A documentary about Mr Duke & The Hoodlum Circus -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIXRB8BXCcY

"Mr Duke – Be there to love you

Records by true music lovers, and I would include in this, for example, Bobby Gillespie, can often be a bit hit and miss. In other words, people who really know what they’re talking about when it comes to music will not necessarily be able to make a great record themselves.

Mr Duke is someone I know to have a fine music pedigree, and yet here is a fine collection of songs of his own making. He has put some thought into the sound of the record, and mostly, there is a fair bit of reverb so that the music echoes around your speakers, giving it the feel of a proper studio album. Duke is stamping the word authentic onto the music himself.

Mostly these are country-style songs, but you don’t have to be a country music fan to appreciate them. “Lonesome” would have even the most dyed in the wool Country & Western fan agreeing that here is a classic duet if ever there was one. Bobby Gillespie, that well known country aficionado, and writer of the classic “Sometimes I Feel So Lonely” would be jealous of this one. “You & I and the dusty sky” has the same been-around-forever feel that people say of “Mull of Kintyre.” “Escape the Fear” drips with Love-inspired sixties saccharine.
One of my favourite bands is Mazzy Star, and that’s about as far as my knowledge of country and western music goes. If “Be There To Love You” has one drawback, it is that, like every Mazzy Star album, it has some monumentous stand-out tracks (the three mentioned above), but also has a few weaker tracks that prevent it from being placed in the master class. Still, very good overall." Nick Fisk - Square Magazine


"The first solo album from Mr Charlie Duke since 2007, having re-re-located to the hills of Snowdonia, he seems to have found a new niche, blending his old style of psychedelic blues, in with his more recent traditional country, to create this very ambient country record, using the same very basic recording techniques, with some lovely dreamy results" A Grant, T'indie magazine


"Now onto the new stuff that he's been producing. As some people are aware the Duke has re-located himself out of Cardiff and retreated to the wonderful nowhere of Snowdonia... with nothing more than a couple of shirts and a guitar.
In a very short space of time, he has written, recorded and produced a number of new tracks include some new versions of previous tracks. He has wonderfully blended a traditional acoustic country guitar style to at times melancolie lyrics which can really play on your emotions. By all means, avoid tracks such as 'Dirty Blonde Hair' if you're feeling depressed. However, if you are down... I suggest Great Gatsby, an entertaining ditty that comes in both delicious acoustic and nutritious electric guitar depending on your preference.

Once you get through the entire Duke catalogue of songs you'll discover that he enjoys singing about meaningful subjects such as cheese quite frequently, however the lighthearted lyrics of tracks such as Great Gatsby and Peter Beardsley (Duke's ukelele tribute to his favourate footballer) is contrasted beautifully with tracks such as 'Upon a Hill' (about unrequited love, a common country subject) Dirty Blonde Hair (a murder story comprised into a beautifully composed song, available with and without his backing band) and Lonesome.

Some of his tracks feature a variety of female vocalist duo's which is well harmonised and generally very lovely.
Duke seems somehow to capture many influences of artists and bands who I like such as Half Man Half Biscuit (who are arguably at times a country band), Ween (their first country album), Flaming Lips, Filthy Pedro and some other stuff that he paid me to say that I can't remember..." J Powell - Sounds Incorporated



For more information, email david@dukegigs.co.uk or phone Blue Chartists on 07592393225