Primal Scream’s Martin Duffy dies aged 55: tributes to the keyboardist

Tributes have been paid to Primal Scream keyboardist Martin Duffy after he died following a fall at his home.

The 55-year-old, who also played with Felt, suffered a brain injury and died surrounded by his family.

Duffy was born in Birmingham and grew up in Rednal. He was once a student at St Thomas Aquinas Catholic School in Kings Norton.

A mainstay in British rock, he has also collaborated with Oasis, the Charlatans, and the Chemical Brothers. His musical journey began in 1985 when he joined the indie band Felt.

The band’s frontman had put up a notice in the Birmingham branch of Virgin records since they were looking for a guitarist, according to The Guardian.

Primal Scream bandmate Bobby Gillespie wrote on Instagram: “He had a love and understanding of music on a deep spiritual level. Music meant everything to him. He loved literature and was well read and erudite. An autodidact. A deep thinker, curious about the world and other cultures. Always visiting museums in every city we played or looking for Neolithic stones in remote places. Opinionated and stubborn in his views.”

“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 & producer Tom Dowd. I witnessed a session at Abbey Rd in 1997 for a Dr John album where his record company had assembled a bunch of young Indie Brit musicians where Mac Rebenac (Dr John ) seemed bored and uninterested in the session

until Martin started playing, then suddenly the good Dr started knocking some funky piano chops and I instantly knew it was because his ears had pricked up when he heard Martin play and the session at last came alive.”

Gillespie went on to say that Duffy had a “god-given natural talent” for music.

In the 1980s, he had become one of the important figures for Felt. However, he was also moonlighting for Primal Scream during that time. Eventually, in 1991, he joined Primal Scream full-time and was a key member for the Screamadelica album. He had been a part of the group until now.

In 1993, he survived a near-fatal stabbing in New York City when he was touring with Primal Scream, according to The Guardian.

Three years later, when the Charlatans’ keyboardist Rob Collins died in a car crash, Duffy took on the role while the Charlatans were supporting Oasis for three weeks.

He went on to record with the Charlatans on 1997’s Tellin’ Stories, and later joined Oasis for “Love Like a Bomb,” and some tracks for the Chemical Brothers’ 2007 album, We Are the Night.

He lived and breathed music and was part of multiple collaborations over the years. He worked with artists including Beth Orton, Steve Mason, the Pop Group’s Mark Stewart, Paul Weller, Vic Godard and Subway Sect and Jessie Buckley.

In 2014, he released a solo album, Assorted Promenades, and in 2016, was part of Primal Scream’s last album - Chaosmosis -released.

Tributes

His bandmate, bassist Simone Marie Butler wrote: “You would struggle to find a more genuine, gifted, funny, kind hearted, caring, naturally talented person who played like no one else … Your light will always burn Duffy. Everyone who knew him loved, everyone who met him loved him. He was a pure genuine soul.”

The Charlatans’ Tim Burgess said: “Another tragic loss of a beautiful soul. Martin Duffy 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. Safe travels Duffy.”