Pitchfork has shared the sad news of Martin Duffy’s passing. Duffy was the keyboardist for Felt and Primal Scream though has also been a part of a lot more UK-based groups. Duffy’s cause of death has been reported as the result of a brain injury that he had suffered in a fall. Duffy was 55 years old.
Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie posted about Duffy’s death on social media, stating “Music meant everything to him…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….he was all about “the moment,” better have that ‘record’ button on when Duffy was on fire. His timing was unique, funky, and ALWAYS behind the beat.”
Duffy first joined the cult indie band Felt in 1985 as keyboardist and helped their rise to fame, especially with the group’s release of Forever Breathes The Lonely World. Throughout the 80’s he had also been a part of the rave-rock group Primal Scream, joining the group full time in 1991 two years after Felt split up. Duffy was instrumental in the group’s landmark album Screamadelica and stayed with the group until their last album in 2016 Chaosmosis.
Duffy also contributed to music with the Charlatans after the tragic loss of Rob Collins, playing with them at their Knebworth concert and contributing to their album Tellin’ Stories. Duffy’s playing was also featured on the 2007 album from the Chemical Brothers titled We Are the Night. Duffy had also ventured into solo artistry, releasing his album Assorted Promenades in 2014.
(Photo Credit: Marv Watson)
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