The Virginian-Pilot
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The Dunes is based in Norfolk. Its genre may be somewhere around garage rock/punk/alternative, but one thing's for sure - it's original.
"All we want to do is create our own thing and see what evolves from it," said lead vocalist and guitarist Daniel Pravda.
He grew up listening to classic rockers Pink Floyd, Jimi Hendrix and Radiohead, to name a few. His band mates all bring a little something different to the sound table. Bassist Jeff Schuyler is big on bluegrass along with the Grateful Dead, drummer Joey Proffitt brings the beats of hip-hop with the Beastie Boys, trumpeter Chris Leonard likes the jam sound of Keller Williams, and guitarist Mark "The Medicine" Williams is pure Rolling Stones and that bluesy rock.
Williams gets his nickname from his style of playing. "His style is kind of healing. It comes out as sort of a bluesy-type of feeling. The music kind of soothes your heart and soul."
Together for five years, The Dunes released "Spirits of the Revolution " in 2006 and plans to release "A Lie Called Progress " in the fall. The band will head into the Clay Garden recording studio in Norfolk at the end of the month.
This is how Pravda, with help from the band, answered our questions:
Has the band ever been stiffed by a venue? What happened?
The old D.C. Chase's had such bad electrical issues that sparks would shoot when we plugged in our amps. Always have payment issues... actually we've never been stiffed; we love our venues.
Does the band have a pre-gig ritual?
Write a set list and then lose it before the show.
Where does the band get its inspiration?
Our local law enforcement. We used to play at my house in Ghent, and then the cops started to come. So, we moved down to Ocean View. Athough it's a smaller place, nobody calls the cops.
If the band was signed to a record deal, how would it spend the advance?
On gas and butter.
If the band could write its own headline, what would it be?
Local Band Defeats Alien Invasion, Saves Planet.
Patty Jenkins, (757) 446-2298, patty.jenkins@pilotonline.com
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