With a foundation in Canadian roots rock and a penchant for crafting noisy guitar jams, Cuff The Duke‘s unique blend of genres has consistently escaped the confines of simple classification, earning them an honoured place under the umbrella of “alternative.”
For the single, “Seasons Come, Seasons Go,” the band laments the passage of time and departures of old friends. The song took shape after their first manager, William “Skinny” Tenn, passed away of cancer and then a few months later, hearing the news that Dallas Good (The Sadies) passed away. Those two individuals had a big influence on songwriter Wayne Petti‘s early days as a musician.
“Over the years, I have sadly lost a few friends at a young age and, of course, lost other friends and family members who had longer lives,” says Wayne Petti. “Regardless, it’s always very hard to lose someone you love or care about. The song is self-explanatory: ‘Some die young, and some die old, just like the seasons come and seasons go.'”
Six albums, a pair of JUNO nods, countless miles on the road, including sharing stages with iconic acts like Blue Rodeo, Sloan, Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds. Then, poof! A 10-year vanishing act. But like all great tales, theirs has a twist: Cuff The Duke has reemerged from the shadows.
The band’s comeback album, Breaking Dawn (out September 6th), is a deeply personal exploration of frontman Wayne Petti’s journey with mental health. The songs on the new album reflect Petti‘s process of coming to terms with his mental health, capturing the various stages of his journey. The musical interludes throughout the record serve as a representation of the ever-present anxiety that Petti has learned to navigate. At the same time, the songs themselves offer a sense of relief and catharsis.
ONTARIO TOUR DATES
- July 13th – Hamilton – Because Beer
- November 29th – St. Catherines – Warehouse
- November 30th – Toronto – Longboat
- December 6th – Ottawa – NAC