Detroit’s own DUDE is a five-piece rock band with a newly released full-length album called ‘Autobiograffitti’.

Influenced by late ‘60s and early ‘70s icons like The Pretty Things, Todd Rundgren, Big Star, and The Beach Boys DUDE’s ‘Autobiograffitti’ is eleven tracks of rock and power-pop with a few ballads and even country/western peppered in.

DUDE’s frontman Tony Muggs is also the lead singer/songwriter and Fender Rhodes bassist. Besides writing and arranging all tracks on the album, Muggs has a storied history in the Detroit music scene and beyond as a founding member of The Muggs, as a stroke survivor, and now author. Muggs recently chronicled his life and adventures in the first of two autobiographies (also entitled ‘Autobiograffitti’). Rounding out the band are Stephen Garcia on rhythm/lead guitar & backup vocals, Mike Latcha on lead guitar, Alice Sun on synth/keyboards, and Erik Roosen on drums.

The opening track on this sonic journey is ‘Big Star’ which highlights the eponymous band’s major influence on DUDE and the album as a whole. It serves to introduce the tone, the vocal and instrumental harmonies, and the retro vibes that define the album. The following track, “Ahh Geez Luis” is a nod to the easy-going, no worries, surf/garage rock popularized by the Beach Boys.

In ‘You Are So Wonder’ caveman drums meet righteous guitar harmonies and riff-driven rock and roll. There’s also a really solid and tasteful guitar solo. DUDE’s Vocal harmonies are evocative of Kinks whose influence also cannot be understated on this album, particularly from a production point of view. Lola vs. Powerman looms large throughout ‘Autobiograffitti’.

From the power pop of ‘My Puppy Dog Eyes’ and ‘Red Coat For Sale’ with their blistering guitar licks and pick slides to the dream pop of ‘Own the Day,’ to the alt-country of ‘Devil’s in My Whiskey (Once Again)’ and even the psychedelic rock of ‘Swallow the Sun,’ DUDE delivers in every genre while still remaining DUDE through and through.

‘Autobiograffitti’ took six years to make due to the recording, mixing, and producing processes in addition to a global pandemic. Many contributing musicians were considered DUDE’s during this time period including Stephen Garcia (rhythm guitar/harmonies), Todd Glass (drums), Charlie “Joachim Pal” Palazzola (rhythm/lead guitar), Matt Hamann (rhythm/lead guitar), Mike O’Brien (bass/acoustic guitar/rhythm guitar/harmonies/percussion), Jarrod Champion (piano), Scott Ryan (B3 organ), Ben Kay (lead guitar), Nick Barone (S-Corona typewriter), Shannon Barnes (harmonies) and Carl Kondrat (lead guitar/synth/bass/timpani/drum triggers).

The band does suggest listening with headphones. To quote Muggs, “If I had my way, Mother Earth would have headphones strapped around her icy polar caps extending to the equator (where her imaginary ears are) and hitting a big joint while listening!”

‘Autobiograffitti’ is available on vinyl, CD, DLS & streaming from Saturday, April 15, 2023.

<a href="https://dudedetroit.bandcamp.com/album/autobiograffitti">Autobiograffitti by DUDE</a>

You mention the linear journey this album takes. Do the songs on the album correspond in any way to the autobiography, ‘Autobiograffitti’? Do any of the songs correspond closely to particular chapters in your life?

Tony Muggs: Yes, there is one song that corresponds directly to my autobiography. The last track (number 11) on ‘Autobiograffitti,’ ‘Tomorrow Is Promised To No One’ is the title of Chapter 13 in my book. Purposefully so because Chapter 13 starts me down a dark road whereas this was the day that I suffered my hemorrhagic stroke. I feathered in other hints or Easter Eggs in ‘Autobiograffitti’ – (the album) like the opening of track 1 entitled ‘Big Star’. I thought it would be clever to start the entire album off with a S Corona typewriter feverishly hammering away on my book and then suck the listener into my homage to the 70’s band Big Star. Other “chapters in my life” include the songs ‘Ahh Geez Louise,’ ‘You Are So Wonder,’ ‘My Puppy Dog Eyes,’ ‘Devil’s In My Whiskey (Once Again),’ ‘Swallow The Sun’ & ‘Blue Canary’. Whoa! I usually tend to write from personal experiences. ‘You Are So Wonder’ is about my wife Danielle. I wrote her a love note when we were dating and forgot to write “wonder-FUL” and just wrote “you are so wonder.” It became an inside joke we shared for years. Another true story, in ‘Ahh Geez Louise,’ I got tricked into eating way-to-much of a pot gummie! I’ve always been a Charlie Brown, victim of circumstance kinda guy and much like the first track off Stevie Wonder’s album ‘Innervisions,’ I was “Too High!”

Everything from the guitar tones to the lush harmonies in this band works together so well. What kind of gear is everyone using? Minimal pedals! I’m kinda old school in that you really don’t need pedals! Maybe an overdrive and delay but that’s it! Just rely on yer skills and drive the amp. Lots of old Fender amps for sure. I’m not a gear head so forgive my ignorance when it comes to all that. The players & my co-producer/engineer I selected for this album were key in making it sound so good. I should mention that we had fun using mastering programs that could make it sound the way I wanted it to. There is no wrong way to produce really. I just know what DUDE is supposed to sound like I guess.

You take inspiration from many of the giants of the ‘60s and ‘70s. What would your ideal supergroup from this era look like? Who would you want to jam with and who would you just want to sit back and watch?

Man! I would love to write and perform ballads with Andy Shauf & Cory Hanson. And would love to jam with Ty Segall. Screw just sitting back and watching!! HA-HA… I wanna write with these giants!

Lots of bands are multi-genre groups, but few manage to maintain a sense of unity in a project that attempts more than one or two styles. How do you stay solidly DUDE while branching out into surf rock, country, psychedelic rock, et cetera?

I follow my gut. I’ve learned over the years that if I can write a song that translates live, then I can easily record it in any number of ways that interests me. As long as I’m sate, my hope is that my fans and new listeners will be too. I try to pay special attention to those kinda details. I’m already looking forward to tracking my next two albums, ‘Destroy It’ and ‘1972’. DUDE is just getting started dude!

DUDE Official Website / Facebook / Instagram / Bandcamp / YouTube