After years fronting Melbourne rock outfit The Mercy Kills, guitarist and singer Mark Entwistle is entering a new chapter with his latest band, Dose. Formed in mid-2025, the group has come together quickly but organically, driven by long-standing musical chemistry rather than any sense of reinvention.
Dose began when Entwistle finally found the time to collaborate with Max Shepherd from Dead Amigos, a connection that had been brewing for years. The pair had met some time ago and always talked about working together, but busy schedules meant the idea stayed on the back burner. At the start of this year, that changed. With space to focus and a shared creative instinct, they began writing and rehearsing, discovering an easy musical connection that immediately felt right.
The band is completed by bassist Jake Schembri, who plays double bass and also performs with Dracorex, and drummer Jarrod Medwin, a well-known figure on the Melbourne circuit with a reputation as a versatile and powerful player. In the band’s early days, Dose found themselves rotating between drummers including Alejandro Adams and Spider from Electric Mary, while juggling recording sessions and live commitments, a situation Entwistle jokingly describes as “very Spinal Tap.” Despite the logistical chaos, the lineup locked in quickly and the sound solidified.
Australian Musician editor Greg Phillips caught up with Dose’s Mark Entwistle for a chat to find out more about this great new Melbourne-based rock band.
Dose’s debut single, My Bad, is a perfect snapshot of how the band operates. The song was written live on stage during early duo gigs Entwistle and Shepherd played together when their main bands were unavailable. Those spontaneous performances, often in small dive bars, became the testing ground for new ideas, with My Bad taking shape mid-jam. It has since become the band’s opening live track and the first release from an upcoming three-track EP, which will be launched at Cherry Bar in Melbourne on March 27. The EP was recorded live at GM Studios in Campbellfield with Chris Gatz, a familiar space for Entwistle, having previously recorded there with The Mercy Kills.
Musically, Dose sits comfortably at the intersection of blues, rock ‘n’ roll and punk attitude. Shepherd brings deep blues influences to the table, drawing from players like Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Albert Collins, while Entwistle’s formative years were shaped by AC/DC, The Angels, Status Quo and the raw power of classic Australian rock. “I’m a chord guy,” Entwistle says, happy to hold down the rhythm while Shepard’s blues lines cut through on top. While the band largely avoids covers, their set occasionally includes Baby Please Don’t Go, a song closely associated with AC/DC’s early live shows, which has naturally found its place in the lineup.
On stage, Entwistle’s setup reflects the band’s stripped-back, no-frills approach. Once resistant to Telecasters, he now relies on them almost exclusively, paired with Fender Hot Rod DeVille amps for a crunchy, driven tone that suits Dose’s dirty rock aesthetic. Shepherd’s Gretsch Falcon provides a warm, fat counterpoint, while Shembri’s glittery red double bass and Orange rig add both visual impact and low-end punch. Together, the band delivers a sound Entwistle describes as “dirty rock blues punk” … gritty, groove-focused and unapologetically raw.
Despite being only months old, Dose has already notched up some significant early wins, including sold-out support slots on Everclear’s Australian tour last year. Playing packed rooms like Miami Marketta on the Gold Coast and key Brisbane venues gave the band an immediate sense of momentum and confidence. Rather than rushing to capitalise with a full album, Dose is taking a measured approach to releases, opting to drip-feed singles and small EPs alongside video content to build an audience organically.
Looking ahead, the band’s plans are simple and deliberate. Beyond the Cherry Bar launch, Dose is focused on securing the right support slots, expanding their live footprint beyond capital cities and eventually heading into regional Australia. More recording is planned throughout the year, with an album likely to emerge once several smaller releases are in place. For Entwistle, the appeal lies in keeping the project grounded, flexible and enjoyable.
With strong chemistry, a fast-growing catalogue of originals and a clear sense of identity, Dose feels less like a side project and more like a band finding its stride early. As Entwistle puts it, the plan is straightforward… keep playing, keep recording and keep riding the momentum wherever it leads.