Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie pays tribute to “stunning soul” Martin Duffy
Primal Scream‘s Bobby Gillespie has paid tribute to his bandmate and keyboardist Martin Duffy, calling him a “stunning soul”.
It was introduced this morning that Duffy had handed away aged 55, with Gillespie revealing on social media that he died on Sunday (December 18) from a mind harm following a fall at his house.
Gillespie wrote: “Laborious to put in writing this. We by no means know tips on how to converse round dying apart from well mannered platitudes. All I wish to say is that our soul brother Martin Duffy handed away on Sunday. He suffered a mind harm on account of a fall at his house in Brighton. We in Primal Scream are all so unhappy.
“I’ve recognized Martin since he was a youngster in Felt. He performed keyboards on each album of ours from the primary to the final. Lastly becoming a member of the band in 1991. Martin was a really particular character. He had a love and understanding of music on a deep non secular stage. Music meant all the pieces to him.
“He liked literature and was effectively learn and erudite. An autodidact. A deep thinker, curious in regards to the world and different cultures. At all times visiting museums in each metropolis we performed or searching for Neolithic stones in distant locations. Opinionated and cussed in his views.”
Gillespie added: “He might play piano to the extent the place he was feted not simply by his friends in British music, however old-fashioned grasp American musicians comparable to James Luther Dickinson, Roger Hawkins & David Hood & producer Tom Dowd.
“I witnessed a session at Abbey Rd in 1997 for a Dr John album the place his document firm had assembled a bunch of younger Indie Brit musicians the place Mac Rebenac (Dr John) appeared bored and uninterested within the session till Martin began taking part in, then abruptly the nice Dr began knocking some funky piano chops and I immediately knew it was as a result of his ears had pricked up when he heard Martin play and the session ultimately got here alive.”
“Martin was essentially the most musically gifted of all of us,” the tribute continued. “His fashion mixed components of nation, blues and soul, all of which he had a God given pure really feel for. He by no means performed the identical factor twice, ever. He was all about ‘the second’, higher have that ‘document’ button on when Duffy was on fireplace. His timing was distinctive, funky and ALWAYS behind the beat.
“George Clinton additionally dug Martin. I bear in mind a session in Chicago the place George mentioned to him “go to church Duffy!” and he did. Martin was additionally in possession of a novel wit. He had a swift eye for the absurd, the surreal and the ridiculous. He lived to chortle and play music. He was liked by all of us within the Scream. A lovely soul. We’ll miss him.”
In a separate assertion, the band’s bassist Simone Marie Butler wrote: Y”day was the worst day of the 12 months, at this time i’m additionally in tears scripting this. “You’d wrestle to discover a extra real, gifted, humorous, variety hearted, caring, naturally gifted one that performed like nobody else.
“Please examine Bobby’s stunning phrases on the band web page as a result of that really was Martin. He handed away on Sunday in hospital on account of a severe mind harm after a fall at house.”
Butler added: “It was an honour to play on stage with u this final 11 years, be your pal, shares excursions, the ups and downs and the laughs. You have been and are one among a sort. Your gentle will at all times burn Duffy. Everybody who knew him liked, everybody who met him liked him. He was a pure real soul.”
Rising up in Birmingham, Duffy joined indie band Felt at 16 years previous, with the band occurring to signal to Creation Data. He was then part of Primal Scream for 3 many years, going from part-time to full-time member and in addition guesting on Gillespie‘s 2020 album with Savages‘ Jehnny Beth, ‘Utopian Ashes’.
Duffy additionally notoriously stepped in on the final minute to play with The Charlatans after they supported Oasis at Knebworth.
“Martin Duffy stepped in to avoid wasting The Charlatans once we misplaced Rob – he performed with us at Knebworth and was a real pal,” Tim Burgess wrote in a tribute to Duffy.