I catch up with the eclectic musician Duke Special ahead of his Brighton leg of his UK and Ireland tour to celebrate the release of his new studio album. That album Look Out Machines was described by Q magazine as “Sumptuous, symphonic pop anthem, courtesy of dreadlocked Irishman who sounds like The Flaming Lips crossed with Rufus

Wainwright”.

We speak about his musical inspirations, his new album, his eclectic work [which is as diverse as writing the theme tune for the Irish Sesame Street to writing the music for and appearing in Deborah Warner’s critically acclaimed 2009 production of Bertolt Brecht’s ‘Mother Courage and Her Children’ at London’s National Theatre] and his candid take on new music.