Diamanda is Not Guilty

Diamanda Galas at Queen Elizabeth Hall on 20 March 2008

Diamanda Galas glided through the smoke to the lone grand piano stood in the centre of the green and purple lit stage looking like Morticia Adams in a goth horror musical.

The arty, black clad, fans she’s gathered over thirty years had come out in force for the second of the controversial diva’s two sellout London dates, part of the world tour promoting her new album Guilty Guilty Guilty.

Without speaking throughout the entire one and a half hour show she expertly hammered on the piano and sung a series of barely recognisable cover versions. Each was unquestionably stamped with her unique, operatic style of wailing and shrieking that assaults the eardrums like a barrage of crystal darts. Only during her French chanson moment was there a hint that it was Edith Piaf’s Heaven Have Mercy.

Covering homicide, tragedy, and death, the songs cleverly spanned bluegrass to country, flamenco to boogie. One could have even passed as an Islamic call to despair.

It was certainly challenging and, at times, disturbing as she screamed like Ima Sumac in a k-hole but it’s was thrilling to see an artist perform true emotion, rather than opting for big hits or shock tactics. After two encores the macabre mob still screeched out for more but it was clear they were going back to their crypts happy.

Jim Warboy

Guilty Guilty Guilty is released on Mute Records 31 March 2008

Extreme behavior in AXM magazine

The latest issue of AXM magazine is hot off the press with an interview with me talking about the extremes in my life. Though there are a number of extreme activities in my life they have focussed on yoga and sex. Both of which have played an important part in my life. I think it'll make interesting reading for people that never get to speak to me very much in person.

One thing i try and do in interviews is be honest about who i am. Obviously when u make music and promote things interviews are a place where u can really plug your 'products' but i get bored reading those kind of interviews. I like coming away from reading something about someone and feeling that i got a deeper understanding of them and what makes them tick. I think this interview certainly gives some insight into me.

I can't believe how fresh i look in the photo. It's weird because when i was younger i hated having my photo taken and now i'm pretty blasé about it. I've come to realise that my perception of myself was very warped then and i often wonder why i would have been so self conscious. I mean i'm no model but i sure as hell didn't need to feel that badly about myself.

New track with Lippy Lou - Shoot To Kill

We finally got around to doing a new track.... it's been a long time.

It's basically a song called Shoot To Kill and is a comment on the unfortunate gun crime that seems to be increasing in Britain. I'm going to be doing a new night with Scottee and Joe Roberts which is going to be themed around social issues. The first one is Shoot To Kill and will invite a variety of artists to explore the subject through their work for the night. More info to come

Feed Me Thrills

here's a little poem i wrote a couple of years ago. very interesting seeing what happened the following year in London.


Feed me thrills. Feed me spills. Hunger, hunger, feed me pills.
Smiling faces. Happy days. Gurning, gurning, at the raves.
Strobes beaming. Dayglo dreaming. Warehouse madness, crowds screaming
Pitch sweep. Organ cheese. Anyone know where i can get some Es?