Duncan John Browne (25 March 1947 – 28 May 1993) was an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is most remembered for his moderate hit single "Journey," which peaked at No. 23 in the U.K in 1972, and its corresponding 1973 album

Duncan Browne Duncan John Browne (25 March 1947 – 28 May 1993) was an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is most remembered for his moderate hit single "Journey," which peaked at No. 23 in the U.K in 1972, and its corresponding 1973 album Duncan ...

, which has since garnered a

cult status A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...

among fans of 1970s

folk rock Folk rock is a hybrid music genre that combines the elements of folk and rock music, which arose in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom in the mid-1960s. In the U.S., folk rock emerged from the folk music revival. Performers suc ...

Early life

Browne was born on 25 March 1947, the only child of Air Commodore C. D. A. Browne. He initially intended to follow his father into the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

but was turned down on health grounds while at the

Worksop College Worksop College (formerly St Cuthbert's College) is a British co-educational independent school for both day and boarding pupils aged 13 to 18, in Worksop. It sits at the northern edge of Sherwood Forest, in Nottinghamshire, England. Founded ...

. At school he was a promising schoolboy actor and clarinetist.

Career

Browne attended the

London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA) is a drama school located in Hammersmith, London. It is the oldest specialist drama school in the British Isles and a founding member of the Federation of Drama Schools. LAMDA's Principal is ...

, studying both music theory and drama. He chose to become a musician when, in 1967, he met

Andrew Loog Oldham Andrew Loog Oldham (born 29 January 1944) is an English record producer, talent manager, impresario and author. He was manager and producer of the Rolling Stones from 1963 to 1967, and was noted for his flamboyant style. Early life Loog Oldha ...

, and signed with his

Immediate Records Immediate Records was a British record label, started in 1965 by The Rolling Stones' manager Andrew Loog Oldham and Tony Calder, and concentrating on the London-based blues and R&B scene. History Immediate Records was started in 1965. Signed ...

label. His debut album ''

Give Me Take You ''Give Me Take You'' is the debut studio album by English singer-songwriter and musician Duncan Browne. It was released in 1968 through Andrew Loog Oldham's Immediate Records. On the record, Browne employs a folk music sound that is informed by r ...

'' was issued in 1968. His choral arrangement was used on the

Tim Hardin James Timothy Hardin (December 23, 1941 – December 29, 1980) was an American folk and blues musician and composer. As well as releasing his own material, several of his songs, including " If I Were a Carpenter" and "Reason to Believe", becam ...

penned "

Hang on to a Dream "How Can We Hang On to a Dream" is a song composed and recorded by Tim Hardin. It was Hardin's first single after his signed with Verve Folkways, released around six months before his debut album '' Tim Hardin 1''. The single was titled "Hang On ...

" on the album ''

Nice Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...

'', as recorded by

The Nice The Nice were an English progressive rock band active in the late 1960s. They blended rock, jazz and classical music and were keyboardist Keith Emerson's first commercially successful band. The group was formed in 1967 by Emerson, Lee Jack ...

in 1969. Browne's biggest hit in the UK was the song "Journey" ( UK number 23), and was as televised on ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British Record chart, music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show ...

'' in 1972. The song was included on Browne's second album ''

'' in 1973. In the 1970s, Browne formed the band

Metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...

with

Peter Godwin Peter Godwin (born 4 December 1957) is a Zimbabwean author, journalist, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker, and former human rights lawyer. Best known for his writings concerning the breakdown of his native Zimbabwe, he has reported from more ...

and released some records in the US on the

Sire Sire is an archaic respectful form of address to reigning kings in Europe. In French and other languages it is less archaic and relatively more current. In Belgium, the king is addressed as "Sire..." in both Dutch and French. The words "sire" a ...

label. He released two solo albums: '' The Wild Places'' and ''

Streets of Fire ''Streets of Fire'' is a 1984 American neo-noir rock musical film directed by Walter Hill and co-written by Hill and Larry Gross. It is described in the opening credits and posters as "A Rock & Roll Fable" and is a mix of various movie genres wi ...

''. The song "The Wild Places" was a hit single in the

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

. From the same period, "

Criminal World ''Metro'' is the debut studio album by English rock band Metro. Recorded in 1976, it was released in 1977 through Transatlantic and Sire Records. It is the band's only album to feature both of the core members, Peter Godwin and Duncan Browne, due ...

", co-written by Browne with Peter Godwin, was recorded by

David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...

on his 1983 '' Let's Dance'' album. In 1984–85 Browne composed and performed the music for the British television series '' Travelling Man'', in collaboration with the programme's producer Sebastian Graham-Jones. The soundtrack was released on

vinyl Vinyl may refer to: Chemistry * Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer * Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation * Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry * Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...

and CD. The track reached number 68 in the

UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

in December 1984. Browne also composed "Salva Me", the theme tune of the BBC series ''

Shadow of the Noose ''Shadow of the Noose'' is a BBC television legal drama series about the life and career of barrister Sir Edward Marshall Hall. It starred Jonathan Hyde as Marshall Hall; Michael Feast as his clerk, Edgar Bowker; Leslee Udwin as Henriette Mar ...

'' in 1989, and it appeared on a compilation album with 19 other television theme tunes. In 1989 Browne was diagnosed with cancer, and while initial treatment appeared to be successful, the disease returned a few years later and he died in 1993 aged 46. At the time of his death Browne was in the middle of making a new solo album. After his death friends and colleagues, including Sebastian Graham-Jones, decided to finish this production posthumously, with

Nick Magnus Nick Magnus (born 1 February 1955 in Emsworth, Hampshire, England) is a British keyboard player, songwriter, composer, arranger, engineer and producer. He is from the progressive school of keyboard players, mostly associated with instrumental a ...

as the principal caretaker of this project. The resulting album, ''Songs of Love & War'' was released in 1995 and was described as "a fine album exploring pretty much the same musical universe as Browne's solo productions from the late 70's."

Discography

Studio albums

* ''

'' (1968) * ''

'' (1973) * '' The Wild Places'' (1978) * ''

'' (1979) * ''Songs of Love & War'' (1995)

Singles

* "On the Bombsite" / "Alfred Bell" (1968) * "Who Is Julie" (1969) * "Resurrection Joe" / "The Final Asylum" (1970) * "Journey" / "In a Mist" (1972) * "Send Me the Bill for Your Friendship" / "My Only Son" (1973) * "The Wild Places" / "Camino Real (Parts 2 & 3)" (1978) * "American Heartbeat" / "(Restless) Child of Change" (1979) * "American Heartbeat" / "She's Just a Fallen Angel" (1979) * "Fauvette" / "Streets of Fire (Extract)" (1979) * "Niña morena" / "Fauvette" (1979) * "Theme From Travelling Man" / "Andrea's Theme" (1984) * "The Wild Places '91" / "Fauvette" (1991)

Compilation albums

* ''Compilation'' (1982) * ''Planet Earth'' (1986) * ''Selection'' (1991) * ''The Wild Places / Streets of Fire'' (2000) * ''Journey: The Anthology 1967–1993'' (2004) * ''Best of Duncan Browne : Greatest Hits'' (2004)

Soundtracks

* '' Travelling Man – The Music from the Granada TV series'' (1985)

References

External links

Duncan Browne Tribute
* Duncan Browne biographyat

Allmusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

website {{DEFAULTSORT:Browne, Duncan 1947 births 1993 deaths English male singer-songwriters English rock singers Deaths from cancer in the United Kingdom Rak Records artists Immediate Records artists Sire Records artists 20th-century English singers 20th-century British male singers