Martin Duffy – Felt, Primal Scream – Has Died

Primal Scream keyboardist Martin Duffy has died.

News of the musician’s passing was confirmed by A&R figure James Endeacott, before being verified by a number of other people close to the Primal Scream star. Martin Duffy was 55 years old; no cause of death has been given.

Speechless and heartbroken. RIP Duffy xxx pic.twitter.com/yGwMFxiJm3

James Endeacott (@jamesendeacott) December 20, 2022

No words just great memories.
RIP Martin Duffy…@ScreamOfficial pic.twitter.com/vWW9qzTLiV

— Chikashi (@chikashiojima) December 20, 2022

The musician grew up in Birmingham, and joined seminal indie group Felt as a 16 year old. Adding baroque flourishes to their majestic songwriting, Martin Duffy was drawn into the Creation Records orbit when Felt signed to Alan McGee’s imprint.

Coaxed into the Primal Scream line up, he initially guested in the studio before becoming a full-time member. A virtual mainstay in the group’s line up for three decades, his innate musicality and ability to stretch perfectly suited the band.

Whether it’s adding honky tonk piano to their ‘Give Out But Don’t Give Up’ era or embracing rave, Martin Duffy seemed able to play anything. Indeed, when the Charlatans tragically lost Rob Collins they could think of only one replacement – given only a few weeks to learn the set, he joined the band for their epochal performance supporting Oasis at Knebworth.

August 11th 1996

A big moment for @thecharlatans – we’d lost Rob. Martin Duffy had learnt all our songs and said he’d step in at Knebworth. If we didn’t play there, we might never have played again
pic.twitter.com/MAt9yQOvaB

— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) August 11, 2022

Tim Burgess mourned the loss of a “true friend” and “a beautiful soul”:

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 💔 pic.twitter.com/cvuEvvqYGa

— Tim Burgess (@Tim_Burgess) December 20, 2022

Journalist and broadcaster Pete Paphides praised Martin Duffy’s “electrifying playing” on those wonderful Felt albums:

Christ, Martin Duffy too. Barely a week goes by without me listening to his electrifying playing on this tune. Still a teenager at this point. What a brutal 24 hours this is turning out to be. https://t.co/9rt07525Ve

— Pete Paphides (@petepaphides) December 20, 2022

Primal Scream’s last studio album ‘Chaosmosis’ came in 2016; Martin Duffy played an essential role on Bobby Gillespie and Jenny Beth’s wonderful 2020 record ‘Utopian Ashes’.

This is breaking news and will be updated as appropriate.

—