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| Past members | see Alumni Members |
Speak of the Devil, usually known as Speak, is an all-male collegiate a cappella group at Duke University. The name "Speak of the Devil" is in reference to the idiom "speak of the devil" and the mascot of Duke University, the Duke Blue Devil. The group was founded in 1991 and has since gained a reputation for being one of the most exciting and entertaining groups on campus. This group, as well as the seven other a cappella groups at Duke, performs in the largest venues at Duke such as Page Auditorium [1]. They also perform in smaller venues such as the Bryan Center Plaza for philanthropic events like Kappa Alpha Theta's CASA Fiesta event that benefits Court Appointed Special Advocates [2] and for social events such as sorority recruitment. Speak is known for having diverse and contemporary interests in music and has covered the likes of Justin Timberlake, Zac Brown Band, and James Morrison. [3]
History
[edit]Speak was formed in 1991 by sophomores Preston Kim and Walter Moore. They gave their first performance in Lancaster Dorm at Duke that year, singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight," "Book of Love," "Runaround Sue," and "Come Go With Me". From the outset, Speak strove to "create and perform great all male a cappella at and around Duke University" according to their bylaws [4].
Reputation
[edit]Speak of the Devil is a self proclaimed group of "debaucherous, talented, entertaining, and pretentious" group of ladies men[5] [6]and reports from The Chronicle of ladies' underwear being thrown on stage after performances from the Duke newspaper seems to corroborate these claims.[7] This attitude, while charming and entertaining to some has landed the group in some trouble with activists in the Duke community and the administration in recent years. [8] [9]. As a result the group has obtained a reputation among the general population as talented group of young men that like to push boundaries both in the difficulty and in the content of of their music. This is well documented in the video recordings of several of their performances where the members sing profanity at an orientation show or address the audience in an offensive way. [10][11].
Social Development
[edit]Since its inception, Speak of the Devil has enjoyed a healthy rivalry with the other all-male a cappella group at Duke, The Pitchforks. Both groups often vie for the same performance opportunities, especially for sororities' recruitment celebrations. In addition to the musical aspect, Speak places a lot of emphasis on brotherhood within the group. The group is often called a small fraternity, for its reputation for rowdy behavior and its many social events[12]. Speak hosts two semi-formal events during the year, and also hosts mixers with the all-female a cappella groups on campus, Out of the Blue, Lady Blue, and Deja Blue.
Repertoire
[edit]Speak sings a mix of songs, ranging from top-40 hits like Moves Like Jagger and I Knew You Were Trouble to older songs like Carolina in My Mind. New songs are chosen based on group interest, and all music is arranged by members of the group.
Speak begins the year by performing for all new freshmen during Duke's Orientation Week. Auditions for new members generally occur after this performance, and within a few weeks, Speak gives a public performance under the archway of Blackwell Dorm on Duke University East Campus.
Speak performs at several different venues through the remainder of the year, from sororities' recruitment celebrations to off-campus concerts. During every Fall Break, Speak tours the East Coast, traditionally visiting colleges and being hosted by other a cappella groups. The school year culminates with Speak's spring show, held in Page Auditorium, the largest performance venue at Duke. The event is a large-scale affair, featuring traditionally informed comedic skits and guest performances by prominent arts groups on campus. In 2012 the spring show featured skits based on the European sovereign-debt crisis and the United States' debt crisis. The 2013 show features Out of the Blue, one of Duke's Premiere all female a cappella groups.
Discography
[edit]Speak has released five recorded albums to date, not including a live album Speakanomics recorded at their spring show in 2012.
Plead the Fifth (2013)
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...Or Forever Hold Your Peace (2007)
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Speak For 3 (2002)
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Goodnight (2001)
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If You Sing It, They Will Come (1999)
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Alumni Members
[edit]| Alumnus | Year |
|---|---|
| Eric Zweiner | 2012 |
| Ethan Settel | 2012 |
| Daniel Helfer | 2010 |
| Dave Laredo | 2006 |
| Mark Ewing | 2006 |
| Seth Gottlieb | 2005 |
| Chase Johnson | 2005 |
| Jamal Chilton | 2004 |
| Sam Felder | 2004 |
| Todd Waldman | 1999 |
| Jonathan Haack | 1998 |
External Links
[edit]http://sites.duke.edu/dukespeak/
http://duke.collegiatelink.net/organization/speakofthedevil
http://twitter.com/DukeSpeak
http://www.facebook.com/DukeSpeak
References
[edit]- ^ The Chronicle December 5, 1999. Neeti Bidwai. "A cappella jamming." Durham NC
- ^ Duke Chronicle Photos
- ^ [[1]]
- ^ The Constitution of Speak of the Devil
- ^ http://sites.duke.edu/dukespeak/meet-the-group/
- ^ [[2]]
- ^ The Chronicle. October 26, 2000. Faran Krentcil. "Boy Bands without the Backbeat." Durham NC
- ^ The Chronicle. January 20, 2011. Anna Koelsch. "Senate hears judiciary committee proposal." Durham NC
- ^ The Chronicle. August 30, 1999. Carrie Johnson. "A cappella group strikes a sour note with audience" Durham NC
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98y38crP7qw
- ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NyqEL65QgYo
- ^ A Cappella Blog. A Cappella Blog Exclusive Interview: Speak of the Devil. 2006