Cuff the Duke is a Canadian indie rock band from Oshawa, Ontario, formed in 2002. Their music can be described as catchy with anthemic choruses blended with jangly, guitar driven melodies.

They have toured extensively and shared the stage with notable bands like YGK’s own The Tragically Hip, Matt Mays, Joel Plaskett and more.

And they also have a long standing relationship with Virginia Clark of Flying V Productions so it’s no wonder their triumphant return to live music includes a stop in YGK with support from Chloe Ducet on Saturday March 15 at the Broom Factory (web link)

As fans of the band we knew we had to have a chat with lead guitarist & vocalist Wayne Petti. Here’s how it went!

Q: From the heavy instrumental ”No Sleep No Heat” in 2005, to one of your catchiest songs, “It’s all a Blur” in 2009, to now, your most recent release and album, Breaking Dawn, which gleams with experimentation and a completely new style. What led you from point A to Point B and inevitably C

A: In a way we went into with the attitude that if this was our last album, what are some of the things we always wanted to do? I’ve always loved albums that transition from song to song. I’ve always enjoyed interesting robust guitar towns, and I thought the songs we had we could do them in a more traditional way, but this seemed to make more sense for where we were all at.

Q: Your band is known for utilizing a wide range of instruments like moog synthesizers and a lap steel guitar. What new instruments can we expect on stage at a Cuff The Duke 2025 show

A: Paul, our bass player playing the fiddle a little more than he ever used to other than that. We just kept it somewhat traditional in that sense but our keyboard player Tom plays since in piano in Oregon etc..

Q: What about the Otamatone? Have you seen the Synthesizer that can turn bananas into a piano?

A: Wow! I have not but I’ll definitely check it out.

Q: A lot of indie musicians look upon Cuff the Duke for inspiration, who does cuff the duke draw inspiration from?

A: I think we’ve always been inspired by bands that do their own thing. They aren’t always associated with a scene or a genre.

Q: You took a hiatus for awhile, what brought the band back together?

A: When you’re a young musician one can often feel as though they have something to prove. You’re running down the dream but after some years away from it I think we all just wanted to hang out and play music together. It was fun again. Not feeling any pressures form this or that just simply playing music because we want to.

Q: What can listeners expect at your upcoming show in Kingston at the Broom Factory March 15

A: It’s going to be a great time!! Chloe Ducet is opening. She’s fantastic! We’re playing a wide selection of new and old songs. Some of my favourite shows that Cuff The Duke have ever played were in Kingston. It’s been too long and know it’ll be a banger. Posted: Mar 4, 2025