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Golden Grrrls - New Pop 7”

Chris Devotion & The Expectations - Amalgamation & Capital (album)

Trailer Trash Tracys - Ester (album)

Throwing Up - Mother Knows Best 7”

Howling Wolf - Complete Chess Masters 1951-60

The Ketamines - A Rotten Bond/1 Yr (from Oddbox Singles Club Pt 2)

Cardinal - Hymns (album)

Proper Ornaments - Taking the Gamble Out of Buying 12”

Darren Hayman - January Songs (album)

Various: Marshall Teller EP 12”

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News

At the treble, Duke Special returns

Article written by Paul M - Mar 2, 2010

Duke Special

Duke Special returns with three unique new projects to be released simultaneously on March 8th 2010 in a box set under the title "The Stage, A Book & the Silver Screen". He has also announced a string of dates across UK venues in May and confirmed a new single "Wanda, Darling of the Jockey Club", taken from "The Silent World of Hector Mann" album to be released on May 17th.

May live dates:
Saturday 1st May - Holy Trinity Church, Leeds ( Leeds Festival)
Sunday 2nd May - Harrogate Theatre, Harrogate
Monday 3rd May - Pleasance Theatre, Edinburgh
Tuesday 4th May - Oran Mor, Glasgow
Thursday 6th May - Cluny 2, Newcastle (seated)
Friday 7th May - St Phillips Church, Manchester
Saturday 8th May - Rescue Rooms, Nottingham (seated)
Sunday 9th May - Thekla, Bristol (seated)
Tuesday 11th May - Academy 1, Oxford
Wednesday 12th May - Glee Club, Cardiff
Thursday 13th May - Shaw Theatre, London

The albums are:

1) "The Silent World of Hector Mann" album based on "The Book of Illusions" by Paul Auster - recorded by Steve Albini in Chicago and featuring Neil Hannon and Ed Harcourt

2) "Huckleberry Finn" album. An unfinished musical by Kurt Weill based on Huckleberry Finn - Duke is the first person ever to record this suite of songs

3) "Mother Courage" album - Duke has written the music to a new production ofBrecht's "Mother Courage" and has just played to 100,000 people at the National Theatre - the entire production is based around his music and the band's performance.

Duke Special is self-releasing the three albums after raising capital via a unique fan funding model. Rather than just putting the records in the shop, Duke Special offered all sorts of unusual artefacts and experiences for which fans could pledge varying amounts to help raise money to fund the project, instead of relying on a traditional record company advance.

The pledges available were tiered so that fans could pledge one amount for a simple digital download, ranging all the way up to a top tier pledge of Duke Special playing a private concert.

Duke Special's Pledge went live in December, raised £10k in one hour, and in one day reached over 50% of its target. The Pledge completed in February and has raised £52K.

Links:
http://www.dukespecial.com
http://www.myspace.com/dukespecial