The Leeds five-piece band formed in 2004 and plays 'pop music with a dark heart' according to Jon. With a second single, Pressure on You, due out in November the pressure is on to maintain Leeds' current reputation as THE place to find new musical talent. The band is enjoying the experience of a headlining tour and looking forward to dates, not just in Leeds and the rest of the UK, but also going overseas to Amsterdam and France. Jon says: "Touring is a scary, intimate experience." "It's fantastic, and nice to see the gigs developing. The first gig we did outside of Leeds was supporting the Kaisers at the Manchester Academy in front of 2000 people! Now second time round we have already done more than we hoped off the back of our first single." That first single, Potential Futures, was a limited release and has sold out in CD form. | "I leave the important things to the songs" | | Jon |
Within the band Jon and Jim (guitar) are brothers and with cousin Katherine on keyboards adds to the family feeling, does that make touring more cosy? "Well we used argue a lot when we were younger. Now it is much quieter, when we fall out it is all done with looks. We play subtle mind games with each other and have lots and lots of irritating in-jokes. "That's the worst thing about being in a band you spend so much time together you might as well be related like we are, even if you aren't. We certainly see more of the band than our partners."
Commenting on their return to gigging in Leeds at the end of October 2005, Jon is optimistic:
"It will be interesting to come back there, we've only played the Cockpit once before. It was in the small room and it was rammed, hopefully next time it will be in the bigger venue and everybody can get in and have a good night." Well, the Duels mentioned the K-word first, so here goes. What is it like always been compared to the Kaiser Chiefs? Jon is resigned to the comparisons, "It's going to happen, whenever any scene like that in Leeds grows up. When I say 'scene' it's not that there's a distinct sound involved in Leeds, but whenever the first band makes it the others are compared. "We are nothing like them but some people, the Chiefs, go first and others follow. We don't worry about it." Tapping into the fashion for viral marketing (using the internet, downloading and word of mouth to encourage people to pass along the message). The word about the Duels is put about by fans named the Young Believers and their eager support for the band is spreading the message. "We're only a week and a half into the tour and playing places like Plymouth. We've never gone anywhere near the town before and yet it was packed and the audience got very excited."
 | | Duels, looking serious |
With the Arctic Monkeys, currently the name on everybody's lips and on top of the charts, word of mouth and internet distribution looks like a new route to success. "The Monkeys' success maybe heralds a different way of promoting music. I think it has scared a lot of people in the music industry as the major labels may be bypassed. I like that trend, I think it's great, there's no real cynicism around and bands are picking up on that. "It's time to shove two fingers up at what you don't like, kicking against it - I like that." "2005 is not like Brit Pop revisited in the sound of the bands, but back then it was a heady party and if anything this time around it is even better." So a good time to be in a band and a great time to be in a band from Leeds. You'll know that the Duels are changing the world if Jon Duel has his way with two new trends. "I'll be drinking my beer out of wine glasses and playing scrabble in the dark. I leave the important things to the songs." | 
