Primal Scream keyboard player dies after fall at Brighton home

Primal Scream’s keyboard player Martin Duffy has died after a fall at his Brighton home.

Martin Duffy, who also played with The Charlatans, died on Sunday of a brain injury.

In a statement released on Twitter, Primal Scream lead singer Bobby Gillespie said this afternoon: “Our soul brother Martin Duffy passed away on Sunday. He suffered a brain injury due to a fall at his home in Brighton. We in Primal Scream are all so sad.

“I’ve known Martin since he was a teenager in Felt. He played keyboards on every album of ours from the first to the last. Finally joining the band in 1991. Martin was a very special character. 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 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. Martin was the most musically talented of all of us

His style combined elements of country, blues and soul, all of which he had a God given natural feel for. He never played the same thing twice, ever. He was all about ‘the moment’, better have that ‘record’ button on when Duffy was on fire.

“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.

“His timing was unique, funky and ALWAYS behind the beat. George Clinton also dug Martin. I remember a session in Chicago where George said to him “go to church Duffy!”, and he did.

“Martin was also in possession of a unique wit. He had a swift eye for the absurd, the surreal and the ridiculous. He lived to laugh and play music. He was loved by all of us in the Scream. A beautiful soul. We will miss him.!

Duffy was born in Birmingham in May 1967 and began his career as a member of indie pop band Felt.

He played on the first two albums by Scottish rockers Primal Scream before joining The Charlatans in 1996 following the death of original keyboard player Rob Collins.

Duffy also contributed keys to songs by Oasis, The Chemical Brothers and Beth Orton.

Burgess, frontman of The Charlatans, said on Twitter: “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.”

Happy Mondays singer Rowetta shared a series of heartbreak emojis, while former Oasis guitarist Paul “Bonehead” Arthurs tweeted: “Sad sad news Tim.”

Gruff Rhys, singer for Welsh band Super Furry Animals, tweeted: “Martin Duffy’s music has been with me since the 1980’s – sending all the best to Primal Scream & all his friends and family on this very sad day – going to put some of his instrumental records on.”

Duffy joined Felt, pioneers of the so-called jangle pop genre, aged 16 after answering an advertisement placed by the group’s mononymous frontman Lawrence that read: “Do You Want To Be A Rock ‘n’ Roll Star?”

He was also a member of rock supergroup The Chavs, formed in 2004 by former Libertines guitarist Carl Barat and Burgess alongside drummer Andy Burrows from Razorlight.

In 2012 he performed as part of another supergroup at a fundraising concert at Manchester Cathedral, this time featuring Burgess and Mark Collins of The Charlatans with Peter Hook of New Order.

In recent years he also toured as part of Burgess’s live band, playing music from the singer’s solo albums.