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CAMPAIGN NOW ENDED
Minute Taker is set to drop his new album 'Wolf Hours' on 28 January 2022. Help him fund the album's release by pre-ordering an exclusive 'Wolf Pack' merch bundle and also grab some special one-off items!
Ben here (aka Minute Taker) and welcome to my crowdfunding campaign for my new album 'Wolf Hours'. The album has been a long time in the making and I'm beyond excited to finally share it with you early next year! 🤗
Wolf Hours is a collection of eleven 80s-infused synth-pop songs I've written and produced over the past 8 years or so in my home studio.
Drawing retro influences from artists such as Pet Shop Boys, Kate Bush, Stevie Nicks, Cyndi Lauper, Erasure, a-ha and even Bonnie Tyler, I really wanted the album to exude the warmth and magic of simpler, more analogue times.
I had this idea as I was making the album that it was a bit like going through a box of old stuff you find in the loft; full of the comfort and mystique of childhood nostalgia, but a bit warped and degraded over time!
Recording at home
Growing up in the 80s, I had a recurring nightmare of being chased through woods by the wolf-like creature "Gmork" from the 1984 fantasy movie The NeverEnding Story (I really was terrified by that bloody thing! 🤣).
Gmork from The NeverEnding Story in his lair!
This inspired the album's title and, along with other films of the era such as Batteries Not Included and Labyrinth, influenced the album's retro film-poster style artwork, which was expertly executed by The Sonnyfive from pics of me and my dog Saoirse by photographer Malc Stone.
When I was writing the songs I was thinking about all the things that pop into my head when I'm lying in bed late at night. All of those repressed thoughts and memories that find their way into my restless dreams...
Like suppressed urges from the depths of my subconscious in Hearts (We'll Never Know), or childhood memories of video shops and playing the Commodore 64 in Nostalgia, or even an imagined supernatural, Gothic love story set in the 1800s but playing out as an 80s TV movie in Mirror!
Playing the Commodore 64 at my friend Stuart's house back in the 80s
The Darkest Summer, released as a single last year, is about going back in time via memories to a perfect day at the beach in 1989, but memories can be elusive...
The brand new video Lead You Home explores the dreams of a former World War 1 solider as he lies on his deathbed over 60 years later. He goes back to relive a relationship he once had with a fellow soldier that ended in tragedy...
Basically the album cost all-in-all about £12,000 to make, which isn't actually too bad as albums go! I save a lot of money by doing all the writing, recording and initial production myself along with playing most of the instruments and doing a lot of the design, marketing, video editing, etc (as an indie artist you find yourself having to learn all the things that big teams of people do at record labels!).
But I also decided this time round that I really wanted to raise the quality of the music. I decided to outsource certain tasks, like the mixing, to get the absolute best out of the songs. I hired an engineer called Matt Aslanian who did a fantastic job of making the mixes clear and punchy and just brimming with that 80s magic I was looking for! ✨✨✨
And then of course there was the manufacturing costs of the CDs, vinyl, cassettes and merch items, along with guest musicians, mastering, photography, cover design, etc, etc.... It soon adds up! 💰💰💰 😱
I borrowed a lot of this cost from the bank so basically my aim with the crowdfunding campaign is to break even by the time I release the album!
It might not sound like such a lofty goal to just break even after all of those years of working on the project, but actually, it would be amazing if, come release day, the album debts are paid off and I have my wolf baby out there in the world to share with you all! 🐺 😁
As a completely independent artist my fans are really like my record label. You are the ones who directly support the creation of my music by buying it. It's as simple as that. I don't have a label advance to pay for everything, so this campaign is my way of asking you to directly contribute to the release of the album!
If I achieve more than the £12,000 goal (which would be amazing!!) then the extra funds will go towards promoting the album in the wider world. Artists with record labels will have marketing spend, and this extra funding would allow me a marketing budget to get 'Wolf Hours' out there and heard by more people.
I couldn't be surviving as an independent artist in this way if I was doing this 20 odd years ago. It's through connecting with like-minded people all over the world via the internet that I can make this happen.
After many years of working in uncreative day jobs, while doing my music on the side with any spare time I had, the fact that I can now make music full-time and share it with people who enjoy it, well… that means everything to me. 🙏 😊
But it's not just about you supporting me of course… I want to give you things that you value, keepsakes that you can cherish. Apart from making the songs the very best they can be, I've also spent a lot of time carefully planning a selection of unique merchandise bundles I'm calling Wolf Packs (see what I did there!? 😆).
They feature CDs, vinyl, t-shirts, art prints and even a special 'Smash Hits' 80s style magazine all about the album! All things I really hope you'll love, that will add to the experience of the album as a whole.
And a lot of items included in the Wolf Packs will only be available for those who support the crowdfunding campaign. And then they'll be gone forever!
So if you'd like to directly contribute to the release of the album by bagging yourself an exclusive Wolf Pack then have a look below to see which one suits you best. 😁
There will also be some special one-off items released at different points over the course of the campaign, including vinyl test pressings, props from my music videos and more!
If you'd like to be amongst the first to have a chance at getting these then you can sign up to my 'Wolf Hours Priority Mailing List' here and I'll email you as soon as new items go on sale.
Ben xxx
'Wolf Packs' no longer available.
There are also some special one-off items being released at different points over the course of the campaign, including vinyl test pressings, props from my music videos and more!
Including clothes and props featured in the 'Wolf Hours' album photography and music videos. To bid on an item email ben@minutetaker.net stating the lot number and the amount you'd like to bid. All funds raised go towards the 'Wolf Hours' crowdfunding total to support the release and promotion of the album.
LOT #1: 'The Darkest Summer' Vintage Maroon Jacket
AUCTION ENDED. SOLD FOR $100.
This is the jacket I wore in the music video for my single 'The Darkest Summer' which is set on an 80s beach and arcades.
I also wore the jacket in the photo session with photographer Malc Stone for the single cover as well as the cover for the piano version of the song. Several other photos from this session were used for promo images for the single/album, for the digital leaflet that came with the single, along with the CD/digital leaflet for the 'Wolf Hours' album.
The jacket is vintage from the 80s I believe, with a silk-like texture (I'm not sure what the actual material is!) and shoulder pads. The size is men's UK SIZE LARGE and the measurements are listed below.
Happy to sign/dedicate the jacket if you'd like.
If you have bought any 'Wolf Packs' or other items during the 'Wolf Hours' album campaign and would like to combine shipping, just let me know and I will ship this item with your other items when they are ready.
If you would like this item sent alone, within 5 days of paying, the costs are:
UK: £4 standard / £6 tracked and signed
Rest of Europe: £6 standard / £9 tracked / £10.50 tracked and signed (please note that in EU countries, due to recent changes in regulations, additional taxes may be due on delivery)
United States: £12 tracked / £15.50 tracked and signed
Australia: £10 standard / £13 tracked
Canada: £8 standard / £11.50 tracked / £13 tracked and signed
Rest of world: £8 standard / £13 tracked
Chest (armpit to armpit): 29 inches / 74cm
Length (side of neck to bottom of jacket beside zip): 28 inches / 71cm
Shoulder to shoulder: 24 inches / 61cm
Sleeve length (from seam of shoulder): 27 inches / 68 cm
LOT #2: 'Wolf Hours' Album Cover Vintage Denim Jacket
AUCTION ENDED. SOLD FOR £90.
This is the stonewash black/grey denim jacket I wore for the photoshoot with Malc Stone for the 'Wolf Hours' album artwork.
The front cover of the album was adapted by the artist The Sonnyfive from a photo taken during this session. Another photo of me wearing the jacket (kneeling with my dog Saoirse) appears inside the album (vinyl gatefold and CD digipak inner page) and on the front cover of the 'Wolf Hours Special' 80s style magazine. Several other photos from this session were used for promo images.
The jacket is vintage with a very 80s shape to it (which is why I chose it for the album cover! 😁). It includes buttons down the middle, on the pockets and on the sleeves. The size is men's XL and the measurements are listed below.
Happy to sign/dedicate the jacket if you'd like me to.
UK: £4 standard 1st class / £6 tracked and signed 1st class
Rest of Europe: £9 standard / £11.50 tracked / £13 tracked and signed (please note that in EU countries, due to recent changes in regulations, additional taxes may be due on delivery)
United States: £18.50 tracked / £23 tracked and signed
Australia: £17.50 standard / £19 tracked / £21.50 tracked and signed
Canada: £15 standard / £17 tracked / £19 tracked and signed
Rest of world: £15 standard / £19 tracked
Chest (armpit to armpit) 24 inches / 60cm
Length (side of neck to bottom of jacket) 26 inches / 66cm
Shoulder to shoulder 22 inches / 56cm
Sleeve length (from seam of shoulder) 24.5 inches / 63cm
LOT #3: 'The Darkest Summer' video 80s/90s Head Bag
This is a vintage 80s/90s Head bag that I carried with me along the beach in the music video for my single 'The Darkest Summer'. For anyone who'd like a memento from the video shoot. It was also used for several promo photos and the cover of 'The Darkest Summer (piano version)'.
When I was a kid I actually had one of these for my school bag for a while and when planning the video shoot for 'The Darkest Summer' I thought it would be great to find one for my character in 1989.
I drove quite a way to collect this one I found on an online marketplace, just in time for the shoot. I remember when I turned up the lady looked at me, bewildered. I had my 80s moustache and jacket, coming to pick up this 80s bag, she must have thought she was in some kind of time warp 😆
It's a bit worn, as you would expect for a bag of this age but all the zips still work well.
Happy to sign/dedicate the bag if you'd like me to.
United States: £16 tracked / £21 tracked and signed
Australia/New Zealand: £14.50 standard / £16.50 tracked / £19 tracked and signed
Canada: £12 standard / £14.50 tracked / £16.50 tracked and signed
Rest of world: £12 standard / £16.50 tracked
Length 21 inches / 54 cm
Width 11.5 inches / 29 cm
Height 10 inches / 25 cm (will flatten it out to post)
LOT #4 'Not Afraid' Reversible Retro Adidas Varsity Jacket
AUCTION ENDED. SOLD FOR £151 ($200).
This is the jacket I wore for the 'Not Afraid' photo session with Photographer Malc Stone. Along with being worn on the single cover, several of the photos were used for promo images and for the single's digital leaflet. It is a reversible varsity jacket in red and grey. The size is large and the measurements are listed below.
The jacket is vintage from the 80s I believe and is a little worn. There are a few small holes as shown in the photos. The size is men's LARGE and the measurements are listed below.
Sleeve length (from seam of shoulder) 23 inches / 59cm
LOT #5 'Wolf Hours/Hearts' Custom Made Wolf Mask
This is the mask I had specially made for the 'Hearts (We'll Never Know)' music video and 'Wolf Hours' project as a whole.
I wanted something that resembled a fetish mask which used key elements from that style, such as leather (it's actually faux leather as I don't wear real leather) as well as zips, studs, etc. It was designed and made by Laura McGee, aka Finding Alice, who did an incredible job of combining all of these elements and using very intricate stitching to enhance the detail.
The mask was used prominently in the 'Hearts (We'll Never Know)' music video in which several masked figures chase me throughout a grandiose old building where a party is being held. The video was inspired by Italian giallo movies from the 70s/80s by directors such as Dario Argento, Mario Bava and Lucio Fulci.
I wore the mask for a session with photographer Malc Stone. These were used for the 'Hearts' single cover and digital booklet, along with the 'Hearts (Sea of Sin remix)' cover and several promo images. One of these images was also used for the back of the 'Wolf Hours' album (with the tracklist).
Happy to sign/dedicate the mask if you'd like.
UK: £6 tracked and signed 1st class
Rest of Europe: £10.50 tracked / £12 tracked and signed (please note that in EU countries, due to recent changes in regulations, additional taxes may be due on delivery)
Australia / New Zealand: £17 tracked / £19 tracked and signed
Canada: £15 tracked / £17 tracked and signed
Rest of world: £17 tracked & signed
37cm long (back of head to wolf nose)
18cm wide (main head) / 30cm wide (tips of ear to ear)
30cm tall
If you would like to support the album campaign with a donation click here
Visit Minute Taker's main shop page here


Woven through every day, tight and strong, is our thread of giving. As mothers, wives, sisters, daughters, friends, citizens, employees, and employers, we guide our choices by that thread. Although we each create a tapestry of life unique in color and texture, the pattern we share is our profound capacity to give.
Our challenge is recognizing we are able to give most freely when we take care of ourselves. We are instinctively aware of what others expect of us and our life. It's more challenging to know ourselves, our dreams, or our needs, in trying to please others.
Giving, to hold relationships together, to prevent changes in our comfortable routines, or to manage the lives of those we love, will inevitably wear us out. That's when we start fading. When we feel wrinkled and worn. It tells us we're ready to recognize there's another source of giving. It comes from the place inside us that knows our possibilities.
Birth brings us natural gifts. Our life brings us experiences. These blend together to create our unique selves. In this special combination, our interests and passions are born. One of us will be transformed in stitches made across colors on a quilt. Another will know herself most profoundly when biking along the bumpy paths of a mountain trail.
These are moments of personal power. In experiencing passion, each person creates a joyous energy that can be generously given without feeling tired, over-extended, or used up.
By following our dreams, rather than what is expected of us, we let loose the best in ourselves and invite the same in those around us.
By finding the courage to express our unique selves, we discover intimacy with others.
By setting new goals, we acknowledge each life experience is bringing us closer to knowing ourselves, preparing us for what comes after, creating new dreams from what we are learning.
In these moments we can look inside to identify, embrace, and respond to our personal truths. Like a leaf floating on the waters of a stream, we're certain to encounter strong currents of "shoulds", upsetting white waters of expectations, and disconcerting ripples of guilt that make us feel uncertain. We're sure to be invited to float away on the truths of others, but giving from the best of ourselves asks us to swim toward our own truth.
Our authentic power is found in our truth. Whether it's taking time to do something just for ourselves or standing back to take a new look at situations that are no longer working, we are tapping into that place inside ourselves that is rich, good, and caring. And this is the place that shows us our to give what is so very good about ourselves.