Lucy, vocalist from the rock band Dick Move

dick move

in British English

noun

US vulgar, slang

a contemptible course of action

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers

Dick Move

Band

Whoever said Punk Rock is dead hasn’t heard of Dick Move, a distinctly Karangahape Road band.

Band members include Lucy Suttor, Lulu Macrae, Luke Boyes, Justin Rendall and Harriet Ellis.

The self described Socialist Punk legends  started life as an after-hours 4am music club and now regularly share stages, and arenas, with the biggest names in rock including The Foo Fighters and Kiwi rock royalty Shihad. 

They have recently recorded their third studio album, a follow up to the successful releases of
 Wet and Chop published by Flying Nun and are currently preparing for another European tour. 

However, Dick Move ain’t no second fiddle back up act. 

Dick Move have been filling pubs, clubs and venues across Tamaki Makaoura and the nation since soon after forming. 

“In our first couple of years we performed at every opportunity. There are no bad gigs. Just opportunities to learn,” says Lucy. 

Lucy believes the band’s name may have prevented them from getting radio airplay but that hasn’t stopped the minstrels from developing a cult following. 

Lucy wasn’t originally very keen to be in the band.

“We all live and work at Whammy Bar, says Lucy. Apart from Luke, our drummer. Lou, Harriet and Justin wanted to form a band. I was not a singer. Have never been a singer but I did Punk Rock karaoke. I sang Too Drunk to Fuck by the Dead Kennedy’s. After that Justin asked me to join the band. I said no because I didn’t think I could do it. Its scary. Then we did some jams together. I sang some covers and I was hooked. It was awesome.  We’re onto our third album now. Our albums are selling and that’s awesome. Its really fun. That’s the main thing.”

The name was not intentional or chosen to be provocative.

“I can’t remember why we chose the name, says Lucy. It just came up in conversation. I guess when it comes to our band and what a dick move is… in this case are dick moves that are done by people in power. It is the decisions that they make that oppress and hurt and that piss us all of.”

Opening for the Foo Fighters may be a career highlight to date, however touring with Shihad might’ve been a unique and unforgettable Kiwi experience. 

“We did the whole tour with Shihad, says Lucy. I had a great time with those guys. They party hard. They play for like three hours and its crazy. We were so lucky to sign onto those bills. They are super cool guys. The best thing about those shows is the opportunity to play to their audience which isn’t necessarily a Dick Move audience. To jump in with a big act is great because first you get paid, and then you get to play for their audience. I think a lot of the old fellas were tapping their toes.”

However transitioning from intimate club gigs to entertaining stadiums is a challenge for any artist. 

“Those big shows can feel cold and soulless, explains Lucy. The biggest challenge for a warm up band is to get the audience onside. You have to acknowledge that you’re not the band they paid to see. This i