James Aaron Diamond (28 September 1951 – 8 October 2015)[1] was a Scottish singer-songwriter, best known for his three top 5 hits: "I Won't Let You Down" (1982), as the lead singer of PhD; and his solo performances "I Should Have Known Better", a United Kingdom No. 1 in 1984,[2] and "Hi Ho Silver", the theme song from Boon, which reached No. 5 on the UK Singles Chart in 1986.[2]
Jim Diamond | |
|---|---|
 Diamond in 1985 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Aaron Diamond |
| Born | 28 September 1951 Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland |
| Died | 8 October 2015 (aged 64) London, England |
| Genres | Pop rock, new wave, blue-eyed soul, synthpop |
| Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter, musician |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1969–2015 |
| Labels | Bradleys, A&M, Teldec, PolyGram, Polydor, Righteous, River, Hypertension, Cherry Pop (Reissue label), Camino Records |
| Website | [1] |
Early life and career
editDiamond was born in the Bridgeton area in the East End of Glasgow in 1951.[1]
He started his music career at the age of 15 with Tony Divers band, The Method.[3] When aged 16, he also fronted a Glasgow band called Jade.[4] That line-up included bassist Chris Glen who went on to play with the Sensational Alex Harvey Band,[5] and Jim Lacey on lead guitar who later went on to join the Alan Bown Set. Jade played many pub, club and university gigs in London in 1969, playing at Brunel University, West London College in Cricklewood, The Pied Bull in Islington, West Hampstead Country Club, another college in Virginia Water and many more in 1969. They also supported The Move on their Scottish tour with The Stoics in the same year.
Alexis Korner then discovered Diamond,[6] who spent the next couple of years as part of Korner's band. He provided additional and backing vocals on many of Korner's songs, most of which would appear on The Lost Album.
Diamond left Korner in 1976, to form Bandit.[5] The line-up included future AC/DC member Cliff Williams. They were soon signed up by Arista Records and released a début album, Bandit, which failed to reach the chart. In 1979, Diamond was lead vocalist for a Japanese band called BACCO, whose debut album was Cha Cha Me.
He went to Los Angeles, California to form Slick Diamond with Earl Slick.[7] He spent some time touring and recording and provided music for a film soundtrack. He wrote the lyrics to many songs on Carmen Maki's 1979 album Night Stalker.[8]
Big break
editIn 1981, Diamond formed PhD (Phillips, Hymas and Diamond), with pianist/keyboard player Tony Hymas and drummer Simon Phillips. They were signed by WEA Records and had a hit single with the multi-million selling "I Won't Let You Down".[5]
The band later decided to part ways. In 1984, he decided to go solo and was signed to A&M Records. He had a number-one hit with "I Should Have Known Better",[5] and was also number one in Latin America. Bob Geldof praised Diamond for publicly encouraging fans to buy the Band Aid single instead of his own.[9]
He scored another hit soon afterward with the theme song from Boon, "Hi Ho Silver".[5] It reached No. 5 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1986. Diamond is also known for some guest vocals on two Genesis band members' solo outings, including:
- "You Call This Victory" (from the movie Starship) on the album Soundtracks by Tony Banks in 1986.
- "Days of Long Ago" on the album Darktown by Steve Hackett in 1999.
The 1999 compilation The Best of Jim Diamond compiles singles and B-sides from his short time with A&M Records.
Later years
editIn the late 1990s, Diamond teamed up with saxophonist Chris "Snake" Davis, known for his work with soul outfit M People.[10] The pair were known as The Blue Shoes, but were later billed as Jim Diamond and Snake Davis.
In 2005, Diamond released his first studio album in eleven years, Souled and Healed. The singles "When You Turn" and "Blue Shoes" were released from this. In 2009 he re-united with Tony Hymas to produce a third PhD album entitled "Three".
Jim Diamond's last album, City of Soul, released by Camino Records in 2011, featured among others Wet Wet Wet drummer Tommy Cunningham and Greg Kane of Hue and Cry. All proceeds from this album of soul music covers benefited the children's charity, Radio Clyde Cash for Kids.[11]
Personal life and death
editDiamond married Christine Bailey in 1978. The couple had two children; their son Lawrence is the keyboard player of the UK indie pop group Citizens![12] and the former bass player of Official Secrets Act.
In the early 1980s, Diamond contracted hepatitis.
Diamond died in his sleep on 8 October 2015, at the age of 64.[1] According to his daughter Sara, the cause of death was a pulmonary edema.[13]
Discography
editAlbums (solo)
edit| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Double Crossed | A&M |
| 1986 | Desire for Freedom | A&M |
| 1988 | Jim Diamond | Teldec |
| 1993 | Jim Diamond | PolyGram / Polydor |
| 1994 | Sugarolly Days | Righteous / Total |
| 1999 | The Best of Jim Diamond | Spectrum Music |
| 2005 | Souled and Healed | Hypertension |
| 2011 | City of Soul | Camino |
Albums (As a member of PhD)
edit| Year | Album | Label |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | PhD | WEA |
| 1983 | Is It Safe? | WEA |
| 2009 | Three | Voiceprint |
Singles (solo)
edit| Year | Title | B-Side / Bonus tracks | Album | UK Singles Chart position[2] |
Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | "Clean Up the City" | "Back on the Line" | Bradleys | ||
| 1984 | "I Should Have Known Better" | "Impossible Dream" | Double Crossed | # 1 | A&M |
| 1985 | "I Sleep Alone at Night" | "Caledonia" | Double Crossed | # 72 | A&M |
| 1985 | "Remember I Love You" | "Rock 'n' Roll" | Double Crossed | # 42 | A&M |
| 1986 | "Hi Ho Silver" | "Hi Ho Silver" (instrumental) | Desire for Freedom | # 5 | A&M |
| 1986 | "Young Love (Carry Me Away)" | "Blue Songs" | Desire for Freedom | # 92 | A&M |
| 1986 | "Desire" | "Together" | Desire for Freedom | A&M | |
| 1986 | "So Strong" | "You'll Go Crazy" | Desire for Freedom | A&M | |
| 1987 | "Shout It Out!" | "The Message of Childwatch" | # 186 | TML | |
| 1988 | "Broadway" | "Second Chance" | Jim Diamond (1988) | Teldec | |
| 1988 | "The Last Time" | "Miracles" | Jim Diamond (1988) | Teldec | |
| 1993 | "Not Man Enough" | "Child's Heart" / "If You're Gonna Break My Heart" | Jim Diamond (1993) | PolyGram / Polydor | |
| 1994 | "Sugarolly Mountains" | Sugarolly Days | Righteous / Total | ||
| 1994 | "Caledonia (Heartland)" | Sugarolly Days | Righteous / Total | ||
| 2005 | "When You Turn" | "When You Turn" (album version)" / "Rhythm of the Radio" | Souled and Healed | Hypertension | |
| 2006 | "Blue Shoes" | "I Won't Let You Down" (live) / "Blue Shoes" (live) / "My Girl" (live) / "I Should Have Known Better" (live) / "Wonderful World" (live) |
Souled and Healed | Hypertension | |
| 2011 | "Morning Glory" | City of Soul | Camino |
Charity singles featuring Jim Diamond
edit| Year | Song / Album |
|---|---|
| 1985 | "You'll Never Walk Alone" (with The Crowd) |
| 1987 | "Let It Be" (with Ferry Aid) |
| 1990 | "Sailing" (with Rock Against Repatriation) |
References
edit- ^ a b c "Jim Diamond obituary". The Guardian. 11 October 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2021.
- ^ a b c Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 153. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
- ^ "Chatshow.net Chatshow.net". chatshow.net. Archived from the original on 7 October 2007. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ "oocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palladium". Archived from the original on 27 October 2009. Retrieved 7 October 2010.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ a b c d e Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 687. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
- ^ "Liner Notes 'The Lost Album'". alexis-korner.net. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ "Jim Diamond's Official Website – Biography". squarespace.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
- ^ Appice, Carmine (29 April 2022). Carmine Appice recalls Carmen Maki's Night Stalker album 1979 カルメン・マキ (video). Australian Rock Show. Retrieved 22 February 2024 – via YouTube.
- ^ D'Arcy Adrian-Vallance; Charlotte Grey (1990). Bob Geldof: Champion of Africa's Hungry People. G. Stevens Children's Books. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-8368-0391-4.
- ^ Sweeting, Adam; MacAskill, Ewen (12 October 2015). "Jim Diamond obituary". The Guardian. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ City of Soul: Motown album recorded for children's charities. STV News. 15 April 2011
- ^ "My London: Lawrence of Citizens!". thelondonword.com. 15 October 2014. Retrieved 30 May 2015.
- ^ "Singer-songwriter Jim Diamond dies". BBC News. 10 October 2015. Retrieved 10 October 2015.