Meet Duplex: Charleston’s Newest Food & Beverage Rock Band
“We’re not punk. We might be punks, but we’re not punk.” – Joe Remoll, drummer.
Duplex are a band of food and beverage employees and rock music fans based in Charleston, SC. Formed out of childhood friendships and shoulder-to-shoulder employment in the trenches at the Charleston Pour House, Duplex release their debut single, “Supernova” tomorrow, October 27th.
Today we’re excited to introduce Duplex to the music scene with an exclusive look at their first ever single and the story of their formation. The group will play free show tomorrow night (10/27/23) at Rebel Taquiera at 9pm with fellow Charleston band Super Runaway, plus rappers MoonKat and Nu!
“Supernova,” which was recorded and produced by Corey Campbell of Babe Club and features the full band listed above plus Nick Brewer on keys. Mixing the carefree attitudes of 2000s rock groups like The Strokes with elements of modern emo and surf rock, Duplex bring a sound that works — but not too hard, come on now.
Premiere: Duplex – “Supernova”
Interview with Duplex on “Supernova” and Starting A Band
I sat down with Duplex in the newly-constructed outside green room at the Charleston Pour House, which was constructed to help support the venue’s back lot shows. This is a perk of interviewing a band in which half its members work at the renowned local music hub – talking about music in a room that had been the base camp of Oteil Burbridge just a few weeks prior.
Duplex frontman and guitarist Joey Nardick says that the Pour House was his first introduction to the local music scene in Charleston. Originally from Maryland, Joey moved to Charleston from Florida during the pandemic when he found out that his buddies Hunter and Joe Remoll (who are cousins) had an open room in their duplex, across the street from the Pour House.
Joey Moves to Charleston
“I knew they had an open spot,” Joey explains. “I jumped on it and I moved up here. It was a Wednesday, I came across the street to Pour House, and I was like, ‘I want to work here. Definitely.’ That was my intro to the music scene in town for sure.”
Living together, the jam sessions started up immediately between Joe and Joey. Hunter would join later, as at the time he had yet to pick up an instrument (other than the harmonica). Their initial jams were on songs that Joey wrote in college.
“I showed them a couple of songs that had survived my college bedroom guitar writing days, songs that I pretty much hadn’t shown anyone. ‘Supernova’ was one of three surviving tracks that I stayed loving. So this is my oldest song, and the one we’ve been playing for the longest.”
Teaching Hunter How to Play Bass
Hunter was a fan of music, but had never really gotten into playing it himself. Joey explains how growing up, they had the same guitar teacher. However Hunter, being much larger and more athletically built, was better at sports, and their paths diverged from there.
But years later, listening to his roommates, Hunter heard the call to musicianship.
“I was listening to Joey and Joseph sit outside and they go, ‘Hey, we should start a band. I think Hunter should play bass.’ And I was like, “Oh, Lord. I mean, I’ve just been playing harmonica, but yeah, I’m down to learn bass. I mean, I played guitar when I was young.”
Hunter explains that as soon as he picked up the bass, he was immediately hooked.
Tom Joins and Duplex is Born
Joey and Tom had been working together at the Pour House, side-by-side for over 200 shows by the time they started Duplex. During the 2022 Pour House staff holiday party, after the main performance by Lureto, any musicians on staff were invited up on stage to jam.
“They were just going to have everybody who is a musician get up there and jam,” Tom explains. “I was shit-faced at that point, and they were like, “Grab your guitar.” I heard Joey playing was like, ‘Nah, dude. I’ll just roll a cigarette instead and talk with him afterwards.'”
During their discussion that followed, Joey and Tom bonded over music immediately, and decided to jam together. Duplex was formed not long after.
“It was like, he came over and traded booze for us to let him play with us,” Joe says. “It was like, no, dude. We want you.”
What’s Next For Duplex?
Duplex have a collection of nine songs written, and three that they’ve already finished recording. Their plan is to start with an EP, released as a series of four singles. Then, begin working on a full-length album that will hopefully be complete by the end of 2024.
“I mean, we all work full-time too,” Joey explains. “We’re definitely a food-and-bev band.”
The album, Joey says, is a coming of age story with a storyline woven through the whole thing.
Stay tuned for more from Duplex, and catch them live tomorrow, Friday, October 27th at Rebel Taquiera with Super Runaway, MoonKat, and Nu. 9pm, free show.