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Duke Special

Summary

Duke Special (born Peter Wilson; 4 January 1971)[citation needed] is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he was previously known for his distinctive long dreadlocks, eyeliner and outfits he describes as "hobo chic".[citation needed] Nowadays, he performs mostly out of makeup and desires to be more like his true self.[1] His live performances have a theatrical style inspired by Vaudeville and music hall, and often incorporate 78s played on an old-fashioned gramophone, or sound effects from a transistor radio. He is most often accompanied by percussionist "Temperance Society" Chip Bailey, who plays cheese graters and egg whisks, a Stumpf fiddle and a Shruti box, as well as the more typical drums and cymbals. Other musicians who perform with Wilson from time to time include Paul Pilot (guitar), Réa Curran (trumpet, backing vocals, accordion), Ben Castle (clarinet, saxophone), Ben Hales (bass guitar), Gareth Williams, "Professor" Ger Eaton (keyboards), Dan Donnelly (mandolin, backing vocals) and Serge Archibald III (saxophone, "ethereal background sounds", vibes).

Duke Special
Duke Special performing in 2007
Duke Special performing in 2007
Background information
Birth namePeter Wilson
Born (1971-01-04) 4 January 1971 (age 53)
Lisburn, Northern Ireland
GenresAlternative rock, Baroque pop, Chamber pop, folk, soul
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano
Years active1999–present
LabelsMedieval Haircut, Hag, Izumi, V2, Universal Ireland, Reel to Reel, Adventures in Gramophone
Websitewww.dukespecial.com

His albums include Adventures in Gramophone (2005), Songs from the Deep Forest (2006),[2] both of which were nominated for the Choice Music Prize, I Never Thought This Day Would Come (2008),[3] Little Revolutions (2009), The Silent World of Hector Mann (2010), Mother Courage and Her Children (2010), Under the Dark Cloth (2011), Oh Pioneer (2012),[4] Look Out Machines! (2015)[5] and Hallow (2017).

Background edit

Wilson was born in Lisburn[6] and grew up in Coleraine, Downpatrick and Holywood with his mother, father and three sisters. Wilson's grandmother, Mary Groves, taught his mother and her brothers and sisters to play the piano. This tradition of playing the piano was passed on to Wilson's three sisters and eventually to him also. He attended Down High School, Downpatrick and later Sullivan Upper School in Holywood.

After leaving school and a brief stint with a community arts project in Swindon, England he returned home and played piano for Brian Houston (a Belfast songwriter influenced by Bob Dylan, Van Morrison, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Cash and Elvis) under whom Wilson apprenticed, picking up a hunger for performing and a knack of winning over an audience in the process. Several band mutations on the musical journey followed and saw Wilson front other acts composed of Belfast musicians but he was yet to hit his stride.

He lives in Belfast and has three children.

Solo work edit

In 2002, he went solo, adopting the name Duke Special, and began building up a following as a live performer. He released three EPs on Medieval Haircut Records, the first two of which, Lucky Me and My Villain Heart, were collected as an album, Adventures in Gramophone, released by Hag Records in 2005. The album was nominated for the 2006 Choice Music Prize. In 2006, he signed to V2 Records and released a second album, Songs from the Deep Forest. He featured on Later... with Jools Holland alongside Amy Winehouse and John Legend the following November[7] and the album was nominated for the 2007 Choice Music Prize. Duke Special was nominated for three 2007 Meteor Music Awards, for best Irish male, best newcomer, and best album for Songs from the Deep Forest. In 2007, he headlined a concert with the Ulster Orchestra at Belfast's Waterfront Hall, "Orchestral Manoevres". The concert was supported by Julie Feeney and Foy Vance, who sang on "This Could Be My Last Day". 2007 also saw him perform at Greenbelt festival, Glastonbury, Guilfest, Summer Sundae, Haldern Festival and the Electric Picnic. Additionally in 2007, he performed as part of the BBC Electric Proms, supporting former Kinks lead singer Ray Davies, and he supported Crowded House during ten tour dates, culminating with a concert at Royal Albert Hall in December.[8]

Duke Special's third album, I Never Thought This Day Would Come, was released in Ireland in October 2008 on Universal, who had acquired V2 in 2007. In August 2008, he appeared on the BBC Northern Ireland television show Sesame Tree with his band,[9] having also written the theme music for the show.[10] Later in 2008, he won the Meteor Music Award for Best Irish Male.[11]

In 2009, he played on the O2 stage at Oxegen[12] and between September and December 2009 appeared on stage at the Royal National Theatre in London as part of a new production of Bertolt Brecht's play Mother Courage and Her Children, for which he wrote music for a number of songs. The production was directed by Deborah Warner and starred Fiona Shaw in the title role. In January 2010, he launched a campaign on Pledge Music (see Fan-funded music) whereby fans pledged for items to help fund the promotion and touring of his triple CD, The Stage, A Book & The Silver Screen[13] (comprising Mother Courage and Her Children, The Silent World of Hector Mann and Huckleberry Finn).[14]

On 11 September 2010, Duke Special played at the Last Night of the Proms for the BBC at Hillsborough Castle.[15] In January 2011, he presented a documentary on the life and songs of Belfast's Ruby Murray and released Duke Special Sings the Songs of Ruby Murray.[16] In March 2011, he performed songs based on the photographs of Alfred Stieglitz, Edward Steichen and Paul Strand at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. These songs were subsequently released in November 2011 as the album Under the Dark Cloth performed alongside The RTÉ Concert Orchestra, conducted by David Brophy, with leader Joanne Quigley and arranged for orchestra by Michael Keeney.[17]

In July 2012, Duke Special released Oh Pioneer on his own label, Adventures in Gramophone,[4] with the help of digital distributor AWAL. It was featured on iTunes, reaching No. 3 on the Singer / Songwriter chart in Ireland and No. 7 in the UK.[18] He appeared at Camp Bestival, performing live sets in both and also debuting as a 78rpm record DJ, as a guest of the Shellac Collective.

In 2013, he collaborated with Celtic supergroup Clannad, appearing on the album Nádúr and performing on Irish television chat show The Late Late Show and on Terry Wogan's BBC Radio 3 show. On Friday 6 December 2013, he finished a year-long residency of six concerts at Belfast's Empire Hall with 'A Victorian Christmas', performing Christmas songs solo with featured guests.[19]

In July 2017, his official website announced an upcoming album named Hallow, based on the poetry of Michael Longley, with songs from the album to be featured in an October tour of venues in Ireland.[20]

On 3 November 2023, Duke Special released Blood for Ghosts[21] which comprises 10 songs based on old songs discovered in an archive of sheet music in the Princess Grace Irish Library, Monaco.

Discography edit

Early work edit

  • Bathroom Floor as Booley (Medieval Haircut/ICC, 1999)
  • Garçon Pamplemousse as Benzine Headset (Medieval Haircut, 2001)

Albums edit

Compilations edit

EPs edit

Live albums edit

Singles edit

  • "Freewheel" (Hag / Izumi Records, 2005)
  • "Portrait" (V2, 2006)
  • "Last Night I Nearly Died (But I Woke Up Just in Time)" (V2, 2006)
  • "Wake Up Scarlett" (V2, 2006) (iTunes download only)
  • "Freewheel" (V2, 2007) IRE No. 15
  • "Last Night I Nearly Died (But I Woke Up Just in Time)" (V2, 2007)
  • "Our Love Goes Deeper Than This" (V2, 2007) (featuring Neil Hannon and Romeo Stodart, download only)
  • "No Cover Up" (V2, 2007)
  • "Sweet Sweet Kisses" (Universal Music, 2008)
  • "Condition" (2012)
  • "1969" (Visual Independent Productions, 2013)
  • "Nail On The Head" (2015)

Other contributions edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Duke Special feels more confident in his own skin these days… 'I don't have to hide behind a persona anymore'". 23 August 2021 – via www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk.
  2. ^ a b Diver, Mike (27 October 2016). "Duke Special I Songs From The Deep Forest". drownedinsound.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  3. ^ a b Cartwright, Garth (31 March 2009). "Duke Special I Never Thought This Day Would Come: Review". BBC Online. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  4. ^ a b c Diver, Mike (9 July 2012). "Duke Special Oh Pioneer Review". BBC Online. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  5. ^ a b Burrows, Marc (15 April 2015). "Duke Special I Look Out Machines!". drownedinsound.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2016. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  6. ^ "Duke Special: I have experienced the dark clouds and looked into the abyss many times ... now I'm really content". The Belfast Telegraph. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2022.
  7. ^ "Later... with Jools Holland, Series 28, Episode 1". BBC. 3 November 2006. Retrieved 9 January 2014.
  8. ^ "tour dates". frenz.com. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  9. ^ "A Very Special Visitor". Sesame Tree. Series 1. Episode 20. Belfast. 15 August 2008. BBC. BBC Two. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  10. ^ "Muppets arrive in Belfast as part of new children's television series, Sesame Tree, debuting on BBC Northern Ireland television this month" (Press release). Belfast and New York City: Sesame Workshop. 11 March 2008. Archived from the original on 13 September 2011. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  11. ^ "Westlife are still number one". Irish Independent. 16 February 2008. Retrieved 23 June 2011.
  12. ^ Rick O'Shea, Peter Wilson (10 July 2009). Interview: Oxegen 09 Duke Special (Video clip). Oxegen music festival: RTÉ. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  13. ^ Lindvall, Helienne (10 December 2009). "Behind the music: The future of fan funding". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  14. ^ Foley, Jack (2010). "Duke Special – The Stage, A Book & The Silver Screen: Review". Indie London. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  15. ^ "Hillsborough Castle Proms in the Park line-up announced" (Press release). BBC. 2 September 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2012.
  16. ^ "Ruby and the Duke". RTÉ. 2011. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  17. ^ Williams, Ashley (2011). "Irish Musician Duke Special in Concert at the Met". Metropolitan Museum of Art. Retrieved 3 January 2012.
  18. ^ "AWAL – Duke Special". Archived from the original on 31 July 2012.
  19. ^ Knight, Adrian (8 December 2013). "LIVE: Duke Special – A Victorian Christmas". Gigging NI. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  20. ^ "Hallow Irish Tour". dukespecial.com. 7 July 2017. Retrieved 25 September 2017.
  21. ^ "Blood for Ghosts". dukespecial.com. 3 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.

External links edit

  • Official website
  • Punch of a Friend – The Art of Duke Special

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