Duke Special - Part 3
‘Freewheel’ is one of the songs that caused V2 to see Duke Special’s potential, hence its inclusion on ‘Songs From The Deep Forest’. Radiohead have frequently said that ‘Creep’, the song that made them but one that they rarely perform live, has become their albatross. Can the same be said for ‘Freewheel’?
“Lyrically, I still get so much of it, but it feels a little strange playing a song that was written so long ago. But I don’t want to be colloquial about it either. There’s a big, wide world out there that still hasn’t heard it. I tell you what though; it won’t be on the next album.”
The second lesson that Peter learnt was that it was okay to sing in his own accent. Unlike other artists from these shores, one of the joys of listening to his music is that he does not try to sound as if he was born and raised in America. A few years ago, the idea of the dulcet Norn Iron tones being pleasant on the ear seemed more than a little far-fetched, but it’s time to make an exception. Northern Ireland is not only noticeable in the lilt of Peter’s voice; it is at the heart of his music. There has always been the myth that in order to make it bands must leave behind the province and head for the big smoke. Duke Special’s ascension has proved that this is no longer the case.
“That is part of the reason why I wrote the line “I could go to London” in the song ‘Salvation Tambourine’. I cannot emphasise the importance of local music. It’s such a great time for Northern Irish acts at the moment. There’s Brian Houston, whom I played with for a couple of years, and he is a fantastic songwriter. Or Oppenheimer, who are doing so well right now, Iain Archer, The Amazing Pilots, Snow Patrol and Red Sirius. It’s great to be part of that scene, to represent Northern Ireland in that way. I think I’m the only one who lives in Belfast though. We’re a disparate community, but it still feels like a community. And no, I’m not moving away. God bless Easyjet, is all I can say.”
Despite hailing from this humble backwater we call home, it was not that long before Duke Special bagged support slots with the likes of Aqualung and, um, Maroon 5.
“I played with them in Whelan’s in Dublin. There were lots of teenage girls there who were mad about Maroon 5 and not mad about seeing me.”
As Peter’s reputation as a thrilling live performer began to spread via both word of mouth, his website garnered thousands of hits, and the crowd at his own headlining gigs began to increase in number. As ever, Peter is unassuming about his growing popularity.
“Of course I am stoked to have signed to V2, but I know it’s not the be-all and end-all. It’s all about having the right team around you, and fortunately I have great people around me, people I trust being around. I deliberately play with people whom I like, and who aren’t idiots.”
That said, after so many years of kicking against the pricks, it must feel pretty good to finally be paid some well-earned recognition.
“It’s pretty surreal. On one hand, it has been easy in the sense that I’ve never really had a big disposable income. I worked in an office once making blank cassettes, which I wouldn’t recommend as a career choice, but otherwise I’ve just been playing music. But it definitely feels as if it’s snowballing now. I feel vindicated and relieved, and of course I’m totally stoked. I mean, I’m flying to Brussels today to do interviews. How the hell did that happen?”
At this point, the phone line threatens to go silent again. It buzzes like a fridge, and for a moment Peter sounds like a Dalek, albeit a very friendly and passive one. AU can hear the sound of the car engine cutting out, and Peter announces he has arrived at the airport and has to go.
AU has one final question though: reflecting upon the hullabaloo of signing to a major label and recording his debut album proper, what does Peter Wilson, or Duke Special, envision for the future?
“I’m very grateful for all of that, but it doesn’t mean I’m going to get better just because I have a contract. It’s still all about me and my art. More than anything, I just want to be a good songwriter and play really good gigs.”
On recent evidence, this seems like a safe bet. The good things - as Peter sings in ‘Everybody Wants A Little Something’ - might take a little longer. Despite having only just finished ‘Songs From The Deep Forest’ he is already working on the next Duke Special record. Hopefully, it will include a new track that he premiered at the gig in Lisburn Arts Centre last month. Potentially called ‘Quiet Revolution’, the song brought the room to a dead standstill, with the audience fixed to their seats, unblinking and holding their breath for fear that the slightest movement might break the spell. It started quietly and slowly, but built to a chorus of close harmony so sweet it left us wondering whether to clap or cry. Music, as Peter pointed out earlier, does that.
From then till now, Duke Special has been staging a quiet revolution of his own. His story is of particular interest to AU because it sums up everything we stand for: not just the championing of our burgeoning local music scene, but the belief that Northern Ireland has a special and unique quality unrivalled by anywhere else in the world. We should celebrate that. It’s time to join the revolution.
This feature first appeared in AU Issue 30
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