Dogs
Biog
DOGS PAST
Johnny Cooke, Duncan Timms and Luciano Vargas were three childhood friends who had an idea about making music they could hang on to. With the arrival of Rikki Mehta and Rich Mitchell in 2004 that idea solidified into Dogs underneath a London railway arch, and before long Island Records signed them up.
Debut album ‘Turn Against This Land’ was released in 2005 to united critical acclaim and achieved 3 top 40 singles. A snapshot into wordsmith Johnny Cooke’s observations on what it’s like to live and love in England this side of the millenium. “I’ll bring you firewood but I will burn your house down!” (Selfish Ways). According to Clash magazine, “Turn Against This Land is an easy mix of fiery punk and anthemic rock that has more hooks than The Ramones on a fishing trip”.
2007’s follow up ‘Tall Stories from Under the Table’ furthered that same blazing spirit. The album features an agonized and heady cast of characters from both literature and real life, “Full of East End aggro and West End wordplay” said Fly Magazine. New found friend and admirer Paul Weller also featured, having joined Dogs in the studio to record album closer 'Let it Lay'.
DOGS PRESENT
In 2008 Paul Warren replaced Rich on drums bringing a thundering burst of life to the band's foundations. Then in 2009 Luciano left to become a full time dad, replaced for a while by Kevin Iverson on rhythm guitar.
The new line up resulted in the more experimental and musically accomplished “We Are the Dogs EP” released in 2010 on the their own “Moths” label, funded by their army of dedicated followers and dedicated to them in return.
Now at the dawn of 2011 the band are busy writing new material for album 3, drawing on a perplexing range of inspiration including the likes of Edgar Allen Poe, early U2, Chopin, Kyuss, Aphex Twin, Robert Pollard, Pixies, Montaigne, Van Occupanther, Elvin Jones, Hawkins and Dawkins, Echo and the Bunnymen, Mellon Collie, LTJ Bukem, Fleetwood Mac, Regina Spektor and Punchdrunk Theatre Companies’ production of ‘Masque of the Red Death’.
“We Are the Dogs E.P” is out now.