Primal Scream keyboardist Martin Duffy has died aged 55.
The keyboardist died on Sunday (December 18) from a brain injury following a fall at his home in Brighton, bandmate Bobby Gillespie announced.
Growing up in Birmingham, Duffy joined indie band Felt at 16 years old, with the band going on to sign to Creation Records.
He was then a part of Primal Scream for three decades, going from part-time to full-time member and also guesting on frontman Bobby Gillespie‘s 2020 album with Savages‘ Jehnny Beth, ‘Utopian Ashes’.
Duffy also notoriously stepped in at the last minute to play with The Charlatans when they supported Oasis at Knebworth.
“Martin Duffy stepped in to save The Charlatans when we lost Rob – he played with us at Knebworth and was a true friend,” Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess wrote in tribute.
“Another tragic loss of a beautiful soul He toured with me in my solo band too – he was a pleasure to spend time with. Safe travels Duffy.”
no words x i miss u already Duff 🤍 this is the saddest day and i’m tears writing this . so loved x pic.twitter.com/daUnldAmUw
— simone marie (@simonemarie4) December 20, 2022
Speechless and heartbroken. RIP Duffy xxx pic.twitter.com/yGwMFxiJm3
— James Endeacott (@jamesendeacott) December 20, 2022
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
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
Martin Duffy RIP 🖤
— Daniel Avery (@danielmarkavery) December 20, 2022
In his tribute, posted on Primal Scream’s Instagram page, Gillespie wrote: “Hard to write this. We never know how to speak around death other than polite platitudes. We in Primal Scream are all so sad.”
He added: “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.”
This is a developing story…