For the band composed by João Rodrigues, Gustavo Andrade, André Rosa e Nuno Cunha, 2009 was the real turning point for them.
But discover everything about this incredibly kind and modest band who really deserve recognition not only for being so talented but also for being so young and creative.
Fuck Yeah Music Stories: Hi! How are you doing?
The Doups: We’re doing fine. rehearsing, studying, eating christmas’ left overs…
Fuck Yeah Music Stories: How did The Doups started a music career?
TD: It started as a joke at the high school… then we did some gigs and everytime we played someone would invite us to another gig… so it became much more serious than we could ever imagine.
FYMS: Is there any story for your band’s name: The Doups?
TD: There is one but it’s not interesting at all! Our former guitar player drawn something and called it “The Doups” during a class, that’s it!
FYMS: How would you define The Doups?
TD: First of all we are best friends… We are 5 regular guys, we have different interests, we all love music but that is not the only thing that keep us together.
TD: There is one but it’s not interesting at all! Our former guitar player drawn something and called it “The Doups” during a class, that’s it!
FYMS: How would you define The Doups?
TD: First of all we are best friends… We are 5 regular guys, we have different interests, we all love music but that is not the only thing that keep us together.
FYMS: How do some Portuguese artists end up wining an English contest? How did everything happen?
TD: We were invited to record an EP in London by a producer called Harvey Birrell at the Southern Studios… when we got back to Portugal our ex manager said we should send one of the songs to this contest (Supajam) and we did it. In the beginning of the contest people were asked to vote online in their favorite songs and we got to the 40 finalists with thousands of votes. One day we got a call from London saying we were on the top 5 bands. So… we flight to London to play the final at The Pigalle Club and we didn’t win. The prize was to play at the Benicassim Festival (Kings of Leon, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand…). We were 3rd but they really liked our band, so we were invited to go to the festival with artist passes and there we met a lot of big bands.
FYMS: As artists, which are your biggest dreams?TD: We were invited to record an EP in London by a producer called Harvey Birrell at the Southern Studios… when we got back to Portugal our ex manager said we should send one of the songs to this contest (Supajam) and we did it. In the beginning of the contest people were asked to vote online in their favorite songs and we got to the 40 finalists with thousands of votes. One day we got a call from London saying we were on the top 5 bands. So… we flight to London to play the final at The Pigalle Club and we didn’t win. The prize was to play at the Benicassim Festival (Kings of Leon, The Killers, Franz Ferdinand…). We were 3rd but they really liked our band, so we were invited to go to the festival with artist passes and there we met a lot of big bands.
TD: To be happy and play all the big Festivals around the world.
FYMS: 2009 was an amazing year for The Doups – recorded an EP, played on Rock One Festival along big names like The Offspring and My Bloody Valentine and also opened Franz Ferdinand’s show in Lisbon. What can you tell us about that?
TD: It was great… we were very young and the band had only 2 years so it was great for us. We learned a lot and we got the chance to meet some of our childhood heroes. We think it was a very helpful experience and now we look at the things with a different perspective.
TD: It was great… we were very young and the band had only 2 years so it was great for us. We learned a lot and we got the chance to meet some of our childhood heroes. We think it was a very helpful experience and now we look at the things with a different perspective.
FYMS: Can you tell us some artists that influence you in any way?
TD: Mostly the bands after the year 2000. Of course we love all the classic rock bands but we can say that bands such as The Strokes and the Arctic Monkeys are our biggest influences. But we also love the good old blues legends and bands like The Doors… it’s really hard to tell cause we are 5 guys and we like a lot of bands/musicians.
FYMS: Your first album – Small Town Gossip – was released on October 2011, through Optimus Discos and has a free download. Why did you decided to release this way?
TD: Our band started in a very challenging moment for the music industry… From the beginning we realized that record labels weren’t signing any new bands. We think that our early “success” a few years ago would be enough to get a record deal with a label. It didn’t happen. So, after realeasing our EP via Itunes, exclusively online cause we didn’t have the money to print CD´s, we understood that nobody was buying music anyway. The bands should expect to earn money by playing as much as they can and selling merchandise, not by selling their music. Internet is a big problem for the artists who were used to sell millions of copys but for bands like us internet is the key factor. If it wasn’t for the internet we wouldn’t be here. So we decided to record the album on our own and we were supposed to release it for free. When Henrique Amaro called us inviting us to release it trough Optimus Discos we were very happy. The CD is available for legal download as we wanted and it is also available in record stores. It was perfect for us and we must thank to Henrique and all the Optimus Discos crew who did an amazing job.
(The cover for The Doups debut album: Small Town Gossip)
FYMS: Can you name a favorite track from the record? Is there any particular reason?
TD: We like them all, really. We were amazed with the final result. Bruno Lobato, our producer, did exactly what we want, he is great! Maybe Scratching My Face is our favorite cause it’s a little different and was one of the last being composed…
TD: We like them all, really. We were amazed with the final result. Bruno Lobato, our producer, did exactly what we want, he is great! Maybe Scratching My Face is our favorite cause it’s a little different and was one of the last being composed…
FYMS: With a promising career and a great debut album, which are your upcoming steps?
TD: Now we are promoting the album, doing interviews for radio,tv stations and Blogs (thank you all, you guys are very important for us), gigging as much as we can and hoping for a tour abroad…
TD: Now we are promoting the album, doing interviews for radio,tv stations and Blogs (thank you all, you guys are very important for us), gigging as much as we can and hoping for a tour abroad…
FYMS: You are from Portugal, how do you think about the importance given to Music here?
TD: In Portugal Music always had an important role… Everybody use to watch Festival da Canção and we always had great singers such as Fernando Tordo, Simone de Oliveira etc... We also have Fado as one of the most important icons in our culture… so Portugal really likes music. We don’t have money to invest in culture though. It’s a shame cause we know we can do the same or better than our neighbors.
FYMS: Can you remember your first performance? How did it go?
TD: In Portugal Music always had an important role… Everybody use to watch Festival da Canção and we always had great singers such as Fernando Tordo, Simone de Oliveira etc... We also have Fado as one of the most important icons in our culture… so Portugal really likes music. We don’t have money to invest in culture though. It’s a shame cause we know we can do the same or better than our neighbors.
FYMS: Can you remember your first performance? How did it go?
TD: It was awful. Was in a beach inside a tent sale. I think you guys can imagine…
FYMS: We know you have some live experiences. Is there any ritual before going to stage?
TD: Not really. There’s only one thing we do wich is not to get drunk.FYMS: We know you have some live experiences. Is there any ritual before going to stage?
FYMS: Is there any play that you would love to play, and you haven’t yet?
TD: Sure. Here in Portugal we played in great places such as Campo Pequeno and all the relevant bars but we’d love to play Paredes De Coura Festival, we love the scenario… outside Portugal we´d love to play all the big festivals as we said before.
FYMS: How is your lyric writing process? Where do you get the ideas to write them?
TD: its very simple. We write about regular stuff so we get together and write the lyrics most of the times listening to the song already recorded.
FYMS: Is there any band/artist that have recently blown your mind?
TD: I’d say Márcia, I wasn’t expecting lyrics as good as hers.TD: its very simple. We write about regular stuff so we get together and write the lyrics most of the times listening to the song already recorded.
FYMS: Is there any band/artist that have recently blown your mind?
FYMS: Is there any hidden talent, besides music, that we can know about?
TD: André started surfing since he was a little kid, (Nuno) Cunha is a very talented drawer and Bmx rider, João is a specialist in Portuguese history even though is studying engineer and Gustavo is a football player.
FYMS: If you didn’t belong to the music world, where would you imagine yourselves doing?
TD: we are all studying so unfortunately we imagine ourselves being lawyers, engineers, producers…
a) One Day...
TD: We’ll make our parents really proud.
b) The best thing people can say about me...
TD: That we are a great band and also really nice guys.
c) And the worst...
c) And the worst...
TD: You’re playing to loud.
d) In ten years...
d) In ten years...
TD: world will be a better place.
FYMS: What would you tell to FYMS readers?
TD: Keep reading this blog ‘cause it’s great and always think for yourselves… don’t let the media control your tastes.
Special thanks to The Doups - they are such amazing people - and the photographer mentioned above (if you know who took them, tell us and we give the deserved credits).
TD: Keep reading this blog ‘cause it’s great and always think for yourselves… don’t let the media control your tastes.
Special thanks to The Doups - they are such amazing people - and the photographer mentioned above (if you know who took them, tell us and we give the deserved credits).
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