This year is the busiest yet for Decor Records and Management starting off with it's newest signing Franz Nicolay. Franz is that dapper, mustachioed multi-instrumentalist and man-about-town you’ve seen with such groups as The Hold Steady and World/Inferno Friendship Society. Franz will have his debut album, Major General, released on Decor throughout Europe at the end of June and into July, the album has already been given UNCUT Magazine's "Debut Album of the Month" for the next issue. Major General sees Franz at his full throated best with the anthemic “World /Inferno vs The End of the Evening” sounding like classic Scott Walker to a Phil Lynott/Elvis Costello at their best on “Quiet Where I Lie”. Franz is a cat of many colours and tones it down on the cabaret stylings of “Dead Sailors”, the jazzy “ Do We Not Live in Dreams” or the subtle beauty of "Note on a Subway Wall" . Franz just finished a few months of touring with the Hold Steady and is reading himself for a few months of touring Europe from Sept to Nov. Firstly he will be supporting Chuck Prophet from Sept 29th to Oct 12 and then onwards with Mark Eitzel at the end of October and beginning of November. Franz has also recently been working together on Mark Eitzel's solo record. Please check out the new videos in our media section which will be there soon if they are not already.

Ray Davies will have his new album The Kinks Choral collection released on Decca Records (hey they turned down the Kinks in 1964) this June 15th in the UK and in the rest of the world between July and October. The album was recorded at Air with the Crouch End Festival Chorus and here in Crouch End at Konk. Ray is playing Glastonbury on June 26th headling the acoustic stage and then brings in his full band and the 68 piece Crouch End Festival Chorus for a big gig on Hampstead Heath’s Kenwood House. You can see more about this on Ray's site www.raydavies.info   Ray is doing a ton of promotion over the next two weeks so check on his official forum for more news of where to find it. He will then be touring from October through till December. We should have dates up on the next two months as well as news of some Kinks reissues.

We will also be launching the new Konk Studio website on June 15th as well. The Kinks recorded all but one of their studio albums there from 1973 onwards. Such classic albums as Massive Attack’s Blue Lines, Stone Roses debut and Depeche Mode Music For the Masses have also recorded there. Costello, Weller, Madness, Thin Lizzy have all graced the studio as well as newer bands like the Artic Monkeys and the Kooks who named their second album after the studio.

The long wait for Richmond Fontaine's new album is almost over. "We Used to Think The Freeway Sounded Like A River" will be released on Décor Records this August 17th. It sounds impossible but they have topped their last three masterpieces. The Independent called lead singer/songwriter Willy Vlautin “the Dylan of the Dislocated” and the Sun said Willy is now an equal songwriter to Tom Waits and Springsteen….hell, we can’t argue with that. The album features the bands first 7” single in a long time called “You Can Move Back Here” which is out July 20th and Willy will be over for a few solo shows promoting this. Check out the new dates in the tour section which start at the Electric Picnic Festival in Ireland as well as a stop in Tom Jones birthplace, Pontypridd. The band will be joined by Dolorean on the road.

Chuck Prophet will be releasing his new album "Let Freedom Ring!" on Sept 7th via Cooking Vinyl Records. The album was recorded in Mexico City just as the  flu outbreak swept the city as well as blackouts and a 6.4 earthquake. Decor has just put together a month of dates starting in Holland & Belgium and working it's way through the UK and Germany as well as stops in Vienna and Prague. Chuck has said this will be his most immediate album yet with influences by Iggy, The Knack, Dwight Twilly and Thin Lizzy...you cant go wrong there. Chuck is a showman second to none so check him out with Franz Nicolay supporting and hopefully playing together.

Bob Frank and John Murry are back so please keep the phone off the hook, the medicine cabinet locked and send the kids off to the grandparents. They are releasing their new album in August. It’s called “Brinkley Ark and other Assorted love songs, there is some great songs on it. Tim Mooney of American Music Club is again behind the board. Much more positive than the bands last album about murder. They would like to tour Europe again this year.

Last but not least Mark Eitzel will be releasing his yet to be titled new solo album on Sept 21st throughout Europe. The album is primarily acoustic based, just what the fans have been asking for. We are currently setting up a European tour which will be taking in the UK, Germany, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Holland, France and Ireland for Oct to November. This tour will be very unique with Eitzel joined by Marc Capelle on piano. Please check the tour dates section as we should have dates up there soon. We will also soon have information about Mark’s musical “Marine Parade” and where it will be playing.