Duke Special – reflecting the ‘crazy blend of life’

Never one to go for anything conventional, Duke Special comes to the Róisín Dubh on Friday, January 15.

The Belfast-based singer has written albums inspired by Berthold Brecht and the American author Paul Auster. He has covered songs by Prince, Radiohead and Donna Summer. He also presented a documentary about Ruby Murray, a Belfast singer from the fifties, and recorded some of her songs. So, it’s fair to say his interests are diverse and his audiences can expect the unexpected.

Duke Special released Look out Machines! this year. The album was co-written and produced by his friend and collaborator Phil Wilkinson. The money need to make the record came through crowd-funding website Pledge Music.

“It’s not the first time I’ve done it, I did it in 2009 for a record,” said Duke of the process. “Ash have used it, Frankie Goes to Hollywood – people who have a wee bit of an established fanbase are choosing to do that outside of a record label.”

Some of Duke Special’s songs are melancholic, while others are uplifting. His catalogue includes jaunty numbers, and slower ones.  How does he approach his craft?

“The thing is honesty,” he says. “In the middle of joy there’s always pain, in the middle of pain there’s always shafts of light. It would worry me if I wrote a whole album that was one or the other, because to me life is this crazy blend. I hope that comes across in my songs.”

It does indeed. Expect a show to remember. Doors 9pm, tickets €16/€14.