WOMAD

Patrick Duff

From United Kingdom

On the 6th June 1969, EMI launched Harvest, the legendary psychedelic and underground label for seminal albums by Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple and many others.In 2005, Patrick Duff is perhaps uniquely qualified to play a part in re-launching the Harvest label this year with his first solo album entitled Luxury Problems, released on 20th June. A timeless recording, Luxury Problems is both ancient and modern, perfectly suited to the latitude of the Harvest label and its new way forward. Its songs touch upon the wonder and beauty of life, viewed through a troubled and terrifying relationship with the modern world. Throughout this album Patrick reconciles this conflict with eloquence and humour, and this personal diary of Patrick Duff’s past and present creates a superb body of work.Patrick’s first adventure in music was during the 1990’s with the innovative rock band Strangelove. Singer and main songwriter, Patrick quickly developed a reputation as a performer of extreme intensity and individuality. Strangelove went on to release three critically acclaimed and successful albums on Parlophone Records, and the band gained an international reputation with passionate fans to match. Going on to tour with among others, Radiohead, Suede and Manic Street Preachers, Strangelove were their equal peers. During the making of the band’s third album, however, the group began to unravel and looking back now Patrick describes this time as “….like waking up inside a plane that was going down, grasping hold of the controls and steering it into the side of a mountain.” Strangelove split up.“I’d started out as a busker on the streets, playing random chord changes and singing anything and everything that came into my head. I carried that attitude on into Strangelove in the sense that everything that I created, musically and lyrically, was done in a spontaneous way, often at the time of recording….just spouting off about whatever was happening to me then.” He continues, “…after Strangelove, I spent time reflecting, and watching and considering the processes of my songwriting as they began to emerge. Eventually, I decided to give my life over to songs.”“I write my songs because they leave me no other choice. At times it feels as though I am chosen by a song to be its vehicle and that it has nothing to do with me personally. Sometimes they come as a dream, sometimes as a vision. They’re born from patience. They’re born from journeys. At times I have to construct them consciously as a means to nail down my past or change it. Sometimes they seem to use me to create a future I can walk into.” He continues, “Sometimes when I think I have left them far behind, there they are waiting for me, leaning on the corner of the road, smoking a fag, saying “you took your time!”…” After several years of reflection, writing and development, Patrick started to do solo gigs, including a series of international festival appearances with WOMAD. As a direct result, he was introduced to the 83 year old singer and story teller Madosini Manqina, from the Eastern Cape of South Africa. Her raw and ancient African blues were an inspiration to Patrick, and the pair went on to perform together during 2003 in Europe, Africa and Asia. More/-Meanwhile, Strangelove guitarist Alex Lee had also moved on, building an enviable reputation as a member of Suede and later with Lupine Howl. Patrick and Alex met again in 2003, when Patrick had found the inspiration for a collection of beautiful, peerless songs in styles ranging from dirty edgy rock and roll to delicate acoustic folk. At this point, Adrian Utley from Portishead became involved and he put together a group in which Patrick and Adrian were joined by Mike Mooney (Psychedelic Furs, Julian Cope, Spiritualized, Lupine Howl) and Damon Reece (Echo & The Bunnymen, Spiritualized, Massive Attack). The band members decamped to a cottage on Dartmoor for what became the first session for Luxury Problems, which was produced by Adrian.Alex Lee and Patrick were then properly reunited when Alex came to see Patrick perform his new material live. It felt clear to both that they had ‘unfinished business’ and together they decided to complete the album, really to try and make the album they had always wanted to make during their time together in Strangelove. Alex arranged further recording sessions in his own home studio and then at Moles Studio, Bath, all of which he produced. Portishead bassist Jim Barr engineered and hosted further sessions at this time and keyboardist Adam Coombs and veteran harmonica player Pete Trill were brought in, adding to the intensity and character of the final album. And so, after a long and synchronistic path, the songs have emerged as Luxury Problems and Patrick Duff is poised to embark on his next adventure in music. His songwriting is both formidable and prolific and his presence in live performance is captivating.