Stephen Duffy : The Uncomfortable Popstar

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  • Опубліковано 20 вер 2024
  • Stephen Duffy founded Duran Duran then left before they got famous.
    He then became a pop star in his own right with hit singles Kiss Me and Icing on the Cake before leaving the world of Top of the Pops for life as a folk troubadour with his much loved band The Lilac Time.
    He returned to the spotlight many years later, first as a britpop star in the short-lived supergroup Me, Me, Me, and then as co-writer of Robbie Williams’ huge selling Intensive Care album.
    He then shuffled back to life outside the public eye, returning to reconvene where he left off with The Lilac Time.
    The Courtauld Institute of Art's Artbeat music/arts docs project popped round to Stephen Duffy’s house in Cornwall for a nice cup of tea and a natter about his music career.
    Stephen’s first solo album was titled ‘The Ups and Downs’, which turned out to be brilliantly prophetic.
    The Lilac Time are celebrating their 30th anniversary and Stephen Duffy has just reissued his classic and classically underrated solo album 'I Love My Friends' - buy it/stream it, you won't regret it. To find out more about Stephen Duffy and The Lilac Time, head to thelilactime.com
    We've also put together a playlist of excellent Stephen Duffy/The Lilac Time songs on spotify at open.spotify.c...

КОМЕНТАРІ • 56

  • @richardhal
    @richardhal Рік тому +9

    Have been a fan of Stephen since Kiss Me brought him to my attention, and will stay with him as long as he continues to produce fantastic music. He is so incredibly underrated. Thank you, Stephen, for your artistic vision and talent.

  • @witchslaugh
    @witchslaugh 2 місяці тому +2

    'Grey Skies and Work Things' and 'A Child is Waiting' are absolute masterpieces. This man is a marvel, but sadly not enough people are listening.

  • @Cosmic-Dancer
    @Cosmic-Dancer Рік тому +10

    The Lilac Time records are among the best albums ever made. My life would not have been the same without them. Thank the stars for the love of making records!

  • @peterkadelbach7010
    @peterkadelbach7010 7 місяців тому +3

    Music in colour is a masterpiece!

  • @gulbalagulba23
    @gulbalagulba23 2 місяці тому

    Icing on the cake is one of the most positive songs ever!! Still play it (again, and i m almost 60 !! Still makes me feel super happy !!

  • @LULUBELLEIII
    @LULUBELLEIII 6 місяців тому +3

    Stephen Duffy has never been fully appreciated. His songs are always beautifully crafted vignettes. "Natalie" is my favourite, but there are a lot.

  • @carltiivas6131
    @carltiivas6131 5 місяців тому +4

    Always loved Stephen Duffy and the Lilac Time. Glad to see he is still making music. The latest album is great !

  • @roseadams5362
    @roseadams5362 Рік тому +4

    Loved Stephen and his work since i was 15 in 1985. At that tender age i knew he was exceptional

  • @martinwedge7732
    @martinwedge7732 2 роки тому +5

    I met Stephen twice when he was doing promo in record stores as Tin Tin and he was with Stoker ex Dexys one time. He was absolutely lovely and one of the nicest people happily signing records for fans. Really nice bloke xx

  • @sn8323
    @sn8323 2 роки тому +4

    Oh, Stephen "Tintin" Duffy... You Humble Soul... You positively DEFINED the harmonic zeitgeist of the summer of '82. And not many musical summers can rival that one! Anyway, I was a teen who DRANK in your harmonies, every morning, through my walkman, as I delivered The Gazette on my paper route in Montreal, with only a random few hopping sparrows and sidewalk pigeons for company. Amazing UA-cam, taking me back to your voice, in a flash. So much love & gratitude to you.

  • @MrBrutal33
    @MrBrutal33 4 роки тому +10

    Britain's best and least appreciated singer-songwriter. I must have virtually everything he's ever recorded and there's always something in his back catalogue to suit my mood! Nick Duffy is also an underestimated talent.

  • @jessmanuel540
    @jessmanuel540 3 роки тому +17

    Stephen Duffy is one of Britain's finest alongside Paddy McAloon of Prefab Sprout & the late Mark Hollis of Talk Talk.

  • @brassneck96
    @brassneck96 2 роки тому +5

    Loved the Lilac time 😎🖤👏

  • @jimmyolsenschannel6263
    @jimmyolsenschannel6263 Рік тому +4

    His self-titled 1995 album is one of the very best records made during Britpop, with enough melodic 1960s feel to make a grown man cry. Outstandingly good songwriting, his deep voice amazing and unique, superb arrangements with great riffs and backing by Velvet Crush et.al., truly poetic and meaningful lyrics. A neglected masterpiece.

  • @vordman
    @vordman 3 місяці тому +1

    Glad to see he's doing well. Obviously he could have had mega-fame if he had stayed with Duran Duran but artistic integrity meant more to him.

  • @JedHead77
    @JedHead77 Рік тому +1

    So glad Simon LeBon took over lead vocals for Duran Duran.

  • @johnbellamy3406
    @johnbellamy3406 7 місяців тому +1

    What a wonderful little video. I love Stephen Duffy and The Lilac time. It's comforting to hear from Stephen that he has experienced set back and depression etc. Life as an artist isn't all glitz and glamor, and his honesty about this just makes him better in my view.

  • @mlml7854
    @mlml7854 3 роки тому +8

    what a lovely modest man. totally refreshing. love you stephen your album "ups and downs" was a constant on my tape deck in the 80s. "The Darkest Blues" is one of the most beautiful sings ever written and criminally under rated.

  • @slyasleep
    @slyasleep 5 місяців тому +1

    Wonderful, thank you.

  • @peter_aka_hamamass
    @peter_aka_hamamass 5 років тому +11

    I LOVE "Music In Colours", one of my favourite albums! But, i do love everything SD did/does! Very underrated artist!

    • @waziotter
      @waziotter 3 роки тому

      Me too. Totem is a masterpiece.

  • @rainpoetry3695
    @rainpoetry3695 8 місяців тому +1

    Stephen Duffy has such an extraordinary and poignant voice. He veers into genres which are sometimes not my cup of tea but I’m always transfixed by his vocals. His depth and tenderness always come through. Have been a fan since Kiss Me and I love the Lilac Time.

  • @menial_scientist
    @menial_scientist Рік тому +1

    my very first 12” vinyl amigos ❤🎉 salud mr duffy 🥂💕🤗🎾

  • @grayruffell5967
    @grayruffell5967 3 місяці тому +1

    Fabulous thanks @Jake

  • @parakart
    @parakart 4 роки тому +5

    Well I’m one of those 500 that bought his next album (and it’s bloody excellent)

  • @sunnybearbuds
    @sunnybearbuds 7 місяців тому

    I still think "She Loves Me" is his best. So catchy, great lyrics, well - used in SKOW movie.

  • @tbwatch88
    @tbwatch88 Рік тому

    top gent. the lilac time are INSANE. so good.

  • @gedsilvers4418
    @gedsilvers4418 8 місяців тому +1

    A very informative interview. Stephen Duffy comes over as so sincere and genuine and his love of music is obvious. I have always loved his Kiss Me song. If he never made another record - that one alone was so good - I would always be grateful for that song.

  • @Drexxaal
    @Drexxaal 3 роки тому +2

    What a beautiful man! I love u! Always have!

  • @maha77
    @maha77 4 роки тому +3

    I remember when I first heard this song at a dance club in San Diego in 1985, absolutely loved it the second I heard it and it took me a long time to find out who it was

  • @Chalecosalvavidas
    @Chalecosalvavidas 5 років тому +5

    Grey Skies and Work Things really is the perfect example.

  • @waziotter
    @waziotter 3 роки тому +2

    The Nigel Kennedy album - Music in Colours *is* a work of genius. Totem is one of my favourite songs .

  • @YesMeistres
    @YesMeistres 3 роки тому +2

    Timeless song. I always wanted to hear more.

  • @arricammarques1955
    @arricammarques1955 9 місяців тому +1

    Steven Page with Duffy. Gifted writers.

  • @Fletcher1976
    @Fletcher1976 Рік тому +1

    Stephen is a class act loved his songs in the 80s didnt realise he worked with Robbie Williams just got our new band going would love his knowledge experience and input with putting our album and video together for our new song Scarlett woman

  • @twitchygiraffe4636
    @twitchygiraffe4636 Рік тому +1

    I’d love to get hold of the demo’s that Stephen did with Duran Duran!!!!

    • @JakeBickerton
      @JakeBickerton  Рік тому +3

      Some of them were re-recorded for The Devils album Dark Circles, so it’s worth getting hold of a copy.

  • @CroxleyEducator
    @CroxleyEducator 2 роки тому +2

    I used to contribute to the US fanzine 'The Ups And Downs', and despite its demise have never lost my love for SD and his marvellous tunes. Stephen was just too good for major success!

  • @gemspa73
    @gemspa73 4 роки тому +5

    There is a very important piece missing and that is Stephen's pre-Duran band, The Subterranean Hawks, with Dave Kusworth.

    • @JakeBickerton
      @JakeBickerton  4 роки тому +6

      gemspa73 If my memory serves me well, Stephen talked through all the pre-Duran bands but we needed to keep the edit pretty tight so left that stuff out. I’m tempted to make a much longer (say, half hour) edit as there’s loads of material that we couldn’t use in depth in this piece.

    • @gemspa73
      @gemspa73 4 роки тому +7

      @@JakeBickerton I think it would be appreciated by a lot of folks, Jake. I believe a Hawks CD release may be in the pipeline.

    • @nickroscoe9211
      @nickroscoe9211 2 роки тому +2

      @@JakeBickerton only just discovered this video. Excellent stuff and please DO make that longer edit.. Stephen is a very underrated part of our musical history, please help get the story out there.

    • @zoec4972
      @zoec4972 Рік тому +1

      no doctor calculus either. a brillantly silly jazzy record

  • @hilarycordell8097
    @hilarycordell8097 4 роки тому +3

    He's a wonderful musician and seems a nice bloke too.

  • @keithsymington6068
    @keithsymington6068 3 роки тому +1

    Paradise Circus is much an amazing album IMO. I hadnt know about his affiliation later with Stephen Paige but that kinda seems like a natural combo.

  • @justinebourke2811
    @justinebourke2811 2 роки тому +1

    The Art of Noise spoiled that version... such an underrated Diamond is Stephen...perhaps the most so of that time..

  • @grayruffell5967
    @grayruffell5967 3 місяці тому

    Does anyone know where to find the Stephen Duffy documentary?

  • @inchingforward
    @inchingforward Місяць тому +1

    What is the song that starts playing at 0:43? Is this available anywhere?

    • @JakeBickerton
      @JakeBickerton  Місяць тому +1

      Hi, this is a track called Barbarellas by The Devils, from their Dark circles album. The Devils are Stephen Duffy and Nick Rhodes.

    • @inchingforward
      @inchingforward Місяць тому

      @@JakeBickerton thank you! It got into my brain and wouldn’t leave.

  • @thaumatology
    @thaumatology Рік тому

    anyone know how/where to view Memory & Desire: (30 Years in the Wilderness with Stephen Duffy & the Lilac Time)

    • @mikeydread62
      @mikeydread62 10 місяців тому +1

      You probably know the film had very limited festival release and was then withdrawn. My understanding the film is being reconsidered. I think the book will see the light of a day first, then the film remodelled, perhaps. (I have never seen the film, only the trailer that was on UA-cam for a while.)

    • @thaumatology
      @thaumatology 10 місяців тому

      @@mikeydread62 thanks

  • @sin3231
    @sin3231 4 місяці тому +2

    Simon is soo much better singer than he is