Post by cw on May 10, 2008 11:36:08 GMT 1
(this seems to date from around 2001)
Keith Arnold Jacques Duffy is the man behind the bass. Together with Caroline on the drums, Keith's five string Lákland, which has become a necessity over the four string because of its ability to play lower notes, is the backbone of many of the Corrs' songs.
Keith was born on June 2, 1966, in Drogheda, County Louth, in Ireland. The third of six children, Keith joined an older brother and sister, and was followed by another brother and two more sisters.
Keith comes from a musical family. His father played the trombone. His brother Paul started on the sax when he was seven. Keith also started on the sax at age seven. He played the sax for nine years, before he moved onto the bass. Among his many favorite bass players, he lists Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller, and Lary Graham. Up until the time he was 16, his family traveled Ireland with a circus Keith's father owned together with his brothers. "Duffy's Circus," as it was called, was exceedingly famous. The circus is still up and running - run by Keith's uncle, but, you won't hear Keith talk much about it now; it was almost another lifetime ago.
In the mid-80s, Keith started a band with Paul, who was also a singer, and his other brother, Jason, who played the drums. They toured in Spain and Ireland, wrote their own songs, but never got a record deal.
In 1990, Keith played with Andrew Strong, for about four years. He then played with various bands and singers in Ireland, before touring with the Commitments for a year. In the middle of 1995, Keith got a call from John Hughes, who knew Keith from his work with Andrew Strong, about playing bass for The Corrs. His first gig with the band was in October of the same year, when they played with Celine Dion.
In the past five years, Keith has become an important part of The Corrs. In rehearsals, everything is handled in a democratic way. Keith generally has the freedom to play the way he wants to, but if anyone has a new idea, he's always open to listening to them. Aside from some input on the baseline, he has hardly any part in the basic writing and production of songs, which is mostly up to the girls and Jim.
Keith doesn't feel left out of the spotlight. Being more in the background gives him the best of both worlds - the enjoyment that comes with success, but none of the negativity. His favorite part about touring in the band is the amazing travel. Since he and Anto don't have to do as much work as the Corrs, they have more time to sightsee. There have been many high points of being with the band for him - Lansdowne Road, Wembley at Christmas 2000, the 1997 Australian tour when he had the chance to go scuba diving and bungy jumping. Whenever the band goes to a new town, you can always find Keith checking out guitars to add to his collection. So far, he's got 10 bases, including three Lákland Bases. The only drawback in the deal is sometimes having to take very early, often much too early, flights in the morning.
On the "In Blue" tour, Keith names the new version of "Paddy McCarthy" as the most challenging song for him to play, because he's on his own in the beginning, and he has to take extra care to make sure he doesn't make any mistakes.
When he's not touring or playing with The Corrs, which isn't that often, he likes to catch up with friends and go out for a few drinks, or go back to his home in Dublin to spend time with his girlfriend of several years.
Keith loves listening to all type of music, particularly soul and funk. A few of his favorite artists are The Meters, Sly and the Family Stone, and Robbie Williams. Because of his love of soul and funk music, he'd most want to perform with Prince. His favorite movie of all time is "Withnail and I," and his food of choice is Italian. Keith used to play Snooker often, and he watches football, though he doesn't follow any team.
Quite unaware of how much his presence in the band means to the fans, Keith is surprised when people bring banners and signs for him to the gigs. His modesty, mixed with his immense talent, has become a fixture in The Corrs that the band, not to mention the fans, simply could not do without.
source : The Corrs Online
Keith Arnold Jacques Duffy is the man behind the bass. Together with Caroline on the drums, Keith's five string Lákland, which has become a necessity over the four string because of its ability to play lower notes, is the backbone of many of the Corrs' songs.
Keith was born on June 2, 1966, in Drogheda, County Louth, in Ireland. The third of six children, Keith joined an older brother and sister, and was followed by another brother and two more sisters.
Keith comes from a musical family. His father played the trombone. His brother Paul started on the sax when he was seven. Keith also started on the sax at age seven. He played the sax for nine years, before he moved onto the bass. Among his many favorite bass players, he lists Jaco Pastorius, Marcus Miller, and Lary Graham. Up until the time he was 16, his family traveled Ireland with a circus Keith's father owned together with his brothers. "Duffy's Circus," as it was called, was exceedingly famous. The circus is still up and running - run by Keith's uncle, but, you won't hear Keith talk much about it now; it was almost another lifetime ago.
In the mid-80s, Keith started a band with Paul, who was also a singer, and his other brother, Jason, who played the drums. They toured in Spain and Ireland, wrote their own songs, but never got a record deal.
In 1990, Keith played with Andrew Strong, for about four years. He then played with various bands and singers in Ireland, before touring with the Commitments for a year. In the middle of 1995, Keith got a call from John Hughes, who knew Keith from his work with Andrew Strong, about playing bass for The Corrs. His first gig with the band was in October of the same year, when they played with Celine Dion.
In the past five years, Keith has become an important part of The Corrs. In rehearsals, everything is handled in a democratic way. Keith generally has the freedom to play the way he wants to, but if anyone has a new idea, he's always open to listening to them. Aside from some input on the baseline, he has hardly any part in the basic writing and production of songs, which is mostly up to the girls and Jim.
Keith doesn't feel left out of the spotlight. Being more in the background gives him the best of both worlds - the enjoyment that comes with success, but none of the negativity. His favorite part about touring in the band is the amazing travel. Since he and Anto don't have to do as much work as the Corrs, they have more time to sightsee. There have been many high points of being with the band for him - Lansdowne Road, Wembley at Christmas 2000, the 1997 Australian tour when he had the chance to go scuba diving and bungy jumping. Whenever the band goes to a new town, you can always find Keith checking out guitars to add to his collection. So far, he's got 10 bases, including three Lákland Bases. The only drawback in the deal is sometimes having to take very early, often much too early, flights in the morning.
On the "In Blue" tour, Keith names the new version of "Paddy McCarthy" as the most challenging song for him to play, because he's on his own in the beginning, and he has to take extra care to make sure he doesn't make any mistakes.
When he's not touring or playing with The Corrs, which isn't that often, he likes to catch up with friends and go out for a few drinks, or go back to his home in Dublin to spend time with his girlfriend of several years.
Keith loves listening to all type of music, particularly soul and funk. A few of his favorite artists are The Meters, Sly and the Family Stone, and Robbie Williams. Because of his love of soul and funk music, he'd most want to perform with Prince. His favorite movie of all time is "Withnail and I," and his food of choice is Italian. Keith used to play Snooker often, and he watches football, though he doesn't follow any team.
Quite unaware of how much his presence in the band means to the fans, Keith is surprised when people bring banners and signs for him to the gigs. His modesty, mixed with his immense talent, has become a fixture in The Corrs that the band, not to mention the fans, simply could not do without.
source : The Corrs Online
