Rob Dukes
Encyclopedia
Rob Dukes is the current vocalist for the American thrash metal
band Exodus
, and vocalist for his crossover thrash
project Generation Kill
on March 8, 1968, living in Queens
before moving to Nyack
, north of Manhattan. http://www.chronixradio.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=interviews&file=exodus_rob. He describes his parents as being "kinda hippies"http://digitaldarkness.net/dukes/ who regularly played records by artists such as The Doors
, Black Sabbath
and Jimi Hendrix
, which was the music he grew up on.
was his gateway into music: "I liked punk and hardcore
, I really could identify with their angst and attitude and it wasn't complicated music like metal was,"3 chords and scream...I can do that". He also plays guitar, claiming that he was "mediocre" but "having fun" at first, with Randy Rhoads
as a huge influence, although it took him a month to learn Rhoads' acoustic piece 'Dee' from Ozzy Osbourne
's Blizzard of Ozz
album.
On his beginnings as a singer, Dukes says: "I found out I could sing sitting in my room with an acoustic. I liked Maiden
and Priest
but could never sing that well, then I found Metallica
, Megadeth
, Exodus
, S.O.D.
, Anthrax
, Misfits and thought, "I can sing like that."
, with no idea of career prospects: "I just wanted to surf and live at the beach".http://digitaldarkness.net/dukes/
Despite considering a career as a scuba diving instructor, Dukes ended up working as a guitar tech after living in Hollywood for two months. He met and befriended Jeff Hickey, a long time friend of Exodus. Working for Exodus, he played a demo tape created in 1996 to Gary Holt
, Rick Hunolt
and Tom Hunting
. After Steve Souza
departed the band, Dukes was offered the vocalist position and made his first appearance on the 2005 release 'Shovel Headed Kill Machine
'. To date, he has appeared on four studio albums.
With Generation Kill
", which premiered on March 27, 2008 at Riverspace Arts in his hometown of Nyack, New York
. http://www.myspace.com/neddihyllausiv
Thrash metal
Thrash metal is a subgenre of heavy metal that is characterized usually by its fast tempo and aggression. Songs of the genre typically use fast percussive and low-register guitar riffs, overlaid with shredding-style lead work...
band Exodus
Exodus (band)
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
, and vocalist for his crossover thrash
Crossover thrash
__FORCETOC__Crossover thrash, often abbreviated to crossover, is a form of thrash metal that contains more hardcore punk elements than standard thrash. The genre lies on a continuum between heavy metal and punk rock...
project Generation Kill
Early life
Dukes was born in FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
on March 8, 1968, living in Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
before moving to Nyack
Nyack
Nyack may refer to:*Nyack, New York, a village*Nyack College, located in the village*USS Nyack, the name of two U.S. Navy vessels...
, north of Manhattan. http://www.chronixradio.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=interviews&file=exodus_rob. He describes his parents as being "kinda hippies"http://digitaldarkness.net/dukes/ who regularly played records by artists such as The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
, Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath
Black Sabbath are an English heavy metal band, formed in Aston, Birmingham in 1969 by Ozzy Osbourne , Tony Iommi , Geezer Butler , and Bill Ward . The band has since experienced multiple line-up changes, with Tony Iommi the only constant presence in the band through the years. A total of 22...
and Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
, which was the music he grew up on.
Influences
Dukes has stated in interviews that punk rockPunk rock
Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...
was his gateway into music: "I liked punk and hardcore
Hardcore punk
Hardcore punk is an underground music genre that originated in the late 1970s, following the mainstream success of punk rock. Hardcore is generally faster, thicker, and heavier than earlier punk rock. The origin of the term "hardcore punk" is uncertain. The Vancouver-based band D.O.A...
, I really could identify with their angst and attitude and it wasn't complicated music like metal was,"3 chords and scream...I can do that". He also plays guitar, claiming that he was "mediocre" but "having fun" at first, with Randy Rhoads
Randy Rhoads
Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. A devoted student of classical guitar, Rhoads often combined his classical music influences with his own heavy metal style. While on tour with Ozzy Osbourne, he would seek out...
as a huge influence, although it took him a month to learn Rhoads' acoustic piece 'Dee' from Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzy Osbourne
John Michael "Ozzy" Osbourne is an English vocalist, whose musical career has spanned over 40 years. Osbourne rose to prominence as lead singer of the pioneering English heavy metal band Black Sabbath, whose radically different, intentionally dark, harder sound helped spawn the heavy metal...
's Blizzard of Ozz
Blizzard of Ozz
Blizzard of Ozz is the first solo studio album by British singer/songwriter Ozzy Osbourne, recorded in Surrey, UK and released on September 20, 1980 in the UK and on March 27, 1981 in the U.S.. It is the comeback album of Osbourne following his firing from Black Sabbath the previous year...
album.
On his beginnings as a singer, Dukes says: "I found out I could sing sitting in my room with an acoustic. I liked Maiden
Iron Maiden
Iron Maiden are an English heavy metal band from Leyton in east London, formed in 1975 by bassist and primary songwriter Steve Harris. Since their inception, the band's discography has grown to include a total of thirty-six albums: fifteen studio albums; eleven live albums; four EPs; and six...
and Priest
Judas Priest
Judas Priest are an English heavy metal band from Birmingham, England, formed in 1969. The current line-up consists of lead vocalist Rob Halford, guitarists Glenn Tipton and Richie Faulkner, bassist Ian Hill, and drummer Scott Travis. The band has gone through several drummers over the years,...
but could never sing that well, then I found Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, Megadeth
Megadeth
Megadeth is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California which was formed in 1983 by guitarist/vocalist Dave Mustaine, bassist Dave Ellefson and guitarist Greg Handevidt, following Mustaine's expulsion from Metallica. The band has since released 13 studio albums, three live albums, two...
, Exodus
Exodus (band)
Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1980 in Richmond, California. Spanning a career of over 30 years, Exodus has gone through numerous lineup changes, two extended hiatuses, and the deaths of two former band members. Guitarist Gary Holt remains the only constant member of the band,...
, S.O.D.
Stormtroopers of Death
Stormtroopers of Death, better known as S.O.D., was a crossover thrash band formed in New York in 1985. They are commonly credited as being among the first bands to fuse hardcore punk with thrash metal into a style sometimes called "crossover thrash." The song "March of the S.O.D.," from their 1985...
, Anthrax
Anthrax (band)
Anthrax is an American heavy metal band from New York City, formed in 1981. Founded by guitarists Scott Ian and Danny Lilker, the band has since released ten studio albums and 20 singles, and an EP featuring Public Enemy. The band was one of the most popular of the 1980s thrash metal scene...
, Misfits and thought, "I can sing like that."
Career in Exodus
After being fired from a band he was part of in New York, Dukes rode his motorcycle on a 5 month, 11,000 mile trip to CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, with no idea of career prospects: "I just wanted to surf and live at the beach".http://digitaldarkness.net/dukes/
Despite considering a career as a scuba diving instructor, Dukes ended up working as a guitar tech after living in Hollywood for two months. He met and befriended Jeff Hickey, a long time friend of Exodus. Working for Exodus, he played a demo tape created in 1996 to Gary Holt
Gary Holt (musician)
Gary Wayne Holt is an American guitarist from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the lead guitarist of Exodus.-Biography:...
, Rick Hunolt
Rick Hunolt
Rick Hunolt is an American heavy metal guitarist who is best known for being the long time guitarist in thrash metal band Exodus. He joined the band in 1983, replacing Mike Maung who had been hired to replace original guitarist Kirk Hammett who left to join Metallica...
and Tom Hunting
Tom Hunting
Tom Hunting is an American drummer, famous for his work with the band Exodus. He played on their first three albums, Bonded by Blood, Pleasures of the Flesh, and Fabulous Disaster...
. After Steve Souza
Steve Souza
Steve 'Zetro' Souza is one of the two singers, with Chuck Billy, for the band Dublin Death Patrol. He also sings for the death/thrash metal band Tenet, and recently announced his new thrash metal project Hatriot...
departed the band, Dukes was offered the vocalist position and made his first appearance on the 2005 release 'Shovel Headed Kill Machine
Shovel Headed Kill Machine
Shovel Headed Kill Machine is the seventh studio album by the American thrash metal band Exodus, released on October 4, 2005 through Nuclear Blast. This album contains a huge shift in the lineup for Exodus...
'. To date, he has appeared on four studio albums.
Discography
With Exodus- Shovel Headed Kill MachineShovel Headed Kill MachineShovel Headed Kill Machine is the seventh studio album by the American thrash metal band Exodus, released on October 4, 2005 through Nuclear Blast. This album contains a huge shift in the lineup for Exodus...
(2005) - The Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit AThe Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit AThe Atrocity Exhibition... Exhibit A is the eighth studio album by thrash metal band Exodus, released on October 23, 2007. This is the second album featuring Rob Dukes on vocals, but it also marks the second comeback of longtime original Exodus drummer Tom Hunting. Hunting's last appearance was on...
(2007) - Let There Be BloodLet There Be BloodLet There Be Blood is a re-recording of Exodus's 1985 album Bonded by Blood, featuring their modern lineup. The only band members who play on both Bonded by Blood and Let There Be Blood are guitarist Gary Holt and drummer Tom Hunting...
(2008) - Shovel Headed Tour Machine: Live At Wacken & Other Assorted AtrocitiesShovel Headed Tour Machine: Live At Wacken & Other Assorted AtrocitiesShovel Headed Tour Machine: Live At Wacken & Other Assorted Atrocities is a live DVD album by American thrash metal band Exodus. It was recorded at Exodus's July 2008 performance at the Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany...
(2010) - Exhibit B: The Human ConditionExhibit B: The Human Condition-Charts & Certifications:-Personnel:*Rob Dukes – Vocals*Gary Holt – Lead and rhythm guitars*Lee Altus – Lead and rhythm guitars*Jack Gibson – Bass*Tom Hunting – Drums, Percussion*Brendon Small - Guitar solo on "Devil's Teeth"...
(2010)
With Generation Kill
- Red White and Blood (2011)
Other Related
Feature Interview in the Independent Documentary, "Riphouse 151: Could've Been's & Wanna Be'sRiphouse 151: Could've Been's & Wanna Be's
Riphouse 151: Could've Been's & Wanna Be's is a 2008 retrospective documentary film. It chronicles the rise and fall of Riphouse, a thrash metal band from Rockland County, New York. The film was directed by Peter O'Brien and features interviews with Rob Dukes , Don La Greca of ESPN radio, Rob...
", which premiered on March 27, 2008 at Riverspace Arts in his hometown of Nyack, New York
Nyack, New York
Nyack is a village in the towns of Orangetown and Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of South Nyack; east of Central Nyack; south of Upper Nyack and west of the Hudson River, approximately 19 miles north of the Manhattan boundary, it is an inner suburb of New...
. http://www.myspace.com/neddihyllausiv