MAD Dragon Records is a student-staffed and faculty-administered record label based out of Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. MAD Dragon focuses on artist development and creates strategic alliances with professionals in the music industry to maximize the potential for each of its releases. MAD DragonRecords was formed in 2003 with the debut release of Unleashed, a compilation CD featuring nine tracks from artists based in the Mid-Atlantic region. In the following months, MAD Dragon was featured in hundreds of publications throughout the U.S. including a cover feature in CMJ.
The next MAD Dragon release, XYX, was a compilation of three singer-songwriters with each artist contributing four tracks on a twelve song LP. The featured artists, Matt Duke, Trisha O’Keefe and Julia Othmer, toured together in a “songwriter circle” up and down the East Coast to develop their growing fan base and promote the record at radio. In May 2005, Matt, Trisha and Julia were invited to perform live on WXPN (AAA, Philadelphia, PA) for a Free @ Noon concert broadcast to XPN’s wide ranging listeners. In July 2005, XYX performed in front of a crowd of over 8,000 attendees at XPN’s All About the Music Festival with Rickie Lee Jones, Patti Smith, Erin McKeown, Indigo Girls and many more. XYX continued to receive strong press coverage and airplay throughout the country. Matt Duke was one of the most requested artists on XM Radio’s The Loft for over 7 weeks, keeping company with Bruce Springsteen and Ben Lee.
As a result of the growing national interest in the label and artists, MAD Dragon signed a distribution deal with Ryko Distribution, now Ryko/WEA, one of the largest independent music distributors in the world. MAD Dragon re-released XYX thru Ryko in May 2005. As a result of this groundbreaking deal, MAD Dragon was featured in Billboard, Rolling Stone and many other national publications.
In February 2006, MAD Dragon released the tenth album from one of America’s preeminent songwriters, Jules Shear. Jules’ debut record on MAD Dragon, Dreams Don’t Count, received rave reviews in Paste, Performing Songwriter, Guitar World, Washington Post, The Boston Herald, The Pittsburgh Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, Austin Chronicle and many more including two features in The New York Times. All Music Guide wrote “Dreams Don't Count ranks with some of Shear's finest work; his wordplay is masterful”…The Pittsburgh Tribune said Jules is “a master storyteller”…while The Boston Herald says "His songs are never less than arresting...his talent remains undimmed".
In May of 2006, MAD Dragon Records released its second in a series of Unleashed compilation CD’s entitled Unleashed2. Over 20 artists were featured on the compilation including: Boston’s indie-pop scenesters Mittens, former Jimmy’s Chicken Shacker and Baltimore native News Travels Fast, Philly’s buzzing new wavers Liam & Me, MAD Dragon’s own Matt Duke, former Ben Lee guitarist and “Catch My Disease” co-writer McGowan, Berklee Alum’s Spiritual Rez, MAD Dragon artist & West Chester PA’s Gospel/Soul/Punk Americana Hoots & Hellmouth, the psychedelic sounds of Eric Rex’s Acme Rock Group, Drexel U. alumni featuring Brian Wilson-esque harmonies The A-Sides, MAD Dragon recording artist Jules Shear, XPN fav’ Darcie Miner, myspace compilation fav’s Jupiter Sunrise, the haunting vocals of Katherine Rhoda, Uncle Tupeloinfused Americana from The Jangling Sparrows, and the impassioned vocals of MAD Dragon’s own Andrew Lipke plus more. All proceeds from Unleashed2 benefited the Orlando Darias-Rojas Scholarship Fund providing aid to a future music student at Drexel University.
MAD Dragon released the debut full-length from Matt Duke entitled Winter Child. on September 12, 2006. Winter Child was produced by Stewart Lerman (Loudon Wainwright, Dar Williams) and Steuart Smith (The Eagles, Shawn Colvin) at The Shinebox Studios in New York City. The record features contributions by accomplished musicians, including Marshall Crenshaw, Brad Roberts (Crash Test Dummies), Suzzy Roche (The Roches), Steve Holley (Wings, Ian Hunter) David Mansfield (Bob Dylan, Bruce Hornsby) and more. Winter Child is a crowning moment in the development of Duke’s budding career and is laden with Duke’s signature songwriting style - extraordinarily beautiful melodies infused with unconventional song structures and intricate rhythmic textures.
In early 2007, MAD Dragon released records from two signings, Andrew Lipke and Hoots & Hellmouth. Lipke’s, debut, The Way Home (released Feb 2007), is an eclectic mix of intense powerful vocals, jangle guitar pop, rhythmic percussions and stark ballads. Hoots & Hellmouth’s rowdy Americana/Gospel/Soul has been bringing down the house at their shows. Their self-titled debut, released in April 2007, has been at the top of critics list receiving rave reviews in The Boston Globe, Relix, Paste Magazine’s “Four to Watch”, The Philadelphia City Paper and Honest Tune.
MAD Dragon Records is pleased to announce the release of the new self-titled album from Chicago based-band, The Redwalls. Set for an October 23rd release, THE REDWALLS, was produced by Tore Johansson (Franz Ferdinand, OK Go) and expands on the band’s existing rhythm and blues / power-pop with exploration of grittier sonic territories and song composition.
The Redwalls’ MAD Dragon self-titled debut follows up the critically acclaimed album, DE NOVA, which caught the attention of many, including MTV, who featured the band as a “You Heard It First” artist. In support of DE NOVA, the band toured the world with Oasis, Keane, Kaiser Chiefs, Rooney and OK GO among others and performed on Late Night with Conan O’Brien and the Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
From the vibrant punk-inspired opening track, Don’t You Wanna Come Out, to the soaring pop on Summer Romance, to the rambunctious drive of Modern Diet to the soulful and reflective You Can’t Forget Yourself, THE REDWALLS is an album that is marvelously eclectic, both musically and emotionally, and makes the band’s ambition and skill abundantly clear.
MAD Dragon Records is a division of MAD Dragon UNLTD. housed at Drexel University in Philadelphia, PA. MAD Dragon UNLTD consists of: MAD Dragon Records, DraKo Booking Agency – student-staffed booking agency which books tours for MAD Dragon artists throughout the U.S., MAD Dragon Publishing – places music in television, film and commercials, MADKo Concerts – booking and concert promotion throughout the Philadelphia region, MADFire Music Video Productions, and D3 Digital Music.
MAD Dragon is about: Education, Innovation and Re-invention of the music industry. MAD Dragon UNLTD is the cornerstone of Drexel University’s Music Industry Program. The thrust of the Music Industry Program is to create a horizontally and vertically-integrated cutting-edge entertainment entity into which our entire academic and tech courses feed the students so that they have a 4-yr. resume containing an amalgam of real-world music industry experiences. We are seriously dedicated to artist development in a mutually respectful atmosphere.
Contact MAD Dragon Records at: info@mdrmusic.org or 215-895-6403 Ext. 1
