History
The Dugites emerged from Perth, Western Australia, playing a vibrant blend of 1960s-influenced pop, funk and soul. The band issued the self-financed single `Hit Single'/`Bruce' in 1979, toured as backing band for Dave Warner in mid-1979 and then signed to the Sydney-based Deluxe label. In 1980 Paul Noonan (bass; ex-Dave Warner's from the Suburbs) replaced Phillip Bailey.

British keyboardist Bob Andrews (from Graham Parker and the Rumor) produced the band's epony-mous debut album which mixed catchy pop tunes (`In Your Car', `Mama Didn't Warn Me') with darker moments (`No God No Master', `Gay Guys'). The single `In Your Car'/`13 Again' combined a pinch of Sandie Shaw, The Shangri-Las and Blondie. It reached #34 in July 1980. The Dugites (August) reached Top 10 in Perth, and peaked at #22 nationally. It went on to attain gold status (35 000 copies sold).

Deluxe lifted two further singles from the album, `Goodbye'/`No God No Master' (July 1980) and `South Pacific'/`Gay Guys' (October). The Dugites next charted with the plaintive `Waiting'/`Who Loves You More?' (#40 in August 1981), which was taken from the album West of the World (July; #33 in August). `Part of Me'/`Never Touch' came out in September. Rough Diamond issued the single `No Money'/`Decide' (July 1982) and the mini-album No Money (August). By that stage, Andrew Pendle-bury (guitar; ex-Sports) had replaced Berghoffer. Pendlebury was then replaced by Bob Fallovic (aka Boris Garter; ex-Stockings). Paul Williamson also joined on sax. By mid-1983, the line-up was down to Nutter, Crosbie, Bailey and Noonan.

The Dugites signed to Mercury/PolyGram, but their brief chart run had ended. Cut the Talking (April 1984) was a polished album that mixed bright synth-pop and funk, but it failed to chart. Likewise, the singles `Cut the Talking'/`Michael and Rodney' (November 1983), `Juno and Me'/`Everything Must Change' (April 1984) and `It Ain't Like That'/`All that I Want' (August) were not successful. With the release of the album, The Dugites added Peter Kaldor (sax) and John Crosbie (trombone, trumpet) for touring purposes, but by the end of 1984 the members had gone their separate ways.