Duke is regularly helped on stage and during recordings by:
Temperence Society Chip Bailey - Drums and percussion
Réa Curran - trumpet and harmonium
Ben Hales - guitar and backing vocals
Paul Wilkinson - bowed guitar and bass
Ben Castle - clarinet and sax
The Poisoner Ivo Neame - sax and wurly
Ger Eaton - Indian instruments
Influences
Elliott Smith, The Magnetic Fields, Dresden Dolls, Early Van, Vaudeville Theatre, 78 RPMs, Andy Kauffman, Tom Waits, Rufus Wainwright, Aimee Mann, The Divine Comedy, Van Dyke Parks, Kurt Weill, Elvis Costello, Ben Folds
Duke Special released his new album I Never Thought This Day Would Come in Ireland on Friday October 17, 2008 on Universal Music Ireland. This is an album for sleepwalkers, skeletons and gravediggers, for those who have fallen so far down they can taste the soil between their teeth.
A more immediate and visceral collection than the previous multi platinum selling Songs From The Deep Forest, the new album’s many moments of beauty and hope are juxtaposed with a dark, brooding edge- the trademark twist of the Duke.
Recorded between Wapping, London; Champaign, Illinois and Culleybackey, Northern Ireland, I Never Thought This Day Would Come was produced by long-time collaborator Paul Pilot and mixed by Nick Terry, best known for his work with the Klaxons and The Libertines.
In a deliberate attempt to push outwards, Duke Special undertook many writing collaborations for this album including sessions with Daniel Benjamin - drummer with German punk band Jumbo Jet, Paul Pilot, Phil Wilkinson and Bernard Butler. The wind, brass and percussion of the RTE Symphony Orchestra, under the stewardship of the inimitable David Brophy, add a swirling carnival flavour to the proceedings.
Since the release of Songs From The Deep Forest, Duke Special has toured sold out shows across Ireland, the UK and Europe. From headlining a packed-to-the-rafters Shepherds Bush Empire in London to stage diving at Electric Picnic, hosting five sell out nights back-to-back at Belfast’s Empire Music Hall to appearing as a special guest performer at the Cannes Film Festival, Duke Special has come further than he ever imagined he might. Crowded House invited him along on their first tour in ten years, he gave a little known Welsh singer called Duffy her first ever shows, guested for the legendary Ray Davies in London and performed at The Irish Film Boards Oscar Wilde event in LA.
Duke Special’s immense creative talents have seen him writing the theme tune for Sesame Tree - the Northern Ireland edition of Sesame Street - where he also got to sing with The Muppets in the final episode. He has hosted a night at the Belfast Film Festival where he performed as a puppet of himself. He recently created a night of song and theatre in the Spiegeltent for the Dublin Fringe Festival and performed his songs accompanied by a 60 piece strong RTE Symphony Orchestra at a sold out show in Dublin’s National Concert Hall. The Duke is currently learning to swordfight for an upcoming on stage showdown with his long time nemesis, Neil Hannon.
Duke Special is the fucked up ringmaster of a broken down circus, the lead dancer in a forgotten ballroom of ghosts, the loudest singer in a midnight choir and the first on his knees in an old time revival tent.
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Thanks für..s adden!!! I think your music breathtakingly good. Has me really happy if you continue to do so. I of course wish you good luck and much success.
great performing at the bataclan of Paris with Paolo Nutini Last Monday june 22nd! great sound !You make a big alone concert! It's extraordinary . Do you need a light technician ? it's my job ! See you soon maybe in my venue in the north east of France( you had a message of my association New Symphony ),
Dear friend We are so happy to announce NEW ALBUM IS OUT NOW!!!
Our new album "Herbarium" is out now on CdBaby (MP3 so far, physical CD is on its way).
Diverse palette of styles (post-rock, ambient, electronica, trip-hop, with elements of noise, dub, neoclassic and free improvisation), united by cinematic, slightly pensive mood.
«Herbarium» is called so because of heterogeneity of «songs», which can be compared to miscellaneous leaves in the album, still being belonged to the family of trees. Trying to avoid non-alive metaphors here, only thought of diversity and warm and innermost feeling that herbarium is capable to conjure up. «... This leaf I picked up in the park where I met her, and this - I sat by the river, contemplating...». So tracks were created – one was captured in some magic jam, another – recorded layer by layer and meticulously mixed then, next – cut from previous sessions and so on.
All compositions are united by Poostosh sense of music – mostly pensive, spatial, tender and experimental. There's a lot of soul and charisma in every leaf... So please let your soul look over our HERBARIUM.
