled in as many directions as the music itself. She can sound as elegant as Pauline Murray one minute, as exhilarating as Fay Fife the next, shriek like a banshee, or more accurately Poly Styrene, or sound as aggressive as Siouxsie Sioux herself.
Jo-Anne Green, All Music
THE DUEL present themselves as a punk band that the avant-garde movement may have predicted music to become.”
- Ben Tipple, Punktastic
The Duel is one of the UK's purest and most sincere punk rock song writing partnership thats started when Tara Rez and Andy Thierum met 20 years ago. Andy was looking for a singer while Tara was going round with some local musicians writing songs. Tara Rez, a real passionate-punk-sound singer, auditioned for Andy with his manager present. There was an immediate connection between these two and within the first 30 minutes of meeting they started writing unique songs together.
The musical combination of Tara and Andy was by far thrilling and a bit unpredictable at first, but after working on some sound adjustments, The Duel was born. The Duel began gigging in 2001 supporting acts such as; Utah Saints Also played at some Garrisons, after a song called ‘No Fury’ was play listed on BBC World Service by the late John Peel.
The Duel Debut Album “Let's Finish What We Started” was released on their own label FFR UK in 2007. The band gained a well deserved recognition with many new fans jumping on board and some great reviews in the music press. However, the music scene was not just a five stars hotel stay for The Duel over the years. Their first steps started in times where it was hard to get a gig, they barely got paid and had many challenges as the music scene was going bust - But it’s always the music what really matters for them and so they pursued eith their DIY ethics, making music they believed in, which gratefully, had a phenomenal response from the global online audience starting from the MySpace days.
Now armed with seven albums, new song 'Rule The World' to be released alongside a tour.
THE DUEL 'Live Line Up 2023 :
Tara Rez - VOX
Paul Laventhol - Guitars
The Duel wrote loads of tunes and much of it is still unreleased. They’ve always had a no rules approach to the sound they make. The musical vision they have for The Duel is described as “free spirited”. But punk rock is definitely what has inspired them to do what they do and pushed them forward.
The Duel played with numerous bands such as: Angie Bowie, Buzzcocks, Chelsea, The Slits, UK Subs, Sham 69, The Vibrators, The Adicts, TV Smith, Slaughter & The Dogs, Menace, Angelic Upstarts, The Business, Drongos For Europe, Vic Goddard, Los Mondo Bongos (with members of The Alarm & Joe Strummers Band The Mescularaties),London and Steve Dior of London Cowboys.
The Duel also played for Shows Parties such as Polysterene Xray Specs After Show Party 2008, International Download Awards 2009, London Tattoo Convention 2009 and Skunk Anansie After Show Party in 2010. Additionally they’ve played the “Rebellion Festival” in Blackpool for the past 4 years including Vienna, Venice & Amsterdam. And as for touring, The Duel visited and played a vast number of clubs nationally and internally where they received tremendous positive feedback. To mention a few, they performed in the US (2006) in some punk-rock clubs including New York’s CBGB, Finland (2007), Switzerland (2007), Holland (2007), (2008) & (2009), Spain (2009), Czech (2009), Germany (2008), (2009), (2010), Paris (2010), UK since 2003 and 2008 & 2009, 2011.
The artists The Duel received inspiration from are Ramones, Dead Boys, Clash, Sex Pistols, Blondie, Iggy & The Stooges, Patti Smith, UK Subs, The Vibrators and The Damned among many others.
The Duel Discography:
“LET’S FINISH WHAT WE STARTED”. Released in 2007
“CHILDISH BEHAVIOUR”. Released in 2009
“ALL ABOARD THE CRAZY TRAIN”. Released in 2011
“SOUNDTRACK TO THE END OF THE WORLD” (STORY OF ZAK SPLASH OUT SUMMER 2012)
Waging War 2016
Lets Finally Finish What We Started 2020
Soundtrack To The End Of The World 2022 Version
The band acquired a remarkable music status over the years and still receiving great reviews in magazines such as Viva Le Rock and Big Cheese. Despite unhappy beginnings, they are getting respect and admiration from fellow artists while increasing their fan base. With a classic punk sound The Duel band members spread the message out in modern times.
“Forget yesterday and tomorrow – enjoy each day now. Make the most of each moment now. Lay down all prejudices and unite now. Live your dreams now and don’t forget who you are. Don’t be a fake. Don’t forget your ID and roots. Stay free!”