In December of last year, keyboardist Martin Duffy died at 55 after suffering a brain injury caused by a fall in his home. Duffy had played with bands like Felt and the Charlatans, but he was primarily known for his keyboard work in Primal Scream, which he joined as a full-time member in 1989.
Duffy was still playing in Primal Scream shortly before he passed, and frontman Bobby Gillespie wrote a tribute to Duffy following his death. However, Duffy's son Louie has now come forward with a detailed statement claiming that Duffy was economically exploited by the band for years.
As reported by The Argus, 19-year-old Louie Duffy has penned a long personal witness statement in response to an inquest into his father's death. In his seven-page statement, Louie writes that Martin Duffy's 30 years in Primal Scream "might lead people to believe that he was a wealthy man but this is not the case at all. My Dad died in debt and I know how badly this affected him in the last year of his life."
Louie goes on to say that Duffy was once an "equal member" of Primal Scream, but the band — largely Bobby Gillespie and Andrew Innes — "gradually cut [Duffy] out from getting any songwriting credits, then touring and merchandise profits, eventually just being paid per gig."
Louie writes that his father was fighting alcoholism and prostate cancer, and details his father's difficulty returning to the band post-lockdown while recovering from cancer treatment, performing on stage while "in agony" because of a malfunctioning catheter.
Louie writes that last year, Duffy was made aware that Primal Scream had cut him out of a large financial windfall after selling the rights to their back catalogue:
He read in the press that the band had sold half of their back catalogue to BMG — for what turned out to be five million pounds — and he didn't receive a penny. He wasn't consulted or even told about it. Dad had played on every Primal Scream album — had songwriting on at least two — but still the band chose not to offer him the opportunity to get his share, at a time they knew he really needed financial help.
Although he only had a comparatively small amount of publishing, if he had been included in this sale it would have been life-changing for Dad. He could have cleared the debt he had built up during lockdown and been able to pay off some of the mortgage, relieving him of all of his money worries. When he asked about it, he was told by his manager — who is also the band's manager — that "it wouldn't be worth his solicitor's fees pursuing it." It is clear that Dad's interests were never properly managed on his behalf.
Louie Duffy then claims that his father's health declined severely after he was forced to leave a Primal Scream tour due to his excessive drinking, and that he believes his father "just gave up" following his dismissal. After Martin Duffy's death, Louie says he heard from Bobby Gillespie and Andrew Innes sparingly before communication dried up.
He then points out the disconnect between Gillespie's stated politics and his treatment of Duffy:
I've seen on Instagram how Bobby Gillespie is always urging everyone to support the strikers — fair pay for the workers — and there is nothing wrong with that, Dad supported the strikers too, but not if at the same time you aren't paying your own bandmate of over 30 years even a small share of the tour profits to make his life easier. As the band got older they did less touring and more one-off gigs which meant Dad was getting paid less and less, only earning around £40k a year for playing with Primal Scream, not a lot for someone with his talent and experience.
You can read the whole account here.
Duffy was still playing in Primal Scream shortly before he passed, and frontman Bobby Gillespie wrote a tribute to Duffy following his death. However, Duffy's son Louie has now come forward with a detailed statement claiming that Duffy was economically exploited by the band for years.
As reported by The Argus, 19-year-old Louie Duffy has penned a long personal witness statement in response to an inquest into his father's death. In his seven-page statement, Louie writes that Martin Duffy's 30 years in Primal Scream "might lead people to believe that he was a wealthy man but this is not the case at all. My Dad died in debt and I know how badly this affected him in the last year of his life."
Louie goes on to say that Duffy was once an "equal member" of Primal Scream, but the band — largely Bobby Gillespie and Andrew Innes — "gradually cut [Duffy] out from getting any songwriting credits, then touring and merchandise profits, eventually just being paid per gig."
Louie writes that his father was fighting alcoholism and prostate cancer, and details his father's difficulty returning to the band post-lockdown while recovering from cancer treatment, performing on stage while "in agony" because of a malfunctioning catheter.
Louie writes that last year, Duffy was made aware that Primal Scream had cut him out of a large financial windfall after selling the rights to their back catalogue:
He read in the press that the band had sold half of their back catalogue to BMG — for what turned out to be five million pounds — and he didn't receive a penny. He wasn't consulted or even told about it. Dad had played on every Primal Scream album — had songwriting on at least two — but still the band chose not to offer him the opportunity to get his share, at a time they knew he really needed financial help.
Although he only had a comparatively small amount of publishing, if he had been included in this sale it would have been life-changing for Dad. He could have cleared the debt he had built up during lockdown and been able to pay off some of the mortgage, relieving him of all of his money worries. When he asked about it, he was told by his manager — who is also the band's manager — that "it wouldn't be worth his solicitor's fees pursuing it." It is clear that Dad's interests were never properly managed on his behalf.
Louie Duffy then claims that his father's health declined severely after he was forced to leave a Primal Scream tour due to his excessive drinking, and that he believes his father "just gave up" following his dismissal. After Martin Duffy's death, Louie says he heard from Bobby Gillespie and Andrew Innes sparingly before communication dried up.
He then points out the disconnect between Gillespie's stated politics and his treatment of Duffy:
I've seen on Instagram how Bobby Gillespie is always urging everyone to support the strikers — fair pay for the workers — and there is nothing wrong with that, Dad supported the strikers too, but not if at the same time you aren't paying your own bandmate of over 30 years even a small share of the tour profits to make his life easier. As the band got older they did less touring and more one-off gigs which meant Dad was getting paid less and less, only earning around £40k a year for playing with Primal Scream, not a lot for someone with his talent and experience.
You can read the whole account here.
