1) Who are the members of Rubber Duc and what can be said about each one?
NICK JORDAAN – Singer, Rhythm Guitar, Hi Hats, Front man
Also known as “Thick Nick”, he is the big brother of the band. Always full of dad jokes, he has the energy level of a 19-year-old. Nick always bring his A-game to shows and in studio. With an awesome lyrical talent and great 1988 built mind, Nick is an intricate part of the Duc clan.
AMIEL GOPAL – Bass, Snare, Backing vocals, Deal maker
Also knowns as “wiki” – short for Wikipedia – as he knows a little bit about everything. The tech guy as well, will sort out whatever hardware you need at the best prices. The entire band gets very shocked, upset and worried when Amiel turns out to be wrong about something as “Wiki’s never wrong!”. Most importantly, he is also a badass bass player, as well as a groove machine, good friend and round lekker ou.
BRENDAN CAMPBELL – Lead guitar, Backing vocals, Producer
He was born somewhere in the Arctic, sculpted by burning blades on ice, and son of the great Ragnar Lothbrok – the Viking boy with the Scottish surname can occasionally be seen walking backwards although he is actually walking forwards. He sang backing vocals for George Michael’s band, WHAM, but from the other side of the television.
SHELDON SHAM, THE SAX MAN – Saxophone, Tambourine, Crash, Backing vocals
Sheldon hails from the Vale…Edenvale that is. He is more in love with his instrument than any man should be. Other than being a family orientated lad, Shel has two modes in life – sax playing mode, and sleep mode. So after a show, the band powers him down and stores him away until the next one.
2) Prior to your first single being released during March 2014, how did it come about that your paths crossed and decided to form a band?
We had all been working on different projects for quite some time, and some of us even used to perform alongside each other in different bands. Nick and Brendan started working on a side project that eventually became Rubber Duc. While that was happening, Brendan was producing and playing for Daniel Baron & Nick was working the corporate circuit where he bumped into Sheldon on the Saxophone. Rubber Duc was a 3 piece-band for a year. Lacking in the bass department, we trolled Facebook and stumbled across Amiel, got him into a rehearsal and from that day it’s history as we know it. Rubber Duc was formed 3 months prior to our first release.
3) Why and how did you decide on the name for the band as “Rubber Duc”?
The side project that eventually became Rubber Duc was originally meant to be a dance project/DJ Duo. Nick & Brendan we going to wear duck suits, and when the beat dropped their feathers would bounce to the beat too. However, DJ-ing was not their forte.
They were asked by a friend to fill in for a band that had pulled out of a gig, so they learned some covers, and put a little acoustic show together. Their friend needed a name to go to print pretty urgently, so they just told him to use the name of their DJ duo, Rubber Duc. They were booked for a festival from that very first show and knew that the name would stick.
4) Many bands don’t “survive” as long as you do – mostly and often because of internal conflict. How do you guys handle it when you don’t “get along” for a period of time or have severe differences of opinion? What keeps you together?
We’ve been very fortunate to be able to make Rubber Duc a full time gig. Of course there are times when blood starts to boil and we have differences of opinion, but we all have distinct roles within the business side of Rubber Duc that we all head up. I think the reason for us holding it all together is the business minded approach. We are friends, but we are business partners too. We have targets and goals set in place in order for us to continue living off doing what we love. What we create keeps us together and what we envision for the future is aligned. We all know what we are working towards. I also believe that being independent of a record label keeps tensions down too. However if the right opportunity comes along that we feel will aid us further in our success, we’d definitely consider it.
5) Who writes the songs for Rubber Duc?
A lot of the writing is a team effort that is just weighted a little differently. Most of the vocal melodies & lyrics are written by Nick, the production by Brendan, and the arrangement is always a team discussion. Production, chord progressions, the instrument used initially, all play a big part in where the songs end up and definitely affects the vibe & essence of the songs from the start.
6) Why do you all believe Rubber Duc is so popular and what makes your music so unbelievably attractive/addictive that it attracts both audiences and radio play so immensely?
We have worked very hard on our brand approach to the band. One of our biggest assets that has driven the process has been the enormous success of our DUC caps. We never wanted anyone to ever feel like a groupie when wearing our merchandise. We wanted them to feel proud and good while wearing it as an accessory, but at the same time know who the band is that the brand belongs to. Thats why our caps don’t say “RUBBER DUC” anywhere on them.
Initially, the Rubber Duc performance was something very unique to see. 4 guys, with a full drum kit split up between them at their feet. It was unheard of. It set us up in the beginning. Our show has grown a lot since then, but our focus has always been to entertain. It’s not about us, or how good we are, it’s all about how we make the people watching us feel.
Touching on the music, a lot of thought goes into our lyrics and mood that we aim to set accordingly. Nick simply cannot handle what he calls “easy writing”. There is always a way you can describe what you want to say better and more poetically with a little more thought. We aim for audiences to relate to the messages in the music. If one of our songs can help just one person get through a tough time in any way, our job is done and worth it.
7) There is only one Rubber Duc in the entire world – but if people do compare you to others – who do they usually mention?
In the beginning Mumford & Sons was the name thrown around. Now, it’s honestly very hard to say. We draw a lot of influence from The 1975, Khalid, One Republic and even Kygo. The music landscape currently changes at a phenomenal rate; what’s fresh today simply isn’t fresh tomorrow. Artists are like chameleons, changing their colours to fit in more than ever, across all genres.
8) How do you use content to your advantage, including on social media, lyrics videos, music videos and more? What is unique about the way you do it?
Content is another big talking point. All I can say is that it’s not easy, but completely necessary. Social media giants have completely clamped down on organic reach which means your shareable content needs to have the share factor. We have been fortunate to keep everything in-house when it comes to content generation which keeps the costs down. Kyle White has assisted us for years with the highest quality music videos at the best possible rates as returning clients.