Martin Duffy
Birth nameMartin Bernard Duffy[1]
Born(1967-05-18)18 May 1967
Birmingham, England
Died18 December 2022(2022-12-18) (aged 55)
Brighton, England
GenresAlternative rock, indie rock
Occupation(s)Musician
Instrument(s)Keyboards, guitar, drum machine, samples, turntables
Years active1985–2022

Martin Bernard Duffy (18 May 1967 – 18 December 2022) was an English musician who played keyboards with Felt and Primal Scream.[2]

Career

Duffy was born in Birmingham and grew up in Rednal in the south of the city, attending St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in King's Norton, and growing up listening to punk rock, as well as two-tone, The Beatles and Led Zeppelin.[3]

Duffy joined the indie rock band Felt as keyboard player in 1985.[4] Felt frontman Lawrence later recalled "I put up notices in Virgin in Birmingham advertising for a guitarist saying 'Do You Want To Be A Rock 'N' Roll Star?' I'd put two up when this guy came up to me and said, 'I know this keyboard player. He's 16. He's just left school."[5][4]

Duffy played keyboards on Primal Scream's first two albums, and joined the band permanently after Felt disbanded at the end of 1989.[4]

Duffy also played with The Charlatans following the death of founding member Rob Collins, appearing with the group at Knebworth supporting Oasis in 1996 after learning all the group's songs in three weeks[6] and contributing keyboard parts to the band's fifth album Tellin' Stories.[4]

In 1997, Duffy played organ on Dr. John's Anutha Zone album.[7]

In 2004 he was a member of "rock supergroup" The Chavs with Tim Burgess and Carl Barât of The Libertines.[8] He also contributed to recordings by Heidi Berry, Beth Orton, Paul Weller, Shack and the Chemical Brothers, and released a solo album Assorted Promenades in 2014.[4] His soundtrack work included the films The Laughing King (2016) and Wild Rose (2017).[6] In 2017, he teamed up with Steve Mason of The Beta Band to form the group Alien Stadium.[9]

Personal life and death

Duffy died on 18 December 2022, at age 55.[4][10] The cause of death was given as a brain injury suffered after a fall at home in Brighton.[11]

Primal Scream released a statement that included "We're all so sad ... Martin was the most musically talented of all of us. (He) could play piano to the level where he was feted not just by his peers in British music, but old school master American musicians such as James Luther Dickinson, Roger Hawkins, David Hood (and) producer Tom Dowd".[10] Charlatans singer Burgess said "(he) stepped in to save the Charlatans when we lost Rob – he played with us at Knebworth and was a true friend. He toured with me in my solo band too – he was a pleasure to spend time with".[4]

In June 2023, a statement made by Duffy's son Louie at his father's inquest started to circulate. Louie claimed his dad had died in debt, saying Primal Scream only paid Duffy as if he was a session musician and treated him to 'tough love' over his alcoholism. This included the claim that he had not received money from the band after they sold their back catalogue in 2022. Duffy had played on all 11 albums and had songwriting credits on two of them.[12][13]

References

  1. ↑ "BMI | Repertoire Search". Archived from the original on 2 July 2014.
  2. ↑ Collins, Abbie (12 January 2004). "Primal Scream Interview". BBC. Archived from the original on 2 June 2009.
  3. ↑ Thandi, Gurdip (16 January 2004). "A mixed reaction". Evening Mail. Birmingham Post & Mail. Retrieved 31 October 2010.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Snapes, Laura (20 December 2022). "Martin Duffy: Primal Scream and Felt keyboardist dies aged 55". The Guardian. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  5. ↑ McFadden, Lee. "Felt". Perfect Sound Forever. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  6. 1 2 Monroe, Jazz (20 December 2022). "Martin Duffy, Felt and Primal Scream Keyboardist, Dies at 55". Pitchfork. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  7. ↑ Anutha Zone - Dr. John | Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 24 June 2023
  8. ↑ "Chav Central!". NME. 14 December 2004. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  9. ↑ "Steve Mason And Martin Duffy Team Up As Alien Stadium". Ransom Note. 20 August 2021.
  10. 1 2 "Primal Scream statement". Instagram. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  11. ↑ "Martin Duffy: Primal Scream and Charlatans keyboardist dies at 55". BBC News. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
  12. ↑ Harrison, Scoop (8 June 2023). "Primal Scream's Martin Duffy Was Left in Financial Ruin by Bandmates, Son Alleges". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
  13. ↑ Heren, Kit (8 June 2023). "Primal Scream's Martin Duffy died penniless and abandoned by bandmates, son claims". LBC. Retrieved 8 June 2023.
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