The keyboardist for Primal Scream, Felt, and Charlatans, Martin Duffy, has passed away at the age of 55 years old. Primal Scream’s Bobby Gillespie confirmed that Duffy died on Sunday due to a brain injury he suffered after falling at his home in Brighton. Duffy originally joined Felt in 1985 at the age of 16 after he replied to flyer posted at a record store. Over the next four years, Felt released seven albums, however after fulfilling their record contract Felt broke up in 1989.
Duffy also contributed to Primal Scream’s first tow albums and was made a permanent member in the band in 1991, just before the release of their seminal record Screamadelica. Duffy remained a cornerstone in Primal Scream for the next three decades and was on all 11 of their studio albums. He then played in The Charlatans after the death of founding member Rob Collins in 1996, and was also a membe rof the supergroup The Chavs alongside the The Charlatans’ Tim Burgessand The Libertines’ Carl Barât.
Gillespie made a long tribute post where he described Martin as “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. His timing was unique, funky and ALWAYS behind the beat. 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.”
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