Biography
Grand Duchy takes its name from a dukedom ruled by a Duke or Duchess and consists of the married couple Black Francis and Violet Clark. Francis had already established a prominent profile through his tenure with the Pixies and his solo work under the name Frank Black, whereas Clark had begun playing keyboards in childhood and performed with multiple groups during high school. She issued her own album shortly before encountering Francis; once married, she contributed backing vocals to his 2007 album Bluefinger and handled bass duties on the 2008 SVN FNGRS EP. Later that year the pair extended their partnership by spending a single day recording together, blending her affinity for classic '80s sounds with his established post-punk and garage rock approach. The session produced the track "Fort Wayne," which circulated online and attracted internet attention. Clark and Francis continued writing additional material, performing every instrument themselves. Their first public release was a cover of "A Strange Day" included on Just Like Heaven: A Tribute to the Cure in January 2009; the digital EP Lovesick followed one month later. The debut full-length Petits Fours appeared in Europe at roughly the same moment and reached the United States during spring 2009. While Black toured with the Pixies, Clark composed the songs for the band's second album Let the People Speak, an edgier and more assured collection that incorporated spoken segments from Phoenix, Arizona DJ Jonathan L and surfaced in early 2012.
Albums
