by Martin Duffy on stage in Glasgow in 2019
Primal Scream musician Martin Duffy has died at the age of 55.
Duffy was best known for playing keyboards as a member of Primal Scream from 1989, as well as his work with the bands Felt and the Charlatans.
A statement from Bobby Gillespie posted on the group’s official Instagram page on Tuesday afternoon read, “Hard to write that. We never know how to talk about death except polite platitudes.
“All I want to say is that our soulmate Martin Duffy passed away on Sunday. He suffered a brain injury after a fall at his home in Brighton. We at Primal Scream are all so sad.”
Bobby’s statement continued: “Martin was a very special character. He had a love and understanding of music on a deeply spiritual level. Music meant everything to him.
“He loved literature and was cultured 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. Commentator and stubborn in his opinions.
Bobby concluded, “Martin was also possessed of a unique wit. He had a quick eye for the absurd, the surreal and the ridiculous. He lived to laugh and play music.
“He was loved by all of us in Scream. A beautiful soul. We will miss him.
Charlatans frontman Tim Burgess was among the first to comment on the news of Duffy’s death on Twitter, writing: “Another tragic loss of a beautiful soul.
Reflecting on his work with the late keyboardist, Tim recalled him as a “pleasure to spend time with,” adding, “Safe voyage Duffy.”
Duffy was born in Birmingham and began his professional music career in the mid-1980s when he joined indie rock band Felt at the age of 16.
He went on to play keyboards on Primal Scream’s first two albums, before joining the group permanently in 1989, remaining a member of the band until his death.
Primal Scream performing in 2016, with Duffy pictured on keyboards
In addition to his work with Primal Scream, Duffy has toured with the group The Charlatans following the death of founding member Rob Collins, most notably playing with the band when they played Knebworth in 1996, in support of Oasis.
A year later, he contributed keyboards to their 1997 album Tellin’ Stories.
In more recent history, Duffy formed the supergroup The Chavs with his Charlatans bandmate Tim Burgess and Carl Barat of The Libertines and Dirty Pretty Things fame.
Duffy released his first solo album in 2014, titled Assorted Promenades.
