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Malcolm McLaren / Duck Rock 2LP limited edition

40th anniversary reissue

By Paul Sinclair

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80

Malcolm McLaren’s 1983 album Duck Rock will be reissued as special expanded and remastered 2LP vinyl later this month.

This tour-de-force of turntablism, proto-hip-hop, polyrhythms, and b-boy electro was co-produced with Trevor Horn and featured all of what would become the Art of Noise: Gary Langan, J.J. Jeczalik and Anne Dudley – the album also featured the talents of Thomas Dolby and percussionist Luis Jardim. Most notably the record features a wealth of influences from New York hip-hop (such as the World’s Famous Supreme Team’s scratching) to South African township music.

The Duck Rock 40th anniversary edition features reconstructed artwork, a whole additional vinyl record of remixes and unreleased tracks with the original audio remastered by McLaren himself. This is the version of Duck Rock that Malcolm McLaren intended to release on the occasion of its 25th anniversary. He personally remastered the tracks and compiled a second record of 6 additional tracks. Unfortunately, he was unable to release it during his lifetime (McLaren died in 2010), but now the state51 Conspiracy, in collaboration with Young Kim and the Malcolm McLaren estate will reissue it four decades after the original release.

The 2LP 40th anniversary vinyl edition of Duck Rock (click image to enlarge)

The material on this reissue that never made it to the original album includes songs like ‘Zulus On A Time Bomb’, ‘Collaguas’ and ‘Roly Poly’ give an insight into the scale and haphazard nature of the project.

No original mechanical artwork could be found so it has been pristinely and painstakingly reconstructed under the watchful eye of the original graphic designer Nick Egan, bringing out the fluorescents of Keith Haring and Dondi White’s immediately identifiable motifs. Details include having an outer sleeve printed on thicker than standard card, a insert which is printed on thick uncoated paper, the ‘Home Taping Is Killing Music’ element on one of the inner sleeves, newly redrawn Duck Rock centre labels and intentionally presenting front and back covers with a 10mm border serving to “celebrate the original design and offer a new reading of this sleeve”.

Double Dutch was a hit single from Duck Rock (

“Having been responsible for an earlier DIY culture, I couldn’t help feeling that I would be unquestionably a fraud if I didn’t attempt to do it myself,” wrote McLaren in the original sleeve notes for the aborted 25th anniversary edition. “So I stepped out from behind the curtain, signed with Charisma records, and set off to make this album in 1981.”  He added: “Enjoy it all! It sounds better than it did on that June day 1983 when it was first released. I have to thank Trevor Horn, Gary Langan, Anne Dudley and the World’s Famous Supreme Team for keeping the faith even when it was tough for some of them to do so. This record is a masterpiece of pop culture. A true milestone in pop history”.

This 40th anniversary 2LP vinyl edition of Duck Rock is released by the state51 Conspiracy and is limited to 2500 units. The blue hype sticker on the front is a facsimile of the label adhered to copies of the original release and for the anniversary edition this will be sequentially numbered. The other hype sticker (on the bonus 12-inch) follows the design tropes of the South African pressing of the ‘Double Dutch’ single. These also come with a special ‘Duck For The Oyster’ print.

The release date is 27 May 2023 exactly 40 years after the original release. Secure your copy of what sounds like an impeccable vinyl reissue by ordering from the SDE shop using this link or the buy button below (‘pre-order).

EU SHIPPING NOTES: If you are ordering from the EU please be aware that that goods may be subject to import VAT when they arrive from the UK. The prices the SDE shop charge you do not include VAT

Tracklisting

Duck Rock Malcolm McLaren / 40th anniversary reissue

    • LP 1
      1. Obatala
      2. Buffalo Gals
      3. Double Dutch
      4. El San Juanera
      5. Merengue
      6. Punk It Up
      7. Legba
      8. Jive My Baby
      9. Song For Chango
      10. Soweto
      11. World’s Famous
      12. Duck For The Oyster

       

    • Bonus LP/12″
      1. Collaguas
      2. Roly Poly
      3. Hey DJ (World Famous Supreme Team)
      4. Zulus On A Timebomb
      5. Do You Like Scratchin
      6. Franz Buffalo

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80 Comments

80 thoughts on “Malcolm McLaren / Duck Rock 2LP limited edition”

  1. My copies arrived a bit banged up but fwp I guess. Anyway, Nice package. No poly liners. Bonus is 45rpm. I don’t like Franz Buffalo, but the outtakes are nice enough. The insert is nice and heavy. The free print is… free.

  2. Hi and thanks for a really excellent job on this.

    Is it me or is Duck For The Oyster a different version? It seems to be extended with a different couple of edits and a new verse…

    I suppose the question is did Malcolm remaster from the original tapes or from different masters?

    The packaging is absolutely brilliant and well done to all over at State 51 for this.

    Thanks and hope all are well.

    Liam.

  3. Thanks Paul my copy from SDE shop safely arrived this morning, wonderful presentation with is vinyl, looking forward to spinning later. Only minor grumble was wishing the outer wrap was resealable, maybe that was intention but adhesive used not playing that way. That said it is definitely a deluxe reissue, love it.

  4. No CD. Worthless to me as I have 3 versions of the LP and all the 12″s. Opportunity missed again. So over the vinyl only thing.

  6. I fully get that vinyl is a very appropriate format for this re-release. My original vinyl is still in pretty good nick and I think I have at least a couple of the extra 6 tracks on the Buffalo Gals back to Skool CD, so I’ll probably be giving this a miss, but I do hope a deluxe CD boxset materialises.

  7. Hello, it’s William from state51 here – we’re so happy with the enthusiasm for this reissue of an incredible record, so thank you for that. It’s been a real labour of love for us to put this together and we’ve put a lot of work into the details of the build. We have the rights to reissue in this format only (vinyl + the 25th anniversary treatment in this 40th anniversary package) but it’s possible the interest it’s generating will move Universal to produce more celebratory formats, or permit us to make more… so let’s hope so. We’d love to continue our involvement. I’ll try to answer any other specific questions here soon but I just wanted to say hello, introduce myself and state51 and most importantly thank you all for your support.

    1. Thanks for joining up and introducing yourself! I’ve had the original CD for ages, but I’m excited for this.

      Your website says, “An image of the Duck Rock manifesto (type written by Malcolm McLaren at the time of the 1983 release) is printed to one face [of the bonus 12”] and presages the page layout of a book accompanying a more elevated boxed edition due later in 2023.”

      What is this referring to?

      1. Thank you! We’re in discussions with the Estate to make something more akin to an art piece / archive edition. This would be extremely limited. No further information at this time.

    3. Thank you for the information. While I was happy to know that Duck Rock was being re-released, I was disappointed that the 12 inch version of “Double Dutch” was not included as, in my mind, it boasts superior sonics than the album version. I do hope that this is a precursor to “Fans” and “Waltz Darling” getting their anniversary treatment in due course. Thanks for the effort!

    4. Hi William! Firstly, kudos to you for making yourself available here. I’m sure you will have found many enthusiastic supporters on these pages, myself included. Secondly, thank you to you and your team for assembling this reissue.

      Duck Rock is such an important and influential album not just from the perspective of Malcolm, but the fact it really was a jumping off point for Art of Noise and what would happen at ZTT.

      I’ve spoken with various people at length, including some at Universal, trying to drum up interest in a Duck Rock SDE for some time with seemingly no joy, but maybe things are changing for the better? As well as the album, EP and singles, any SDE really ought to contain the Duck Rock Video Album which has been out of print since shortly after release and has never been reissued. Someone has made a decent rip on YouTube but this was such an ingenious creation for its time, it deserves to be resurrected.

      Swamp Thing also needs to be included and, if at all possible, Daniel Haaksman’s Duck Rock Sonic Essay.

      I’ve interviewed JJ Jeczalik on a couple of occasions and he speaks of Malcolm with great fondness and respect. Here are a few links you might be interested in. Not that I’m trying to pitch for the liner notes gig or anything ;-)

      Thank you again!

      https://www.failedmuso.com/the-start-of-noise/

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rp84yrJHqqI&t=2558s

      https://www.soundonsound.com/people/jj-jeczalik-art-noise-podcast

  8. I’m glad that SDE can support this vinyl (and hopefully build new interest in this classic), but count me as yet another who would only buy this on CD. I have the Buffalo Gals Back to Skool CD, which is great even with the added 1990s material, but the world needs the original classic in the deluxe CD format it deserves.

    I will never, ever support vinyl-only physical releases. Even if they get a digital edition. Even if they include a digital download code. The CD format is still the best (with proper mastering/transfers), and the only reasons I can think of for music labels to pretend otherwise is that they make more per disc and don’t want an easily copied format, even if it means losing half of their sales to people like me who don’t buy vinyl. CDs are still a lot cheaper and faster to manufacture than vinyl, not to mention far more portable and convenient. It’s madness.

    (I’m happy that a few “digital deluxe editions” are belatedly getting a CD release, like Bobby Brown’s Don’t Be Cruel, but a CD release should be part of every reissue campaign.)

    1. I generally agree but Duck Rock is so very much built around (conceptual) vinyl samples that it seems vinyl should be the lead for this particular release.

    2. Our licence was for a limited run of vinyl on the 40th anniversary edition only. I expect Universal will produce more versions including CD at some point in the not too distant future and hope they do. It’s a phenomenal record.

  9. I’m really pleased that interest is still present for Malcolm McLaren and, in particular, the ‘Duck Rock’ album. As tempted as I am, I won’t be buying the new vinyl release but will hope for a release on Blu Ray Audio with some of the bonus content already mentioned.

    Interestingly enough, I recently “recovered” an original promo display for ‘Duck Rock’ which has been in my loft for many years (this was given to me by staff at a local HMV back in 1983). It’s moulded plastic and has become quite fragile over the years. However, I’ve carefully cleaned it, repaired some splits and mounted it onto a hardboard backing to strengthen it. I’ve recently made a frame for it which I need to spray and then it will take pride of place in my man cave…

  10. If it was a CD Deluxe Edition I would have definitely purchased it. As it is only going to be vinyl, I will be saving the money for something else.

  12. I see some retailers are mentioning an ‘Indies only’ ‘Duck For The Oyster’ print. Does The SDE Shop qualify as an ‘Indie’ and will we get this print?

  13. One of my favourite albums, which when I play it, drives everyone else in the house crazy! My pirate tape was my listening source for years. I eventually found a cd and bought the LP for £1 in a second hand shop twenty years ago. The box of records it was in was outside the shop door, on the pavement, on a damp misty day, which even then I thought was madness.

    Like others, I’d buy this on a cd format. That aborted 25th anniversary edition was definitely listed on Amazon as a cd release before its withdrawal; but as it was cd, I bet it had more tracks listed. I’ve two ‘interesting’ rather than ‘essential’ releases related to Duck Rock:

    Malcolm McLaren “Duck Rock” Sonic Essay – Daniel Haaksman: I have a cassette release related to Duck Rock, from 2014 that was limited to 100 copies – long before cassettes became the next old format to try and revive. I’ve copied this from Soundcloud, so it’s available to listen to on-line:

    ‘With his sonic essay on “Duck Rock”, Berlin based DJ, producer and Man Recordings label-head Daniel Haaksman revisits “Duck Rock” and presents an extended and alternate version of the album, including footage from TV features, interviews with Malcolm McLaren, Trevor Horn and his wife, alternate takes and versions of songs of “Duck Rock” plus unreleased fragments from the World Famous Supreme Team Show that was the founding frame for the “Duck Rock” album.’
    Tracklist
    1. Intro South Bank Show, Malcolm McLaren monologue from The Duck Rock VHS Tape
    2. Malcolm McLaren “Obtala”
    3. Trevor Horn interviewed by Pete Tong 2015
    4. Skit #1 Malcolm McLaren & World´s Famous Supreme Team Show
    5. Skit #2 Trevor Horn, Interview at RBMA
    6. Pete Seeger “Bufallo Gals”
    7. Skit #3 Trevor Horn Interview at RBMA
    8. Malcolm McLaren “Buffalo Gals” ft. World´s Famous Supreme Team
    9. Skit #4 Young Kim
    10. The Mahotella Queens “Thina Siyakhanyisa”
    11. Skit #5 Trevor Horn & Malcolm McLaren
    12. Malcolm McLaren “Double Dutch” (Jean Claude Gavri & Daniel Haaksman Edit)
    13. Skit #6 World´s Famous Supreme Team Show
    14. Malcolm McLaren “Juanera”
    15. Skit #7 World´s Famous Supreme Team Show & Young Kim
    16. S.Piliso & His Super Seven “Kuya Hanjwa”
    17. Skit #8 World´s Famous Supreme Team Show
    18. Malcolm McLaren “World´s Famous” ft. World´s Famous Supreme Team”
    19. Mahotella Queens “Guga Mzimba”
    20 Skit #9 World´s Famous Supreme Team Show
    21. Malcolm McLaren “Hobo Scratch” ft. World´s Famous Supreme Team
    22. Malcolm McLaren “Song For Chango”
    23. Skit #10 Malcolm McLaren
    24. Malcom McLaren “Soweto”
    25. Skit #11
    26. Malcolm McLaren “Buffalo Gals (Trad. Square)”
    27. Malcolm McLaren “Double Dutch”
    28. Skit #12 World´s Famous Supreme Team Show
    29. Malcolm McLaren “Zulu´s On A Time Bomb”
    30. Skit #13 World´s Famous Supreme Team Show
    31.The Mahotella Queens “Jive Mabone”
    32. Skit #14 Rakim + Freestylers
    33. Malcolm McLaren “D´Ya Like Scratchin´” ft. World´s Famous Supreme Team
    34. Skit #15
    35. World´s Famous Supreme Team “Hey, DJ!”

    The other related release I have on cd is the Buffalo Gals Back To Skool which was interesting enough with this Wikipedia supplied info / track list:

    Buffalo Gals Back to Skool is a CD by Malcolm McLaren that was released on September 25, 1998. It is based on McLaren’s 1982 single “Buffalo Gals“.
    Track listing[edit]

    1. “It Was A New York Phenomenon” (Malcolm McLaren) – 1:57
    2. “Class In Session” (Da Boogie Man) – 2:33
    3. “Buffalo Gals (Back To Skool)” (Remix) (Rakim) – 4:22
    4. “Bring It Back” (Remix) (Soulson) – 4:49
    5. “Zulu Nation Party” (Malcolm McLaren) – 2:43
    6. “Off The Top” (Live) (Hannibal Lechter) – 6:17
    7. “Bow Wow Wow Show (Live) (Malcolm McLaren) – 1:34
    8. “World Famous Supreme Team Show WHBI” (Link) (The World Famous Supreme Team Radio Show) – 0:36
    9. “Buffalo Gals” (Original Version; (DJ Cut; Special Stereo Mix) (Malcolm McLaren) – 3:46
    10. “Let It Flow (Do You Like Scratchin’?)” (KRS-One) – 3:57
    11. “Psalms” (T’Kalla) – 1:48
    12. “Hey DJ” (Original 12′ Mix) (The World Famous Supreme Team) – 6:06
    13. “42nd Street” (Malcolm McLaren) – 2:06
    14. “World Famous Supreme Team Show WHBI” (Link) (The World Famous Supreme Team Radio Show) – 2:23
    15. “Do You Like Scratchin’?” (Original) (Malcolm McLaren & The World Famous Supreme Team) – 3:45
    16. “World Famous Supreme Team Show WHBI” (Link) (The World Famous Supreme Team Radio Show) – 0:24
    17. “Hey DJ” (De La Soul) – 4:29
    18. “She’s Looking Like A Hobo” (Original Version) (Malcolm McLaren) – 3:15
    19. “World Famous Supreme Team Show WHBI” (Link) (The World Famous Supreme Team Radio Show) – 0:23
    20. “World Famous” (Original Version) (The World Famous Supreme Team) – 2:26
    21. “Shout Outs” (Forrest Getemgump and Burn One) – 1:36
    22. “Buffalo Gals (Back To Skool, Part 2)” (Soulson) – 3:54
    23. “Building / Adding On” (The World Famous Supreme Team) – 4:00

    1. This 40th anniversary edition is the same track listing as MM’s original 25th anniversary edition. It features all the tracks on the original PQ sheet from Metropolis Studio: no more, no less. We don’t have a license to make CDs.

      1. Thanks for the information.

        I’m sure you’ll get overloaded with questions on Kate Bush’s Hounds Of Love release. Namely when and what the content is?

        Well done getting to re-release Duck Rock and Hounds of Love – that’s some coup!

  14. I had no idea Trevor Horn produced this until I read his excellent recent autobiography. In it, he talks extensively about the making of it & the troubles & crazy shit that happened at the time. Incredible it even got made but definitely some memorable singles from the time which shows how powerful they were at the time.

  15. The State 51 site mentions a box set later in the year, with book etc? Anyone have any info on that?
    “…and presages the page layout of a book accompanying a more elevated boxed edition due later in 2023”

  16. The mercenary in me loves limited editions, but sitting here in The States I have to say I’ve never heard of this album. Very 80s artwork though.

    1. Yet it was a very Americana album. Rap, Hip-Hop, The World’s Famous Supreme Team radio show, Ebonettes Double-Dutch rope-jumping/skipping team, even Square Dancing, all got a turn on this album. You really should get a listen to it. The track, and biggest single from the album, Buffalo Gals is a work of art.

      1. I’m in New York City and can remember often seeing Malcolm walking the streets of the East Village in the 80s. I think he spent alot of time here.

  17. Interesting to see “Franz Buffalo” on there. I have it on the 2007 compilation “Mashed”, a collection of mash-ups (this one featuring Franz Ferdinand).

    1. The band kindly approved this additional use. It was part of MM’s original track list for the 25th anniversary edition.

  21. A very welcome reissue! This album is like a more playful, fun version of the multi-cultural synthesis of Byrne/Eno’s “My Life In the Bush of Ghosts” – minus all the artsy-fartsy overthinking of everything.
    I’d be more pleased with a CD version, but what they’ve put together here looks awesome. Kudos for re-creating the cover if they couldn’t get the original elements.

    1. I’d hazard a guess from the available info that the painfully contrived “Duck Rock” was far more scrupulously laboured over than “Bush of Ghosts…”

  24. I never thought this would happen because of some rights issues raised over the years. And the tapes rumoured to be lost in the big fire. Shrug.

  25. The state51 Conspiracy and no CD? We should all scale back our expectations for the forthcoming Hounds Of Love deluxe, then. I’d have bought this in a heartbeat but I still prefer the “demonstrably inferior sonic storage system”, thanks very much!

    2. Of course Kate Bush will do what she wants.

      That said, she owns Hounds Of Love, but to the best of my knowledge McLaren’s estate don’t own Duck Rock so State51 will have had to agree a specific licence from Universal for a specified number of copies on a specified format.

  28. Hoping for a CD reissue, too – I’ve been waiting for it for years, fingers crossed it’ll happen sooner rather than later!

  29. I just had one of those… “Whaaaaa…??? awwwwww….” moments! The headline got me giddy with excitement but, as much as I hate to rag on something like this, I can’t deny that I was disappointed when I saw what was on offer. No problems here with a vinyl reissue, and how great to have previously unheard tracks but what a missed opportunity.

    I’ve had many conversations with people in the industry, particularly those connected with the labels who own/manage these recordings, about building a definitive anthology of this project. Aside from a top notch remaster of the original, and the previously unreleased material, an all-encompassing reissue needs to include ALL the mixes, from the 12″ singles to the “D’ya Like Scratchin’?” EP. It also needs to include ‘Swamp Thing’.

    But most of all, and this is where a CD/Blu Ray/DVD package would excel, it needs to contain a fully restored “Duck Rock Video Album” which was released on VHS, Beta and LaserDisc back in the day and is an incredible piece of audio visual art. Every track has its own video, delightfully segued with wonderful clips of McLaren and associates.

    Legend has it that, for some reason, McLaren pissed off Branson so much (Virgin acquired Charisma back in ’83) that Branson vowed never to re-issue Duck Rock ever again. So it is heartwarming to see this reissue as it gives hope that maybe, not too far down the line, an SDE CD/BR/DVD reissue with all of the above might be possible.

    Anyway, my copy has been ordered via SDE. Thanks again, Paul, for the heads up and retail services! :-)

      1. Likewise, and also because I’m a huge McLaren/Horn fan and hoover up anything like this! ;-)

        If these sell out, as I’m sure they will, it might light the blue touch paper for that SDE further down the line…

  30. Tracks 1,2,6 on the 2nd LP are unknown to me. Possibly previously unreleased? I loved this album, but I traded off my promo banded US LP ages ago and never got around to buying the CD – which seemed to take a long time to happen. In the last 20 years I buy every Malcolm McLaren record I see. I held off on “Duck Rock” on CD because I was always imagining at least a 2xCD of this classic campaign. But nope. Another DLX LP only reissue, like Deborah Harry’s “Koo Koo.” Arrrrgh. I guess by the time I’m 80 wax cylinders will come back into vogue!
    m 80

  31. Been wanting a CD version of this forever. Was really pleased when l saw the heading. Then was really disappointed…….. .

  34. I’ll certainly buy this, but is there any chance of a 5.1 Blu-Ray.? That would be the dream for this amazing polyphonic music.

  35. Needs a CD reissue with or without the extra tracks as it is currently out of print on CD. A 2nd hand copy is about £20 and a new copy a lot more.

    1. CD gets forgotten – but to be honest “remastered” is the emperor’s new clothes and always has been – it’ll probably be really really loud and brickwalled (only in vary rare circumstances it isn’t).

      Stick to the original CD

  38. The literal definition of a no-brainer purchase for me. I’ve been hoping for an anniversary release of this classic album and I’m ecstatic that it has finally come to fruition.

    I don’t suppose there is any news on a CD/Blu-ray/Atmos release in the pipeline? It would be great to experience the best possible version of Trevor Horn’s incredible production of this album. Either way, this release is very much welcome!

  39. Bloody wonderful album in it’s original version. Highly inventive and just a joy to listen to. Missed out on it when originally released and it took me many years to finally track one down. Do make sure it comes with the original insert otherwise it just does not work properly. Whether or not to go for this reissue… I dunno… have to think about it, having recently had to shell out vast amounts of money on various unrelated items.

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