About the Crusties
A brief bio
It was sometime around 2004 when 3 mates – Mirek Dyduch, Stuart Lynch and Dave Fish – started jamming during the winter evenings. After a while they were joined by Martin, better known as Donal’s Dad, who brought a powerful rock voice to the band.
This lineup played at a few local parties, and the band was up and gigging. Donal’s Dad left a few months into 2006, and his place was taken by the legendary Roger Chucklefoot, a talented singer, multi-instrumentalist and one-man band with a pedigree dating back to the days of skiffle. Before joining the Crusties, the last time he was in a band was 1965…
With Roger, the Crusties really took off and became one of the favourite bands in the West Algarve, playing bars and parties for a few years, before Roger sadly had to return to the UK.
After a few months of trying to find a replacement, Brendan O’Neill, a long-time friend of the others, joined the band. Brendan, originally from Dublin, is a singer par-excellence, having spent many years on the international concert circuit with the Irish band the Raggles. This foursome became cemented as a definitive Crusties lineup, and played all over the Algarve and built a reputation as a firm favourite and fun-loving band on the Algarve circuit.
Our first website
Presumably with the intention of appealing to a more refined audience, The Campo Crusties became The Upper Crusties for a while. After a few months and by public demand, the rebranding was dropped and the band once again returned to their messy roots, and The Campo Crusties were reborn in all their glorious crustiness.
All good things come to an end, and the Crusties finally hung up their muddy boots in 2016.
But you can’t keep a good band down, and in 2022 the Crusties decided to reform and so the fun began again. Sadly, original guitarist Stuart was unable to continue playing, and was replaced by another Dubliner, Pat Curry, who had played with Dave for a couple of years in local R&B band Too Hot Too Handle.
Due to other commitments, Pat was unable to play with us after the end of 2023, so we took a 20 month hiatus. In August 2025 the Crusties were back up and running, and opened the new outside venue ‘A Ruína’ in Miguel, featuring local hero Ricky Diamond on guitar. Unfortunately Ricky had to bow out after that gig, and we have a super replacement in Ben Morfitt. Ben is a fantastic multi-instrumentalist, and you’ll see him playing lead & rhythm guitar and keyboards, all at the same time! What a star. He’s also another Miguelian, so we are back to being a true local band again.
Maybe a tad more chilled than we were, maybe even more musical and funkier, but hey, the Crusties remain dirty and crusty, and will always give you a night of proper filth to remember and treasure.
Current members
Brendan O’Neill – Guitar, vocals – 2010 – present
David Fish – Bass, backing vocals – 2005 – present
Mirek Dyduch – Drums – 2005-2011, 2013 – present
Ben Morfitt – Guitar, keyboards, backing vocals – 2025
Previous members
Martin a.k.a. Donal’s Dad – Vocals – 2005
Ed Donghi – Vocals -2008
João Estiveira – Drums – 2012
Roger Chucklefoot – Vocals, guitar – Vocals – 2008 – 2010
Stuart Lynch – Guitar – 2005 – 2016
Patrick Curry – Lead guitar, vocals – 2022 – 2023
Ricky Diamond – Guitar – 2025
Occasional guest members, past and present
Elaine Pringle – Vocals
Emanuel Pereira – Vocals
Evelina Beckers – Vocals
Paul Smith – Harmonica
Peter Laughton a.k.a Gnome Boy – Harmonica
Ross McArthur – Drums and vocals
Rixter Hilux – Punk Attitude
Tom Wilson – Harmonica