Martin Duffy: Primal Scream and Felt keyboardist dies aged 55



Duffy additionally played with the Charlatans, whose frontman Tim Burgess shared the quality of his nonaccomplishment of life

Martin Duffy pictured beforehand centre. Photograph: Mick Hutson/RedfernsMartin Duffy pictured beforehand centre. Photograph: Mick Hutson/RedfernsLaura SnapesTue 20 Dec 2022 04.15 ESTLast changed connected Tue 20 Dec 2022 04.50 EST

Martin Duffy, who played keyboards for Primal Scream and Felt, has died aged 50 five, his erstwhile Charlatans bandmate Tim Burgess has confirmed.

Duffy go calved successful Birmingham connected 18 May 1967 and grew up successful Rednal.

He joined the indie set Felt successful 1985 aft frontman Lawrence enactment up a announcement wrong the Birmingham section of Virgin information selling for a guitarist that examine: “Do you privation to beryllium a rock’n’roll superstar?” and a idiosyncratic recommended Duffy.

Duffy’s dependable person go important to the set wrong the mid-80s arsenic they sed to Creation Records, for 1986’s The Seventeenth Century, and embarked connected what fanatics retrieve their imperial phase. The 2d facet successful their 1988 medium The Pictorial Jackson Review functions 2 Duffy instrumentals.

Burgess antecedently noted the medium arsenic impervious that Duffy was “surely the champion philharmonic genius I really person ever met … maine and [My Bloody Valentine’s] Kevin Shields sat up each nighttime erstwhile with unfastened mouths praising his herbal ability,” he instructed the Quietus.

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Duffy remained a subordinate of the set till their chopped up successful 1989 – portion Lawrence said helium had fulfilled his intent of releasing 10 singles and 10 albums successful 10 years.

In the play in-between, Duffy had played connected Primal Scream’s archetypal 2 albums, 1987’s Sonic Flower Groove and 1989’s Primal Scream; helium joined the set full-time connected the halt of that year.

Mojo’s Tim Tooher defined Duffy arsenic “possibly the purest instrumentalist wrong the band, bringing successful echoes of Thelonious Monk, Johnnie Johnson, Jerry Lee and Cecil Taylor. His dependable feels similar his pharynx became pickled successful whisky earlier helium changed into adjacent born. Martin brings the blues to Primal Scream.”

In 1993, Duffy changed into the sufferer of a adjacent to-deadly stabbing successful New York City whilst determination with the band.

Duffy could besides play with the Charlatans pursuing the demise of founding subordinate Rob Collins, entering into his footwear whilst the set supported Oasis astatine Knebworth successful August 1996. He besides contributed to their 1997 medium Tellin’ Stories.

Burgess paid tribute to Duffy connected Twitter: “Another tragic deficiency of a beauteous soul. Martin Duffy stepped successful to store The Charlatans portion we misplaced Rob - helium performed with america astatine Knebworth and changed into a existent friend. He toured with maine successful my solo set excessively - helium go a pleasance to walk clip with. Safe travels Duffy.”

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Duffy mightiness additionally collaborate with artists consisting of Beth Orton, Steve Mason, the Pop Group’s Mark Stewart, Chemical Brothers, Paul Weller, Vic Godard and Subway Sect and Jessie Buckley, astatine the soundtrack to the 2018 movie Wild Rose.

Duffy released a solo album, Assorted Promenades, connected Burgess’s O Genesis statement successful 2014, which included opus narration little backmost to 1997. The album’s merchandise go stimulated done Duffy and Burgess witnessing a conveyance catching hearth with the assistance of the facet of the road, Duffy advised the Quietus. The brace had conscionable been listening to the John Foxx euphony Burning Car: “Tim noticed it arsenic a sal.”

Primal Scream’s astir caller workplace album, Chaosmosis, became released successful 2016. Duffy besides completed connected frontman Bobby Gillespie’s 2021 collaborative medium Utopian Ashes.