Profile
Name:
Duke
Channel Views:
31,910
Total Upload Views:
739,989
Style:
Alternative
Age:
30
Joined:
Apr 10, 2008
Latest Activity:
Apr 10, 2008
Subscribers:
895
Website:
Official YouTube cannel for Northern Irish musician Duke Special
About Me:
A more immediate and visceral collection than the previous multi platinum selling Songs From The Deep Forest, the new albums 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 Belfasts 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 Specials 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 Dublins 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.
Record Label:
Universal
Label Type:
Major Label
Band Members:
Duke Special
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
Hometown:
Belfast
Country:
United Kingdom
~m~